The New My Time Dining

I received an email from Royal Caribbean today and it said I could sign up to use the New My time dining on our upcoming cruise. It also said that if my family and I chose to do this, we would have to prepay gratuties . Is that an additional gratutity above what we normally pay? If so how much more? Below is the email I received and would appreciate any further clarification about this new feature. ]

Dear Ms _______

We've got great news about your cruise onboard Serenade of the Seas!

Your sailing is one of the select few to feature a limited-time

offer – a new My Time DiningSM* option for dinner.

With My Time Dining, you can choose to dine between 6:00 p.m. and

9:30 p.m. each evening with the party of your choice.** For your

convenience, we will accept reservations once onboard, you can decide

on a daily basis what dining time works for you! This allows you more

flexibility to plan around your daily activities – from sunbathing on

a deck chair to scaling the rock-climbing wall to our extensive list

of shore excursions!

Signing up is easy! Get all the details on My Time Dining.

Ready to reserve? Simply contact your travel agent to sign up now.

All the best,

Your Friends at Royal Caribbean

No, it is the same tips you would have paid anyway but for the my time dining they are requiring you to pay them ahead of time because you will not have the same waiters each night.

First Freedom, now Brilliance and Serenade, wonder what ships are next?

First Freedom, now Brilliance and Serenade, wonder what ships are next?

right now it only seems to be a test on these ships. I don't care where they move it as long as I can still have my traditional. :D

So it's not like Anytime Dining where you can just come in as you want, but instead you schedule yourself in for what time you'll be coming in advance?

I had no idea this was on the other ships - must have missed those threads or something.

I'm not sure how this works any better really.....you still have to plan ahead and it's hard knowing exactly what you're doing all the time.

So it's not like Anytime Dining where you can just come in as you want, but instead you schedule yourself in for what time you'll be coming in advance?

 

I had no idea this was on the other ships - must have missed those threads or something.

 

I'm not sure how this works any better really.....you still have to plan ahead and it's hard knowing exactly what you're doing all the time.

I'm guessing you don't have to make a reservation, but if you have a sense of what time you want to eat on a given evening, book it. Again, just a guess.

So it's not like Anytime Dining where you can just come in as you want, but instead you schedule yourself in for what time you'll be coming in advance?

 

I had no idea this was on the other ships - must have missed those threads or something.

 

I'm not sure how this works any better really.....you still have to plan ahead and it's hard knowing exactly what you're doing all the time.

It is my understanding you just have to make reservations each day, the big difference is you choose the time like 7pm rather then the 6 or 8:30 of the traditional seatings.

It is my understanding you just have to make reservations each day, the big difference is you choose the time like 7pm rather then the 6 or 8:30 of the traditional seatings.

Really? Where did you get this info? If what you say is true, it's no more flexible to the current options, just pick a time different from traditional and stick with it. Makes no sense.

I would love to try this on my upcoming AOS cruise - guess this ship is not one of the "test" ships :o

I want some flexibility around dinner time, and 7:00pm would be, in my own opinion, the best time for dinner....

Guess I'll be in the dining room at 6 :rolleyes:

Also - a bit off topic.... does anyone know if the shirt below is the same shirt the waiters in the windjammer wear?? I was ordering uniforms for my staff today and came across this shirt on cintas.com

I like the concept. We've always found that the early seating too early and the late seating a bit late. If we could choose to reserve at say 7:30 every night, that would be cool.

I would love to try this on my upcoming AOS cruise - guess this ship is not one of the "test" ships :o

 

I want some flexibility around dinner time, and 7:00pm would be, in my own opinion, the best time for dinner....

 

Guess I'll be in the dining room at 6 :rolleyes:

 

Also - a bit off topic.... does anyone know if the shirt below is the same shirt the waiters in the windjammer wear?? I was ordering uniforms for my staff today and came across this shirt on cintas.com

 

A bit off topic, if you want answers to your question, start a new thread. Unless someone is interested in My time, they won't see your question.

Really? Where did you get this info? If what you say is true, it's no more flexible to the current options, just pick a time different from traditional and stick with it. Makes no sense.

I think you misunderstood me. One night you can choose 6pm and the next night you wake up and decide to eat later, so that night you choose 8pm. Each day you can change your time, but I believe from the things I have seen and read that you have to make a reservation rather then just showing up, though I might be wrong.

I think you misunderstood me. One night you can choose 6pm and the next night you wake up and decide to eat later, so that night you choose 8pm. Each day you can change your time, but I believe from the things I have seen and read that you have to make a reservation rather then just showing up, though I might be wrong.

That certainly makes more sense, though it seems odd that you can't show up without a reservation.

Sue, would this then make it similar to reservations in Chops or Portofino where only a certain number of tables are available at any given time slot?

You hope when you wake up that your preferred time slot would be available in the dining room? I imagine that only a number of tables would be held aside for My Time dining, as they still have to accommodate the two traditional seatings.

A bit off topic, if you want answers to your question, start a new thread. Unless someone is interested in My time, they won't see your question.

I thought about a new thread, but didn't want to devote one to the shirt the waiters wear in the Windjammer!!!:rolleyes:

Just thought if someone happens to be reading THIS thread and perhaps knew the answer, I could get the info here. Its not a life or death question, so if it doesn't or can't get answered....no biggie :D

I'm sailing on Serenade on March 22nd and did not receive an anytime dining email. I wonder if the option is offered to everyone or if a test group is selected to give it a try on each voyage? Anyone know?

OT .... but ckrobyn... sure looks like it to me. :)

That certainly makes more sense, though it seems odd that you can't show up without a reservation.

Maybe you can, but the wording in the OP's email talks about making reservations once on board, and nothing about showing up and being seated. ;)

I am no where an expert on this and really don't want it implemented as it is the reason we no longer sail Princess as we couldn't get the traditional seating even booking 13months out. That is a discussion for another thread though.

Sue, would this then make it similar to reservations in Chops or Portofino where only a certain number of tables are available at any given time slot?

 

You hope when you wake up that your preferred time slot would be available in the dining room? I imagine that only a number of tables would be held aside for My Time dining, as they still have to accommodate the two traditional seatings.

On one of the test cruises so people who came back said 1 floor was set aside I believe.

Maybe you can, but the wording in the OP's email talks about making reservations once on board, and nothing about showing up and being seated. ;)

 

I am no where an expert on this and really don't want it implemented as it is the reason we no longer sail Princess as we couldn't get the traditional seating even booking 13months out. That is a discussion for another thread though.

Not to fear, I read somewhere on CC recently that the Freedom test has been successful(70% of those who tried it liked it) and it is going to be rolled out fleetwide during this year, but only 1/3 of dining space would be allocated to it. Now having said all that, there was something I read on CC last week, some tip expert, telling people that most dining room staff are from eastern Europe and their currency is the Euro so the $ doesn't trade well with the Euro now. I'm sure you get my point!;)

I.

 

Signing up is easy! Get all the details on My Time Dining.

 

Caribbean

From the link in Colorado Babe's original post:

Is now more flexible.

Now that you've reserved your cruise, how about enjoying some freedom of choice in your dinner options. On select ships and sailings+, we're featuring My Time DiningSM** in our Main Dining Room.

This great new option allows you more flexibility to plan your daily activities. Want to linger awhile at the pool and catch the day's last rays? No problem. Worked up an appetite on a shore excursion and want to dine early? Done. Our My Time DiningSM option is all about convenience and flexibility. You can choose to dine between 6:00 and 9:30 pm each evening. For your convenience, we will accept reservations once onboard the ship.

Ready to reserve? If you've reserved through a Certified Vacation Planner or on the web simply call (800) 590-6218 or email openseating@rccl.com (please include your reservation number and the number of guests in your party.)** If you've reserved through a travel agent please contact them directly.

Here's some additional information to keep in mind:

Dinner is served in the Main Dining Room

Same menu as traditional seating

Same impeccable service as traditional seating

Must pre-pay gratuities to participate - this includes tips for your waiter, assistant waiter, head waiter and stateroom attendant

Guests will not receive a table assignment or permanent table mates

You will have the ability to request a certain waiter

My Time Dining waiters share their gratuities amongst the other My Time Dining waiters; feel free to reward your waiter with an extra tip for providing excellent service

You will be seated with the party you arrive with; you can request to be seated with other guests or alone

Once dinner service begins for your table, no additional guests will be seated (to provide you with a smooth, non-disruptive meal)

Reservations are recommended in order to avoid a delay in seating (reservations will be taken once onboard)

When reserving your cruise, you will need to provide your reservation number and the number of guests participating in the My Time DiningSM option

Offer is subject to availability

+Available on the Brilliance of the Seas from February 22 - July 18, 2008, Freedom of the Seas October 15, 2007 - April 26, 2009 and Serenade of the Seas from March 8 - June 7, 2008.

** My Time DiningSM is subject to availability, you must prepay your gratuities to participate, and for group reservations My Time DiningSM is only available for groups of 20 or less.

First Freedom, now Brilliance and Serenade, wonder what ships are next?

Our headwaiter last week said they were starting with all the Radiance class ships in March, and phasing it in fleet-wide from there. He was't sure about Sovereign class, but definitely the others.

On the Radiance class ships, the dining room on deck 4 will be traditional main or late seating, and the area on deck 5 will be My Time. Similarly on the Voyager and Freedom class, the different levels will be used for either traditional or my time.

When I booked my cruise a year ago, the travel agent included prepaid gratuties. So, how would that work when you have to pay for this feature beforehand? I reallly think this concept is going to be a great one. I really don't want to rush back to the ship to make early dining and can't wait untill late night dining to eat so this concept is going to work great for my family and I.

When I booked my cruise a year ago, the travel agent included prepaid gratuties. So, how would that work when you have to pay for this feature beforehand? I reallly think this concept is going to be a great one. I really don't want to rush back to the ship to make early dining and can't wait untill late night dining to eat so this concept is going to work great for my family and I.

If you prepaid you are all set whether it was you directly or your TA.

I really wish this was available for the AOS instead of the Seranade. I guess there is always that chance it might be by late March but I doubt it. I guess my only concern is, do the waiters work just as well already receiving their tips.

Also - a bit off topic.... does anyone know if the shirt below is the same shirt the waiters in the windjammer wear?? I was ordering uniforms for my staff today and came across this shirt on cintas.com

 

Yes, it is.

What was the original topic?;)