Rant: How does DCL determine MDR seating?

[DisneYE]

I ask because I'm really ticked off. - So, I really dislike SECOND seating..
Of course I know 1st come 1st served is the main guideline. - But is there other criteria?
On Monday, the 1st day of booking (platinum) we booked at 8.00 AM ET.
At 8.15 we were done booking 2 sailings (Med and SC Summer 2022)
In both, main seating was NOT available. Only 2nd. - We asked to be put on waiting list for main.
But I mean, really? At 8 AM there were already hundreds of platinum ppl booking? (I'm assuming it's ~1000-1500 ppl per rotation) And ALL selected MAIN dining? - What a joke... What's the point of being platinum if you can't have the very basic perk of selecting your dining rotation, especially during the FIRST HOUR.
Anyway. Sorry for the rant. - I hope we get to be moved to main.. 1st world problems, I know, but still.

 

[DCSWO]

That does seem unrealistic that main dining would be booked that early. I'm curious to see people's answers. I booked on Wednesday about 4:30pm for a Europe cruise and was able to get main seating.

 

[Sharon Mayberry]

That does seem unrealistic that main dining would be booked that early. I'm curious to see people's answers. I booked on Wednesday about 4:30pm for a Europe cruise and was able to get main seating.

 

[brentm77]

I ask because I'm really ticked off. - So, I really dislike SECOND seating..
Of course I know 1st come 1st served is the main guideline. - But is there other criteria?
On Monday, the 1st day of booking (platinum) we booked at 8.00 AM ET.
At 8.15 we were done booking 2 sailings (Med and SC Summer 2022)
In both, main seating was NOT available. Only 2nd. - We asked to be put on waiting list for main.
But I mean, really? At 8 AM there were already hundreds of platinum ppl booking? (I'm assuming it's ~1000-1500 ppl per rotation) And ALL selected MAIN dining? - What a joke... What's the point of being platinum if you can't have the very basic perk of selecting your dining rotation, especially during the FIRST HOUR.
Anyway. Sorry for the rant. - I hope we get to be moved to main.. 1st world problems, I know, but still.

Which Med? We got main seating on the June 10, and we didn't book until Silver day. That is one of the less popular med cruises this year, but it sure seems like something if off if everyone on platinum day can't get main.

 

[Sharon Mayberry]

We booked 3 cabins as well on
Opening day and were also assigned 2 nd dining . This is our 9 th cruise booked , so we were surprised . She said that was the only thing available . I called back the next morning snd we were changed to first dining. I would call
Again . Good luck

 

[AquaDame]

Sounds like a glitch tbh. I’ve always gotten main dining when booking early!

 

[DisneYE]

Which Med? We got main seating on the June 10, and we didn't book until Silver day. That is one of the less popular med cruises this year, but it sure seems like something if off if everyone on platinum day can't get main.

July 6 2022 - yeah yours is early June so lots of kids still in school. More adults on that itinerary, adults tend to like 2nd seating more.

 

[BadPinkTink]

Solo first time cruiser, booked 2022 Norwegian Fjords with Dreams Unlimited on General Opening Day, I got main / early seating. I also had main / early seating on my now cancelled September 2020 Western Europe cruise which was booked July 2019 and I also have main / early seating on the not cancelled yet September 2021 Norwegian Fjords cruise, which was booked June 2020. So for me no issue getting main / early seating, no matter when I have booked a cruise

 

[DisneYE]

Sounds like a glitch tbh. I’ve always gotten main dining when booking early!

No glitch. We called, CM said she put us on waiting list.
Will start emailing..Emails always worked for me, asking every month until we got main.. but shouldn't be that way
You'd think booking in the first hour as platinum should get you what you want, but not this time.
It seems there's a lot more demand for cruising. I think it's driven by ppl that are tired of the pandemic, realized life is too short (it IS), want to cruise.

 

[bobbiwoz]

Once, years ago, we booked a DCL cruise also near first booking day and main dining wasn’t available. DH isn’t one to take things lightly and wrote to whoever was the president at DCL and complained. He eventually got a letter that the waitlist came through.

He does not remember if he got a phone call.

 

[disneyfaninaz]

I believe that you are placed in Second Seating as a default. After you book, you can immediately go to "My Reservations" and change your dinner seating to main. I have been able to do this with Gold for my last few cruises booked, including Hawaii.

 

[DisneYE]

I believe that you are placed in Second Seating as a default. After you book, you can immediately go to "My Reservations" and change your dinner seating to main. I have been able to do this with Gold for my last few cruises booked, including Hawaii.

I did. Tried that as soon as we booked and couldn't do it. Called and was placed on waiting list.

 

[otten]

If you booked three cabins, how many people? The only thing I can think of is if you have a really large party maybe just all the really big tables were full for main? Otherwise no idea.

 

[Cruising Engineer]

I booked opening day (Platinum through DVC because of points) for the Southern Caribbean (July 2022) and got main seating. Started at 0614 NM time, one-hour on hold, and got done 0918 hrs. No problem with main seating.

 

[ghtx]

We booked on the Silver opening day (Wed) and got main dining on our 7-night Eastern Caribbean cruise. It might also depend on the number in your party, e.g. there might not be any tables for a party of 8 in main dining.

 

[ladyofthetramp]

Sounds like it may be the size of your party issue. Hopefully the waitlist will come through!

 

[PrincessShmoo]

I ask because I'm really ticked off. - So, I really dislike SECOND seating..
Of course I know 1st come 1st served is the main guideline. - But is there other criteria?
On Monday, the 1st day of booking (platinum) we booked at 8.00 AM ET.
At 8.15 we were done booking 2 sailings (Med and SC Summer 2022)
In both, main seating was NOT available. Only 2nd. - We asked to be put on waiting list for main.
But I mean, really? At 8 AM there were already hundreds of platinum ppl booking? (I'm assuming it's ~1000-1500 ppl per rotation) And ALL selected MAIN dining? - What a joke... What's the point of being platinum if you can't have the very basic perk of selecting your dining rotation, especially during the FIRST HOUR.
Anyway. Sorry for the rant. - I hope we get to be moved to main.. 1st world problems, I know, but still.

The default for dining is late seating. Unless you request early. That said, they will not fill up early seating before filling late. They try to keep the numbers even between the two. I'm not sure the pattern they use, but it's most likely something like "for every XX (number) booked at early seating XY are booked on late".

There may also be an issue if the numbers in the dining rooms have been reduced due to how many people may be in the dining room(s) at any given time currently.

 

[stout]

I booked the July 6 Med cruise at about 11:00 am CST on Monday (platinum day). Two rooms (one under me and one under DH), 4 people. I requested and got main dining, but we are a family of 2 adults and 2 kids, all sitting at one table for dining. So, I would guess like others said, the group size might be the problem. In January 2020, we sailed on the Magic with a larger group...three stateroom...were given second dining and placed on the waitlist for main...about 30 days before the cruise we received emails that all staterooms were switched to main. I hope it works out for you. We understand, as main dining is important to us as well.

 

[soniam]

We booked Silver for 9 night SC, party of 3, and also could only get second seating. I'm trying to get my travel agent to hound them. We really don't like eating that late. I am hoping at least, that capacity is up by then, and we can get main seating on ship as a last resort. If it were a Western or Eastern, I might consider canceling if we couldn't get main. But, since this is a limited itinerary, I understand a bit. Maybe they will release Wish itineraries and more people will bail from the SC.

 

[DWillowBay]

I ask because I'm really ticked off. - So, I really dislike SECOND seating..
Of course I know 1st come 1st served is the main guideline. - But is there other criteria?
On Monday, the 1st day of booking (platinum) we booked at 8.00 AM ET.
At 8.15 we were done booking 2 sailings (Med and SC Summer 2022)
In both, main seating was NOT available. Only 2nd. - We asked to be put on waiting list for main.
But I mean, really? At 8 AM there were already hundreds of platinum ppl booking? (I'm assuming it's ~1000-1500 ppl per rotation) And ALL selected MAIN dining? - What a joke... What's the point of being platinum if you can't have the very basic perk of selecting your dining rotation, especially during the FIRST HOUR.
Anyway. Sorry for the rant. - I hope we get to be moved to main.. 1st world problems, I know, but still.

Did you try to change it on the website? When I originally booked on Wednesday, we were given second seating and I just went to the website and changed it to main seating. I hope it's that easy for you.