Booked late - Wait listed for Dining - help!

[GeorgiaMomof4]

Going on the Fascination in a little over a week. We just booked Monday and have been wait listed for Early dining (we've always had early dining because we've taken kids with us before - no kids this time). There is also a wait list for YTD which we had considered trying. There will be 6 of us and we do want to eat together.

 

What happens with this wait list thing and any suggestions on if we should try for YTD or just book the late dining (which is available)?

 

We do like going to the shows but aren't all really night owls.

 

Thanks in advance for your thoughts and ideas.

[okgirl]

Going on the Fascination in a little over a week. We just booked Monday and have been wait listed for Early dining (we've always had early dining because we've taken kids with us before - no kids this time). There is also a wait list for YTD which we had considered trying. There will be 6 of us and we do want to eat together.

 

What happens with this wait list thing and any suggestions on if we should try for YTD or just book the late dining (which is available)?

 

We do like going to the shows but aren't all really night owls.

 

Thanks in advance for your thoughts and ideas.

 

First make sure all your booking numbers are linked so they know you want to be seated as a group.

 

About 4 days before your cruise you can post on John Healds FB page and tell him your ship, sail date and all the cabin numbers and see if he can contact the Maitre' D on the ship to move you.

 

Sometimes that's very successful and sometimes not.

 

Late dining isn't really so bad now that the shows are being repeated several times during the week with both early and late schedules so everyone has a chance to see them.

 

I do YTD, but before I started that I did late dining so I wouldn't have to rush back to the ship after being in port. I could come back, get a shower, dress for dinner and if I was hungry I would go to the taste bar or sushi bar for a light snack or go up to the buffet to have a pre-dinner salad.

[Phlybice]

Going on the Fascination in a little over a week. We just booked Monday and have been wait listed for Early dining (we've always had early dining because we've taken kids with us before - no kids this time). There is also a wait list for YTD which we had considered trying. There will be 6 of us and we do want to eat together.

 

What happens with this wait list thing and any suggestions on if we should try for YTD or just book the late dining (which is available)?

 

We do like going to the shows but aren't all really night owls.

 

Thanks in advance for your thoughts and ideas.

 

Email the MD directly and make your request. He'll probably answer you pretty quickly.

 

fsmaitred@carnival.com

[surfjock27]

We had this issue 2 years ago on the Dream.

We wanted YTD and it was all booked up, so I emailed the MD and he was very accommodating.

The day we boarded we had a note in our room to come to YTD that night and ask for the MD.

He seated us himself and even bought my partner and I a glass of wine.

 

Good luck!

[marshhawk]

no kids? I would take the late dining then, call Carnival and tag all cabins together. You wont miss shows, and you wont starve until 8, thinks of all the snacks you can eat?? Have a great cruise, I love the Fascination.

[skrufy]

We always do late dinning and go to the late shows. There is plenty of time to eat and make the show.

[GracieBe]

We were waitlisted for Early dining on our last cruise and worried about it. I contacted John Heald about 2 days before the cruise and he said he would let the maitre d know and that he would do what he could. We got early dining with no problem.

[lovestocruise19]

DH and I were waitlisted for early dining on our recent Conquest cruise since we booked last minute, but we decided just to see what happened. A couple days before the cruise I received an email saying that we were confirmed for early dining. I was curious who we'd be eating with. On the first night, we got to our table and it was a table for two! We didn't even request that (as we had done for our honeymoon cruise).

[GeorgiaMomof4]

Thanks for all the replies everyone. Sounds like we might not have anything to worry about!

 

Anyone else have wait list stories?

[cath32]

We cruised on the fascination a few years ago. We wanted YTD but it was full, so we picked early and wait listed YTD. When we got to the ship and got our S&s cards - they said YTD. We were a group of 3.

[christmas]

Let John Heald know 4 days before you sail and he will try and accommodate. http://www.facebook.com/johnheald

Edited January 30, 2014 by christmas

[nodogkisses]

no kids? I would take the late dining then, call Carnival and tag all cabins together. You wont miss shows, and you wont starve until 8, thinks of all the snacks you can eat?? Have a great cruise, I love the Fascination.

 

I agree with this suggestion. You'll probably really like late dining once you give it a try, especially since kids aren't involved. Much less rushed and enjoyable.

But, don't forget to link those bookings.

[Georgiagolfer]

DW and I were wait listed for early dining on our cruise on Fascination last November. YTD also was a wait list. When we boarded the ship, our S & S cards showed late dining. Went to see Maitre D' and he could (would) not change our dining times. As Platinum, this is 1 area where benefits were reduced, dining times went from guaranteed to priority.:mad:

 

We just ate at the buffet each evening, as Fascination has no specialty restaurants. Only thing we missed were the baby back ribs, which DW loves, and the small lobster tail. No big deal. At least we didn't spend 2 hours in MDR.

 

Good luck on getting the time you want.

Edited January 30, 2014 by Georgiagolfer
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