Think you've reserved a specialty online? Think again.

[Kate-AHF]

I've been meaning to post this for a while.  We were on Marina for 4 weeks, Nov/Dec 2021.  It was not one sailing, but two B2B, change in cabin (two doors down).  This first leg everything was as it should be.  Our specialty reservations matched what I had reserved online.

 

Come the second leg, the first two nights matched what I had reserved.  Then the system completely lost the remainder of our specialty reservations until the end of the cruise, including my husband's 75th birthday night in Toscana.  I noticed this one night out of his Bday night in Tosacana.  I tried notifying our butler, no response.  I went to the concierge in the Exec lounge.  He couldn't help, he just sent me down to the fifth floor desk, with the caution to his compatriot "She has it documented."  I did, because I'd downloaded the email confirmations I'd gotten when I reserved the nights, plus printed my cruise summary.  

 

The Dining Concierge took my printouts, and made a reservation for that next night with the note that it was a 75th birthday.  When I asked her about why our online reservations disappeared, she SHRUGGED and replied: "That happens sometimes.".  Not.... we know this is a problem, and we are working on it, but a literal shrug.  I know crap happens, and there will be software glitches, and was prepared to be understanding about it.  But that shrug, and clear acceptance that this was something that was to be expected, got my back up.

 

When we showed up the next night, I won't go into where we were seated.  But it felt like I-95 behind our table.  I was a little confused when the waiter asked for our dessert choice, as I had ordered a cake.  Which was not forthcoming.  My husband was kinda okay with it all, until the next table got a happy birthday serenade from the wait staff.  Then, he wasn't okay.  I get that.  You only turn 75 once, and that cruise was in honor of this milestone bday.

 

Upon leaving, we had a conversation with the maitre 'd.  I looked down at his podium.  Right there, in full view, was a picture of my husband and the notation that it was a birthday.  And they still blew it. (they also blew it in Jacques in Jan of 2020 for our anniversary as well.  There is a trend here.)

 

So, moral of the story... MAKE SURE you bring your copy of the cruise summary that lists your specialty reservations, and also your confirmation emails.  And don't trust that just because the first segment is correct ...the remainder of your cruise will be.

 

It's not the end of the world, and we still love O.  But, as with everything in life, there is room for improvement.  And it is a good reminder to double-check all arrangements when you board, or at the beginning of the next leg on a B2B.

 

( additional funny but not great situation, one of our sailing companions sent a card and cake to the room when she heard about the bday dinner.  The card came to the room, and we thanked her for the nice birthday card.  She said "What about the cake?"  Ummm....no cake we said, just the card.  The cake showed up that evening, out of the blue.)

[Mura]

My sympathies.  We haven't done my celebrations on board but never had the problems you encountered.  That does put a damper on the occasion!  At least you DID get the missing cake, even if it was too late!

 

I remember one birthday dinner (quite a few years ago now, I don't recall when this happened) but we were in the GDR at a table for six. As it happened we were all professional musicians, so there was lots to talk about.  One of the women was celebrating her birthday and they presented us with the most marvelous cake ... I can still taste it in my memory ...

 

Mura

[Redtravel]

Sorry that they messed up the birthday.  I often cruise with family or friends to celebrate birthdays and anniversaries.  Cruise lines can be great with celebrating. They can also mess up.  Having experienced disappointments, I now contact. Raise lines before embarkation. Once onboard, see the maitr’d and discuss your expectations.  Big mass market cruise lines often mess up. The best treatment is on small ships. Windstar presented my spouse with a birthday cake without any requests. We were sailing as a couple and were really pleasantly surprised.