Anyone ever get early dining after it's "closed"

[bigsky]

My cruise for Nov 1st on the Oasis is closed for early dining. They said no waitlisting. The rep said that that means the waitlisting is closed and it's set in stone. I know they have anytime dining, my time dining, and late. Has anyone ever been able to get into the early after it's closed?

Of all our cruises, we've never had any trouble with early dining, but once. We ended up doing the anytime dining and other places.

 

I'm surprised that they say it's closed and so not until Nov 1st!

[Ashland]

My cruise for Nov 1st on the Oasis is closed for early dining. They said no waitlisting. The rep said that that means the waitlisting is closed and it's set in stone. I know they have anytime dining, my time dining, and late. Has anyone ever been able to get into the early after it's closed?

Of all our cruises, we've never had any trouble with early dining, but once. We ended up doing the anytime dining and other places.

 

I'm surprised that they say it's closed and so not until Nov 1st!

Try requesting it again in late September-early October...We had never done MTD (always did early MDR) but opted for it on our recent Oasis...loved it.

[PSCruiser]

Yes, I've seen early dining open again after being closed. I think when TAs block rooms they can also reserve early to go with those rooms, then when they don't sell, the dining gets released.

Also, if you have some tier status with RC, try to get some help from the C&A desk.

[Spurschick]

If all else fails as soon as you get on board head to restaurant. They are shuffling tables all the time due to people changing their minds what they want, no shows onboard etc.

[stowite]

Yes. Our upcoming cruise we had 2 of the 5 rooms in our group with early dining, one in MTD but waitlisted for early, one in late dining, and 1 in no assigned dining and no wait listing. The waitlisted early MTD room got assigned to early dining after about 1 month and the other 2 rooms took about 5 months but now all 5 rooms are assigned to early dining and linked. I would say this happened about 3-4 months before sailing time. You should have some time just keep calling.

[LindaO]

Check just before final payment and twice a day after final payment.... then if you don't get it prior to boarding... head to the dining room and request a change... Usually they can accommodate you. Don't stress over this... you have a good chance of getting the dining time you prefer!

[bigsky]

Ok.. Thank you all! I feel it's not so set in stone and will try and change prior. If not, than when we board. 8:30 is too late to eat for me.

 

 

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[kevink]

I can't remember the last cruise I booked where they didn't say that early dining was full at the time I booked. My conspiracy theory is that they are trying to push people into MTD. Anyway, I always have to initially book into MTD and usually when I call a month or two later I can get switched into the early seating. I just did so this week for an upcoming cruise in August.

 

-- Kevin

[kyriecat]

Availability seems to fluctuate. When I booked a cruise on Brilliance on Oct. for my mom, I tried to get her into early seating but it was full. I put her in MTD and asked about a waitlist for early seating, but the RC rep said it was also full. Yesterday a couple spots opened on the waitlist so I had her name added. Hopefully she will get moved to early seating before her cruise.

 

One sailing my husband and I were not planning on eating in the dining room and wanted MTD so we wouldn't tie up reserved seats. I hate when I have fixed seating with a table of people who don't show up. I didn't want to do that to someone else. We were able to get on the waitlist for MTD and had to prepay our gratuities, but we were still assigned to late fixed seating when we checked in. I went to the maitre d' when we boarded to explain the situation and ask if we could either be removed from fixed seating or moved to a table for 2 that we wouldn't use. He was able to switch us to MTD, but we didn't eat in the dining room.

 

Even if you can't get confirmation your preferred dining option prior to the cruise, you may still be able to switch once onboard.

[Anguillafan]

I can't remember the last cruise I booked where they didn't say that early dining was full at the time I booked. My conspiracy theory is that they are trying to push people into MTD. Anyway, I always have to initially book into MTD and usually when I call a month or two later I can get switched into the early seating. I just did so this week for an upcoming cruise in August.

 

-- Kevin

 

I actually believe that. I booked my cruise pretty early, and early dining was already booked. I'm willing to try MTD, but I'm in a tug of war with RCI over cash flow ;) I'm booked with the late seating, and I'll move to MTD, if it's available, once I'm on board, and I don't have to part with my tip money in advance. My guess is RCI wants you to choose MTD in advance so that they can get the cash up front, and then, lo and behold, early dining will have opened up once you're on board. With daily automatic gratuities, they no longer need that money up front, so why still do it? I doubt they are giving it to the staff upfront. Anyway, they do have an incentive for pushing people into MTD...and I have the same reason for holding out.

[bigsky]

There's some theory behind it. I don't believe it's full. He also said it's closed because they allowed the time for waitlisting, and it's set in stone. How can a cruise that far off have allowed enough time for waitlisting?!

 

I' emailed my ta to have it changed back to late. I'll worry about changing it as soon as we board.

 

My ta hasn't done it yet. I checked online. I tried to change it last night, but I didn't have the "right" phone number he uses when he books? I just have their 1-800 number.

[mit01]

Did you book through RCCL or a TA? If you booked through royal, call them once a week and see if you can get it. If you can't, ask to be waitlisted. You never know what the person on the other end of the line might be able to do for you.

[bigsky]

Ta.. I asked to be waitlisted and they said it was closed and I couldn't.

 

 

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[BubbaNJ]

We were put on MTD when we booked last year's cruise. At the time we made final payment, our TA was able to get us into 6pm seating. Same situation this year. This time we booked directly with RCCL - hopefully they can switch us over (asking every time I call to make payment....fingers crossed)

[cruisnpat]

There are 6 of us going on the Rhapsody OTS in Sept. We wanted the 6:00 dining but was told it was closed. We could have MTD or the 8:30 time, so we took the 8:30. They kept telling me that the earlier dinning was closed but they did put us on a wait list. It opened up for us the second we transferred to a TA. So yes it does happen.

[Aussie FF]

Yes. We booked a cruise 10 days before sailing, so there was no chance of getting early or even MTD.

When we boarded we went straight to the Diamond Concierge, who managed to get us onto early.:)

[skandls]

We have been on one cruise where many people could not get early seating for dinner. There was a very large group where everyone was assigned to early seating. There were some unhappy people who waited in line for 45 minutes only to be told early was closed. DH stood in line to change to second seating - the maitre'd was happy to be able to grant our request.

[UCF_Knight]

My guess is RCI wants you to choose MTD in advance so that they can get the cash up front, and then, lo and behold, early dining will have opened up once you're on board. With daily automatic gratuities, they no longer need that money up front, so why still do it? I doubt they are giving it to the staff upfront. Anyway, they do have an incentive for pushing people into MTD...and I have the same reason for holding out.

 

Why still do it? So they can make interest on your money while they hold it for you. I agree it makes little sense to still have to pay gratuity with final payment when using MTD since gratuities are all automatic for everyone now.

[bigsky]

I guess I can only hope for the best. Will call to see if it's open yet. If it is, then call my ta to change it.

He still hasn't called them to change to late! :mad: I requested 3 days ago.

 

If I go directly thru Royal, do they give obc's??? I'm contemplating after our next two cruises, just go thru Royal. Since the two are already booked.

 

I'm the one that seems to be doing all the work and keeping an eye out for drops, etc....

 

I go thru him because he gives us 100.00 obc or free insurance.

[londongal796]

I guess I can only hope for the best. Will call to see if it's open yet. If it is, then call my ta to change it.

He still hasn't called them to change to late! :mad: I requested 3 days ago.

 

If I go directly thru Royal, do they give obc's??? I'm contemplating after our next two cruises, just go thru Royal. Since the two are already booked.

 

I'm the one that seems to be doing all the work and keeping an eye out for drops, etc....

 

I go thru him because he gives us 100.00 obc or free insurance.

 

I think calling them yourself to see if it's changed is a good idea, although they may or may not be able to help you since the reservation is with a TA.

 

I haven't experienced being told that no waitlist was available--a waitlist should be as long as it needs to be! I've never heard of one being 'closed'. The whole point is that a waitlist exists for you to wait in case availability opens!!!

 

When we booked our cruise in Dec 2013 for a June 2014 cruise, we were waitlisted for the early dining with the Late dining as our 'back up'. Within a few weeks, our 'waitlisting' was moved to a solid Early Dining slot. I really think with a November cruise, you should really be able to get Early Dining... Keep trying!!!