Dining Table Request HERE WE GO AGAIN!

[johnjen]

the only part of OP post that interests me is virtually being kicked out of their table. why did you not go ballistic then? that would be totally appropriate id think even under the harsh CC standards the trolls on here have.

 

this IS your vacation and that was a crude and rude thing to say to you. perhaps saying 'do you require anything else from us this evening' would be better but not by much . and i have to say, if i was rushed i think i may be inclined to stay there a bit longer and call the manager over and tell them right then and there why ill be here a few more hours.

 

that person needs retrained to the Nth degree. i dont even think anyone else has said that to me in any circumstance in my life!

 

Oh, we did. I spoke with the head waiter about it, we were given a free meal at the British pub for a night and were also given a plate of choc. covered strawberries and a card. We both actually sat with the head waiter and his bigger concern was how tables for two weren't getting as much attention as the larger party tables but I made it abundantly clear it was an offset to the holiday.

 

I think if we're told one more time "yeah, you're at a large table" and we get there and we're seated once again at a table for two, we're done with RCL.

[johnjen]

IF you don't get what you want...do NOT accept the 2-top! Check your dining table upon boarding, and make them change it to a large table. We also enjoy tablemates....and would hate to be seated alone for the entire cruise! We eat together AT LEAST 2 meals a day, sometimes, 3, so tablemates are fun for us!

 

Exactly. And we won't. Trust me, I'll not only be asking for compensation, I'll refuse gratuities.

[johnjen]

Wonder if the Anthem cruise was under the DD classic concept. But, I've sailed on both the Quantum & Anthem under DD and never was rushed out the door.

 

It was exactly that. There was concern about getting us out of there so they could prep the 2nd seating those nights. I just can't consume food the way I once did before the GP surgery.

[nelblu]

It was exactly that. There was concern about getting us out of there so they could prep the 2nd seating those nights. I just can't consume food the way I once did before the GP surgery.

 

My experience with DD classic is that we were never rushed. Enjoyed the concept and sorry to see it go. My request on the Anthem was a table for 2 by a window and boy did we get a nice window view in all the restaurants. When we left Portland Maine, I could see from our table and never realized how many lobster traps there were.

[BekkaW]

Exactly. And we won't. Trust me, I'll not only be asking for compensation, I'll refuse gratuities.

 

To me that's not an appropriate way to handle it. What ability does your cabin steward have to influence your dining placement?? But you want to take away his/her wages??

[johnjen]

To me that's not an appropriate way to handle it. What ability does your cabin steward have to influence your dining placement?? But you want to take away his/her wages??

 

Double question marks indicate confusion, panic, or you're just upset over the misplaced idea I'd cancel all gratuities. Allow me to help you out because you didn't understand me. Dining gratuities. NOT CABIN STEWARD GRATUITIES.

[johnjen]

Update.

 

Marlene got back to me and explained how it works. She contacted the ship. They, in turn, will give her an assigned large table number; she'll send that to me soon as she obtains it.

 

Everything is coming together. Today we also got our cruise documents. Looks like this time we'll get the table seating we asked for!

[Biker19]

Double question marks indicate confusion, panic, or you're just upset over the misplaced idea I'd cancel all gratuities. Allow me to help you out because you didn't understand me. Dining gratuities. NOT CABIN STEWARD GRATUITIES.

You might be able to reduce gratuities, but it is very unlikely the ship will be able to eliminate grats for just the dining staff. And as was mentioned, the dining staff have no control over table allocation.

[John&LaLa]

One thing to keep in mind is you can often end up practically alone at a big table as well. Blame it on speciality restaurant and windjammer.

 

It's happened countless times to us in the last 5 years. We're pretty much done with big tables. Really enjoyed our two top on Rhapsody. Wait staff extremely attentive and flexible

 

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[Paulette3028]

I've sent an email to rcldining@rccl.com about 7-14 days before my previous 3 cruises. I always make sure to include all guest names, reservation number, and cabin number.

 

I have received initial responses that the request was sent to the ship, as well as screenshots of our table assignment after the ship does the assignments. All 3 times, we were seated at the exact table that was shown on the screenshot.

 

I have used the rcldining@rccl.com email many times. This department handles all the needs of the dining rooms. Group and special seating just some of what they do. There are various people in the Food and Beverage Dept that this email address goes to. Once they receive your information (which should include the ship and sailing date in the subject line, along with the reservation number and names associated with it) it will be given to the person that handles that ship. They will forward your information to the ship and as soon as they hear back from the ship, they will send you the information. Two to three weeks prior to sail date is the perfect time to send the email to them.

 

I have NEVER been disappointed.

[trpschick]

the only part of OP post that interests me is virtually being kicked out of their table. why did you not go ballistic then? that would be totally appropriate id think even under the harsh CC standards the trolls on here have.

 

this IS your vacation and that was a crude and rude thing to say to you. perhaps saying 'do you require anything else from us this evening' would be better but not by much . and i have to say, if i was rushed i think i may be inclined to stay there a bit longer and call the manager over and tell them right then and there why ill be here a few more hours.

 

that person needs retrained to the Nth degree. i dont even think anyone else has said that to me in any circumstance in my life!

Oh I so agree with you! You should NEVER be "pushed" or hurried! You are on vacation and if they can't accommodate everyone then that's their problem not yours. I realize the capacity of ships have grown exponentially over the years but it that's the problem and they are having trouble accommodating guests than maybe they should think about maybe scaling back a bit to make their lives easier if it bothers them so much. There is no reason for that type of rude behavior and I would have been very upset.

 

Although I am waiting for someone to jump in and say if you want to linger and have top notch service and accommodation that maybe you should move to another cruise line or pay more for a more "private" experience. Wait for it ......

[mixplix]

there are four of us, two adults and two kids, and we do MTD, but usually at the same time every night. We have made friends on many occasions with those sitting next to our four - top. I like to meet people, but like to eat on our schedule, and not wait for others to show up, or not.

[psupa]

On our past two cruises - one on Carnival Glory, the next on Anthem, we requested both times for a large table of 10 as we enjoy dining in the company of other cruisers and meeting new people. On Glory, we were told no problem. Upon arriving on the ship we attended dinner only to find we were being seated at a table for two. So we sat there alone for the cruise duration.

 

Next cruise, Anthem, we were recommended to send an email to Marlene Parieto at RCL who will help ensure our desire for a large table. We got on board that cruise - we're at a table for two. On that cruise, we noticed we were being rushed but the larger seating tables were getting all kinds of attention. The only attention we received was "are you almost finished, we have others in need of your table."

 

If we end up at a small table for two again, I'll go ballistic.

 

Please point me to someone effective I can write to regarding this. I'm starting to doubt already we'll get our large table request. That's really the only complaint I have, you get seated at a small table and they want you to hurry up and eat. That's just wrong.

 

Is it really such a major insurmountable request to be placed at a large table?

 

Sorry but I do not believe that any server would say "are you almost finished, we have others in need of your table." If you were not happy with your table assignment why didn't you speak to your head waiter and tell them you would like to be seated at a large table.

[Paulette3028]

Sorry but I do not believe that any server would say "are you almost finished, we have others in need of your table." If you were not happy with your table assignment why didn't you speak to your head waiter and tell them you would like to be seated at a large table.

 

I must not have read the OP beginning post well....because I did not realize the part where it was said "are you almost finished.........". I responded with my very successful way of accommodating table needs for us on various sailing -- which was the subject of the thread.

 

Like you, I can't believe that any server would say it. In restaurants at home, servers are taught ways to 'politely indicate to diners' to finish their dinner because for them 'turning over tables quicker' means more money. I have never seen it done on a ship. Even then, a polite way would be 'Is there anything else you would like this evening with your dinner?'