changing dining times

[calicruzer]

We just got documents and noticed that even though we had requested one of the earlier dinig times, we are confirmed for Main Lower (8:30) Yikes! I've got 2 kids who just can't hang that late. What are my chances, and how do I go about changing it to either of the ealier times/

Thanks for any advice you experts may have.

[Himself]

Good luck but do try. The "alternative dinner" starts at 6:30 in the Lido.

That might be a workable solution if you can't get early seating in the dining room.

I have done this because I can manage my blood sugars better by eating earleir.
Himself

[Charliesmom]

I would speak with your travel agent to see what they can do. If they can do nothing, I would next call ship's services to see what they could do for you.

If all else fails, when you get on the ship, check with the purser's office to see where and when the dining room staff will be available to take care of problems. You will probably see an underling of the maitre'd who will attempt to work the issue with you.

If you cannot get a dining time that is satisfactory to you, you can always eat in the Lido with your kids or you can take the kids to the Lido to eat and then eat at the later time yourselves.

Are your kids old enough to leave alone? If not, ask ship's services about child care. (for a fee)


Start now. The sooner you get this problem squared away, the better things will be.

Roberta

[DAllenTCY]

No sweat! It is always much easier to change from late to early. Just go visit the maitre'd when you have boarded. He usually has an office near the main dining room, or a table set up for "last minute requests/table changes".
David

[Candy]

One of the first things you must do after you board is visit the Maitre d' and request a change. He will do anything possible to accommodate you. If no early seatings are available, you will be wait-listed, in case something opens up during the week.

We just got documents and noticed that even though we had requested one of the earlier dinig times, we are confirmed for Main Lower (8:30) Yikes! I've got 2 kids who just can't hang that late. What are my chances, and how do I go about changing it to either of the ealier times/

Thanks for any advice you experts may have.

[kruzkeen]

When you check in at the pier you will be given a folder entitled "YOU NEED TO KNOW". Read what it says under "DINNER ARRANGEMENTS". I have seen it say go to the Card Room at 1:30 or the HalfMoon Room at 12:30. Whatever it says go before that time and get a number from the table.

On a recent cruise we were #30. We were two couples and only wanted to change from 8:30 to 8:00 and be at the same table. We had to wait 1.5 hours until our number was called but we were accomodated. This did not bother us as we chatted and got caught up on news. We had nothing to do until boat drill.

There was a sign saying First Sitting was full. First seating IMO is always full. The room was filled with people who had letters from their doctors that said they had to eat early. I do not think that any of them were accomodated.

At 8:00 we had a table by the rail and could see that at 8:30 there were many empty tables in the lower level. One evening at about 6:00 my DSO and I having had a early, light lunch dropped into the Lido for a shrimp cocktail to hold us until dinner. The Lido was packed. Mostly passengers who could not get early sitting I should think.

[richnorto]

Is the cruise on your time zone? Have you factored in time zone differences during the cruise? We had the early 2cd seating and changed to 8:30 when my sister and family decided to join us last minute. We were lucky to make the dinner 10 minutes late by the time we factored 1 hr time dif. and another hour change 2 days into the cruise! We did Lido 2 casual nights so we could have lots of free time after dinner, but make sure you will be scheduling for your time or you might wind up with dinner at 3:30 your actual time zone!!!:eek:

[calicruzer]

richnorto- I live in San Diego, so the time zone issue is not that bad for me. But I hadn't thought about that as time zones changed into the cruise.

I did talk to ship services today and they said I was still waitlisted for an earlier time.

I am curious as to the times Club HAL activities start in the evening. My 13 year old and 10 year old do not want to miss evening activities while they sit in the dining room with mom and dad, but still want to eat in the dinng room, as they love good food and the dinig room experience.

We will wait and see what happens. After all, it is vacation and a time to RELAX!! No worries on a cruise, right? :)

[SHayesShip]

On HAL ships (at least the ones that I have been on) the early seating fills up the quickest. I highly recommend that the OP talks with their TA and I would also suggest sending a faxed letter to Ship Services explaining that you have two children. It definitely can not hurt.
Steve Hayes


No sweat! It is always much easier to change from late to early. Just go visit the maitre'd when you have boarded. He usually has an office near the main dining room, or a table set up for "last minute requests/table changes".
David

[Stevesan]

Traveling with our then nine year-old grandson we scheduled late seating intentionally. The main dining room service is slow, often too slow for youngsters to endure every night.
Except for formal nights when he wanted to dine with us, I'd take him to Lido for dinner @ 5:30-6:00PM and keep him company. He'd then go to the kid's club while we were at dinner. Worked out great for him, and I got extra shrimp cocktails in Lido.
If your kids are old enough for kid's club, you may find late seating works best for you, too.

[1stMate]

We tried to change our seating from 8:30 to 8:00 and were refused on the Westerdam. I spoke with Maitre D' and they said they would try and work something out but we received a pre-printed card in our room later the day of my request and said they were unable to accomodate us. While our assigned dining companions were very nice, we had so little in common that it was difficult to maintain a conversation for 2 hours. They seemed to have a few cocktails before dinner and were pretty docile through out the meal. They didn't like to order wine with dinner because of the expense and would have wine in their room and cocktails before dinner.

The lesson we learned was either request a larger table or a smaller one.