For Thost with Kids do you Book Traditional or My Time?

[LuCruise]

If shows were always at 8pm then it would be a no brainer - we'd select traditional dining with early seating. But on ships like the Allure, the show times vary depending on the night. I've gone through the shows times that are offered today and we'd select shows at the following times:

• 5pm
  
• 7pm
  
• 7:30pm
  
• 8:30pm
  
• 9pm
  

 

On nights where the show is 5pm, 8:30pm or 9pm, we'd want dinner at 6-6:30pm.

On nights where the show is 7 or 7:30pm, we'd need to eat as early as possible at 5:30pm.

So seems like My Time would be better for us.

 

What do others do with kids? Do you book traditional (and if so, early or late)? Or do you select My Time? I've read many comments where Traditional is preferred so you get seated on time and get same waiter.

 

PS - This assumes that Dynamic Dining gets ditched. Otherwise, we'll need to book our time anyways.

PPS - Even if Dynamic Dining goes ahead by our cruise, then it's basically like My Time (but having to select which restaurant as well)

Edited January 22, 2015 by LuCruise

[cb at sea]

If your kids want to do the nighttime kid's club activities, then choose early seating...that's the most advantageous.

Edited January 22, 2015 by cb at sea

[LuCruise]

If your kids want to do the nighttime kid's club activities, then choose early seating...that's the most advantageous.

 

No, I meant the above for all of us...We have dinner together and go to a show with our kids.

Plus how would a 6pm seating work for the shows 7 and 7:30pm show times?

Edited January 22, 2015 by LuCruise

[John&LaLa]

No, I meant the above for all of us...We have dinner together and go to a show with our kids.

Plus how would a 6pm seating work for the shows 7 and 7:30pm show times?

 

Online planner won't allow it. Requirements are two hours for dinner.

I booked shows first, then dinner. It then shows what times will work. Good luck

[LuCruise]

Online planner won't allow it. Requirements are two hours for dinner.

I booked shows first, then dinner. It then shows what times will work. Good luck

 

Ah ok thanks. Didn't realize that so good to know. So basically I can't book anything in the main dining room before the 7pm show. But for 7:30pm, then could book 5:30pm, right? If we didn't have kids then we'd just eat after but that'll be too late for them.

Edited January 22, 2015 by LuCruise

[brenderlou]

Dining room doesn't open until 6:00 as far as I know. Either eat at Windjammer or ask waiter for quick service (skip appetizers/dessert) to get to show.

 

 

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[LuCruise]

Dining room doesn't open until 6:00 as far as I know. Either eat at Windjammer or ask waiter for quick service (skip appetizers/dessert) to get to show.

 

 

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I thought I saw on a cruise compas or read somewhere that traditional early seating is at 6pm, but MTD is from 5:30pm - xxx pm (forget the end time).

Edited January 22, 2015 by LuCruise

[brenderlou]

Oh, sorry you are probably right. I don't know why I thought 6:00.

 

We have a 10 yr old and always do MTD. We like the flexibility of going when we want and it doesn't matter to us if we have different staff to table. We can be in and out in an hour if needed (just tell your waiter).

 

 

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Edited January 22, 2015 by brenderlou

[MaddyandMax]

We always get the early traditional seating. Dinner at 8:30 is just too late for children under 10 (in my humble opinion). As for shows, my kids are always too anxious to get back to the kids club to watch to see a show so we always go to the later show by ourselves.

[Haber]

Ah ok thanks. Didn't realize that so good to know. So basically I can't book anything in the main dining room before the 7pm show. But for 7:30pm, then could book 5:30pm, right? If we didn't have kids then we'd just eat after but that'll be too late for them.

 

I'm on traditional early dining and I was allowed to book a 7:30 show on the Oasis. Maybe it's just MTD that double checks and insists on two hours.

[njm5378]

We always do traditional early with our kids. If something doesn't work with that we grab dinner in the WJ or grab pizza. Our youngest would rather go to Adventure Ocean than the shows and my older two are always up for whatever.

[mollyeilis]

We always get the early traditional seating. Dinner at 8:30 is just too late for children under 10 (in my humble opinion). As for shows, my kids are always too anxious to get back to the kids club to watch to see a show so we always go to the later show by ourselves.

 

Unless you're from a different timezone and you're still on that timezone. 8:30 for us, if we have just flown in, is 5:30. DH is still leaving his office at that time; dinner then is far too early.

 

I thought I saw on a cruise compas or read somewhere that traditional early seating is at 6pm, but MTD is from 5:30pm - xxx pm (forget the end time).

 

My Family Time Dining can start at 5:30. But the whole point of that seating is that kids are (supposedly...never happened for us) fed quickly then whisked off to the kid's clubs.

 

 

Are you 100% sure that the shows on your sailing are appropriate for your ages of kids? We aren't big show people so I don't know, but I haven't found many people on Royal talking about taking their kids to shows.

[PSCruiser]

Just off the Liberty. We had 6 PM dining, and took advantage of "My Family Time". The kids order entree only, and they usually were served around 6:20. At 6:45 we took the kids to the MDR entry, where they are picked up by Adventure Ocean - worked great!

[Biz64]

We just got off the Allure with 3 of our kids and 3 of their cousins. We had MTD and it worked out great for us. When we had a show after dinner, we let the waiter know and we were done with dinner in about 1.5 hours or less.

[LuCruise]

My Family Time Dining can start at 5:30. But the whole point of that seating is that kids are (supposedly...never happened for us) fed quickly then whisked off to the kid's clubs.

 

 

Are you 100% sure that the shows on your sailing are appropriate for your ages of kids? We aren't big show people so I don't know, but I haven't found many people on Royal talking about taking their kids to shows.

 

Thanks for the replies. I know there will be times our kids will go to the kids club and I've heard its great on RCL but I'd love us to spend the evenings together as this is a family trip. So we wouldn't do My Family Time Dining (maybe one night would be nice...if you can...but not every night).

 

Our family loves shows but we'll have to see. I'm looking at the current scheduled shows and they'd enjoy most (Ocean Ari, Blue Planet, Headliner depending on the act, Ice Games). Only ones that may depend are the comedy show and if they don't change Chicago to Mamma Mia.

 

We just got off the Allure with 3 of our kids and 3 of their cousins. We had MTD and it worked out great for us. When we had a show after dinner, we let the waiter know and we were done with dinner in about 1.5 hours or less.

 

This is good to know...so we'd be ok for say a 7:30pm but 7pm would be pushing it.