Dinner Seating Assignment

[Beachgator]

Perhaps this has been addressed in previous threads, but how do you manage to get a first dinner seating? I am a Select Captain's Club Member with Celebrity, but they still assign me the second seating despite my request for the first seating. Once when traveling with friends that had medical issues and needed to eat early were we assigned, at the last moment, to the first seating.:confused:

[Friscorays]

I am surprised that calling Celebrity doesn't do the trick. Maybe call a few times or be persistent, maybe the "may I speak with your supervisor" might help if a nice explanation doesn't get you in. If you are still assigned late, first thing I would do on boarding is go to the head guy at the restaurant, explain your situation, and ask to be switched. They can often accomodate you.

[forensic]

I am surprised that calling Celebrity doesn't do the trick. Maybe call a few times or be persistent, maybe the "may I speak with your supervisor" might help if a nice explanation doesn't get you in. If you are still assigned late, first thing I would do on boarding is go to the head guy at the restaurant, explain your situation, and ask to be switched. They can often accomodate you.

 

Are you booking with a TA?

 

I am a TA and when I make a reservation I can select what dining time you would like and what size table and who (if anyone) you would like to dine with. I have NEVER had my client NOT get the time and table size they requested.

 

I cannot understand why you are NOT getting what you want!!

[Gonzo70]

On three of my cruises I did not initially receive the time I wanted, but a quick trip to talk to the maitre' d after boarding the ship solved the problem. If you cannot fix it in advance, just head to see the maitre' d as soon as possible after boarding the ship and chances are he can recitfy things for you.

[hajekfam]

When is your cruise and when did you book it? It might be that early seating was full. Captain's club membership has no effect on getting your preferred seating - it is booking early and requesting it. Even then, if there is a large group on board, they may take up the dining room during the time you want.

[Beachgator]

Thanks for the feedback. Most of our cruises were booked around 90 days of sailing because that seemed to be when most cabins were opening up. Our TA requested first seating, but our confirmation listed us as wait listed and confirmed second seating. Upon boarding, (ie our trip to Hawaii), they had a sign up saying the first seating was full. I thought my Captains Club membership would help but maybe the earlier bookings is the way to go?

[hajekfam]

Priority seating used to be a benefit for Captains Club back in the early days, then when they took away the membership fee it became priority waitlisting for seating. When they offered the reciprocal membership with RCCL benefit, even that benefit went away - it is hard to offer that kind of benefit if on some cruises about one half to two thirds of the passengers are captains club. In fact on some of cruises, there have been so many elite members that the elegant tea offered to elite had to be broken up by decks - each deck on a different day and same with the tours for select and elite.

There are some advantages to booking late - especially when booking an Xciting Deal(formerly Happy Hour specials) - but there are also disadvantages. You have to pick from the remaining cabins - most of which are in the least desirable areas and as you found out, you may not get your seating choice.

Booking early gives you a greater choice of cabins and better chances for your preferred seating. And Celebrity will honor price drops - provided you notify them - except for those that are for new bookings only (such as the Xciting Deals).

[jackdiamond]

The name of the game is early booking. This has been our approach for years and we have never had a problem.

[ryndam]

Several years ago, our TA had absolutely no success in confirming 2nd sitting on the Millennium for the six of us traveling together, even though we had reserved the cruise over six months before sailing date. I faxed our request directly to the ship's Hotel Manager and Maitre'd onboard. Of course, it is a long-distance, overseas charge for the fax, but our requested 2nd sitting table reservation was waiting for us in our cabins when we got onboard. And the Maitre'd came by our table the first evening and acknowledged, "welcome aboard....you are the group that faxed me...have a wonderful cruise!"

 

This may no longer work in 2008, but it was successful in the past. You can obtain the ship's fax numbers from your TA, Celebrity's website, or in your pre-cruise documents.