Anyone have experience being "waitlisted" for dining preference??

[JENANDGENE]

What was the outcome? Did you end up with your prefferred time?

 

We just booked Freedom of the Seas for November. It is myself and my children who will be 6, 4, and 2. Right now I was told "my time dining" is closed and there is a waitlist for the 6pm dining. So we are at 8:30 right now.............. ugh. That's really late even for ME to eat nevermind the kids!!!!

 

What is your experience with this?? Do you think as Nov approaches they will have enough cancellations to bump us up??

 

Also what do you think the chances of getting switched are once I am on board?? Possible??

 

THANKS!

[steponboard]

 

Also what do you think the chances of getting switched are once I am on board?? Possible??

 

THANKS!

50% my guess is as good as anyones. We don't know how many people are booked and maybe the cruise is overbooked, maybe under booked? We don't have enough facts to give you an answer but we can hope for the best for you.

[HipandKneeDoc]

We were waitlisted in the past....we were unable to do ANYTHING until we boarded. We arrived at the port early and dh went straight to the dining room to chat with the head waiter. We were switched and no problems. We were really nervous though up until the cruise.

[parmagal]

I was wait-listed on MTD for a different cruise and it was converted to a confirmed MTD within a few weeks. I hope you have just as good luck.

[rclibertygirl5]

We are sailing on the Oasis in October 2010 and we went on the waiting list for 6pm seating and we were on it for only 2 days and then got confirmed. I don't know how common this quick turnaround is because this was the first time for us on the waiting list. When our TA put us on the waiting list he said that if we didn't end up getting it that when we got on board we should go directly to the dining room and talk to the matride (sp?) because sometimes they can get you in.

[JENANDGENE]

Thanks everyone!

 

LOL! I just re read my post, I guess I should have mentioned my husband will be there too!!!! HA HA HA!

[subtchr]

When I booked Explorer in January for a June cruise, 6 pm dining was closed (could not even waitlist), MTD was waitlisted, and only 8:30 was available. Within a couple weeks, all three options were showing as available, and we chose main dining (6 pm).

 

My personal speculation is that it was not a case of many people changing plans or canceling reservations, but rather a system update. Whether that was the case or not, hopefully something similar will happen for you. Keep checking, and good luck!

[marci22]

I have been waitlisted for main at least twice and both times got changed within a week or so. You can look at your reservation online to see if it changes from waitlisted to no waitlists.

[NorbertsNiece]

We were waitlisted for MTD on Jewel. Went to the MDR after boarding and signed up with no problem.... Maitre d' applied the gratuities to our SetSail pass at that time.

[Let'sGo!]

We were waitlisted on our last cruise for early dining - it was the first time that had happened for us too.

But when we got our actual cruise docs (or e-docs as it was) we were set for early dining.

 

Wait as your cruise gets closer and see how many people take advantage of pre-booking for My Time Dining.

 

If when you get your actual documents and it still says waitlisted, or late dining, then you might want to go sign up for MTD, or make the Maitre D your first stop once you get on board and see what you can do. Considering how large your group is and that you would need a table all for yourself, MTD might be the best route for you.

 

Good luck!

[cb at sea]

We've been waitlisted, and once had to wait until night 2 for our choice....not a huge deal, but I was happy to have been changed to our preference!

[Mack2]

I've done late seating dining when my eldest was 4 years old.

Of course, now there are 3 kids and the eldest is now 11... but back his first cruise, we had a late seating.

 

We weren't able to switch the seating on board (we were on our first Disney cruise and Disney = kids) but we were able to make it work.

 

Essentially, we fed him early, and he would pass out at the late seating show (which occurs during the early seating dinner). We'd stick him in the stroller and go to dinner.

The times he was up, we'd have him sit with us, if he was tired, the waiters threw two chairs together and he'd pass out on the chairs or the stroller.

 

My experience with the kids now at early seating dinner is that they want to eat as quickly as they can so they can escape us and go to Adventure Ocean... which is fine, too....

edit:

BUT I'm sure you can make it work with the 2 year old.

[mlmc424]

We've been waitlisted twice and both times have received our choice within 2 weeks of being waitlisted.

[GTO-Girl]

What was the outcome? Did you end up with your prefferred time?

 

We just booked Freedom of the Seas for November. It is myself and my children who will be 6, 4, and 2. Right now I was told "my time dining" is closed and there is a waitlist for the 6pm dining. So we are at 8:30 right now.............. ugh. That's really late even for ME to eat nevermind the kids!!!!

 

What is your experience with this?? Do you think as Nov approaches they will have enough cancellations to bump us up??

 

Also what do you think the chances of getting switched are once I am on board?? Possible??

 

THANKS!

 

We also booked a cruise for November and were waitlisted for My Time dining. We had never had this happen since we usually book almost a year in advance. We called RCI and asked them why and were told they usually hold open so many spaces for My Time and early dining for groups who "might possibly" book??:confused:

 

We e-mailed their customer service department and addressed our concerns in a nice way, but just to let them know we didn't agree with that logic. We felt that because we book early and pay our deposit our request should be given consideration too.

 

Anyway.....the next day we received an e-mail advising us we had been confirmed for My Time dining. If we had just waited it might have happened anyway but I guess the e-mail didn't hurt :o

[cruisenfever]

We have been waitlisted also for early seating and have been able to have our dining preference request filled prior to boarding.

 

Since you are not cruising until November, wait until final payment date. You may be surprised that your dining request is filled then.

[cleophus12]

Does being Platinum C&A help at all??? We are on the 8:30 seating for our July Alaska cruise, so that would be 11:30 our time. My husband will not go if we have to eat at 8:30, so I haven't told him yet. I'll just keep my fingers crossed, I guess.

[livylotte]

Yes, I was sucessful. I called customer services to request a change in seating and then kept checking my status online. It only took a few days.