Waitlisted Nine Months before our cruise

[KansasK]

This past week I booked a cruise on the Independence of the Seas sailing November 15, 2013. I asked for the early dining room seating and was told they would give us My Time Dining, and would be waitlisted for the early dining. She interestingly added that we would probably get it because we are Diamond. I wondered what about everyone else? I told her my brother would be booking and we wanted to be linked to him. She took his name and put a note in our reservation about this. She said to give him our reservation number and they would link us.

 

When he called to make his reservation, they gave him My Time Dining also, but would not waitlist him for the early dining room seating. They linked him to us, though. He questioned this since we were waitlisted and we are linked to his reservation. They said they would give this to their resolutions board and get back to him. They did call him back late that day and said they waitlisted him, but could not guarantee he would get the early seating.

 

He asked why at nine months out that he could not get early dining room seating. She told him the cruise lines sells large blocks of rooms to travel agencies and they block out the dining room for them as well for these cabins. The travel agency may later give the cabins back.

 

My brother, husband and I all wondered why individual reservations made through the cruise line have no status for dining room preferences and come behind travel agencies. If my brother does not get early seating and we do, we will go to My Time dining to be together and I'm sure it will work out. I just think they should treat us and anyone else making their own reservation better.

[alexkrn46]

we book through the cruise line and have been wait sited but as we got closer to the cruise our initial request was honored.

[DonnaK]

This happened to us on each of our last 4 cruises, and we always cleared the waiting list by final payment time (sometimes long before that). And, we are not Diamond. We remembered to call and have the prepaid gratuities removed from the final invoice, because we prefer to have it added to our account once onboard so we can use OBC to pay for it. We always book on our own, and not with a TA.

[BeachChik]

I would just keep checking. On our cruise only late dining was available at the time we booked. I kept checking and a out two months prior, my time and early seating had a availability and I was able to switch.

[Russ Lomas]

This past week I booked a cruise on the Independence of the Seas sailing November 15, 2013. I asked for the early dining room seating and was told they would give us My Time Dining, and would be waitlisted for the early dining.

 

It simply seems like a ploy to get people to have to pay their gratuities up front (which you only have to do with My Time Dining). Almost everyone that I have talked to who booked months to a year in advance were told that the only option available was My Time Dining, but they were told to call back and it was very likely they could obtain set seating times for dining as RCCL released more of these tables. Everyone I know was able to book set seating times if they wished prior to the cruise setting sail.

 

By this time however, you have prepaid all of your grats. I noticed another poster above mentioned that they ask for the cruiseline to refund their prepaid grats. That never occurred to me to ask for them back so I could use the OBC I had for the rooms. Great idea...thanks.

[Paulxyz2004]

This past week I booked a cruise on the Independence of the Seas sailing November 15, 2013. I asked for the early dining room seating and was told they would give us My Time Dining, and would be waitlisted for the early dining. She interestingly added that we would probably get it because we are Diamond. I wondered what about everyone else? I told her my brother would be booking and we wanted to be linked to him. She took his name and put a note in our reservation about this. She said to give him our reservation number and they would link us.

 

When he called to make his reservation, they gave him My Time Dining also, but would not waitlist him for the early dining room seating. They linked him to us, though. He questioned this since we were waitlisted and we are linked to his reservation. They said they would give this to their resolutions board and get back to him. They did call him back late that day and said they waitlisted him, but could not guarantee he would get the early seating.

 

He asked why at nine months out that he could not get early dining room seating. She told him the cruise lines sells large blocks of rooms to travel agencies and they block out the dining room for them as well for these cabins. The travel agency may later give the cabins back.

 

My brother, husband and I all wondered why individual reservations made through the cruise line have no status for dining room preferences and come behind travel agencies. If my brother does not get early seating and we do, we will go to My Time dining to be together and I'm sure it will work out. I just think they should treat us and anyone else making their own reservation better.

 

Even though on these boards many people don´t like TA´s, they are still the ones that generate a big bunch of bookings for the cruiselines and they need them for selling their product, so of course they will treat someone that books many cabins different than your individual booking.

 

When the TA books a block of cabins that might or might not be released later and reserves Early Dining for them, it´s no different than 20 individuals booking and reserving early, so if full then full.

 

BTW you don´t prepay grats until final payment.

[UCF_Knight]

This seems to be the norm these days. The last couple of cruises I've booked there was usually only 1 dinner option available at time of booking. As it got closer to the date of the cruise, all dining options opened up.

[cruisinfanatic]

This past week I booked a cruise on the Independence of the Seas sailing November 15, 2013. I asked for the early dining room seating and was told they would give us My Time Dining, and would be waitlisted for the early dining. She interestingly added that we would probably get it because we are Diamond. I wondered what about everyone else? I told her my brother would be booking and we wanted to be linked to him. She took his name and put a note in our reservation about this. She said to give him our reservation number and they would link us.

 

When he called to make his reservation, they gave him My Time Dining also, but would not waitlist him for the early dining room seating. They linked him to us, though. He questioned this since we were waitlisted and we are linked to his reservation. They said they would give this to their resolutions board and get back to him. They did call him back late that day and said they waitlisted him, but could not guarantee he would get the early seating.

 

He asked why at nine months out that he could not get early dining room seating. She told him the cruise lines sells large blocks of rooms to travel agencies and they block out the dining room for them as well for these cabins. The travel agency may later give the cabins back.

 

My brother, husband and I all wondered why individual reservations made through the cruise line have no status for dining room preferences and come behind travel agencies. If my brother does not get early seating and we do, we will go to My Time dining to be together and I'm sure it will work out. I just think they should treat us and anyone else making their own reservation better.

Not to worry. You'll get your early seating I'm sure. RCL is very good about this. You'll be changed within a month or 2 I would estimate

[DonnaK]

It simply seems like a ploy to get people to have to pay their gratuities up front (which you only have to do with My Time Dining). Almost everyone that I have talked to who booked months to a year in advance were told that the only option available was My Time Dining, but they were told to call back and it was very likely they could obtain set seating times for dining as RCCL released more of these tables. Everyone I know was able to book set seating times if they wished prior to the cruise setting sail.

 

By this time however, you have prepaid all of your grats. I noticed another poster above mentioned that they ask for the cruiseline to refund their prepaid grats. That never occurred to me to ask for them back so I could use the OBC I had for the rooms. Great idea...thanks.

 

 

Agreed! It does seem to be a way for RCI to get the gratuities upfront. If they hold onto that money 2 months before sailing, it adds up to significant interest revenue.

 

Just one note: I didn't ask for the prepaid grats to be refunded (because I hadn't made final payment yet, so they weren't paid), so I just asked for them to be removed from the balance due, and then paid them onboard. I imagine a lot of people don't do this, allowing RCI to keep (and invest) their money for 2 months prior to the cruise.

[cruisnseas]

The reason you are waitlisted is because if the TA group fills up all the seats in the dining they requested will be full. Unlikely to happen but how angry would you be if you got on the ship and there wasn't a seat for you at dinner?

 

So they waitlist. But the waitlist isn't infinite either.

 

If they are waitlisting 9 months out it will most likely clear before the cruise. If you don't want to prepay your grats, simply ask for them to be removed when the waitlist clears. It isn't a big deal and people do it all the time.

 

As for why travel agents get preference? When individual bookings start generation 80% of the business I bet they will get preference, too.

[DragonOfTheSeas]

This waitlist thing is the norm, now. I agree there are several reasons. Large bookings can be one reason. But, I still think the up front grats for RCL are part of it. I told my TA that the wait list was fine. No, do not put me on MTD and i was not paying grats at time of booking. [we like late seating] On every cruise I have been on in the last 3 years the late seating is almost empty. It is hard for me to believe it is full.:eek::confused:

[Paulxyz2004]

This waitlist thing is the norm, now. I agree there are several reasons. Large bookings can be one reason. But, I still think the up front grats for RCL are part of it. I told my TA that the wait list was fine. No, do not put me on MTD and i was not paying grats at time of booking. [we like late seating] On every cruise I have been on in the last 3 years the late seating is almost empty. It is hard for me to believe it is full.:eek::confused:

 

Again, unless you are booking past final payment date you are not paying grats at time of booking.

[Starry Eyes]

I was Diamond for our cruises last year. when our desired dining was wait listed, either the customer service agent or I would contact dining (immediately by rep if dining was open or later by me calling C&A if that department was closed). the Diamond status got us off the wait list and onto our desired dining right away.

 

 

So, if you really want early dining, would you consider (on paper) mixing up the names a bit on the reservations? Perhaps put your Diamond DH in newbie DB's reservation. And move somebody from his party onto your reservation? That way there is a Diamond in each room. Such name changes seem to be easy and free for US and Canadians, though others (like UK) may not wish to do this due to fees. After swapping names, call C&A and ask them to contact dining on your behalf to get you the dining you want. You probably could swap the names back then, but I'd leave a D in each room (on paper...you can change cards at purser's desk on board) as you might catch a D balcony discount (now or via price drop) for both rooms.

[SamFritz]

Can you refuse MTD, take late dining and be wait listed for early dining?

 

 

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[DragonOfTheSeas]

Again, unless you are booking past final payment date you are not paying grats at time of booking.

 

MY TA asked us to pay them. [we were after final booking one time] on the other she put them on the invoice. [for final payment] I asked her to remove them.

[cruisinfanatic]

MY TA asked us to pay them. [we were after final booking one time] on the other she put them on the invoice. [for final payment] I asked her to remove them.

If you are paying final and are MTD you have to pay the tips

[cctimmom]

This waitlist thing is the norm, now. I agree there are several reasons. Large bookings can be one reason. But, I still think the up front grats for RCL are part of it. I told my TA that the wait list was fine. No, do not put me on MTD and i was not paying grats at time of booking. [we like late seating] On every cruise I have been on in the last 3 years the late seating is almost empty. It is hard for me to believe it is full.:eek::confused:

 

I agree... everyone I know who has booked a sailing over the past year have gotten MTD and have been told they were waitlisted. I assumed it's because they are trying to encourage MTD, but seeing the financial benefit from it is certainly a plausible reason.

 

I booked through a TA. I don't know if she wasn't checking, if she never put me on a waitlist, or if there isn't really a waitlist, but I never got a call back that the Early Sitting that we requested had come through. I happened to call the TA a couple weeks before final payment and asked if Early Sitting was now available, and it was. So she made the change.

 

I find it annoying. I want what I want, and when I book MONTHS in advance, I can't believe that a sitting is already fully booked.

[Beth C]

I booked 4 cabins for our upcoming cruise in August and received our dining time no problem. Added another cabin in early October and couldn't get it - just made a call, linked the reservations and they were automatically put into the set dining time.... just a thought ;)

[Mimajo]

I booked 4 cabins for our upcoming cruise in August and received our dining time no problem. Added another cabin in early October and couldn't get it - just made a call, linked the reservations and they were automatically put into the set dining time.... just a thought ;)

 

We booked more than a year out and had no problem getting early seating. We just added another cabin and had no problem wince it was linked to ours. We are not Diamond either.

 

We booked in May for August 2013, maybe it's changed since then?

[molly361]

Can you refuse MTD, take late dining and be wait listed for early dining?

 

 

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Yes, that is how we have done it

[tneah]

I was put in MTD on my cruise reservation because late seating was full. Usually we love MtD, but on this cruise we wanted regular seating.

 

Anyways, I was charged the gratuities, but by the time the confirmation came back to me it said I was in late seating.

 

I called the next day to figure out if I was or was not in MTD and if I got into late seating. She said "yes" you're in.

 

I asked her to remove the gratuities. She mentioned that most people don't call call in to have the gratuities removed. So, FYI if this the case for you.

[kyriecat]

I had originally booked late seating for a recent cruise then wanted to change it to MTD once we decided that we weren't going to use the MDR very much. I tried to change it about 7 months before sail date but was told MTD was full. I had to prepay gratuities to get put on the waitlist for MTD. We were still listed as late seating when we boarded the ship. One of our first stops onboard was the dining host to see if we could get switched. It was no problem.

 

Even if you don't get the dining seating you want, there is a chance you can change it once you board.

[KansasK]

From what I read, it seems like this happens to a lot of people and they eventually get the dining room seating they wanted. The idea of having a Diamond member in each cabin is a good one, but I doubt we change this now.

 

They have charged me for the gratuities, but I have not made another payment yet, so they are not paid yet. If this goes until final payment before being resolved, we might ask for them to be removed if we get the early seating we want. Changing this on board does not appeal to me, but that might be what we have to do. Once on the ship, I want to leave hassles behind.

 

I had no idea this was so common. Thanks for all your thoughts on this.

[Starry Eyes]

From what I read, it seems like this happens to a lot of people and they eventually get the dining room seating they wanted. The idea of having a Diamond member in each cabin is a good one, but I doubt we change this now.

 

They have charged me for the gratuities, but I have not made another payment yet, so they are not paid yet. If this goes until final payment before being resolved, we might ask for them to be removed if we get the early seating we want. Changing this on board does not appeal to me, but that might be what we have to do. Once on the ship, I want to leave hassles behind.

I had no idea this was so common. Thanks for all your thoughts on this.

In my experience in the US, so far in advance it is easy to change the name of a passenger as long the name of one original passenger remains in the cabin. having a D in each room is apt to help...getting your choice of dining times is on the list of D benefits...if you booked directly, customer service can help with name changes. Or call the travel agents if you used them...if a travel agent won't help you change names, you need a new travel agent now (before final payment when you can cancel or change pretty much anything).

[lady_cruiser]

........... I just think they should treat us and anyone else making their own reservation better.

FYI - my December 2013 was booked using their toll free number while my February 2014 was booked through my travel agent. And I will hope that I am treated the same. Whether or not I am Diamond, what catergory of cabin I am sleeping in, many people are linked to my reservation or even how I made my reservations.