For the first several nights, our dinner service waS less than what I would normally expect. The "waiter" (waitress Nancy) had 3 tables, with what looked like a total of 16 people. Each night our table was the last to be served. Our food was generally luke warm, at best. We asked Nancy if she could serve us first once in a while, perhaps rotating which table she started with. She said ok, but she did not.
Then, one night when the food was cold, Toni, with her knife and fork in her hands loudly declared "that's it." She certainly got the attention of our Head Waiter. All the food was removed from our table, and, along with the food still on the serving tray, all food was returned to the kitchen and quickly replaced with hot food.
From that point on, our dinner was supervised by Sam, the Head Waiter, and often served by him. The other 2 tables were served before us, but our food was not waiting at the serving station. When it was brought from the kitchen, it was rapidly served to us.
About the same time b2b people received a very nice request in the cabins. If we wanted a specific dining arrangement, we should notify our head waiter. Since Toni and I had been served lunch and dinner by a delightful Romanian couple, we requested the wife Ioanna in writing (and, as back up, the husband Daniel verbally). Bill and Lila at our table were also b2b and wrote on their card that they wanted to sit with us. I personally handed both cards to Sam.
Then we got our new Sea Pass cards for the second leg, and it showed the same table number. When we questioned that we were told not to worry, since the waiters were moved each sailing. That has not been my experience - clearly some are moved, but certainly not all. We were subsequently confused when we got another notice in the cabin, advising us to ignore the table number on the new pass, and, instead, our new table would be ... the same table anyway!!
When we questioned this, were told to see the Maitre d' on Embarkation day. Toni did (actually, it was an Assistant), and she was told we had to wait until they knew how many others wanted to change. We were to go to the assigned table and come back the next day.
Needless to say we were not happy, but complied. Also, needless to say, Nancy was again our server. Toni immediately went to talk to the Maitre d', which she eventually did. She was told again to come back the next day. She asked him to come to our table, he said he would but he didn't. To this day, I have not had one word with him.
This time the service was terrible. Nancy apologized that a cheese appetizer was not hot, but if it were hot, it would melt! Huh? When she delivered the next course, she told us to be careful because the plate was hot - the plate was indeed hot, but the food was the coldest we had received for the entire trip.
Then Sunnil, our new Head Waiter stopped by and asked how everything was. I don't think he expected the earful that he received. He was very concerned, very caring. He said he would look into it, and do what he could. We believed him.
He delivered! The next evening, he told us immediately that he had 2 seats at Ioanna's station. He said he may have 4 but would not know definitively until the next day. With little hesitation, we accepted the change, after apologizing to Lila, Bill, and our new table mates.
Sunnil escorted us upstairs, showed us to our new table. Ioanna came over right away and gave us a big welcome. Colin, the Head Waiter in that section came over a few minutes later to check on us, and repeatedly assured us he would take care of us. Later, Sunnil came back to check again.
It turns out that there was a table for 4 near Ioanna's station but the people did not show up the first evening. That table was changed to Ioanna's.
All's well that end's well. Thank you Sunnil, Colin, and Ioanna!!!