Interesting reply to my MDR table request

[The Fun Researcher]

I sent an email for a table request for our upcoming Alaskan cruise on the Quantum July 10, 2023. This was the auto reply.

 

"Please be advised, requests that do not have the ship and sail date in the subject line cannot be processed.  Non group requests will be processed 30 days before departure.  Table assignments can be found on your Seapass card received at check in at your port of departure."

 

We did include the ship and sail date in the subject line, so all set there.  We are all traditional early seating.  I found this part interesting:  "Non group requests will be processed 30 days before departure."

 

We are not a "group" sailing by Royal's definition, so I'm wondering if I should have sent the response prior to that 30 day mark?  I sent in the request 19 days prior to our sailing which means there is the current sailing, followed by two more full sailings before ours.  I didn't want to send the request too early in fear of it getting lost or being irrelevant because it was too far ahead.  

 

I just hope we aren't too late.  We have a large group of 16 immediate family members, with 6 booking numbers.  I requested a table of 9 and a table of 7 and gave an example of which bookings could go with each table.  Hopefully they are able to accommodate.  Since this is a close family group we really don't want to be seated with strangers, and would rather sit with our family.

 

Anyway, thought you all might be interested since I've never received this response before.  We'll see what happens once we board and have our table numbers.  Hope this all works out as this truly is a once in a lifetime for our group, which is convening from all across the country to make this happen.

Edited June 23, 2023 by The Fun Researcher
added context

[RobinKS]

Upon embarking, head to the main dining room and they can assist with the request.

[sandebeach]

1 hour ago, The Fun Researcher said:

I sent an email for a table request for our upcoming Alaskan cruise on the Quantum July 10, 2023. This was the auto reply.

 

"Please be advised, requests that do not have the ship and sail date in the subject line cannot be processed.  Non group requests will be processed 30 days before departure.  Table assignments can be found on your Seapass card received at check in at your port of departure."

 

We did include the ship and sail date in the subject line, so all set there.  We are all traditional early seating.  I found this part interesting:  "Non group requests will be processed 30 days before departure."

 

We are not a "group" sailing by Royal's definition, so I'm wondering if I should have sent the response prior to that 30 day mark?  I sent in the request 19 days prior to our sailing which means there is the current sailing, followed by two more full sailings before ours.  I didn't want to send the request too early in fear of it getting lost or being irrelevant because it was too far ahead.  

 

I just hope we aren't too late.  We have a large group of 16 immediate family members, with 6 booking numbers.  I requested a table of 9 and a table of 7 and gave an example of which bookings could go with each table.  Hopefully they are able to accommodate.  Since this is a close family group we really don't want to be seated with strangers, and would rather sit with our family.

 

Anyway, thought you all might be interested since I've never received this response before.  We'll see what happens once we board and have our table numbers.  Hope this all works out as this truly is a once in a lifetime for our group, which is convening from all across the country to make this happen.

I am thinking of doing something similar with friends for an upcoming cruise. What is the email to ask about dining?

[molly361]

Yes that is their new generic response to all dining requests now.  I sent one a couple of weeks ago for my upcoming cruise on Monday and just received that generic response. In the past I have always gotten a confirmation that my request has been honored.  I don't know if it's new management there, short staff or what but it something has changed.  Or maybe the volume of requests has gotten too big

[ONECRUISER]

Been couple threads on this. Those that don't know requests by email are supposed be sent only 2-3wks from Sailing. Unfortunately this is now typical response now, guess better to call for special requests

[Biker19]

44 minutes ago, sandebeach said:

What is the email to ask about dining?

rcldining@rccl.com

[The Fun Researcher]

11 minutes ago, ONECRUISER said:

Been couple threads on this. Those that don't know requests by email are supposed be sent only 2-3wks from Sailing. Unfortunately this is now typical response now, guess better to call for special requests

Yeah, that’s what I thought and what I have done on my last number of cruises, but the email confused me with the timing mentioned in the response. Thanks for the reply.  Do you know of a specific phone number to call for special requests?

[Oceansaway17]

this is why I have totally given up on MDR and I just go t the buffet where I can control portion and select what I want.

[Joseph2018Baltic]

I honestly believe that like all things, the email request have gotten out of hand, and so, they cut back on how they handle it.  

[barb in ga]

We sailed Quantum on May 29th. We were a family group of 10 and sent a request for a large table about 2 weeks prior. We received the standard reply above, but when we checked with the MDR upon boarding, we saw our request had been honored. When I sent my request, I did list names and cabin #s for everyone.

Barb in GA

[cruisefan0110]

When emailing for specific requests, do I need to include all of the reservation numbers?  Or as Barb just mentioned, cabin numbers and names. 

[The Fun Researcher]

46 minutes ago, cruisefan0110 said:

When emailing for specific requests, do I need to include all of the reservation numbers?  Or as Barb just mentioned, cabin numbers and names. 

Hmm, never thought of that. I’ve always included our booking numbers and names. Maybe room numbers are easier for them to address. Maybe it doesn’t matter .  Anyone know?  I will probably resend the email again next week with room numbers as well.

[nelblu]

5 hours ago, The Fun Researcher said:

I sent an email for a table request for our upcoming Alaskan cruise on the Quantum July 10, 2023. This was the auto reply.

 

"Please be advised, requests that do not have the ship and sail date in the subject line cannot be processed.  Non group requests will be processed 30 days before departure.  Table assignments can be found on your Seapass card received at check in at your port of departure."

 

We did include the ship and sail date in the subject line, so all set there.  We are all traditional early seating.  I found this part interesting:  "Non group requests will be processed 30 days before departure."

 

We are not a "group" sailing by Royal's definition, so I'm wondering if I should have sent the response prior to that 30 day mark?  I sent in the request 19 days prior to our sailing which means there is the current sailing, followed by two more full sailings before ours.  I didn't want to send the request too early in fear of it getting lost or being irrelevant because it was too far ahead.  

 

I just hope we aren't too late.  We have a large group of 16 immediate family members, with 6 booking numbers.  I requested a table of 9 and a table of 7 and gave an example of which bookings could go with each table.  Hopefully they are able to accommodate.  Since this is a close family group we really don't want to be seated with strangers, and would rather sit with our family.

 

Anyway, thought you all might be interested since I've never received this response before.  We'll see what happens once we board and have our table numbers.  Hope this all works out as this truly is a once in a lifetime for our group, which is convening from all across the country to make this happen.

Got the same message to my august 20th Oasis sail. 
 

Planning on resending🤣

 

I just included the reservation #s. 

Edited June 23, 2023 by nelblu

[njkruzer]

I called c&a in May to link 3 reservations for dinner, late seating,  traditional.  I had all 3 reservation numbers and names on reservations.  They took all the the information,  acknowledged 1 was already linked to ours, and then they added 3rd couple. This is for a September 29th cruise.  No problems.  Obviously we'll confirm when we board and go to mdr after we board and get our cards with table no. if not altogether. 

[The Fun Researcher]

2 minutes ago, njkruzer said:

I called c&a in May to link 3 reservations for dinner, late seating,  traditional.  I had all 3 reservation numbers and names on reservations.  They took all the the information,  acknowledged 1 was already linked to ours, and then they added 3rd couple. This is for a September 29th cruise.  No problems.  Obviously we'll confirm when we board and go to mdr after we board and get our cards with table no. if not altogether. 

👍🏼Yeah, that should work. How big is your party?

We are all linked also. Made sure of that when we all booked our cruise.  We have a very large party this time, 16 of us, so they cannot provide one table that large.  I think the biggest table I have seen is 10.  So I wanted to help guide them for the two table sizes that would work best for us, which is 9 and 7.

[njkruzer]

4 minutes ago, The Fun Researcher said:

👍🏼Yeah, that should work. How big is your party?

We are all linked also. Made sure of that when we all booked our cruise.  We have a very large party this time, 16 of us, so they cannot provide one table that large.  I think the biggest table I have seen is 10.  So I wanted to help guide them for the two table sizes that would work best for us, which is 9 and 7.

We're just 3 couples. No problem when I called. 

[sellwingri]

3 hours ago, Biker19 said:

rcldining@rccl.com

They no longer take requests at this email address.  I’m waiting for a response with the new address.

[nelblu]

2 hours ago, sellwingri said:

They no longer take requests at this email address.  I’m waiting for a response with the new address.

I got the response to Biker's tele. but not the kind of reply that I expected.🤣

Edited June 23, 2023 by nelblu

[rockmom]

5 hours ago, Joseph2018Baltic said:

I honestly believe that like all things, the email request have gotten out of hand, and so, they cut back on how they handle it.  

I totally agree.  I'm sure they are inundated with hundreds of requests.  I'm sure table assingments for thousand of people are tough enough and then they get flooded with requests from people wanting specific tables, areas, clusters of tables, one ginormous table and so on.  Throw in the size of ships now and it's probably not scalable anymore. There's always a long line at MDR on boarding day with more requests.  And everyone and their party wants a window.  

Edited June 23, 2023 by rockmom

[njkruzer]

Try calling c&a.  They were very nice.  I didn't ask for a specific table just that we sit together.  

[The Fun Researcher]

38 minutes ago, njkruzer said:

Try calling c&a.  They were very nice.  I didn't ask for a specific table just that we sit together.  

Yeah I didn’t request a certain table, just a table for 9 and a table for 7 preferably near each other and away from the entrance of the MDR

[Morecruisesplz]

9 hours ago, The Fun Researcher said:

I sent an email for a table request for our upcoming Alaskan cruise on the Quantum July 10, 2023. This was the auto reply.

 

"Please be advised, requests that do not have the ship and sail date in the subject line cannot be processed.  Non group requests will be processed 30 days before departure.  Table assignments can be found on your Seapass card received at check in at your port of departure."

 

We did include the ship and sail date in the subject line, so all set there.  We are all traditional early seating.  I found this part interesting:  "Non group requests will be processed 30 days before departure."

 

We are not a "group" sailing by Royal's definition, so I'm wondering if I should have sent the response prior to that 30 day mark?  I sent in the request 19 days prior to our sailing which means there is the current sailing, followed by two more full sailings before ours.  I didn't want to send the request too early in fear of it getting lost or being irrelevant because it was too far ahead.  

 

I just hope we aren't too late.  We have a large group of 16 immediate family members, with 6 booking numbers.  I requested a table of 9 and a table of 7 and gave an example of which bookings could go with each table.  Hopefully they are able to accommodate.  Since this is a close family group we really don't want to be seated with strangers, and would rather sit with our family.

 

Anyway, thought you all might be interested since I've never received this response before.  We'll see what happens once we board and have our table numbers.  Hope this all works out as this truly is a once in a lifetime for our group, which is convening from all across the country to make this happen.

Ship staff is covered up with requests since everyone was encouraged to ask for their favorite location, table size,  etc via email. They spend more time responding keeping them from other duties. When everyone wants special attention, it will soon be that no one receives it.

[The Fun Researcher]

37 minutes ago, fredmdcruisers said:

Ship staff is covered up with requests since everyone was encouraged to ask for their favorite location, table size,  etc via email. They spend more time responding keeping them from other duties. When everyone wants special attention, it will soon be that no one receives it.

Pure assumptions and suppositions, and yeah, I guess you told me.  😂

 

Requests have been been common practice for over a decade.  This is nothing new.  Sure, they might stop taking requests but I doubt it. Doesn’t hurt to ask.

 

Now we can debate asking for specific tables, or being overly particular, but simple requests are just that, simple requests.  I’d rather have it this way than take zero requests beforehand.  Would hate to get on the ship and wait in a massive line at the MDR on embarkation day with everyone trying to get accommodated with their table requests.  People aren’t going to stop making table requests so I’d rather have them work on it during their slow times of the day beforehand than to slam them on embarkation day.

[LobsterStalker]

On 6/23/2023 at 1:49 PM, RobinKS said:

Upon embarking, head to the main dining room and they can assist with the request.

Everyone always seems to give this advise , and though well meaning , it is not likely as viable an option as people seem to think . The MDR has been chaotic at best in its handling of my last 3 cruises and by the long lines of other soon to be disappointed guests , we are definitely not alone .

I always E-mail ahead and have even received table assignments that are non existent upon boarding , and all we are looking for is a 2 top for early dining. I can't imagine what OP will be up against trying to arrange for such a large party with multiple bookings , if trying to resolve on embarkation .

 

I wish you luck but ...

 

Cheers

[LobsterStalker]

On 6/23/2023 at 1:59 PM, molly361 said:

Yes that is their new generic response to all dining requests now.  I sent one a couple of weeks ago for my upcoming cruise on Monday and just received that generic response. In the past I have always gotten a confirmation that my request has been honored.  I don't know if it's new management there, short staff or what but it something has changed.  Or maybe the volume of requests has gotten too big

Yes ,maybe they are finally coming to terms with the fact that overpromising everyone's requests ahead of time and then asking forgiveness on Embarkation day is NOT the right approach ! So now we'll just throw a distraction noodle E-mail at everyone and hope this will somehow make things better ?

Hoping the geniuses at the top get this straightened out ,( hopeful,but not holding my breath )

 

Cheers