Not Happy with Dinner seating time

[FIREFIGHTERMICKEY]

Cruized twice - first trip (4 nights) got STUCK with the latest late seating rotation and frankly didn't like it at all. We just don't eat dinner that late.

During onboard rebooking for cruise #2 I nicely but firmly insisted that it would be a dealbreaker if I didn't get main seating and amazingly the onboard agent was able to override something with somebody and I received confirmation of main seating for the second cruise. We enjoyed our main dining time very much on cruise #2. (Note: There was a family next to us and their young son fell deeply asleep at Main dining just about every night.)

Rebooked on board for cruise #3 and was told late seating only. Basically got a "too bad" attitude about my request for main seating and it being a requirement for our purchase. Got home and cancelled cruise #3. For the amount of money that I am spending to cruise on DCL, I am not willing to compromise my seating preference time. I wasn't going to leave my seating time to chance, after I had paid in full, to hope that upon boarding maybe they could or would switch us to main seating.

Just my personal position that I wouldn't compromise on my dinner seating time. We would not have been happy cruising again with late seating, especially on a 7 night cruise. We survived late seating on a 4 night, but it was not for us.

Again, it comes down to being satisfied with every aspect of my very expensive DCL vacation. To us, the dining time is a very large important part of the trip and non-negotiable.

Thank you!!!

 

[FIREFIGHTERMICKEY]

Just another reason why booking far in advance is best though I guess not everyone is able to plan so far off. You get best cabin choices and always 1st dining is available. We did rebook our Oct. 09 cruise while onboard after booking it from home long ago. I was told if I rebook it, I am essentially cancelling the old ressie and making a new one and main dining was no longer available. For the few hundred $ savings plus $200 obc, it was worth it to me.
If this is truly a deal breaker for you then cancel. Why pay so much to be miserable? Though I don't understand how you just now realized you have late dining.

As for booking way in advance we dont get guranteed vacations until afew months out in my job. I cant book a year plus out.

 

[RubyCam]

Wow, this is a touchy thread. We happen to like the late seating so when we were confirmed for the early, we requested a change that was granted. We were on the 12/27 cruise and were surrounded by people whose children ate and then slept. My DD commented on the fact that none of these children were ever cranky, just sleepy. Anyway, it seems there are 4 options: cancel the trip, get waitlisted for a change, request a change on embarkation, or be flexible. Good luck on getting what you truly want.

 

[mcraige]

I even explained a dietary need for early seating.

If you have specific needs, and if Disney cannot meet those needs, then perhaps it would be best if you cancelled your trip and selected another vacation destination.

 

[FIREFIGHTERMICKEY]

Wow, this is a touchy thread. We happen to like the late seating so when we were confirmed for the early, we requested a change that was granted. We were on the 12/27 cruise and were surrounded by people whose children ate and then slept. My DD commented on the fact that none of these children were ever cranky, just sleepy. Anyway, it seems there are 4 options: cancel the trip, get waitlisted for a change, request a change on embarkation, or be flexible. Good luck on getting what you truly want.

Thank you

 

[FIREFIGHTERMICKEY]

If you have specific needs, and if Disney cannot meet those needs, then perhaps it would be best if you cancelled your trip and selected another vacation destination.

Ok Ill do just that and you explain the cancellation to my 7 year old daughter ..

 

[FIREFIGHTERMICKEY]

Deffinately agree with the advice of not saying that they can deffinately switch you. We were waitlisted and then checked with them upon arriving and were told that we could'nt get switched. It isn't a given. If they're full there is nothing they can do. Although I honestly don't know how you could book and not know what seating time you have. It won't let you book if main is full, you have to switch the time first. We went to topsiders/beach blanket for a couple of the meals and were very happy with both the food and service. They don't have buffets in the evening. A alternative as you can pick the time and we rarely had to wait to be seated. We even told our servers and maitre d that we would be doing this since we are used to eating at 6pm and deffinately could'nt do 815 every night. They completely understood and told us many people do this when stuck with late seating. Just a option, if you can't be switched. Although I deffinately would'nt let it ruin my cruise!

On the days we are in pors
ts we are going to try and eat at resturanuts and we will eat at Topsiders. I have never eaten there. Most of the fun for us is eating the meals and taking pcitures. I just feel bad about not having that part of the vacation.

 

[BethA]

We have been waitlisted twice for main-once got it and once didn't.
We also HATE late dining, but did not let it ruin our cruise. My mother has numerous medical issues and needs to eat on a regular schedule because she is a diabetic and on a strict insulin regimine. Some people on here were very mean about that she should eat room service or eat on deck and then eat again--that is not what we paid for, so I know how you feel. We made due, but it wasn't the best cruise because of it.

Does your confirmation say main--or did they just tell you it would be main?

Are you working with a TA-or just DCL?

If it will ruin your cruise maybe your daughter would be alright if you switched to WDW--or maybe a cruise on the Wonder and WDW if they have main dining available

 

[kmaclou]

We've been waitlisted twice for main dining and received it both times. Mom is a diabetic and we made that clear when we were wait-listed.

Please don't let this ruin your cruise. There will be lots of opportunities for pictures outside of dinner, so keep an eye out for those.

Good luck and have a nice time.

 

[SILLYANDI]

Just a suggestion, maybe you can feed the kids early then take them to the club a night or two so you and your spouse won't miss out on the whole dining experience?! (assuming a waitlist request doesn't get through)
I get that you are upset, especially IF DCL dropped the ball and changed your dining without your consent. But at $1000+ per person I personally would be of the mindset that one detail was not going to be enough to ruin my vacation. For our family the dining room is the highlight of most of the days on the cruise, I understand that your family feels the same way. BUT, If you are going into the vacation still burning up about one detail you are going to be stressed out, your kids are going to be stressed out and it is going to be a waste of time, energy & a whole lot of money. If you try to find the up side of it (maybe a night or two of adult dining, a new experience at Topsiders...I don't know but you get my point hopefully) maybe it won't ruin your whole vacation.

Also, I think because you used very strong words here (it could be the internet translation-we can't hear your tone-it's assumed), you came across as a "hot head" (no pun intended...OK maybe it was I couldn't resist ) and people are assuming that is how you dealt with the problem,therefore the negative responses here.

Good Luck, I hope for your family's sake that you do get main dinner but if you don't get it, your vacation can only be "ruined" if you let it be that way.

 

[disneyfaninaz]

If you have special dietary needs, then you should request to be put on the wait list for main dining and fax in the medical form stating your requirements. I'm sure DCL would try to accommodate your medical requirements to the best of their ability.

The 75 day mark of your cruise is approaching. Final payment is due, as people decide not to cruise, spaces should open up. If you are on the wait list, and have paid in full, you might have a better chance of getting the main dining.

 

[lbgraves]

fIRST OFF YOU HAVE no CLUE WHAT YOUR TALKING ABOUT. I was very very very polite with them. I even explained a dietary need for early seating. If you have nothing posative to say keep it to yourself.

You have posted your thoughts on an internet message forum. You cannot dismiss the comments in response to your post negatively and expect people to only post what you want to hear. Typing in all caps is equivalent of yelling on such message boards and is not appropriate.

 

[BethA]

If there is a medical need for early seating there is a form you can fill out and fax or mail to them. My TA got us one for my mom this last time and we did get the main dining-- not sure if that made the difference ot not.

 

[mmackeymouse]

First off, I cannot figure out what the dietary "need" for main seating would be. The only thing I can think of is Diabetes, which can easily be fixed by small snacks up on Deck 9, to hold you over until supper.

Secondly, if you do decide to continue to cruise, when requesting the main seating or to be waitlisted, be gracious and patient. Don't be angry or entitiled or huffy or irate. As someone said before, ya catch more flies with honey than you do with vinegar. Just be kind and understanding and see how far it gets you.

The way I look at it, look at a pediatrician's office. You go to the coolest, most popular pediatrician in town for your child's first visit. He might be a little pricier than the others, but your child loves it, the doctor is a complete professional, and the whole staff is great with kids. They run a tight ship (no pun intended). You go to schedule a checkup, and you say, "You know, our experience here has been awesome, and your doctor is top notch, and we all loved it, but before we consider a different doctor, I just want you to know, if we cannot get every single appointment in the future after school, that is kind of a dealbreaker."

You can be as nice as pie when you say it, but the fact is, it is an ultimatum ("Either you lose a customer, or you give in to what we want") nonetheless. At that point, the guy or gal will likely be laughing on the inside, and you will get a "Good luck with that" and be sent on your merry little way.

Now, if you approach and say, "You know, I understand that it may not always be an option, but we REALLY prefer afterschool appointments." You are much more likely get as a reply, "You are right, as a courtesy to all our patients, we cannot do late afternoons every time, BUT this next time I may be able to squeeze you in on a Thursday at 3:30?" or "After school appointments are our most popular appointments, and they are in very high demand. We'll go ahead and schedule you during the day, but let me put you on our waiting list and we'll see what we can do for you."

That's how life works. You can either be a flexible, understanding customer/patient/client, or you can be "that other kind."

 

[ruadisneyfan2]

fIRST OFF YOU HAVE no CLUE WHAT YOUR TALKING ABOUT. I was very very very polite with them. I even explained a dietary need for early seating. If you have nothing posative to say keep it to yourself.

Well sheesh... the same could be said about your original post. Why post it then? What do you want us all to say, "Poor baby, that mean DCL snuck in a late dinner. They are just awful."
If you positively can't have late dining, cancel the cruise. YOU can explain to your 7 yr. old that you are so totally inflexible about your dining time that it would complely ruin your cruise so therefore it's not worth going on it.

Have a magical day.

 

[mmackeymouse]

Well sheesh... the same could be said about your original post. Why post it then? What do you want us all to say, "Poor baby, that mean DCL snuck in a late dinner. They are just awful."
If you positively can't have late dining, cancel the cruise. YOU can explain to your 7 yr. old that you are so totally inflexible about your dining time that it would complely ruin your cruise so therefore it's not worth going on it.

Have a magical day.

Oooooooh, SNAP!

 

[FIREFIGHTERMICKEY]

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[lbgraves]

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