Your Experiences, MTD versus Traditional

[slyster]

So MTD has been around for a while. We have always done traditional. Can folks share their experiences with MTD, making reservations and wait times as well as just showing up and waiting for a table? In some ways it would be great to just show up for dinner when we are hungry, not at a set time LOL

 

Also, did you find it easy to get a table for 2 with MTD? We always get a table for two for traditional seating and it has never been a problem.

 

Thanks in advance!

[Clarea]

It's actually easier to get a table for two in MTD than in traditional. Note that sometimes the tables for two are very close together.

[Denversail]

We had no issues getting a table for two on our last cruise doing MTD. That was the only cruise I've been on with just one other person where I used MTD. I do recall that the first night was a little crazy and had to wait in line a bit. Not a big deal. We sat at the same table every night except one night we got there a little late. They still gave us a two person table though. This cruise coming up though decided we would start a little more peacefully. Booked specialty for the first night and will resume out MTD after that.

[FlaGirl13]

Had MTD on Freedom. Made reservation times before we sailed but it is easy enough to change on board. You can also make a reservation each day if you want different times. First night had a table for two and amazing servers so we're able to keep that the rest of the trip. You can "just show up" at different times but you will wait a bit. MTD is a slight misnomer but it worked for us. Enjoy.

[mrpayroll]

We have been using MTD lately. We always eat early, ( with reservations ) 5;30 OR 5:45. When we leave the dining room, it seems like there is a large amount of people waiting to get in. Just like any restaurant , they have to " turn over " the tables.

[impatientlywaiting]

We quit eating in the dining room because DH didn't like the traditional dining experience. After 7 cruises of eating in the Windjammer, we tried MTD in September on Jewel and now we'll never go back to the Windjammer for dinner. It was wonderful! We made our reservations ahead of time (we like to eat at the same time every night) and had there same waiters and the same table all nights. We had a great experience. :)

[Biker19]

So MTD has been around for a while. We have always done traditional. Can folks share their experiences with MTD, making reservations and wait times as well as just showing up and waiting for a table? In some ways it would be great to just show up for dinner when we are hungry, not at a set time LOL

!

 

Never had a problem getting a table for two for either traditional (e-mail RCCL dining before cruise) or MTD. You can kind of get what you describe (show up whenever you are hungry) even with a reservation - if you are within a certain window of time. I made a standing reservation for MTD at 7:30 for every night but we showed up anywhere from as early at 7 and as late as 7:45 and got the same table every night with no wait.

Edited February 26, 2016 by Biker19

[aseyrick]

Can you make your MTD reservations before boarding the cruise or once you board? TIA!

[Toddcan]

We love MTD - it's super easy. As you mention, you can do it one of two ways:

1. Book at a certain time (can be done online before the cruise, or even at the entrance to the restaurant anytime during the cruise). This is similar to having a reservation at a land restaurant
   
2. Just show up at any time. This is similar to just showing up at a land restaurant - may be a lineup. My observation on this one is to go at a time that is not on the hour or on the half-hour (ie 6:00 or 6:30). This is because most people probably go down for dinner at a specific time. So, show up at 6:15 - will likely be less people.
   

[Clarea]

Can you make your MTD reservations before boarding the cruise or once you board? TIA!

Either.

[jmf123]

We have had MTD for the past couple of cruises, dining at the same time and having the same good wait staff. As mentioned, the tables for two are plentiful and close together. On our second evening on the Jewel we became acquainted with the couple next to us, and made it a 'table for four' for the rest of the week with our new friends- fun and memorable. :)

[aseyrick]

Thank you! I'm looking at all my online docs and can't find where I can make MTD reservations. Can you please point me to where I can make the reservations?

 

Thanks again!

[bluebeard39]

We have done MTD on all of our RCL cruises and never had a problem even when we showed up late. If you don't mind sitting with other people you will be seated usually faster. The longest we waited for a 2 top was 5 minutes.

[katiel53]

We did Your time several times. Usually, it was just the two of us, but we have done it with a group of 6. We had reservations nightly for 7PM and every night our table was ready for us with the same wait staff.

 

My next cruise on Allure isn't for a while yet, so I'm not able to make my reservations, but I will as soon as I can. I will do the same and hope to get the same table nightly.

[Toddcan]

Thank you! I'm looking at all my online docs and can't find where I can make MTD reservations. Can you please point me to where I can make the reservations?

 

Thanks again!

 

In the Cruise Planner section - same as planning excursions. May not be available to you yet if you cruise is too far in the future.

[Funbobby68]

Thank you! I'm looking at all my online docs and can't find where I can make MTD reservations. Can you please point me to where I can make the reservations?

 

Thanks again!

 

 

It's done under the cruise planner , specially restaurants

[TYSONBOXER]

We had MTD on Liberty and never had a problem. We got a table for 2 and had the same table and waiters every night but one.

 

 

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[Keksie]

We have had MTD several times now. We never make reservations except for specialty dining and just show up when we want. We typically eat fairly early and that may be why we have never had to wait for a table for 2.

[LuCruise]

Good to hear all the positive feedback. We booked early enough and so had a choice between traditional and MTD. We selected MTD to better coordinate dinner with the shows (we're coming with kids and didn't have to have a late show every night).

 

As for reservations, you have to wait for them to open up. If I remember correctly, it was around 4 months before (but we got lucky as it's not always that early).

Edited February 26, 2016 by LuCruise

[tonto524]

We have done MTD in the last couple of years and have never had a problem getting a table for two - but, as Bob mentioned, you (at least on Radiance class) are very very very close to the next two-top table(s). Also, on our last cruise (repositioning 13-day on the BR), while we had made MTD reservations and asked (almost begged) for the same waitstaff as we had had on the week before, we were told very dismissively as if we were crazy that it was impossible to fulfill such a request (it had been possible the week before - go figure) and each night we were marched to a different section of the dining room. Not a deal breaker, but it wasn't the nicest dining experience for that reason. YMMV.

Linda

[Nado44]

Early or late traditional dining for us is just that - too early or too late.

 

We're MTD fans and always put in a standing 630 reservation for every night. We also always swing by the MDR on embarkation day to put in a request for a two top (table for two).

[slyster]

For those who show up without a reservation, what's the longest you have waited?

 

The time for traditional and late seating is part of the reason why we are considering MTD. 5:30 is too early so we were thinking about 6pm or 6:30pm.

 

Also, did you feel service was quicker or slower with MTD? Just thinking on past experiences where courses are pretty much served at the same time.

 

And thank you all for your feedback and experiences. I'm thinking we should consider MTD just for the flexibility :)

[cb at sea]

We enjoy tablemates, so we definitely don't want a 2-top! We do traditional, so we can have company at dinner!

[tserface]

We always do MTD and most of the time we share tables with others (typically 8 people). On a few cruises we liked the table the first night so we all did the same time every night and they saved it for us (I.E., kind of turned it into a Traditional thing). We eat alone if we go to specialty restaurants, but in the MDR we like to visit with other cruisers. Cruising is one of the only vacation choices where you are expected to interact with others (trivia, eating, other games, etc.) so we really like that aspect.

 

Tom

[karena1]

So MTD has been around for a while. We have always done traditional. Can folks share their experiences with MTD, making reservations and wait times as well as just showing up and waiting for a table? In some ways it would be great to just show up for dinner when we are hungry, not at a set time LOL

 

Also, did you find it easy to get a table for 2 with MTD? We always get a table for two for traditional seating and it has never been a problem.

 

Thanks in advance!

 

We have done MTD since it was first introduced and would never do anything else. We never (or rarely) make reservations and go eat when we feel like it. It is rare we have to wait. And it is very easy to get a table for 2 which is what we do most of the time. We love MTD, love the flexibility and everything else about it.