Dining time and merge two groups

[Dane1234]

Hi all,

 

going on a 6 night cruise on Thanksgiving from PT Canaveral to Bahamas and Mexico on Seashore, and have a couple of questions:

 

We are two parties of total 10 people (each in two rooms, so four rooms in total), on two different bookings (or rather four bookings because each room is a separate booking, as I have understood it).

 

- Now we would like to sit together for dinner, how do we choose dining time, and who we can sit together with? I dont see that option in the App.

 

- We have four kids in total, who are going to using the kids club sometimes; do one have to register these beforehand? I know on RC, we had to do it as the first thing after boarding, since the spots get occupied quite fast, is it the same for MSC?

 

- The FUN PASS says unlimited gaming, but then I also read that there is a limit of $150?

 

Thanks!

[perakcruiser]

4 minutes ago, Dane1234 said:

- Now we would like to sit together for dinner, how do we choose dining time, and who we can sit together with? I dont see that option in the App.

You should have chosen the dining time already during the booking process. If you all  have the same "Level" (Bella or Fantastica), then you can easily link the bookings online and you will be seated together.

 

8 minutes ago, Dane1234 said:

We have four kids in total, who are going to using the kids club sometimes; do one have to register these beforehand?

Will be done directly when you enter the ship. 

The fun pass is not unlimited, just much cheaper if you buy before. 

[Itchy&Scratchy]

24 minutes ago, perakcruiser said:

You should have chosen the dining time already during the booking process.

I did that during booking, and mine still says "dining time is unassigned".

24 minutes ago, perakcruiser said:

If you all  have the same "Level" (Bella or Fantastica), then you can easily link the bookings online

also didn't work for me. I tried to link our reservation with my parents (both are fantastica) and id didn't work online either.

[perakcruiser]

33 minutes ago, Itchy&Scratchy said:

I did that during booking, and mine still says "dining time is unassigned".

It maybe will reappear later.

 

33 minutes ago, Itchy&Scratchy said:

also didn't work for me. I tried to link our reservation with my parents (both are fantastica) and id didn't work online either.

It not works always, yes, we had this experience also. All of you have the same drinks package or no drinks package, right? But at least I can say after many years with MSC, at the end on board the things are sorted out. 

Best is to get the group on one booking number, even if one books first, the others can be added with more cabins. 

[Itchy&Scratchy]

1 hour ago, perakcruiser said:

All of you have the same drinks package or no drinks package, right?

we did last time, and it still didn't work.

 

1 hour ago, perakcruiser said:

at the end on board the things are sorted out. 

it's true, but on a very full cruise I'll have to spend a lot of time standing in line to get that accomplished.

[perakcruiser]

On 10/3/2023 at 1:24 AM, Itchy&Scratchy said:

we did last time, and it still didn't work.

Another possible thing is you booked with a TA not directly with MSC. Then you cannot link the bookings by yourself (but your TA should be able) 

[dexddd]

43 minutes ago, perakcruiser said:

Another possible thing is you booked with a TA not directly with MSC. Then you cannot link the bookings by yourself (but your TA should be able) 

We booked three rooms through TA and sailed February.  Able to link on MSC website.

[Itchy&Scratchy]

2 hours ago, perakcruiser said:

Another possible thing is you booked with a TA not directly with MSC. Then you cannot link the bookings by yourself (but your TA should be able) 

I never book through a TA.

[perakcruiser]

2 hours ago, dexddd said:

We booked three rooms through TA and sailed February.  Able to link on MSC website.

 

1 hour ago, Itchy&Scratchy said:

I never book through a TA.

 
OK, final conclusion, it is just absolutely unpredictable if it works or not 😄 

[Homosassa]

Perhaps the issue is a misunderstanding on what occurs during the booking process for any cruise line reservation.  The options are  fixed (traditional) seatings (early or late) and open dining. The open dining option is called by different names by different lines (Freestyle, eat any time, etc.)

 

One can request the preferred option at the time of booking, however, it is not assigned (confirmed) until the staff member in charge of the dining room actually makes the assignments a short time (a week???) before embarkation. 

 

MSC is also more complicated because depending on your "experience" that you booked, your dining time options vary and can be limited.

 

Bella is assigned a time for one of the fixed  seatings, a/k/a traditional dining.. The fixed seating is exactly that. One is told what seating time one is  assigned and after approximately fifteen minutes of that seating's start time, the doors are closed for entry.

 

Fantastica is also assigned a traditional dining time, however, one can request your preference of early or late.

 

It is only Aurea and the Yacht Club experiences that have a dine anytime option. 

 

The assignment of the traditional seating and table is fixed in place and can not be changed on a daily basis.

 

At the time of booking, if you all have the same "experience," the reservations  should have been linked to aid the dining room staff in making assignments of table and time.

[Itchy&Scratchy]

4 hours ago, Homosassa said:

At the time of booking, if you all have the same "experience," the reservations  should have been linked to aid the dining room staff in making assignments of table and time.

unfortunately, what it should be like oftentimes differs from what it really is for MSC. 😞

[mets07]

If you have chosen early or late dining (not given any other choice), can you request a table for 2? 

 

Is the dinner buffet open the same hours for all passengers?

 

Thank you. 

[perakcruiser]

5 hours ago, mets07 said:

If you have chosen early or late dining (not given any other choice), can you request a table for 2? 

You can "request", but same with time slot, if you get it from the Maitre D is always maybe. On the ships with small number of table for 2 the chances are quite low. If this is really important to you, better fork out the money for Aurea. 

 

5 hours ago, mets07 said:

Is the dinner buffet open the same hours for all passengers?

Yes.