Help! 2 members of our group are waitlisted for ealy dinner on our 8/9/08 sailing

[cjtwer]

I was just filling out the online forms and realized that 2 members of our group of 22 are listed as "waitlisted" for early dinner (the rest of the group has early dining) on our 8/9 Golden Princess cruise.

 

I won't be able to talk to our travel agent about this until Monday and now I am going to stress about it all weekend. The 2 that are waitlisted are my 17YO DS and his 18 YO friend.

 

I always thought late dining filled up before early dining? I guess not. Anyone have any advice so I don't worry about this all weekend?

 

Thanks!

[Toto2Kansas]

I was just filling out the online forms and realized that 2 members of our group of 22 are listed as "waitlisted" for early dinner (the rest of the group has early dining) on our 8/9 Golden Princess cruise.

 

I won't be able to talk to our travel agent about this until Monday and now I am going to stress about it all weekend. The 2 that are waitlisted are my 17YO DS and his 18 YO friend.

 

I always thought late dining filled up before early dining? I guess not. Anyone have any advice so I don't worry about this all weekend?

 

Thanks!

 

If first seating is waitlisted, then my guess is that the TA won't be able to do anything about this either. Waitlist means there are no more seats available.

What will probably be suggested to you is to see the Maitre'D when you board, and he can get this sorted out.

Do you happen to know what number DS and his friend are on the waitlist?

 

This is something your TA should have known about when you booked, and shared with you. I admit, it would not make me happy either. :(

[chrysalis]

Just talk to the Maitre d' when you are on board, and you should be fine.....and just think, the weekend is almost half over, so you need not worry the whole weekend:D .

 

Actually, don't worry at all....

[bubbadog]

just wait till you get onboard,then go see mait're D,he can help you,just relax,there is nothing you can do right now;)

[cjtwer]

Thanks,

I will try to not worry about it. I'm just really surprised that early dinner is full as this is a Alaska Cruise and a couple of nights we are in port late. Thank goodness it's only 2 of us and they can hopefully accommodate us.

 

While filling out the form I also realized that Princess isn't going to allow the 17 and 18 YOs in a room alone on the ship's manifest. That's what I thought but when I mentioned it to the TA she said it would be OK. We will have to switch an adult from the group into that room for the manifest.

 

Thank goodness I am finding all of this out now and not when we are boarding the ship.

[chrysalis]

Thanks,

I will try to not worry about it. I'm just really surprised that early dinner is full as this is a Alaska Cruise and a couple of nights we are in port late. Thank goodness it's only 2 of us and they can hopefully accommodate us.

 

We just got back from Alaska, and on one evening (late seating) when the Maitre d' visited our table, he was mentioning that most people on Alaska cruises prefer early seating and bring Doctor's notes to demand that they need to eat early for health reasons.....and during cruises in the Med, people show up with Doctor's notes to demand that they eat late, for the sake of their health.

 

He mentioned that some even show up with a note from their Plastic Surgeon....guess the note would go something like this......"Mrs. Jones requires late seating...if she eats too early, her nose will fall off....":D

[Desert Cruisers]

Because of the older age distribution on Alaskan cruises, early dinner is highly desired. Definitely speak with the maitre d' when you get on board. Also, talk with your son and his friend regarding how interested they are in going to the dining room. You may find that they prefer to dine elsewhere most nights.:)

[Desert Cruisers]

Another idea...if you are on the Golden Princess, you could switch to anytime dining. Then, everyone can sit together.:)

[cjtwer]

LOL! Well my DH is a doctor. Maybe he will have to write a note. ;)

 

We've gone on several cruises and we usually just book it on our own. Since we are traveling with such a large group we decided to go through and agency that was offering a rebate for groups. I swear I will never use a TA again. And surely not the TA we are using for this trip.

[cjtwer]

Another idea...if you are on the Golden Princess, you could switch to anytime dining. Then, everyone can sit together.:)

 

That's an idea. We had anytime dining on a Norwegian Cruise and had to wait a long time for our group of 6. How would it work with a group of 22 on Princess?

[notentirelynormal]

Don't even sweat it. They are NOT going to make your children eat at another time or place. At the very least with that many people you could squeeze to more seats in. Our last cruise with 22 people two of them were put in a different restaurant. Later that night we simply explained they we would squeeze somehow. Before the next night the table was switched to a larger one. Worked perfectly. One thing to check once you get on board though, check with everyone and make sure they have the same table numbers etc. Then if there is a problem, you can go down and get if fixed before dinner. Also, make sure that all reservations are linked.

[tvaud]

My bet is that the maitre'd will have already taken care of it before you get to see him. They are pretty sharp. As long as they are either in a cabin with you or the reservations are linked together, along with the fact of their younger ages, they will be assigned to your table. We were traveling with friends last Summer who were wait listed for late seating. Their reservations were linked with ours...your TA can do that...so when I went to see the maitre'd, he said that he already seated them with us, because he saw that our reservations were linked. So relax and enjoy the rest of your weekend.:)

[cdngrl]

While filling out the form I also realized that Princess isn't going to allow the 17 and 18 YOs in a room alone on the ship's manifest. That's what I thought but when I mentioned it to the TA she said it would be OK. We will have to switch an adult from the group into that room for the manifest.

 

not a big deal. a princess rep told me that once on board they don't keep tabs on who sleeps with whom!

[Lynda90]

not a big deal. a princess rep told me that once on board they don't keep tabs on who sleeps with whom!

Guess I'd better check my bed each night. Wouldn't want all those strangers in there. :p :p Sorry, the devil made me do it. :p :p

[Putterdude]

I would think that there is a very high probabiliy of this being sorted out by Princess pre-cruise or by the maitre'd as soon as you are onboard.:)

[cjtwer]

Thanks again for all your replies. I will call the TA on Monday to make sure that all the reservations are linked and then as soon as we get on the ship we'll go talk to the Maitre'd. I'm still a little worried about it but doing better. :)

[NeurosurgeryNP]

 

While filling out the form I also realized that Princess isn't going to allow the 17 and 18 YOs in a room alone on the ship's manifest. That's what I thought but when I mentioned it to the TA she said it would be OK. We will have to switch an adult from the group into that room for the manifest.

 

Thank goodness I am finding all of this out now and not when we are boarding the ship.

If they are in a room adjacent to you or across the hall, then it shouldn't pose a problem.

[willysgrandma]

LOL! Well my DH is a doctor. Maybe he will have to write a note. ;)

 

We've gone on several cruises and we usually just book it on our own. Since we are traveling with such a large group we decided to go through and agency that was offering a rebate for groups. I swear I will never use a TA again. And surely not the TA we are using for this trip.

 

A GOOD TA when booking a group is invaluable for making sure that things like this don't happen and the TA should have caught this. If the TA had linked all the group together, this should not have happened. But I can see why it may have happened - with 22 people the most they can fit at one table is usually 10. They should have done three tables for the group to accomodate everyone.

 

The TA should be calling Princess on your behalf Monday to get it straighted out.

[cacy6893076]

Thanks,

I will try to not worry about it. I'm just really surprised that early dinner is full as this is a Alaska Cruise and a couple of nights we are in port late. Thank goodness it's only 2 of us and they can hopefully accommodate us.

 

While filling out the form I also realized that Princess isn't going to allow the 17 and 18 YOs in a room alone on the ship's manifest. That's what I thought but when I mentioned it to the TA she said it would be OK. We will have to switch an adult from the group into that room for the manifest.

 

Thank goodness I am finding all of this out now and not when we are boarding the ship.

 

A travel agent should also 'know' that the 18 and 17 years old ARE allowed in their own cabin as long as that cabin is marked with a code designating that they are being accompanied by an adult over the age of 21 in another cabin, they do not even have to be next to each other as long as they are booked correctly, this avoids room key issues once onboard if they are in fact going to be in a cabin together. Princess does allow children in a separate cabin as long as one is over the age of 16, this was an error on the agent's part.

[skf]

Because of the older age distribution on Alaskan cruises, early dinner is highly desired. Definitely speak with the maitre d' when you get on board. Also, talk with your son and his friend regarding how interested they are in going to the dining room. You may find that they prefer to dine elsewhere most nights.:)

That sounds like a Grand (Princess) idea...maybe your son will find his own dinner. He surely cannot get lost.

[cacy6893076]

LOL! Well my DH is a doctor. Maybe he will have to write a note. ;)

 

We've gone on several cruises and we usually just book it on our own. Since we are traveling with such a large group we decided to go through and agency that was offering a rebate for groups. I swear I will never use a TA again. And surely not the TA we are using for this trip.

 

Princess offers a rebate for groups even if you book without a ta, that is in the form of a check mailed directly to you after the cruise and you will get group pricing as well. Did it once for family reunion out of NYC where most of the family was coming form Baltimore.