Last minute cruise

[Gzub1003]

Hi all, I am looking at booking a cruise in early September. They have the guaranteed states rooms with restrictions for a great price and am willing to take the risk as far as room location. My concern is the dining time. We have young kids and would really not like the late seating. What are the odds of being able to get the early seating? I know it fills up fast and you can’t see what’s available till after I book. Thanks for the help

 

[n2mm]

That is the only negative for us too. I need main dining for a medical reason and so far it’s been granted. You can waitlist. You can even try to change on your arrival day but texting them while waiting to board or going in person once onboard. but no guarantee, still a chance it might not happen.

 

[Calantha]

If it is after the summer rush, your odds are probably slightly higher...but I'd ask to be waitlisted as soon as you reserve, and then if you don't come off of it, you'll just need to ask as soon as you are on-board/at the port.

Depends on the itinerary too, I suspect. We were waitlisted for a 4-night Dream in January, got off the waitlist at port when I talked to dining services. We were waitlisted for 7-night Wonder in early June, we got off the waitlist about 2 weeks before. Both cruises had plenty of space at the early time, so I would be pretty confident until cruising bounces back completely.

 

[Clarkson U]

We did an even last minute cruise since restart - literally booking with less than 14 days to sail and we were able to eventually get first dining and get off the wait list.

It’s a gamble for sure so you have to be prepared that you might not get it and roll with what you get. If that risk is too great for you then reconsider your options.

 

[Rob1872]

I booked a Thanksgiving cruise less than 10 days out and was shifted from Late Dining to Main Dining 3 days before the cruise. I booked our last Eastern Caribbean fairly late, checked regularly trying to move dining for 4+ months and again was moved about 4 days before the cruise (even though we were moved into a shared table).
They do their best to accommodate; we've never been unable to shift to Main Dining but there are zero guarantees. If you are completely unwilling to eat at Late Dining, then don't book the cruise. If you are willing to take a small chance that you get Late Dining in exchange for a great discount price, then book the cruise.

Absolutely no one on the boards (or with DCL for that matter) will be able to give you a precise estimate of your chance of getting Main Dining, so if you were hoping to find out if it was 86% versus 34% then you won't find that level of precision.

Personally, I'd roll the dice, get on the Main Dining Waitlist, and know that you have one last chance when you board to try to move even if you don't get moved off of the waitlist. Just don't compound your main dining request with a request for a private table or a specific MDR rotation as that will reduce your odds of moving.

 

[DisneyPiPhi]

Another vote to book the cruise, wait list main dining, and if your wait list doesn't clear, ask when you get on the ship. They will do everything they can to accommodate you!

 

[RN jld]

I booked the September 9-12th GTY room on the Dream last week(Thursday or Friday) and got the Main dining no problem