Specialty Restaurants- showing up with less than you booked for

[spazzyjanet]

Are there any issues with this? We are traveling with kids, so I decided to overbook all of our reservations rather than underbook. If the kids end up not eating with us that night, for whatever reason, will they sit us anyway? If so, and we paid in advance for the kids do they give us a refund?

 

Finally- when you pre-book they force you to pay the full adult price for kids. We noticed this with both the character breakfast and the specialty dining. If you show up with kids, how easy is it to get them to credit back the difference? Thanks!

[Clarea]

For kids that eat in specialty restaurants, they will credit back the difference in price.

 

However, I believe they charge a fee for no shows.

[spazzyjanet]

If that's true, it's just wrong and strongly makes the case for not bothering to book in advance at all unless you know for sure that you don't want to eat with kids.

[Clarea]

If that's true, it's just wrong and strongly makes the case for not bothering to book in advance at all unless you know for sure that you don't want to eat with kids.

If you have reservations for people that don't show up, you may be preventing others from eating in the restaurant that night.

[spazzyjanet]

This is my first cruise in the "book every detail of your vacation in advance" era. I think it would be easier if booking for only two, but with kids it's hard to tell in advance whether they are going to want to eat with you or in kids club that night. As it stands if they do not want to come we would be out up to $105 for 3 uneaten kids meals. Sounds kind of non-family/user friendly. I'm not sure that a party of 3 showing up instead of 6 is going to make much of an impact, especially if they most likely aren't fully booked. However, all that said I think next time , I'll just learn and assume ahead of time that we should just plan to use specialty dining with kids at all.

[MADflyer]

Cancellations need to be made 24 hours prior to your dining time or they have the right to charge for any guest that is a no-show as bookings are per person and not per table.

[ImpulsivePuppy]

If you don't show that prevents others who may want a table from getting one. And not only does the restaurant but the other guests lose out. Charging a no-show fee is reasonable. However, if you arrive and there are less than originally reserved for I would think a restaurant would accommodate provided the reservation wasn't for, say, 7 people and only 2 showed up. But give the establishment as much notification as you can.

[Big_G]

I never understood the 'You never know if the kids will...' mentality.

 

 

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[spazzyjanet]

Well, I indicated that I would change my expectations on future cruises and assume they won't join us. Those are policies and we will abide by them, I'm merely pointing out that they aren't family friendly, especially when you consider that they make you pay for an adult, instead of a child's rate when booking in advance.

 

I am not sure what is so hard to understand about not knowing in advance as to whether our kids will prefer to eat with us or with the kids club. I guess there is nothing like the Internet to inspire sanctimony when it comes to anyone's situation that isn't their own, and they are usually the same people to complain about any minor grievances that they perceive to impact them in any way (take someone else's kids, for example).

[Merion_Mom]

Well, I indicated that I would change my expectations on future cruises and assume they won't join us. Those are policies and we will abide by them, I'm merely pointing out that they aren't family friendly, especially when you consider that they make you pay for an adult, instead of a child's rate when booking in advance.

 

I am not sure what is so hard to understand about not knowing in advance as to whether our kids will prefer to eat with us or with the kids club. I guess there is nothing like the Internet to inspire sanctimony when it comes to anyone's situation that isn't their own, and they are usually the same people to complain about any minor grievances that they perceive to impact them in any way (take someone else's kids, for example).

 

There are few times when making a reservation at a specialty restaurant is impossible, or even difficult.

 

More often than not, they are out there begging people to book.

 

Just don't book anything before the cruise.

 

When you board, see what discounts and offers are available.

 

Then see what your children seem to want, since apparently that rules your decision-making.

 

THEN make reservations.

 

It's really not so complicated.

[akcruz]

I never understood the 'You never know if the kids will...' mentality.

 

 

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Agree, especially when it involved paying in advance for something. We ask our kids about the desire to go to a specialty restaurant prior to making the reservation. Once it is made, they are going and they know that. There are other nights when they can eat with their new friends.

[spazzyjanet]

Yes, I think I stated that we would not book in advance in the future, unless it's only for adults. No, it's not complicated. Just somewhat surprisingly inflexible given that as you've stated they usually aren't fully booked.

 

Or I could just sit down and talk with my 5 year old who has never been on a cruise or experienced a cruise kids club what he'd prefer. I'm sure that there is no chance he will change his mind.:rolleyes:

 

I really don't think I've said anything unreasonable, but as stated welcome to the Internet.

[Merion_Mom]

Yes, I think I stated that we would not book in advance in the future, unless it's only for adults. No, it's not complicated. Just somewhat surprisingly inflexible given that as you've stated they usually aren't fully booked.

 

Or I could just sit down and talk with my 5 year old who has never been on a cruise or experienced a cruise kids club what he'd prefer. I'm sure that there is no chance he will change his mind.:rolleyes:

 

I really don't think I've said anything unreasonable, but as stated welcome to the Internet.

 

Unless you are sailing this week, you can still cancel your reservations. They will refund to your credit card. Just start over when you board. You are not locked into this decision.

[Iloveowls]

You should know what your children like. Pick the place you think they will enjoy the most after reading the reviews and menus.

You asked for opinions by posting so you should have known the different responses you would get. It is not fair to others who would like to eat at a special place and not be able to get in because of people who do not show up. It also is not fair to the cruise line.

[Merion_Mom]

You should know what your children like. Pick the place you think they will enjoy the most after reading the reviews and menus.

You asked for opinions by posting so you should have known the different responses you would get. It is not fair to others who would like to eat at a special place and not be able to get in because of people who do not show up. It also is not fair to the cruise line.

 

Hey, Iloveowls. Did you see this?

 

Edited October 15, 2015 by Merion_Mom

[spookwife]

This is my first cruise in the "book every detail of your vacation in advance" era. I think it would be easier if booking for only two, but with kids it's hard to tell in advance whether they are going to want to eat with you or in kids club that night. As it stands if they do not want to come we would be out up to $105 for 3 uneaten kids meals. Sounds kind of non-family/user friendly. I'm not sure that a party of 3 showing up instead of 6 is going to make much of an impact, especially if they most likely aren't fully booked. However, all that said I think next time , I'll just learn and assume ahead of time that we should just plan to use specialty dining with kids at all.

 

 

They set aside a table that seats your party for you. So another group of six cannot get that time slot. And then you show up with only 3 which can fit on a 4 top. That group of 6 could have been accommodated if the staff knew half your group wasn't coming. Most kids don't deal well with the longer more formal dining experience anyway.

[gerif]

Or I could just sit down and talk with my 5 year old who has never been on a cruise or experienced a cruise kids club what he'd prefer. I'm sure that there is no chance he will change his mind.:rolleyes:

 

You probably still have time to cancel your reservations and get your money back. A 5 year old needs to just be told "this is where we are all eating tonight." If not given a choice, he cannot "change his mind." Or, you can take your chances of getting a reservation AFTER your child decides where HE wants to eat.

[spazzyjanet]

Actually, I came on to ask a question, which cb was nice enough to answer. The snarky comment about my heretofore unknown 'mentality' was extra credit. If responding (quite calmly) to trolling comments is spazzy then I suppose I do resemble my screen name. Keep in mind, however that I'm not the one calling names. Anyone who has young kids knows that plans can change last minute. We would only cancel as a last resort, but would not get charged $100 for guests in a party not showing up (much less kids) at any land-based restaurant. Why should this be different?

 

State that you disagree with a policy, but will adjust accordingly and watch people come alive behind their keyboards.

[Clarea]

... We would only cancel as a last resort, but would not get charged $100 for guests in a party not showing up (much less kids) at any land-based restaurant. Why should this be different?....

It's not a land-based restaurant. Way less walk-in traffic.

[spazzyjanet]

I apologize, I just realized that I cited the wrong party for answering my question.

 

For the sake of discussion, is it really true that a ship with nearly 6,000 people walking around it in an evening would have less walk-in traffic than a land-based restaurant that you have to get in a car to drive to? If this is true, then RCI is failing in either their marketing or pricing. And if this is true, then am I really stealing a seat from someone else?

 

Has anyone on this board ever been shut out of reserving a restaurant in advance because of high demand? If this happens commonly I can see an argument begin to form. But then I think, "with such high demand wouldn't there be a wait-list of people wanting to get in. I'm struggling in either instance to see why this is necessary.

[tomatosauce]

On board I have been unable to book into one for the evening because there were no bookings available. I also agree about with clarea (which is generally a wise idea as they know what they are talking about) about the lack of walk up. On board people generally get dressed up to go to the specialty restaurants so there is less of a last minute thing happening.

[dacsmom]

Most people with kids do not pre-book specialty restaurants to avoid paying full price and having to deal with a refund. Just cancel your reservations and book on the ship. I also do not know how much fun a five year old would have for several hours in a specialty restaurant without being bored. We leave the grandkids in Adventure Ocean and enjoy a nice relaxing dinner and they have a great time.

 

Only once have I not been able to get the time I wanted on the Oasis or Allure. I got a reservation at 7:00 when I asked for 6:30 and that was for dinner in Chops for that same night.

[Iloveowls]

Hey, Iloveowls. Did you see this?

 

 

No. I know owls hunt at night but nothing as large as a person!

[shellunderwater]

Enjoying my popcorn with a nice dollop of sanctimony on top. Lots to go around.

[Big_G]

 

 

 

Or I could just sit down and talk with my 5 year old who has never been on a cruise or experienced a cruise kids club what he'd prefer. I'm sure that there is no chance he will change his mind.:rolleyes:

 

 

Giving a five year-old the choice is your first problem but if I'm paying money for reservations, the kids will be there. It's that simple.

 

 

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