Reserve Now AND Main Dining

[bUU]

I did a search for "Reserve Now" AND "Main Dining" and it came up with 0 results. 😞 Maybe I'm not searching for the right words? I'm in the app and I see the Reserve Now button, but it is grey'ed out and I'm told to call a telephone number, while my friend (also on the same cruise, and both of us have My Time dining) is able to click the button and go on from there. What could account for the difference?

Edited August 18, 2023 by bUU

[ShillyShally]

If you have set time dining (early or late seating) you already have a set time.

 

if she has my-time dining she has to make reservations for each night or so up and use the stand by line.

 

if you want to eat together, call Royal and make sure you both have the same dining set-up by linking your reservations!

[bUU]

1 minute ago, ShillyShally said:

if you want to eat together, call Royal and make sure you both have the same dining set-up by linking your reservations!

We both have My Time dining. 

I'll update the original post with that info. Thanks!

 

[Ourusualbeach]

5 minutes ago, bUU said:

We both have My Time dining. 

I'll update the original post with that info. Thanks!

 

Try uninstalling the app and then reinstalling it.  You may have missed an update when they opened MTD for booking

[bUU]

1 minute ago, Ourusualbeach said:

Try uninstalling the app and then reinstalling it.  You may have missed an update when they opened MTD for booking

After a 30+ year career in software, that was my first inclination, as well. 👍 Unfortunately, the button is still grey'ed out. 😞

Thanks though!
 

[smokeybandit]

Is that even something that's ever enabled prior to boarding?

[ngrund]

Just now, smokeybandit said:

Is that even something that's ever enabled prior to boarding?

Yes, and way in advance. I have my reservations made already for next June

[smokeybandit]

For my next cruise, I have no reserve now button for MTD

[bUU]

Just now, smokeybandit said:

For my next cruise, I have no reserve now button for MTD

I did discover that I had to select the CORRECT Main Dining Room (to get to the grey'ed out button, at least). For the other dining rooms, there is no button at all. 

 

[Rob-Bob]

The earliest I can make a reservation in the main dining room (explorer) is 6:45pm.  Is this everyone's experience or have you been able to do earlier?  We usually like to eat and then hit the early main show.  I am not sure what time the shows will be but I am thinking we will not be able to do this.

 

With MTD can you just show up at 6:00 and get in?  The early assigned dining is too early.  Does anyone know when the main shows times typically are?  We are sailing on the Explorer Nov 2024.

[Biker19]

1 hour ago, bUU said:

What could account for the difference?

Trying to answer the why for any RCI IT issue just leads to frustration. Try the browser based planner to book MTD.

[bUU]

26 minutes ago, Biker19 said:

Trying to answer the why for any RCI IT issue just leads to frustration. Try the browser based planner to book MTD.

Thank you! That works fine for me. 

And I'm abashed that I didn't think to try that myself. I was under the impression that reservations was an app-only feature. 

 

[ecslady]

37 minutes ago, Rob-Bob said:

The earliest I can make a reservation in the main dining room (explorer) is 6:45pm.  Is this everyone's experience or have you been able to do earlier?  We usually like to eat and then hit the early main show.  I am not sure what time the shows will be but I am thinking we will not be able to do this.

 

With MTD can you just show up at 6:00 and get in?  The early assigned dining is too early.  Does anyone know when the main shows times typically are?  We are sailing on the Explorer Nov 2024.

My Time Dining usually starts at 6:45 pm.  They like to get early seating out first.

[Rob-Bob]

9 minutes ago, ecslady said:

My Time Dining usually starts at 6:45 pm.  They like to get early seating out first.

I see.  That is the earliest available reservation time that I see on the app. Maybe I do need to change to the early set dining time although it seems awful early.  Might need to in order to make the first show in the Palace Theater.

[2wheelin]

4 hours ago, Rob-Bob said:

I see.  That is the earliest available reservation time that I see on the app. Maybe I do need to change to the early set dining time although it seems awful early.  Might need to in order to make the first show in the Palace Theater.

My experience has been that if you show up shortly after early seating starts you will get a table if they have empties. Never turned away or had to wait.

[bUU]

20 minutes ago, 2wheelin said:

My experience has been that if you show up shortly after early seating starts you will get a table if they have empties. Never turned away or had to wait.

Just to put that in context with regard to the situation that I'm trying to make sure I'm prepared to deal with... We are a group of 28. 🙈

[Rob-Bob]

1 hour ago, 2wheelin said:

My experience has been that if you show up shortly after early seating starts you will get a table if they have empties. Never turned away or had to wait.

Thanks. I appreciate the insight.  15 months away but it doesn't hurt to plan ahead😀

[Ourusualbeach]

42 minutes ago, bUU said:

Just to put that in context with regard to the situation that I'm trying to make sure I'm prepared to deal with... We are a group of 28. 🙈

With that size of group you should choose a fixed dining time to be sure that you get seated close to each other and at the same tables.  That way you can have everything set up in advance

[bUU]

21 hours ago, Ourusualbeach said:

With that size of group you should choose a fixed dining time to be sure that you get seated close to each other and at the same tables.  That way you can have everything set up in advance

The decision not to do fixed Early or Late has already been made (by others). 😉 I'll be happy if we can get 75% of the group together for one meal in MDR.

[Nacho.Daddy]

On 8/18/2023 at 8:31 AM, Rob-Bob said:

The earliest I can make a reservation in the main dining room (explorer) is 6:45pm.  Is this everyone's experience or have you been able to do earlier?  We usually like to eat and then hit the early main show.  I am not sure what time the shows will be but I am thinking we will not be able to do this.

 

With MTD can you just show up at 6:00 and get in?  The early assigned dining is too early.  Does anyone know when the main shows times typically are?  We are sailing on the Explorer Nov 2024.

On our last cruise we inadvertently had MTD (we normally select Early and I don't know how we ended up with MTD). I also saw that the earliest I could select under MTD was 1845 which is rather late for us so we requested on board to be changed to Early and it was approved.

[PacnGoNow]

Help!  I would like fixed dining for a family of 5 in a MDR Harmony in Feb, early seating.  
Do I need to download the App?  How do I request it?

It’s been a while since I’ve been on RCI..

Appreciate any help.

TIA

[Nacho.Daddy]

On 8/23/2023 at 1:11 PM, PacnGoNow said:

Help!  I would like fixed dining for a family of 5 in a MDR Harmony in Feb, early seating.  
Do I need to download the App?  How do I request it?

It’s been a while since I’ve been on RCI..

Appreciate any help.

TIA

Call whoever you booked the cruise through and ask for them to change it (if available). So if you booked the cruise through Royal, call them. If you used a TA, call them. If not available, ask to be waitlisted. Last option is to ask as soon as you board the ship.

[PacnGoNow]

36 minutes ago, Nacho.Daddy said:

Call whoever you booked the cruise through and ask for them to change it (if available). So if you booked the cruise through Royal, call them. If you used a TA, call them. If not available, ask to be waitlisted. Last option is to ask as soon as you board the ship.

Thanks!  I thought I had to wait until 45 days before to reserve. 

[GimmeOcean]

8 minutes ago, PacnGoNow said:

Thanks!  I thought I had to wait until 45 days before to reserve. 

 

MDR seating times (early, late, or My Time) are an option that's picked when you first book the cruise. Though you can change it later as stated depending on availability.

Edited August 25, 2023 by GimmeOcean

[PacnGoNow]

4 minutes ago, GimmeOcean said:

 

MDR seating times (early, late, or My Time) are an option that's picked when you first book the cruise. Though you can change it later as stated depending on availability.

Thank you