My Time Dining Question

[Yvonne]

I think I assumed wrong. I thought with My Time Dining you could show up at any time and be seated (or wait for a table, as in any other restaurant, if it's busy). But from what I'm reading even with My Time Dining you still have to actually reserve a time/table, correct? And it has to be the same time/table each evening?

 

And can we request a table for two or do they fill tables up as they seat people?

[cb at sea]

They seem to LIKE when you make a reservation, but you don't have to...you can just show up anytime during the serving hours. And no, it doesn't have to be the same table or waitstaff....some prefer having the same servers night after night, but if that doesn't matter to you, then it won't be a problem!

Yes--a table for 2 is the common seating option...most MTDers don't like tablemates.

[Host Faith]

I think I assumed wrong. I thought with My Time Dining you could show up at any time and be seated (or wait for a table, as in any other restaurant, if it's busy). But from what I'm reading even with My Time Dining you still have to actually reserve a time/table, correct? And it has to be the same time/table each evening?

 

And can we request a table for two or do they fill tables up as they seat people?

 

 

No need to make a reservation if you don't want to. I'm a type-A kinda person so I try to make the reservations online ahead of time whenever possible. When sailing the Adventure of the Seas last year, we did not make reservations and were able to be seated within 5-10 minutes each night, at a table for two. This year we sailed the Serenade and, because we were a group of 6, I made the reservations for different times each night depending upon our excursions, etc, that day. It's totally up to you. You'll find that a lot of MTD tables are for two. Enjoy your cruise!

[Greghouseo]

That's interesting CB I didn't realise, I thought it was those who wanted flexibility in their timing.

 

I am doing MTD for the first time next week on B2B on Adventure of the Seas.

Have always been a traditionalist and opted for Large Table late sitting, however as a travel agent, I sell the product and I have this belief that you should, to an extent, experience what you are selling, so in order to give the best advice I will try it and see what I think.

[CleoPat]

If you don't reserve and just show up, do they ask what size table you want and let you know how long the wait is according to table size? i.e. "you can be seated immediately at a table of 12 or wait 10 mins for a table of 2..." This way you can decide if you want to wait or not...?

[Yvonne]

Thanks so much for the replies!

 

Being able to just "show up" was one of the reasons my husband and I wanted to try My Time Dining as at first I thought you could just go at any time that particular dining room (area) was open, you didn't have to make a reservation.

 

But then I read in a couple places (one being our actual cruise reservation page) where you still need to make a reservation, so I was a little disappointed about that. But glad to see here that's not necessarily the case. :)

 

I realize when we just show up we may have to wait awhile for a table, but that's fine. Heck, we wait here sometimes 30-45 minutes for a table at popular restaurants at busy times so that's no problem. We just wanted to not have to rush to shower/change to get ready for an assigned dinner time. And we are not big talkers with others so we're looking forward to being able to have a table for two. So, we're really looking forward to giving My Time Dining a try this time. Thanks again everyone!

[seaofwonder]

We used it in April on Liberty. We just showed up whenever we wanted and were seated right away.

 

One night we were put at a big table of 10. Another night a table of 4 and another night was a table for 2 that was right beside two other small tables, so it was just like being at a big table.

 

We're not huge talkers either, but it was fabulous!!! One night was people from Sweden, another a couple from Ireland, and another a couple from Israel. Fascinating!!!

[JennyD1]

Cruised last week on Radiance of the Seas. We had My Time Dining (3 in party) and were told by RC that we didnt need a reservation, that we could just show up and wait to be seated (usually immediate or a few minutes at most). We tried that. Went to main dining room at 6:30 and were told to come back at 8:30. We didnt even request a certain size table. I explained to the head waiter what I was told directly from RC. We ended up being seated with three others at 7:00. After dinner we spoke to the head waiter and he told us we needed to block a table and time for the week, so we did. To me this was not "My Time Dining".

[uktraveller]

Cruised last week on Radiance of the Seas. We had My Time Dining (3 in party) and were told by RC that we didnt need a reservation, that we could just show up and wait to be seated (usually immediate or a few minutes at most). We tried that. Went to main dining room at 6:30 and were told to come back at 8:30. We didnt even request a certain size table. I explained to the head waiter what I was told directly from RC. We ended up being seated with three others at 7:00. After dinner we spoke to the head waiter and he told us we needed to block a table and time for the week, so we did. To me this was not "My Time Dining".

It didn't work how we wanted on Brilliance either. We had made a reservation for 8.30 each night and wanted a table for 2. Head Waiter was obsessive about not having people waiting and tried to force us to a shared table every night. Not a pleasant experience. After a few nights he told us if we wanted a table for 2 the best chance we had would be to turn up at 6.30 or after 9pm...ignoring our reservations altogether.:(

Back to traditional dining for us.

[ZoeyVictoria]

We tried MTD earlier this month and booked reservations in advance. We wound up meeting a couple we enjoyed and met them for dinner every night - our reservations were even linked by the dining room staff after three nights. As it turned out, our reservations were for the same time every night, so it seems like traditional dining would have worked for us. If we sign up for traditional dining but something happens (i.e., late returning from an excursion), can we show up at the MDR later and wait for a table, or will we have to eat elsewhere?

[M&M Hayden]

If we sign up for traditional dining but something happens (i.e., late returning from an excursion), can we show up at the MDR later and wait for a table, or will we have to eat elsewhere?

 

No, you'll have to go to the WJ.

[jatdowning]

We've been a 1/2hr late for traditional dining and they still sat us. It was no big deal. We also didn't expect a 2hr dining block either. We ate and were out of there 15mins early:-)

 

This has only happened a few times and not something we do excessively.

[suezyq50]

Showing up late with traditional dining, throws of the serving for the waiters. They are on such a tight time frame.

[Yvonne]

Showing up late with traditional dining, throws of the serving for the waiters. They are on such a tight time frame.

 

I totally agree. I can't imagine showing up for traditional dining a half-hour late. I think that is rude, not only to the servers who now have to backtrack to accommodate you but also to your tablemates, if you have them. If I was going to be more than 5-10 minutes late for dinner I would go to the buffet, or order room service.

[RoofingPrincess]

I totally agree. I can't imagine showing up for traditional dining a half-hour late. I think that is rude, not only to the servers who now have to backtrack to accommodate you but also to your tablemates, if you have them. If I was going to be more than 5-10 minutes late for dinner I would go to the buffet, or order room service.

It affects not only your tablemates, but everyone else in that waiter's section.

On our Serenade cruise, there was a table of women in our waiter's section who habitually showed up at least half an hour late every night. On the first night, the waiter tried to tell them they were too late for appetizers and would have to go straight to the entree course, but they threw such an almighty hissy fit that the head waiter got involved. He eventually told the waiter to go upstairs to the MTD kitchen and get what the women wanted. Well, that set the stage for the rest of the week. They kept showing up later and later, and ordering all courses. It got to the point that by mid-week we were taking bets as to what time they'd show up for dinner.

So service to all the other tables in the section was delayed -- every night -- while the poor waiter went upstairs to MTD. All because these women decided that the set dining time didn't apply to them and head waiter didn't have enough guts to tell them that they couldn't show up seriously late and still expect all the courses.

[cruisegirl1]

We've been a 1/2hr late for traditional dining and they still sat us. It was no big deal. We also didn't expect a 2hr dining block either. We ate and were out of there 15mins early:-)

 

This has only happened a few times and not something we do excessively.

 

Unless you are at a table for 2 - it is a big deal. It is rude to the table mates. Further it is a huge imposition to the staff. Believe me, it is a big deal to them, although they will never admit it. Strange that you think your schedule is more important than the 1000 or so passengers who managed to get to the dining room on time.

 

M

[flcruzer03]

We are just back from the Serenade...we had signed up for MTD as well...they were VERY pushy about making a reservation...called us on Sunday to make one for that night...after I told her we were going to Portofino she tried to get me to make one for Mon. night...I told her no, we didn't know what time we wanted to eat...they called again Mon...I still did not make a reservation...we showed up about 6:15 and they seated the 3 of us right away...due to bad experience though we decided the dining room was not going to work for us..so we ate in the WJ or room service the rest of the trip...on Thurs they called to ask why we had not been back to MTD..told her we were not happy with our experience..she was very insistent we come back...not sure if it's just the Serenade or all ships..but I didn't like the feeling of being hounded about where or when I was going to eat..

[Yvonne]

We are just back from the Serenade...we had signed up for MTD as well...they were VERY pushy about making a reservation...called us on Sunday to make one for that night...after I told her we were going to Portofino she tried to get me to make one for Mon. night...I told her no, we didn't know what time we wanted to eat...they called again Mon...I still did not make a reservation...we showed up about 6:15 and they seated the 3 of us right away...due to bad experience though we decided the dining room was not going to work for us..so we ate in the WJ or room service the rest of the trip...on Thurs they called to ask why we had not been back to MTD..told her we were not happy with our experience..she was very insistent we come back...not sure if it's just the Serenade or all ships..but I didn't like the feeling of being hounded about where or when I was going to eat..

 

Oh gosh, I really hope that doesn't happen to us on the Monarch in January. I would hate to receive pushy phone calls like that! If they are that pushy about making reservations for My Time Dining then they need to change it to My Reserved Dining or something like that. For me, the draw of My Time Dining is to be able to go at any time and not have to worry about a fixed time. If that is not the case, and we are hounded like you were to make a reservation, then we will probably just have dinner in the WJ as well. :(

[DebbyD]

We were on the Serenade in August and had MTD, it worked pretty well, they usually sat us with the same couples at a table for 10. On the first formal night we were really late so they sat us at a table for two which was also ok with us, one night we were about a half hour late and they still sat us at the table for 10 but they wanted us to catch up with the other diners at our table so we felt really rushed trying to eat our dinner so they could serve our dessert with the other diners. We have booked the Serenade for next September and I booked the MTD again.

[island lady]

I have not tried MTD yet, but signed up for it for my Jewel 10 night. Found it convenient to make reservations on the web site in advance for the first 2 nights, as we won't be in a port the first 2 nights and don't have to worry about getting back late from an excursion. Guess we will make reservations each day after that when we get our cruise compass and plan our day.

 

The RCI online reservations asked us if we wanted a "two top" or to dine with others.

It also asked if we wanted the same time for each day, or to make reservations as we go.

Thought that was a nice availability of choices.

 

We will see how it works. Set times at traditional Early and Late are just that for us....too early and too late. Hoping this will be the better alternative for us. We loved the Free style dining on NCL, and enjoyed eating at almost every one of the 9 dining areas that were all theme type dining.

[reallyitsmema]

I have not tried MTD yet, but signed up for it for my Jewel 10 night. Found it convenient to make reservations on the web site in advance for the first 2 nights, as we won't be in a port the first 2 nights and don't have to worry about getting back late from an excursion. Guess we will make reservations each day after that when we get our cruise compass and plan our day.

 

The RCI online reservations asked us if we wanted a "two top" or to dine with others.

It also asked if we wanted the same time for each day, or to make reservations as we go.

Thought that was a nice availability of choices.

 

We will see how it works. Set times at traditional Early and Late are just that for us....too early and too late. Hoping this will be the better alternative for us. We loved the Free style dining on NCL, and enjoyed eating at almost every one of the 9 dining areas that were all theme type dining.

We just sailed the Jewel a few weeks ago and thought the online reservations process was quick and easy too. We made a reservation for 7pm every night for a table for 2. Once on board, we were asked repeatedly to sit at a larger table and to change our time to a little earlier or later. When I asked what was a little earlier, the head waiter said 5:35:eek:, later was 8:30:cool:. We picked 7 and MTD because we didn't like the traditional seating times, which were 5:30 and 8 on our sailing.

 

We ended up going at 7 each night and did get a table for 2. The head waiter finally stopped asking us to change once we made the point that we picked 7 because we wanted 7 and it was available to book. We pointed out that if that time did not work in MTD, then the time should not be available to book.

 

We also tried to get the same wait staff everynight because we really liked one particular waiter and assistant. Once we had it put in our reservation, we never got them again.:( We ended up in the WJ the last two nights because we were really done with the whole process.

 

We haven't had the best luck in the main dining room on our last two cruises now so we aren't sure what we are going to do on our next cruise. We have decided we like the calmness of the WJ at night and especially liked the guitarist who played in the Mariner WJ at dinner. We aren't totally against MTD either but you really need to stand your ground and not let them force you into something you don't want.

[island lady]

We just sailed the Jewel a few weeks ago and thought the online reservations process was quick and easy too. We made a reservation for 7pm every night for a table for 2. Once on board, we were asked repeatedly to sit at a larger table and to change our time to a little earlier or later. When I asked what was a little earlier, the head waiter said 5:35:eek:, later was 8:30:cool:. We picked 7 and MTD because we didn't like the traditional seating times, which were 5:30 and 8 on our sailing.

 

We ended up going at 7 each night and did get a table for 2. The head waiter finally stopped asking us to change once we made the point that we picked 7 because we wanted 7 and it was available to book. We pointed out that if that time did not work in MTD, then the time should not be available to book.

 

We also tried to get the same wait staff everynight because we really liked one particular waiter and assistant. Once we had it put in our reservation, we never got them again.:( We ended up in the WJ the last two nights because we were really done with the whole process.

 

We haven't had the best luck in the main dining room on our last two cruises now so we aren't sure what we are going to do on our next cruise. We have decided we like the calmness of the WJ at night and especially liked the guitarist who played in the Mariner WJ at dinner. We aren't totally against MTD either but you really need to stand your ground and not let them force you into something you don't want.

 

Thanks so much for the information. I am not sure what we will do either. We enjoy meeting other dining mates at dinner, but not sure how that would work on MTD. Doing the 7 pm every night would be nice, but when I made the online reservations, that time was already booked. Had to do 6:30 or 7:15, which would still be fine.

[uktraveller]

We just sailed the Jewel a few weeks ago and thought the online reservations process was quick and easy too. We made a reservation for 7pm every night for a table for 2. Once on board, we were asked repeatedly to sit at a larger table and to change our time to a little earlier or later. When I asked what was a little earlier, the head waiter said 5:35:eek:, later was 8:30:cool:. We picked 7 and MTD because we didn't like the traditional seating times, which were 5:30 and 8 on our sailing.

 

We ended up going at 7 each night and did get a table for 2. The head waiter finally stopped asking us to change once we made the point that we picked 7 because we wanted 7 and it was available to book. We pointed out that if that time did not work in MTD, then the time should not be available to book.

 

We also tried to get the same wait staff everynight because we really liked one particular waiter and assistant. Once we had it put in our reservation, we never got them again.:( We ended up in the WJ the last two nights because we were really done with the whole process.

 

We haven't had the best luck in the main dining room on our last two cruises now so we aren't sure what we are going to do on our next cruise. We have decided we like the calmness of the WJ at night and especially liked the guitarist who played in the Mariner WJ at dinner. We aren't totally against MTD either but you really need to stand your ground and not let them force you into something you don't want.

 

This is very similar to the experience we had with MyTime dining on the Brilliance. The Head Waiter was not interested in the fact that we had made online reservations for a table for 2 ...he just wanted to seat us where he wanted .... always at a large table. He also tried repeatedly to get us to change from our reserved time to either very early or very late. He really did not hide his displeasure that we didn't just sit where we were told....and it did spoil our dining experience.

[KathyF.]

First time cruiser here. I'm confused. I thought we had booked MTD with our TA. Our dining time is 6 p.m. and we have the option for the kids where they will take them away part way through the meal. :D;)

 

Do we have to make a reservation for the MDR every night we want to dine there? And seriously if we're 10 minutes late it will be a huge fuss?

 

And will we have to dine with other passengers every night as well?

[reallyitsmema]

First time cruiser here. I'm confused. I thought we had booked MTD with our TA. Our dining time is 6 p.m. and we have the option for the kids where they will take them away part way through the meal. :D;)

 

Do we have to make a reservation for the MDR every night we want to dine there? And seriously if we're 10 minutes late it will be a huge fuss?

 

And will we have to dine with other passengers every night as well?

It sounds like you are signed up for My Family Time Dining which is part of main seating where the Adventure Ocean staff picks up the kids from the dining room. You have a set time each night and hopefully, you will get to enjoy dessert and coffee kid free.:)

 

As far as being late for main seating, it can throw off the whole area that your waiter has if you are very late every night. Ten minutes late isn't too bad, much later just makes it harder on your waiter. You will have a set table each night, with the same wait staff and the same tablemates if you are at a larger table. If you want a table for just your family, have your TA request it.