My time dining

[scottraveller]

On Explorer in May and had booked MTD for the seven of us (4 adults and 3 kids). Tried to change this to the 6pm main dining room slot but couldn’t. Presumably fully booked.  Question is can you just turn up at 6pm for MTD or is it a requirement to pre book. What if the 6pm time isn’t available could someone advise what happens then please 

[Scottdalfonso]

3 minutes ago, scottraveller said:

On Explorer in May and had booked MTD for the seven of us (4 adults and 3 kids). Tried to change this to the 6pm main dining room slot but couldn’t. Presumably fully booked.  Question is can you just turn up at 6pm for MTD or is it a requirement to pre book. What if the 6pm time isn’t available could someone advise what happens then please 

You can just show up and wait, basically like a regular restaurant. Once a table is open and the reservations are fulfilled, they'll seat people waiting for tables. 

[Biker19]

9 minutes ago, scottraveller said:

What if the 6pm time isn’t available could someone advise what happens then please 

You will likely wait quite a bit as on most ships MTD 6:30-6:45 is the earliest booking available. Go to the MDR right after boarding and try to switch to early traditional.

[scottraveller]

Ta Biker. I’m in a suite so I could ask the concierge to see if he can help 

[scottraveller]

50 minutes ago, Scottdalfonso said:

You can just show up and wait, basically like a regular restaurant. Once a table is open and the reservations are fulfilled, they'll seat people waiting for tables. 

That’s what I’m worried about. Kids couldn’t handle that. 

[ONECRUISER]

15 minutes ago, scottraveller said:

Ta Biker. I’m in a suite so I could ask the concierge to see if he can help 

As said most time now MyTime doesnt open until after 6:30, been 6:45 on 11 Sailings on 4 Ships last 10months. If want earlier need do Main Dining, Early and at a min get on that wait list

[scottraveller]

Thanks. Tried to get on the early dining option but no space apparently. With young  grandkids joining us in this cruise it’s a real pain I can’t get the early time at the MDR. Hindsight is a wonderful thing

[Biker19]

37 minutes ago, scottraveller said:

Ta Biker. I’m in a suite so I could ask the concierge to see if he can help 

Very unlikely the suite concierge can change the start of MTD on board, but the MDR host might be able to accommodate somehow. While MTD won't start till 6:30 or later, some MTD folks might be seated earlier if space is available - that possibility is a bit harder for a larger group. Also, that possibility will likely vary each day.

Edited April 18, 2023 by Biker19

[scottraveller]

I’d prefer to transfer to the main dining room now rather than MTD so that’s what I’ll try and change either before boarding or once I get on board. Whether I’ll be successful or not we’ll see. 

[rg123]

2 hours ago, scottraveller said:

I’d prefer to transfer to the main dining room now rather than MTD so that’s what I’ll try and change either before boarding or once I get on board. Whether I’ll be successful or not we’ll see. 

Definitely try to get on a waitlist. We wanted early traditional but it wasn’t available when we booked our cruise so our TA put us on a waitlist. She just called a couple weeks ago and said we’re now confirmed for early instead of MTD!

[scottraveller]

Thanks 

[Merion_Mom]

4 hours ago, scottraveller said:

Ta Biker. I’m in a suite so I could ask the concierge to see if he can help 

 

4 hours ago, scottraveller said:

That’s what I’m worried about. Kids couldn’t handle that. 

With kids in the group, I would definitely ask the concierge to get me into first traditional seating.

[scottraveller]

Thanks Merion will do. The youngest is only 1 as well. 

[Giantfan13]

10 hours ago, scottraveller said:

On Explorer in May and had booked MTD for the seven of us (4 adults and 3 kids). Tried to change this to the 6pm main dining room slot but couldn’t. Presumably fully booked.  Question is can you just turn up at 6pm for MTD or is it a requirement to pre book. What if the 6pm time isn’t available could someone advise what happens then please 

You have a couple of options. Go see the maitre'D right after boarding, as they are there to try and handle seating problems that arise. He should be able to get you what you want,

 Without making a reservation for MTD, just show up when you want to eat and hopefully, they will be able to seat you. Since you require a large table that could be more difficult than say 2 people wanting a table without a reservation. 

Again, talk to the maitre'd and see what he can do for you.

 

Cheers

Len

[scottraveller]

Thanks Len

[S.A.M.J.R.]

12 hours ago, Giantfan13 said:

You have a couple of options. Go see the maitre'D right after boarding, as they are there to try and handle seating problems that arise. He should be able to get you what you want,

 Without making a reservation for MTD, just show up when you want to eat and hopefully, they will be able to seat you. Since you require a large table that could be more difficult than say 2 people wanting a table without a reservation. 

Again, talk to the maitre'd and see what he can do for you.

 

Cheers

Len

Totally agree with seeing the maitre'D after boarding.  BUT, I would not count on him being able to change to early traditional.  I'm guessing there's a waiting list.  Definitely worth the ask, just don't expect the resolution you want.

 

Also, if you show up at 6 (when you want to eat), there's a good chance you'll wait until 6:30-6:45 at minimum for tables to empty out.  I would make MTD reservations for as early as you can and then check back each day to see if they can get you in earlier.

[nzdisneymom]

We had MTD on the Jewel last week and our reservation times we made before sailing were all over the place based on availability.  We had another friend who booked the cruise after us and his times were also all over the place.  We wanted to coordinate, so we went to the dining room right after getting our muster station checks.  We asked about moving to early dining but were told it's very unlikely but they were able to link our reservations and give us 6:45 every night.  We ended up only eating at the dining room twice during the 8-night sailing, partly due to menu, partly due to being in port late, partly due to not wanting to go on formal/dress your best nights.  We went to the dining room at 6:30 on the first night because we weren't sure what the line would be like so we wanted to check it out (and were prepared to wait or come back at 6:45) but they were able to seat us right away.  The second time we went was on a port day where all aboard wasn't until 7:30 PM so we figured they would be able to seat us early - we went down at 5:45 and were seated immediately.  A lot of early dining tables were empty due to the late port stay.

 

Anyway, I share that all to say that the best thing to do is talk to dining on embarkation day and see what they can do for you, and also see if you can get a reserved time as early as possible.  Then based on your itinerary, you may have similar experience where you can actually eat earlier.  Or you may find some of your party wants to just eat in the Windjammer depending on the cuisine of the evening and whether there are other activities they want to participate in that MTD would interfere with.

[Scottdalfonso]

13 hours ago, nzdisneymom said:

We had MTD on the Jewel last week and our reservation times we made before sailing were all over the place based on availability.  We had another friend who booked the cruise after us and his times were also all over the place.  We wanted to coordinate, so we went to the dining room right after getting our muster station checks.  We asked about moving to early dining but were told it's very unlikely but they were able to link our reservations and give us 6:45 every night.  We ended up only eating at the dining room twice during the 8-night sailing, partly due to menu, partly due to being in port late, partly due to not wanting to go on formal/dress your best nights.  We went to the dining room at 6:30 on the first night because we weren't sure what the line would be like so we wanted to check it out (and were prepared to wait or come back at 6:45) but they were able to seat us right away.  The second time we went was on a port day where all aboard wasn't until 7:30 PM so we figured they would be able to seat us early - we went down at 5:45 and were seated immediately.  A lot of early dining tables were empty due to the late port stay.

 

Anyway, I share that all to say that the best thing to do is talk to dining on embarkation day and see what they can do for you, and also see if you can get a reserved time as early as possible.  Then based on your itinerary, you may have similar experience where you can actually eat earlier.  Or you may find some of your party wants to just eat in the Windjammer depending on the cuisine of the evening and whether there are other activities they want to participate in that MTD would interfere with.

Don't skip going just because its formal night- most people don't even dress up anymore. We skip it because we don't like lobster, but we would go otherwise in our normal dining clothes, which is usually a pair of jeans and a polo OR a pair of khaki shorts and a plain tshirt. 

[scottraveller]

Thanks. Interesting about the MTD turn up without a booking scenario. Im a bit of a control freak so like to have things all organised. I’ve spoken with my TA (who originally has cocked up on this) and they are contacting RCI on this to get us on the early sitting. Can’t say that’ll bring about a solution but you live in hope. I’ll also try the concierge and the maitre’d if necessary. Fingers crossed. The good news is we won’t starve and the kids will get spoiled anyway. 

 

 

[roupa]

once on board GO DIRECTLY to the main dining room and try to get desired time and table.   We couldn’t get anything official other than 7:00. However, we showed up earlier each night, got in the line for “with reservations “ and got seated pretty quickly…in same area each night….often same table.   There is always the Windjammer! 👍