Preferred locations in MDR?

[HappyTexan44]

 

I just read this in the recent MTD thread "My experience with Early Traditional seating times on all cruises since May 2022 has been if your assigned Deck 3 where they will be doing MTD after early traditional, the have been scheduling you 15 to 30 minutes earlier that those on decks 4&5."  So, I made a note that I don't want Deck 3 and why.  I have a document where I paste the random bits of cruise advice knowledge that I come across.  Early dining is a tish early for us, but better than 6:45+ MTD or late.   So, I'd rather be on decks 4&5.

But that got me thinking.   Are there other areas of the MDR that are better or worse?    What do experienced cruisers think?  

There will be 4 of us, two adults and two teenage girls.   I was planning on asking for a table for 4 so that we can connect during meals.  The videos of the MDR show a lot of 4 tops.  We will be on the Voyageur.    
 

[The Fun Researcher]

I request a table:

 

Away from main entrance (don't like constant flow of guests past our table)

Away from main waiter bussing stations (don't like the noise or look)

Near a window if possible (a nice to have for ambient light but not necessary)

 

Dan

[HappyTexan44]

"Away from main entrance (don't like constant flow of guests past our table)"

That makes sense.  

When I used to travel as a semiconductor engineer and I'd eat at an upscale restaurant, I'd often get a primo table in the center where no one walked by the table.   The reason is that those were saved for the VIP customers.   If they once gave one of those to a non-VIP local, then that local would start to expect a primo table.   But, they knew that I wouldn't because I wasn't local.    I wore the unofficial uniform of a female semi. engineer.   It was really nice that no one walked by my chair.   

I'll add what you said to my notes.  

 

[huntr104]

Interesting.  I didn't know that about Deck 3 MDR.  My wife and I just sailed on Freedom a couple weeks ago and went straight up to the MDR when we got on board to ask for a table for 2 and a table by a window.  We had early traditional dining time of 6pm on deck 3.  They could not give us a window seat but we did have a table for 2.  Unfortunately, it looked like they just separated a large table and the other tables for 2 were seated about a foot apart from each other.  We definitely did not like the arrangement.  Our upcoming cruise in June I'll make sure we take a look at our table arrangement before speaking to the maitre'd.  One thing for sure, I'm glad we didn't do the MTD because the lines were huge.  

[DaKahuna]

 When eating in the MDR, we have made one of our first things to do upon walking on the ship a stop by our assigned dining room and looking at the table we are assigned to.  If we do not like it, we stop by the maitre'd station and ask to be changed to a different table, stating what seating arrangements we would like. 

 

 

[HappyTexan44]

Do y'll think it would be possible to put in that request with my booking?   Like how we requested the beds to be put together?   

 

6pm would be an awesome time for early dining.   Just from the outside looking in and doing lots of reading, MTD seems to be really "Medium Dining, we'll seat you when we can,"   

 

I really don't think we'll have a problem being at the MDR on time.   My family knows I become an ugly person when we are late.   But theoretically, say someone arrives 30 minutes late for early dining, could they just skip the app. course?     
 

[DaKahuna]

IIRC there are two designed times, Early and Late, for fixed dining.  I believe early is around 5:30 pm.  To get dining at 6 PM you would use "My Time Dining" and could, as we did in the past, request 6:30 PM reservations.   This is based on our experience pre-COVID as we have only sailed in suites since cruising re-opened. 

 

I am not sure if they will seat you if you are as much as 30-minutes late.  I do not think we have ever arrived that late, nor can I recall any of our table mates being that late.   5 - 10 minutes I am sure would not matter but longer than that it's anybody's guess. 

 

 

[loman]

Me , i like the 2 tops , one foot apart like they had in MTD .

Usually the same table every night . 

What i liked about it was you can chat with the tables next to you , but dont have to wait for them to get their food before i start eating. 

Its like a table for 6 , but it isnt. 🙂

[taglovestocruise]

6 hours ago, HappyTexan44 said:

 

I just read this in the recent MTD thread "My experience with Early Traditional seating times on all cruises since May 2022 has been if your assigned Deck 3 where they will be doing MTD after early traditional, the have been scheduling you 15 to 30 minutes earlier that those on decks 4&5."  So, I made a note that I don't want Deck 3 and why.  I have a document where I paste the random bits of cruise advice knowledge that I come across.  Early dining is a tish early for us, but better than 6:45+ MTD or late.   So, I'd rather be on decks 4&5.

But that got me thinking.   Are there other areas of the MDR that are better or worse?    What do experienced cruisers think?  

There will be 4 of us, two adults and two teenage girls.   I was planning on asking for a table for 4 so that we can connect during meals.  The videos of the MDR show a lot of 4 tops.  We will be on the Voyageur.    
 

Now that sailings are back to 100% the dining rooms are full. MTD pretty much sticks to one dining room. You make your choice when you book, no switching between MTD and Traditional.  Go with early tradional and ask for a table for four along the balcony rail, it is our favorite spot in MDR.  Change to early now if that is what you want, don't wait until boarding day, just get your TA to move you.  If you change to early traditional you can email royal two weeks before your cruise date and ask for a four top along the rail.  They do nothing before hand concerning reservations if you have MTD.  Email. RCLDINING@RCCL.COM  Give them your Name, Reservation number, cabin number, and then your request. They will email you back in a few days. If your daughters are in a separate cabin be sure to have your reservations linked.  If you have a table for four you are set for the week, does not matter if the teenagers show up or not.  As a caution MTD has been absolutely horrible since the restart,  almost everyone wants to eat early. 

[taglovestocruise]

28 minutes ago, loman said:

Me , i like the 2 tops , one foot apart like they had in MTD .

Usually the same table every night . 

What i liked about it was you can chat with the tables next to you , but dont have to wait for them to get their food before i start eating. 

Its like a table for 6 , but it isnt. 🙂

We love six tops, late dining and a full 90 minutes.  We even ask for, and have always been obliged,  a four top or a booth just for the two of us in Specialty.  Two tops jammed together like sardines in a can is not for us. 

[HappyTexan44]

I'd given MTD dining a thought, but we are already booked for early dining.  So, we are good there.  
Getting the right dining table from the beginning seems important since we'll be stuck with it unless we move to an empty table, which is one someone else didn't want.   

I've read that they can change tables after you board.   But, doesn't everyone get something that has their table#?   Wouldn't they be annoyed that you are sitting in their table.   

.

[FionaMG]

58 minutes ago, loman said:

Me , i like the 2 tops , one foot apart like they had in MTD .

Usually the same table every night . 

What i liked about it was you can chat with the tables next to you , but dont have to wait for them to get their food before i start eating. 

Its like a table for 6 , but it isnt. 🙂

 

Same here but for a different reason. We speak to each other in Portuguese, which can be a bit awkward if we're seated at the same table with other guests who don't have any knowledge of the language (although it's often an ice breaker as we usually get asked what language it is). But with the MTD set up of close tables, we can chat for a bit with our neighbours and not feel any awkwardness about then switching back to Portuguese. 

[taglovestocruise]

1 minute ago, HappyTexan44 said:

I'd given MTD dining a thought, but we are already booked for early dining.  So, we are good there.  
Getting the right dining table from the beginning seems important since we'll be stuck with it unless we move to an empty table, which is one someone else didn't want.   

I've read that they can change tables after you board.   But, doesn't everyone get something that has their table#?   Wouldn't they be annoyed that you are sitting in their table.   

.

You get your table and stick with it. A empty table usually means that group has specialty dining that night.  First thing we do when we board is go to main dining and see what table we have been assigned, your table number is on your sea pass card.  If you don't like the location then you get with the head waiter and ask for a change right then. Lots of people make changes just after they board, waiting until the evening to ask for a change is usually futile.  

[poocher]

Just back from Explorer with MTD.  Emailed a request for a 2 top by a window.  Lovely table toward the back, no close tables, same table & waitstaff every night, no lines at all.  Our table was always ready by 6:50 & we would just walk right in.