Questions re: My Time Family Dining on RCCL

[brenderlou]

We just booked a cruise over spring break in March and I'm kinda confused about the feature. Can someone tell me how it works?

To use this feature do we have to go to the early seating for the counselors to pick up the children or can we go at any time and someone will be there to escort the kids to the camp?

We do not like the early seating (6:00) and was hoping we could take advantage of the any time dining but maybe not. We usually just take our 5 yr old to the Windjammer for dinner and then take her to the kids club when it opens at 7:00 and then dh & I have dinner, so may just go that route again.

Any insights would be great!!!!

[kte95]

I am sailing on Freedom in January, and was told by my TA that we have to do the early seating (6pm) to participate in My Family Time Dining. My understanding is that you meet the kids club staff outside of the dining room at around 6:45 and they will take the kids. I assume they get their food early and have finished eating when you take them out. Any other info is appreciated from someone who's done this.

[cb at sea]

If feeding the 5 year old, and then having an adult dinner works, why mess with it? You can still do MTD at your leisure!

[junglejane]

I am looking forward to trying this out with my 9 year old on our March 7 cruise on the Mariner of the Seas. She likes to eat in the dining room but she usually just wants the entree and sometimes dessert. The rest of us like to do all the courses, including soup, salad, appetizer. We have the early seating and I think the My Family Time Dining sounds like a great feature.

[boulders]

I tried MFTD in August and did not like it. I had to leave my table for 10 minutes to wait for AO staff outside the dining room. During this time, my entree was usually delivered and was cold plus my tablemates (my other 2 children) had already finished their dinners. I also disliked having to watch my watch throughout soup and appetizers. It did not make for a relaxing meal. By the end of the week, I waited until I had finished my entree and then took the little one to AO when it opened at 7. Waiting until 7 was much more relaxing.

[junglejane]

I tried MFTD in August and did not like it. I had to leave my table for 10 minutes to wait for AO staff outside the dining room. During this time, my entree was usually delivered and was cold plus my tablemates (my other 2 children) had already finished their dinners. I also disliked having to watch my watch throughout soup and appetizers. It did not make for a relaxing meal. By the end of the week, I waited until I had finished my entree and then took the little one to AO when it opened at 7. Waiting until 7 was much more relaxing.

 

If that's how it works, I won't like it either.:( I'll probably give it a try once but it defeats the purpose if the AO staff isn't ready. Does it take long to get from the MDR to AO?

[boulders]

We were on the Radiance, but the Voyager class ships had the same essential layout. AO is directly up from the dining rooms. The elevators are just outside both the MDR and AO. AO is deck 11 and MDR is decks 4 and 5. Since I would go at 7, there was very little elevator traffic, so if you're out the MDR doors, it takes maybe 60 seconds, if that, to get to AO.

[Bluegirl]

Does My Family Time Dining have to be arranged in advance with the AO staff, or can you simply show up at the designated spot at the designated time with the kids?

 

If it's the latter, that doesn't sound so bad. We can try it one night and if it doesn't work out, ok.

[boulders]

We were supposed to let them know in the morning if we would be doing MFTD. Different ships might have different rules though.