My first (albeit tiny) gripe...

[CrimsonCruiser]

So...here goes...

Back in Oct 2023 there was a great sale on the Italian dining on board and I decided to grab a boarding day lunch at Jaime's. Knowing that we usually try to get on the ship between 11-noon, I grabbed the 12:30 slot.

A bit later, we secured a hotel which ended up being in Houston because we weren't able to find a hotel that fit our budget/needs closer to Galveston. No problem; we've done this trek before.

Yesterday, check-in opens and I do the travel math and realize we may be cutting it close to our lunch time (knowing that we usually like to leave the hotel around 11 + traffic + check in).

But oh no! I can't modify my reservation in the app nor online! 'Well, that's okay' I think as I pull up the Royal customer service number. 'I can just call!'

And call I do...and after a bit of wait I get connected to an agent and I tell her my story of woe and ask to shift my reservation back about an hour.

"Well," she tells me "we would have to rebook it and it's currently a higher price than what you paid."

"I know," I say back. "That's why I'm calling to ask you to do it. Can't you just shift the time?"

"Hold please"

So I hold and listen to the automated voice tell me all about a ship I very much can't afford to be on for just 3 days.

"Okay," she starts as she returns to the call after a few minutes. "I checked the promotions and the price right now is $21 per person. But we can keep an eye out since you're sailing on Aug 25 and maybe there will be another promotion. Or, on your first day, you can just go to guest services and get the time changed."

"Wait..." I say with confusion. "If I change the time now..I pay more money...but if I do it onboard...I don't?"

"Correct!"

"Well that doesn't make sense to me..."

"yeah unfortunately I can only rebook at the current promotion rate."

"But if I tell the suite concierge to shift my time...they too can do it with change?"

"Right."

"But I have to wait and run the risk the time slot sells out?"

"..."

"okay well...thanks for....that"

 

 

And so...today I learned...be confident in the time you pick nearly a year before your sailing...or hope that the odds are ever in your favor onboard.

 

*and Scene*

[billdauterive]

I know you're really just ranting about the absurdity of it but thought I'd give some info for others.
My experience with embarkation lunches is that the reservation times are very flexible.  I always book the first available slot (noon) even with all the unknowns with the actual boarding time and that I may not actually be on the ship until later.  I've been 30 mins late many times without issue and even an hour late once without issue.  Most of the time the specialty restaurant is nowhere near full so accommodating you when you arrive late shouldn't be an issue.

[CrimsonCruiser]

52 minutes ago, billdauterive said:

I know you're really just ranting about the absurdity of it but thought I'd give some info for others.
My experience with embarkation lunches is that the reservation times are very flexible.  I always book the first available slot (noon) even with all the unknowns with the actual boarding time and that I may not actually be on the ship until later.  I've been 30 mins late many times without issue and even an hour late once without issue.  Most of the time the specialty restaurant is nowhere near full so accommodating you when you arrive late shouldn't be an issue.

This is actually really good to know. This will be our first year doing specialty dining for boarding day lunch so I definitely didn't know what to expect. Thanks for easing my mind a bit on this.

[Pattycruise]

Maybe call back and ask a different rep. 
id also consider leaving earlier to get to the ship.  I believe it’s nearly an hour -depending on the hotel you are staying at-to get to the ship. 

[FionaMG]

To me, not being able to change the time and or day of a booking is a major gripe. That said, the couple of times I've needed to do it, it's been handled on board with no issues and no additional charges but, still, it shouldn't be so hard.

We usually book boarding day lunch for 1 pm and although I have seen the restaurant be busy there have always been empty tables so I reckon you should be ok.

[tingtang]

Had a similar situation on embarkation day back in April on Icon.  Reservation was for noon and we couldn't get to Chops on time, we showed up late around 1pm.  They just sat us and we had lunch, no biggie.  

[HeWhoWaits]

Even if you have to wait a little while, consider the alternative.

One big reason you're doing specialty dining embarkation day lunch is to avoid the Windjammer on boarding day. You'll still be doing that.

[CrimsonCruiser]

On 7/12/2024 at 10:43 PM, Pattycruise said:

Maybe call back and ask a different rep. 
id also consider leaving earlier to get to the ship.  I believe it’s nearly an hour -depending on the hotel you are staying at-to get to the ship. 

I am definitely the reason we wouldn't leave all that early. I like to sleep in and it's already a stretch for me to be up in time for hotel breakfast lol. If they serve from 6-8, I'm usually running in at 7:45 hoping there's still enough left for me to cobble together a meal lol. Then there's showering, repacking for boarding (especially the carry on with the drinks) and all the other little things. And since we HATE to feel rushed on vacation we have no problem taking our time.

That said, it will be a good idea to re-evaluate that and see how we can shave off time. Just in case.

 

On 7/13/2024 at 8:09 AM, FionaMG said:

To me, not being able to change the time and or day of a booking is a major gripe. That said, the couple of times I've needed to do it, it's been handled on board with no issues and no additional charges but, still, it shouldn't be so hard.

We usually book boarding day lunch for 1 pm and although I have seen the restaurant be busy there have always been empty tables so I reckon you should be ok.

I definitely want to talk to my past self about why I picked 12:30 instead of 1. Shame on her