Waitlisted for early dining on Queen Victoria

Final payment is coming up tomorrow for a section of World Cruise that we have booked on Queen Victoria. When we booked approximately 3 1/2 months ago we were waitlisted for early dining. Booked through Cunard (from Canada) and when the booking was going on, early dining was confirmed. After getting the email confirmation that said " late dining confirmed ", I phoned back. "Oooppps! I read it wrong" she said --" it is late dining. We will put you on the waitlist for early dining." I was hoping that we would have the early dining confirmed by the time final payment rolled around. But I am worried now.

At the time of booking when we found out that we did not have the definite early dining, we said that we would not make final payment unless first seating was confirmed. We would not like late dining at all. Just too late.

I phoned yesterday and we are still waitlisted quite far back. Which brings me to ask, is there anywhere on Cruise Personalizer where you can find the waitlist number. I do see where it says the time of your dining.

The questions are: How often have people been waitlisted when final payment is due but do get the early seating? This cruise is just about sold out.

I know there is the buffet for dinner. Are the foods different than for lunch? Are they like dinner menu in dining room?

There are also 4 restaurants that have a charge. I do not wish to pay the charge. Not sure of the names right now. French, Italian and Asian would be ok for me but not for Dear Husband. He likes meat, potatoes and the vegetables that I make him eat. Prime would be ok for the steaks but he does not like seafood. Also it would be quite a large dollar amount since this cruise is 48 days.

Then we would have to get the reservations. Does anyone know how many can be seated in the alternatve restaurants on Queen Victoria. I remember it as being a large area, but not sure how much of the area is used.

I guess I will have to make a decision by tomorrow. We did say that we would cancel if we did not get the early dining, but after thinking about the cruise for a few months now, want to go on the cruise.

Any answers or suggestions for me. Thanks in advance.

o

These problems seem to get sorted out on the ship.

When you board go to see the MD who is always on duty on embarkation day.

Over many cruises we have always got the sitting (early) that we wanted.

David.

Like David, I have been fortunate. On my last two cruises I was down for late dining. I went to see the MD and was changed to early dining. On the first of those cruises, the change did not come immediately. I ate at the buffet for the first evening. When I still hadn't heard by the second afternoon, I was advised (by the purser's desk, I think) to go to the dining room all dressed up and ready for first sitting and ask the MD again. Don't demand; ask nicely. I was given a table. Don't give up hope. There are some people who are assigned to tables but never turn up. The MD can give you their places. You have 48 days so even if it takes a few days to get your preference, that will be fine.

Another problem might be that your 48 days crosses several segments of the world cruise. It may be that space is available for some of those segments but not the others, and so they could not promise it to you for your whole voyage. Perhaps approach Cunard and ask if they can at least confirm you in first sitting for part of the time.

I would not let this problem make you change your plans. There are ways around it.

On my first QV cruise we were not assigned a table at all. Several people were in this situation and the poor MD was tearing his hair out. We agreed with the MD to turn up at 6.30 when he could see which tables had spaces, and to sit there. By day 3 we were put on our own table for 2, which was not what we had wanted but turned out well for my friend.

 

I know there is the buffet for dinner. Are the foods different than for lunch? Are they like dinner menu in dining room?

 

 

 

o

The buffet lunch and dinner menus are different. They are not the same as in the MDR.

Did you pay full fare or saver fare? Saver fares do not get to choose dinner sittings.

Final payment is coming up tomorrow for a section of World Cruise that we have booked on Queen Victoria. When we booked approximately 3 1/2 months ago we were waitlisted for early dining. Booked through Cunard (from Canada) and when the booking was going on, early dining was confirmed. After getting the email confirmation that said " late dining confirmed ", I phoned back. "Oooppps! I read it wrong" she said --" it is late dining. We will put you on the waitlist for early dining." I was hoping that we would have the early dining confirmed by the time final payment rolled around. But I am worried now.

 

At the time of booking when we found out that we did not have the definite early dining, we said that we would not make final payment unless first seating was confirmed. We would not like late dining at all. Just too late.

 

I phoned yesterday and we are still waitlisted quite far back. Which brings me to ask, is there anywhere on Cruise Personalizer where you can find the waitlist number. I do see where it says the time of your dining.

 

The questions are: How often have people been waitlisted when final payment is due but do get the early seating? This cruise is just about sold out.

 

I know there is the buffet for dinner. Are the foods different than for lunch? Are they like dinner menu in dining room?

 

There are also 4 restaurants that have a charge. I do not wish to pay the charge. Not sure of the names right now. French, Italian and Asian would be ok for me but not for Dear Husband. He likes meat, potatoes and the vegetables that I make him eat. Prime would be ok for the steaks but he does not like seafood. Also it would be quite a large dollar amount since this cruise is 48 days.

 

Then we would have to get the reservations. Does anyone know how many can be seated in the alternatve restaurants on Queen Victoria. I remember it as being a large area, but not sure how much of the area is used.

 

I guess I will have to make a decision by tomorrow. We did say that we would cancel if we did not get the early dining, but after thinking about the cruise for a few months now, want to go on the cruise.

 

Any answers or suggestions for me. Thanks in advance.

 

 

 

o

I wouldn't worry about it, Cunard's practice is to allocate about 50% of the tables at booking and then about 3 months before the departure they allocate the remainder. These are usually done by the date of booking so the earlier you booked, the more likely you are to get your wish granted.

Oceansandseas, I understand your disappointment but to be very honest it's really not that bad at all and something I certainly would not be considering cancelling a cruise for.:)

At the end of the day it will be the senior Maitre'D who will have the full overview of tables in the restaurant. At the moment what you have been told will certainly not be the same once the cruise is underway ( i.e. within two days of departure)

I agree with other posters, one finds on every voyage/cruise, guests who often 'swap and change' and some people don't even turn up.

I too have experienced your problem (on more than one occasion ) and have always managed to have it rectified once onboard the ship . (within a day or two)

I suggest you make your requirements known to the Maitre D who will be on duty in the restaurant the 'first afternoon on embarkation'. You may have to accept the dining arrangements you are allocated for the first few days to allow the MD to have a complete overview.

On a final note, on my last cruise (Cunard) I met a delightful couple who joined my table a day or two after departure. They told me they had been seated at three different tables each evening before things could be rectified .

Go ahead and pay your balance and don't worry about it ....It can be sorted :)

(Don't waste valuable time going to the Pursers desk this is not something that they could rectify)

(Don't waste valuable time going to the Pursers desk this is not something that they could rectify)

It's amazing just what the purser's desk CAN do when you are on friendly relations with the staff there.

It was because I was chatting to one of them and mentioned my situation with the table (not a complaint but a query about how I would find out if my table had been changed) that I received the advice to turn up at the normal time and ask again. I would have waited for the Maitre D' to contact me after my initial response, so I was thankful for their encouragement to be proactive.

As for other services, one person I met took a jacket to the Purser's desk to arrange for a couple of buttons to be sewn back on. I even found out at the Purser's desk that the ship's carpenter could reheel my dancing shoes for me, except that I would be without them for a couple of days. (I trudged around Odessa and found a shoe repair shop instead.)

You are quite right fantasy the Pursers desk can be very accommodating from time to time and I would be the first to praise them.

Perhaps I should have made my point more clearer "I would go first to the main source" who is in a better position to rectify dining problems, rather than being told by a member of the Purser team to go to the restaurant. ;)