Early dining closed---10 months out?

[PJADS]

can anybody tell me when i can book excursions ,entertainment etc? we sail on may 28 on the liberty,and as yet it won't let me do either,or drinks packages.

also we asked for main dining and thats showing as 9.30?? should it be 8.30??

thankyou...

Don't try working on the website on the weekends. Seem to have problems. Weekdays are much better. Times seem to vary, ship to ship.

[trainnut]

Interestingly, we just booked in January for a March Mariner cruise, and got early seating with no issues (which is what we wanted). But when did they move early dining to 5:30? That's ridiculous!

 

I also just booked a Celebrity cruise, and was only able to get "Select" dining (same as MTD). Couldn't even get on a wait list for either of the seatings. Seems exactly opposite what RCI is doing, and yet they're the same company.

[BadBoysDriveAudi]

Wow...I just booked Enchantment of the Seas for Oct. 26th and when I requested early dining, they said it wasn't available and at this time, there is no wait list. That really surprises me. The vacation planner suggested I check a couple of months before my cruise to see if early dining has opened up.

 

Is this normal? 10 months out? I chose MTD because I definitely didn't want to eat later in the evening. I'm hoping someone has advice on the chances early dining may open up and the best way of signing up for it. Thanks in advance....

 

Is there no wait list because they aren't doing a wait list or because no one has signed up?

 

If the latter, I'd get myself on the wait list and not worry about it. We just booked (roughly 10 days ago) a Freedom Dec sailing and the early dining option was taken. We signed up for the late seating and got on the wait list. Just yesterday we were informed that we now have early seating.

 

Sure, the Freedom is a different size but I think that you odds are good for getting early seating when you're 10 months out.

[molly361]

Is there no wait list because they aren't doing a wait list or because no one has signed up?

 

If the latter, I'd get myself on the wait list and not worry about it. We just booked (roughly 10 days ago) a Freedom Dec sailing and the early dining option was taken. We signed up for the late seating and got on the wait list. Just yesterday we were informed that we now have early seating.

 

Sure, the Freedom is a different size but I think that you odds are good for getting early seating when you're 10 months out.

 

 

Usually if there is no waitlist it means that the waitlist is also full.

[ekatiel]

Booked this weekend on Oasis for September (9/22). We also got wait listed for early dining. Something seems fishy to me about so many ships having early dining booked up so early on. . . --Katie

[Tin]

mine is on 12/9 and 2 weeks before I booked it, early dinning was an option. I called RCCI and asked them, they said that more than likely someone had reserve a big chunk of it. Waitlist wasn't available yet, but I called the TA and told them to put me in on it. Still waiting and harrass them every now and then.

[allie3490]

Don't give up hope guys! We were just put on early dining after being told that it's full. It "miraculously" opened up and my TA got us in there.

[slyster]

I just checked my reservation on rccl.com and i am no longer on a wait list. We now have traditional 6pm dining reservations.

[ItsAllAboutTheSass]

We have MTD. Looks like both Early and Late are no longer available.

[Puffinater]

Booked Allure last night for October. Late seating is closed and early is waitlisted. Had no option but to book MTD. Seems very strange that late seating would be closed. Will continue to check for late seating.

[Jason12]

I think they are trying to get everyone to pe-pay tips so they take the early dinning off knowing that most people who want early dinning will use MTD to get a earlier time...that's my theory..! :confused:

[NemoCrownie]

We were on Adventure on 2/5. We had early dining and went into the MDR upon boarding to check on our table location. Horrible table location - 4 top with two chairs out in the waitstaff work area and two chairs backing up to a curved balcony so that you could't get into the chairs without moving the table out. We requested a different table or alternatively, MTD. Anyway, we were told the waitlist was full and MTD was full but the late seating was less than half full. We were told by the head waiter that most people don't want late seating anymore and early always fills up first and then MTD fills up. He said that due to heavy cancellations when payment is due that most people can get their seating choice about 90 days out but it is almost impossible to change tables at the early seating. We ended up with wonderful waiters and enjoyed dinner, anyway! BTW none of us are overweight, if that is what you were thinking.

[BadBoysDriveAudi]

We were on Adventure on 2/5. We had early dining and went into the MDR upon boarding to check on our table location. Horrible table location - 4 top with two chairs out in the waitstaff work area and two chairs backing up to a curved balcony so that you could't get into the chairs without moving the table out. We requested a different table or alternatively, MTD. Anyway, we were told the waitlist was full and MTD was full but the late seating was less than half full. We were told by the head waiter that most people don't want late seating anymore and early always fills up first and then MTD fills up. He said that due to heavy cancellations when payment is due that most people can get their seating choice about 90 days out but it is almost impossible to change tables at the early seating. We ended up with wonderful waiters and enjoyed dinner, anyway! BTW none of us are overweight, if that is what you were thinking.

 

That's interesting because I generally prefer the late seating. The only reason why I'm taking the earlier seating on my upcoming sailing is because small children are in our party.

[LisaGoeke]

We just booked the Allure last week for sailing in October. I was told the only dining available was MTD so we had to prepay gratuities. She (RCI rep) also told me she would email the dining manager and see if we could get it switched since we were Diamond members. The next day I got new invoices with 6 p.m. dining.

[niksmom630]

I booked a November cruise on Liberty while aboard the Jewel in February at the C & A desk. I was told both early and late dining were closed, and MTD was all that was available, and I would be wait listed for early dining. The rep told me that they "close" off dining at certain times, and then reopen as the cruise fills up, and seemed fairly confident we would get moved into early dining as she was seeing "room" in early dining. We're traveling with a large group (11), so MTD won't work, since they won't guarantee groups larger than 8 can be seated together, or even near each other. Maybe I'll try calling C & A and see if I have any success pleading my case

[Maraprince]

[quote name='Jason12']I think they are trying to get everyone to pe-pay tips so they take the early dinning off knowing that most people who want early dinning will use MTD to get a earlier time...that's my theory..! :confused:[/quote]



You are probably more correct than you know!

Same issue going on with the 11/4 sailing on the Explorer. Seems they are trying to push everyone they can into MTD for the prepayment of gratituties since many passengers find a way not to tip at all. Even some passengers who booked a year ago were told the same thing. The C & A Loyalty Ambassador on board would not help them either with getting a fixed dining time and they were immediately put into MTD.

Called RCCL yesterday and spoke with "Sunshine" who was very personable, friendly, sympathic, etc. Long & short, nothing can be done because:
. too early, wait until August, then check again
. I am not a group (however my TA booked us as group into cabins they
have reserved)
. only my TA can change the dinner time
. wait until on board go see Maitre'd since I am Diamond level I "should"
have no problem switching

My response to all the above, "balony"....since last November we were on board during Thanksgiving and other than the 1st formal night, deck 5 of the dining room which is used for both MTD and first & second sitting, was never full except for the 2nd sitting passengers. MTD tables would rarely be filled. Yet, every night there was a line for the MTD passengers who had not previously reserved a time.

Definitely something is afoot as the saying goes.

MARAPRINCE