Dining Questions

Hello,

I would like to get some help on dining on our upcoming cruise (Allure!) in December.

We have early dining (5:30 PM) seating and asked my TA to see whether My Time Dining is available. She told me that it is not available and did not mention anything about wait-list. When I asked her about My Family Time Dining, she had no clue what-so-ever. Sigh. I also had no idea about them until just few hours ago and I wonder if some of you can kindly help me...

1. If we go on a wait list, what is the likelihood that we can get My Time Dining?

2. My Family Time Dining - can we sign up and not use the service at all? We are not sure if our 3-year old would like to be away from her parents.

3. Mamma Mia! show is at 5PM. We'd like to watch that one because the show ends not too late. But that means we'd have to miss our traditional dining. What options do we have in this case? Is there any way to dine late just for that day?

Thank you!

Hello,

 

I would like to get some help on dining on our upcoming cruise (Allure!) in December.

We have early dining (5:30 PM) seating and asked my TA to see whether My Time Dining is available. She told me that it is not available and did not mention anything about wait-list. When I asked her about My Family Time Dining, she had no clue what-so-ever. Sigh. I also had no idea about them until just few hours ago and I wonder if some of you can kindly help me...

 

1. If we go on a wait list, what is the likelihood that we can get My Time Dining? It is hard to predict. Sometimes you can, sometimes you can't.

2. My Family Time Dining - can we sign up and not use the service at all? We are not sure if our 3-year old would like to be away from her parents. Yes. They are not going to rip her from your arms. ;) Just let them know.

3. Mamma Mia! show is at 5PM. We'd like to watch that one because the show ends not too late. But that means we'd have to miss our traditional dining. What options do we have in this case? Is there any way to dine late just for that day? Go to the Windjammer Buffet. Eat at a specialty restaurant. Eat a late, heavy lunch at the WJ or Park Cafe or Johnny Rockets and catch a snack after the show.

Thank you!

Welcome to Cruise Critic. I love the Allure. :)

The 5:30 slot is best if you have kids that will be using the clubs in the evening.

If you really don't want that, simply go to the dining room when you board, and see if they can switch you...they do this all the time.

Hello,

 

I would like to get some help on dining on our upcoming cruise (Allure!) in December.

We have early dining (5:30 PM) seating and asked my TA to see whether My Time Dining is available. She told me that it is not available and did not mention anything about wait-list. When I asked her about My Family Time Dining, she had no clue what-so-ever. Sigh. I also had no idea about them until just few hours ago and I wonder if some of you can kindly help me...

 

1. If we go on a wait list, what is the likelihood that we can get My Time Dining? 50/50.

2. My Family Time Dining - can we sign up and not use the service at all? We are not sure if our 3-year old would like to be away from her parents. I suppose you could, but why bother?

3. Mamma Mia! show is at 5PM. We'd like to watch that one because the show ends not too late. But that means we'd have to miss our traditional dining. What options do we have in this case? Is there any way to dine late just for that day? no. if you are on traditional early seating your options are to eat in the buffet, a specialty or room service. ( going on the assumption that mama Mia only has one show time and is only shown once)

Thank you!

My Family Time dining is only available for people with Early Traditional seating. they expedite the kids dinners and then you bring them to the MDR entrance at a set time to hand them over to the kids club counselors while you return to have dessert and coffee sans kids

you can request your preferred dining options once on board, but you cannot switch around between the three all week. its pick one and stick with it.

Welcome to Cruise Critic. I love the Allure. :)

The 5:30 slot is best if you have kids that will be using the clubs in the evening.

If you really don't want that, simply go to the dining room when you board, and see if they can switch you...they do this all the time.

Thank you for your responses.

We want to sign up for My Family Time Dining and see if our DD would like to go without us. :)

She may, she may not. But just to have that option available seems quite great. =D

We also wanted some flexibility as to when we dine, because at home, we normally eat around 6:30..

I will see what we can do. :)

My Family Time dining is only available for people with Early Traditional seating. they expedite the kids dinners and then you bring them to the MDR entrance at a set time to hand them over to the kids club counselors while you return to have dessert and coffee sans kids

 

you can request your preferred dining options once on board, but you cannot switch around between the three all week. its pick one and stick with it.

I am little confused. What is the different between Early Dining and My Family Time dining?

If I pick Early Dining, I cannot pick My Family Time Dining?

Can't we sign up for My Family Time Dining and see whether our DD wants to stay with us for entire dinner or not? I am thinking maybe she'll like to go to the Ocean club towards to the end of the cruise, but not the beginning.

I am little confused. What is the different between Early Dining and My Family Time dining?

If I pick Early Dining, I cannot pick My Family Time Dining?

Can't we sign up for My Family Time Dining and see whether our DD wants to stay with us for entire dinner or not? I am thinking maybe she'll like to go to the Ocean club towards to the end of the cruise, but not the beginning.

My Famly Time Dining is an optional service for those families with children who are on Traditional Early Dining. The dining staff will feed the children in 45 minutes and the Adventure Ocean staff will come to the dining room at that point and take the children to Adventure Ocean.

A few things to add:

1 - Since you are already Early Seating, you should be able to choose My Family Time Dining on your Cruise Planner. If not, your TA should be able to call RCCL (or use the cruisingpower.com site) and add you to the My Family Time Dining. They used to make you pre-pay gratuities; there was talk about that making a come back so be prepared.

2 - If you or your TA are unable to select My Family Time Dining prior to boarding, after embarkation you can just visit the Maitre D' and let them know you would like My Family Time Dining.

3 - You may want to tell your wait staff that you're planning on sending the little one early, that way they speed up the food process for her.

4 - Our 3 year old was never thrilled going to the kids club without us. If she throws a fit having to go with strangers, try walking her up there by yourself. That worked a lot better for us.

4 - She must be fully potty trained (no diapers or pull ups) in order to use the kids clubs.

5 - There should be other showings of Mama Mia besides just the 5:30 option. Its possible the other times are booked, but you'll be able to make reservations on board or about 15 minutes prior to curtains up they allow anyone in.

My Famly Time Dining is an optional service for those families with children who are on Traditional Early Dining. The dining staff will feed the children in 45 minutes and the Adventure Ocean staff will come to the dining room at that point and take the children to Adventure Ocean.

Thank you. So I guess it is not offered to My Time Dining then..

A few things to add:

 

1 - Since you are already Early Seating, you should be able to choose My Family Time Dining on your Cruise Planner. If not, your TA should be able to call RCCL (or use the cruisingpower.com site) and add you to the My Family Time Dining. They used to make you pre-pay gratuities; there was talk about that making a come back so be prepared.

 

2 - If you or your TA are unable to select My Family Time Dining prior to boarding, after embarkation you can just visit the Maitre D' and let them know you would like My Family Time Dining.

 

3 - You may want to tell your wait staff that you're planning on sending the little one early, that way they speed up the food process for her.

 

4 - Our 3 year old was never thrilled going to the kids club without us. If she throws a fit having to go with strangers, try walking her up there by yourself. That worked a lot better for us.

 

4 - She must be fully potty trained (no diapers or pull ups) in order to use the kids clubs.

 

5 - There should be other showings of Mama Mia besides just the 5:30 option. Its possible the other times are booked, but you'll be able to make reservations on board or about 15 minutes prior to curtains up they allow anyone in.

1. Do you know where in the cruise planner I can find it?

2. Is there a 'capacity' on My Family Time Dining? If we decide to go with it on the day of the cruise, if they reached maximum capacity, will they say no?

4. So one of you would walk up to kids club and leave your child there, and came back down for dessert?

5. There are other times available for the show. It's at 8:30 and 9:30. We're booked for 8:30 for now as we think dinner is quite important. (last time we were on Oasis, we didn't miss a single meal. LOL). The only downside is that it end quite late..

Yes, she's fully potty trained. I think she'll be thrilled!!

Thank you. So I guess it is not offered to My Time Dining then.. ...

Not sure. The AO people come to the dining room once, so your kids would have to be ready to leave when all the others in traditional dining are ready. Additionally, the AO people may only come to the deck holding traditional dining. The dining staff also has to feed the kids first, so there's some coordination here.

If you have MTD, I'd talk to the AO people and see if it can be done.

We got My Time Dining!!! =D

Although I think we'd go to the dining room around 6PM on the most days, this allows us to go watch 5PM Mamma Mia! (We initially selected 8:30 show on Day 1, but that will end at 10:00, which is quite late for our daughter on the first day of the cruise and we arrive in Bahamas at 7AM the next day).

I think we prefer My Time Dining rather than My Family Time Dining, because as MikeBTN mentioned, it may be easier if we drop our child off at the AO instead of someone picking her up and our girl eats very slow and a lot, if My Family Time Dining is only available for 5:30 Traditional Early Dinner folks.

Thank you so much for your help thus far. It was very very helpful for someone new (aka me)!

We got My Time Dining!!! =D

 

Although I think we'd go to the dining room around 6PM on the most days, this allows us to go watch 5PM Mamma Mia! (We initially selected 8:30 show on Day 1, but that will end at 10:00, which is quite late for our daughter on the first day of the cruise and we arrive in Bahamas at 7AM the next day).

 

I think we prefer My Time Dining rather than My Family Time Dining, because as MikeBTN mentioned, it may be easier if we drop our child off at the AO instead of someone picking her up and our girl eats very slow and a lot, if My Family Time Dining is only available for 5:30 Traditional Early Dinner folks.

 

Thank you so much for your help thus far. It was very very helpful for someone new (aka me)!

We prefer MTD for many reasons, this being one of them. Also if you have a late-ish port day (5-6 departure time), you're not having to rush back from port in time for dinner. And sometimes we take our kids to WindJammer for a quick meal for them, then head to kids club, then to the MDR for just the two of us.

We prefer MTD for many reasons, this being one of them. Also if you have a late-ish port day (5-6 departure time), you're not having to rush back from port in time for dinner. And sometimes we take our kids to WindJammer for a quick meal for them, then head to kids club, then to the MDR for just the two of us.

I told my husband the idea of WindJammer and us having a nice dinner and he's awfully thrilled!!! So glad that we got MTD. :D

I told my husband the idea of WindJammer and us having a nice dinner and he's awfully thrilled!!! So glad that we got MTD. :D

I have no personal experience, but I've heard if you take the kids to MTD early and they're ready when the Adventure Ocean staff shows up, you can send the kids just as if you had My Family Time Dining.

I have no personal experience, but I've heard if you take the kids to MTD early and they're ready when the Adventure Ocean staff shows up, you can send the kids just as if you had My Family Time Dining.

I will see if I can do that. :)

but most likely we'll eat around 6:30, so maybe we'll miss that opportunity. Also, my DD eats very very slow, so not sure if she can even be with them in 45 mins! :')