Medical reasons for early dining

[Cruisin' Patty]

Has anyone submitted a prescription from your doctor, stating for medical reasons, that it's better for you to have the earlier seating, 6 as opposed to 8:00? What was the outcome? Did RCI notify you that you got your seating, or that they even received your fax?

[ducklite]

I don't have an answer for you, but I would think they would try to accomodate you if you made this request with proper documentation in advance. I wouldn't expect them to be accomodating if you wait until you board and it's a full sailing. If they can't, you can always order something from room service and then pick in the dining room at dinner.

 

Anne

[Beffy1167]

My DH has to have early seating for medical reasons and, when we book a cruise, we simply let our TA know. She then notifies the cruise line and only once has it been a problem. That was on Carnival and, even though we had booked a year ahead of time--and she had let them know our need, which I know because I was sitting in her cubicle when she phoned them--others who had booked AFTER us got early seating and we were assigned late. When we boarded, I went to the maitre'd and told him our problem....didn't have a doctor's note because we'd been PROMISED by Carnival that they would "gaurantee" us the early seating. He told us that there was a waiting list of "many others" who had also made the request--I reiterated the medical need and he told us to look for a card under our cabin door that afternoon.

 

The card never came so we ate on the Lido Deck the first night. I was NOT prepared to do that for the whole cruise--especially after conversing with several others who had booked AFTER us and been assigned early seating. (Seems like it oughtta be first come, first serve and the later bookers should have been stuck with later dining, not us!) Instead of returning to the maitre'd, I went to the purser's desk--they tried to refer me BACK to the maitre'd. I refused to return to the one who ignored my request--if he truly could not change us, common courtesy says he should have TOLD us so and informed the employee behind the purser's desk that if he couldn't help me, I wanted to know who the maitre'd 's superior officer was. He (the purser's desk guy) made one phone call and told me that if I returned to my room, I should be getting a call from the dining room.

 

Well, within fifteen minutes of returning to my room, a card slid under the door with our reassignment.

 

Next cruise booked is with RCCL--my TA told them we needed early dining and I called them directly to confirm this need. We're going from Hawaii to Vancouver next May and I've been told that we're already "confirmed" with early seating dinner. I hope this is true but am prepared to be assertive if need be (and will get a doctor's note this time, even though it wasn't requested last time).

 

Long story short, it pays to be assertive. Even if you book WELL in advance and they make you a "guarantee," it may not come through. Just be prepared to stick to your guns!

[ruttie]

last cruise we were on we were told they did not have early seating when we booked i stressed for several weeks about it cause i need to eat at a certain time I faxed them a letter from my dr to a specific person who is in charge if diner seating and it was changed.. But my back up was just to eat at the alterantive restraunts if i had to instead:)

[DEL67]

You can also email or speak to the Special Needs desk. I prefer email because I get a record of their response.

 

My husband is disabled and needs late sitting due to his medication schedule; therefore I usually include a request for the late sitting along with the reason when I fill out the special needs form. Only once was this request not granted. Even then our seating was changed once I explained the situation to the Maitre 'D.

[Cruisin' Patty]

Thankyou all for your responses. I did fax the script from the doctor to RCI, so we'll see. I guess the buffet and room service will be doing a big business...if not....