Anyone Requested Same Dining Room Waitstaff?

[The Mikado]

We are sailing again next month on the Grand. We loved our waitstaff in August so much we are going to request them again. They are both on contract until April 2020.

 

For the cruise vets, is this a common request or even doable?

[Colo Cruiser]

13 minutes ago, The Mikado said:

We are sailing again next month on the Grand. We loved our waitstaff in August so much we are going to request them again. They are both on contract until April 2020.

 

For the cruise vets, is this a common request or even doable?

Go see the MD on embarkation day at the time/place listed in the Patter.

It is usually held in one of the DR’s between 2p and 3:30p. He meets to take care of passenger requests like this.
He has the power the make this happen.

[jondfk]

43 minutes ago, Colo Cruiser said:

Go see the MD on embarkation day at the time/place listed in the Patter.

It is usually held in one of the DR’s between 2p and 3:30p. He meets to take care of passenger requests like this.
He has the power the make this happen.

 

I completely agree but would add that staff assignments change frequently even day to day.  That said it does no harm to ask and you may get a happy surprise.  Even if you can’t be accommodated your positive feedback will have real value to the folks you remember so fondly - Princess greatly rewards staff who receive praise.

[CRUISEWITHH]

It seems that if you request the early dining, you are sent to "the back of the bus" dinning room.  This is very difficult for my husband to get to because he uses a mobility scooter and instead of being able to just go down the hall from our stateroom (due to the steward carts blocking his way), we must go down the elevator and then across on Promenade deck then wait for the back elevators to get down to the dining room.  But ! these elevators always come down to Promenade deck already full from passengers on the upper decks.  Then, we are assigned a table somewhere in the back of the dining room that is impossible to get to on a scooter.    

 

I don't understand why they cannot assign one of the middle dining rooms for early seating!!!  and shouldn't the MD know what staterooms are H/C and make adjustments to assign those passengers to tables in the front of the dining room which are accessible?

 

I do plan to see the MD on embarkation day to try to get him to change us to the middle dining but I just had to vent my exasperation of having to wait to see the MD when I would like to be starting my cruise a little more peaceful.

 

Also, we cannot use ANYTIME dining because I have a food allergy and must have special orders.  It is very important that we get the same waitstaff who will know of my special order and be sure that I receive it.  We also require early dining time.

[Colo Cruiser]

14 minutes ago, jondfk said:

 

I completely agree but would add that staff assignments change frequently even day to day.  That said it does no harm to ask and you may get a happy surprise.  Even if you can’t be accommodated your positive feedback will have real value to the folks you remember so fondly - Princess greatly rewards staff who receive praise.

DR waitstaff team are usually set for the cruise.

The MD is the one in charge of that so he would know if it's possible or not.

[Colo Cruiser]

7 minutes ago, CRUISEWITHH said:

It seems that if you request the early dining, you are sent to "the back of the bus" dinning room.  This is very difficult for my husband to get to because he uses a mobility scooter and instead of being able to just go down the hall from our stateroom (due to the steward carts blocking his way), we must go down the elevator and then across on Promenade deck then wait for the back elevators to get down to the dining room.  But ! these elevators always come down to Promenade deck already full from passengers on the upper decks.  Then, we are assigned a table somewhere in the back of the dining room that is impossible to get to on a scooter.    

 

I don't understand why they cannot assign one of the middle dining rooms for early seating!!!  and shouldn't the MD know what staterooms are H/C and make adjustments to assign those passengers to tables in the front of the dining room which are accessible?

 

I do plan to see the MD on embarkation day to try to get him to change us to the middle dining but I just had to vent my exasperation of having to wait to see the MD when I would like to be starting my cruise a little more peaceful.

 

Also, we cannot use ANYTIME dining because I have a food allergy and must have special orders.  It is very important that we get the same waitstaff who will know of my special order and be sure that I receive it.  We also require early dining time.

You can request anything you want. The MD should be able to grant your request.  

[geocruiser]

I have done this.  I wrote to Princess and told them how happy I was with the wait staff and gave Princess their name.  Princess did call me and said that they would do their best to arrange it.  Got on board the ship and went to dinner that night and my dinning room dream team was waiting there for us.  They told them that we had requested them.  The staff was very happy.

[suzyed]

54 minutes ago, CRUISEWITHH said:

It seems that if you request the early dining, you are sent to "the back of the bus" dinning room.  This is very difficult for my husband to get to because he uses a mobility scooter and instead of being able to just go down the hall from our stateroom (due to the steward carts blocking his way), we must go down the elevator and then across on Promenade deck then wait for the back elevators to get down to the dining room.  But ! these elevators always come down to Promenade deck already full from passengers on the upper decks.  Then, we are assigned a table somewhere in the back of the dining room that is impossible to get to on a scooter.    

 

I don't understand why they cannot assign one of the middle dining rooms for early seating!!!  and shouldn't the MD know what staterooms are H/C and make adjustments to assign those passengers to tables in the front of the dining room which are accessible?

 

I do plan to see the MD on embarkation day to try to get him to change us to the middle dining but I just had to vent my exasperation of having to wait to see the MD when I would like to be starting my cruise a little more peaceful.

 

Also, we cannot use ANYTIME dining because I have a food allergy and must have special orders.  It is very important that we get the same waitstaff who will know of my special order and be sure that I receive it.  We also require early dining time.

Well good luck...hope you get what you need!

[skynight]

58 minutes ago, CRUISEWITHH said:

It seems that if you request the early dining, you are sent to "the back of the bus" dinning room.  This is very difficult for my husband to get to because he uses a mobility scooter and instead of being able to just go down the hall from our stateroom (due to the steward carts blocking his way), we must go down the elevator and then across on Promenade deck then wait for the back elevators to get down to the dining room.  But ! these elevators always come down to Promenade deck already full from passengers on the upper decks.  Then, we are assigned a table somewhere in the back of the dining room that is impossible to get to on a scooter.    

 

I don't understand why they cannot assign one of the middle dining rooms for early seating!!!  and shouldn't the MD know what staterooms are H/C and make adjustments to assign those passengers to tables in the front of the dining room which are accessible?

 

I do plan to see the MD on embarkation day to try to get him to change us to the middle dining but I just had to vent my exasperation of having to wait to see the MD when I would like to be starting my cruise a little more peaceful.

 

Also, we cannot use ANYTIME dining because I have a food allergy and must have special orders.  It is very important that we get the same waitstaff who will know of my special order and be sure that I receive it.  We also require early dining time.

See the maitre'd on boarding day. Would wager you will be placed in into a mid ship DR with same waiters/head waiter each evening.

[Mike45LC]

1 hour ago, CRUISEWITHH said:

It seems that if you request the early dining, you are sent to "the back of the bus" dinning room.  This is very difficult for my husband to get to because he uses a mobility scooter and instead of being able to just go down the hall from our stateroom (due to the steward carts blocking his way), we must go down the elevator and then across on Promenade deck then wait for the back elevators to get down to the dining room.  But ! these elevators always come down to Promenade deck already full from passengers on the upper decks.  Then, we are assigned a table somewhere in the back of the dining room that is impossible to get to on a scooter.    

 

I don't understand why they cannot assign one of the middle dining rooms for early seating!!!  and shouldn't the MD know what staterooms are H/C and make adjustments to assign those passengers to tables in the front of the dining room which are accessible?

 

It is my understanding that in First Seating, you have a 50-50 chance of being assigned to a mid-ships 

Dining Room.  There are two Dining Rooms for the First Seating.  Those of us who go for Second Seating are consigned to the aft Dining Room.  So the maître d' can accommodate your request as to which Dining Room you get.

 

As to where in the Dining Room your table will be, the maître d' will also try to make you happy.  

 

That you will have to spend time dealing with this is unfortunate, but if it is important to you, you will simply do it.

 

H/C cabins are not exclusively reserved for the handicapped, so the maître d' should not automatically assume that someone in such a cabin is mobility limited.

 

[cnd crsr]

Food allergies are NOT a problem in Anytime dining.

 

If you notify Princess ahead of time, a note will be left in your cabin which you give to your waiter the first night. The waiter will get a head waiter for you and this HW will look after your order no matter where you sit each evening. All you have to do is tell the waiter at your table you have a "special order" and he/she will get the HW for you.

 

I have never had a problem using anytime dining with food allergies.

[The Mikado]

Thank you all for your replies. I will email Princess tomorrow with our request and see where that goes. Then we'll be ready once we get to the ship.