My Time Dining on Oasis

[negrilbride]

We are signed up for My Time Dining and I've heard some conflicting info and I was wondering if some experienced cruisers could point us in the right direction.

 

I see on RCCI's website where I can reserve our dinner times for each night of our cruise through My Time Dining.

 

When I booked, my travel agent pushed MTD because she said that you didn't have to plan around dinner times and could just show up and be seated anytime.

 

Is it one way or the other, or is it both? My best guess is that we can do either, and if we don't have reservations for a specific time, plan to wait a while? Is there still a wait if you have reserved a time slot?

 

Thanks for your insight!

[cruisingwith6]

We had My Time Dining on our Oasis cruise last week with a party of 8. I had made reservations for 7:45 pm each night about 60 days before the cruise online (these spots seemed to fill very quickly so it is a good idea to start watching for when your reservation booking window opens). Each night at 7:40 we arrived at the My Time Dining podium, checked in, and were seated by 7:45 at the same table with the same waitstaff (Saiful at table 813..awesome!!). A few times there were long lines at the check in podium but since we had a reservation we were seated very quickly once we checked in. The loyalty ambassador (I think that is what they call the travel agent that does onboard bookings) told us that she has had a ton of complaints about long waits for tables and recommended we not do My Time Dining for our Allure cruise in 2011 but we had no problem at all with the process and are planning on trying it again. We did notice that the dining room on Deck 5 (Opus) where My Time Diners eat is closed off from the dining rooms on Deck 3 and 4. We assumed that was so the singing from the waiterstaff during first or second dining didn't carry over to our restaurant as people are coming and going at all times so there are no "shows" during the meal. That was really the only difference for us. The waiters were great (our waiter told us they put "the best" in My Time Dining as it is a much tougher job) we ate at the same table each night at the same time. I think if you plan to eat at different times each night and just arrive whenever you are ready you should be prepared to wait a bit and possibly be seated at different tables each night. Hope that helps!

[QTMichele]

From what I understand, it can be either or - either book in advance OR show up when you want to eat. :) I'll be trying it for the first time on Allure - cannot wait! :D

[negrilbride]

We had My Time Dining on our Oasis cruise last week with a party of 8. I had made reservations for 7:45 pm each night about 60 days before the cruise online (these spots seemed to fill very quickly so it is a good idea to start watching for when your reservation booking window opens). Each night at 7:40 we arrived at the My Time Dining podium, checked in, and were seated by 7:45 at the same table with the same waitstaff (Saiful at table 813..awesome!!). A few times there were long lines at the check in podium but since we had a reservation we were seated very quickly once we checked in. The loyalty ambassador (I think that is what they call the travel agent that does onboard bookings) told us that she has had a ton of complaints about long waits for tables and recommended we not do My Time Dining for our Allure cruise in 2011 but we had no problem at all with the process and are planning on trying it again. We did notice that the dining room on Deck 5 (Opus) where My Time Diners eat is closed off from the dining rooms on Deck 3 and 4. We assumed that was so the singing from the waiterstaff during first or second dining didn't carry over to our restaurant as people are coming and going at all times so there are no "shows" during the meal. That was really the only difference for us. The waiters were great (our waiter told us they put "the best" in My Time Dining as it is a much tougher job) we ate at the same table each night at the same time. I think if you plan to eat at different times each night and just arrive whenever you are ready you should be prepared to wait a bit and possibly be seated at different tables each night. Hope that helps!

 

Thanks so much, this was very helpful!

 

Does anyone know what happens if you book a dining time, and then don't make it then? Like if you would be late, or decide to grab a pizza at Sorrentos instead? Is there a way you can cancel or easily change your reservation?

[cmsjmu]

Reservations can be made in advance of the cruise...but we found no good time were open. Hence, he made reservations at the Deck 5 podium in the morning and we could always get a time. Never tried walk up, but from what I saw, it was easy to get in this way as well. Summing up...don't stress about getting in Opus, it's really not a big deal.

[cruisingwith6]

We were late for our reservation one night as we tried to get a formal photo before dinner and didn't allow enough time. They had given "our" table away but bent over backwards to get us the same waitstaff at a different table. About 25 minute wait while another family finished up while we sat in a waiting area...no problem. So if you don't show they go on without you (although if you don't plan to keep your reservation I am sure they would appreciate notice if you can). They were so nice and accomodating!

[dougp26364]

We are signed up for My Time Dining and I've heard some conflicting info and I was wondering if some experienced cruisers could point us in the right direction.

 

I see on RCCI's website where I can reserve our dinner times for each night of our cruise through My Time Dining.

 

When I booked, my travel agent pushed MTD because she said that you didn't have to plan around dinner times and could just show up and be seated anytime.

 

Is it one way or the other, or is it both? My best guess is that we can do either, and if we don't have reservations for a specific time, plan to wait a while? Is there still a wait if you have reserved a time slot?

 

Thanks for your insight!

 

We were on Oasis last January. The first two nights onboard they weren't even taking reservations. After that we never made a reservation for the remainder of the week. We just went when it was convenient for us. We only saw a line that had formed one evening when we were leaving. Otherwise there was never more than 2 or 3 groups waiting to be seated when we left. We never had to wait more than 5 minutes to be seated ourselves.

 

We're on Allure this coming January. I have no plans to reserve MTD seating ahead of time. It sort of defeats the purpose of MTD if you have to make reservations every night.

[Trickie Dickie]

We were on Oasis in March! We didn't make a single reservation for my time dining. That would kind of defeat the purpose to us. We just popped by, usually between 7 and 8 and we got in right away. We only had to wait 10 minutes once on a formal night that had lobster. :D

[seahawkfan]

I too am planning on "My Time Dinning". I would just hate to miss out on exploring this mammoth ship with traditional scheduled dinning. Can I make reservations for different times on different nights through the pre-cruise planner on the RCL website? What are nights are typically the formal nights?

[Langley Cruisers]

I too am planning on "My Time Dinning". I would just hate to miss out on exploring this mammoth ship with traditional scheduled dinning. Can I make reservations for different times on different nights...

 

You actually can't have both because with Traditional dining, you do not have to pre-pay your tips. When you sign up for MTD, your tips are pre-paid. This is so the staff will be paid if it turns out you do not have the same wait team each night. You cannot elect to have TD and then just show up one night in MTD - if anyone has succesfully done this, please share how you did it, but AFAIK it's either one or the other. Also, if you sign up for MTD, you will not be assigned a table in the MDR. Those spots will go to diners who have elected Traditional Dining.

 

You can take Traditional Dining and then absolutely try the different venues on some of the evenings. You could eat in the Windjammer one night, try a few of the Specialty restaurants, room service, whatever you'd like. This way, your tips are still payable but not in advance. Does that make sense? :)

 

Enjoy Oasis.

[cruisingwith6]

I agree that you can be seated pretty quickly except on lobster night...there was a full house that night. Actually the first night of the cruise was pretty full two but the other five nights had empty tables. I would think the smaller the group the easier it would be as well....

[xcell]

I have two kids, dd4, and dd7 coming along- what's the earliest time for my time dining. Also I heard about family dining where the staff from AO would come and take the kids to AO after their meals...

[dougp26364]

I have two kids, dd4, and dd7 coming along- what's the earliest time for my time dining. Also I heard about family dining where the staff from AO would come and take the kids to AO after their meals...

 

5:30 on our cruise on Oasis in January.

[CruiseLover15]

We were on Oasis in March! We didn't make a single reservation for my time dining. That would kind of defeat the purpose to us. We just popped by, usually between 7 and 8 and we got in right away. We only had to wait 10 minutes once on a formal night that had lobster. :D

 

I agree on defeating the purpose. I am glad to hear you didn't have any problem doing this on the Oasis. We have had my time dining on two other RC ships and we showed up when we wanted to eat, got a table for 2 every night and never had a problem.

[jacksmom09]

We had My Time Dining on our Oasis cruise last week with a party of 8. I had made reservations for 7:45 pm each night about 60 days before the cruise online (these spots seemed to fill very quickly so it is a good idea to start watching for when your reservation booking window opens). Each night at 7:40 we arrived at the My Time Dining podium, checked in, and were seated by 7:45 at the same table with the same waitstaff (Saiful at table 813..awesome!!). A few times there were long lines at the check in podium but since we had a reservation we were seated very quickly once we checked in. The loyalty ambassador (I think that is what they call the travel agent that does onboard bookings) told us that she has had a ton of complaints about long waits for tables and recommended we not do My Time Dining for our Allure cruise in 2011 but we had no problem at all with the process and are planning on trying it again. We did notice that the dining room on Deck 5 (Opus) where My Time Diners eat is closed off from the dining rooms on Deck 3 and 4. We assumed that was so the singing from the waiterstaff during first or second dining didn't carry over to our restaurant as people are coming and going at all times so there are no "shows" during the meal. That was really the only difference for us. The waiters were great (our waiter told us they put "the best" in My Time Dining as it is a much tougher job) we ate at the same table each night at the same time. I think if you plan to eat at different times each night and just arrive whenever you are ready you should be prepared to wait a bit and possibly be seated at different tables each night. Hope that helps!

Thanks for the info! Just wondering if 7:45 was a good time to dine in relation to making it to shows?? We are in the process of trying to figure all this out, :eek: so any info will help!:D

[the mistral wind]

5:30 on our cruise on Oasis in January.

How did the 5:30 work out for you . We have shows planned at 7:30. And i did TD at 5:30. Will this rush us or will we have plenty of time? Oasis is like the ALLURE so that's why i am asking we are on the allure

[Biker19]