My Time Dining On First Night

[saltyswife]

We just returned from cruising on the Jewel and had a wonderful vacation. My only real complaint was the first night My Time dining. Weeks before the cruise, I made reservations for each night's My Time dining through the online Cruise Planner. We patiently waited for our appointed time the first night only to be told when we arrived that the first night was "first come, first served". I never could get a straight answer as to why I was allowed to make a reservation if it wasn't going to be honored. We would have gone down much earlier in that case. We were told it would be at least an hour before we could be seated. I was very disappointed to have to go to the Windjammer that night. Anyone else have this problem?:mad::mad::mad::mad:

[Clarea]

Sounds similar to MTD reservations on Anthem, which are changed from specific times to "at your leasure".

[cb at sea]

Next time, when you board or on the 1st evening, make standing reservations for the times you want. The dining room staff is more likely to want to please you than the corporate offices!

[BirdTravels]

Our experience has been that it is mostly first come first serve. If we show up a few minutes early or a few minutes late, we see the hostess making a new reservation in the system that actually shows up on your account. Odd that they just didn’t use the reservation in the system.

[Biker19]

Sounds similar to MTD reservations on Anthem, which are changed from specific times to "at your leasure".

They are? Mine still show specific times.

[Clarea]

They are? Mine still show specific times.

Someone reported this within the last few of days.

[Biker19]

Someone reported this within the last few of days.

While on the left side of the calendar there's the "At your leisure" note (instead of a time), if you try to actually modify the reservation, the previously scheduled specific time is still shown. For any new reservation a specific time is available.

 

Chalk it up to more RCI IT "features".

[Clarea]

While on the left side of the calendar there's the "At your leisure" note (instead of a time), if you try to actually modify the reservation, the previously scheduled specific time is still shown. For any new reservation a specific time is available.

 

Chalk it up to more RCI IT "features".

I don't have a cruise with MTD that I can look at right now. Has the format of that page changed since the most recent website disaster? I know that this "at your leasure" thing preceeded the most recent changes.

[Biker19]

The MTD booking process has not changed nor the look/feel of the booking portion of the web site. That "at your leisure" thing only is true for Anthem, Navigator shows specific times in the Calendar. Maybe another DD remnant.

 

BTW, thanks for making me look in the planner again - Anthem Ripcord and Northstar bookings appeared.

[saltyswife]

They are? Mine still show specific times.

My calendar on Cruise Planner showed specific time I requested. I shouldn't have to go to dining room the first day to schedule anything.

[Biker19]

My calendar on Cruise Planner showed specific time I requested. I shouldn't have to go to dining room the first day to schedule anything.

The ship and Miami HQ (where you make your planner bookings) are two separately run entities. Sometime before your sailing all of the info customers have inputted into their reservation in Miami gets transmitted to the ship. During that transfer a whole bunch of stuff can get lost, including dining reservations. Not an excuse, just an explanation.

[JTBCruiser]

I prebook MTD on the RCI site but once on board, it is one of the first things I reconfirm are the times and ensure we get a 2 person table. Never an issue to date. I will note, 1st night always seems chaotic and takes longer to serve but on night 2 and the rest of the cruise it settles down quickly.

[mafig]

The ship and Miami HQ (where you make your planner bookings) are two separately run entities. Sometime before your sailing all of the info customers have inputted into their reservation in Miami gets transmitted to the ship. During that transfer a whole bunch of stuff can get lost, including dining reservations. Not an excuse, just an explanation.

 

 

If that's the case, why bother making reservations at all?

 

I made reservations. Just checked, the times are still there (for Allure). Should I reconfirm once on board? I haven't done this in years? Where do I go?

[Clarea]

If that's the case, why bother making reservations at all?

 

I made reservations. Just checked, the times are still there (for Allure). Should I reconfirm once on board? I haven't done this in years? Where do I go?

To reconfirm, go to the My Time entrance to the dining room. See your SeaPass card for the correct deck.

[mafig]

To reconfirm, go to the My Time entrance to the dining room. See your SeaPass card for the correct deck.

 

 

When? As soon as we board? Isn't there always a long line (I remember doing that back in the days we had traditional dining). Can't I just bring a copy of my calendar to the dining room at the time I have reserved and confirm the rest of the days then. I hate to waste what could be hours in line.

[Clarea]

When? As soon as we board? Isn't there always a long line (I remember doing that back in the days we had traditional dining). Can't I just bring a copy of my calendar to the dining room at the time I have reserved and confirm the rest of the days then. I hate to waste what could be hours in line.

Yes, as soon as you board. If you board early, there should not be much of a line.

[mixplix]

On our first day (after eating, of course), we went to the DR and made standing MTD reservations for 815 the first night and 800 the rest of the nights - most nights, we got there early and were seated at "our table" shortly thereafter.

[Biker19]

If that's the case, why bother making reservations at all?

Because that case is a very rare occurrence, the great majority of the time all's well and the ship has your reservations just the way you made them.

[xtremegk]

While on the left side of the calendar there's the "At your leisure" note (instead of a time), if you try to actually modify the reservation, the previously scheduled specific time is still shown. For any new reservation a specific time is available.

 

Chalk it up to more RCI IT "features".

 

My Anthem MTD did that, as well. I emailed to confirm my reservations and received a calendar back that reflected all the times we had reserved.