Specialty Restaurants- showing up with less than you booked for

[spazzyjanet]

If I had a 5-year-old decide he really didn't want to go at the last minute, I wouldn't drag him there. That's not because of whatever false assumptions you may have made about my parenting 'mentality' (based on almost nothing, I might add). It's because he wouldn't behave himself, and I'm courteous enough not to inflict that upon other guests dining. Trust me, if I did you would be the same person stepping up and getting upset about THAT as well. I'm neither a raving lunatic nor a raving idiot, just someone with an opinion you don't agree with. If you imply behind a keyboard that I just don't quite have this parenting thing figured out because I should either 1) "know" my kids better (to include their reaction to a completely new situation), or 2) control them better, I will respond to you.

 

There is a good chance my kids will want to join us, and that it would be just fine. It's just difficult sometimes to know that in advance. If something came up last minute it's a lot of money to be out, especially since I had to pay in advance for an adult meal.

 

Again, I'm still not sure the policy is necessary, seats are either in high demand (booked solid), in which case I would assume that they would/could establish a wait list like any other establishment, or they are not, in which case I am in no danger of stealing someone's seat.

 

Thank you for telling me that if I cancel my credit card would be credited back. I thought I had read somewhere, that they would only refund it as on board credit. That said, I'll probably still keep them and take advantage of the 24 hours notice, and if I'm not 100% sure cancel then.

[pinkrosesdeb]

We have had several cruises where it was impossible to book a specialty restaurant after we boarded. We tried several different days with no luck. I also believe that unless you are within a few weeks of your sail date you can definitely cancel your reservations. I would suggest booking for just 2 of you and then trying to add the kids once you board.

[mark290]

You have said several times that you understand people will say things from "behind a keyboard" but yet you continue with not well thought out retorts. You seem to not be taking it well. Several people have explained the reasoning for reservations and cancellation fees. You continue to ignore the reasons and come up with convoluted methods you would implement to satisfy your specific high maintenance needs.

 

RCCL would like to make money. If one of your alternative systems would create a larger profit and was fairly easy to implement I think RCCL would put it in place.

 

Cancel your reservations, get a refund and book once onboard when you have a better idea of what works for your family. Seems much easier for you to do that than the entire ship changing to fit your family's needs.

[akcruz]

I apologize, I just realized that I cited the wrong party for answering my question.

 

For the sake of discussion, is it really true that a ship with nearly 6,000 people walking around it in an evening would have less walk-in traffic than a land-based restaurant that you have to get in a car to drive to? If this is true, then RCI is failing in either their marketing or pricing. And if this is true, then am I really stealing a seat from someone else?

 

Has anyone on this board ever been shut out of reserving a restaurant in advance because of high demand? If this happens commonly I can see an argument begin to form. But then I think, "with such high demand wouldn't there be a wait-list of people wanting to get in. I'm struggling in either instance to see why this is necessary.

 

To answer this yes we have. I have tried to pre-book and not been able to get the time I wanted. I then went to the restaurant as soon as they opened the first day and still was not able to get any time anywhere near what I wanted. In this instance we did have a second night booked at a different restaurant so just stuck with that one.

 

If you had held a table, thereby blocking us out, and had no shows RC would have lost money if they refunded you. I am not going to sit on a wait list and see if you show or not.

 

Best idea in your situation is to cancel the bookings you have now and try to get what you want onboard once you figure it out. Just realize you may be shut out by others.

[spookwife]

Actually, I came on to ask a question, which cb was nice enough to answer. The snarky comment about my heretofore unknown 'mentality' was extra credit. If responding (quite calmly) to trolling comments is spazzy then I suppose I do resemble my screen name. Keep in mind, however that I'm not the one calling names. Anyone who has young kids knows that plans can change last minute. We would only cancel as a last resort, but would not get charged $100 for guests in a party not showing up (much less kids) at any land-based restaurant. Why should this be different?

 

State that you disagree with a policy, but will adjust accordingly and watch people come alive behind their keyboards.

 

because land base restaurants can EASILY fill that table with walk ins. a ship restaurant cannot.

 

oh and I know of a couple of very high end locations where yes you WOULD be charged a cancellation fee if your entire party does not arrive.

 

bottomline: the age of the diner( or non diner) is irrelevant when it comes to planning and staging the tables for turnover.

[spookwife]

I

Has anyone on this board ever been shut out of reserving a restaurant in advance because of high demand? If this happens commonly I can see an argument begin to form. But then I think, "with such high demand wouldn't there be a wait-list of people wanting to get in. I'm struggling in either instance to see why this is necessary.

 

YES.. and we are a small party of 2. partly because people reserve multiple nights ahead of time because they can't decide and partly because the ship does reserve blocks of times/table sizes for on board booking only. and yes, some of the restaurants on some of the ships DO have waiting lists to get in, especially on Formal nights when people are not willing to bring formal wear

 

 

nobody said you had to understand the reasoning behind why things are done the way they are.

[spazzyjanet]

Mark, if you read my last post you could see very clearly that those comments are only directed at certain posters here to which I was responding to directly.

 

I have no qualms with a healthy non-personal disagreement. I have also not ignored any points made. However, I don't see how could not be resolved by a wait-list. A wait-list, by the way, is not a complicated solution by any means, especially if demand is high. RCI even uses them already. I put myself on a wait-list for early seating just the other day.

[spazzyjanet]

And of course, RCI can make any policy they choose, and I suppose I don't have to understand the rationale... no issues with abiding by the policy, but I reserve the right to say I don't like it.

[knittinggirl]

The time we did Chef's night on Princess, a couple w/ small children said they arranged for the kids department to watch them late. Personally, I'd rather spend $30 pp to have someone competent watch the kids, then have them getting unruly in fine dining.

 

On the other hand, the last time we ate at Chops, they did have a dry aged hamburger on the menu. I think they added it for the kids. But I could really see my father ordering it too. He was a meet and potatoes type of man.

 

On Celebrity in the MDR we sat next to a couple w/ a small daughter. Each night, they brought a different toy to occupy her. She was quiet, but they always left before us, and we're fast eaters.

Edited October 16, 2015 by knittinggirl

[ewenix]

We would only cancel as a last resort, but would not get charged $100 for guests in a party not showing up (much less kids) at any land-based restaurant. Why should this be different?

The table service restaurants at Disney World charge you if you cancel with less than a 24 hour notice.

 

I doubt I'd book a specialty anyhow but FWIW I have teens and would not book a specialty restaurant ahead of time if they are joining us on the cruise. The makeup of the teen club is unknown until boarding, so they won't know until after boarding if they would want to join us or not. Sure, I could just book it with or without them and they'll go along with it. However I don't like being told what to do on MY vacation and prefer to extend that courtesy to them as well.