Where is the choice for mealtimes?

[Spotthecat]

Ok, this isn't my first DCL cruise...but come on, where is the choice for meal times? Is it hiding now? Do you have to pay money to see if early or late dining is still available without the wait list option???

Call me confused...

 

[Msmit002]

It appears so.

But considering how often people who are wait-listed manage to get switched to their desired seating time I wouldn't let this be a deal breaker. But hey, that's just me.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

Ok, this isn't my first DCL cruise...but come on, where is the choice for meal times? Is it hiding now? Do you have to pay money to see if early or late dining is still available without the wait list option???

Call me confused...

The default when you book is Late dining. You have to call DCL and change it to Main (early).

Although, I believe someone has reported being able to modify their reservation online once it was made.

 

[lklgoodman]

The default when you book is Late dining. You have to call DCL and change it to Main (early).

Although, I believe someone has reported being able to modify their reservation online once it was made.

I have changed mine to main seating for our last 2 cruises online, no need to call to do it.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

I have changed mine to main seating for our last 2 cruises online, no need to call to do it.

But it had to be done after the reservation was in the system, yes? You couldn't do it during the actual reservation process?

 

[jenpink]

I just checked online. Go to My Disney Cruise then My Reservations.
There will be a list of things like online check in, my activities, dining. Under dining there is a blue "change dining". Press that and you should be good to go.

 

[jenpink]

It is possible that if the other dining is unavailable there will be no blue "change dining".

 

[anricat]

Here are some screen shots from the Reservations page once you log into the Disney Cruise Website. The second image is what you see if you click.

 

[Spotthecat]

Ok thanks everyone, you can only see dining after actually making the reservation. Gotcha.

 

[Trera]

Ok thanks everyone, you can only see dining after actually making the reservation. Gotcha.

that stinks

 

[anricat]

Ok thanks everyone, you can only see dining after actually making the reservation. Gotcha.

Oh! I get it. You were wanting to know if your dining preference was available on a cruise you're considering booking. I thought you already booked.

If it's pretty far out, you're probably good to get whatever dining you want. I will say that, at least for us, it's not a deal breaker. We've done both but MUCH prefer late.

 

[Trera]

Oh! I get it. You were wanting to know if your dining preference was available on a cruise you're considering booking. I thought you already booked.

If it's pretty far out, you're probably good to get whatever dining you want. I will say that, at least for us, it's not a deal breaker. We've done both but MUCH prefer late.

Main dining is key when you have young ones.

 

[anricat]

Main dining is key when you have young ones.

Not necessarily. My daughter was 5 on our first cruise and second seating worked out great for us. There are plenty of people with little ones with second seating that prefer it. Everyone is different, but you never know. On vacation, your kiddos might surprise you.

 

[Elizakapeka]

I was able to select my dining when I booked my cruise through my TA, maybe that makes a difference?

 

[FigmentSpark]

If you're serious about one or two sailings, you could always phone DCL or, if you're going through a TA, get them to check which, if either has the seating you prefer.

 

[Trera]

Not necessarily. My daughter was 5 on our first cruise and second seating worked out great for us. There are plenty of people with little ones with second seating that prefer it. Everyone is different, but you never know. On vacation, your kiddos might surprise you.

Our DD is in bed every night at 8 pm and if she stays up much later, she will fall asleep in the chair. On our last cruise we took her to the shows because she wanted to see them so badly and she fell asleep in the later show 2 of the 3 nights.

Maybe when she hits 5 she will be able to outlast the late seating?

 

[anricat]

I was able to select my dining when I booked my cruise through my TA, maybe that makes a difference?

The OP hasn't booked yet. They were hoping to be able to see which cruises had which dining options still available prior to booking.

 

[Elizakapeka]

The OP hasn't booked yet. They were hoping to be able to see which cruises had which dining options still available prior to booking.

The way I understood it was that the OP was in the process of booking and couldnt see what dining preferences were open so they were asking if it was still an option. Other posters mentioned that when you book they automatically give you late dining and you have to go in and change it. My point was that was no tthe case with me, I was able to book my dining time when I booked.

 

[JWG]

We booked about 11 months out and early dining wasn't available. We had to waitlist. Got it without concern.

 

[anricat]

The way I understood it was that the OP was in the process of booking and couldnt see what dining preferences were open so they were asking if it was still an option. Other posters mentioned that when you book they automatically give you late dining and you have to go in and change it. My point was that was no tthe case with me, I was able to book my dining time when I booked.

Gotcha. I've booked our last couple with a TA, but just to see I went through the whole process, just shy of giving my credit card number and dining preference was nowhere to be found, which seems crazy to me!