MTD question

[robyn206]

Hi! I'm taking my 7 year old daughter on her first cruise on August 11 on Oasis, as a birthday celebration. It's just her and I. We have the MTD. Since we just booked last week, obviously many of the times were filled up. This is a new experience for me. I was on Liberty in Feb. 2009, but it was with a large group of about 30 people for a work event, and I don't believe there was MTD at that time, but it wouldn't have mattered anyway. I was wondering if when you choose to be seated with others if RC takes into account your demographics, like age. I know some people may not choose to be seated with a child, but since it's just her and I, we'd like to meet other people. I requested an individual table the first and last nights (though I know it's not guaranteed), but with others on the other 5 nights. Some of the seatings are fairly late, 8:15, so I don't know if we are going to be imposing on others. Any advice?

 

Also, are any of the other dining options child friendly? If so, which ones? Thanks for any help.

[kingsgirl]

Hi! I'm taking my 7 year old daughter on her first cruise on August 11 on Oasis, as a birthday celebration. It's just her and I. We have the MTD. Since we just booked last week, obviously many of the times were filled up. This is a new experience for me. I was on Liberty in Feb. 2009, but it was with a large group of about 30 people for a work event, and I don't believe there was MTD at that time, but it wouldn't have mattered anyway. I was wondering if when you choose to be seated with others if RC takes into account your demographics, like age. I know some people may not choose to be seated with a child, but since it's just her and I, we'd like to meet other people. I requested an individual table the first and last nights (though I know it's not guaranteed), but with others on the other 5 nights. Some of the seatings are fairly late, 8:15, so I don't know if we are going to be imposing on others. Any advice?

 

Also, are any of the other dining options child friendly? If so, which ones? Thanks for any help.

 

I can help with a few of your questions.....

 

You can't take your daughter to a speciality pay-extra restaurant (ex. Chops) as I think children have to be 13 or something. The Windjammer and room service are always an option, as are the free dining options like Sorrento's Pizza and Johnny Rockets (free with coupon or otherwise small fee).

[Geldhart]

They can go to Chops before a certain time (1900 IIRC) as long as they are with you. My 11 and 8 year old are reserved with DW and I for a night on Chops on our upcoming cruise

[stretchcruz]

I, and my husband, personally, would not want to be seated with a child. We always choose late time fixed seating to try to insure that there are no children. However, on a few cruises, we have had children at the table that we were assigned to. We did not even sit down, we turned around and asked the maitre'd to find us another assigned table. That said, if I was at MTD, if I did not want to sit with a child, I would do the same, when the waiter escorted me to the table I would politely ask for another table. I have done this when there is open seating in the dining room for lunch, and I believe that the parents take no offense (they don't want folks sitting with their children that don't want to be with children), and the waiters understand as well (they want to make sure that we as guests are happy).

[baggal]

Talk to the maitre d' the first night. He/she should be able to help you.

[robyn206]

I, and my husband, personally, would not want to be seated with a child. We always choose late time fixed seating to try to insure that there are no children. However, on a few cruises, we have had children at the table that we were assigned to. We did not even sit down, we turned around and asked the maitre'd to find us another assigned table. That said, if I was at MTD, if I did not want to sit with a child, I would do the same, when the waiter escorted me to the table I would politely ask for another table. I have done this when there is open seating in the dining room for lunch, and I believe that the parents take no offense (they don't want folks sitting with their children that don't want to be with children), and the waiters understand as well (they want to make sure that we as guests are happy).

 

Thank you for your opinion, and I personally take no offense, which is why I'm asking if Royal Caribbean takes any of that into consideration when putting together table assignments. I was once childless, and would have preferred to be seated with adults on my vacation. I don't want her to somehow interfere with the other guests' comfort, despite her being such an awesome kid. Perhaps I should go back and try to change our reservations to solo tables, but heck, I think we'd both like someone else to talk to after a while.

[gerif]

Thank you for your opinion, and I personally take no offense, which is why I'm asking if Royal Caribbean takes any of that into consideration when putting together table assignments. I was once childless, and would have preferred to be seated with adults on my vacation. I don't want her to somehow interfere with the other guests' comfort, despite her being such an awesome kid. Perhaps I should go back and try to change our reservations to solo tables, but heck, I think we'd both like someone else to talk to after a while.

 

You might try to see the maitre d' when you first board and try to change to early seating. They very well might be able to arrange to get you in and put you with a family with similar age children. The problem with MTD is that you never know if there is going to be space at a table available with people who want to dine with others at the time you wish to go. They don't know the "demographics" of each diner the way they do with traditional dining, so it's a roll of the dice as to who will be dining when.

[Starry Eyes]

the last time I had MTD with reservations specifying a table for our party alone. still we were asked if we wish to share or not when we approached the hostess stand. based on that experience, I am not sure it is a big deal if you change your mind on the fly between a table for two vs a larger table.

 

are you sure MTD is the best choice for you two? i do not know you, so I cannot know what is best for you, but with a child and a desire to meet others, I might be more tempted to request traditional early dining. a few weeks before the cruise, I would email dining and request a table with other families with Tweens. If the assignment works, you have good tablemates for the rst of the trip...if the assignment does not work, you can see the Madre d for a new assignment. that would be my approach...YMMV.

[orville99]

Look into family time dining. Since your child is under 11, you could do that.

[Ashland]

I would email rcldining@rccl.com or OA_restaurantoperationscoordinator@rccl.com (don't forget the underscore _ between OA and restaurant) and give all info regarding your sailing and request early traditional dining or family dining and to be put at a table with a family of similar aged children....I think it's wonderful for you to be going on this special cruise with your daughter...Happy Birthday to her and ENJOY !!!!

[stretchcruz]

I wish you a wonderful time on your cruise with your daughter and I hope you find tablemates that you enjoy!!

In our experience with RCI, fixed time dining (lost count of the cruises, 15 maybe?), we never had the opinion that they made any effort to match us up with others the same as us. We've been seated with folks that spoke only French, only Spanish, had children in strollers and high chairs at late seating (Spanish again), honeymooners, family groups, it has just been the luck of the draw. When we have gone to the maitre'd to switch, he always had just cabin numbers and moved stuff around, told us he had no info on who the folks were. We have met many many people on our cruises that we still correspond with, and have loved our dining experiences, but, again, it used to be that the computer and the maitre'd just moved folks around, no regard for ages, etc. That being said, one of our best table groups was my husand and I, married at the time probably 15 years, a honeymoon couple, a couple married 55 years, and another couple married maybe 10 years. We had a ball and exchanged cards and letters for years.

I'm sure you'll have fun and find folks to your liking!!

[CocaCola19]

I wouldn't ask for a solo table just because you are worried about others not liking your child simply because she is a child. Like other posters have said, they will move themselves if they don't like the table they are assigned. When you arrive you could just ask the MatreD to sit you with another family. I hear they will likely do that anways (atleast from other posts I have read). Personally I didn't mind sitting with a family before I had a baby, and now that I have a baby I really don't mind. My baby loves other kids. Just go with the flow, and if something doesn't work then you can always change the next night. Also, I wouldn't just eat at the windjammer or Johnny Rockets like others have mentioned on this board. Good luck and enjoy your cruise! :)

 

Honestly I think this board does not represent the true population of cruisers. I think more do not mind children on cruises than this board lets people to believe. A lot of people on this board seemed to have raised there families and are done. Plus they have more time to visit this board. It is just what I think, but could be wrong.

[robyn206]

I thank you all for your comments. I really had no plans to take her to only the Windjammer or such, I've paid the full fare for her, just as everyone else, so we will eat in the MDR if we desire, I'm leaving that up to her. No child rate when the child is the second person in the cabin. We didn't specify early seating because we didn't want to miss out a lot of the activities, plus she may want to rest in the late afternoon to stay up for the shows that we reserved. I didn't want to have to cut our days short to have to go back and get ready for dinner so early. We love the action! She is not a child that needs her meal brought out first, I never did that with her, we eat together, and she is quite a little lady, well mannered and well spoken, and will probably not be ordering of the kids menu since I hear it's the same every day. I will see about contacting RC with the email listed above, and I have never heard of anything called family dining. I've also read that you can just show up without a reservation, we may have to wait, but it can be done. Is that the case? Can we go anytime?

[lisiamc]

I didn't read that any other posters were advising the OP to only eat at the Windjammer or Johnny Rocket's. They were just offered up as suggestions for other child-friendly dining venues for a little variety.

[RoofingPrincess]

Robyn,

Yes, you can just show up for MTD without a reservation. My cruise roomie & I did it quite often, in fact, the only times we made a reservation was when we were dining with other friends who also had MTD, since larger tables for 6-8 people were hard to get when you just showed up.

When the two of us showed up, we were *never* asked whether we wanted to dine with others. We were always just taken to a table for 2. The way the MTD dining section was configured, however, many of the 2-tops were placed so closely together that you might as well have just called it a table for 6...

[robyn206]

Also, I wouldn't just eat at the windjammer or Johnny Rockets like others have mentioned on this board. Good luck and enjoy your cruise! :)

 

 

 

I was responding to this message, not that any of the posters here had said that we should do that.

[robyn206]

Robyn,

Yes, you can just show up for MTD without a reservation. My cruise roomie & I did it quite often, in fact, the only times we made a reservation was when we were dining with other friends who also had MTD, since larger tables for 6-8 people were hard to get when you just showed up.

When the two of us showed up, we were *never* asked whether we wanted to dine with others. We were always just taken to a table for 2. The way the MTD dining section was configured, however, many of the 2-tops were placed so closely together that you might as well have just called it a table for 6...

 

 

Should I cancel my reservations, that way someone else has the opportunity for those times if they wish, or does it not matter? Can we show up earlier than we have reservations for?

[denamo]

Should I cancel my reservations, that way someone else has the opportunity for those times if they wish, or does it not matter? Can we show up earlier than we have reservations for?

 

 

Robyn206,

We recently cruised on the Enchantment. We had a standing reservation for each night, but mostly we just showed up. Not a problem. You can show up outside of your reservation time. A waiter even told us, MTD is for your convenience. We did see cruisers with reservations sometimes having to wait anyway. You could keep your reservations or head to the MTD area once you arrive on board and see if you could change to an earlier time. My understanding is that some reservation slots are left for those who did not make online reservations.

I know the MTD area encourages reservations just so they don't get slammed all at once and have a bunch of unhappy cruisers. We will be on board the Allure by this time next week. We booked this cruise very late, so any time after 5:30 P.M. was unavailable. That is too early for our preference to eat, so our plan is to show up and wait if we must. If we have show reservations and it's getting late, there is of course the Windjammer. ;)

We have never done MTD on the Oasis class ships, and from reveiws posted here, it does get busy at peak times. If we are trying to eat at one of those peak times, we've already decided that patience is in need. :)

Have a great cruise celebrating your daughter's birthday!

[Starry Eyes]

Should I cancel my reservations, that way someone else has the opportunity for those times if they wish, or does it not matter? Can we show up earlier than we have reservations for?

If MTD is best for you, keep it just the way you have it. If you happen to be ready earlier, go on down. If you decide you'd rather just the two of you some night when you thought you'd want company, just make the request at the door. You may wait a bit longer than if you arrive per your reservation, but you'll figure out what's best if that happens (some people wait, some people get a beverage and wait, some hungrier-or less patient- ones go to WJ).

 

I have not noticed many tweens in MTD on my particular cruises, but hopefully your daughter will have plenty of peers as you are sailing at a peak family time. Have a wonderful cruise.

[negc]

I thank you all for your comments. I really had

I will see about contacting RC with the email listed above, and I have never heard of anything called family dining. I've also read that you can just show up without a reservation, we may have to wait, but it can be done. Is that the case? Can we go anytime?

 

Yes, you can and we do so frequently and have yet to have any waits of more than five minutes. Don't be put off by the indications that only later dining times are available. They seem to always allow for walk-ups so there should be a table available whenever you elect to dine. If your daughter participates in the Adventure Ocean program she may even make friends with some other children whose parents would enjoy sharing their table with the two of you. There are endless possibilities. A conversation with the host or hostess at MTD should also help in finding a table where the other occupants would welcome your presence.

[CocaCola19]

I didn't read that any other posters were advising the OP to only eat at the Windjammer or Johnny Rocket's. They were just offered up as suggestions for other child-friendly dining venues for a little variety.

 

 

Sorry I didn't clarify myself,- I wasn't posting based soley on the above posts. I have read posts on the CC boards that have suggested people with kids should not eat in the MDR at all. I have been doing a lot of reading about families with kids and babies so I have come across a lot of good and BAD advice. I wanted to point out that not everyone feels the way that some of the vocal "no cruising with kids" people portray on this board. I don't mind children, and I'm sure others are like me. I wanted to put that out there because I have not seen any posts that say they would enjoy their meal just as much even if small children are present. I would think that this mom would read other threads and might come across the posts I was referring too, so I preemptively gave my opinion here. My goal is to make every cruiser feel welcomed and I look forward to conversations with all different types of cruisers.

[mcatmcat]

).

 

Honestly I think this board does not represent the true population of cruisers. .

 

400 % agree with u , I get here for quick answers but I think they represent 10 % or less of the people in the cruise.

[lisiamc]

Sorry I didn't clarify myself,- I wasn't posting based soley on the above posts. I have read posts on the CC boards that have suggested people with kids should not eat in the MDR at all. I have been doing a lot of reading about families with kids and babies so I have come across a lot of good and BAD advice. I wanted to point out that not everyone feels the way that some of the vocal "no cruising with kids" people portray on this board. I don't mind children, and I'm sure others are like me. I wanted to put that out there because I have not seen any posts that say they would enjoy their meal just as much even if small children are present. I would think that this mom would read other threads and might come across the posts I was referring too, so I preemptively gave my opinion here. My goal is to make every cruiser feel welcomed and I look forward to conversations with all different types of cruisers.

 

No worries - I see what you mean! :)