You don't need to make a reservation. Once on board and you've dined the first evening at your preferred time, just let them know that you'll be dining at that time each evening and they'll accommodate you at that time each evening.
When you booked the cabins did you have a choice of Fantastica or Aurea experience? If so, it may be possible without moving, although will depend on availability. If your cabin is in the bella or Fantastica only sections, then it's unlikely.
Try doing a mock booking for a cabin near yours and see if there's Aurea available.
But contacting MSC or your TA is advisable.
Officially, the rules are that, yes, it will be taken and held until the end of your cruise.
However, in the onboard real world, it maybe taken or it may not.
You were going to ask your wife anyway, right? So, they've just cut out the middle man... straight to executive level for a decision, as my DH would say 😂
If you want flexibility in your dining time and to not share a table, the only experience that accommodates is Aurea.
Both Bella and Fantastica are fixed times and shared tables are the luck of the draw.
I've purchased from the jewellery store and only ever paid using the cruise card, which has generated points. If the transaction didn't go on your cruise card it is unlikely to generate points.
You could email the Voyagers Club admin to see if they could address the points absence.
We sailed from Malaga, doing the West Mediterranean and North Africa. Revisited a few places we'd not properly explored previously due to closure or illness, Portofino and Marseille and new ones in Morocco. Really lovely.
We've recently sailed on Lirica and have previously sailed on Orchestra. The ships are kept very nicely, they're not as glitzy as the newer ships but have a more intimate feel.
To eat at anytime you need to book the Aurea or Yacht Club level of experience. A few times when we've booked Aurea, we've been asked if we'd like to share a table, if a table for 2 wasn't immediately available but we've always said we'd wait for a table for 2.
It will be small, we've used the spa on a sister ship and on the next up size of ship. Its pleasant with a sauna, steam room, relaxation area and whirlpools but that's all. They are not like the thermal area on the newer ships.
Try YouTube for videos on sister ships, that may help.
The wines aren't awful. It's it the nicest I've ever tasted, no but perfectly drinkable. Admittedly, I am no wine connoisseur and certainly no wine snob but I've made a lot of effort to try them in recent years and it's been fine 🙂 🍷🥂
Just on board, daily, as it's subject to availability in the area. If it is full with Aurea guests, they won't sell additional spaces to non Aurea guests. So, it is a gamble if there will be availability on your chosen sailing.
Also, they usually have a discounted rate for use after 3pm.
Sometimes 3 dining times, sometimes 2. Our most recent sailing had 2, 6.30pm and 9pm. I've seen 5.30pm, 7.30pm and 9.30pm. Or various combinations. It largely depends on the ship, capacity and region.
Only Aurea has Anytime dining.