When do you request your server?

[Dug720]

Tiago from Portugal was the CM that was at the OBB desk last fall on the Magic. I wonder if he used to be a server, or if he’s just another Tiago from Portugal.

Apparently Tiago is a common Portuguese name. I will try to find my pic of my server Tiago.

 

[Dug720]

Tiago from Portugal was the CM that was at the OBB desk last fall on the Magic. I wonder if he used to be a server, or if he’s just another Tiago from Portugal.

Our Tiago.

 

[DCL_Wonder]

Do you have to know the server's full name? They only introduce themselves by their first name.

The tip forms have their full names.

 

[mareed]

The tip forms have their full names.

Yep, and those names are sometimes so different from the names they go by that I have trouble recognizing it!

 

[KelsiesMommy]

One interesting thing I would note is that they don't tell the servers that they were requested by someone. We were granted our requested server on our Alaska cruise and he thought that it was just a coincidence that we were in his area again until I told him.

My server knew we requested him. It was noted in his file. Of course he was messaging me the morning of embarkation and helping us make sure it was granted

 

[dlin2011]

Can I add a question here? Is it common to request a server? Would it be weird as a first time cruiser to request a server? If they end up knowing we requested them, and they ask where we know them from, won’t that be weird?

My biggest stress is my allergies. I’d love to request someone who gets lots of recommendations for knowing how to handle allergies. But I don’t want it to be awkward at the first dinner.

 

[Dug720]

Can I add a question here? Is it common to request a server? Would it be weird as a first time cruiser to request a server? If they end up knowing we requested them, and they ask where we know them from, won’t that be weird?

My biggest stress is my allergies. I’d love to request someone who gets lots of recommendations for knowing how to handle allergies. But I don’t want it to be awkward at the first dinner.

I personally would only request someone I had had or recommended by a real-life (read: not message board) friend. That way in the latter case I can say “You were my friend’s (insert friend’s name) server a few weeks ago and she highly recommended you.” (This is what I have done for my upcoming Dream Cruise. But I know that she knows the not-so-stellar experience we had last year on RCCL in Greece, so that is why she said hers on the Dream are great.)

That said, I have never had a problem with any server on DCL with allergies. They have been amazing - some to the point of overzealousness based on one of mine being ONLY if I eat it (zero problems with “prepared in the vicinity of...”).

 

[ahain]

One interesting thing I would note is that they don't tell the servers that they were requested by someone. We were granted our requested server on our Alaska cruise and he thought that it was just a coincidence that we were in his area again until I told him.

We actually has the opposite on a recent Magic cruise...one the first night, our server (Roston Colaco) came to our table and said, "I understand that you requested me, and I thank you for that."

 

[ahain]

Can I add a question here? Is it common to request a server? Would it be weird as a first time cruiser to request a server? If they end up knowing we requested them, and they ask where we know them from, won’t that be weird?

I don't think it would be weird at all. If they ask, just say that they were recommended to you by a fellow cruiser.

 

[ahain]

It definitely helps. It is on the green sheet of tear offs you get indicating gratuities. If you don’t have that top portion anymore, if you know what country they are from that can help - but some names are common in some countries, so there could be more than one. (I know a few years ago on the Magic I loved our assistant Tiago from Portugal. Someone else said they had loved him too...but when I posted a picture, they said that was not their Tiago.)

This was our Tiago from Portugal. He was our Server on our 2018 Panama Canal Cruise and was very good.

 

[FigmentSpark]

I think it would be a great feeling to know other cruisers are talking about you and recommending you. That shows you have a good reputation. Furthermore, if you ask for someone you've never had (and DCL knows that, because they know everything about you), I expect that will look good on the server, too.

 

[squirk]

FYI - you don’t have to call to make your request. You can do it via email:

dcl.reservations@disneycruise.com

 

[Starwind]

Can I add a question here? Is it common to request a server? Would it be weird as a first time cruiser to request a server? If they end up knowing we requested them, and they ask where we know them from, won’t that be weird?

My biggest stress is my allergies. I’d love to request someone who gets lots of recommendations for knowing how to handle allergies. But I don’t want it to be awkward at the first dinner.

FWIW, we've sailed with DCL 5 times [including a B2B] and have multiple people with multiple food allergies -- I am ana milk, tn, pn, seafood and there are a few other foods I can't have for medical reasons. We have never requested a server and always been happy with our serving team. They are well trained and "get" allergies, IME. While each experience has been different, all has been positive, and no awkwardness.

We note our allergies in advance with DCL, and I bring an Food Allergy Chef Card to that first MDE dinner -- but have never needed to USE it per se as our team already knew all our allergies.

The Chef Card DOES come in handy if ordering from the QS places on the pool deck, because it is VERY noisy there and hard to communicate with the chef or head server who is helping you place an allergy order. The card is a great way to ensure all the allergies are clearly communicated.

SW

 

[Cruising Engineer]

We will be a table of 9, family cruise, on the Fantasy in 2020. Since we are all connected, not worried about a private table. Requesting a server will be my first priority. Haven't had a bad service team in 8 cruises but I remember the ones who went beyond the standards.

 

[Birdie dog]

I called and made my request (Genesis on the Magic). I have no idea what his last name is, but would DCL now know which Genesis I'm talking about? They keep so much data, I would think that would be filed somewhere.

As I said when I started the thread, I think I'm at 13 cruises maybe a couple more? I stopped counting when I hit platinum. Anyway, I've never requested a server before. We had one other server that was excellent, and it was on the Magic in the first year that the Magic sailed. At the time, it never occurred to me to save his name, and after all these years, my guess is he's not in the same position - if he's still with DCL. Since then, with multiple cruises and probably 1/3 of them CL, I've had good servers, and slooooooow servers, and servers I found annoying because they never stopped saying how "excellent" they were being. Genesis was enjoyable and if we're doing a TA, I'd like to know I have a server who I enjoyed.

 

[Dug720]

I called and made my request (Genesis on the Magic). I have no idea what his last name is, but would DCL now know which Genesis I'm talking about? They keep so much data, I would think that would be filed somewhere.

As I said when I started the thread, I think I'm at 13 cruises maybe a couple more? I stopped counting when I hit platinum. Anyway, I've never requested a server before. We had one other server that was excellent, and it was on the Magic in the first year that the Magic sailed. At the time, it never occurred to me to save his name, and after all these years, my guess is he's not in the same position - if he's still with DCL. Since then, with multiple cruises and probably 1/3 of them CL, I've had good servers, and slooooooow servers, and servers I found annoying because they never stopped saying how "excellent" they were being. Genesis was enjoyable and if we're doing a TA, I'd like to know I have a server who I enjoyed.

They may or may not. And there may be more than one Genesis on the Magic - there were clearly multiple Tiagos. Without a last name (good reason to hang onto that top of the gratuity tear-off cars) or where they are from (Though in the case of the many Tiagos they are all from Portugal), it’s a crapshoot as to if they pick the correct Genesis. I doubt the assignees have time to go back through your records and figure out who it was along with everything else they have to do.

 

[SyracuseWolvrine]

When do you request your server?

I request my server when I'm ready to order, and when my drink glass needs a refill. (and usually I don't have to request, everyone I've had has been pretty good)