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Anytime dining or set time?


gullcruiser
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Hello,

When my husband was alive we went on quite a few cruises and chose anytime dining once it was offered by the cruise lines. My question is what is better for a single cruiser? Since he passed I've been on one cruise by myself and chose anytime. This was on Royal Caribbean and I had requested a table to share. Many evenings there wasn't anyone who wanted to share and was shown to a table by myself. I walked out and went to the food court instead. The set time dining is nice that you have others to sit with, if they come, however, the hours that are scheduled are either too early or too late!

Has anyone had any experience with this? Any suggestions would be appreciated!

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  • 2 months later...

I think it's really personal.

 

I've never sailed solo, but think if I did I'd go traditional, I am a very intriverted person and it takes me time to feel comfortable with new people, so it's likely I'd be better with the same people every night.

 

But others might prefer the opportunity to meet new people every night.

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I also prefer traditional dining and the opportunity to meet new people. However, RCL keeps putting me in MyTime dining now. My 1st solo MyTime experience in the dining room wasn't great. I was put at a table for 2 and told no one wanted to share. The waiter definitely overlooked me, such as by forgetting to bring me coffee or dessert. I ultimately enjoyed the Windjammer for dinner for the rest of the week. I'll be more prepared for my next solo RCL cruise in a few weeks, and will bring my Kindle to the dining room in case I get put at a table for 2 by myself again. I'm turning Diamond with RCL this cruise, and then plan on going back to Celebrity or trying Holland to see if they're more solo friendly. (I have cruised on NCL 2X, but didn't enjoy the NCL cruise experience as much.)

 

My TA recommended trying the river cruises as a solo in my 60s, but I like the big ship experience.

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I normally do MTD as 5:30 and 8:00 is to late for me. However, that being said, MTD has become their time dining in my opinion. You try and make reservations for 6:15 and they say they can not get me in. If I show up at 6:15 I normally can not share. Many times I just head to the windjammer. I can eat what I want when I want and in most instances the food is the same. There are normally other solo travelers there and it is not a problem to share at table and conversation.

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  • 8 months later...

In my opinion, RCCI My Time Dining, is traditional dining. We chose to go to Giavonnis the first night. The second night there weren't any tables to share! We were given a table for two on the aisle and my husband was constantly being bumped as the waiter was literally running past him. The maitre d asked us how are dinner was. The food was fine, but the table arrangement was not. He told us that guests were asked if they like their table the first night, if they did, they were there for the remainder of the cruise. He said that we would have a sharing the table the next few nights. We did, but frequently it was in the fixed dining room. We like meeting new people at dinner, and this was most disappointing.

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  • 3 weeks later...
I also prefer traditional dining and the opportunity to meet new people. However, RCL keeps putting me in MyTime dining now. My 1st solo MyTime experience in the dining room wasn't great. I was put at a table for 2 and told no one wanted to share. The waiter definitely overlooked me, such as by forgetting to bring me coffee or dessert. I ultimately enjoyed the Windjammer for dinner for the rest of the week. I'll be more prepared for my next solo RCL cruise in a few weeks, and will bring my Kindle to the dining room in case I get put at a table for 2 by myself again. I'm turning Diamond with RCL this cruise, and then plan on going back to Celebrity or trying Holland to see if they're more solo friendly. (I have cruised on NCL 2X, but didn't enjoy the NCL cruise experience as much.)

 

 

My TA recommended trying the river cruises as a solo in my 60s, but I like the big ship experience.

I am not in your shoes, but I would be firmer with the maitre d' and let them know that I am willing to wait until a shared table becomes available. Perhaps after that they would be more accommodating.

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  • 3 months later...

I think Larry and Nan have it right. If you are not happy, the MD is not doing his job. And if he doesn't make you happy (presuming you are not a person who is never happy!), the Restaurant Manager should know about it. But Nantahala's method has a nice passive aggressive touch to it! You look them in the eye and say, "Oh no, I would never take a two-top away from a couple! I insist you find me a larger table to share."

 

I say this as someone who has not yet sailed RCI. But this is not the only place I'm reading that they have got MTD all wrong...

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  • 3 weeks later...

I sail solo on HAL and they are wonderful about sharing. I always meet interesting people. On a longer cruise if you end up with people you want to share with on a regular basis they will let you reserve a table in the open seating area for your group. I have often met solos at the CC meet and greet. I have been on other cruise lines where the MD seems totally disinterested in setting up sharing tables. On those cruise lines maybe set time is better.

 

 

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  • 3 weeks later...
  • 1 month later...

For my first cruise, my fiancé and I chose traditional dining and for some reason, we were given a table for two. But the dining room was far from our cabin and Jim was very ill at the time. I went to the Maitre ‘D to request a closer dining room, he put us with three other couples who were incredibly supportive. Most nights I dined without him since Jim was too sick to leave our cabin. They were wonderful. After Jim died I started cruising with my daughter. At first we chose late traditional with others based on my original experience. But, unfortunately, my original experience was not repeated. We still like late traditional (We love the movie “An Affair to Remember”, it’s a girl thing) but we started asking for a table for two after we were seated with a couple who ate with their hands, ordered every entree on the menu and ate it, and the guy was collecting unemployment because he couldn’t find a job that paid him $80 an hour. He and his SO were “sharing” her drink package. She had a masters degree in education and still didn’t know how to use a fork, knife and spoon. My daughter and I scrimp and save all year for our one week of pampering. We make no where near $80 an hour, jointly . So to keep me from doing something unchristian (I do take my religion seriously) we decided that we can do second seating for two, we love having the same servers since they make excellent culinary suggestions. So I still like traditional time and we usually go to the the late show. We like the front row.

Edited by 0112358
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  • 2 months later...

Here's my problem. I am a single woman traveling with a group of about 24(all married couples). I have been on 2 cruises with the same group and I am fine getting along with everyone, but I'm kind of the 5th wheel. Can I eat with my group some nights-they have early fixed dining-and some nights just go to anytime dining? I have a feeling I will meet up with other singles/solos during the day and may want to eat with them. Any help or ideas?

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Hello, When my husband was alive we went on quite a few cruises and chose anytime dining once it was offered by the cruise lines. My question is what is better for a single cruiser? Since he passed I've been on one cruise by myself and chose anytime. This was on Royal Caribbean and I had requested a table to share. Many evenings there wasn't anyone who wanted to share and was shown to a table by myself. I walked out and went to the food court instead. The set time dining is nice that you have others to sit with, if they come, however, the hours that are scheduled are either too early or too late!

Has anyone had any experience with this? Any suggestions would be appreciated!

I had a very similar situation at dinner time. In 2014, I accidentally ended up going on a cruise as a solo. My friend and I were boarding the Celebrity Reflection and she began to have severe pain and ended up in the Medical Center. She became so sick that they took her by squad to a local hospital (where she stayed for 5 days) and I ended up going on the cruise alone. I always get Anytime Dining and the first night was OK - I was seated at a 8 top table with 6 very nice people. But the next night was a disaster! I was seated at a 10 top, but the others were already eating their appetizers. I had a menu but the waiter never came back to take my order. The people were all friends and they totally ignored me. I got up and went to the host and told him the problem. He said he would sit me at a new table and then put new arrivals with me. Well, he sat me at an empty 8 top, but didn't ever seat anyone else there! I was sitting all alone and noticed that people around me were staring at me. Again, the waiter never came to take my order. By now I was so humiliated and frustrated that I got up and walked out. The host called to me and I told him that I wouldn't be back. I went back to my cabin, got my Kindle and went to the buffet. I ended up eating either there or in my cabin with room service from then on. I was lonely and miserable. I don't think alot of the cruise ship dining rooms are prepared for dealing with singles.

 

Carnival did have a singles table that my friend and I ate at long ago (1989) that was so much fun - there were 8 of us and we had a blast every night.

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I had a very similar situation at dinner time. In 2014, I accidentally ended up going on a cruise as a solo. My friend and I were boarding the Celebrity Reflection and she began to have severe pain and ended up in the Medical Center. She became so sick that they took her by squad to a local hospital (where she stayed for 5 days) and I ended up going on the cruise alone. I always get Anytime Dining and the first night was OK - I was seated at a 8 top table with 6 very nice people. But the next night was a disaster! I was seated at a 10 top, but the others were already eating their appetizers. I had a menu but the waiter never came back to take my order. The people were all friends and they totally ignored me. I got up and went to the host and told him the problem. He said he would sit me at a new table and then put new arrivals with me. Well, he sat me at an empty 8 top, but didn't ever seat anyone else there! I was sitting all alone and noticed that people around me were staring at me. Again, the waiter never came to take my order. By now I was so humiliated and frustrated that I got up and walked out. The host called to me and I told him that I wouldn't be back. I went back to my cabin, got my Kindle and went to the buffet. I ended up eating either there or in my cabin with room service from then on. I was lonely and miserable. I don't think alot of the cruise ship dining rooms are prepared for dealing with singles.

 

Carnival did have a singles table that my friend and I ate at long ago (1989) that was so much fun - there were 8 of us and we had a blast every night.

 

 

 

This is really sad!! I cruise solo and am almost always n Holland America. They do a wonderful job of sharing tables. In fact many cruisers both couples and solos like to share in the anytime seating and I have met so many wonderful people this way. I did try to dine solo on Norwegian once and they looked at me as if they didn’t understand when I said I wanted to share.

 

 

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I have travelled single on most lines.

yes, Seabourn is great, but expensive.

Holland America I was with a great group of singles and kept in touch for years.

Princess, have a single share table, but only in fixed dining times.

Princess similar, but when I changed to a group table, have had great table mates, best on that line.

Azamara - have singles at tables with a hostess.

Norwegian was with family, not single

RC - travel there mostly, always get a balcony. do not like the anytime dining - it is awful, they expect you to prebook for each day or you get a single table. I prefer a set table, call the cruise line before boading and tell them what you want and they will change it. It seems to be standard to just put anytime on all reservations now.

Host at all dining venues are too busy to do anything other than just put you at a table and walk away. I have gone back and told them, ok no one is joining me

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  • 2 weeks later...
For my first cruise, my fiancé and I chose traditional dining and for some reason, we were given a table for two. But the dining room was far from our cabin and Jim was very ill at the time. I went to the Maitre ‘D to request a closer dining room, he put us with three other couples who were incredibly supportive. Most nights I dined without him since Jim was too sick to leave our cabin. They were wonderful. After Jim died I started cruising with my daughter. At first we chose late traditional with others based on my original experience. But, unfortunately, my original experience was not repeated. We still like late traditional (We love the movie “An Affair to Remember”, it’s a girl thing) but we started asking for a table for two after we were seated with a couple who ate with their hands, ordered every entree on the menu and ate it, and the guy was collecting unemployment because he couldn’t find a job that paid him $80 an hour. He and his SO were “sharing” her drink package. She had a masters degree in education and still didn’t know how to use a fork, knife and spoon. My daughter and I scrimp and save all year for our one week of pampering. We make no where near $80 an hour, jointly . So to keep me from doing something unchristian (I do take my religion seriously) we decided that we can do second seating for two, we love having the same servers since they make excellent culinary suggestions. So I still like traditional time and we usually go to the the late show. We like the front row.

 

I had to laugh I think we had that same couple on a cruise couple of years ago. We were at a table of 8 and it was like dinner & a show every night we did MDR. They also got insulted when on the last night a few of our tablemates & us were exchanging FB & email addresses. Yeah them not so much. ;p;p

 

We do MDR late seating, but we also mix in the specialty restaurants. My SO is chatty so we usually like a table of 6 or more.

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  • 4 weeks later...

My husband and were given a late seating for a Christmas cruise. He likes to meet new people and would prefer the My Time dining. We have done both on previous cruises, but the arrangements were pre-made by the company he represented. This time we are going for our 40th anniversary.

Royal Caribbean says we can change, but that with My Time dining we would have to call an 800 number daily to arrange our dining time. This seems to be too much of a hassle, especially when we might end up dining alone anyway. Other opinions?

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If we are in a mood to share, we will sometimes strike up a conversation with another couple in line waiting for a table. If we get good vibes, we'll ask if they would like to share a table.

 

A couple took that approach with us over 10 years ago, we ended up eating with them every night, booked several cruises with them, and still get together a couple of times a year.

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  • 1 month later...
we started asking for a table for two after we were seated with a couple who ate with their hands, ordered every entree on the menu and ate it, and the guy was collecting unemployment because he couldn’t find a job that paid him $80 an hour. He and his SO were “sharing” her drink package. She had a masters degree in education and still didn’t know how to use a fork, knife and spoon. My daughter and I scrimp and save all year for our one week of pampering. We make no where near $80 an hour, jointly .

 

That's hilarious to read, but probably not as much to witness ;-). I think I would've asked for another table after the first night. We have met some wonderful people, and usually get along well even with others who don't share our values. But the eating with hands thing would've been the final straw.

 

Last cruise, we were at a table for eight. Three single women sharing a birthday month cruise, and three others celebrating their divorces (!). dh was the only male there and we've been married a long time. Made for some interesting conversation. One of the divorcees insisted on using the phrase, "I'm not going to be anyone's purse or anyone's nurse," at least once every fifteen minutes.

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