Changing dining times in main dining room

[kazwaz]

Hi,

I've seen lots of posts about changing your assigned dining time. On our cruise page on Royal Caribbean's website, under preferences and requests it says that second dining is not available and there are no waitlists. Has anyone come across this before.

 

It's a Med cruise, if that makes any difference. I've read somewhere that RCI have the main dining later in Europe as Europeans dine later in the evening than others.

 

Do you think it means that 2nd dining is full or there is only one sitting?

Thanks

Karen

[rjg41]

Likely second dining is full because, as you said, europeans like to eat later. When you board go to the dining room and ask for the maitre'd. He may have last minute changes and can help you.

 

The opposite happens in the US when many seniors are on board. First dining fills up.

[cruiser_carol]

Hi,

I've seen lots of posts about changing your assigned dining time. On our cruise page on Royal Caribbean's website, under preferences and requests it says that second dining is not available and there are no waitlists. Has anyone come across this before.

 

It's a Med cruise, if that makes any difference. I've read somewhere that RCI have the main dining later in Europe as Europeans dine later in the evening than others.

 

Do you think it means that 2nd dining is full or there is only one sitting?

Thanks

Karen

 

Kazwaz...Can vouch that on the Med sailings last year...on Legend of the Seas...there are definitely 2 seatings for dinner. The first at around 6pm....and the second 8:45 which we preferred. As this was a very port intensive cruise...and most departures from port were around 5-6 pm. We didn't want to be rushed getting dressed , or miss sailaway. It was still light at this time..and didn't seem late. There is a substantial afternnon tea available..if you needed an in between snack.

 

The second sitting was not as much in demand as the earlier...the vast majority of passengers being British, young with families. It also sailed out of Southampton. But even on the RC med trips out of Barcelona, for example, I would expect it to be mostly UK residents and Americans...with a small percentage of other Europeans. We also had our entertainment, in the theatre, after dinner at 11pm. The exceptions were on 3-4 nights when a midnight buffet.. or deck party were held, then it was a pre dinner show at 7 pm.

 

We are booked again for this August...and the Online Reservation Page with RC shows our preferred late sitting....and states No Waitlist! I took this to mean that there was not a waiting list and space was available. I will have another look. Which ship are you sailing on?? Carol

[kazwaz]

Thanks for your replies.

Carol, we are booked on Voyager of the Seas departing Barcelona 12th August.

 

Just after I posted, I rang RCI and they confirmed rjh41's comment that we should speak to the maitre-d when we board to see if we can change to the 2nd sitting.

 

We might leave it as it is tho'. We aren't planning on doing the organised excursions except for Malta and Marseille as we haven't been there before so we don't have to worry about trips getting back late and rushing to get ready. I expect at most stops we'll just mooch around the shops in the port.

Even so, I can't wait. I'm driving hubby mad talking about the cruise!!