what's the point of picking your dining time...

[reallyitsmema]

3 minutes ago, travelberlin said:

Actually I did not choose MTD. I was automatically assigned because I have prepaid gratuities. Isn’t it the way it is?

 

No, you pick your dining time when you book your cruise.  If what you want isn't available, you can go on the waitlist if there is room on the list.

[c-leg5]

5 minutes ago, reallyitsmema said:

 

It could have been they were forced to choose MTD and wanted early seating.  We booked right before final and only MTD was available.  I accepted that but then called back a week later and waitlisted for early seating.  We cleared the waitlist quickly but others on the rollcall never did and were stuck in MTD.  We also had a few on the rollcall have their choice changed and found out once they boarded as others have experienced.  The cruise line really needs to stop messing with MTD and go back to how it was in the past.  We had decided we wanted to try the MDR this cruise as we hadn't tried the new menus yet since we had been sailing in larger ships with Coastal Kitchen.  Now that we have tried the menus, we will pick and choose from the ones we liked and then do specialty or Windjammer.

I guess that is a possibility, that they didn’t actually choose.

 

I have only had that happen in reverse where i booked late and couldn’t get MTD (preferred) or late traditional. Fortunately it was a short cruise and I just did WJ or specialty.

[travelberlin]

Just now, reallyitsmema said:

 

No, you pick your dining time when you book your cruise.  If what you want isn't available, you can go on the waitlist if there is room on the list.

Thanks. Does everyone prepay gratuities nowadays? MTD used to be a convenient benefit if one prepaid gratuities.

[The Fun Researcher]

39 minutes ago, c-leg5 said:

 

They have always limited the number of MTD even when MTD worked.

 

I have been forced into traditional on late bookings or waitlisted.

 

Yes, but I think it's being suggested that they increased that limit too far and too many were allowed to do MTD.  It's all hearsay since I'm not sure we know if they started opening MTD to more and more of a percentage of guests on the ship.  If they did, I suggest they scale back the amount of those allowed to utilize MTD to help resolve the problems they've created, part of which is due to the new way they are seating MTD guests. 

 

23 minutes ago, travelberlin said:

Actually I did not choose MTD. I was automatically assigned because I have prepaid gratuities. Isn’t it the way it is?

 

15 minutes ago, travelberlin said:

Thanks. Does everyone prepay gratuities nowadays? MTD used to be a convenient benefit if one prepaid gratuities.

It was never the case that if you prepaid gratuities, that you automatically were placed in MTD.

 

For some time, if you wanted MTD you had to prepay gratuities.  I think Royal even removed that restriction in recent years, but I'm not sure.  I think they stopped requiring prepaid gratuities if you wanted MTD.  Can someone confirm?

 

We've always prepaid gratuities so it never applied to us, we were always 

[reallyitsmema]

20 minutes ago, travelberlin said:

Thanks. Does everyone prepay gratuities nowadays? MTD used to be a convenient benefit if one prepaid gratuities.

 

Prepaying gratuities used to be a requirement for booking MTD, not a benefit.  Anyone can prepay gratuities if they want to, no matter their dining choice.

[Biker19]

17 minutes ago, The Fun Researcher said:

Can someone confirm?

No requirement to pre pay grats with MTD with US bookings. 

[CeleBrat]

New to Royal (actually, cruised once with them back in 1992) and I'm confused as to why MTD reservations are done BEFORE you get in the ship.  I discovered it just last week but then found dining was only available from 7:30pm or later.

I really enjoy Carnival's MTD method, where you request a table via the app while onboard.  That way, you don't have to plan in advance or go to the dining room to get a pager .  The app shows current wait times, so you can decide whether or not to be added to the wait list  And then, if you do add yourself, it will notify you through the app.  Meanwhile, you can be ANYWHERE else on the ship enjoying yourself while you wait.

[island lady]

2 hours ago, Tatka said:

It’s also messed up.

 

5:30 is not a good time for traditional seating. It used to be at 6:30

 

It's 5 pm currently on Wonder.  Was that way last year also.  

[Biker19]

Just now, CeleBrat said:

I really enjoy Carnival's MTD method, where you request a table via the app while onboard. 

RCI is not like Carnival when it comes to MTD. 

[Tatka]

Just now, island lady said:

 

It's 5 pm currently on Wonder.  Was that way last year also.  

 

Even worse .....

 

[Tatka]

1 minute ago, Biker19 said:

RCI is not like Carnival when it comes to MTD. 

 

As we switched to RCI 100% in last 3 years ... but even before ... they prefer you to have the same table/waiters. We always use MTD and they try to have us at the same table ,time, waiters.

[island lady]

2 minutes ago, Tatka said:

 

Even worse .....

 

 

We simply get used to it.   After all..it's 5:00 somewhere.  😉   All I have to do is pretend we are on a different time zone...which happens a lot in our travels.  

[The Fun Researcher]

Just now, island lady said:

 

We simply get used to it.   After all..it's 5:00 somewhere.  😉   All I have to do is pretend we are on a different time zone...which happens a lot in our travels.  

True, but pretty tough when the lunch venues don't open until 12pm. (happened to us on the Quantum just a few months ago).  That's just not enough time to digest my lunch and be ready for dinner again, let alone have time to enjoy the fun things to do on the ship in the afternon.

[island lady]

1 minute ago, Tatka said:

 

As we switched to RCI 100% in last 3 years ... but even before ... they prefer you to have the same table/waiters. We always use MTD and they try to have us at the same table ,time, waiters.

 

And if your table/waiters are still occupied by traditional first seating...even if other tables have cleared and are available.?  

[Tatka]

1 minute ago, island lady said:

 

And if your table/waiters are still occupied by traditional first seating...even if other tables have cleared and are available.?  

 

Not sure. Anthem for example has 2 restaurants for MTD and 2 for Traditional. So it is never a case.

[island lady]

Just now, The Fun Researcher said:

True, but pretty tough when the lunch venues don't open until 12pm. (happened to us on the Quantum just a few months ago).  That's just not enough time to digest my lunch and be ready for dinner again, let alone have time to enjoy the fun things to do on the ship in the afternon.

 

We simply skip the happy tisers in the lounges.   Was tough to get used to it as well, but found it made it easier to make the early shows, when we finished dinner earlier. 

 

When we ate later, all I wanted was to go to bed after dinner.  Age catching up to me.  😄 

 

Obviously does not work for everyone...but it's what works for us now.  🙂 

[island lady]

4 minutes ago, Tatka said:

 

Not sure. Anthem for example has 2 restaurants for MTD and 2 for Traditional. So it is never a case.

 

My point was electing to wait for the same waiters/table if the first seating pax linger over their dessert, coffee, drinks at your table.   

 

For example:   Currently on Wonder.  First traditional dining starts at 5 pm, MTD starts at 6:30...the ship hoping the first seating pax finish up and they can get the table cleared by 6:30 for MTD pax.   

 

Main dining decks 3,4, and 5.   MTD is only on 4.  Which means they have to wait for the first seating pax to finish dinner on deck 4 (the larger main deck). 

 

 

 

 

   

Edited October 30, 2023 by island lady

[travelberlin]

36 minutes ago, The Fun Researcher said:

 

It was never the case that if you prepaid gratuities, that you automatically were placed in MTD.

 

For some time, if you wanted MTD you had to prepay gratuities.  I think Royal even removed that restriction in recent years, but I'm not sure.  I think they stopped requiring prepaid gratuities if you wanted MTD.  Can someone confirm?

 

We've always prepaid gratuities so it never applied to us, we were always 

I have found this on the internet:

 

”Pre-paid gratuities are required to participate in My Time Dining. Those tips are then shared among all My Time Dining waiters. You are welcome to offer additional tips to specific waiters.”

[Starry Eyes]

1 minute ago, travelberlin said:

I have found this on the internet:

 

”Pre-paid gratuities are required to participate in My Time Dining. Those tips are then shared among all My Time Dining waiters. You are welcome to offer additional tips to specific waiters.”

That was true many years ago when MTD was first introduced.  The policy was changed several years ago.  Royal evidently was not scrubbed the old info from the internet.  

[Beachin2]

The chaos of the MDR is one, but not the primary, reason we no longer cruise RC after over 32 years spanning about 500 nights.  Booked a last one coming up in April to say a final goodbye to a ship that has special meaning for us, then we are done.  Planning on all specialty and some WJ - but not the MDR.  Have moved on.  

[island lady]

5 minutes ago, Starry Eyes said:

That was true many years ago when MTD was first introduced.  The policy was changed several years ago.  Royal evidently was not scrubbed the old info from the internet.  

 

What...say it ain't so...RCI website inaccurate!!??   Can't be.  😄 😄 

[travelberlin]

Just now, Beachin2 said:

The chaos of the MDR is one, but not the primary, reason we no longer cruise RC after over 32 years spanning about 500 nights.  Booked a last one coming up in April to say a final goodbye to a ship that has special meaning for us, then we are done.  Planning on all specialty and some WJ - but not the MDR.  Have moved on.  

But for the ultimate dining, you have to make reservations once you are on board. It seems unnecessary stress also. Why not be able to do the reservations online after you buy the package?

[island lady]

5 minutes ago, Beachin2 said:

The chaos of the MDR is one, but not the primary, reason we no longer cruise RC after over 32 years spanning about 500 nights.  Booked a last one coming up in April to say a final goodbye to a ship that has special meaning for us, then we are done.  Planning on all specialty and some WJ - but not the MDR.  Have moved on.  

 

To which line?  

 

 

 

 

Edited October 30, 2023 by island lady

[MrsHFQ]

35 minutes ago, Biker19 said:

No requirement to pre pay grats with MTD with US bookings. 

We had to pre pay gratuities with our UK booking for MTD

[crzndeb]

36 minutes ago, CeleBrat said:

New to Royal (actually, cruised once with them back in 1992) and I'm confused as to why MTD reservations are done BEFORE you get in the ship.  I discovered it just last week but then found dining was only available from 7:30pm or later.

It is not mandatory to make reservations for MTD. My daughter had MTD on the Wonder and never made reservations. Her and my Granddaughter never waited more than 10 mins. to be seated. She said larger parties, with no res waited longer, but so did those with reservations.