Issues with trying to move to early seating

[Princess Patches]

We have never given the maitre d' a gratuity to get our desired dining time. We have never failed to get our desired dining arrangement by the second night of the cruise in more than 20 cruises with Princess.

 

I think most passengers don't even try to see the maitre d'. Even if they do go see the maitre d', they give up if they can't be switched on the spot. Be sure to tell the maitre d' that you want to stay on the waitlist for your desired dining time and table size and see what happens on day two of the cruise. You might be surprised to find a card in your cabin the following day with your new dining assignment.

 

On only one occasion did we not get switched by day two of the cruise. So we went to see the maitre d' a second time on night two and he switched us on the spot when we asked a second time. My experience is the maitre d' will do his utmost to accommodate you.

Edited September 29, 2012 by Princess Patches

[Loonbeam]

Generally true, but if your request is far outside the pale, its worth considering.

 

And of course, not every MD is good.

 

A good MD does not require a bribe to provide good service to the passengers.

[mr green]

Just posted this on Facebook............I am so frustrated with Princess right now.

 

"Wow am I unhappy with Princess!! I am traveling with my elderly folks on the Coral Princess on 10/14. We were confirmed for late seating but my parents decided they wanted early seating. They are booked in a suite so they are automatically confirmed for the seating of their choice. So Princess has confirmed them for the 5:45 seating. I am cross referenced to them and am traveling alone with them. But Princess will NOT confirm me for the same seating. Instead, I am confirmed for the 5:15 seating and am wait listed for 5:45. So what am I supposed to do? My TA and I have made repeated calls to Princess but they flat out refuse to help. The Princess rep told me to talk to the maitre d' the day of boarding. What a hassle!! This is even more frustrating since I am an Elite cruiser and have 33 cruise credits with them. I am tired of the way they treat their customers and for the first time am considering trying another line where my business might be appreciated!"

 

If I were traveling with a large group then I would never expect Princess to confirm me. It is the fact that I am traveling alone with my folks! My TA even told me that my folks are at a table for 4. Watch Princess confirm another couple at the table with my partents and forget about me! I have seen stranger things happen!! :eek:

 

I book far enough in advance with Princess to get onto early seating, so, all I can do is to tell you how I solved the problem with HAL.

I booked a cruise, nine months in advance, but my TA of long standing informed me that even the Wait List was full.

As luck would have it the Regional Rep. from HAL gave a talk, at my TA's office about ten days later, so I asked her if she could get me on The List. Her reply was, 'I can't help you Mr. ------, but, have your TA call me at my office and I'll see what I can do'.

My TA called me the following day, and told me that my wife and I were on first seating.:)

I did the same thing on our following cruise with HAL.

Good luck.

 

john

[jrzebird]

I will never forget my one and only 'audience' with the Maitre d'. There were 6 of us sailing on the CB together and my sister and BIL had booked late. We were all in early traditional and they got anytime. I also called our TA but we were told there were no more seats for Traditional but we should meet with the MD on the first day, which we did. When we walked into the dining room where he was holding Court, together with his assistant, I presume, we were given numbered cards. We were also offered water and iced tea to drink while we waited. It really was no more than 20 minutes and then it was our turn. As I approached, I noted that he was seated on a round seat, behind a table, with his back to a window, making him rather difficult to discern. He was like the Wizard in the Wizard of Oz. I expected my sister to run up and see if there was a curtain she could pull away. The MD and his assistant were very attentive, and listened while we told our story, including why it was so important that we sit together for dinner (my nephew had died 4 months before and this was to be a healing cruise). He asked us to go to anytime dining that first night and he would see what he could do. The next day the card was on my bed saying we could all dine at the early, Traditional seating.

 

We did not give the MD a penny as a tip, or to grease the wheels as I've heard said. He took care of us, and continued to do so the remainder of the cruise. Then I tipped him, but not for getting us a table, but for his attention during the cruise.

 

OP, go see the Maitre d'. It's a rather interesting experience. And, he doesn't bite. At least the one on my cruise didn't!

 

Maureen

[caribill]

When we walked into the dining room where he was holding Court, together with his assistant, I presume, we were given numbered cards. We were also offered water and iced tea to drink while we waited. It really was no more than 20 minutes and then it was our turn. As I approached, I noted that he was seated on a round seat, behind a table, with his back to a window, making him rather difficult to discern. He was like the Wizard in the Wizard of Oz.

 

When I went, I felt it was more like a scene from "The Godfather" where Don Corleone would grant favors to those who had the proper respect.

[rkmw]

If you are confirmed for 5:15 and your parents can have any seating they want why don't they change to 5:15 and join you -- or am I missing something here?

 

i agree what you have posted....problem solved

[spingal]

Update. I am confirmed for 5:45 seating. :D:D

 

I find it interesting that I cleared on Saturday. The day after I posted on Facebook. And then today someone from Princess posted a reply on my Facebook thread. Nice to see they are monitoring social media.

 

I am very happy with the way this turned out! :D;)

[IECalCruiser]

Update. I am confirmed for 5:45 seating. :D:D

 

I find it interesting that I cleared on Saturday. The day after I posted on Facebook. And then today someone from Princess posted a reply on my Facebook thread. Nice to see they are monitoring social media.

 

I am very happy with the way this turned out! :D;)

Thanks for the update. Glad it worked out!

[Coral]

Update. I am confirmed for 5:45 seating. :D:D

 

I find it interesting that I cleared on Saturday. The day after I posted on Facebook. And then today someone from Princess posted a reply on my Facebook thread. Nice to see they are monitoring social media.

 

I am very happy with the way this turned out! :D;)

 

I still think tieing the bookings together would have ultimately had the same results. Glad it worked out for you.

[spingal]

Thank you Coral and IECalCruiser! I am so glad too!! :D

[TracieABD]

All is well that ends well! Glad it worked out for you!:)

[KruzPrincess]

I'm glad you got what you wanted and are happy. I suspect they would have done it without Facebook if you followed the suggested route. You may want to try other cruise lines. When I went on a Celebrity cruise I was confirmed for late Traditional. I wanted Anytime dining and was cruising solo, so it was just me...one person. I waited in line for over a half hour to make my request and it was not approved. They said they'd put me on the waiting list, but it never came through. So, just going on another cruise line doesn't mean you get better service. I've always had better luck with Princess in these situations.

[PunkiC]

Out of all of the cruises we have taken, we have never had what I would call a really successful assignment and almost always end up switching to anytime dining at a table for 8 or more.

 

We did a cruise with our daughter and partner in the spring and were originally assigned different dining times, despite the fact that our booking were linked. After talking to the maitre'd we were, on the second night, assigned the same time, but different tables. We just gave up and decided to do anytime dining together at a table for 8. That way we got to meet lots of different folks and we had a ball.

 

So, I have just become a fan of anytime dining at a large table. If we meet people we really like we just arrange to eat with them and avoid being stuck with peole who only have one night's worth of stories. ;)

 

It would appear, however, that our TA didn't get the message as I see that on our next two cruises we are confirmed for early dining. If we get a table for 8 or 10 and the people are interesting, we might stay. If not we will just switch to anytime dining.

 

We are dancers and usually hook up with other dancers during the cruise and form a little dance community, so we frequently end up eating with them after the first few days.

Edited October 2, 2012 by PunkiC

[Hulagirl]

Jamie:

 

I'm so glad it all worked out for you. Having to deal with this the day of embarkation is not a fun thing to have had to look forward to. Now you can have a nice and fun first day on the ship. Wish we were sailing with the 3 of you.

 

Hope you make the most traveled luncheon again.

 

Will e-mail you back.

 

Susan

[bconley351]

The only thing I can add is to be open to whatever table is offered. A couple of years ago we signed up for late dining. After one night of our port intensive cruise we realized (yawn!!!) we would not be awake for late dining. We nicely asked the MD. He offered us a table that others had rejected due to placement, as it was close to the entrance and many people passed us enroute to their own tables. We gratefully accepted. After that night we got lots of attention from the MD. In fact, he brought over the next day menus each night for our friend to arrange his food allergy meals. He advised what meals could be adapted without the ingredient that caused the allergy problem.

[Av8tor]

[quote name='spingal']Just posted this on Facebook............I am so frustrated with Princess right now.

"Wow am I unhappy with Princess!! I am traveling with my elderly folks on the Coral Princess on 10/14. We were confirmed for late seating but my parents decided they wanted early seating. They are booked in a suite so they are automatically confirmed for the seating of their choice. So Princess has confirmed them for the 5:45 seating. I am cross referenced to them and am traveling alone with them. But Princess will NOT confirm me for the same seating. Instead, I am confirmed for the 5:15 seating and am wait listed for 5:45. So what am I supposed to do? My TA and I have made repeated calls to Princess but they flat out refuse to help. The Princess rep told me to talk to the maitre d' the day of boarding. What a hassle!! This is even more frustrating since I am an Elite cruiser and have 33 cruise credits with them. I am tired of the way they treat their customers and for the first time am considering trying another line where my business might be appreciated!"

If I were traveling with a large group then I would never expect Princess to confirm me. It is the fact that I am traveling alone with my folks! My TA even told me that my folks are at a table for 4. Watch Princess confirm another couple at the table with my partents and forget about me! I have seen stranger things happen!! :eek:[/quote]

Am I missing something here (or is it a typo)?

All originally late

Parents moved to early and are confirmed for 5:45

You are still confirmed for 5:15

How is 5:15 late when 5:45 is early? That doesn't leave much time between sittings. I don't think tables can be turned that fast, even in Horizon Court! Isn't late seating really at 7:15 or 8:15? :confused:

Anyway, I see that you finally did get confirmed for 5:45. Hope you can chill out now and enjoy the cruise...

[FritzG]

This thread is from September, 2012.

[rkmw]

[quote name='Av8tor']Am I missing something here (or is it a typo)?

All originally late

Parents moved to early and are confirmed for 5:45

You are still confirmed for 5:15

How is 5:15 late when 5:45 is early? That doesn't leave much time between sittings. I don't think tables can be turned that fast, even in Horizon Court! Isn't late seating really at 7:15 or 8:15? :confused:

Anyway, I see that you finally did get confirmed for 5:45. Hope you can chill out now and enjoy the cruise...[/quote]

this thread is nearly 16 months old so i think the OP would have had his cruise by now

[caribill]

[quote name='Av8tor']Am I missing something here (or is it a typo)?

All originally late

Parents moved to early and are confirmed for 5:45

You are still confirmed for 5:15

How is 5:15 late when 5:45 is early? That doesn't leave much time between sittings. I don't think tables can be turned that fast, even in Horizon Court! Isn't late seating really at 7:15 or 8:15? :confused:

[/quote]

Poster was originally confirmed for the late seating (around 8 PM).

When he requested 5:45 to be with parents, he was told it was full and he was assigned to 5:15 which is in a different dining room.

[Av8tor]

Ahh Haa... I thought there was only one early dining time, regardless of the dining room. I didn't know they had staggered start times for different rooms....

[caribill]

[quote name='Av8tor']Ahh Haa... I thought there was only one early dining time, regardless of the dining room. I didn't know they had staggered start times for different rooms....[/quote]

Due to more requests for the early traditional dining room, Princess sets up an even earlier timefor the overflow in one of the Anytime dining rooms. Once that seating is finished, the room becomes Anytime for the rest of the evening.