My Time Dining

[BillB48]

I have been choosing MTD for some time now and it has always operated in the following manner... The MTD portion of the MDR would open anywhere from 15 to 30 minutes before the first sitting began and remain available to book reservations until the normal close of the MDR.  On a recent cruise on the Radiance I selected MTD, I was surprised to find out that the earliest time for MTD with reservation or just show up was 6:45PM.  The dining room where the MTD was handling a first sitting starting at 5:15PM.  This certainly limited the time that was available for the MTD guests.  I was wondering is this now the manner MTD is operated or was it just unique to the Radiance.

[davekathy]

3 minutes ago, BillB48 said:

I have been choosing MTD for some time now and it has always operated in the following manner... The MTD portion of the MDR would open anywhere from 15 to 30 minutes before the first sitting began and remain available to book reservations until the normal close of the MDR.  On a recent cruise on the Radiance I selected MTD, I was surprised to find out that the earliest time for MTD with reservation or just show up was 6:45PM.  The dining room where the MTD was handling a first sitting starting at 5:15PM.  This certainly limited the time that was available for the MTD guests.  I was wondering is this now the manner MTD is operated or was it just unique to the Radiance.

Fleetwide. The reason we switched back to early (6:PM) TD. 

[Tatka]

On Anthem there are 2 MTD restaurants on deck 4 and 2 assigned seating restaurants on deck 3.

Assigned starts earlier at 5:30, MTD later. We sometimes would come when MTD was still closed, so they would send us to Assigned restaurant.

Edited January 18, 2023 by Tatka

[BillB48]

Thanks for the replies!  I guess with that change I will have to rethink my choices.  I sure much prefer the way MTD was configured before.

[moposh]

6:45 p.m. is too late for me.  I'll have to check this out.

[Jam0610]

Last two cruises we have had, MTD it did not go well. So far behind on Allure they opened a closed section of 2nd floor with no additional staff. Felt sorry for the servers.

 

We are moving back to 1st seating.

[Giantfan13]

48 minutes ago, davekathy said:

Fleetwide. The reason we switched back to early (6:PM) TD. 

 

 I haven't seen early dining at 6PM in many years. In fact, on most ships, it is usually between 5:15 and 5:30 and that is a bit too early for me. 

 

Cheers

Len

[moposh]

14 minutes ago, Jam0610 said:

We are moving back to 1st seating.

I may have to do that.  I emailed RCI so I'll see what they say.  I did look in the app and it has me scheduled for 7:15 p.m.  Looks like early time dining time is 6:00 p.m.  

[Giantfan13]

37 minutes ago, BillB48 said:

Thanks for the replies!  I guess with that change I will have to rethink my choices.  I sure much prefer the way MTD was configured before.

Bill

 

 You need to read this and try it. We also reserved the earliest MTD for 6:45. When we arrived on the ship, we went right to the place where you could request changes and we asked if it were OK if we came in at 6:15-6:30 and if something was available could we be seated then. We asked this several times and was always told we could. There are always tables available as everyone who reserved early seating doesn't always show up. Our situation was we wanted the same waiter section every night, but we were lucky, we met another couple who wanted the same thing as we were able to eat at 6:15 every night at the very same table with the same wait staff. In fact, it got to the point that they never had to show us to our table, we checked in and went there on our own. I realize this is something that may not be available every night, but there are always tables available earlier than your reservation, so just show up and you will be seated.

 

Cheers

Len

[Biker19]

3 hours ago, Giantfan13 said:

I realize this is something that may not be available every night, but there are always tables available earlier than your reservation, so just show up and you will be seated.

You could probably accomplish the same thing by booking early traditional and show up 30-45 minutes late. 

[davekathy]

5 hours ago, Giantfan13 said:

 

 I haven't seen early dining at 6PM in many years. In fact, on most ships, it is usually between 5:15 and 5:30 and that is a bit too early for me. 

 

Cheers

Len

We did a B2B cruise on the Explorer March 2022 and was assigned the same table for two each evening on both legs for a set time of 6:PM, TD.