Questions about switching dining time assignment...

[obsession]

I am new to this board, but have been lurking awhile...I just booked our third cruise on the Wonder, for 10/17/04 and it is a surprise for my parents 30th anniversary, so we booked two cabins and requested nearby on same deck but I don't really care where they are. My question is this..we wanted main dining (I have two DD, 2 and 5 and DS age 7) but it was full (ALREADY??) so we got 8:30 and waitlisted for the main seating. Anyone have any luck in getting their dining changed? Our first cruise the same thing happened and we couldn't get it changed prior, or once we were onboard, so our kids (then 2 and 4) just feel asleep during dinner every night.

It's not really a big deal, we'll make due, but wondered if all you experts had any "tricks" you might suggest. You are a great bunch, I'm excited to have found this board.

Thanks!

 

[Lloyd Dobler]

The trick that's worked for me was to call every once in a while and check to see if there have been any openings. The way it was explained to me, the waitlist is not consulted as soon as something opens up, they only fill openings from the waitlist once a day. So if someone calls and cancels, or switches to late seating, there might be an opening in the early seating. If you call to check, and there is one, you'll get it, even if you're not the next person on the waitlist.

During the week just prior to the 60-day mark, when final payment is due, is when most of the cancellations happen. I would call everyday during this week to check.

This method has worked for me to switch both cabin and dinner seating, so I think it gives you the best chance. If all else fails, you can ask again once on board, maybe you'll get lucky this time.

If you booked through a travel agent, I guess they would have to call, so you'd have to call them to have them check.

 

[Phyllisi]

Most of the time we were able to change over to main seating when we boraded. In Feb it was a sold out cruise and we were unable to switch. We leanred the hard way that late seating did not work for our 5 year old. She mised quite a few dinners with us. Sitting at dinner is boring her her, espcially when she is tired. She is more alret for a late show vs a late dinner. We learned to book early to guarnetee main seating from this. We used to book anywhere from 90-30 days out.