vista assigned dining room

[noslen3333]

We will be on the Vista and after reading some of the post, I am confused about the dining rooms. We always take assigned late dining. We like to go to the front dining room. Is it true that the Reflections dining room is only for YTD?

[maryred]

Don't remember the dining room names but the traditional set time dining occurs in the deck 3 mid-ships dining room. Entrance is to the aft of the Atrium Bar.

The aft dining room on decks 3 & 4 is entirely for ATD. General boarding passengers will check-in though at deck 5 by the specialty coffee counter, while priority passengers generally report directly at the deck 3 hostess stand.

[rn4t5]

We will be on the Vista and after reading some of the post, I am confused about the dining rooms. We always take assigned late dining. We like to go to the front dining room. Is it true that the Reflections dining room is only for YTD?

 

No worries. Assigned dining (early and late) on Vista is in Reflection, the 'front' dining room.

[Ace5614]

When you state priority passengers, are you referring to Diamond & Platinum?

[beerman2]

Reflections for assigned times

 

Horizons for YTD

[maryred]

When you state priority passengers, are you referring to Diamond & Platinum?

Yes, along with those with FttF and by special invitation. Though when there is a large group of priority passengers sailing, such as for a Journeys cruise or a special 1 off itinerary, they may choose to limit this to Diamonds only. As part of your priority benefits letter, left in your cabin, more will be explained.

 

Sent from my STV100-2 using Forums mobile app

[Shaded Lady]

On ‎8‎/‎29‎/‎2018 at 9:26 AM, maryred said:

Yes, along with those with FttF and by special invitation. Though when there is a large group of priority passengers sailing, such as for a Journeys cruise or a special 1 off itinerary, they may choose to limit this to Diamonds only. As part of your priority benefits letter, left in your cabin, more will be explained.

 

Sent from my STV100-2 using Forums mobile app

So do I understand what you're saying, that those with FTTF and YTD, do NOT have to check in on deck 5? That we can go directly to the Horizons dining room?

[firefly333]

16 minutes ago, Shaded Lady said:

So do I understand what you're saying, that those with FTTF and YTD, do NOT have to check in on deck 5? That we can go directly to the Horizons dining room?

 

I just got off Vista today, almost diamond, so Im platinum.

 

I was told everyone had to check in daily on deck 5 for a table. Dumbest thing I ever heard of. The only exception was a diamond lady in a motorized vehicle.

 

BUT after 3 or 4 nights of lackluster service we got someone good, Dessy (pronounced Daisy), who told us to just come to deck 3 and ask for her and give the desk her card, which we did the last 3 nights. So, if you have someone you like get their card and you then do not have to check in.

 

First few nights, they now set the bread on the tables and the water, which is fine, but i wanted ground peppe on my ceasar, which never happened. I also wanted a refill on my coffee which I also couldnt get. Thats what I meant by my comment elsewhere about service started off lackluster at best first few days, but improved.

 

 

[firefly333]

A little off topic, but between our cabin steward telling us cleaning the cabins doesnt start until Monday, and the bad service in the MDR we started with I talked to Matt, who got guest services to call me.

 

There was a post from a diamond member who did not get the steak house when they requested....so I asked about this too. Diamonds now only get priority for speciality restaurants, they are not guaranteed. The head of guest services said just too many diamonds. We had 125 on this ship and 696 platinum and diamonds. My last cruise had over 200 diamonds. She said until they create a new tier its just impossible to accomodate that many requests.

 

Just answering the other question ... diamonds are guaranteed the dining time for MDR they request but not specialty restaurants.

[Shaded Lady]

14 minutes ago, firefly333 said:

 

I just got off Vista today, almost diamond, so Im platinum.

 

I was told everyone had to check in daily on deck 5 for a table. Dumbest thing I ever heard of. 

 

 

Thanks Firefly... my DH has trouble walking sometimes (bad feet) and when I told him this he was concerned about the extra walking. So I'll just get my DD or DSIL to stop at 5 and check in for us, or stop in myself, and get everyone else to go straight to the dining room and we'll meet there.

[Shaded Lady]

7 minutes ago, firefly333 said:

A little off topic, but between our cabin steward telling us cleaning the cabins doesnt start until Monday, and the bad service in the MDR we started with I talked to Matt, who got guest services to call me.

Wow! I'd be annoyed by that as well! 

[firefly333]

47 minutes ago, Shaded Lady said:

Thanks Firefly... my DH has trouble walking sometimes (bad feet) and when I told him this he was concerned about the extra walking. So I'll just get my DD or DSIL to stop at 5 and check in for us, or stop in myself, and get everyone else to go straight to the dining room and we'll meet there.

 

or get a waiter or waitress you like and their card and skip deck 5.

 

We just went to the desk on deck 3 and asked for Dessy the last 3 nights and were seated in her section each time, even though one time they gave us a 5 top by ourselves.

 

Oh dont forget if you have the hub app you can check in on the Hub app and skip deck 5 too.

 

I dont really have trouble walking but boy did I walk on this ship. But the app lets you check in and skip deck 5 too. 

 

btw you cant really go straight to the dining room since its on 2 decks? How would you know which one to go to? thats why i suggested the hub app or getting the card from someone you like and then i just went direct to deck 3 and there is a desk there to check in we used the last 3 nights.

Edited November 19, 2018 by firefly333

[firefly333]

59 minutes ago, Shaded Lady said:

Wow! I'd be annoyed by that as well! 

 

lol dont even get me started on our cabin steward, though guest services said they had to help with luggage now is why they dont clean the day you board.

 

But every little thing was extra. first i wanted a 2nd bar of soap for the sink and shower, then it was a laundry bag, then it was oh we dont have the sheet to fill in to get the laundry done. our friends in a suite asked, didnt they use to leave you one of those things with the carnival excursions in the cabin?

 

and salt... I eat a little food with my salt, they said its system wide they quit putting condiments on the tables in the buffet. get french fries at guys and had to walk almost to the aft pool to get saft. crazy, buy some more darn salt shakers, they were in such short supply, drove me nuts. twice one of the cleaners in the buffet did go search for a shaker of salt for me. why not buy more so they have enough?? only sea shack the pay place in the aft rated salt shakers on the tables on the buffet deck.

 

one luggage thing in our room for 2 of us, our cabin steward told me that we got the standard set up. lol. none of them except never finding salt really bothered me, but the cut backs were pretty obvious.

 

when i say 2 soaps, i mean just one for the shower and one for the sink, even cheap hotels give you that. I dont mean we both wanted 2 each ... 2 total. the room stewards reply to this was, we told you if you wanted anything extra you only had to ask.

 

now if you want the excursion booklet go get one yourself or the laundry bag etc.. not included.

 

all the coffee makers were out of coffee the first morning and the front one almost out.

 

and the desert line, what were they thinking? move the fruit and have a line from both directions. use your heads people. one line to get the new cakes and always took forever. I only tried it twice. the chocolate day ...my roomie waited, line was over 50 people, 

 

but i did ride the sky ride with almost no line. I should maybe have thought oh oh why is no one else getting in line, 30 knots of wind or something .... but i did get no lines for shows and the sky ride. awesome shows. only lines for food, especially desserts. why only one place, with one line for desserts?? 

Edited November 19, 2018 by firefly333

[firefly333]

While Im on the topic of food, Im pretty sure conquest and Magic class all have at least 3 places to get soft serve ice cream?

 

Vista has only 2, none in the aft like other ships ....BUT at lunch in the middle of the front buffet they do make sorbet. I got it two days, pinneaple and raspberry, my roomie got it the mango day (would have been 20 min wait to finish to get some for me), but its good and I havent seen the lack of soft serve machines mentioned or the home made sorbet in the middle of the front buffet on vista class.

[Chervil]

14 hours ago, firefly333 said:

While Im on the topic of food, Im pretty sure conquest and Magic class all have at least 3 places to get soft serve ice cream?

 

Vista has only 2, none in the aft like other ships ....BUT at lunch in the middle of the front buffet they do make sorbet. I got it two days, pinneaple and raspberry, my roomie got it the mango day (would have been 20 min wait to finish to get some for me), but its good and I havent seen the lack of soft serve machines mentioned or the home made sorbet in the middle of the front buffet on vista class.

Sailing Vista end of Jan. so this is all good info!

Good to know about the sorbet! We'll make sure to look for that.
And my wife usually packs a ramekin to glean preserves from breakfast to take to afternoon tea, so I guess we'll also be packing our own travel salt shaker as well, lol!

 

I'll make sure to keep an eye on stuff like the soap, since we have an ocean suite and with two sinks and a bathtub there better be PLENTY of soap on hand

I have heard quite a few complaints about the MDR staff on Vista. You said it got better as the cruise went on, though.
Did it seem like it was just inexperience, or was it more of a tired/overworked/malaise?
Our trip in March on the Breeze we had the late seating for dinner and our assigned staff were just awful.
The main server was very curt and seemed like he wanted to be anywhere but there and the assistant was pretty much non-existent (which could explain the main server's attitude, I guess).

We switched to anytime dining (didn't like eating so late anyway) and it was night/day!
Like you suggested, we liked these servers so much we requested their section the rest of the cruise (didn't think to get a card!)
Personable, funny and worked great together as a team!

 

Anything else I should know/be on the lookout for?

[serene56]

18 hours ago, Shaded Lady said:

So do I understand what you're saying, that those with FTTF and YTD, do NOT have to check in on deck 5? That we can go directly to the Horizons dining room?

  you get your choice of dining times--   like traditional,  or anytime.   It does not get you to the front of the lines for service. 

[firefly333]

We did not have to check in on deck 5 once we had the card from the waitress we liked. We started to eat after we watched the gp comedy, then the theater show, then went to dinner then went to the x rated comedy, so kinda late but there was always a table available with the waitress (do they call females waiters?) and then someone just walked us to our table.

 

Our favorite greeter was a guy named Brajan who always laughed and laughed and if we asked he said well someone had just told him something funny. We called him the giggler, he was so much fun. He was just a guy who walked people to their tables with a happy personality.

 

So we just went to deck 3 and got seated the last 3 nights right away. Some went to deck 4. This ship has two any time dining, vs some ships I have been on only had 1. There were always tons of open seats everytime i went. early or later on.

 

Someone gave a tip about the good salad bar up on deck 15 in serenity. It had pumpkin seeds and watermelon chunks and lots of good stuff to build a salad, but again no salt in sight. I guess they are on a kick to make me quit. So i only rated them a 8. We did manage to snag one of those clamshells but i think because it had a wet cushion. And I ate my salad there. 

 

My roommate loved the mexican salads they now make in the burrito line in those big shells, and there were 3 choices of meat posted. the odd thing is pork posted but was only in the other line for tacos, the salad bar had 3 meats but had fresh cooked largeish shrimp that was delicious, best on the ship.

 

i dont understand why they list pork, but not the shrimp or which side the sign is for, but it was very very good. 

 

But no after the first 4 times we did not check in on deck 5 for our seating in anytime dining just went to deck 3. ...others went directly to deck 4 and said they always got seated.

 

we finally got into a  grove so we could do both comedy shows and the theater and dinner at night. the only time we had to stand at the comedy was our fault we got there just when it started. But after that we managed to get there in time to grab a seat, np. and got into all shows and good seats.

 

the diamond/platinum party was great. a big tub of cold beer you didnt have to order like before and could try any drink you wanted to order for a whole hour. 

 

my only kinda complaint was the "free" drink. Ok I admit i threw away the coupon last time and maybe hadnt used the one before so its been a while since i used one. But as far as I can tell the only free drink was mimosa. I ordered a bloody mary which was free last time i bothered to use my coupon, now its 10.99, and the free drink says only up to $9 so you pay the overage and tip on the overage. not my idea of a free drink. not if only one drink is free.

 

 

[sarmat1]

3 hours ago, firefly333 said:

we finally got into a  grove so we could do both comedy shows and the theater and dinner at night.

 

Interested in this as based on the Fun Times I have seen for Vista, they seem to do PG comedy absurdly early.  How did you pull off going to PG comedy, dinner, show and adult comedy?  We've done everything nightly on other ships, but it seems to be almost impossible on Vista given the scheduling.

[firefly333]

4 hours ago, sarmat1 said:

Interested in this as based on the Fun Times I have seen for Vista, they seem to do PG comedy absurdly early.  How did you pull off going to PG comedy, dinner, show and adult comedy?  We've done everything nightly on other ships, but it seems to be almost impossible on Vista given the scheduling.

 

We did the 6:15 PG comedy which is repeated right after at 7:15, the same exact show

 

Then we went to the theater which opened its doors at 7 pm. shows started at 7:30 except for Flick which has red carpet at 7 pm (red lights), then meet Flick at 7;15 where he does a wee bit of magic and such, then the show starts at 7:30 like the others. we sat in the front row and wished we were back a ways, as that is one where a lot goes on back on that round thing kind of in the middle of the chair seating. Flick is the one with a little bit of Magic but singing and dancing, but we loved all 4? shows with singing and dancing. I skipped the Hasbro and lip sync shows, not my thing so much but we went to love and marriage because my roomie wanted to one of those nights.

 

Then we went to eat dinner.

 

Then we did the 9:45 pm 2nd repeat of the x rated comedy show.

 

Maybe we lucked out and i didnt know it being a ultra casino because we never saw the lines Ive read about ...however if you wanted to gamble slots, forgetaboutit.

 

At most I waited about 40 minutes for the sky ride, but as I mentioned the wind was 30 knots so maybe thats why people werent getting in line in back of me. 

 

Only lines we ran into were if you wanted dessert, ugggg, or a slot machine. double uggg. our group decided to do a slot pull and everyone to put in $20 and do $5 pulls but there wasnt a $5 machine to be had and they had to use a $10 machine. 

 

But we had no trouble getting into shows or getting great seats. MDR was half way empty, I guess they all went to gamble? idk. but shows were wide open and easy to sit near the front if you wanted to.

 

Im reading those times off  fun times ... 2 of each comedy show (identical) so you would just want to see one of each.