Restaurant reservations - confused

[babalooo]

This will be my 4th Virgin cruise in Oct. I booked it last November and the app said 45 days out (this morning) I could book my restaurant reservations. I found out a friend of mine coincidentally is on my ship - booked hers months ago, wayyy later than me (same class of ship, she's not on a suite). She told me she already had her reservations, she booked hers 60 days out. I booked this morning when I was able, and allllll the good slots were gone. I've never experienced this on the previous 3 cruises. 

 

1 - How was she able to book earlier than me? Does it have to do with who your TA is (we each have one, a different one).

 

2 - Can a TA move reservations or do I have to wait until I board and go to the maitre'd desk?

 

3 - If we want to connect on one dinner, do I ask at the maitre'd desk? Can my TA link this one dinner? 

 

I am going to reach out to my TA but the 45-60 days out is puzzling. Thanks.

[DCGuy64]

1 hour ago, babalooo said:

allllll the good slots were gone

How do you define a "good" slot? Which times were available? Is it possible your friend is in a higher class of cabin or has a higher status than you with VV? That would be my guess in terms of why she was able to book earlier than you were.

[jon81uk]

Booking dining 60 days would mean they are in a suite.

 

your travel agent should be able to sort out linking the bookings so you can book for them and vice versa.

 

They only open up about third of the slots in advance, make more bookings, or change what you have once onboard the ship WiFi.

[DCGuy64]

2 hours ago, babalooo said:

same class of ship, she's not on a suite

 

22 minutes ago, jon81uk said:

Booking dining 60 days would mean they are in a suite.

 

your travel agent should be able to sort out linking the bookings so you can book for them and vice versa.

 

They only open up about third of the slots in advance, make more bookings, or change what you have once onboard the ship WiFi.

But OP said she's not in a suite, so it must be for some other reason. And I'm still curious what he means by the "good slots." That could mean anything. My wife and I prefer European dining times, but some people like the earlier ones, so it's all subjective.

Edited August 27 by DCGuy64

[jon81uk]

34 minutes ago, DCGuy64 said:

And I'm still curious what he means by the "good slots." That could mean anything. My wife and I prefer European dining times, but some people like the earlier ones, so it's all subjective.

The first times to fill up are 7-7.45pm so that’s what I think most people consider as the “good ones”. I’m British and normally aim for 7pm dinner at home.

[cantgetin]

Unless friend has been granted  VIP status, it makes no sense.  Black wrist bands are sometimes handed out to those who are not in suites--"Influencers," executives, some TAs, etc.  That gives them access to Richard's Rooftop and their accounts might be flagged for other suite perks.  Normally, suites are 60 days, all other cabins 45 days.  You can "link" reservations with your friends which allows you to book for each other, or you can have it taken care of on the ship.   Your TA can move your reservations if what you want is available, or you can call Sailor Services shoreside...or do it yourself on the app.  Each person has a different idea of what is a "good" slot.  More slots will open on embarkation day.  You an book them on the app once you board or you can go to an assigned location for help with reservations--usually Razzle Dazzle, but we once had it in Pink Agave.

Edited August 27 by cantgetin

[DCGuy64]

6 minutes ago, jon81uk said:

The first times to fill up are 7-7.45pm so that’s what I think most people consider as the “good ones”. I’m British and normally aim for 7pm dinner at home.

OP's handle indicates s/he is from Fort Lauderdale, FL, so I'm not sure what dining times s/he is used to. 7 pm would be normal for me at home, but on vacation, we typically eat at 8:30 PM or later. Then again, a lot of people who cruise are retired, and it's not uncommon to see supper at 4 PM in Florida, and I'm not making that up!

[babalooo]

Sorry, I didn't mean to be vague when I said "good time slots". Today all reservations around 7-8pm were gone. I am amazed how many "middle" times were already booked when I went on the app about 2 hrs after being allowed to reserve. And my friend is not in a suite and neither am I (unless my upgrade bids win 😛 ). So that is a mystery. But I want to connect us together on one dinner....I guess I will try to connect our reservation once on board. 

[DCGuy64]

1 hour ago, babalooo said:

Sorry, I didn't mean to be vague when I said "good time slots". Today all reservations around 7-8pm were gone. I am amazed how many "middle" times were already booked when I went on the app about 2 hrs after being allowed to reserve. And my friend is not in a suite and neither am I (unless my upgrade bids win 😛 ). So that is a mystery. But I want to connect us together on one dinner....I guess I will try to connect our reservation once on board. 

No worries, people have different preferences in terms of dining times, and that's totally cool. VV has a tool that allows you to share your booking with a friend so you can plan meals together. Just go into your reservation under My Voyage and scroll down to the "Sail and celebrate together" section towards the bottom of the page. You can copy a link and share it with your friend. Hope you have a great time!! (and good luck on the bidding)

[Tolkmit]

On 8/27/2024 at 8:10 AM, jon81uk said:

Booking dining 60 days would mean they are in a suite.

 

No, it's being reported in a couple different facebook groups for specific cruises as well. Some people who are not in suites are being allowed to book 60 days out. No apparent rhyme or reason, couple of them on my upcoming cruise this is their first on Virgin with no status match. Same room category as others who cannot book yet.

 

Something is screwed up with Virgin's system.

[cantgetin]

6 minutes ago, Tolkmit said:

 

 

Something is screwed up with Virgin's system.

Welcome to VV.  Something is ALWAYS screwed up with their system.

[DCGuy64]

1 hour ago, cantgetin said:

Welcome to VV.  Something is ALWAYS screwed up with their system.

NCL and MSC have system glitches from time to time, too. I think probably all cruise lines have occasional system hiccups. In fact, it's pretty much endemic to any business nowadays thanks to our reliance on the internet.

[Travel-and-See]

1 hour ago, DCGuy64 said:

NCL and MSC have system glitches from time to time, too. I think probably all cruise lines have occasional system hiccups. In fact, it's pretty much endemic to any business nowadays thanks to our reliance on the internet.

Other cruise lines do not require you to make reservations for Dinner so system glitches do not result in the same type of frustration. 

[DCGuy64]

46 minutes ago, Travel-and-See said:

Other cruise lines do not require you to make reservations for Dinner so system glitches do not result in the same type of frustration. 

I don't think Virgin is too different from NCL, actually. The specialty restaurants on NCL usually book up* well in advance of the sailings, but once you're on board, there are TV monitors throughout the ship showing which restaurants have availability throughout the day. Depending on when you're sailing, some places might be easy to get into, and some, not so much. Since a lot of people report being able to get into The Wake and Pink Agave by going to the maitre-d' and being put on a wait list, it sounds quite similar to me. So I don't see that Virgin is requiring you to reserve in advance, are they?

 

*not being available when you want something isn't the same as booked up altogether. If a popular restaurant has openings at 5:30 and you want 8 o'clock, that isn't the same as being "unavailable." I usually take the term "booked up" to mean literally NO tables available at all, at any time. I understand some people enjoy traveling in groups, for instance, but if someone insists on getting a table for 8 people at peak dinner time and then is told "no," that is not a situation I would say qualifies for sympathy. You have to be flexible OR make sure you hop onto the reservation system the very minute it opens up to ensure you get what you want.

[Travel-and-See]

I can't speak for NCL since I have yet to cruise with them - do they have an MDR? 

 

I've been able to get into Extra Virgin and Pink Agave with odd timing - but never the Wake for Dinner. Naturally others may have had different luck than me.  

[DCGuy64]

42 minutes ago, Travel-and-See said:

I can't speak for NCL since I have yet to cruise with them - do they have an MDR? 

 

I've been able to get into Extra Virgin and Pink Agave with odd timing - but never the Wake for Dinner. Naturally others may have had different luck than me.  

Yes, NCL is more like other cruise lines in that their ships always have several main dining rooms with various names (Taste, Savor, Manhattan, etc.). One of the things I am MOST looking forward to is the food on Virgin. It just looks more interesting to me. The menus I've seen from Pink Agave, Razzle Dazzle, The Wake, Gunbae, and Extra Virgin feature such clever and novel ingredients. And the best part (to me) is that they are included in the cruise fare. NCL has some terrific specialty restaurants, but they have an additional fee, and they aren't cheap!

[Travel-and-See]

1 hour ago, DCGuy64 said:

One of the things I am MOST looking forward to is the food on Virgin. It just looks more interesting to me. The menus I've seen from Pink Agave, Razzle Dazzle, The Wake, Gunbae, and Extra Virgin feature such clever and novel ingredients.

It's a mix - I've had some great meals on Virgin and some misses as well. But since you are most looking forward to the food, you can see how it could be frustrating for those booking who are not able to dine where they want to.

[Tolkmit]

3 hours ago, DCGuy64 said:

You have to be flexible OR make sure you hop onto the reservation system the very minute it opens up to ensure you get what you want.

 

The problem is, this isn't necessarily an option anymore. Instead of just suite guests being able to book 60 days in advance, a sizable number of apparently randomly chosen non-suite guests can as well. Meaning some stuff is filling up before many people have access, even if you get on right when it opens. Sure, the Galley exists, no one is going to go hungry. But it effects the value being offered. In some cases, instead of getting the dinner I want and the event (activity/show/excursion) I want, I have to choose between dinner or event.

This seems like a bug that will probably get fixed eventually; but until it does, it's something people should be aware of when considering booking.

[DCGuy64]

14 hours ago, Travel-and-See said:

It's a mix - I've had some great meals on Virgin and some misses as well. But since you are most looking forward to the food, you can see how it could be frustrating for those booking who are not able to dine where they want to.

I've been watching a lot of videos on Virgin Voyages by YouTube influencers and just regular folks like me. Most of them (not unlike people here on Cruise Critic) highly recommend people making reservations AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. One person on YT said she logs on at midnight on the day the reservation window opens. Anyone who sails on Virgin needs to inform himself, and that includes understanding that there's no buffet, no main dining room, and popular restaurants book up fast. If someone doesn't get to eat where he wants to, to me that signals inadequate preparation on the cruise passenger's part, not a deficiency of the cruise line.

[DCGuy64]

14 hours ago, Tolkmit said:

Instead of just suite guests being able to book 60 days in advance, a sizable number of apparently randomly chosen non-suite guests can as well.

Sizable? From what I'm reading here, it's one or two people at most. That's why this thread was started, at least as I understand it. The OP was confused because a non-suite passenger was able to book 60 days out. I don't think you've proven that there are a lot of people able to book more than 45 days from sail date. At the same time, however, based on my research, it seems people are able to get same-day reservations while on board the ship. Estimates vary, but it seems 30-35% of reservations are held back so that people who book while on board have a chance. It bears repeating that there's a difference between not eating at all, and not eating where you want to, when you want to. If Gunbae is booked solid for dinner from 5-10 pm on Monday, OK, I go on Tuesday instead. If I want to eat at The Wake and 7-9 pm is full, then I'll go at 6 pm. If the ship is full, they can't accommodate everybody at every restaurant all the time. If you have proof that a LOT of people are now able to book 60 days out (doesn't include suite guests), I'd love to see it.

[Travel-and-See]

1 hour ago, DCGuy64 said:

Anyone who sails on Virgin needs to inform himself, and that includes understanding that there's no buffet

Saying there is no buffet is really splitting hairs... the galley is the buffet.  

 

1 hour ago, DCGuy64 said:

If someone doesn't get to eat where he wants to, to me that signals inadequate preparation on the cruise passenger's part, not a deficiency of the cruise line.

 

It's kinda strange to blame the customer but I guess you can if you want to.  Hopefully Virgin is listening to Customers and making changes. 

[DCGuy64]

1 minute ago, Travel-and-See said:

Saying there is no buffet is really splitting hairs... the galley is the buffet.  

It really isn't, though, is it? You're certainly entitled to your opinion, but from the videos and photos I've seen, it looks like no other buffet I've ever seen. A typical buffet is a long line on both sides of the ship where people walk along and grab whatever they want. On Virgin, you place an order and wait at your table for someone to bring it. Isn't that so? Maybe you and I have different definitions of the word.

 

4 minutes ago, Travel-and-See said:

It's kinda strange to blame the customer but I guess you can if you want to.  Hopefully Virgin is listening to Customers and making changes. 

It's kinda strange to say that expecting passengers who spend $1,000s on a vacation should do a bit of research beforehand is "blaming," but I guess you can if you want to. I was browsing my account on Virgin the other day and it was very clear when the windows for booking excursions and restaurants would open up. People have FB, Cruise Critic, YouTube, and the Virgin website in order to educate themselves. You can't spoon feed people everything. If Virgin assesses the situation and wants to make changes, they certainly can. I am assuming you've already communicated your concerns and complaints to them?

[SongsInMyHead]

My travel agent has some sort of deal with VV so I get the suite timing for excursions and dining. It’s like a contract.

[Travel-and-See]

5 minutes ago, DCGuy64 said:

A typical buffet is a long line on both sides of the ship where people walk along and grab whatever they want. On Virgin, you place an order and wait at your table for someone to bring it. Isn't that so? Maybe you and I have different definitions of the word.

Kind of...  it's a mix.  It's in the same location and serves the same purpose as any other cruise ship buffet.  You help yourself to drinks, you help yourself to the sushi and some of the wraps / sandwiches,  you go to the counter for pastries or salad, the other stations you can go up and order or you can order from a waiter. 

[cantgetin]

This is my favorite food review.  It is a little out of date (has the old Razzle Dazzle menu,) but still mostly up to date.  There are some small alterations depending on where you are cruising. 

 There is no real buffet on VV.  It is much more a food court concept.  You can sit down and be served or go to the counter and place your order yourself--your choice.  There are daily specials at several of the locations that won't show up on the menu.

The shorter the cruise and the more full the ship, the more difficult reservations can be.  We've only had 2 experiences where we were told outright that we couldn't be seated or the chances of a waitlist coming thru were very small (one brunch and one dinner at The Wake).  In each case, we were offered a reservation for the next day.  We've done same day reservations and waitlists multiple times and had them come thru.  People "no show" regularly without canceling--that's why you can get in on a wait list.

I'm totally confused about a TA who has a special deal to get clients 60 day restaurant booking.  My TA has been in the top 10 agents of 2022 and 2023 and doesn't have such a deal.  I have not heard of VV favoring one agent over another prior to the statement in the above post.  They DO require agents to complete some level of VV training before they can book the line and those who complete the higher training are designated Gold tier agents.  In the past, the 100 who sold the most were invited on a celebration cruise with the execs and those in the top 10 got a few more perks.  There are thousands of agents who have completed the basic training, but that top 100 are people who really know the product inside and out.

Edited August 29 by cantgetin