My Time Dining on Alaska '24 cruise

[surgie]

We booked a cruise for 11 people through our TA and she requested My Time Dining for our group (6 adults and 5 kids ages 5 though 11). I know we have plenty of time to change this is we want but looking for input.

 

The downside of a fixed reservation is on port days...getting back from excursions and ready for dinner. But we likely aren't candidates for a 7:00 or later reservation with ages of the kids.

 

We plan to eat together most nights. Would you advise staying with My Time for flexibility or changing to a fixed time to guarantee we we have 6:00 or so? I haven't cruised since before there was an app and ability to adjust on your own. 

[Ken at the beach]

29 minutes ago, surgie said:

We booked a cruise for 11 people through our TA and she requested My Time Dining for our group (6 adults and 5 kids ages 5 though 11). I know we have plenty of time to change this is we want but looking for input.

 

The downside of a fixed reservation is on port days...getting back from excursions and ready for dinner. But we likely aren't candidates for a 7:00 or later reservation with ages of the kids.

 

We plan to eat together most nights. Would you advise staying with My Time for flexibility or changing to a fixed time to guarantee we we have 6:00 or so? I haven't cruised since before there was an app and ability to adjust on your own. 

The earliest dining time that you can get for MTD is now about 6:45 as they use all the dining rooms for early seating and you need to wait for those guests to leave before they can start MTD

[surgie]

Ok good to know. I will request a set time rather than MTD.

[BirdTravels]

10 hours ago, surgie said:

We booked a cruise for 11 people through our TA and she requested My Time Dining for our group (6 adults and 5 kids ages 5 though 11). I know we have plenty of time to change this is we want but looking for input.

 

The downside of a fixed reservation is on port days...getting back from excursions and ready for dinner. But we likely aren't candidates for a 7:00 or later reservation with ages of the kids.

 

We plan to eat together most nights. Would you advise staying with My Time for flexibility or changing to a fixed time to guarantee we we have 6:00 or so? I haven't cruised since before there was an app and ability to adjust on your own. 

Stay with MTD. You really don't have a lot of time to pick traditional dining,,,, that will "sell out" sooner than MTD. 

 

Advice: Now days, most groups will eat together once or twice a cruise. With late port days, entertainment schedules, and multitude of dining options, most contemporary cruises don't want to get stuck eating with the family... in fact, in our experience, folks will actually resent getting stuck eating with the family when quickly feeding the kids and getting to the kids club is a priority. Also getting to see shows which are not scheduled around traditional dining times... and not achievable with a large table. Family members will placate the organizer and agree, but will bow out once on the ship. 

[surgie]

20 hours ago, BirdTravels said:

Stay with MTD. You really don't have a lot of time to pick traditional dining,,,, that will "sell out" sooner than MTD. 

 

What do you mean I don't have a lot of time to choose a traditional dining time? I just booked our cruise a few weeks ago on the day it opened for booking and it isn't until July 2024. I can check with my TA to see. Our adult kids and the grandkids don't consider dinner with the family "getting stuck" with us LOL. Luckily not our experience!