PLEASE explain the dining conundrum !!!

[dlg64]

:eek: I have spent days after days scrolling thru zillions of posts as I come up for my first "real" cruise in Sept on RCL.

My question that I cannot find an answer for is... can someone please clarify what all the different dining options mean ?? My time dining.... YTD ?? ... making a booking option or NOT ....etc

I have only done one short 3 day sampler cruise with P & O and we mostly went to the buffet and only went to the main dining room twice.

Both times we just rocked up to the front desk and stated we didn't have a reservation but were seated just the same.

However both times we were placed onto a table of 6 others whom were already seated and had already ordered but no food as yet....which was just fine and both evenings companions were very friendly, interesting and chatty lovely folks. :p

What I don't get is that we passed many, many empty tables of 2, 4, 6 and 8 and we were never asked how we wanted to be seated (ie: to share or not) so how do the dining staff make the choice of who you get to dine with ??

Also on P & O we only got the daily itinerary in evening which we would preview and highlight events to attend....so the times we had a booking we rang and cancelled as there were shows on at similar time that we didn't want to miss. So how does it work if you have set dining times and you want to attend shows ??

Also many posts indicated that you were allocated a table and kept going back to that same table to the same people each evening ?? I like variety and whilst it is nice to see the same folks a few times I wouldn't want to eat with them every night for an extended cruise.

I'm curious....:confused: cheers Deb

[sparky-elpaso]

In a nutshell,

 

There are generally 2 types of dining - the one where you eat at the same time in the same dining room at the same table every night (set / fixed or something like that). Usually 2 sittings - early and late.

 

Your time (or whatever the cruise line calls it) is like going to a restaurant on land - you show up whenever you want to and get seated. Some cruise lines want you to make reservations at busier times but it's usually not required - if it's busy you might have to wait a few minutes. And you can request a table for just your party or choose to sit with other folks at a larger table.

 

Most cruise lines give you an activities schedule for the whole day - you usually get it before you go to bed or early in the morning. So scheduling your dining time around shows, etc. shouldn't be a problem. And there are usually 2 shows a night which are scheduled around the 2 fixed dining times.

 

And of course, the buffets are usually pretty good and most ships now have a couple of "specialty restaurants" which cost extra. Nice for a special occasion or when you just want upscale service / food. Where else can you get filet mignon and all the trimmings for $30 or $40? :)

 

I think you'll like Royal Caribbean. We've been on Radiance of the Seas twice - one trip a circumnavigation of your wonderful country.

[John Bull]

Same time, same table each evening is "traditional" dining.

Usually you choose, or are simply allocated, the early sitting or the late sitting.

If you are unhappy with the folk you've been thrown together with, you can quietly ask the Maitre D to put you on a different table.

For breakfast or lunch there's usually no "traditional" seating, everyone is on anytime dining.

 

Just rolling up for dinner at any time, as you did, is "anytime" dining, different cruise lines give it different names but they all mean broadly the same thing. Most, including the RCI cruises we've sailed, you can book ahead for a specific time - we've dome it on RCI by booking at the end of dinner for the next evening.

I'm surprised you weren't offered the choice of a two-top or sharing - altho you were led past empty two-tops perhaps they were already booked?

If you've not booked ahead, usually you're seated straight-away if you're happy to share, but if you want a two-top there may be a wait (or you're sent away with a buzzer, as per many land restaurants). It's unusual to join a table after those already there have ordered.

Depending on the size of the dining room, how busy it is, etc, those arriving at the same time might all be seated on the same table, or several tables may be filling at the same time & which you're allocated to may depend on your numbers, your language, or the skill of the greeter or Maitre D in matching your age range, your personality etc.

Certainly on a cruise with multi-cultural passengers ask to be seated with those who speak English. Or a similar language, such as American :p

 

On some ships (even in the same fleet) there's only traditional dining, on some there's only anytime, on most there's a choice. Theoretically you can't switch between traditional & anytime, though I've seen posts by folk who've done that - must be a bit of a headache for the crew and frustrating for other passengers.

 

Everyone is allocated either traditional or anytime dining in a main waiter-serviced restaurant. But on virtually all ships you also have the option of dining in the buffet any evening that you want. Some never use the buffet, some always do, some use it on formal evenings cos they don't want the fuss & bother, some use it because they've had a heavy or late day ashore.

If you're on a shared traditional table, it's courteous to let your table-mates know you'll not be joining them - many enjoy company at dinner and empty chairs don't make good company so if you plan not to use your allocated table cruise-long the Maitre D can allocate your seats to others, or if you plan not to join them on a specific evening your table-mates don't have to sit & wait for your non-arrival & can order straight away.

 

On most ships there's also the options of speciality restaurants (mostly at a premium) or room service.

 

There are many pros & cons between traditional & anytime, its not just about the freedom to dine when you choose. And on trad. dining there are pros & cons between first & second sitting.

 

Note the frequent use of "usually", "sometimes" etc.;)

For more specific answers you need to name the ship.

 

JB :)

[Canugess]

In a nutshell..... My Time dining involves pre paying gratuities and for that you get to choose when you eat, you can book each day for later that evening or just pitch up and wait.

 

Main dining has two sittings early and late (Can't remember the times off hand) Both either of these options can be set up as you book. The earlier seating time generally is more popular and may have a waiting list.

[Floridiana]

Also many posts indicated that you were allocated a table and kept going back to that same table to the same people each evening ?? I like variety and whilst it is nice to see the same folks a few times I wouldn't want to eat with them every night for an extended cruise.

I'm curious....:confused: cheers Deb

 

Deb,

I like variety as well. I prefer what they call 'any time' dining or some such name, each line has a different expression for it. Sometimes, we met people we liked and decided to show up at the same time and asked to be seated together; sometimes, we made reservations together for the same table with the same waiter. Sometimes we shared the table with whoever showed up at the same time and was seated with us. Sometimes, we avoided people who showed up at the same time by stepping away for a moment to read the menu on the wall. When they were taken to be seated, we stepped back in line, usually at the end of the line which was always short.

[papcx]

 

Certainly on a cruise with multi-cultural passengers ask to be seated with those who speak English. Or a similar language, such as American :p

 

 

 

Very good. I literally laughed out loud.

[Teeara]

[quote name=dlg64;47187990Also many posts indicated that you were allocated a table and kept going back to that same table to the same people each evening ?? I like variety and whilst it is nice to see the same folks a few times I wouldn't want to eat with them every night for an extended cruise.

I'm curious....:confused: cheers Deb

 

Based upon your interest in variety and not sitting with the same people every night' date=' you should NOT book traditional dining. As the others have stated, with traditional dining you will be seated at the same table with the same people every night.

 

Also, with flexible dining (My Time Dining or whatever your cruise line calls it), you can go and eat whenever you want. With traditional dining you are giving one of two times (early [5:30 or 6:00] or late seating [8:00 or 8:30]). You are "expected" to arriving within 5-10 minutes of those start times so everyone can order at the same time and get their food at the same time. Since you had stated that when you arrived everyone had already ordered, you were "technically" late for dinner. If you don't like that kind of more regimented approach to dining, then again, flexible dining would be better for you.

 

Whatever you choose, enjoy yourself and have a lovely cruise!

[rmurray847]

 

Just rolling up for dinner at any time, as you did, is "anytime" dining, different cruise lines give it different names but they all mean broadly the same thing. Most, including the RCI cruises we've sailed, you can book ahead for a specific time - we've dome it on RCI by booking at the end of dinner for the next evening.

 

JB :)

 

Yes, this was our RCI experience as well. The first day on the ship, soon after we boarded we went to the main dining room (there will be a specific section for My Time Dining) and we made reservations for that night. Just for a table for 2. Then each night thereafter, we made a reservation for the next night as we were leaving. Different times most nights...we tried to work around shows. Anyway, it was great, because we had the same waiter and busser each night and they got to know us and it was a LOT of fun. It's not terribly confusing once you're on board and get that first reservation out of the way...after that, it flows smoothly.

[panoramaofthepast]

Although generally a fan of traditional dining, we tried any time dining one cruise - it was not successful for us. We were told there were no tables to share with others because it was a holiday and there were large family groups occupying all the larger tables. After 2 nights, we gave up and requested a change back to traditional dining. Our table consisted of the malcontents - people who fled any time dining! We had wonderful table mates and thoroughly enjoyed them It may have been because of the holiday sailing, I don't know, but we will stick with traditional.

[Hlitner]

We think the dining issue is just a great example of "different strokes for different folks." Forty plus years of extensive cruising has taught us about the advantages and disadvantages of just about every dining option. There is no right or wrong...but it is simply a matter of personal preference.

 

Some might find HAL to be interesting when it comes to options. This line has been run by a very traditional company who always seems to be the last to adopt change. So when many other lines had aggressively adopted all kinds of dining innovations, HAL stuck with their traditional early/late scheme. Then they finally adopted the Anytime concept and it took a few years to they seemed to realize that this is a very popular option (often sold-out on many cruises). But even today, HAL only offers Traditional early and late sitting dining on their most ambitious "Grand Cruises." This means if you take a long HAL cruise (i.e. World Cruise, 60 day Med cruise, etc) your only option is an assigned table where you are supposed to dine with the same folks for several months! We asked an HAL Maitre'd why they did not have their open dining on these long cruises and he just shook his head and said, "that is the policy of Seattle!"

 

Hank