My time dining questions

[davekathy]

13 minutes ago, geenafeena said:

We have MTD as well for this March.  I didn't even realize they offered it until I read something, we WERE assigned to late seating.  First time we did MTD was Norweigan and loved it.  We will probably make standing reservations once on board (I like having the same wait staff, but if not, no bigee) when we find out the show schedules so we can coordinate.  To think over 10 years ago we used to do the late seating, I think it was at 8 or 8:15...Seems so late now...LOL.  I don't mind eating late but I would rather do it by choice, not by assignment...LOL

 

 

You aren't assigned a specific time for MTD. TD for the MDR you are assigned a specific time. Sounds like you are confusing the two. 

Edited February 1, 2022 by davekathy

[karena1]

21 minutes ago, taglovestocruise said:

We have done MTD once and will never go back. Late dining large table is our preference except for Specialty dining. .  

We are so over 3 hour dinners.  We go to mtd, get a 2 top and talk about the day.  We meet so many people on a cruise that we have found we like dining alone.  We are in/out within a 1.5 hour time frame.  We don't eat dessert so waiting for everyone else just takes time away from doing the other things we want to do.

[Starry Eyes]

1 hour ago, boscobeans said:

I have no idea as to why but we have always selected My Time from the days it was first available even before you could pre-schedule the time on line.

 

We have dined on each and every one at 5:30.

On our last cruise we scheduled 5:30 in the Icon and for the same table back when we sailed just about a month ago in November. 

It is a mystery to me. LOL.

Some ships now handle MDT differently (I’ll explain below). I liked MTD when it was handled the original way; I do not like it on the ships using the new (not-improved) method.  If you like MTD at 5:30, I hope you do not encounter a ship using the new method (though they likely have more flexibility while passenger census is still low).  

[LB_NJ]

8 hours ago, Cruiser1862 said:

I am a bit confused. I thought choosing Anytime Dining meant that you can go to the MDR anytime. Might have to wait a bit, but you don’t have to choose a particular time. I read yesterday where someone stated they had to choose 5:30 or 6:45. Can someone please elaborate and explain?  

 

The 5:30 and 6:45 times sound like the fixed early seating (sometimes called Traditional Dining, i.e., the way it used to be), not My Time/Any Time.  Celebrity and Royal use the term My Time Dining when you can choose different times in the Main Dining Room (MDR).  Othe cruise lines have different names.

 

In any case Royal "Reservation are strongly recommended."

What Dining Times are Available at the Main Dining Room? | Royal Caribbean Cruises

[davekathy]

4 minutes ago, Starry Eyes said:

Some ships now handle MDT differently (I’ll explain below). I liked MTD when it was handled the original way; I do not like it on the ships using the new (not-improved) method.  If you like MTD at 5:30, I hope you do not encounter a ship using the new method (though they likely have more flexibility while passenger census is still low).  

What's the new method? 

[Starry Eyes]

1 hour ago, Tin can said:

 

We have a few cruises booked, none of our MTD starts until at least 6.30 and its not because its fully booked.

 

I'd be interested to know why you think this is?

Some ships are managing their dining seating differently than other ships and it impacts MTD.  This started before the shutdown, so I think it will continue.  Let’s say that MTD will be held in dining room A.  In order to make maximum use of the dining seats right from the dining room opening time, the tables in dining room A are assigned to early traditional diners at 5-5:30.  As those early diners finish their meals, those tables are quickly cleared, and the seats in dining room A are available to MTD diners.  MTD is scheduled to start to as those diners are trickling out…so about 6:39-6:45.  I hope that helps.
Right now with low passenger census, they might have flexibility with MTD timing, so you could ask if seats happen to be available sooner.  When ships are back up at 100-110% capacity, there is of course more crowding and more demand.

[Starry Eyes]

11 minutes ago, davekathy said:

What's the new method? 

See post 31

Edited February 1, 2022 by Starry Eyes

[island lady]

3 hours ago, boscobeans said:

Just got off the Anthem and anytime (Icon Grill) was from 5;30 on, with 10 % of the tables full by5:15.

 

Have always selected My Time and arranged seating for each cruise at 5:30

 

RCI:  Really Consistently Inconsistent.  😉 

[Ashland]

1 hour ago, Starry Eyes said:

Some ships are managing their dining seating differently than other ships and it impacts MTD.  This started before the shutdown, so I think it will continue.  Let’s say that MTD will be held in dining room A.  In order to make maximum use of the dining seats right from the dining room opening time, the tables in dining room A are assigned to early traditional diners at 5-5:30.  As those early diners finish their meals, those tables are quickly cleared, and the seats in dining room A are available to MTD diners.  MTD is scheduled to start to as those diners are trickling out…so about 6:39-6:45.  I hope that helps.
Right now with low passenger census, they might have flexibility with MTD timing, so you could ask if seats happen to be available sooner.  When ships are back up at 100-110% capacity, there is of course more crowding and more demand.

Yes...this is just what we experienced...with our MTD reservation (6:45 earliest available to allow for the MDR guests)...however no one was assigned to our specific table before us so we managed to arrive around 6;15-6:30 and our table was always ready.

[Starry Eyes]

38 minutes ago, Ashland said:

Yes...this is just what we experienced...with our MTD reservation (6:45 earliest available to allow for the MDR guests)...however no one was assigned to our specific table before us so we managed to arrive around 6;15-6:30 and our table was always ready.

With a lower passenger census right now, there are more likely to be unassigned  tables during that early traditional dining than there will be when ships are full.  Even when another party is assigned to a table, they may not show up (certain nights if the even the entire cruise) as some people dine elsewhere (WJ, CK, specialty restaurants).  People with UDP and/or suite guests, for example, might never elect to use their MDR table assignment. 

[davekathy]

2 hours ago, Starry Eyes said:

See post 31

Cool. What's really weird is we have 6:00 PM for MTD for both legs of our B2B March cruise on Explorer. Made those reservations in the CP as soon as we booked the cruises. According to the app MTD starts at 7:15 PM. Like always as soon as we board the ship we'll stop by the MDR and verify our dining selection, reservation time and then go find a great table for two. 

[Starry Eyes]

53 minutes ago, davekathy said:

Cool. What's really weird is we have 6:00 PM for MTD for both legs of our B2B March cruise on Explorer. Made those reservations in the CP as soon as we booked the cruises. According to the app MTD starts at 7:15 PM. Like always as soon as we board the ship we'll stop by the MDR and verify our dining selection, reservation time and then go find a great table for two. 

Just a guess…perhaps when you made the reservations however many months ago, Explorer was using the old MTD system; and perhaps sometime in the intervening time, leadership on that ship decided to switch to the new MTD system.  

 

Or, the time in the app could be wrong (we have all seen issues with Royal’s IT over the years)

[boscobeans]

1 hour ago, davekathy said:

Cool. What's really weird is we have 6:00 PM for MTD for both legs of our B2B March cruise on Explorer. Made those reservations in the CP as soon as we booked the cruises. According to the app MTD starts at 7:15 PM. Like always as soon as we board the ship we'll stop by the MDR and verify our dining selection, reservation time and then go find a great table for two. 

On our cruises where you could use Cruise Planner the My Time Openings always started at 6:30, yet on board they could and were always made for 5:30

.

Maybe like the cabin availability where lots of cabins are not shown for any number of reasons until you call RC directly..

[davekathy]

9 minutes ago, Starry Eyes said:

Just a guess…perhaps when you made the reservations however many months ago, Explorer was using the old MTD system; and perhaps sometime in the intervening time, leadership on that ship decided to switch to the new MTD system.  

 

Or, the time in the app could be wrong (we have all seen issues with Royal’s IT over the years)

Agree with both possibilities. I booked this B2B (13 March and 20 March) on 2 December 2020. After thinking (posting) about it, I'm calling my TA in the morning and request she call RC and get the scoop. We don't want to get on the ship and find out things have changed and we end up with a time we don't want. If things have changed concerning MTD times for our cruises, then I'd like to know why we weren't made aware of the change. 

[Starry Eyes]

1 hour ago, davekathy said:

Agree with both possibilities. I booked this B2B (13 March and 20 March) on 2 December 2020. After thinking (posting) about it, I'm calling my TA in the morning and request she call RC and get the scoop. We don't want to get on the ship and find out things have changed and we end up with a time we don't want. If things have changed concerning MTD times for our cruises, then I'd like to know why we weren't made aware of the change. 

Well, you likely understand the oft wide disconnect between shipboard services and the land based guest services.  So, because of that, I would not be surprised if land GS does not really know which ships handle MTD which way (or which ships might decide to transition their MTD design).  Also if it is an error on the app, GS may not know.  I doubt I would trust anything you hear.  I’d have more faith in reports from others cruise critic members sailing on your ship…maybe if you make a request somebody can share experiences or even cruise compasses (with dining and typical show times)

[davekathy]

12 hours ago, Starry Eyes said:

Well, you likely understand the oft wide disconnect between shipboard services and the land based guest services.  So, because of that, I would not be surprised if land GS does not really know which ships handle MTD which way (or which ships might decide to transition their MTD design).  Also if it is an error on the app, GS may not know.  I doubt I would trust anything you hear.  I’d have more faith in reports from others cruise critic members sailing on your ship…maybe if you make a request somebody can share experiences or even cruise compasses (with dining and typical show times)

I agree, the left hand not knowing what the right hand is doing.

 

I had my TA call RC. That call went about the way I expected it to go. The RC rep said the app (MTD opens at 7:17 PM) was correct and doesn't understand why I was able to get reservations for 6:PM each night of the B2B cruise for MTD in my CP. The  RC rep said currently the earliest available reservation time for MTD is 7:45 PM. My gut feeling was I need to change from MTD to TD as we don't want any surprises when we are onboard by not having reservations for MTD at 6:00 PM . So I asked the TA to ask RC if we could change our dining from MTD to TD for 6:00 PM every night for each leg. Done and received new involves from the TA showing we are now in TD (early) for 6:00 PM. I still plan on checking the dining situation out when we board just for my own curiosity. 

Edited February 2, 2022 by davekathy

[Starry Eyes]

2 hours ago, davekathy said:

I agree, the left hand not knowing what the right hand is doing.

 

I had my TA call RC. That call went about the way I expected it to go. The RC rep said the app (MTD opens at 7:17 PM) was correct and doesn't understand why I was able to get reservations for 6:PM each night of the B2B cruise for MTD in my CP. The  RC rep said currently the earliest available reservation time for MTD is 7:45 PM. My gut feeling was I need to change from MTD to TD as we don't want any surprises when we are onboard by not having reservations for MTD at 6:00 PM . So I asked the TA to ask RC if we could change our dining from MTD to TD for 6:00 PM every night for each leg. Done and received new involves from the TA showing we are now in TD (early) for 6:00 PM. I still plan on checking the dining situation out when we board just for my own curiosity. 

We like(d) MTD done the original way, but not the new way.  Our response to the new MTD system is to switch to early traditional dining, just as you have elected for your upcoming b2b cruise.  If Explorer has indeed instituted the new system, you’ll have plenty of time to observe that system in action and make well  informed decisions thereafter.

[suzk2275a]

23 hours ago, davekathy said:

Thanks. The only reason I asked as I always understood if you had MTD or TD you couldn't swich once onboard. 

We switched from early dining to my time dining onboard during our January, 2022 cruise on Independence of the Seas. It was very simple to make the change once we were onboard. 

[geenafeena]

On 2/1/2022 at 5:01 PM, davekathy said:

You aren't assigned a specific time for MTD. TD for the MDR you are assigned a specific time. Sounds like you are confusing the two. 

Nope, not confused, at least I think not...lol

We were assigned to late seating and then changed to MTD (our choice of what time, depending on our schedule).

[davekathy]

2 hours ago, suzk2275a said:

We switched from early dining to my time dining onboard during our January, 2022 cruise on Independence of the Seas. It was very simple to make the change once we were onboard. 

Thanks. Not speaking from experience but I was always told pre covid cruises you could not switch between the two. Now with reduced numbers of cruisers post covid cruises possibly it is a ship by ship exception based on the numbers of cruisers for that specific cruise. 

[davekathy]

34 minutes ago, geenafeena said:

Nope, not confused, at least I think not...lol

We were assigned to late seating and then changed to MTD (our choice of what time, depending on our schedule).

Ok, I'll raise my hand when I get confused or behind. 😁🖐️

[BekkaW]

37 minutes ago, davekathy said:

Thanks. Not speaking from experience but I was always told pre covid cruises you could not switch between the two. Now with reduced numbers of cruisers post covid cruises possibly it is a ship by ship exception based on the numbers of cruisers for that specific cruise. 

I think there has been a misunderstanding. You cannot switch between the two to the extent that you can’t have traditional set times some days and MTD other days, within the same cruise. It’s one or the other. 
 

You  can, however, go to the dining room on the first day if your dining assignment is not what you prefer. Many people do this for various reasons, for example they wanted MTD but it was full at the time they booked. On our last cruise we had selected late traditional but for some reason when we boarded our cards said MTD. The Maitre D fixed it for us on the first day. 

 

 

[davekathy]

2 hours ago, BekkaW said:

I think there has been a misunderstanding. You cannot switch between the two to the extent that you can’t have traditional set times some days and MTD other days, within the same cruise. It’s one or the other. 
 

You  can, however, go to the dining room on the first day if your dining assignment is not what you prefer. Many people do this for various reasons, for example they wanted MTD but it was full at the time they booked. On our last cruise we had selected late traditional but for some reason when we boarded our cards said MTD. The Maitre D fixed it for us on the first day. 

 

 

Good to know. I sometimes learn something new on CC. Thanks for the clarification.