Have you cleared a dining room waitlist?

[AlexandNessa]

Our TA screwed up royally and assigned us to open seating even though early and late were available at the time we booked. It's in our profile that we prefer late seating so not sure what happened there, and it's our fault too in that we didn't check until, of course, only open seating was available.

Our TA waitlisted us for late seating.

Would just like to hear from those of you who did or did not clear the waitlist and what your experience was.


TIA

[tamsocal]

we have cleared a waitlist on Princess twice and Carnival once-- all 3 were due to booking close to departure date- 6 days to 7wks out. On the 6 day cruise we didn't know we cleared until the day we boarded-- but we didn't call & ask daily either. The others, I think we found out a week or 2 beforehand

[tamsocal]

forgot to add.... that makes us 3 for 3 on clearing waitlists. Not sure if we just got lucky

[readytocruiseagain!]

If you don't clear, just go to see the maitre d' on boarding afternoon (it will be listed in the daily program) and ask to move. Usually not a problem, especially to late seating (most want to move to early on HAL it seems).

[CowPrincess]

We booked thru an online TA once and were waitlisted for late. When we got on the ship we had been assigned to late fixed.

[Loreto]

We were waitlisted for a table for 2 early seating on the Oosterdam in Mexico and got it.
You shouldn't have any trouble with late seating. Good luck...open seating is fine...try it!
Karen

[Brad1185]

I would fire your TA. I would hate getting stuck with the lousy open seating. Im waitlisted on early for October and seem to be getting nowhere on getting it confirmed. We booked the October cruise as soon as it was available. If it was sort of first come first served we should have it by now.

My TA is about to be let go if I dont get a confirmation soonest.

[booboo29]

A couple of years ago we were assigned late seating and we wanted early. I didn't realize the mistake until we boarded. We were 2nd in line to see the Dining Room Manager who took notes, but promised nothing. My confirmation from the TA said early seating. I believe we ate in the Lido the first night and the next day we were notified that we were cleared for early seating and were given our table assignment. It ended up working out great!

Jennifer

[Mary Ellen]

We were waitlisted once (booked over a year out). I checked to make sure we'd cleared the waitlist before making final payment. We had. Docs came with our "confirmed" preferred dining time. Check in at the pier - nope, open seating. When I noticed and questioned the person checking us in, I was only told to try on board to get that changed. It was NOT rectified to our satisfaction and has defiantly effected HAL's reliability with us.

[usha]

My first 2 HAL cruises, I was on waitlist for early seating, but got late seating.
We just gave late a try, and it was fine after all.
Last cruise, we were waitlisted for early seating, but got open seating.
Turns out, we liked open seating just fine, too.
If we sail on HAL again, we'll probably request open seating:)
(you don't suppose that might get us assigned to early seating, do you?;))

[ldog]

Our TA has always managed to get us cleared for late fixed dining. But I nag him until it clears.:D

[AlexandNessa]

Thanks for the responses.

We are traveling with another couple, and we prefer the same servers/same table/same time every night and a table for 4.

We are both in suites, and hoping the concierge can take care of this when we board, but we weren't sure of our chances of clearing the waitlist.

[jtl513]

Thanks for the responses.

We are traveling with another couple, and we prefer the same servers/same table/same time every night and a table for 4.

We are both in suites, and hoping the concierge can take care of this when we board, but we weren't sure of our chances of clearing the waitlist.Being in suites will definitely help your chances of getting Fixed seating, but if it doesn't happen just ask the concierge to make reservations for you in the Open seating for the same time and table each night. :)