My time Dining vs late seating

[Ken Greco]

I just booked the IOS for New Years Eve. How does My time dining work. I am wait listed for the late seating with a large table. We have always dined with others. I am hoping this cruise which is 9 months away will allow me to have late seating. Anyone else on this New Years Eve cruise on the Independence of the Seas?

[mxylpic]

I just booked the IOS for New Years Eve. How does My time dining work. I am wait listed for the late seating with a large table. We have always dined with others. I am hoping this cruise which is 9 months away will allow me to have late seating. Anyone else on this New Years Eve cruise on the Independence of the Seas?

 

My time dining is basically show up (like a shore restaraunt) and wait for a table. We did My Time on Rhapsody OTS to Alaska last summer and it was fantastic. Even without reservations we had the same table and the same wait staff for every dinner.

 

DD and I were on Monarch several years back and did MyTime. We were very impressed that by the second night the Matir'D was calling us by name.

 

What I like about it is the flexibility to eat when you want based on what else you are doing.

[cruisenfever]

I just booked the IOS for New Years Eve. How does My time dining work. I am wait listed for the late seating with a large table. We have always dined with others. I am hoping this cruise which is 9 months away will allow me to have late seating. Anyone else on this New Years Eve cruise on the Independence of the Seas?

Here's the link to the roll call for your sailing if you are doing the New Year - Dec 28 2014 for 6 days cruise on Indy.

 

Keep checking as Second Seating should open up.

[cb at sea]

We like having tablemates, too. Get on the waitlist for late seating, if you haven't done so....and request a large table. They will make every effort to accomodate you. If you have to do MTD, it's unlikely that you will have tablemates.

[LMaxwell]

You can elect to dine alone or with others with MTD. We had selected to dine with others and out of 7 nights in MDR we sat with others 4 nights. Depends when you show up really. We made friends and so dined with them repeatedly but never had reservations, just showed up together.

[Cruzman]

Have you ever been to Olive Garden, or Red Lobster? That is exactly what you can expect with Mytime dining. Some folks like that experience; I simply hope to experience something different while on a cruise. Good luck on getting assigned late traditional dining on your cruise!

[mxylpic]

Have you ever been to Olive Garden, or Red Lobster? That is exactly what you can expect with Mytime dining. Some folks like that experience; I simply hope to experience something different while on a cruise. Good luck on getting assigned late traditional dining on your cruise!

 

I beg to differ. The service, care and attention from Royal Waitstaff is not even in the same universe as what you get at a chain, commercial restaurant.

 

Now, if you want the whole "meeting people" thing, that's great for you. I've done that twice and batted .500. On our first cruise, DW and i got a bunch of oddballs. ON a later cruise with DS we got some really nice folks.

 

Personally, we prefer to dine as a family. If you want to meet people, as an earlier poster said, you can request that in MTD. The point of MTD is time flexibility. Not having to worry about missing a show, or if you want to eat a bit earlier or later based on how you feel after getting back from an excursion in port.

 

But again it's personal choice. You like traditional, fine. Don't knock it if you haven't tried it, though I suspect you haven't.

[NJ&Ozzie]

I beg to differ. The service, care and attention from Royal Waitstaff is not even in the same universe as what you get at a chain, commercial restaurant.

 

Now, if you want the whole "meeting people" thing, that's great for you. I've done that twice and batted .500. On our first cruise, DW and i got a bunch of oddballs. ON a later cruise with DS we got some really nice folks.

 

Personally, we prefer to dine as a family. If you want to meet people, as an earlier poster said, you can request that in MTD. The point of MTD is time flexibility. Not having to worry about missing a show, or if you want to eat a bit earlier or later based on how you feel after getting back from an excursion in port.

 

But again it's personal choice. You like traditional, fine. Don't knock it if you haven't tried it, though I suspect you haven't.

 

Hi,

On our last ten cruises have always done traditional dining, late seating. Last cruise had no choice but to do My Time Dining as there was group of 600 on our ship. Had an open mind but decided we're not a fan of MTD. Understand the flexibility option but it was not for us - did not want to think every day about what time we would book dinner. Then had problem of staff not answering phone so we could even book. Had to keep phoning or stop by desk. Very unorganized. It was explained to us that MTD was for those that wanted a faster dining experience. In & out. We managed to get the same waiter every nite but did notice a difference in service. They seemed to be so busy keeping every table under control (co-ordinating various times of service of courses) that we often felt rushed & unattended. Not the fine dining we were used to in the MDR. And altho we did chat with people beside us - it did feel impersonal, unlike meeting the same people every nite. So that was our experience. But we have talked to people that loved MTD.

NJ :)

[negc]

we did mtd on the serenade...we had the same table every night, the same waiters, and we never waited. our table was always waiting for us. we were treated extremely well but the staff...same waiters every night..greeted us by name..it was a wonderful experience

 

Based on our similar experiences with mtd, I believe that what you have described is more the rule than the exception. And for those who really want to dine at a large table, a simple request to the person at the MTD podium on Deck5, can probably accommodate you. You could also become acquainted with others during the cruise and, if they have also selected MY TIME DINING, arrange to dine with them each evening.

[NJ&Ozzie]

Based on our similar experiences with mtd, I believe that what you have described is more the rule than the exception. And for those who really want to dine at a large table, a simple request to the person at the MTD podium on Deck5, can probably accommodate you. You could also become acquainted with others during the cruise and, if they have also selected MY TIME DINING, arrange to dine with them each evening.

 

Hi,

Obviously everyone has their own dining preferences & experiences. From a first timers MTD view, it would not be our choice again. As it turned out, we did manage to get the same waiters every nite by asking for their section. There was no issue with the waiters. It was our overall impression of the whole dining experience. It seemed less formal & less structured than the traditional dining room.

Actually, we did try to get seated at a large table. We ended up the only two at a table for ten. Maybe there is a trick to this. But it would seem that the whole table had to be filled before service could start otherwise everyone is at a different stage in the dinner service. Maybe you can shed some light on how to be seated at a large table? The larger tables of diners we saw were already pre-arranged groups or families.

Cheers,

NJ :)

[Cruzman]

I beg to differ. The service, care and attention from Royal Waitstaff is not even in the same universe as what you get at a chain, commercial restaurant.

 

Now, if you want the whole "meeting people" thing, that's great for you. I've done that twice and batted .500. On our first cruise, DW and i got a bunch of oddballs. ON a later cruise with DS we got some really nice folks.

 

Personally, we prefer to dine as a family. If you want to meet people, as an earlier poster said, you can request that in MTD. The point of MTD is time flexibility. Not having to worry about missing a show, or if you want to eat a bit earlier or later based on how you feel after getting back from an excursion in port.

 

But again it's personal choice. You like traditional, fine. Don't knock it if you haven't tried it, though I suspect you haven't.

 

On the contrary, I certainly have tried MTD; didn't like it, and will not do it again! To each his own.

[goodycruising]

I understand that some don't like MTD, but we found last cruise that we never booked, and when we went to eat when we were ready, usually 8pm to 9pm. We had very little if any wait, and as we were in the Diamond lounge we went to dinner with friends that varied from 2 others to 5 others. We were in the same area mostly in the dining room, and around us were generally the same people, and there was some large tables amongst the groups.

 

One of the people that we had dinner with several times did go to the MTD by themselves on other occasions and asked to be seated with others. So I don't think people are always aware of the flexibility of it.

 

With fixed time dining we have found the waiters to be slammed all at the same time. On MTD we found the service better as you were staggering the arrival of diners.

 

I think we would never go back to fixed seating time, but that is the good thing, we all like different things. :)

[negc]

Hi,

Obviously everyone has their own dining preferences & experiences. From a first timers MTD view, it would not be our choice again. As it turned out, we did manage to get the same waiters every nite by asking for their section. There was no issue with the waiters. It was our overall impression of the whole dining experience. It seemed less formal & less structured than the traditional dining room.

Actually, we did try to get seated at a large table. We ended up the only two at a table for ten. Maybe there is a trick to this. But it would seem that the whole table had to be filled before service could start otherwise everyone is at a different stage in the dinner service. Maybe you can shed some light on how to be seated at a large table? The larger tables of diners we saw were already pre-arranged groups or families.

Cheers,

NJ :)

Obviously our opinions about MTD are different but I have never noticed any formal or structural difference between traditional and MTD dining styles, though I do feel that the cruise dining experience in both is less formal than we remember from years past.

As far as my suggestions for being seated at a large table, I can only reiterate that a simple request MIGHT do the trick. If enough people with the same desire arrive in the dining room at the same time, there should be no delay between seating you and the start of service. Failing that you might consider assembling your own large group who would like to dine together, and present yourselves at My Time Dining and ask to be seated together.

We have had a rare, occasional situation in traditional dining where we found ourselves assigned to a table with less than compatible fellow cruisers and extricating ourselves from enduring that situation for an entire cruise was a bit uncomfortable, though necessary.

[NJ&Ozzie]

Obviously our opinions about MTD are different but I have never noticed any formal or structural difference between traditional and MTD dining styles, though I do feel that the cruise dining experience in both is less formal than we remember from years past.

As far as my suggestions for being seated at a large table, I can only reiterate that a simple request MIGHT do the trick. If enough people with the same desire arrive in the dining room at the same time, there should be no delay between seating you and the start of service. Failing that you might consider assembling your own large group who would like to dine together, and present yourselves at My Time Dining and ask to be seated together.

We have had a rare, occasional situation in traditional dining where we found ourselves assigned to a table with less than compatible fellow cruisers and extricating ourselves from enduring that situation for an entire cruise was a bit uncomfortable, though necessary.

 

Yes, it all sounds very simple but in reality it is no simple feat nor is there a trick I imagine to be seated at a large table when you are a couple. You would have to pick a dining time that is popular with most fellow passengers & than hope that enough people showed up at the same time & then requested a large table too. We did not see this happen. And if you don't know anyone else on the ship, it would be difficult to arrange a group. So basically my impression of MTD is that it is great for someone wanting flexibility & who doesn't mind calling every day for a reservation & doesn't mind lining up every night to give the host your cabin number & then being escorted to a table. It all seems to take work & I personally don't want to think about all this. For me, it is just easier to have a pre-set dining time & a pre-set table & to just walk to that table by yourself without lining up for possible 10-15 minutes. Then if I choose to change the table (for whatever reason), this might be possible.

Again, just my personal preference, based on my one MTD experience. Some people love MTD so it does work wonderfully for them. Everyone is different. But it was good to try it.

Cheers,

NJ :)