Royal Caribbean My Time Dining

[twilightcruiser14]

Can someone please explain to me, from their experience, how my time dining works on Royal. Do you need reservations? Can you just show up? Is there alot of wait time? I am sailing on Liberty in November and have never chosen my time dining. Thanks

Edited August 12, 2010 by twilightcruiser14

[akcruz]

I have not been on Liberty so can't say exactly for that ship, but most others you can either make a reservation (same time or different times each night) or just show up when you are ready to eat. If you do just show up you may have to wait a few minutes, especially the 1st night, but not long.

 

If you want the same table/area and wait staff I would suggest making reservations. Also, if you have a large group, you probably should as well.

Edited August 13, 2010 by akcruz

[spanner14]

We never made reservations for MTD on Freedom, because we just wanted to arrive at the dining room when we were ready. Coincidentally, this was around 7pm almost every night, and because of that, we were lucky and had the same table/waiter team every night except one.

 

I like the freedom of not having to make reservations so have booked MTD again for our next cruise. We only ever had to wait 5 minutes at the most to get a table.

 

Obviously you *can* make reservations if you wish.

[cb at sea]

You don't have to make reservations....you can just show up. How much (if any) wait time there is will depend on how many others are wanting to eat a the same time you do!

[FLACRUISER99]

Can someone please explain to me, from their experience, how my time dining works on Royal. Do you need reservations? Can you just show up? Is there alot of wait time? I am sailing on Liberty in November and have never chosen my time dining. Thanks

I Just show up. I also usually change on the ship so I don't have to prepay the tips b4 boarding.

[negc]

Can someone please explain to me, from their experience, how my time dining works on Royal. Do you need reservations? Can you just show up? Is there alot of wait time? I am sailing on Liberty in November and have never chosen my time dining. Thanks

We have chosen My Time Dining on several RCI cruises (Jewel, Navigator, and Radiance) and been quite pleased with how well it worked for us (and for the record, we were strong advocates of traditional dining who were skeptical that both forms of dining could co-exist successfully). You can make reservations, if you wish, or you can just show up and ask for a table. We have yet to experience a wait of any significant length and frequently have been able to get the same excellent wait staff every evening. It does offer you the flexibility of choosing your dining time which can be the same, or different, each evening so you can tailor your dining times to fit your daily schedule.:)

[yogimax]

I Just show up. I also usually change on the ship so I don't have to prepay the tips b4 boarding.

 

Any particular reason you don't want to prepay tips?

[printingchick]

Can someone please explain to me, from their experience, how my time dining works on Royal. Do you need reservations? Can you just show up? Is there alot of wait time? I am sailing on Liberty in November and have never chosen my time dining. Thanks

 

I've done MTD on two RCL ships now.

 

Experience #1 was on Freedom of the Seas, sister to the ship you're sailing on. We made NO reservations. We showed up a different times each night. We never waited more than a few minutes to be seated. We were always seated in the same GENERAL area, but not always with the same wait staff. We liked the flexibility, but missed really getting to know our waiters and having them know us.

 

Experience #2 was on Serenade of the Seas. We intended to do the same thing as Freedom, just show up whenever we wanted. On the first night, we found ourselves talking with the couple at the table next to us. We ran into them the next day and arranged to go to dinner together that night. We were seated at a nice table for four by the window. The head waiter told us that if we'd come to dinner between 6:30-6:45 each night, they would reserve that table for us. No stopping at the host stand. No waiting to be seated. We agreed. We had the same wonderful waitstaff every night. The time slot was convenient for us, and never proved to interfere with anything else we wanted to do. We made great friends with our tablemates. It was a great experience.

 

I like that I have the choice to make reservations or just show up! I will never return to traditional dining.

 

Enjoy!

[twilightcruiser14]

Thanks for all your help! I was not sure I made the right decision to change from traditional dining to MTD. After 4 RC cruises with TD I went on a terrible cruise on Ruby Princess. We had table mates from hell! The man was 94 and his wife clipped a bib to the front of him to keep his clothes clean. It didn't bother me till I realized why he needed a bib.He never stopped talking so every bite he took was followed by conversation and we got to watch the food tumble out. I have a hard time moving because I don't like to hurt peoples feelings so I usually just stay put and smile.On the last night of the cruise I had enough and wanted to enjoy just 1 dinner. I went to MTD room and it was better. We had a great time.

[temple1]

Oh my! That pretty much takes the cake as far as bad table partners.

 

We've don't MTD on Enchantment and the process was very smooth.

[karena1]

We LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE My time Dining. We never make reservations, just go when we feel like it. We have never had any problems just showing up and dining when we want. Would never go back to any other type of dining.

[sns101098]

Just off Freedom yesterday. We did MTD. Our group varied from 4 to 7 dinners. We never made reservations. We dined usually around 7pm although one night it was 8:30. We only had to wait on at the 8:30 dinner and that was only for 5 minutes. We had the same wait staff each of the 7 nights. We loved the experience!

[rummenroman]

Any particular reason you don't want to prepay tips?

 

My guess would be to use OBC for tips. I would consider doing this if I had a bunch of OBC that I needed to use up on a cruise.

[Sequim88]

Question about the pre-charged tips....

Are these just the dinning room portions or does it cover the cabin steward too? How much do they pre-charge for a 7 night cruise?

 

Reason for asking is that my father is paying for the cruise for all four couples. He noted a credit card charge the other day for $138. Enough maybe for tips (dinning room and cabin) for one couple. This is good since my brothers and I wanted to cover our own tips. Is there a chance that RCI pre-charged for just one cabin on the reservation and not all four? Or perhaps only signed up one cabin for MTD?

[negc]

Question about the pre-charged tips....

Are these just the dinning room portions or does it cover the cabin steward too? How much do they pre-charge for a 7 night cruise?

 

Reason for asking is that my father is paying for the cruise for all four couples. He noted a credit card charge the other day for $138. Enough maybe for tips (dinning room and cabin) for one couple. This is good since my brothers and I wanted to cover our own tips. Is there a chance that RCI pre-charged for just one cabin on the reservation and not all four? Or perhaps only signed up one cabin for MTD?

The prepaid tips required include tips both for the room steward and the dining room staff. Unless the guests are in a suite, the daily tip amount is $9.75, which would work out to $68.25 per perspm for a 7 night cruise. I would suggest contacting RCI directly to see exactly what they have done and take whatever measures are necessary to see that everyone is included in the MTD reservation. If they charge your father for everyone's tips, you could always reimburse him individually.:)

[estoyer]

We always make reservations and asked for the same waiter and table.

This works perfectly for our needs. Although if you don't mind wafting a few minutes, just walk up and dine...

 

Earl

[WMQueenie]

We just changed from the early seating for dinner to MTD...the cruise is in 40 days...we are wait listed for MTD? I can see being wait listed for early or late seatings, but MTD? Any thoughts?

[akcruz]

We just changed from the early seating for dinner to MTD...the cruise is in 40 days...we are wait listed for MTD? I can see being wait listed for early or late seatings, but MTD? Any thoughts?

 

There is only a limited area of the dining room that takes care of MTD. If they feel that they have enough people already signed up to fill those tables all night long, they will stop adding more people. MTD is becoming more and more popular, sounds like your cruise has a lot of people looking to do it. Maybe some will change to traditional or maybe they will open up more seating for your sailing? If so you will get confirmed for MTD. If not stop by the desk outside the dining room after boarding to see if they can fit you in.

[herb]

Glad to hear that my time dining works well on RCI..

 

We did Freestyle with NCL and EVERY night we had to wait a minimum of 15-20 min. for a table! :(

[Cowboy333]

I sailed On the Liberty last December , did MTD.I was told you have to choose before you get on the ship and have to pre-pay the gratuities. Their were couples wanting to change to MTD once onboard and were refused. The MTD section was on deck 5. We arrived at 6 the first night and made a 6 pm reservation on the way out of the dining room every night after that. We also had the same wait staff every night. I loved MTD. I am sailing the Liberty again in Oct. and choose MTD. I already made my daily 6pm reservations online. Happy sailing!!!

[UandMe4Ever]

We LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE My time Dining. We never make reservations, just go when we feel like it. We have never had any problems just showing up and dining when we want. Would never go back to any other type of dining.

[/b]Hi: We're on the Explorer 11/7 for 12 Nights. This is a first time MTD on RCCI. We reserved only the first night (sail day) and second night, as we figured they would be the most busy. The rest of the time, we see what we want to do in the evenings and then decide. Dinner is just one part of cruising. We like to eat between 7-15 - 7:45. We are truly the former traditional late diners, but have had enough! We loved Freestyle on NCL Jewel this past November and now I think we are 'hooked' to that type of dining.

 

We had Traditional on RCCI 11/08, Table for 2. Our same waiters were just ok. The assistant waiter was terrible. Never remembered to check break, water, etc., or come around after we were served to see if we needed or wanted anything else. Never remembered 1 piece of lemon until the 11th Night (out of 12)..We still tipped, although for sure, she wasn't worth it....

 

So after the saga of "I like the same waiters every night", we said no more. We were very happy w/ Freestyle and they couldn't have been nicer, no matter who waited on us, if they were everynight waiters. The were terrific.!

 

Table for 2, NCL Dawn 8/29 AND MTD on Explorer, 11/7 here we come! Look for us. We are very nice and well dressed (LOL) :-)

 

Safe sails.

Edited August 16, 2010 by UANDME4EVER

[Happy to set sail]

I've followed all the responses to this post hoping MY question would be answered also but I didn't see it.

 

Is there a fee for MTD? We're traveling the Serenade of the Seas 10/10/10 & have chosen the late dining time because hubby & I, although travelling alone - and yes, we DO enjoy each others company ;)- would like to mingle at dinner with other guests.

 

With MTD do you always get seated alone? Or do they have you join other folks already seated?

 

Just wondering.....

 

Thanks!

Joan

[newsier]

I've followed all the responses to this post hoping MY question would be answered also but I didn't see it.

 

Is there a fee for MTD? We're traveling the Serenade of the Seas 10/10/10 & have chosen the late dining time because hubby & I, although travelling alone - and yes, we DO enjoy each others company ;)- would like to mingle at dinner with other guests.

 

With MTD do you always get seated alone? Or do they have you join other folks already seated?

 

Just wondering.....

 

Thanks!

Joan

 

Hi Joan,

 

The only fee is you have to pre-pay gratuities.

 

As far as table arrangements - when you book MTD on-line before your cruise, you will be asked if you want to have a set time and sit with people or at a table for two - it is your choice. And you do not have to make any choices at that time at all.

 

Even if you do, each afternoon/night you can go and set up what ever you feel like for that evening - I have always found the Head Waiters/Matr'D to be most accommodating.

 

Enjoy your MTD.

 

g

Edited August 16, 2010 by newsier

[UandMe4Ever]

I've followed all the responses to this post hoping MY question would be answered also but I didn't see it.

 

Is there a fee for MTD? We're traveling the Serenade of the Seas 10/10/10 & have chosen the late dining time because hubby & I, although travelling alone - and yes, we DO enjoy each others company ;)- would like to mingle at dinner with other guests.

 

With MTD do you always get seated alone? Or do they have you join other folks already seated?

 

Just wondering.....

 

Thanks!

Joan

[/b]Hi: Everything the above poster said is accurate! The only "fee", is the prepaid daily gratutity on RCCI....I presume you would tip anyway at the end of the cruise.

 

We have chosen MTD for our 11/7/10 Explorer Cruise, 12 Nights. When asked if we want to 'share' a table, we say no thank you, table for 2, please. No problems....The beauty of it is if we want to see an earlier show (9:00) we will go in around 7ish, and have plenty of time to eat, as a two top takes less time than waiting for 8-10 people to arrive). We are usually out in a little over an hour without rushing and having time for coffee and dessert!

 

If we had a very busy day, we may go a little later, and if we want to see the show that night, we'll catch the 10:45 time. So simple.

 

If we don't plan on a show, we usually will go around 7:45 - 8:00...Have a longer, relaxing dinner, go to one of the bars for an after dinner cocktail and head for the casino....(my fave)!!!

 

All in all, I think you will be pleased with MTD....You need not make a reservation, unless you know you definitely want to eat a certain time and that can change daily. There isn't much of a wait at all...You can make one for tthe evening after you review the Daily Planner at night so you might decide what you feel like doing that day/evening.

 

Have a great cruise!

Edited August 16, 2010 by UANDME4EVER

[CFIGuy]

Does anyone know RCI's %age break down of how many people do MTD or how many people they plan on? Guessing already that about 20% of pax don't do the MDR at all. We did MTD on Princess. Wasn't as crazy about it, but Princess' dining room set up was a mess anyway, with 3 completely separate dining rooms.