Anyone know? (I've asked this before) Radiance, Alaska, no first seating dining

[slyster]

Hi, I've asked this before (a few months ago) and wasn't really able to get a response. When we booked our Alaska cruise on Radiance of the Seas (last October) for this year (August), there was no main seating available for the dining room? Anyone know why this is?

 

I keep checking and I can't believe that main seating is completely filled up considering we booked over 10 months in advance. I'm not crazy about eating after 8:30pm each night. From what I am gathering, EVERYONE eats at the late seating. I know, I know...I can eat in the Windjammer. After 5 cruises, I have never heard of only having one dining room time available. Sure, I've heard of it once it get closer to the cruise, but over 10 months away?

 

Hope someone else knows? Maybe someone who sailed ROS last year? I figure if no one here knows, I'll contact RCCL to see if they can tell me. Thanks in advance for your feedback!

[Blizzard54]

That is very unusual. It is possible that there is a very large group on your sailing that wants first seating. They could be holding it for them.

 

Try to get on the waitlist to change to early seating.

I have never had a problem changing once onboard. It may be hard to do the first night, but they can usually it done by the 2nd.

[slyster]

Hi, I thought of that. Problem is I did a search on every Radiance of the Seas sailing on the Alaska itinerary in August (4 sailings) and there is no main seating for any of the sailings.

 

Any other previous Alaska cruisers experience this? Thanks!

[brmoqueen]

When we did AK on Radiance June of 03 one of the seatings were totally booked also........the ship was OWNED by Pampered Chef...in other words, we were about the ONLY passengers that weren't Pampered Chef people..........WOULD NEVER cruise with a HUGE group again.......Ask your TA to find out if there is large groups on the ship......That would be the only reason I could think of....

 

Good Luck

[Onessa]

When we did AK on Radiance June of 03 one of the seatings were totally booked also........the ship was OWNED by Pampered Chef...in other words, we were about the ONLY passengers that weren't Pampered Chef people..........WOULD NEVER cruise with a HUGE group again.......Ask your TA to find out if there is large groups on the ship......That would be the only reason I could think of....

 

Good Luck

 

Did the same cruise as BRMOQUEEN. June of 03. There were quiet a few of us who were not Pampered Chef.

 

It was actually quite nice in that on a couple of the at sea days/times, the Pampered Chef folks had meetings to attend and the rest of the ship was not very crowded. There is a silver lining to every cloud :) .

 

We actually had early seating for dinner on that cruise (along with three other groups who were not Pampered Chef). But, most of the PC group were travelling with their families so the early seating was popular.

[Travelgrrl]

We had two seatings on our May 04 Radiance AK cruise. We were assigned early and had no problem switching to late; don't know if you'll have trouble the other way around.

 

You are in port fairly late some evenings so early seating would have seriously cut into that! I think you might like late, for that reason alone.

[slyster]

Thanks for your feedback. I booked through RCCL and I called customer service about it. The person tried to be helpful. I explained that EVERY Radiance of the Seas cruise to Alaska in August and September does not offer main seating. I didn't check June or July, but I wonder if they are the same too?

 

Anyway, the customer service rep said it's possible that the dining coordinators are planning something different or special. He said that our sailing still had a LOT of cabins left and it wouldn't make sense that main seating wasn't available. Another thing he mentioned was that perhaps as the cruise gets closer they will open main seating as an option. He found it very odd too. At least he tried giving me some kind of answer and was honest about it.

[slyster]

I was curious, but the cruises they have sailing in May and June...same thing...no main seating dining. If anyone is cruising on ROS in May or June, I would love some answers when you get back. I would really appreciate it! Thanks :-)

[birdie16]

Is it possible the ship is not that full and they don't think they can fill both seatings?