That's a good question and I have the same question for Princess "waitlisted." Do we have to wait until we check in to find out if our "wait list" status is changed?
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Carnival Cruise Line 1984
Diamond Princess-Baja 2007
Carnival Elation-Baja 2008
Star Princess-Alaska 2008
Star Princess-Alaska (again) 2009
HAL Oosterdam - New Year's 2009 into 2010
Carnival Spirit-Baja Birthday Cruise 2010
NCL Spirit - W Caribbean Bday Cruise Oct 2011
I am personally assuming that a large group asked for a late dining time in my case since I know my cruise isn't until October. I assume Carnival and Princess have similar policies since they are both Carnival owned lines.
My husband is diabetic and we insisted on the early seating. Then when we were on board we noticed that some of the best scenery was at our dinner time. We ate only one time in the dining room, opting for the buffet all of the time. We had variety, we were in Alaska and did not have to dress up. One night I insisted we try the formal dining room, only to find that our table had only one other couple who seemed use to not having to share their table. The waiter kept telling us he figured we were not on board. Since you tip your waiter $3 per day he got tipped for only one night, and we took the rest of the tip money and handed it out to the wait staff in the buffet area. They were so happy since they are missed over on tip time.
IMO, not much you can do in advance, however,,,,,when you do board, check your sign-n-sail card to see what dining time, and dining room you're assigned. If it isn't what you wanted, then go immediately to the maitre'd who'll be stationed in one of the dining rooms. (if you don't know where he is, stop at the pursers desk and ask them where he is) The earlier you get to the maitre'd, the better chance you have of getting exactly what you want. Chances are very good that he/she can help, and will assign you to whatever you request.
There are many different reasons why it may be waitlisted. And it's only likely to change when final payment is due.
In Europe you will have difficulty getting late seating, that is because many of the Europeans don't usually eat till after 9PM. The Spanish don't eat until 10PM or later for the most part.
In North America it depends on when you cruise. On cruises with parents and children and a lot of older couples you will find it difficult to get first seating.
On Princess the fixed seating on large ships is limited because there are two dining rooms dedicated to Personal choice while only one to traditional dining. Many people believe that you can reserve traditional and use the personal choice dining. They do sometimes allow this when the ship isn't full... but now more often than not will refuse entry to the personal choice dining because it essentially reserves two tables. It is also unfair to those who really do want traditional dining and unfair to those who have to wait for personal choice dining because people have filled tables while their spaces are empty at tradition dining.
Be aware that dining times are never guaranteed until you actually board. However, we have never had a problem getting it changed by going to the maitre d' as soon as we board. One time, we had a serious problem with tablemates and had to wait until the second night to get changed, but they will always try their best to accomodate you. (Just FYI, our problem was sitting with a physically abusive husband and wife with black eye and broken arm. I could never keep my mouth shut over that.)
Marty
(Just FYI, our problem was sitting with a physically abusive husband and wife with black eye and broken arm. I could never keep my mouth shut over that.)
Wow! Our worst was at a table with four voracious women. On the last night one of them, drunkenly, slapped my back thinking it was just a tap... I almost flew across the table! And somehow they couldn't figure out that two men travelling together... weren't interested in them, that way.
I do not blame you and honestly if he was doing that on the ship, he should have been in the brig. I am mainly concerned with staying on the late dining due to the fact I want to have plenty of time to get ready and perhaps have an appertif or two(an appertif is generally an appetizer drink).
Be aware that dining times are never guaranteed until you actually board. However, we have never had a problem getting it changed by going to the maitre d' as soon as we board. One time, we had a serious problem with tablemates and had to wait until the second night to get changed, but they will always try their best to accomodate you. (Just FYI, our problem was sitting with a physically abusive husband and wife with black eye and broken arm. I could never keep my mouth shut over that.)
Marty
Did you witness any abusive behavior at dinner? I'm with you. I could never, in good conscience, keep quiet if I witnessed abuse. I would have reported him to security immediately.
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Some people make things happen, some watch things happen, while others wonder what has happened. Gaelic
Wow! Our worst was at a table with four voracious women. On the last night one of them, drunkenly, slapped my back thinking it was just a tap... I almost flew across the table! And somehow they couldn't figure out that two men travelling together... weren't interested in them, that way.
Hmmm, they must have been in a deep drunken fog all week if none of them figured it out after an entire cruise, huh?
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Some people make things happen, some watch things happen, while others wonder what has happened. Gaelic
Some people are just self-absorbed. Twenty years is impressive for anyone. But like I said, the wording did not make things apparent to me, but then I have been in my own little world today.
Re. the abusive couple, we did not witness any abuse, just the outcome. If I had seen it happen, I would have been all over the place. Security might have arrested me! But, the wife was one of those who had a ton of alternative explanations for her injuries...none of which made sense. But, the husband was verbally abusive as well and I kept interrupting him deliberately. After we changed tables, we thought we could just let it go, but the husband showed up on a horseback riding tour that my hubby did. He said it was all he could do not to stampeded the group just to make the guy fall off his horse. And, my DH is very non-violent. Takes a lot to rile him up.
Marty
Re. the abusive couple, we did not witness any abuse, just the outcome. If I had seen it happen, I would have been all over the place. Security might have arrested me! But, the wife was one of those who had a ton of alternative explanations for her injuries...none of which made sense. But, the husband was verbally abusive as well and I kept interrupting him deliberately. After we changed tables, we thought we could just let it go, but the husband showed up on a horseback riding tour that my hubby did. He said it was all he could do not to stampeded the group just to make the guy fall off his horse. And, my DH is very non-violent. Takes a lot to rile him up.
Marty
All I have to say is "WOW". I've never been in that situation and hope to never be in that situation. I'm sorry that you even had to spend one meal with them. I'm not sure that I could have. I might have actually walked out of dinner and asked the maitre d' to move me for the next night. It can't be comfortable to be in that kind of situation at all.
Back to the orginal post, we recently booked a cruise and had less than 2 weeks till boarding. We requested the early dining and were told we would be "wait-listed" but since we have cruised many times, we knew we could ask for a change once on-board. This is the first time we have ever seen this, so I think it must be something new with Carnival. Anyway, a few days later, our early dinner times was changed to "Confirmed" on the Carnival site. My TA told me that Carnival would be making an announcement in June about a fleetwide change to "your time" dining to being in 2010. She said with that style you could book traditional or open seating at the time of booking. I wonder if this new "wait-listed" thing has something to do with this upcoming change.
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2003 Holiday
2004 Fantasy
2005 Holiday, Sensation, Conquest,
2006 Conquest, Celebration, Holiday,
2007 Freedom Grand Med, Holiday
2008 Fantasy & Sensation,
2009 Fantasy, Holiday & Dream Grand Med
2010 Fantasy and B2B Elation
2011 Monarch of the Seas
2012 Booked - Breeze from Barcelona 12 days
We too got a confirmation of first seating for dining after being put on a waitlist. Our only concern now is to be tabled with the two other couple that we are traveling with. I think we can probabley check on that when we first board. Hopefully.
__________________
Carnival Cruise Line 1984
Diamond Princess-Baja 2007
Carnival Elation-Baja 2008
Star Princess-Alaska 2008
Star Princess-Alaska (again) 2009
HAL Oosterdam - New Year's 2009 into 2010
Carnival Spirit-Baja Birthday Cruise 2010
NCL Spirit - W Caribbean Bday Cruise Oct 2011
Thanks for this post! I was wondering this too as we are still showing "waitlisted" for early dining and our cruise is less that a month away. We have 2 children who go to bed not long after 8pm so early dining is a must for us!
You should have your dining assignment before you go, but if not and they have late listed for you, then you can always see if you can get it changed. If you are one of the ships with it, Your Time dining is also an option.
You should have your dining assignment before you go, but if not and they have late listed for you, then you can always see if you can get it changed. If you are one of the ships with it, Your Time dining is also an option.
You have to request your dining time when your reservation is made, including Your Time dining. The early, late or Your time is a request not a guarantee. You may or may not get it, but you can't just show up for Your Time if you don't get the early or late seating you requested.
I just logged onto my carnival reservation and it said my requested dining time is waitlisted. How do I deal with this?
Hi Brad813:
Congrats on your upcoming 1st cruise!! That's really exciting and hopefully you'll have a great time.
I was on Carnival many years ago, and the Maitre'D was good to me and moved me and my friend to another table (after I complained about the rude passengers at our large table). I never sailed Carnival again though, so am not really sure on their practices.
My guess is they're similar. We sail Celebrity and always have excellent service in their dining room and with the Maitre'D, wait staff and we've never had a "bad table".
Just returned from a Princess cruise. We booked the cruise about 6-months out and were waitlisted for the table / time we wanted. We were like "30" on the waitlist. By the time came for our cruise, we were waitlisted at number 10...then it changed to 15! Then it went back down to 12...
When we boarded the ship, we went to the Maitre'D to verify our table and time. Although we were waitlisted, we did NOT get what we wanted. It seems as though 1/2 of the passengers who were on our 2-week cruise were also on the 2-week cruise prior (a back-to-back). They received preferred treatment over us, which I didn't think was fair at all. Anyway, long story short, if you are unhappy with your dining, see the Maitre'D as soon as you board the ship. If you are still unhappy after your first dinner, see him again the very next day. Hopefully they will accommodate you and your family.
On Princess, we were not accommodated at all. As a result, we never ate dinner in the main dining room, but only in the specialized restaurants and buffet. But, then again- they lost out on a hefty gratuity. As I always say, "Vote with your dollars". Don't be afraid to speak up. Although it wasn't the case with the Maitre'D on Princess, I really think that most cruise lines and staff really do wish to please the guest.
I booked a cruise for me and two of my children and requested early seating, which was immediately confirmed through Carnival. Then, I reserved another cabin for my mom, my best friend and my son. I called the travel agent and asked to have both bookings linked so we can have the same dinner time and table. My first request still shows confirmed, but the other one has been waitlisted. The travel agent told me it would take 24 hours, but that was weeks ago.
I'm not concerned at all because I have the option of going to the maitre D' and requesting that both reservations be linked so we can have all of our meals together whenever dining in the diningroom.
For the past several years our cruise ticket or now their web site, always shows us as waited listed for early dining and I have learned to live with this. We normally travel on a discounted fare (but so do many other passengers). The cruise line gets many early request (I am told) for a specific dining time and once they reach their "magic number" (just like the airlines which I know more about) they cut off confirmed dining reservations and put you on the "wait list". What can you do in the meantime---not much. Once you board the ship go as quickly as possible to the person who is taking case of the dining seating. We have found in almost all instances by beign early and by being nice, you have a good chance of getting the seating you want. Doesn't work every time but does work many times.
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Dining time waitlisted...what to do
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