Maitre D's - how accomodating are they? Changing dining time

[FarEastFan]

Hi Everyone,

 

I have had the worst customer experience of my life with Cruise118 (UK cruise TA). Booked my parents and their friends a holiday to celebrate their retirement (non-cruisers, indeed..non travellers!!). They have got near enough everything you can think of wrong with the booking, which has now all been fixed (hopefully)- apart from the dining times.

 

All 4 passengers are on the same booking and I asked for Anytime dining. When logging into their Celebrity accounts it seems the TA, in her infinte wisdom, has booked one couple on Anytime, and one on the late traditional. I emailed the TA, thinking they could just contact celebrity and get the late sitting changed to Anytime.... but no!!!!

 

They said they *might* be able to get it changed on board by speaking to the Maitre D' but this is at their discretion.

 

I am so upset for my parents:(:(. Neither of them want to eat at 8.30pm - it's simply too late for them. Other than that they face eating apart from their friends. How likely is it that the Maitre D can change this when they get on board?

 

*p.s honestly don't ever use Cruise118 - it has been a catalogue of major failures and ones which could have ruined the holiday for my parents ...

 

Thanks,

[Luvcrusn]

Honestly, I'd really try to get it resolved prior to sailing. Best advice is to be firm but insistent that the change is something that must be made or the booking is in jeopardy. I'd also advise that if all else fails try contacting special needs about needing to eat earlier. Once they're on board, if the maître d can't make the change, it's too late. Good luck. Perhaps also try calling Captains Club at 800-760-0654 and explain the situation. Sometimes they can help.

[FarEastFan]

Thanks you for the Captain's club suggestion! I will try that.

 

Unfortunately, we've paid the final balance- and the sailing is in less than 2 weeks, so cancelling is not an option now. The TA said it's "out of their hands" as they've asked and escalated at Celebrity and the answer is "no". I have given them (the TA) an ultimatum that if they cannot both go on Anytime, as per my booking, they will eat in the speciality restaurants and the TA will get the bill.

[Elaine0138]

I wouldn't have thought it would be a problem changing from late sitting to Anytime Dining.

 

By the way it is against the board rules to mention travel agents, so your post might be pulled

[FarEastFan]

I wouldn't have thought it would be a problem changing from late sitting to Anytime Dining.

 

By the way it is against the board rules to mention travel agents, so your post might be pulled

 

Apparently it is a problem :( The TA said they've contacted Celebrity and they've said no. Can't seem to edit my post to remove their name...

[Bo1953]

Sorry to hear about the challenge...

 

Each dining service is 'capacity controlled' and it can be simply an issue of no more availability, unfortunately... alas, you can try to call X to place a wait list request for Select Dining, please remember no guarantees as to clearing.

 

Have the couple who are wanting Select Dining to embark early and head to see the Maitre 'd about changing, please understand that first night most likely will not be possible as they need to sort out everyone and get things in place.

 

First night I recommend that the group sign up for a Specialty Dining restaurant as usually it is discounted first night and can be less of a hassle etc.. with a fixed time of their choice to eat. In the interim, between finishing dinner and lunch the following day they can canvass the Maitre d' about changing to Select Dining.

 

It is quite possible that the TA could only get one fixed and one Select and neglected to tell you???

 

Again, each dining type/time are capacity controlled and it just could be an issue of only one of them able to get in, but call and see about wait list and then apply on-board as early as possible because if there are others who want Select and were wait listed will be there too...

 

good luck and bon voyage

[Denny01]

I agree that dining number are controlled, but I think the real issue is you are very close to sailing date so the off-ship people can’t make the changes.

 

We have had excellent support on board once we got on to make changes. Changing to Anytime should be available, so have them do it by going to the dining area, usually deck4 but they can ask once aboard, and make the changes.

 

We’ve successfully changed to Main (early) dining; from large to 4-person tables; etc. On one cruise, we had major issues with our table mates, so the Maitre-D handled it just fine 2nd day into the cruise.

 

I realize ther is never a ‘for sure’ in these cases, but I wouldn’t get too wrapped up and let them handle it on board.

 

Den

[FarEastFan]

Thank you Bo1953 for that very helpful and informative advice. I have copied it and will pass it onto my parents to follow those instructions!

[FarEastFan]

I agree that dining number are controlled, but I think the real issue is you are very close to sailing date so the off-ship people can’t make the changes.

 

We have had excellent support on board once we got on to make changes. Changing to Anytime should be available, so have them do it by going to the dining area, usually deck4 but they can ask once aboard, and make the changes.

 

We’ve successfully changed to Main (early) dining; from large to 4-person tables; etc. On one cruise, we had major issues with our table mates, so the Maitre-D handled it just fine 2nd day into the cruise.

 

I realize ther is never a ‘for sure’ in these cases, but I wouldn’t get too wrapped up and let them handle it on board.

 

Den

 

Oh thank you! This makes me feel a whole lot better!! I am so upset for my parents at the prospect that they won't be able to eat with their friends who they booked with. This was meant to be a holiday of a lifetime for them...

[Baron Barracuda]

As has been suggested, just have them go directly to mdr at embarkation. There is always a head waiter on duty just to take care of problems like yours. We've had similar problems a number of times and the folks on board have always been able to resolve them to our satisfaction.

 

It would make for an easier argument if the ta has linked the two couples reservations.

[Denny01]

Don’t get too upset, BO1953 has an excellent backup of going to a specialty restaurant that first night if (which shouldn’t happen) the staff takes an extra day to iron it all out.

 

Den

[Bluebury]

Were the bookings joined together?

[tony rac]

I had the problem once we was booked for early dining and i went to the matrie d and asked him to change and said he couldnt but then i flashed my elite + card ............ Low and behold he said ......of course sir i will change it right away hope you can change it as it can be done ............ But! Got to the mdr as soon as you get on ship!!!!!!!!!

[misprint]

Were the bookings joined together?

 

I was thinking that also, surely if bookings are linked the dining time should be the same.

[Denny01]

Were the bookings joined together?

I didn’t want to mention this because I wasn’t sure if it was just a fluke and the OP might think they didn’t have any issue, but this also occurred to us. We cruise with another couple many times and on one a number of years ago, we were booked together and linked on the website. But our on line info showed Main Dining and theirs Late. Called the TA who worked it (it was a online major TA and I’ve learned at least in my experience that they have great deals and OBC, but lousy service), and couldn’t do a thing.

 

we got on board and when we entered our SRs, they had the cards there showing our table assignments. Our friends were in the same dining venue and same table.

 

By the way, forgot to mention that.....OP, have your parents and friends check their table assignment cards that should be in the their SR when they open the rooms up.

 

Den

[hcat]

I am diabetic and could not deal with such a late dinner. If parents have any health issues that might help move things along....Eventually it will work out and they will gave a great retirement cruise.

 

There is also someone you can e mail about dining issues but I am sorry I dont have the name

[JFontaine]

If your parents aren’t travelers and/or nervous about this issue, I’d give some ideas to the least nervous parent. As previously suggested, go to the Main Dining Room and ask for a change to Anytime Dining. If they are unable to get this confirmed at the time, tell them not to give up. I’d go back to the dining room after dinner (when the commotion of the first evening dies down, around 9) and ask again. And I’d explain why - too late, want to eat with friends, first cruise, celebration. If it’s still not confirmed I’d go to guest services in the morning and ask if they could speak to the assistant hotel director. Tell him or her the same story. I understand your concern, but I really think it will get resolved on board. It just might take a few requests.

 

If they don’t have the budget or desire for a first night specialty restaurant there are two other options: one, just show up together at Anytime Dining with the other couple, at a less busy time (avoid 7 -8). The worst that could happen is your parents are turned away. The buffet is another dinner option for all - many people like it, me included.

 

I hope they have a great trip.

[Purplsmurf]

On our last cruise we wanted select dining but it was full so we were on the waitlist and were booked at the late dining time. We definitely didn’t want to eat at 8:30 so as soon as we got on board we went right to the dining room. Select was still full and we were unable to get it, but they moved us to the early seating. While 6:00 was early it was better than 8:30. We were told that we could show up as late as 6:20 for the early seating and that’s what we did and it ended up working out well.

[GottaKnowWhen]

... If they don’t have the budget or desire for a first night specialty restaurant there are two other options:... I hope they have a great trip.

 

 

There is a third option if budget concerns may be a factor.

Go to the Celebrity site. Upper left corner is the icon for a drop down menu. Drop it down, next to last item is Gifts by Celebrity. Select that, work your way into the menus, and buy your parents and friends some Specialty dining. And go online in their names and make reservations for them at a civilized time that works for them. This way they needn’t face a first day with anxiety about all of this and they can be more deliberate in getting this fixed.

But do note as others have said that they should still go to the MDR on deck 4 first opportunity and lodge their request.

 

Stan

[bEwAbG]

We were told that we could show up as late as 6:20 for the early seating and that’s what we did and it ended up working out well.

 

If you're seated at a table with others, that means they wait 20 minutes longer, too.

 

While most of the above advice is sound (I think pretending it's a medical issue if there isn't one is tacky & gross, to be polite), the fact of the matter is that not every person on the ship can eat in the same dining room at the same time, especially if the desired time is between 6:30 - 8pm.

 

 

Considering that it's a vacation, it's not the end of the world to shift all dining times to something different than what happens at home. Lord knows there's enough food available at all times that it is very simple to amend your eating schedule.

 

 

Anytime seems to be the most popular choice these days, so I think they'd have better luck switching to the early seating for the first night if getting everyone into Anytime is not an option.

[upwarduk]

Anytime seems to be the most popular choice these days, so I think they'd have better luck switching to the early seating for the first night if getting everyone into Anytime is not an option.

 

We booked a cruise with Canadian friends. I tried to link a timed booking that I had made on line, but it wouldn’t allow me to do it, as we had booked our sailings with different currencies ($Canadian & £)

Even though we weren’t actually paying for the meal, pre booking can be done via the web site on the Speciality Restaurant section.

We went to the dining room on deck 4 mid afternoon on the first day and asked for my booking (7 pm) to be linked together with our friends for the entire cruise.

No problem.

[FarEastFan]

Hi everyone,

 

Thank you so much for taking the time to give advice. I'll certainly pass this on to the least nervous parent!

 

I actually don't know if the bookings have been linked by the TA. I booked them both under the same reservation and paid for them all as one group.

 

In the meantime I have suggested to the TA that they do the following. I have the direct email address of the Head of Ops at the TA as we've had sooooo many errors with this booking and have put the following to him.

1. They add the couple who are on the late dining time to the Select Waitlist sharpish
   
2. My parents will contact MDR as soon as they get on board. As it'll be unlikely they can switch on the first night I have suggested that the TA pick up the bill for specialty dining on the first night
   
3. If they cannot get onto Anytime dining, they will dine at the time of their choosing at the specialty dining venues and again, i have asked the TA to pick this up
   

I booked this for them 12 months ago, so I doubt at the time of booking Select was fully booked - it's definitely a TA mistake. (They also booked flights with no hold baggage for a 2.5week cruise, and chose a rate with X without a drinks package when they quoted it inc drinks to us... they have had to rectify both of these things at their own cost- to the tune of over £2000. But it's been a lot of stress over the last 12 months :(

[Bo1953]

Hi everyone,

 

Thank you so much for taking the time to give advice. I'll certainly pass this on to the least nervous parent!

 

I actually don't know if the bookings have been linked by the TA. I booked them both under the same reservation and paid for them all as one group.

 

In the meantime I have suggested to the TA that they do the following. I have the direct email address of the Head of Ops at the TA as we've had sooooo many errors with this booking and have put the following to him.

 

1. They add the couple who are on the late dining time to the Select Waitlist sharpish
   
2. My parents will contact MDR as soon as they get on board. As it'll be unlikely they can switch on the first night I have suggested that the TA pick up the bill for specialty dining on the first night
   
3. If they cannot get onto Anytime dining, they will dine at the time of their choosing at the specialty dining venues and again, i have asked the TA to pick this up
   

I booked this for them 12 months ago, so I doubt at the time of booking Select was fully booked - it's definitely a TA mistake. (They also booked flights with no hold baggage for a 2.5week cruise, and chose a rate with X without a drinks package when they quoted it inc drinks to us... they have had to rectify both of these things at their own cost- to the tune of over £2000. But it's been a lot of stress over the last 12 months :(

 

fef - At this juncture, I advise that you not worry about it any longer... Your parents and friends have great input on how to handle once aboard...

 

I Am sure that they will enjoy themselves overall and look back to think that the dining 'fiasco' worked itself out one way or another and what was really important is that they enjoyed their cruise and at that with friends!

 

This will be a most perfect sailing as it sounds like you got everything else corrected along the way... Stress no more, relax, let them enjoy and I trust they will bring you back a wonderful gift of gratitude and happiness which will translate into 'you did the right gift'!

 

After all, this is travel and things at times can go forward when you want aft and etc...

 

You have done everything you can do up to this juncture, just sit back and know it will be all good, regardless. They will sort it out aboard.

 

bon voyage for them and you.... :halo:

[varoo]

Hi Everyone,

 

I have had the worst customer experience of my life with Cruise118 (UK cruise TA). Booked my parents and their friends a holiday to celebrate their retirement (non-cruisers, indeed..non travellers!!). They have got near enough everything you can think of wrong with the booking, which has now all been fixed (hopefully)- apart from the dining times.

 

All 4 passengers are on the same booking and I asked for Anytime dining. When logging into their Celebrity accounts it seems the TA, in her infinte wisdom, has booked one couple on Anytime, and one on the late traditional. I emailed the TA, thinking they could just contact celebrity and get the late sitting changed to Anytime.... but no!!!!

 

They said they *might* be able to get it changed on board by speaking to the Maitre D' but this is at their discretion.

I am so sorry that you have such a useless travel agent.

 

But you should at least get her to link their reservations, even if she is incapable of getting the dining time errors corrected.

If you had not used a TA, you could have linked their reservations for them yourself, or a Celebrity rep could have done it for them.

 

 

Once the reservations are linked, they should all end up with the same seating for dinner and can dine together

(even if it may not be at the seating they most want).

By all means, do convince them to go see the maitre d' when they first board the ship and explain their situation to him/her. Most of the ones we have met are very nice.

 

They usually can accommodate changes by the second or third night as openings occur, if they can't change them right away.

 

I hope you have printed out the deck plan of their ship for them (in a good sized, readable font), and have gone over it with them several times to familiarize them with the locations of the places they will frequently need, starting with their own cabins.

 

It can be helpful to show them online videos and photos of their ship in advance as well.

The layout of a large cruise ship can be overwhelming and intimidating for a first-time cruise passenger.

 

(For that matter, the same can be said for those of us who have been cruising for years, when encountering a new ship on a new cruise line for the first time.)

 

 

Celebrity ships often offer free orientation tours on the first day of the cruise, which you may want to encourage them to attend.

 

The time and place to meet should be listed in the first day's copy of Celebrity Today.

It should already be in their cabin waiting for them when they board the ship.

I really like GottaKnowWhen's suggestion to buy them a specialty restaurant dinner in advance, for at least the first night of the cruise.

 

The first night in the main dining room can be pretty chaotic, for anyone.

It may also be a good idea for them to join the roll call for their cruise (if they have not already done so)

and read through the previous posts there. They are likely to find some helpful experienced cruisers there who can support them with some "hand-holding" and answer their questions.

 

I hope that the incompetent TA is at least giving them some generous additional perks.

In the US, if you have an incompetent TA it is possible to contact Celebrity and have them take your booking away from the TA. Then you can deal directly with Celebrity yourself.

 

I don't know if that is also an option for UK passengers, but if it is, that may be one to consider,

- - unless your TA is providing them with enough in the way of additional perks to make it worth keeping her.

We wish your parents and their friends all the best. It would be even better if you could go along on the cruise with them.

Edited June 1, 2018 by varoo

[Mr&MrsBee]

Our travel companions were linked requesting table for 6 or 8. On board checked maître d and found wife and myself had table for 2. Linked couple had table for 12. Maitre d gave us table for 12 with 2 others. Finally went a manager Amir who gave us a table for 6 with a lovely couple. Maitre d was very aloof and could have careless about our request. Why id it take 3 tries to get it right?