MDR table request: JH or Maitre-d'?

[Disconnections]

JH has frequently mentioned for dining requests be made to him on his FB page and not to MDs as they are too busy to keep up with emails.

 

But... he just forwards the request to the same email address. It isn't like there is a secret ship email that nobody knows about. Each department has their own and when he shares his iCare reports on Facebook, he just gives away the email addresses of each shipboard department.

[andy.capitan]

JH has frequently mentioned for dining requests be made to him on his FB page and not to MDs as they are too busy to keep up with emails.

 

Yes, and typically in response to a question along the lines of:

 

"I've emailed the maitre d' 142 times. Why don't they respond"

 

Why? Because it isn't their job to receive, much less reply to, emails from individual cruisers.

[pearose]

We are in same situation...many cruises..and just want a table for two...we are platinum..but I have emailed the MD...and sent JH a message...hoping it will work out..and we will check when we board to see what table we got...if it's not will go see the Maitre'd.

 

We sailed with three other couples this past June on the Glory..one couple did not book until about a month out...and early dining was waitlisted.... our ressies were cross referenced and I did contact Carnival and JH...we all were at the same table! So hope for our table for two in about three weeks:)

 

I plan to email the MD to request a table for 5 for our cruise, but I had posted on JH FB page once about something else, and he asked me to email him 2 days prior to sailing (not sure why, but intend to do it). My question here is, how do you "email" JH? What is his email address?

[andy.capitan]

I plan to email the MD to request a table for 5 for our cruise, but I had posted on JH FB page once about something else, and he asked me to email him 2 days prior to sailing (not sure why, but intend to do it). My question here is, how do you "email" JH? What is his email address?

 

You don't email him. He may or may not read it or reply, either.

 

The proper procedure is to post to his Facebook page, where a number of assistants can help if John is unavailable.

[Eeyore_Lover]

I send a brief email to the Maitre'd a few weeks before sailing. Sometimes I get a response, sometimes I don't. But my request has always been granted :) Simple enough to stop by the dining room on embarkation day to verify.

[Rosefloater]

Funny story -- we got our requested table size in the MDR, and on the first night, the waiters came by with a cake to sing Happy Birthday to me. NOT my birthday, so we wondered if that was also something JH had set up, related to the request we'd made.

 

So, perhaps, factor "Unexpected Birthday Cake" in as a benefit of making requests through JH.

 

Thanks!

 

My sis also had H.B. sung to her and got a piece of cake when her birthday was still 2 months away. We don't know why it happened. Never talked or sent an email to John Heald or the Maitre d'.

[camarowesley]

Yeah... not really wanting to stand in that dining room line on embarkation day. I'd prefer to set it up in advance. Thanks, though, Djptcp. I'm also looking for a table for 2 -- for the same reason as you. :)

We also prefer a table for two. We don't arrange it ahead or go to the maitre d. We do ATD and the first night we just inform the hostess and ask her to make a note of it. Never had a problem and always get a 2 top.

[katiel53]

I, for one, think that the Maitre D' on any ship is too busy to be getting emails requesting that he set up a table for 2, table in the middle of the dining room, table with 12 people etc. I also think it's not necessary to post or email John.

 

My suggestion is to email cclsupport@carnival.com Mary, Mischelle and Krystle are the ones John refers problems etc. to, so why not just email them and ask for your table. I have done this once when DH had to use a scooter and it was taken care of.

 

I do wish though that there was a place when either making reservations or when filling out the form for sailing, that would allow a table request if needed. We use ATD whenever we can and always get our table for two, so for us, it's a non-issue.

[cruizinisthebest]

I don't know what the rule is. Seems things are all over the place. But I can tell you that I emailed the Freedom Maitre'D before our August cruise, and he was pleasant, polite, and prompt. I only emailed him once - in the evening around 10pm. He got back within an hour. If he wouldn't have responded, I would either have waited until we boarded or dealt with the arrangements he made on his own.

[Rogueperson]

JH on his blog has a submission form. I filled that out with a question regarding Chef's Table on my cruise for September. I wasn't sure what kind of response I would get, but two days later, I got the answer to the question from the Maitre D of the Steakhouse on the Carnival Pride. I also was able to secure a reservation for the Chef's table.

[HollandAvery]

I hope that people do not bother JH about MDR requests for a table and such...he has a lot of other things to deal with and it's something you could just take care of yourself anyway once you board the ship.

[Orison]

Soooo. What is your preferred strategy for making a table request in the MDR? Once, I made a request through John's blog page. I've never emailed the Maitre-d' directly, but I've seen those email addressed floating around on this board, so I wondered what the pro's & cons were of either method.

 

Funny story -- we got our requested table size in the MDR, and on the first night, the waiters came by with a cake to sing Happy Birthday to me. NOT my birthday, so we wondered if that was also something JH had set up, related to the request we'd made.

 

So, perhaps, factor "Unexpected Birthday Cake" in as a benefit of making requests through JH. What are your thoughts/experiences with requesting through JH vs. through the MD?

 

Thanks!

 

Mama still says avoid the middle man, and go direct to the source. Email the MD and get it done yourself.

 

And should someone still want free anything, like birthday cake, make mention on FB. You may get something, you may not. Success is a lot less that 100 %

[Sauer-kraut]

So...... how do you actually contact John Heald (btw Wee Jimmy, now acting CD on the Breeze, was one of his assistants) if you do not nor will ever be on Facebook? Seems to me he should be available under the old fashioned way of email.

[FlaGrl4Evr]

........ this is not the first time that I have heard of someone in the MDR or by room-delivery getting a cake that did not belong to them by mistake. I wonder what happens to the couple that the cake was intended for ? This is solely my personal opinion, but wouldn't a simple, " sorry, but I don't believe this cake belongs to us. " be a better way to help get the confection quickly directed to the couple in which it belongs ?

 

I would have a hard time enjoying a treat knowing that I was taking it away from someone that paid for the experience of having it served for their special occasion.

 

 

.

[Andoria]

Second time emailing the maitre d. I sent an email to the one on Splendor and never had a reply BUT I got the table I requested and he came to my table to ask if I was happy with my seating request.

 

I emailed the maitre-d on Valor just yesterday and got an email back almost immediately. I'll have to see if my request is granted.

[LindseyButlerWilson]

[quote name='crusin okie']Would you please share the email address/format for contacting the maitre d? We are sailing on the Magic
Thank you.[/quote]

[FONT=Calibri][EMAIL="mcmaitred@carnival.com"][FONT=Times New Roman][B][COLOR=#0000ff]mcmaitred@carnival.com[/COLOR][/B][/FONT][/EMAIL] Magic Maitre D[/FONT]
[FONT=Calibri][/FONT]
[FONT=Calibri]The best time to email them is 2-4 weeks before you leave. [/FONT]