Waiter Wanted

[Cruisehappy]

Ok. My topic was closed before I had a chance to get back to it. I am traveling with a group on October 8th and we have 11 for a table. We want a specific waiter. I have already been in touch with him and he suggested I go through the "Front Office" for my request. I emailed looking for the point of contact for the dining room department and got a run around answer. Isn't it better to make the request before I get on the ship rather than having the Dining Room Manager try to accommodate us at the last minute. It appears that the customer service representative is very inexperienced and could care less about customer satifaction. So after this cruise in October, I was going to book one for November also, but have decided on an all inclusive in the Caribbean. Let's see...., that a minimu of a $3,000 loss for CCL.

[f-mattox]

It is my understanding that the actual table assignments are made on the ship. You can request a certain size table and have your booking "linked" with others so you dine together. But if you want to be seated in a specific waiter's station you should go see the Maitre d' or head waiter immediately on boarding.

[Dwayne]

It has been my experience that sometimes there is a dis-connect with the crew about how things work with reservations. F-mattox's advice is spot on in my humble opinion. I'm sure that once the request is made on board they will do everything they can to make it happen for you.

Dwayne

[Jim C.]

Its also been my experience that if you make such a request, they take it as a compliment that their wait staff has pleased you in such a way as you are requesting them again. They will then go out of their way to accommodate you if possible. BUT realize that table assignments are made prior to embarkation and your chosen waiter may not have any free tables. There is also no way for the booking system to know which table your waiter serves.

[Dave]

As many crew members will tell you, there is ship's operations and there is shore operations, and often the two don't communicate well with each other.

I'd be stunned if the shore operations computer system knew Eduardo had tables X, Y, and Z. I'm also surprised that if your favorite waiter had your booking number he couldn't arrange things with the dining room manager.

[penny3333]

My goodness, that must be some waiter to not want to cruise unless you have him/her. Maybe there's another reason you believe an all-inclusive will be better than a cruise, but it sounded like unless you got your specific wait staff, you didn't want to cruise. Sorry, if I misunderstood.

[billybuzzy]

Cruisehappy - Fear not O Fellow Sailer of the Seven Seas- Nearly all of your fellow shipmates here at Cruise-Chat.Com have been "waiting" for years, hence we are all experienced "waiters" and we would all be glad to "wait" with you!! (Passage Provided,of course!)

One Waiter Doth Not a Cruise Maketh!!! Do not limit your cruise thinking to just one person on a ship! It is the crew that makes the ship and the voyage a worthy experience!! If you limit yourself to only the ship your friendly waiter is on - you'll be missing the true adventure of life at sea!! View a cruise in its entirety rather than in a single instance!

And...while you're at it -make arrangements on board with the Maitre' De!!!

Bon Voyage,

BillyBuzzy

IMPORTANT AFTERTHOUGHT...Let us know what happened...Don't keep us "waiting"!!!!

[Cruisehappy]

Hi everyone,

Thank you for your input.

Island Cruz - I have written directly to the ship with a copy to the waiter (my husband's friend). I hope to hear back soon.

Jim C - To make the request when getting on board it's too late. I am with a group and there are 11 of us at the table. I don't want any dissapointments the first night.

Penny - You are right. If I don't get a specific waiter I don't want to cruise. It's very, very important to me.

Billybuzzy - A waiter does maketh my cruise. I go for the service and the dining experience. If I don't have an excellent waiter I am not happy. I enjoy the shows, the dancing, the spas and the tours, but the dining is the most important part of the cruise for me.

It's my money, my vacation, I'm the customer and if I have too, I will cancel and vacation elsewhere.

No waiter, see you later.

[Jim C.]

cruisehappy... I do not intend to be flip or insulting with the following comments, I'm just confused.

I understand the desire to have a great dinning experience, but what you are saying is that in the entirety of the Carnival fleet that couldn't possibly be another waiter capable of providing you with that experience? How would you know if you have not tried others? Maybe his service is the same as others?? (Of course I'm sure there are sub par waiters too. But I have only had one waiter on all my cruises that I would say was not good.)

So you say if you can't get your favorite waiter, then you will vacation elsewhere? How will you know what their waiters will be like (and I'm fairly sure that cruising is fairly unique to giving you an assigned waiter throughout your vacation)? What happens when your favorite waiter is promoted out of the waiter role? Just stop cruising all together?

I'm sorry but it seems unrealistic to me.

[billybuzzy]

Cruisehappy - Maybe this is just a shot in the dark but....Have you tried sending an email to the Captain or the Staff Captain or the Hotel Manager??? I admire your pluckiness and I truly hope it works out for you and your friends!!! Sounds like it'll be a grand party!!

Be sure to keep in touch with your favorite waiter and keep him posted, sometimes it takes two people working in different directions to meet in the middle!

We are all rooting for you!

Bon Voyage,

BillyBuzzy