Skipping mdr traditional dining the 1st day

[gritsnc]

We are a party of 8 with linked reservations and a set dining time of 5:30. Will it mess things up if we skip eating in the mdr the first night?

[Clarea]

We are a party of 8 with linked reservations and a set dining time of 5:30. Will it mess things up if we skip eating in the mdr the first night?

No, you should be OK. They expect that folks will choose a specialty restaurant or make other plans occasionally.

[champagne123]

Not at all...but one of you may want to stop by the MDR when you board, to let them know you will not be there the first night.:):):):)

[John&LaLa]

Not at all...but one of you may want to stop by the MDR when you board, to let them know you will not be there the first night.:):):):)

 

We often do that, depending on when our reservations are

[gritsnc]

Oh good. Thank you! I'll be sure to let them know at the mdr.

[Clarea]

Oh good. Thank you! I'll be sure to let them know at the mdr.

They will appreciate that.:)

[serene56]

Not at all...but one of you may want to stop by the MDR when you board, to let them know you will not be there the first night.:):):):)

 

why would we do this? I have not ever skipped the first night but booked for the mystery theater the first night.

[John&LaLa]

why would we do this? I have not ever skipped the first night but booked for the mystery theater the first night.

 

A. To make your server aware that you aren't running late so they don't hold up ordering.

 

B. To scope out the table and determine if you want to come back the next night. ;)

[champagne123]

why would we do this? I have not ever skipped the first night but booked for the mystery theater the first night.

 

Just out of consideration....On the Summit, my husband and I were at a 10 top. Not one person showed up on the first night besides us. The waiter had us wait and wait thinking others would show up and they never did. Perhaps if the waiter knew we were going to be alone, we would have been sat elsewhere or at a two top instead of a ginormous table.

[matj2000]

If your not there, you not there.

 

Dinner will go on.

 

You do not need to make a trip down there just to tell them.

 

They will not care either way..

[spookwife]

We are a party of 8 with linked reservations and a set dining time of 5:30. Will it mess things up if we skip eating in the mdr the first night?

 

be considerate and tell the head waiter you will not be there.

[maryjaden]

If we are going to skip MDR, we always let our waiter know. It's common courtesy as to not hold up the others at the table. Enjoy your cruise!

[Langley Cruisers]

why would we do this? I have not ever skipped the first night but booked for the mystery theater the first night.

 

The first night, it can interfere with sail away plans. We have not gone to Traditional Dining the first night in years.

 

...On the Summit, my husband and I were at a 10 top. Not one person showed up on the first night besides us. The waiter had us wait and wait thinking others would show up and they never did. Perhaps if the waiter knew we were going to be alone, we would have been sat elsewhere or at a two top instead of a ginormous table.

 

If you were at Traditional Dining and not My Time Dining or similar (sounds like it), you would have been seated there anyway. That's your table for the entire cruise. :)

[spookwife]

why would we do this? I have not ever skipped the first night but booked for the mystery theater the first night.

 

because it is polite and lets the waitstaff know to NOT wait for you. they try and serve all the tables at the same time so even off your table is just your party they will wait until you arrive to begin taking orders.

 

and if your table is NOT just your party it also lets them know that they don't wait for you to arrive before handing out menus to the rest of the folks at that table.

[champagne123]

The first night, it can interfere with sail away plans. We have not gone to Traditional Dining the first night in years.

 

 

 

If you were at Traditional Dining and not My Time Dining or similar (sounds like it), you would have been seated there anyway. That's your table for the entire cruise. :)

 

Yes, I know how Traditional Dining works. Not my first rodeo...:) My point really was, instead of sitting there, at a 10 top looking ridiculous, we could have been moved elsewhere for the evening. There were plenty of empty tables and seats available. :)

[FLACRUISER99]

Once someone stole my table.

[Clarea]

Once someone stole my table.

Happened to us on Vision two weeks ago. We went to Giovanni's the second night, and the third night our table was taken by another group.

[Paulette3028]

Yes, I know how Traditional Dining works. Not my first rodeo...:) My point really was, instead of sitting there, at a 10 top looking ridiculous, we could have been moved elsewhere for the evening. There were plenty of empty tables and seats available. :)

 

I can't imagine that they would just change your table for that night. They would have simply served you, instead of waiting for the rest of the table to arrive. Changing your table for that one night only can cause a different problem -- some of those tables that you were seeing as 'empty' were probably assigned to people who had just not shown up, but the dining room has not idea if they will or will not.

[champagne123]

I can't imagine that they would just change your table for that night. They would have simply served you, instead of waiting for the rest of the table to arrive. Changing your table for that one night only can cause a different problem -- some of those tables that you were seeing as 'empty' were probably assigned to people who had just not shown up, but the dining room has not idea if they will or will not.

 

Well, as much as I appreciate your opinion, they did. This was on X, not RCCL. On the second night, only one other couple showed up. We were asked if we wanted to sit at a two top or sit together with this other couple. We chose to sit alone. Period and were sat at a two top. As I said, there were MANY empty tables for the duration of this cruise. I guess most people went with the anytime dining.

[beshears]

Yes I agree, it is common courtesy to let the wait staff know if you are not going to be at the table for the first night, or let others (the following nights) that are at your table, if you are not going to be there. It does make a difference if you have to wait, just to see who is coming.

 

Is there any way to find out (we have ask for a large table) ahead of time, if we will be with all women (we are two women), or mixed with men and women? We would like to know that ahead of time, if at all possible.

[jagsfan]

I would say not. There is some attempt to keep age groups together roughly, but that's about it. If you visit the maitre 'd, he might be able to check the table in the computer, but then he'd have to check the other tables if you wanted to be moved.

 

 

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[Trekker954]

Not at all...but one of you may want to stop by the MDR when you board, to let them know you will not be there the first night.:):):):)

 

I tried this a couple of times, only to find an empty table. So many people choose other options and since Royal doesn't let you choose to opt out of the MDR, don't feel you need to stop down and tell them.

 

I really wish you could opt out of selecting a time or chosing MTD. I wish there was a no dining room at all. Now we only eat in specialty or WJ.

[serene56]

because it is polite and lets the waitstaff know to NOT wait for you. they try and serve all the tables at the same time so even off your table is just your party they will wait until you arrive to begin taking orders.

 

and if your table is NOT just your party it also lets them know that they don't wait for you to arrive before handing out menus to the rest of the folks at that table.

 

and how do we let them know? In my sailings the dining room never opened until exactly 5:30 do we call?

[Clarea]

and how do we let them know? In my sailings the dining room never opened until exactly 5:30 do we call?

We just walk in the dining room when it opens and speak to the waiter, assistant waiter, or head waiter.

[knittinggirl]

We just walk in the dining room when it opens and speak to the waiter, assistant waiter, or head waiter.

I blew that one.

 

We always assumed Specialty would get the word to the MDR. But we're usually start eating the same time that the doors open in the MDR.