Dining Linking Problem - Advice??

[defreeze]

I am sailing on Anthem of the Seas in January, and am travelling with a total of 10 people. We all have confirmed early seating in Classic Dining.

 

We are trying to link our bookings together so that we are all assigned to the same table.

 

All of our reservations are now linked (cross-referenced), except for one booking. We are told that that booking cannot be linked.

 

RCCL tells our travel agent that that booking cannot be linked to ours because it is part of a group booking (my friends are not part of any group per se - rather, their travel agent has a block of cabins booked as a group, and they are part of that).

 

We were told we would have to wait until we get on the ship and speak to the dining manager onboard.

 

Has anyone else ever had this problem? Any ideas on how to solve this before we actually sail? I am worried we might have a problem onboard.

[Desert Cruizers]

Group bookings are put under one booking # so your TA should be able to call RCCL and get that persons individual booking # then link to the rest. It can be done, our TA does it all the time. All she needs to do is call and ask for Mr & Mrs ? booking # then tell the agent to link to the others. Lastly, once you get your Sea Pass Cards check with everyone to see if your Table # matches.

Edited June 1, 2015 by Desert Cruizers

[Clarea]

The only way to get linked is to move everyone into the group, or move the one booking out of the group. This is likely not realistic as it would probably change prices and perks in a negative way.

 

Another option is to leave everything as is, and send an email to rcldining@rccl.com with your dining request about 3 weeks before the cruise. Including full names, stateroom numbers, and booking numbers.

[defreeze]

Thanks for the responses - my travel agent's response was the same as clarea's - if you move the indiviudal out of the group, that booking may be repriced and will certainly lose the onboard credit associated with the group booking. So, yes, clarea, that is not a viable option.

 

But Desert Cruizers, I am intrigued by your suggestion. Are you saying that my friend's booking number is actually the group booking number? Are you saying that my friend also has a individual booking number invisible to her?

 

RCCL seems to be saying there is nothing that can be done to link the bookings other than removing my friend's booking from the group (again, not a viable option).

 

So, Desert Cruizers, are they wrong? Is there a separate individual booking number that can be linked?

 

Thanks.

[Clarea]

Thanks for the responses - my travel agent's response was the same as clarea's - if you move the indiviudal out of the group, that booking may be repriced and will certainly lose the onboard credit associated with the group booking. So, yes, clarea, that is not a viable option.

 

But Desert Cruizers, I am intrigued by your suggestion. Are you saying that my friend's booking number is actually the group booking number? Are you saying that my friend also has a individual booking number invisible to her?

 

RCCL seems to be saying there is nothing that can be done to link the bookings other than removing my friend's booking from the group (again, not a viable option).

 

So, Desert Cruizers, are they wrong? Is there a separate individual booking number that can be linked?

 

Thanks.

Every group booking has two booking numbers, a group number common to everyone on the group, and an individual booking number for that specifici stateroom. However, my understanding is that the individual booking number that is part of a group booking cannot be linked with other booking numbers.

[MCC retired]

Their TA , the one with the Group ,not your TA, can link them to you for dining by linking their booking with you (give that TA your res #), with the Group Coordinator when the Group is finalized.

[cb at sea]

Just get it straight when you board...they're already in the same dining type...they just need to get at your table....shouldn't be an issue.

[defreeze]

Thanks, everyone, for the advice - I will try all or your suggestions, and if all else fails, will speak to the dining manager upon boarding.

[woehwdy]

I am sailing on Anthem of the Seas in January, and am travelling with a total of 10 people. We all have confirmed early seating in Classic Dining.

 

We are trying to link our bookings together so that we are all assigned to the same table.

 

All of our reservations are now linked (cross-referenced), except for one booking. We are told that that booking cannot be linked.

 

RCCL tells our travel agent that that booking cannot be linked to ours because it is part of a group booking (my friends are not part of any group per se - rather, their travel agent has a block of cabins booked as a group, and they are part of that).

 

We were told we would have to wait until we get on the ship and speak to the dining manager onboard.

 

Has anyone else ever had this problem? Any ideas on how to solve this before we actually sail? I am worried we might have a problem onboard.

Hello, I have done this before, your friends in the group need to have their TA call and give their permission to be linked with your booking, it will be easier if your friends have your reservation number. Your TA needs to call the group department and have your friends reservation number to be linked with yours. Each reservation needs to have permission from all and if booked thru a TA it will need to come from the respective TA's. Dining would prefer dining issues to be taken care of prior to boarding the ship, due to seating arrangements for several hundred people, its not like seating in a restaurant.

[defreeze]

Hi woehwdy,

 

Thanks for the advice. I agree with you that this should be done before sailing. Since this is Dynamic Dining Classic, it will involve fixed seating at 4 different restaurants.

 

I have a question about your suggestion. Both reservations (mine and my friend's) have notations allowing them to be linked together for dining. Does the call to the Group Department have to come from MY TA (as you suggested)? Or can it come from my friend's TA (the one that has the group booking)?

 

Thanks.

Edited June 2, 2015 by defreeze

[woehwdy]

Hi woehwdy,

 

Thanks for the advice. I agree with you that this should be done before sailing. Since this is Dynamic Dining Classic, it will involve fixed seating at 4 different restaurants.

 

I have a question about your suggestion. Both reservations (mine and my friend's) have notations allowing them to be linked together for dining. Does the call to the Group Department have to come from MY TA (as you suggested)? Or can it come from my friend's TA (the one that has the group booking)?

 

Thanks.

 

If both of you have permissions on your reservations and both of you are booked with a TA, the TA from the group would be best.

[sailor05]

Another option is to leave everything as is, and send an email to rcldining@rccl.com with your dining request about 3 weeks before the cruise. Including full names, stateroom numbers, and booking numbers.

 

I did this as a "just to make sure" and actually got a response from the ship about 2 weeks ago confirming our request to link 3 reservations and get a table by a window. They even sent me what looks like a screenshot that shows our table number and all. So we already know we are seated at table 911 in the D5 dining room. They definitely read those emails and do everything they can to accomodate!:)

 

Based on my response, I'd probably do it more than 3 weeks in advance and maybe go about 5 just to make sure because this tells me they start working on the assignments about a month in advance.

Edited June 4, 2015 by sailor05

[Clarea]

I did this as a "just to make sure" and actually got a response from the ship about 2 weeks ago confirming our request to link 3 reservations and get a table by a window. They even sent me what looks like a screenshot that shows our table number and all. So we already know we are seated at table 911 in the D5 dining room. They definitely read those emails and do everything they can to accomodate!:)

 

Based on my response, I'd probably do it more than 3 weeks in advance and maybe go about 5 just to make sure because this tells me they start working on the assignments about a month in advance.

Thanks for the update, sounds like a good idea to send the email earlier.:)