Messed up dining with friends reservation

[suzyed]

Back in October we had our travel agent join our booking with some friends so we could all dine together in the traditional dining room.

They had 4 of us scheduled for 5:30 and 4 of us at 6:00, so we were told the 4 at 6 had to be moved to 5:30 if we wanted to dine together. Fine with us. Once couple subsequently pulled out, leaving 6 of us.

 

Now less than a week before cruising we find out that we aren't all scheduled to dine together. Two couple are together, but DH and I are "waitlisted #14" and confirmed for "anytime dining"!!!! :eek: At no time did we ask for anytime dining!

No one seems to know how this happened...the travel agent blames Princess and Princess blames the TA. Customer care won't do anything about it and told us to dine in the Horizon Court or got to the Matre'd when we get on the ship and pray that he can help us!!! :roll eyes::mad:

 

I guess my question is: has anyone else had this happen and what was your experience rectifying it?

[paul929207]

Your best bet is to double check your cruise cards when you board. If you are not together, go talk to the MD. He should be available from about 1 or 2 pm in one of the MDRs. Time and location will be in the Princess Patter for the first day

[reedprincess]

Back in October we had our travel agent join our booking with some friends so we could all dine together in the traditional dining room.

They had 4 of us scheduled for 5:30 and 4 of us at 6:00, so we were told the 4 at 6 had to be moved to 5:30 if we wanted to dine together. Fine with us. Once couple subsequently pulled out, leaving 6 of us.

 

Now less than a week before cruising we find out that we aren't all scheduled to dine together. Two couple are together, but DH and I are "waitlisted #14" and confirmed for "anytime dining"!!!! :eek: At no time did we ask for anytime dining!

No one seems to know how this happened...the travel agent blames Princess and Princess blames the TA. Customer care won't do anything about it and told us to dine in the Horizon Court or got to the Matre'd when we get on the ship and pray that he can help us!!! :roll eyes::mad:

 

I guess my question is: has anyone else had this happen and what was your experience rectifying it?

Mistakes happen. Take a deep breath, it will be OK. Once you board, both of you go to the maitre'd in the dining room - this will be listed in the daily Patter - and ask to be moved to the same table and time. 99% of the time, not a problem at all. They will have a large dining room layout with all the tables for each seating, and move you to where you all fit together. If you specifically want a table just for you and yours, it may take a night to sort out as very often people move around after the first night.

Alternatively, once onboard, both go to maitre'd and swap to anytime dining for both of your groups, then you can dine together whenever you like, or take a break from each other some nights

Either way, it's very common and, 99% of the time, not a problem at all.

[cruzsnooze]

Back in October we had our travel agent join our booking with some friends so we could all dine together in the traditional dining room.

They had 4 of us scheduled for 5:30 and 4 of us at 6:00, so we were told the 4 at 6 had to be moved to 5:30 if we wanted to dine together. Fine with us. Once couple subsequently pulled out, leaving 6 of us.

 

Now less than a week before cruising we find out that we aren't all scheduled to dine together. Two couple are together, but DH and I are "waitlisted #14" and confirmed for "anytime dining"!!!! :eek: At no time did we ask for anytime dining!

No one seems to know how this happened...the travel agent blames Princess and Princess blames the TA. Customer care won't do anything about it and told us to dine in the Horizon Court or got to the Matre'd when we get on the ship and pray that he can help us!!! :roll eyes::mad:

 

I guess my question is: has anyone else had this happen and what was your experience rectifying it?

 

I keep control of booking by not giving it to a TA so it's never happened to me. When you board there will be a time and place to see the Maitre D and he has the ability to correct the problem so be sure to go see him asap.

[TracieABD]

I have made additional requests with the MD. I have never had any sort of issue. The dining room staff really aim to please.

 

Please, don't let this cause you tons of worry or stress. It will all work out in the end.

[Working 2 Cruise]

I would also look for another TA. If your bookings had been properly linked, there would be no issue.

[ar1950]

As others have suggested the Maitre D' on board is probably your best bet to get some sort of resolution at this point in time.

 

As an FYI, we, too asked for 6pm early dining only to find we had 5:30pm on our cruise cards on our last cruise. I asked the Head Waiter about it and he said no 6pm dining times on US sailings. They are only available on European sailings. I asked why would it be a choice on the web site. He didn't know.

 

I'm thinking it is someone in charge of the web site hasn't been told to make the change or at least clarify what is going on. I also believe that Princess probably subcontracts their IT work and so there is no one to take responsibility for some of the quirks that we see on the Princess site from time to time. :confused:

Edited April 12, 2016 by ar1950

[suzyed]

Thanks all! DH keeps telling not to stress about it. It is just kind of frustrating when you thought it was all taken care of 6 months ago and now 6 days before the cruise it's messed up!

Edited April 12, 2016 by suzyed

[ar1950]

One last thing. Irrespective of whether or not you have a TA it is probably a good idea to review you Cruise Personalizer often just to make sure that no hiccups have developed. It hasn't happened much for us, but, we have found a couple. Have a great cruise.

Edited April 12, 2016 by ar1950

[caribill]

Back in October we had our travel agent join our booking with some friends so we could all dine together in the traditional dining room.

They had 4 of us scheduled for 5:30 and 4 of us at 6:00, so we were told the 4 at 6 had to be moved to 5:30 if we wanted to dine together. Fine with us. Once couple subsequently pulled out, leaving 6 of us.

 

Now less than a week before cruising we find out that we aren't all scheduled to dine together. Two couple are together, but DH and I are "waitlisted #14" and confirmed for "anytime dining"!!!! :eek: At no time did we ask for anytime dining!

 

My guess is that the following happened.

 

o When you (through your TA) requested that you be switched to be with your friends at the 5:30 time, you gave up your spot in the 6:00 time slot.

 

o The 5:30 time was already full. No room for two more people. Thus you are now on the wait list.

 

o In order to give you some place to dine since you could not yet be confirmed for the 5:30 time, you were confirmed in Anytime. When (and if) you clear the waitlist for 5:30, the Anytime assignment will disappear.

 

As others have said, do not stress about this. If you and your friends cruise cards do not show the same dining room, time and table assignment, see the Maitre 'd on the ship at the time posted in the Patter.

Edited April 12, 2016 by caribill

[land lover]

Thanks all! DH keeps telling not to stress about it. It is just kind of frustrating when you thought it was all taken care of 6 months ago and now 6 days before the cruise it's messed up!

 

The more you cruise and the bigger the ships, more errors, things will work out don't worry......

[suzyed]

The more you cruise and the bigger the ships, more errors, things will work out don't worry......

 

I know....it's just that we thought it was all taken care of 6 months ago.

 

Anyway....I'm now #12! Making progress!!

[Shogun]

Hi

 

Would not worry, have been at check in spotted folks we have cruised with before,

 

gone to MD and asked if we could all sit together, one day later all fixed,

 

yours Shogun

[geocruiser]

Just one question: Did you all book through the same TA?

[suzyed]

Just one question: Did you all book through the same TA?

 

Of the original 8 of us, 5 used the same TA.

 

I think it somehow got messed up when the one couple pulled out (different TA), but the one remaining person who used a different TA, had no problem being linked.

[geocruiser]

Of the original 8 of us, 5 used the same TA.

 

I think it somehow got messed up when the one couple pulled out (different TA), but the one remaining person who used a different TA, had no problem being linked.

 

We went through something similar. One couple used a different TA. From what my TA told me is that a TA should not touch another TA booking. To link bookings the TA would need both parties booking number.

[Whimsy]

I'm sure the Maitre'd will be happy to help you all dine together. I have a similar situation with a group, most are traditional fixed and now others want to join. The latter are waitlisted. I told them to hold tight and if they don't clear the wait list to talk to the Maitre'd once on board.

 

As for dining in the Horizan court I don't feel that was an acceptable alternative. I would suggest asking the maitre'd to switch you all to a reserved time in anytime dining before I would take all my meals in the Horizan court.

[land lover]

I know....it's just that we thought it was all taken care of 6 months ago.

 

Anyway....I'm now #12! Making progress!!

 

And don't be surprised if you you're off the wait list and they still show my time dining on your card when u board the ship.....has happened to us twice.

So we go to the dining room designated for changing dining times are given a number and wait until it is called speak to the MD and come out improving our situation.

 

...how would you like to have your choice mini-suite E731 taken away from you after final payment...without even getting a phone call or email....yes it happened to us.......and they didn't give it back to us because might I add, things happen its disappointing....I feel ur frustration....but it's all relative....enjoy your cruise....

Edited April 13, 2016 by land lover

[Nancyquilts]

When we have to see the maitre d' the first afternoon, we go about 10-15 minutes early. We'd rather wait then than at the end of a possibly long line.

[suzyed]

We went through something similar. One couple used a different TA. From what my TA told me is that a TA should not touch another TA booking. To link bookings the TA would need both parties booking number.

 

And they did indeed have all of our booking numbers when we first did this 6 months ago!

Not sure where it went wrong...but we are thinking when the one couple decided to leave our table, that's when things went awry!

[suzyed]

I'm sure the Maitre'd will be happy to help you all dine together. I have a similar situation with a group, most are traditional fixed and now others want to join. The latter are waitlisted. I told them to hold tight and if they don't clear the wait list to talk to the Maitre'd once on board.

 

As for dining in the Horizan court I don't feel that was an acceptable alternative. I would suggest asking the maitre'd to switch you all to a reserved time in anytime dining before I would take all my meals in the Horizan court.

 

It most certainly was NOT an acceptable alternative!!! Very condescending remark, if you really want know how I felt about her saying that!

Beyond that...I really dislike the Horizon Court....not a big fan of buffets at all. DH doesn't mind it for breakfast though. I just hate "hunting" for a table with a full tray in hand!

I'm sure we will come up with some kind of solution once we speak with the maitre'd!

AND, I just found out that someone on our roll call got the 6pm dining time after being waitlisted for months! I guess when they took us off it a few days ago and put us in anytime dining (which we did NOT request), they immediately gave our time away!! It's not even like this is a quickie 5-7 day cruise...it's 21 days!!

 

Can't wait to get it all straightened out!

[suzyed]

And don't be surprised if you you're off the wait list and they still show my time dining on your card when u board the ship.....has happened to us twice.

So we go to the dining room designated for changing dining times are given a number and wait until it is called speak to the MD and come out improving our situation.

 

...how would you like to have your choice mini-suite E731 taken away from you after final payment...without even getting a phone call or email....yes it happened to us.......and they didn't give it back to us because might I add, things happen its disappointing....I feel ur frustration....but it's all relative....enjoy your cruise....

 

I fully expect it to be wrong on our card when we get on board....I'm sure we will be able to get it changed.

 

Doesn't sound fair that they took your mini away! They actually did something similar to us on another sailing....moved us to a cabin way way far forward. They considered it an upgrade :eek: but it wasn't in our opinion. Luckily I spotted it and called right away to get our original cabin back! I don't think that should be done without notifying us first...unless you booked a guarantee and that's what you end up with.

I'm sorry that happened to you...that is wrong.

Edited April 13, 2016 by suzyed

[easyboy]

I'm sure we will come up with some kind of solution once we speak with the maitre'd!

 

Can't wait to get it all straightened out!

I'm pretty sure you worries will be over after your talk with the MD, as other have suggested.

The MD resolved our issues about a similar situation before.

[tuleia]

So sorry to read of your problem. It is likely too late for you to do what we had done but following is the information.

 

We have a similar situation, but our separate travel agents (2) had arranged/coordinated with Princess on the traditional dinner seating arrangements for the 12 of us.

 

Firstly, my travel agent informed Princess of our preference/request to coordinate our separate dinner seating arrangements so that we all could dine together ... at the same time at 2 adjacent tables of 6 each..

 

My travel agent gave Princess my group’s 4 separate Booking Nos. to cross-reference with my friends’ 2 separate Booking Nos. being handled by another travel agent.

 

Princess then assigned our group a personalized cross-reference ID number to be used for the dining purposes only.

 

This ID number is specifically being used to associate my 4 Booking Nos. with my friend’s 2 Booking Nos. booked through another travel agent.

 

We have confirmed that our dinner seating arrangements are exactly as we have requested.

 

However, it is our plan, immediately after boarding the ship, to go to the assigned traditional dining room to locate our tables and, if need be, request that the maitre’ d make whatever seating adjustments are required to conform with our request.

 

Do see the maitre’ d ASAP ... in the past, we've never been disappointed ... and were always amazed at the "miracles" achieved.

 

Bon Voyage.

[suzyed]

So sorry to read of your problem. It is likely too late for you to do what we had done but following is the information.

 

We have a similar situation, but our separate travel agents (2) had arranged/coordinated with Princess on the traditional dinner seating arrangements for the 12 of us.

 

Firstly, my travel agent informed Princess of our preference/request to coordinate our separate dinner seating arrangements so that we all could dine together ... at the same time at 2 adjacent tables of 6 each..

 

My travel agent gave Princess my group’s 4 separate Booking Nos. to cross-reference with my friends’ 2 separate Booking Nos. being handled by another travel agent.

 

Princess then assigned our group a personalized cross-reference ID number to be used for the dining purposes only.

 

This ID number is specifically being used to associate my 4 Booking Nos. with my friend’s 2 Booking Nos. booked through another travel agent.

 

We have confirmed that our dinner seating arrangements are exactly as we have requested.

 

However, it is our plan, immediately after boarding the ship, to go to the assigned traditional dining room to locate our tables and, if need be, request that the maitre’ d make whatever seating adjustments are required to conform with our request.

 

Do see the maitre’ d ASAP ... in the past, we've never been disappointed ... and were always amazed at the "miracles" achieved.

 

Bon Voyage.

 

That is exactly what our TA did 6 months ago!! We all provided our booking numbers to all the TA's involved. The only thing we were not provided with was the personalized cross reference id number...not had one in the past either!

 

Anyway, today, DH and I are "waitlisted #10" down from #14....so progress is being made! And yes, the maitre'd will be one of our first "to do's" once onboard!