My Time Dining...Voyager of the seas

[cruiserfan007]

Cruising Oct.11 on Voyager Of The Seas. We are signed up for my time dining. Has anyone done this on Voyager and how was your experience? Thanks, Steve :)

[charlsee]

Cruising Oct.11 on Voyager Of The Seas. We are signed up for my time dining. Has anyone done this on Voyager and how was your experience? Thanks, Steve :)

We did this last February and loved it. We are going on Voyager again next February with my parents and are signed up again for the 4 of us. The service was teriffic. We tried this because we prefer early dining and for the Caribbean cruises, this means 5:30 pm, which is too early for us. We generally dined around 7 pm, and this worked out great. I hope you enjoy your trip and dining as much as we did.

[J & G]

Cruising Oct.11 on Voyager Of The Seas. We are signed up for my time dining. Has anyone done this on Voyager and how was your experience? Thanks, Steve :)

 

We did the first week it was offered. There were some kinks that needed to be worked out because, by the end of the week, it was WAY more popular than anticipated. Otherwise, it was SUPER! We are planning to do it again in 2011!

[boneshaker]

Cruising Oct.11 on Voyager Of The Seas. We are signed up for my time dining. Has anyone done this on Voyager and how was your experience? Thanks, Steve :)

 

Steve, Marty and I are doing MTD also. My daughter said they're getting some positive feedback, but a lot of people are seated by themselves, and that's a big thing they don't like. You have 4 in your party, so you should have a great time! Can't wait!

 

Cathy

[STUBIL2000]

Hi We have just sailed on VOS, some friends bought MY TIME DINING and as the cruise was adjusted to cater for the large amount of Spanish guests they moved everyones dining times to later times, so although they bought the option when they came to choose all they could get was 22.30 which with 2 children was too late and no other option was offered so they missed out and paid for the privalige!! so beware also they include the tips and give vouchers for use daily this wasnt explianed and they put them in the bin!

[RetireeWannabee]

Hi We have just sailed on VOS, some friends bought MY TIME DINING and as the cruise was adjusted to cater for the large amount of Spanish guests they moved everyones dining times to later times, so although they bought the option when they came to choose all they could get was 22.30 which with 2 children was too late and no other option was offered so they missed out and paid for the privalige!! so beware also they include the tips and give vouchers for use daily this wasnt explianed and they put them in the bin!

interesting. did they approach the maitre'd and/or guest services to try to get accomodated? I agree, that is far too late for children, and certainly way too late for me, too!!

[ClaireS]

We were very happy with MTD on Voyager a couple of months ago. We had children with us so wanted a time between early and main seating. Made a reservation on the first day for 7pm. As we were really happy with this time and the table and staff allocated we were able to reserve that table at the same time every evening for the rest of the cruise.

 

For us it worked well.

[Bobal]

Hi We have just sailed on VOS, some friends bought MY TIME DINING and as the cruise was adjusted to cater for the large amount of Spanish guests they moved everyones dining times to later times, !

 

I don't really understand this. First of all you don't 'buy' Mytime dining. Yes, you pay the tips beforehand but you're not buying it. Also the dining room is open from 6 to whatever time (10.30?). The idea of MTD is that you can choose to eat at any time during those hours. Do you mean that your friends were on late sitting which was adjusted particularly late to accommodate the tastes of the Spanish guests (which does happen) and they then opted to do MTD as a result. I really can't see that the only options for MTD would have been very late. In our experience (in the Med) it was the times from 8.00pm onwards which were particularly busy and your friends should have had less problem getting an early table. :confused:

[juliemc]

Does anyone have any experience of using MTD without making reservations? Werr there long wait lines for those without?

[legolas_23]

We did MTD back in april on a western caribbean itinerary on Voyager. It worked out great!! everyday we would decide what time we would eat and tell the lady at the MTD desk. It was just my wife and i, and we would usually schedule to eat at 6:45 or 7:00. We would be out of dinner just in time to make it to the show if we wanted to see it, and we were still able to enjoy the day by not having to go in too early to get ready.

[toras]

I'm going on Navigator so I assume it would be similar - is there a special section for MTD and if so where is it? last time I was in this class of ship our table was in the bottom level in a corner. I hope to be on a higher level this time.

 

Also can you use MTD if you are actually booked for traditional, or do you have to be completely switched over?

[cb at sea]

You have to choose one or the other--you can't switch between traditional and MTD.

[Chicky2181]

Will you be placed with other dinners if there are only two in your party or will you be sat at a private table? And can you change your dining time each day?

[charlsee]

Will you be placed with other dinners if there are only two in your party or will you be sat at a private table? And can you change your dining time each day?

Unless you request to be seated with others, who also make that request, you will be seated alone. Most MTD diners want to be seated with just their own party. You can change your dining time each day - we have requested MTD again next year when my parents will be cruising with us.

[toras]

Back from the cruise, so to answer my own question, on the Navigator of the Seas, MTD is on the top level (Deck 5) dining room on the starboard side.

 

And there is a line up to talk to the reservation guy to get your table, even if you have booked ahead for that evening.

[ddy123]

I am guessing you would have different waitstaff each night with MTD?

[Papa T]

How far in advance can you make reservations (i.e. 3 days in advance). When making reservations can you - ask for a table by the window for 6? My experience with this on Princess and HAL has been mixed. In general, I have enjoyed the flexibility but in making reservations some of the advertised flexibility seems to vanish.

[kitten2729]

Just back from VOS. Top dining room on deck 5 was allocated for my time. 4 of us turned up the 1st night and asked to be seated at a table for 8. The company was really good - decided that we'd all book for the following night minus 2, who had booked Portofinos but they then wanted to join us the following evening. Re-booked that night for the following night.

We basically booked the night before, usually for 8.30 or 9.00 depending on what everyone was doing the next day. They tried to give us the same table each night but sometimes the earlier diners took longer than expected so we ended up having different tables/waiters each night. Quite a few tables set up for 2's and 4's.

Really ejoyed my time - have booked it for our next few cruises.

 

In the past we've sat at tables for 8 and there's maybe only 4 sitting at it some evenings and you feel you have to go otherwise someone could be sitting on their own. Being able to book the same day gives you the option of just chilling and going to the windjammer if you want and your not letting anyone down.

[CruisingGoddess]

Thanks for the info about VOS! We'll be doing MTD on VOS next month!

 

If I want to reserve a time for the first night, can I do that when I get onboard? If so, where do I do this?

[Trickie Dickie]

We did my time dining on Voyager in March 2009. My time dining is the way to go. The MTD staff on Voyager was awesome! Even when they were not serving you a particular evening they found time to pop over and say hi. Very friendly. MTD took 45 minutes to an hour to complete, very fast indeed with no obligation to table mates. Our social needs were fulfilled at breakfast in the dining room. We met different people everyday. After breakfast we popped by to make reservations each night for MTD but I never saw a line up when we ate around 7. I have signed up for MTD on my next two RCCL cruises and I have signed up for Celebritie's version called Celebrity Select Dining when I'm on Solstice next year. Have fun!

[Leo Jay]

Anyone have a sense of the pros/cons of MTD vs. traditional for a solo cruiser? I just booked online, and chose traditional only because I was pressed for time and figured I couldn't go wrong that way...? I think I can call and switch to MTD.

 

I probably wouldn't mind sitting with others, but if I did, I'd probably prefer that they be other solos. I've done dining room lunches before with couples and groups as a solo last year on another line, and it just got a smidgen tiresome feeling like the patronized oddball: "well, would you look at that -- cruising alone! How brave of you!" :D

[Papa T]

We were scheduled for early seating on the Voyager TA in November but then discovered that it was at 5:30 - so switched to ATD. Hope the 5:30 time doesn't indicate that RCL expects that most pax will want to be in bed by 9.

[Leo Jay]

I'm sailing Nov 15, and the website tells me there are no specialty restaurants available for that sailing. Why would that be? Tried calling RCI, but have been on hold...

[Leo Jay]

I'm sailing Nov 15, and the website tells me there are no specialty restaurants available for that sailing. Why would that be? Tried calling RCI, but have been on hold...

 

Ah, got it. Thru end of year, not taking advance online reservations for Portofino's.

[CruisingGoddess]

We were scheduled for early seating on the Voyager TA in November but then discovered that it was at 5:30 - so switched to ATD. Hope the 5:30 time doesn't indicate that RCL expects that most pax will want to be in bed by 9.

 

We're doing MTD for the opposite reason! We're on the Med cruise right before the Voyager TA and late dining is 9:30 pm, way too late! While early dining is 7:30 pm and we're worried we won't be ready in time since we're not leaving most ports until 7 pm. It seems like MTD is the way to go.

 

Ah, got it. Thru end of year, not taking advance online reservations for Portofino's.

 

Are you on a Med cruise? I was told that they won't take advanced reservations for Portofino's on our Med cruise because of European or Spanish tax laws.