My Time Dining - have I got it correct?

[avalon007]

Hi All,

 

Our past Royal cruises have been set time dining but the next few we have booked My Time Dining.

 

So is it correct that you can:

 

Book a table in the morning to save waiting OR just turn up & expect to wait a bit if you are fussy about the size of the table you are sat at?

 

When you do book or turn up, I assume you ask for a table for 2,4,6 etc or take whatever comes first?

 

We are actually wanting to sit with other people so I assume if we are not worried about the table size that we could turn up & be seated most nights without pre booking?

 

I would prefer not to prebook unless we want a set time or seating arrangement, as this allows freedom to decide wether to go to the main dining room or not after we see what options for dining most to us appeal to us at the end of the day.

 

Do I have this correct?

 

Thanks.:)

[fergusonvt]

Thanks for asking! I have basically the same questions so I'm hoping a very helpful person comes along soon.

[RJHNorthyorks]

We use my time dining , we usually prebook our table the night before if we remember or the next day if we don't. We always sit together as a family and never share with others. I've never noticed people being offered the opportunity to share tables but it may be just because we haven't asked.

[Ilovepj]

HI,

 

I always do anytime dining, its great come and go as you please. I never set a time, would just go, and never really waited, they will ask your room number and how many, then they seat you. I never asked about table size, but if you really want to sit with others I am sure you can tell them that. If I said 4 people, (example) we would get a table for 4.

 

Hope this info helps, I again love anytime dining, it helps when planning on what you want to do that night. Enjoy your cruise.

[Tudorcruisers]

I did Mytime dining last Sept as we wanted to eat around 8/8-30 each evening but when I rang in morning to book I was always told there was nothing at 8 and they could only take us between 7 and 7-30. I even starting trying to book a few days ahead but still was told it had to be tween 7 and 7-30 pm. The ship was full so I didn't want to chance just going to the MDR but I was quite disappointed with how it worked out. Would try it again though as it was nice sitting with different people each evening and some nights just sitting with DH.

 

Will be interesting to see if anyone had this problem.

[nanwel]

Just off Allure on Sunday. I was not sure how "mytime" would work.

First night there was a line up - told it could be 30 min.

Asked us to wait or come back later. We waited - it was just under 20 min. We never waited any other night.

We were a group of 5. We went in for dinner around 6 - to 6:30 most nights because we had 6 & 8 YR old with us. Given the same table and staff each night - we actally would have prefered to change tables for a bit of variety. We only prebooked one night because of show times.

People coming in between 7 & 8 seemed to have a bit of a wait. Because

you are not seeing the whole dining room empty (as in normal dining) as they clean and prepare for next group, you find they are not rushing you at all. I like it, but, did not see big group tables, so, I cannot answer if they will add you to a group table. We were on March break (Canada) and the ship was busy with big family groups.

Hope this helps

[akcruz]

I think you got most of your answers, but will just add, for you to sit with others, there needs to be other that want to have someone join them. We have asked in the past about joining another table and have been told there wasn't anyone else interested at that time. We could wait and see if others showed up or sit by ourselves. We eventually stopped asking and now just book a table for our family. It seems most that do MTD want to sit with their own group.

 

We have taken the approach of pre-booking all nights, then if something comes up along the way we change or cancel the reservation. This was we get the time we want to start with then can adjust as necessary.

[avalon007]

:( Oh, I'm dissapointed.

 

The reason we booked MTD for these upcoming cruises was because last cruise on our fixed dining we had a table for 6 & for 11 of the 14 nights we were the only ones that turned up.

 

In fact nobody else at all for the first 8 nights, then 1 couple turned up once on the 9th night!

 

On the 10th night a group of 4 people travelling together missed their 6.30 dining so they sat at our table for the 8.30, they were good fun & we said we were sorry to see them go back to their 6.30.

 

To our suprise the next night they came back & sat with us again because they had enjoyed sitting with us as well!

 

Our first Royal cruise we also enjoyed the company & getting to meet new people & we still stay in contact with 2 of them.

 

Although we are fine just being together it's nice to mix it up & we enjoy meeting other people & so thought if we do MTD we will be seated with others if requested to be, like at lunch time in the main dining room.

 

Anyone at all managed to sit with others during MTD?

 

Oh well, we are doing 3 cruises almost B2B (39 days all up) so we will at least get to know some of the crew if not the other passengers !!!:)

[Tudorcruisers]

We asked to sit with others for 5 of the 7 nights and we were put with others so it was great to meet other people and have the company. We just wanted two nights on our own and that worked out fine.

 

My only grumble is that I just could never get a later time to dine which seemed quite strange. I think on our next cruise we will just go to the MDR about 8 pm and wait if we have to.

 

Hope it all works out well for you.

[avalon007]

We asked to sit with others for 5 of the 7 nights and we were put with others so it was great to meet other people and have the company. We just wanted two nights on our own and that worked out fine.

 

My only grumble is that I just could never get a later time to dine which seemed quite strange. I think on our next cruise we will just go to the MDR about 8 pm and wait if we have to.

 

Hope it all works out well for you.

 

 

There is hope! Thanks for posting. :)

 

Glad to see we can actually be seated with others if we do ask & as you say if we want to be alone we can.

[printingchick]

I have used MTD in both ways.

 

On Freedom of the Seas, the first time I tried MTD, I made NO reservations. We looked over the Compass each day, found a blank spot during which we could eat and went at that time. We never had to wait more than a few minutes, however we were a party of TWO. (I'm sure a large party would have to wait longer to be accommodated.) We loved the flexibility. The host tried to always seat us in the same general area, but we did not have the same staff every night.

 

On Serenade of the Seas, we made no reservation for the first night. The first night out of San Juan, everyone is just trying to avoid dinner conflicting with Muster Drill. My daughter and I sat at a table for 2. The couple at the table next to us was very friendly and we ended up chatting throughout the meal. We ran into them the next day and decided to eat together as a party of 4 that night. We were seated at a great table next to a window and had an amazing waiter and assistant waiter. The host mentioned to us that he would reserve that table for us if we wanted to eat at that same time (I think it was around 6:45) every night. We agreed. We didn't have to wait to be seated. We just walked right to our table. We had the same staff every night, with whom we really bonded.

 

I decided I liked that system better because I really LIKE getting to know the waitstaff. Since then, I've always made a reservation in advance and requested to be assigned to the same table each night.

 

The other option is to book as you go. Rather than just showing up during our Freedom cruise, we could have called in the morning to make a reservation for that open slot of time we had identified on the Compass.

 

It's up to you. If you like flexibility, there's nothing wrong with using the MDR like a restaurant. Just show up and be seated. If you prefer consistency in terms of your table and staff, make a standing reservation for the same time each night.

 

We've never asked to be seated with others in MTD, but I have read that it is possible. The majority of tables in the MTD area are two or four tops, so you're unlikely to be seated with a really large group.

 

MY TIME is based on you being able to decide what works best for YOU!

[wrp96]

Last couple of cruises, we were with a group, but not everybody would eat in the dining room every night. Some nights we would have a reservation, some nights not. Some nights we elected to eat with our group. A couple of nights my roommate and I asked to sit with other people. Wasn't a problem for any of them. Maybe had to wait 5 minutes one night - and that was one of the night's we had a reservation.

 

But it will really depend on the make up of the cruise (is it all family groups that want to eat at 6pm, or Europeans that want to eat at 8pm, etc), what times are popular, etc.

 

Don't be afraid to ask though if it would be possible to sit with others.

 

And I understand about the lack of tablemates. One of my first solo cruises (a 10 night - pre-my time dining), my tablemates never showed up, the entire cruise. Thankfully the table next to mine had seats and invited me to join them.

[negc]

We asked to sit with others for 5 of the 7 nights and we were put with others so it was great to meet other people and have the company. We just wanted two nights on our own and that worked out fine.

 

My only grumble is that I just could never get a later time to dine which seemed quite strange. I think on our next cruise we will just go to the MDR about 8 pm and wait if we have to.

 

Hope it all works out well for you.

I think you may be pleasantly surprised and find you are seated without any considerable delay. At least that has been our experience and we rarely, if ever, make advance reservations. We have also been asked if we wanted to share a table with others. Most times that isn't our preference but on occasion we have elected to do so. It is also possible to meet others during the day and arrrange to share a table with them (assuming that they have MTD).:)

[helen haywood]

I tried to make reservations on board with MTD and was told the same thing....that the time I wanted (I think 7) for a party of 2 was not available. So I gave up on the reservation attempt and we simply showed up sans reservation at 7 pm and were seated right away. I don't understand it but as I'm really happier NOT making a reservation and being able to go with the flow which is the whole point of MTD IMHO, it worked out fine for me!

[venicia]

We have been using MTD for years now, as a matter of fact, as soon as it was offered.

 

We have had times when we wanted to sit by ourselves, but were ask if we would accept a large table with others. We have always been seated with very nice persons and had a very nice dinner. We have never waited on any ship over 10 to 15 minutes to be seated.

 

We will be on Allure in May and I have scheduled every dinner because of the shows. This is the only time I ever scheduled dinner in advance.

 

We love MTD as we show up when we are hungry and never have to rush to get to dinner or rush to get to a show.

 

We've scheduled MTD on every ship that offers it and we love it. Early dining is usually to early and late dining is to late, we get to pick our own time.

[Sherri914]

Hi everyone.

 

I'm currently scheduled for late seating, but am thinking of changing to MTD. My questions, though, is how it works with relation to gratuities. I thought I remembered seeing that to have MTD, gratuities must be paid in advance. Since we are also planning to book in a couple of the specialty restaurants on two or three nights, how does this work? Are the prepaid gratuities split between the MDR staff and the speciality restaurant staff? Or are we expected to pay the full 7 days gratuity to MDR staff + additional gratuities to the specialty restaurants. Thanks for any help anyone can offer.

[Clarea]

Hi everyone.

 

I'm currently scheduled for late seating, but am thinking of changing to MTD. My questions, though, is how it works with relation to gratuities. I thought I remembered seeing that to have MTD, gratuities must be paid in advance. Since we are also planning to book in a couple of the specialty restaurants on two or three nights, how does this work? Are the prepaid gratuities split between the MDR staff and the speciality restaurant staff? Or are we expected to pay the full 7 days gratuity to MDR staff + additional gratuities to the specialty restaurants. Thanks for any help anyone can offer.

The prepaid gratuities cover your stateroom attendant and MDR service. The fees for the specialty restaurants include gratuities. Of course, you can always add more if you like. There will be a line on your specialty restaurant bill for additional gratuity.