Specialty Dining (Wonder) : How Fast Do We Need to Be Booking?

[firefly333]

2 hours ago, forty-two said:

Good to know.  I believe because we're in a junior suite we can ignore our noon boarding time and get in line early for the 10:30 entry.  That should save us some headache.

I could be confused, but I think I read JS on oasis class does not get priority boarding as a perk, only on the smaller ships. So out of Galveston it might make a difference if you have a JS which ship you are booked on.

[forty-two]

21 minutes ago, firefly333 said:

I could be confused, but I think I read JS on oasis class does not get priority boarding as a perk, only on the smaller ships. So out of Galveston it might make a difference if you have a JS which ship you are booked on.

I'm pretty sure its still the same for Wonder, I remember seeing it when we picked out our room.  Could be something they do away with on the Icon class, but that's not something I'm aware of.

[crewsweeper]

24 minutes ago, firefly333 said:

I could be confused, but I think I read JS on oasis class does not get priority boarding as a perk, only on the smaller ships. So out of Galveston it might make a difference if you have a JS which ship you are booked on.

As I recall in April when we sailed on the Wonder, there were Suites and Jr Suites in the separate area right across from us and then the Key folks were to our left.  Once they started boarding,though it went pretty quickly.  We weren't that much more than five minutes (certainly less than 10) behind the first boarders, and as soon as the Key folks went past the check through at the gangway entrance doors, they gave us the go ahead. We had the 10:30 time. Went right in to the terminal at 9:45. There were people sitting int he 12:30 section already.

[OCSC Mike]

42 minutes ago, forty-two said:

phew, well that's a relief.  So get there by 10:30, wait out star and pinnacles, and then get on the ship and book those dining reservations.

 

Don't confuse boarding times with check-in times; that's why I mentioned that earlier. If they enforce the check-in times (which they may or may not do), you can't board when they call for Key/Suite guests at say 10:45 if they don't let you check-in and enter the terminal until 11:30 or 12:30.

 

I just looked at The Key for my cruise next March and the wording is...

 

What's Included

• Priority access into the terminal (within booked arrival time) on Day 1.

 

I read that as saying you have to show up at your assigned check-in time, but then you get to go through the special Key line which speeds things up.

 

Please don't shoot the messenger. I'm not encouraging anyone to show up well before their assigned time, but plenty do, and often go right through. However, someone in this thread said that they were on Wonder recently and check-in times were being enforced.

 

I hope I'm wrong. I would try to get some clarification on when you are technically allowed to check-in. After that, you can decide how to proceed.

Edited May 15, 2023 by OCSC Mike

[forty-two]

11 minutes ago, OCSC Mike said:

 

Don't confuse boarding times with check-in times; that's why I mentioned that earlier. If they enforce the check-in times (which they may or may not do), you can't board when they call for Key/Suite guests at say 10:45 if they don't let you check-in and enter the terminal until 11:30 or 12:30.

So what you're saying is my check-in time remains 12:30, but I get priority boarding at check-in?

 

If that's the case I'm going to be in trouble booking dining reservations, I might be better served buying individual reservations in advance.

[forty-two]

20 minutes ago, crewsweeper said:

As I recall in April when we sailed on the Wonder, there were Suites and Jr Suites in the separate area right across from us and then the Key folks were to our left.  Once they started boarding,though it went pretty quickly.  We weren't that much more than five minutes (certainly less than 10) behind the first boarders, and as soon as the Key folks went past the check through at the gangway entrance doors, they gave us the go ahead. We had the 10:30 time. Went right in to the terminal at 9:45. There were people sitting int he 12:30 section already.

Thanks, I guess I'm just making myself more confused haha.

 

We have a 12:30 check-in time reserved, but also have The Key and a Junior Suite.  Should we still aim to show up at 10:30 [because we have the key] or am I just wasting my time.

 

It's one of those "gotta make a call now".  Those specialty dining reservations are our main reason for booking the Wonder, so if they are at risk I might as well book them individually now while they are available easily (and pay by the booking).

[Boz575]

@forty-two  I’ve read due to the Key lunch time, they are asking Key guests to show for check-in NLT 11AM regardless of the time selected when you do your online check-in. Maybe they notify you closer to sail date, not sure. Others may be able to confirm. 

Edited May 15, 2023 by Boz575

[NightOne]

As other people mentioned: Yes, go straight to the dining reservations station as soon as you board.

 

However, don't get to bummed out of if you cannot get all your preferred times. People cancel, change plans, etc. so you can probably get better times by following up on days 2,3, etc.

[OCSC Mike]

1 minute ago, Boz575 said:

@forty-two  I’ve read due to the Key lunch time, they are asking Key guests to show for check-in NLT 11AM regardless of the time selected when you do your online check-in. Others may be able to confirm. 

 

That would solve your problem. I would call RC and ask about it.

 

As I originally mentioned, I'm not familiar with the The Key other than knowing what it is in a general sense. I just pasted what my cruise planner said.

[forty-two]

5 minutes ago, OCSC Mike said:

 

That would solve your problem. I would call RC and ask about it.

 

As I originally mentioned, I'm not familiar with the The Key other than knowing what it is in a general sense. I just pasted what my cruise planner said.

Gave them a call, sounds like it varies port to port (which explains why there is so much conflicting information out there).  Go figure right.  At least with Port Canaveral, they said (RCI call rep) to arrive as early as possible and to go to the Key line and we can to board regardless of our assigned check-in time.

 

I asked out of curiosity, and it sounds like smaller ports are much stricter here and don't give this leeway, but due to Port Canaveral's size it doesn't impact them as much.

[forty-two]

12 minutes ago, Boz575 said:

@forty-two  I’ve read due to the Key lunch time, they are asking Key guests to show for check-in NLT 11AM regardless of the time selected when you do your online check-in. Maybe they notify you closer to sail date, not sure. Others may be able to confirm. 

This is what happened on my Odyssey cruise.  Oddly enough they notified us of this only a couple days in advanced so we weren't able to change our travel plans.

[forty-two]

12 minutes ago, NightOne said:

As other people mentioned: Yes, go straight to the dining reservations station as soon as you board.

 

However, don't get to bummed out of if you cannot get all your preferred times. People cancel, change plans, etc. so you can probably get better times by following up on days 2,3, etc.

Yeah, that does put my mind a little at least.  From past experience only Chops was ever "fully booked" the entire trip; most other restaurants had vacancies at none-peak hours.

[crewsweeper]

Don't Panic or fret over this.  Just head to the terminal before 10:30, tell the people directing the line you have the Key.  Don't say 12:30.   At worst they'll make you stand in line until the security is ready to process people.  Then go through security, up the stairs, follow the directions, check in and the people scanning your docs will direct you where you need to go to sit and wait for boarding. 

 

[forty-two]

9 minutes ago, crewsweeper said:

Don't Panic or fret over this.  Just head to the terminal before 10:30, tell the people directing the line you have the Key.  Don't say 12:30.   At worst they'll make you stand in line until the security is ready to process people.  Then go through security, up the stairs, follow the directions, check in and the people scanning your docs will direct you where you need to go to sit and wait for boarding. 

 

Ha, thanks for the reality check.  I like your approach and this is going to be the plan.

[splashsmom]

As stated, with the Wonder at PC, the Key will allow you an earlier check-in time and earlier boarding.  If I recall correctly, you also can sit in the suite area in the terminal if you arrive before boarding.

 

Having a junior suite on the Wonder did not get us any of the above (which was expected), including going through the pinnacle/suite line for security.  If we ever have another junior suite on the Wonder, we'll probably follow your lead and get the Key.