Rant: How does DCL determine MDR seating?

[Lilsia]

Maybe they have the system set up that unless you have children, it will only let you book second seating. Anyone with kids get stuck with second seating?

 

[DisneYE]

Maybe they have the system set up that unless you have children, it will only let you book second seating. Anyone with kids get stuck with second seating?

I'm now convinced they have an algorithm in place where, when you book, if you have a teenager or tween in your family, you're assigned 2nd seating by default, regardless of cc level. Same if its only adults
I remember our first 2-3 cruises (our DD was 4 when started with DCL) we were on main seating & then from the 4th and on we were always given 2nd seating, and either had to change manually, write to them, or request by phone or once aboard on the ship.

 

[Geomom]

I'm now convinced they have an algorithm in place where, when you book, if you have a teenager or tween in your family, you're assigned 2nd seating by default, regardless of cc level. Same if its only adults
I remember our first 2-3 cruises (our DD was 4 when started with DCL) we were on main seating & then from the 4th and on we were always given 2nd seating, and either had to change manually, write to them, or request by phone or once aboard on the ship.

We use Dreams Unlimited as our TA and have had no issues getting main dining for our 3 cruises. My kids were 12 and 16 on our first (Alaska), 14 and 18 on our second (Baltic Sea), and will be 18 and 22 next year (Greek Isles). (I know those itineraries do have lots of people who prefer late dining though...but we did have a Bahamas and Western Caribbean booked as main dining before they got cancelled/moved to another cruise.) I'm thankful we get main dining as I just can't eat dinner after 8, although I fully expect 2nd seating if I book a couple months before a cruise.

I'm sorry DCL has your default as 2nd seating.

 

[brentm77]

Hey, we're booked on the same cruise!

We're Silver Castaway level, and managed to reserve main seating as well. Sailing with two children under 10 who are normally in bed between 8:00 and 9:00 pm every night, and, well, the three adults in their 40s are normally in bed between 10 and 11 too lol. We have the same routine at night for every cruise: after dinner, my mom and I attend the show in the Walt Disney Theater while my sister and BIL put the kids to bed, and I hang out on my own, grab a drink, and take in the adult entertainment before retiring for dinner.

I find it strange as well that a customer of Platinum level could not initially reserve main seating, but I'm going to chalk that off to a system error or glitch. Happy that you were able to change your seating, OP!

Fantastic! This is our third try for this same cruise, and to be honest, we may switch to a land trip. I am going to make a land itinerary and budget, and then pick between the two.

We have two older daughters - 17 and 20 at the time of the cruise. It seems like yesterday that we were taking them to the youngest cruise club on our first cruise.

Join the Facebook group for this cruise if you haven't - it is a great resource.

 

[accio]

Fantastic! This is our third try for this same cruise, and to be honest, we may switch to a land trip. I am going to make a land itinerary and budget, and then pick between the two.

We have two older daughters - 17 and 20 at the time of the cruise. It seems like yesterday that we were taking them to the youngest cruise club on our first cruise.

Join the Facebook group for this cruise if you haven't - it is a great resource.

I joined the group on the same date we booked the cruise, and, to be vague for privacy reasons, I posted a welcome post with pics from our last Med cruise on the 28th. Here's hoping that you guys decide to sail with us!

 

[DietCokeMommy]

I'm now convinced they have an algorithm in place where, when you book, if you have a teenager or tween in your family, you're assigned 2nd seating by default, regardless of cc level. Same if its only adults
I remember our first 2-3 cruises (our DD was 4 when started with DCL) we were on main seating & then from the 4th and on we were always given 2nd seating, and either had to change manually, write to them, or request by phone or once aboard on the ship.

They've changed the default dining to 2nd and it used to be Main. I get the impression they hold back a LOT of availability for Main and then prioritize who gets it based on whatever they think is important. We cruised last January and my parents were supposed to go with us but had booked later than us and were first time cruisers so initially had 2nd dining (even though our reservations were linked). We put them on a the wait list and a couple weeks later they moved to main. I think they hold back a lot for situations like our or for situations where people with little kids would be miserable with late dining.

 

[Lilsia]

I think that they should move dining up by at least a 1/2 and hour. By the time you get seated, get your drinks, order your food, it is already well past 6. I would even go for an early bird, faster paced dining if they had it. Go in at 4:30, order your whole meal and get it faster, eat, and get out. I think dining takes too much time.

 

[Cruising Engineer]

check online now...we are booked on the same cruise, second seating (which we prefer) but I do have the option open to switch to main

Are you on the Southern Caribbean cruise?
https://www.disboards.com/threads/disney-fantasy-july-21-2022-9-night-s-caribbean-cruise.3830678/

 

[PirateFrank]

So weird (and frustrating), Im on the 7/6/22 sailing in the med....and we got stuck with main seating and we've been on the waiting list for 2nd seating since we booked last Wednesday. How is that some folks are getting shut out of the main seating and forced to accept 2nd, when there are people looking for 2nd stuck with main?

 

[AquaDame]

So weird (and frustrating), Im on the 7/6/22 sailing in the med....and we got stuck with main seating and we've been on the waiting list for 2nd seating since we booked last Wednesday. How is that some folks are getting shut out of the main seating and forced to accept 2nd, when there are people looking for 2nd stuck with main?

I’ve frequently heard that Europeans tend to dine later in the evening compared to the US. Main dining was easier to get on our Norwegian Fjords cruise a few years ago also - our TA had recommended we book late dining and switch later if we decided we really wanted main even.

 

[DietCokeMommy]

Are you on the Southern Caribbean cruise?
https://www.disboards.com/threads/disney-fantasy-july-21-2022-9-night-s-caribbean-cruise.3830678/

We’re on that one!

 

[Cruising Engineer]

We’re on that one!

Great. There is a cruise meet set up for that date.

 

[soniam]

So weird (and frustrating), Im on the 7/6/22 sailing in the med....and we got stuck with main seating and we've been on the waiting list for 2nd seating since we booked last Wednesday. How is that some folks are getting shut out of the main seating and forced to accept 2nd, when there are people looking for 2nd stuck with main?

I wonder if they are just kind of locking down all meal time changes until they know more about things will look and be next summer. Although, maybe like us, you are just lucky We haven't been able to get main seating on the 9 night SC yet, even though we booked on Silver day.

 

[auntlynne]

So weird (and frustrating), Im on the 7/6/22 sailing in the med....and we got stuck with main seating and we've been on the waiting list for 2nd seating since we booked last Wednesday. How is that some folks are getting shut out of the main seating and forced to accept 2nd, when there are people looking for 2nd stuck with main?

When sailing the Med, cruise excursions can (and should) run long to maximize the opportunity to see the destination. The special European cruises offer such great port destinations.

We didn't always make it back to the ship by the start of our second seating dinner. They still fed us.