Help with Dining Problem Oasis

[eastwestmom]

Hi wise people,

 

Our cruise was originally booked back in September, only to be canceled due to my mother's illness. Her doctor gave approval for her to travel and rebooked our cruise last minute. The sail date is April 4.

 

So because it was booked so late, the only dining option available is the 8:30pm dining. I have young children who cannot eat that late. I called RC and received a lot of rhetoric and the net net is that there is not space in any earlier dining option.

 

We are on the wait list for the 6pm dining, but they wouldn't make any guarantees. All the specialty restaurants (not that I want to pay more $$ for them) are also booked. We are traveling with a party of 10, and are willing to split up.

 

Has anyone run into this issue? Were you on the waitlist and did you ultimately get your dining time? RC has been VERY unhelpful in this matter. I explained the young children and ill mother and they were still very "your problem" type of attitude.

 

We are paying A LOT of money to go on this ship, and I don't like the way we are being treated. I understand things are booked, but the level of service over this matter has me really mad.

 

thanks

[setsail]

sign up for my time dining and you can go earlier. If an early time is not available right now then go to the mtd desk after boarding and make your resi then

 

Have you booked your shows?

Edited March 9, 2015 by setsail

[sailor05]

They will not give on this issue. If the dining room is full then it's full. They will not bump somebody out of their dining time to accommodate someone else. That just would not be good business. However, we've had the 8:30 before and went the first day and had it changed to 6:00 with no problems at all. There are lots of changes that day and inevitably someone who has the 6:00 will want the 8:30, or MTD which open up slots. So all is not lost so don't get stressed as I have complete faith if you get there EARLY and get your names on the list you will get want you want.:)

[eastwestmom]

PP, My Time Dining is also booked solid. I was told by RC to go straight to Maitr'd. I understand they can't kick someone out to make a seat for us.

 

I am just very stressed as I am a planner, and never would have not booked what I needed booked way in advance. To pay this amount of $$ and face eating in Windjammer every night which is the only current option, really doesn't sound good.

 

To PP who said if we get there early we will get what we want, I hope you are right. I certainly will try.

 

Side note that this was booked by a travel agent who is now MIA for the next 2 weeks, and they wouldn't even discuss it with me until i went 5 levels up in management and sat on hold all morning. Only then to be told there is nothing they can do.

 

This is not a good way to build my loyalty with RC.

[setsail]

You can do a walk up with mtd without any resi, you could wait a bit but if you go with 6 or less you should get in ok.

 

Maybe eat in the windjammer the first night until its all ironed out, you might be surprised and seating for 10 would not be a problem

Edited March 9, 2015 by setsail

[eastwestmom]

Thanks "setsail". Will try...

[wolfganghowell]

While I sympathize with your situation, I think it's a bit unfair to label them unhelpful. It was your decision to book last minute. Of course everything would be booked up - and you are traveling on Easter. Complaining about the cost - well yes, that's what happens when you book last minute. How can they build your loyalty if they are sold out and all the reservations are full? You will have to make adjustments since it was your decision to go last minute. There are dining options - granted not exactly what you want. See the maitre'd the minute you board. They will always do what they can to help but like they said, they have so many tables and so many passengers. Very glad to hear that your mom has recovered enough to travel. Have a great cruise and try not to stress over the dinner. You may not have a perfect meal every night but you should be able to find a way to make it work.

[Dave85]

PP, My Time Dining is also booked solid. I was told by RC to go straight to Maitr'd.

 

Take their advice. There are ALWAYS a lot of people looking to make dining changes once they board, and it's not hard to imagine that some will want to switch out of early dining or MTD for some reason. I think you'd have at least a reasonable chance of getting into early or MTD if you make a beeline for the Maitre D' as soon as you get on the ship and see what he or she can do.

 

I realize this won't satisfy your desire to plan, but it's the best advice I can give you.

[SC_Floaters]

I can not see why you are so unhappy with Royal Caribbean.

 

It was not their fault you had to cancel and then do a last minute re-book.

 

It is also not their fault that My Time and Early Dining are fully booked.

 

You did not mention if you are trying to get a dining reservation for 10 or just yourself.

 

I'm see Royal offered to wait list you. Again Royal can not guarantee that either.

 

I have often made a reservation and the dining time I wanted was not available. I've been wait listed and not received that either. However, I have almost always received the dining choice I desired by checking in with the maître d' as soon as he/she is available right after getting on board.

 

Can tell from your posts you are stressed but you should relax and see what the future holds. Most of the time it is what you want and all this stress is wasted.

[cb at sea]

They WANT you to be happy...and once onboard, you'll be surprised at how helpful they will be.

 

Get on the wait list for early or MTD....and when you board, go to the dining room and make sure you're on the list.

 

If you don't get what you want on the 1st night, there are PLENTY of other eating venues. You will almost certainly get what you want by night 2.

[gerif]

You can do a walk up with mtd without any resi, you could wait a bit but if you go with 6 or less you should get in ok.

 

Maybe eat in the windjammer the first night until its all ironed out, you might be surprised and seating for 10 would not be a problem

 

If you are not booked for MTD (which requires prepaid gratuities) you cannot just walk up and get in. It's MTD OR traditional - one or the other.

 

There are only so many 10 tops available. Perhaps they could accommodate the group with the small children at a smaller table at early seating, but, as noted, a late reservation on a holiday sailing with lots of kids will be difficult.

[FinlandGuy]

The Maitre d's on Oasis will really try to find you a suitable table and time. I was there last week, and the Grande dining room Maitre d's (especially on the left side of the entrance) was very nice and tried always to get us the table with the same nice waiter.

[zeridan]

PP, My Time Dining is also booked solid. I was told by RC to go straight to Maitr'd. I understand they can't kick someone out to make a seat for us.

 

I am just very stressed as I am a planner, and never would have not booked what I needed booked way in advance. To pay this amount of $$ and face eating in Windjammer every night which is the only current option, really doesn't sound good.

 

To PP who said if we get there early we will get what we want, I hope you are right. I certainly will try.

 

Side note that this was booked by a travel agent who is now MIA for the next 2 weeks, and they wouldn't even discuss it with me until i went 5 levels up in management and sat on hold all morning. Only then to be told there is nothing they can do.

 

This is not a good way to build my loyalty with RC.

 

Availability can be one of the drawbacks when booking with a Travel Agent.

 

Rest assured, there are lots of dining options and flexibility once you get on board. Only so many slots are open for pre-booking. I am sure they will have no problem getting you on My Time or the Early dining once on board.

[Starry Eyes]

Try emailing the dining department, gently telling them your situation with young kids and asking if they can help. Ask gently, I think, without calling anybody else unhelpful. Some time ago a poster with little ones posted here, followed that suggestion, and the dining department was able to help them. No guarantees, but it is worth a try. Off the top of my head I think the email is rcldining@rccl.com. (Somebody please correct me if I have that wrong).

 

If the above does not work, may I ask your C&A level? Higher levels to get special attention to dining arrangement if they ask for it. If that applies to you, you can call C&A and ask for their help.

[jticarruthers]

Worst case just head into the dining room as soon as it opens and sit down at whichever table you want ... happened to us last cruise. We got to our table to find a family sitting there (after we had checked with the maître d at lunchtime on a different issue).

 

After 15 minutes of standing in the aisle waiting while various waiters and head waiters buzzed around, we got escorted to a different table while the head waiter apologized and explained that the other family had decided to seat themselves, refused to move and they weren't sure what to do about it ...

 

It was an interesting situation :)

[WpgCruise]

What is it exactly the O.P. wants done?

 

If their preferred time slot is full, what's the cruise line to do to make them happy ?

 

Full is full, and I'm sure if there was availability Royal would happily offer it to the O.P.

[Starry Eyes]

OP, here is a link to the old thread I mentioned where emailing the dining department helped. http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1557485&highlight=rcldining It was about three years ago, so people and policies might have changed, but it is worth a shot. Others have said full is full, and that may well be since it is last minute. It might also be that they try to save a few slots for difficult situations; maybe they still have some of those left.

Email them; you have nothing to lose.