reservations in MTD

[venicia]

We have several persons going on Harmony in January and have been trying to schedule early dining in MTD.  The earliest time available is 6:30 but the group prefers 5:30 so they can go to the early shows.  Is anyone else having this same issue?

 

 

[Biker19]

2 minutes ago, venicia said:

 Is anyone else having this same issue?

Ask in the Roll Call thread for your sailing.

[venicia]

4 minutes ago, Biker19 said:

Ask in the Roll Call thread for your sailing.

Yep, did that and no answer there.  I was hoping one of the amazing experts here may have heard something about why the change.

[Biker19]

3 minutes ago, venicia said:

Yep, did that and no answer there.  I was hoping one of the amazing experts here may have heard something about why the change.

The RCI app is a bit weird in that it says MTD is 6:30-9:00 in American Icon but Silk and Grande is 5:15 - 9:30. Pretty sure the latter times listed are the correct ones and RCI is having IT issues.

[venicia]

Thanks Biker19.  We'll keep checking to see if it changes.  If not, will just try to schedule us as soon as we board.  We DO have several months before this cruise.

[Mike A]

When we sailed on the Anthem in February we had anytime dining. We were a group of 6. When we went to the dining room the 1st night we asked if we could get the same table at 5:15-5:30. We were immediately accommodated and were given a great table in the back of Silk. The waiter and assistant, as well as the head waiter for our section were amazing. We also noticed everyone in our section were at the same table every night and we were told that section was saved for those who had anytime but wanted traditional.

As an aside the service all around on our cruise was fantastic even though it was President’s Week with a full ship and 1700 children on board. 1st time on RCL and won’t be the last. 

Edited May 24, 2019 by Mike A

[janetz]

You don’t need to reserve with MTD 😊

[venicia]

31 minutes ago, janetz said:

You don’t need to reserve with MTD 😊

Well, after 5 cruises on Oasis and 3 on Allure, I’ll always reserve our dining time. There is a line for reservations and another line for no reservations.  You are correct in one respect though, I am in a grand suite so I do not need to reserve but some others are in balcony cabins and we enjoy all dining together, so yes, we do make reservations.

[venicia]

4 hours ago, Mike A said:

When we sailed on the Anthem in February we had anytime dining. We were a group of 6. When we went to the dining room the 1st night we asked if we could get the same table at 5:15-5:30. We were immediately accommodated and were given a great table in the back of Silk. The waiter and assistant, as well as the head waiter for our section were amazing. We also noticed everyone in our section were at the same table every night and we were told that section was saved for those who had anytime but wanted traditional.

As an aside the service all around on our cruise was fantastic even though it was President’s Week with a full ship and 1700 children on board. 1st time on RCL and won’t be the last. 

We don’t want to schedule every night, just a few together.  Some would like to have different times and I will schedule a few nights in Coastal Kitchen.  We did want to dine together 3 or 4 nights together early and then what ever times others wanted they could arrange.  This has always worked for us on 8 previous cruises on Oasis class ships, maybe just not this time.

[janetz]

Many people believe you need to reserve with MTD. 

You do not. 

We enjoy dining when we are ready with no set time and have never once, after sailing multiple times, with 6 of us, never had to wait

If you are looking for a time of 5:30

I would not worry about it, just show up.

😊

 

[Mr. Candyman]

9 minutes ago, janetz said:

Many people believe you need to reserve with MTD. 

You do not. 

We enjoy dining when we are ready with no set time and have never once, after sailing multiple times, with 6 of us, never had to wait

If you are looking for a time of 5:30

I would not worry about it, just show up.

😊

 

So why does Royal bother setting up the system in cruise planner to make MTD reservations?  Is that more so they can gauge when people would be dining to not be bombarded by passengers all at once?  

[janetz]

Your reasoning sounds very good.  it also gives people who prefer to dine at a busy time to do so without thinking they may have to wait for a table. 

We found most times, depending on the day, we were ready  to go around 6-630 and we have always been lucky with no wait. 

[Biker19]

2 hours ago, Mr. Candyman said:

 Is that more so they can gauge when people would be dining to not be bombarded by passengers all at once?  

From Ovation:

 

[Ourusualbeach]

17 minutes ago, Biker19 said:

From Ovation:

 

Wow.  Way more than 50% of the guests expected for MTD vs traditional 

[Biker19]

1 minute ago, Ourusualbeach said:

Wow.  Way more than 50% of the guests expected for MTD vs traditional 

A couple of years ago Bayley mentioned a 40%+ figure for MTD and growing - some of this is probably ship dependent.

[PelicanBill]

And crowd dependent.  Times with more families with kids would be less likely to take traditional dining I would think.  But many people have no interest in the same time every day - like me.

[Ourusualbeach]

5 minutes ago, Biker19 said:

A couple of years ago Bayley mentioned a 40%+ figure for MTD and growing - some of this is probably ship dependent.

Do you know what the guest count was for this voyage?

 

Unless the Walk in number is only a potential number that  includes everyone including those that end up at the WJ or specialty restaurants this still seems really high.

[Biker19]

2 minutes ago, Ourusualbeach said:

Do you know what the guest count was for this voyage?

 

Unless the Walk in number is only a potential number that  includes everyone including those that end up at the WJ or specialty restaurants this still seems really high.

I think I heard a 4,500 figure but don't know. I assume that number (2,846) is the total number that is not assigned to traditional.

[Ourusualbeach]

3 minutes ago, Biker19 said:

I assume that number (2,846) is the total number that is not assigned to traditional.

That makes sense.

[Snit13]

11 hours ago, venicia said:

Well, after 5 cruises on Oasis and 3 on Allure, I’ll always reserve our dining time. There is a line for reservations and another line for no reservations.  You are correct in one respect though, I am in a grand suite so I do not need to reserve but some others are in balcony cabins and we enjoy all dining together, so yes, we do make reservations.

I have had concierge in Diamond Lounge make dining room reservations for me on past cruises.  Since you are in Grand Suite you may be able to have concierge in Suite Lounge/Coastal Kitchen assist you in making the reservations you desire in MTD so you will be able to dine with your friends at the time you choose.  Won't hurt to ask.  As most of us know cruise planner and most things web site have mind of their own.  Enjoy your cruise.

[nzdisneymom]

OP, we just booked the Harmony for January 2021 and our TA said "early dining" is at 5:15 and late dining is at 8.  She said that it seems to change on RCCL seasonally and based on itinerary.  I had thought perhaps we had reserved MTD but this was traditional.   We have switched to MTD though because 5:15 is too early and 8 is too late.