Group dining question/help- they can't sit our family same place/ time?

[CRUIZIN SUZAN]

Hi!

 

We narrowed down several cruise options and my family group of 32-38 people decided to go with a sailing next JUNE on the Grandeur. While our family representative was speaking with our agent (large national chain that I'm not at LIBERTY to divulge)- he was told that due to the line aligning with the NCL's Freestyle dining, our option of dining together (same time/same place/somewhat close to each other) was during "ANYTIME" DINING at 8:30pm BUT that there are only 18 seats available at this time & seats will probably open to accomodate our group, but no guarantees...

 

Has anyone had this kind of experience or does anyone have advice? Not dining together nightly for our 4 generation family is a deal breaker. We held a family vote (no easy task with 10 families) and chose this line/cruise. It's disappointing we can not dine at the same time and earlier than 8:30- our ages are from 84-1.5 years. Carnival will accomodate our family in their traditional dining option, early seating, but majority ruled & we want to sail Royal Caribbean.

 

Help!!

[billsgal]

How many seats are available at traditional dining? Could you not select early seating? This far away from sailing you would probably see seats open up, at my time dining but you are right, there are no guarantees.

 

I guess my time dining has been very successful if they cannot accommodate your group this far out from your cruise.

 

 

 

 

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[cb at sea]

Seats will open up....don't worry too much!

[dna1990]

I know you or at least several moms in this large group consider it a dealbreaker. I know one in my own family.

 

But is it really? Let's say the world is perfect and all 38 people sit at four 10-top tables all right next to each other. Then what? How does that define your family or vacation. What if all 38 can't sit in same row at the juggler show? Or at the pool? Or get a table for 38 at Senior Frogs or whatever favorite watering hole you like?

 

I get it, dinner is very important to our family too. But even with just 11 in our last group at a single table - it is still hard to talk with everyone. Wouldn't it be easier to break up in smaller chunks? Mix it up some.

 

That being said, try RCLDining@rccl.com

 

 

But if this is still in the choose-a-cruise phase, and indeed dinner together is a dealbreaker - you better get it set now. I would think there is only a small chance of getting all 38 linked together as the reservations are made and it gets closer to the sail date. This has to be defined now.

[CRUIZIN SUZAN]

We don't expect, or quite honestly WANT to go to shows or lounges or the pool together. Our idea for these group vacations is that the various family/ age groups all if their own thing but meet up for a family dinner. We've always done if that way.

 

Were also not asking to be together, side by dude- just at the same time, same place. We swap table mates so we can compare excursions, share experiences & make loose plans on who's doing what in the evening. I can't imagine that this far out they can't at least te us we can all eat at, say 6:30, at the same venue.

 

Our last group cruise with the family was 5 years & 2 spouses & 4 kids ago :)

If Carnival can make it happen, I'm disappointed RC can't / won't.

 

Thanks for the link to RCLDINING. It's worth a shot before we start handing in our deposits.

[MaddyandMax]

We are sailing October 22, 2015 with a group of 12 and got the same line. We wanted early dining and they told us it was completely booked. We booked this cruise 4 months ago by the way. My parents who have cruised 30 plus times had to raise a bit of a stink. We are traveling with two 3 year olds, a 6 year old and 7 year old. We can't eat dinner at 8:30 at night. I would say push your agent. It worked for us.

 

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[Ourusualbeach]

As someone previously posted I would try rcldining@rccl.com

 

Travel agents (not all) have been known to take the easy way out and not push for what their clients want hoping that they will accept the answer that they receive.

 

Even though you have booked through a TA I would e mail RCI and explain the situation and see what they can do.

[JMG]

Agree with the above. Email RCI directly and let them know that this is a deal breaker. I will say that a group of 32 - 38 people could take up quite a lot of the dining space but they should be able to work with you some how on this with the advance notice.

 

We are doing a group cruise and dealt with a National TA and it has been a royal PITA! They have their way of doing things and we missed 2 price drops because of "their system"!

[JMG]

Your problem will be if RCI will respond to you directly since you are booked with a TA. Still, it is worth a try and definitely let them know this is a deal breaker for you! With months of advance notice they should be able to do something to accommodate your family group.

Edited August 4, 2014 by JMG

[woehwdy]

First, you need to have your "agency" call RCCL. There are times that the early seating is closed, but with your cruise being next year it should open. My Time dining will only seat groups of 10 at any one time, your agent has misinformed you regarding the My Time. For all of you to sit near each other, you will need to have a traditional seating time. Call and call your agency until you get someone to call RCCL.

[CRUIZIN SUZAN]

...for all the suggestions. We DID request traditional seating at the early seating as we have 5 kids under 5 years old. We were told it wasn't available/ booked already. The whole situation

doesn't sound right to me. We're far enough from the sail date at this point.

 

Also, while preferred, we do not REQUIRE seats close by each other but the expectation of having the family dine at the same time in the same place I really think should be the minimum expectation.

 

We will contact the dining department via email as suggested & ask the agent to

work on this matter as well.