How are dining reservations handled onboard EJ?

[Nashna]

We will be sailing on EJ2 in January.  Can we make dining reservations in advance?

[Grandma Cruising]

As I understand it you can make a couple of reservations beforehand

[CruiseCrew123]

The function will be available on the website 60 days before your cruises 

[lynneant]

I found it much easier to phone and make our 2 dinner reservations - 60 days out.

[uktog]

13 hours ago, CruiseCrew123 said:

The function will be available on the website 60 days before your cruises 

That function does not work for any guest whose travel agent has the standard UK/EU/Australia arrangement that they hold your cruise payment until you join the cruise in trust then pay it to the cruise line

I sail in under 2 weeks and can still not do anything as it shows balance outstanding. However if I phone the agents if they are one of the fully trained ones can make the dining reservation. They can also book the excursions but I still need to also pay them via my agent. 

[CruiseCrew123]

4 minutes ago, uktog said:

That function does not work for any guest whose travel agent has the standard UK/EU/Australia arrangement that they hold your cruise payment until you join the cruise in trust then pay it to the cruise line

I sail in under 2 weeks and can still not do anything as it shows balance outstanding. However if I phone the agents if they are one of the fully trained ones can make the dining reservation. They can also book the excursions but I still need to also pay them via my agent. 

I have an online uk agent and did it online . I sail in less than two weeks too on Explorer 1. Think the ability to book is hit/miss 

[KJB416]

I’m in the US under a TA and sail in 6 weeks and I am not able to book dining reservations, but I can book spa and excursions online. However, I was not even able to log into my account for weeks and when I finally emailed EJ to let them know the EJ agent kept coming back to me saying I needed to clear my cookies or use another browser. I had to send screen shots and three emails to insist there was an issue on their end and not mine before it went to IT and was fixed. I hate that they are so incompetent and will not get their website fixed. How can this not be a major priority for them?  
 

[Grandma Cruising]

16 hours ago, KJB416 said:

I’m in the US under a TA and sail in 6 weeks and I am not able to book dining reservations, but I can book spa and excursions online. However, I was not even able to log into my account for weeks and when I finally emailed EJ to let them know the EJ agent kept coming back to me saying I needed to clear my cookies or use another browser. I had to send screen shots and three emails to insist there was an issue on their end and not mine before it went to IT and was fixed. I hate that they are so incompetent and will not get their website fixed. How can this not be a major priority for them?  
 

I think they use Seaware by Veronix - it seems to cause problems everywhere it’s used. Azamara use it too and their system is poor!

[uktog]

31 minutes ago, Grandma Cruising said:

I think they use Seaware by Veronix - it seems to cause problems everywhere it’s used. Azamara use it too and their system is poor!

They do and unlike Azamara haven’t been as proactive in solving issues.

 

At least on Azamara you can in the UK see and book excursions if your travel agent is holding funds. On Explora you can’t even see what’s on offer without phoning up and getting a pdf sent. Then when you go to book (the same day as the pdf is sent) you discover the prices were indicative only - they say from £x. They also do not allow any bookings using obc which is their default resolution when they mess things up (in our case shortened the cruise, ok covered b and b in the hotel for the two days but then could get a breakfast rate so rather than reduce the cruise cost they are giving us obc to cover breakfast)

 

Whllst I love the onboard experience I absolutely loathe their back office it’s been nothing but hassle on three bookings. Seaware contributes to the issues but there is a lot in their control they could fix. 

[Bongomeme]

You can book via email.  I got a response within a few hours when I booked today ( we sail 9/27). I have a gty cabin, not assigned yet, so cannot book online.  Unfortunately the dates/times I requested are not available but I was offered another option.  I am hoping once onboard I can change things to better suit.  Last time onboard it was easy to do so but only 600 passengers.  Im thinking this next trip will be far busier due to good sale price. Ot1/2 and 3 are sold out as of now.

 

anyway, despite the annoyance, Explora is a wonderful ship and I very much look forward to my 3 rd “journey” with her in a few weeks.