Can you have guest from another dining time if room?

[3CatsInMA]

7 minutes ago, John&LaLa said:

 

Do you tell your waiter if you aren't planning on coming the next night?

When we used to sit at a shared table, yes I would try to do that.  Now we always have a 2-top, so no...I don't worry too much about it.

 

I was referring more to the switcharoo that the OP would like to make.  I get your point though.  Even with NO notice I don't see any issue.  

[3CatsInMA]

9 minutes ago, John&LaLa said:

Is it fair to the waiter to book traditional dining if you know you won't be going to the dining room on multiple nights?

 

We've been booking MTD for the past few years for that very reason 

Traditional or MTD, the waiter will get his tips whether we show up every night or not, so I don't see anything unfair about it.

[John&LaLa]

12 minutes ago, 3CatsInMA said:

Traditional or MTD, the waiter will get his tips whether we show up every night or not, so I don't see anything unfair about it.

 

I'm not entirely sure that's accurate based on previous comments. 

 

For example Coastal Kitchen.  We have MTD, but eat a few meals in CK. The CK staff gets our tips on those nights is my understanding. 

[taglovestocruise]

1 hour ago, John&LaLa said:

 

Do you tell your waiter if you aren't planning on coming the next night?

We always let the waiter and our table mates know if we are not showing up the next night.  As to your next post, we also go with MTD if we are going to have 3 or more specialty dining nights.  Seems rather rude to miss several nights at a large traditional table without giving notice. 

[3CatsInMA]

48 minutes ago, John&LaLa said:

 

I'm not entirely sure that's accurate based on previous comments. 

 

For example Coastal Kitchen.  We have MTD, but eat a few meals in CK. The CK staff gets our tips on those nights is my understanding. 

Interesting...I never heard that before. 

[vegascruiser1]

22 hours ago, mattR said:

Traveling with some family, unfortunately one family booked later so are wait-listed for early dinner.  One night Grandma and Grandpa are taking the grand kids out to a specialty restaurant.  On that night can we invite our other family to join us since there will be extra room at our table? 

 

If they are waitlisted for early dining and it is before final payment there is probably a chance they will get changed to early dining. If not on boarding day go to the dining room and see if they can be changed to be seated with you. They may not be able to make the change the first night, but maybe for the rest of the cruise. They do their best in trying to keep families together. 

[OSUZorba]

I've seen this done multiple times, I really don't think it'll be any issue. If the seats were truly empty all week and it was an everyday thing I'd get formally assigned to this seats so the waiter got the tips.

 

I've also seen two half full large tables in different sections combine themselves.

Edited September 15, 2019 by OSUZorba

[ReneeFLL]

I always thought the gratuities were split among the wait staff and it didn't matter who ate where. If they were to keep track of who is eating where then they will also have to factor in how many people have the gratuities removed. 

 

I think people should let the wait staff in the mdr know if you aren't going to show up for dinner. We always did when we used to eat in there. If not then the table waits on you thinking you are running late. It happened to us and it's just annoying waiting on someone who never shows up.

[Clarea]

6 minutes ago, ReneeFLL said:

 ...  If they were to keep track of who is eating where then they will also have to factor in how many people have the gratuities removed. ...

 

Royal keeps track of which My Time waiters are used by which guest and allocates tips accordingly.  However, I'm not sure this is done for the waitstaff that is servicing traditional.

[mattR]

Well half the family canceled the cruise this weekend:(  Getting close to the 90 day mark.   So had my sister call to see if she could get linked with us as I knew 9 spots just opened up and she was able to be linked with us and put on early dinning.  Our group of 18 just went down to 9:(  

[cb at sea]

Your tips will be distributed correctly..no worries about that.  If you don't show to dinner, you are likely to be eating somewhere, so those waiters will get the tip for that evening. It all works out right in the end.