Question about Large Group dining together (multiple reservations)

[SuzieQ521]

Hello:

 

We have a group of 9 cruising next month on the Royal to Alaska.

 

With some effort, we were able to make dining room reservations (mostly in Allegro dining room) for all of us at the same time--HOWEVER, this involves multiple reservations at private tables (we have 4 booking numbers). The reason for multiple reservations is that there was no way to get a group bigger than 3-4 to dine at an earlier time (like 5 p.m. or 6 p.m.). Most of our reservations are at 5 p.m. (with the first night being 6 p.m. and one Port night being 7 p.m.).

 

My question is: Can we all just show up at the same time, with all of our reservations, and request that we be seated together? I know we likely won't be at one table but if we can sit near each other, that would be great.

 

Thanks!

Edited April 11, 2023 by SuzieQ521

[Steelers36]

45 minutes ago, SuzieQ521 said:

Hello:

 

We have a group of 9 cruising next month on the Royal to Alaska.

 

With some effort, we were able to make dining room reservations (mostly in Allegro dining room) for all of us at the same time--HOWEVER, this involves multiple reservations at private tables (we have 4 booking numbers). The reason for multiple reservations is that there was no way to get a group bigger than 3-4 to dine at an earlier time (like 5 p.m. or 6 p.m.). Most of our reservations are at 5 p.m. (with the first night being 6 p.m. and one Port night being 7 p.m.).

 

My question is: Can we all just show up at the same time, with all of our reservations, and request that we be seated together? I know we likely won't be at one table but if we can sit near each other, that would be great.

 

Thanks!

There may be one table per DR that seats 10.  Normally the max size is 8.  They have 2/4/6/8 tops.  Nine at one table can be difficult for conversations and seems you are open to alternatives. 

 

Typically a wait team will have a mix of 2's, 4's, 6's, 8's in their area.  Looks like a 6 and a 4 near each other would suit you and you can mix it up each night who sits where. 

 

Although larger size tables seemed readily available when DMW concept was newer last year, I have read more reports lately that people not seeing the space being available. 

 

I presume you knew about creating Travel Companions by cross-referencing booking numbers in the App and then adding your family/friends as Dining Companions so that when booking the system is looking for Private table space to hold your group.  You might want to try again with two people only booking dining - one for 5 people (will be at a 6-top) and one for 4 people.  That said, you are likely much to close to sail date now to find anything of value.  Even if you did, nothing in the system will put those tables in proximity nor know of any relationship.

 

But don't despair.  Just scrap all your multiple random reservations and speak with the DR Mgr of your desired DR, or a DR Host who works with their ship-side dining app and can block you a couple of tables with the same wait staff.  They may offer a different DR than the one you first show up at, but I am quite confident you can make this happen.  They do this all the time.  I would try inquiring first at embarkation lunch time in the DR and see if you cannot get something arranged ahead of dinner.  Otherwise, show up early for dinner (5pm) even if plan to eat later and have a "lead" person make the arrangements and be ready to give the DR mgmt all the cabin numbers. 

 

[SuzieQ521]

Thank you very much for the input. That's a great idea to just speak with the DR Host/Mgr to get this sorted out!

 

I've gone through so many combinations on the App and the multiple reservations is the only way to give us the same dining room/dining time every night.

[Steelers36]

3 minutes ago, SuzieQ521 said:

Thank you very much for the input. That's a great idea to just speak with the DR Host/Mgr to get this sorted out!

 

I've gone through so many combinations on the App and the multiple reservations is the only way to give us the same dining room/dining time every night.

And there really is no gty at all that what you have in the App is what you will see on the ship.  Many recent reports indicate this.

[Moondogy]

9 hours ago, SuzieQ521 said:

Thank you very much for the input. That's a great idea to just speak with the DR Host/Mgr to get this sorted out!

 

I've gone through so many combinations on the App and the multiple reservations is the only way to give us the same dining room/dining time every night.

Don't know if this is possible, but did one person add all the others as traveling together and make reservations for the group? Only thing I could come up with.

[Steelers36]

3 hours ago, Moondogy said:

Don't know if this is possible, but did one person add all the others as traveling together and make reservations for the group? Only thing I could come up with.

I do not believe the App can book anytime for more than 8 people in a dining party.

[SuzieQ521]

4 hours ago, Moondogy said:

Don't know if this is possible, but did one person add all the others as traveling together and make reservations for the group? Only thing I could come up with.

 

So the App lets you add other booking numbers. I logged in under my booking number, and was able to add other booking numbers. You then see all the passengers on top and can select which ones per reservation. 

But it was impossible to get everyone to be the same time, same dining room as one big group reservation unless I did 2-4 people at a time; that's why we have multiple reservations. 

Edited April 11, 2023 by SuzieQ521

[Knickearth]

As someone who normally travelled a party of ten people, pre covid and pre medallion, we would show up at MDR the first night and request table for ten.  We would get it but we knew they normally use them as sharing tables.  By the second night that first table and waiter were ours the rest of the cruise.

 

only real negative is that our party of ten spent at least 3 hours having a meal.  Our friends ended up hating to miss the show so that they ate at a different time. We were then down to six which is more manageable.

 

[DMullen]

Hello all, here is what's happing with us right now. We are sailing on May 24, Whittier to Anchorage. We are a party of six and four are first time cruisers. So my wife, using her app made reservations for all eight of us, using our booking number along with all the others on the app. Doing so on the app, it used all of our dinning credit for the reservation and none of the others. She called Princess and there is nothing they can do. She was told that once on the ship they can fix it. During the two hour phone call, Princess said they could make the reservations for our second dinning and he could use the others dinning credits  that she gave him. No problem all is great...... I checked my credit card and Princess charged me $210 because we  didn't have enough dinning credits. So another two hour phone call, they canceled our second dinning time and refunded me my $210. Again we were told once on the ship they will fix the dinning times. With all that said my trust level for the app is very low. If you want to dine with other people you might want to call them or wait until you are on ship. Sorry for the rant

 

David

[SportsFanatic]

On 4/11/2023 at 3:00 PM, Steelers36 said:

I do not believe the App can book anytime for more than 8 people in a dining party.

We have booked a table for 10 on the app for several different nights. I am not sure that you can book more than 10 people though. 

[Steelers36]

39 minutes ago, SportsFanatic said:

We have booked a table for 10 on the app for several different nights. I am not sure that you can book more than 10 people though. 

Okay.  That's good for a larger group travelling.  I am pretty sure nothing >10-top, other than the special table section for Chef Table Lumiere and WInemaker's Dinner.

[Coral]

FYI - I have sat at very large tables (long) and you can only talk to those immediately near you. You are best to have our table of 9 to be at 2 different tables and then switch off. Conversation will be best this way.

[KreinKrunker]

On 4/11/2023 at 11:05 AM, Moondogy said:

Don't know if this is possible, but did one person add all the others as traveling together and make reservations for the group? 

Had a group f 14 last May.  One person has to link the group, and enter the information.  No tables for 14, so we had a 6 and 8 top each night.  But, be sure to talk to the head waiter to set everything up.  Asking at lunch time is a good idea, or stop at 5:00 when the dining room opens.

13 hours ago, Coral said:

FYI - I have sat at very large tables (long) and you can only talk to those immediately near you. You are best to have our table of 9 to be at 2 different tables and then switch off. Conversation will be best this way.

Many of the 8 or 10 tops are oval.  This somewhat alleviates this problem.

[Coral]

7 minutes ago, KreinKrunker said:

 

Many of the 8 or 10 tops are oval.  This somewhat alleviates this problem.

Sort of. It is difficult to talk across that large of table in my experience. People end up shouting. I think 6 is a good size for a round or oval table. Beyond that - too many.

[trbarton]

23 hours ago, DMullen said:

Hello all, here is what's happing with us right now. We are sailing on May 24, Whittier to Anchorage. We are a party of six and four are first time cruisers. So my wife, using her app made reservations for all eight of us, using our booking number along with all the others on the app. Doing so on the app, it used all of our dinning credit for the reservation and none of the others. She called Princess and there is nothing they can do. She was told that once on the ship they can fix it. During the two hour phone call, Princess said they could make the reservations for our second dinning and he could use the others dinning credits  that she gave him. No problem all is great...... I checked my credit card and Princess charged me $210 because we  didn't have enough dinning credits. So another two hour phone call, they canceled our second dinning time and refunded me my $210. Again we were told once on the ship they will fix the dinning times. With all that said my trust level for the app is very low. If you want to dine with other people you might want to call them or wait until you are on ship. Sorry for the rant

 

David

David,

 

Have you considered using the “Chat” feature? I use that 1st before calling Princess. Sometimes they can help you out. 
 

Tom😀

[trbarton]

Yes…The largest table that they have is for 8 people.  That would apply no matter what meal you went to. I’ve sat with a group several times. One night we had a 9th person & we were able to squeeze one more person in. 
 

Tom😀

[Moondogy]

12 hours ago, KreinKrunker said:

Had a group f 14 last May.  One person has to link the group, and enter the information.  No tables for 14, so we had a 6 and 8 top each night.  But, be sure to talk to the head waiter to set everything up.  Asking at lunch time is a good idea, or stop at 5:00 when the dining room opens.

Many of the 8 or 10 tops are oval.  This somewhat alleviates this problem.

I don't think I will ever have this problem 🤣

[cookok]

At Christmas there were 9 of us in 5 cabins.  First night we all showed up at the DR and ask for a table for all of us.  Got a round table for 10 and then had it the rest of the cruise.  We did find we had to nearly shout to hear one another sometimes and were conscious of that.  

 

[SportsFanatic]

5 hours ago, cookok said:

At Christmas there were 9 of us in 5 cabins.  First night we all showed up at the DR and ask for a table for all of us.  Got a round table for 10 and then had it the rest of the cruise.  We did find we had to nearly shout to hear one another sometimes and were conscious of that.  

 

Yes, I was thinking about that. I am wondering if it’s best to just split up into 2  tables and then switch around each night.

[mocha9]

We are a group of 9 cruising in June. I linked all our booking # together and reserved a table for all of us together each night. I did each night separately, and as of now, we are all together. We'll see what happens when we get there.