Reserved my time dining for solos

[latebuyer]

If you reserve a my time dining time are you sat with other people? Is my time recommended for singles? I know this often comes up in solo topic but it seems like the way my time is handled is different per cruise line.

[Cruiser_1977]

I travel as solo and prefer late dining. I always ask to be seated with others. I check in with the Maitre D' when I board to make sure they know!

 

Whatever your preference(s) I'd make sure it's in your reservation and you check with the Maitre D'.

Edited August 18, 2022 by JennyB1977

[brillohead]

I prefer same table each night, so I go for Late Traditional Dining and I always request a large table when I'm traveling solo.

Once in a while I get a table to myself, but usually I'm seated at a 4-top or an 8-top.

[firefly333]

49 minutes ago, latebuyer said:

If you reserve a my time dining time are you sat with other people? Is my time recommended for singles? I know this often comes up in solo topic but it seems like the way my time is handled is different per cruise line.

Personally if I want to eat at a random my time, I rarely, as in almost never get sat with others for dinner.

 

I've switched to a set time early dinner and then almost always get sat with others. My time is a great way to eat alone lol.

[latebuyer]

Thanks, i had a good experience with my time dining with Holland America but maybe that is not the one to do here. My sister also commented the one time she did it she didn't like it, something about it being more chaotic but i never understood the reason she didn't like it.

[TBone2K]

I've had cases where they had to do MTD on a day by day basis if it was really busy. Best thing you do is like was said, go see the maitre'd at the MDR as soon as you can when you get on board. Usually they can set you up at the same table every night. However if you want to sit by yourself they'll probably have to put you at a 2-top to save the larger tables for bigger groups.

[John Reid]

I sail solo often. When I use My Time Dining, I ask for a table for two. I have always been able to get one. They are placed quite close together, but it makes conversation/chatting optional for each table.

Service is also very quick when seated alone.

[latebuyer]

Thanks everyone. The only times were 5:30 or 8 so i booked 5:30. That's true it would be quicker to eat alone though!

[3yorkies]

I always do late dinner when sailing solo and request a single table by window so I can get in and out quickly.  I don't care to sit through 2 hours of food with people doing multiple courses.   Works perfect for me.

[latebuyer]

So even though you choose a set time you could potentially choose to dine at a different size table each night?

[LeeW]

With Mytime, certainly can eat at different tables each night.  "Set time" usually means fixed seating, generally at 5:15 and 8:00 these days at an assigned table.

 

Royal (unlike some other lines) lets you set up dining reservations for Mytime before the cruise so you can eat at the same time each night if you want.  We book the earliest dining time and choose to dine at the same 2-top table with the same waiters for the cruise but you are not required to do so.  We sometimes have to wait 10 minutes for the table to clear but that is our choice.

[brillohead]

I don't care for waiting in line just to get into the dining room. 

Even if you have the same time and same waiters reserved for each night (with My Time Dining), you still have to wait in line for them to check you in and escort you to the table. Sometimes that wait can be pretty long.

Edited August 18, 2022 by brillohead

[Oceansaway17]

1 hour ago, brillohead said:

I don't care for waiting in line just to get into the dining room. 

Even if you have the same time and same waiters reserved for each night (with My Time Dining), you still have to wait in line for them to check you in and escort you to the table. Sometimes that wait can be pretty long.

exactly and that is why I just do the buffet or speciality.  Now a days MTD does not even start until 6:45 which a lot of folks are complaining about.

[pcur]

1 hour ago, brillohead said:

I don't care for waiting in line just to get into the dining room. 

Even if you have the same time and same waiters reserved for each night (with My Time Dining), you still have to wait in line for them to check you in and escort you to the table. Sometimes that wait can be pretty long.

Next time ask when you are assigned a specific table and time. I usually ask if I can just go ahead and sit down, and they always tell me to do so, just so I won't have to stand in line.

[brillohead]

19 minutes ago, pcur said:

Next time ask when you are assigned a specific table and time. I usually ask if I can just go ahead and sit down, and they always tell me to do so, just so I won't have to stand in line.

I was in MTD on Symphony this spring, because my fave waiter ever was assigned there.  Even though they had me set up to be at his table at the same time each night at 8:00, they told me I still had to wait and get "checked in" each time. 

I think it has to do with allocating the tips to the servers, but that's just my guess.

[brillohead]

31 minutes ago, Oceansaway17 said:

exactly and that is why I just do the buffet or speciality.  Now a days MTD does not even start until 6:45 which a lot of folks are complaining about.

I just do the MDR with late seating.  No lines!

[pcur]

On 8/18/2022 at 3:20 PM, brillohead said:

I was in MTD on Symphony this spring, because my fave waiter ever was assigned there.  Even though they had me set up to be at his table at the same time each night at 8:00, they told me I still had to wait and get "checked in" each time. 

I think it has to do with allocating the tips to the servers, but that's just my guess.

I think it's just the management on that ship. Your tips are allocated, and the check-in is just to verify.  Next time go to your table and ask them to tell the check-in desk you have arrived.

 

It defeats the whole purpose of committing to a table, wait staff, and time, which I do on the first or second night.  I will even adjust my arrival time to what they think is best.  If you are going to do that, then the waiter, assistant waiter, or head waiter of that section can check you in. Tell them you will switch to fixed dining if you have to wait in line.

 

It's the one and only thing I'm fussy about on a ship.