Tired of Reservations

[BeachChik]

If you think cruise ships are bad try going to disneyworld. You plan everything down to what ride you will ride at what time, what time you want to eat lunch and where, what park you will be at daily. Much harder to just show up and go with the flow.

[tunisbridal]

I enjoy making plans so I don't mind. I love all the shows. I guess it just is your orefere

[msmayor]

If you think cruise ships are bad try going to disneyworld. You plan everything down to what ride you will ride at what time, what time you want to eat lunch and where, what park you will be at daily. Much harder to just show up and go with the flow.

 

It's not entirely necessary to do that, though it is helpful if your trip is one that you don't expect to repeat anytime soon.

 

As a family, we head to Disney every 3-4 years and have never over-planned or had multiple reservations every day.

 

Each member of the family gets to choose one 'must-do' and if it involves a fast-pass or reservation we make sure we get it. The rest is all go-with-the-flow. We expect lines, we expect crowds, and just enjoy the time together.

[Sjb0704]

I never make reservations for just that reason. I hate feeling like my time on vacation is planned down to the minute. BUT, I'm also really happy to just go with the flow. Can't get in to the restaurant I want...oh well...I'll find something else to eat. Can't get into the show I want....oh well....I'll go find something else to do.

 

I know my way isn't for everyone.

 

This is me. I never say never but I think I will stay away from the ships that require reservations for everything.

[Daveintb]

I don't mind making reservations , its actually kind of fun preparing for my next cruise.

[ReRe71]

I never make reservations for just that reason. I hate feeling like my time on vacation is planned down to the minute. BUT, I'm also really happy to just go with the flow. Can't get in to the restaurant I want...oh well...I'll find something else to eat. Can't get into the show I want....oh well....I'll go find something else to do.

 

I know my way isn't for everyone.

 

 

Same here...we are sailing on Anthem in August and have made no reservations. We will go to eat whenever we are hungry...if we have to wait for a table then so be it, or go dine elsewhere. I just can't see making reservations months in advance when we have no clue what we will be doing on a daily basis.

[dedosr]

Am I the only one tired of the need for endless reservations? Been cruising a long time and i guess its necessary as the ships get larger but this need to plan my food and activities in advance is what I'm trying to escape from on vacation. Cruising on the Anthem in August

 

The little time it takes to make reservations, and do on line check in, will provide a much smoother vacation. Planning ahead is always better than waiting in line and being disappointed.

Edited June 24, 2016 by dedosr

[BlueCollarCruiser]

We've made one reservation ever at a specialty restaurant for a birthday.

 

We eat in the MDR and our table is ready at our assigned time. We don't go to any of the shows because they are absolutely awful and boring. Tribute to Motown? Songs of the 70's? Who comes up with this stuff?

 

I run around and work during work. On vacation if I am in the area when something starts I'll go to it. If not, I'll be on the pool deck with a cuba libre. Seems like some people don't know how to unwind.

[Biker19]

We don't go to any of the shows because they are absolutely awful and boring. Tribute to Motown? Songs of the 70's? Who comes up with this stuff?

Miami HQ with input from CD. The majority of the cruising public enjoys it and expects it.:cool:

[Daveintb]

And some of the shows are really good , like Mama Mia, the aqua show , ice show , comedy club, etc

[Goes Cruising]

I sailed Oasis once, and that was enough for me. It was cool to see, and I won't say we didn't have fun, but all of the scheduling felt too constraining and that's from an over planner.

 

It wasn't the preplanning that bothered me, it was having to constantly be aware of the time while on the ship. If you miss your timeslot for a show, you feel like you won't get in the next time without reservations. Maybe that's not true, but it's how I felt the whole week. I thought it was moderately stressful, and that's the last thing I want on a cruise.

 

There are other things I didn't love about the mega ship experience, but I understand why they are attractive. Give me a Radiance class ship any time!

Edited June 24, 2016 by Goes Cruising

[Brocktoon623]

If you think cruise ships are bad try going to disneyworld. You plan everything down to what ride you will ride at what time, what time you want to eat lunch and where, what park you will be at daily. Much harder to just show up and go with the flow.

 

Exactly! And this is also more of a general trend in the tourism industry that while folks may not like it, they'll just have to get used to it.

 

To build share holder value and maximize profit vacation centric operations like Disney and Royal want you to 'lock-in' early with reservations. Of lot this helps them run a lean staff and keep costs at a minimum knowing how and when to allocate resources.

 

Then the next step is to keep adding on 'premium' options and events for additional charges.

 

I'm not saying I'm a fan of this trend, but this is where the model is headed and many other companies will follow along if they haven't already

[finz2u]

I feel your pain. We are sailing Anthem in Sept and I just finished making some dinner and show reservations and trying to coordinate all the times. And there are only 2 of us. I can only imagine the nightmare of trying to plan around more people.

 

I miss the days when the only place you sort of had to be was the main dining room at your dinner time and the only line you would stand in was for the gala midnight buffet display.

[wilmingtech]

We make ressies in advance but we dont let rhat dictate what we do. Its just a loose outline of things that are confirmed to be available to us when we cruise.

 

Our last cruise on FOTS we had late dining but only hit the dining room maybe 4 times out of 7 days. Even when we cruise NCL we still make reservarions knowing that we will miss half of them.

 

If its important to us (like the ice show on FOTS) we just plan around that one event.

 

Like others said it only takes a few minutes and it really is just a placeholder so if all else fails at least you know you have something to fall back on.

 

I hate planning vacations especially every minute of the day but even worse, I hate showing up with no idea what we are going to do and spending 20 minutes trying to decide and then when we get to what we decided finding out its full/sold out and then spending another 20 minutes where to go next. Thats a frustrating vacation.

 

-Sean

 

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[dedosr]

I feel your pain. We are sailing Anthem in Sept and I just finished making some dinner and show reservations and trying to coordinate all the times. And there are only 2 of us. I can only imagine the nightmare of trying to plan around more people.

 

I miss the days when the only place you sort of had to be was the main dining room at your dinner time and the only line you would stand in was for the gala midnight buffet display.

 

We are sailing in July on the Anthem. We are a group of 8. It was so easy to book all 3 Major Entertainment Events with a few clicks. We are all booked for IFly and NorthStar, so there will be no disappointments. Then we booked our dinners around the evening shows. All was done with relative ease in less than 20 minutes I then printed the confirmations, and the Cruise Planner puts everything in the calendar, and then I printed that.

 

I guess it is a matter of preference, but I prefer to plan ahead in the comfort of my home and have everything scheduled, than do nothing and then complain while on the ship to Guest Services that you can't do anything.

[Merion_Mom]

We've made one reservation ever at a specialty restaurant for a birthday.

 

We eat in the MDR and our table is ready at our assigned time. We don't go to any of the shows because they are absolutely awful and boring. Tribute to Motown? Songs of the 70's? Who comes up with this stuff?

 

I run around and work during work. On vacation if I am in the area when something starts I'll go to it. If not, I'll be on the pool deck with a cuba libre. Seems like some people don't know how to unwind.

 

Well, that's the point. Oasis and Quantum class ships do NOT have the standard cruise entertainment.

 

It is WORTH seeing!

 

Don't condemn what you've never done/seen.

[rbschultz]

Am I the only one tired of the need for endless reservations? Been cruising a long time and i guess its necessary as the ships get larger but this need to plan my food and activities in advance is what I'm trying to escape from on vacation. Cruising on the Anthem in August

 

It may just be that I'm young, but I prefer planning the meals in advance so I don't need to worry about it when I get on vacation. More time to relax by the pool :cool:

[BlueCollarCruiser]

Well, that's the point. Oasis and Quantum class ships do NOT have the standard cruise entertainment.

 

It is WORTH seeing!

 

Don't condemn what you've never done/seen.

 

It took me one cruise to never go to another show again. I've had dishes in the MDR that were less corny than those messes.

 

"Let's hear it for the Royal dancers and the orchestra!" Meanwhile I am falling asleep at 6pm.

 

Only thing that I've ever saw that was worth going to was The Quest and the first half of the ice show before I left to go get in the hot tub.

[Daveintb]

Different strokes for different folks [emoji6]

[TC1957]

Am I the only one tired of the need for endless reservations? Been cruising a long time and i guess its necessary as the ships get larger but this need to plan my food and activities in advance is what I'm trying to escape from on vacation. Cruising on the Anthem in August

 

This is the primary reason I will NEVER sail on that class of RCI ship unless the entire vacation is 100% free to me and the DW.

 

Have absolutely no desire "enjoy" that experience.

[Lady_831]

We are sailing in July on the Anthem. We are a group of 8. It was so easy to book all 3 Major Entertainment Events with a few clicks. We are all booked for IFly and NorthStar, so there will be no disappointments. Then we booked our dinners around the evening shows. All was done with relative ease in less than 20 minutes I then printed the confirmations, and the Cruise Planner puts everything in the calendar, and then I printed that.

 

 

 

I guess it is a matter of preference, but I prefer to plan ahead in the comfort of my home and have everything scheduled, than do nothing and then complain while on the ship to Guest Services that you can't do anything.

 

 

Yeah, it didn't really take us that long. Now when we went to Disney for 4.5 days, we had an app and pretty much every minute was accounted for. We still had fun and felt like we got our money's worth. But that was a lot of planning. Planning a couple of shows and dinners is nothing compared to that.

 

 

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[BillOh]

Am I the only one tired of the need for endless reservations? Been cruising a long time and i guess its necessary as the ships get larger but this need to plan my food and activities in advance is what I'm trying to escape from on vacation. Cruising on the Anthem in August

 

I understand, but after 3 times on an Oasis class it seems like less of a burden, but that said, my recent cruise on Oasis there was only one reasonable time to see CATS. Now that I have seen it and made up my mind, NEVER AGAIN!. And if I go back on Allure, Chicago is gone and I want to see Mama Mia, so I'll probably find the same thing, only one evening show and the rest on sea day afternoons, so maybe you are right.

It use to be shows were offered around the standard dining times, but that seems to be going away and more people are moving to MTD and I'm hanging on to the late traditional seating.

 

I guess after this rant, I am saying I didn't agree with you, but recent events make it even more difficult to do. 2 smaller ships coming up!

[OCruisers]

Am I the only one tired of the need for endless reservations? Been cruising a long time and i guess its necessary as the ships get larger but this need to plan my food and activities in advance is what I'm trying to escape from on vacation. Cruising on the Anthem in August

 

Totally agree with you!

[Baron Barracuda]

Same here...we are sailing on Anthem in August and have made no reservations. We will go to eat whenever we are hungry...if we have to wait for a table then so be it, or go dine elsewhere. I just can't see making reservations months in advance when we have no clue what we will be doing on a daily basis.

 

 

Hope you don't mind dining in the Windjammer most nights. Am on the 6/16 Anthem sailing and EVERY restaurant both pay and free has been totally booked the past two nights. Tried to switch some reservations but couldn't.

 

Another grenade they lobbed at us a couple of weeks before sailing was to switch some of the show times around. I was lucky, but it created dining conflicts for a number of folks and by then there were few open slots online to make adjustments.

[ReRe71]

Hope you don't mind dining in the Windjammer most nights. Am on the 6/16 Anthem sailing and EVERY restaurant both pay and free has been totally booked the past two nights. Tried to switch some reservations but couldn't.

 

Another grenade they lobbed at us a couple of weeks before sailing was to switch some of the show times around. I was lucky, but it created dining conflicts for a number of folks and by then there were few open slots online to make adjustments.

 

Not too worried about it....we definitely won't go hungry! :)