Best check in time and mytime dining

[latebuyer]

My cruise is coming up! I’m wondering if there is a best time to check in. When does the windjammer open? Is it best to get their early?
 

Also, can you be signed up for traditional dining, but still attend mytime dining some times. Some port days i may want to go later.

[OCSC Mike]

9 minutes ago, latebuyer said:

My cruise is coming up! I’m wondering if there is a best time to check in. When does the windjammer open? Is it best to get their early?

 

"Best" check-in time is a matter of personal preference. If you plan to go to WJ for lunch, it's best to get on the ship as early as possible and be there when it opens, yes. It will likely open around 11 or so (I've seen it open earlier than whatever the app says).

 

Many people will tell you stay away from WJ, it's too crowded, especially on embarkation day. Personally, I like to be one of the first people in and I don't find it too bad until some time passes and more people board, figure out where they're going, etc. Different strokes...

[latebuyer]

Thanks giovannis doesn’t seem to be open for lunch and i booked chops with a sale another day so was hoping for windjammer. I like to eat early!

[crewsweeper]

If you're on the app, about 45 days before your cruise you can select a check in time for the terminal.

If you are reserved for traditional dining, you can not just shift to mytime dining.  You need to head to your dining room on boarding (or when it opens for changes) and see if you can change.  Most likely night 1 you'll have to go to your assigned table.

[gerif]

If you have traditional dining, you cannot go to MTD on occasion. If you are late in port either do the WJ or specialty. 

[latebuyer]

May i ask when my time dining starts? As i recall it was quite late. The problem is my dining is at 5 and due to port times i won’t be able to go. Plus i don’t want to miss the sail away as vancouver’s is quite nice. On the other hand with next seating at 7:30 i thought i’d miss the shows. Plus i don’t like eating that late.

[Biker19]

1 minute ago, latebuyer said:

May I ask when my time dining starts?

That timing should be listed in the app (6:30PM or later usually) - set it to the current sailing. The earliest slots may already be gone but there might be some leeway once on board.

[latebuyer]

Thanks, i’m going solo. Can i still dine at a table of 6 or 8?

[latebuyer]

It sounds like mtd may not be great if there is lines. I’m confused as when i phoned in it says the dining time was 5 but on the app it says 5:30. Which is it? Also i’m wondering if its ok to be late.

[Homosassa]

9 minutes ago, latebuyer said:

It sounds like mtd may not be great if there is lines. I’m confused as when i phoned in it says the dining time was 5 but on the app it says 5:30. Which is it? Also i’m wondering if its ok to be late.

It is not ok to be late. 

 

You are usually given 10 - 15 minutes leeway for arrival. After that you may not be able to enter the dining room for your seating.

 

Also, if you are on a  table with others, the waiter will often wait until everyone  is present to take  the table's orders.

[latebuyer]

Thank you. Good to know.

[sandy toes]

18 minutes ago, latebuyer said:

It sounds like mtd may not be great if there is lines. I’m confused as when i phoned in it says the dining time was 5 but on the app it says 5:30. Which is it? Also i’m wondering if its ok to be late.

The app is specific to your sailing and the generic times for across the line are listed under frequently asked questions. If app says 5:30 then plan on that. As others have said, not a lot of leeway for tardiness at dinner as others need to wait to order and they may have things booked to do after their meal. If you know you will be late change to MTD or visit the Windjammer that evening or even choose a speciality venue that evening. Reservations are just that, set times, just like on land. But the ships all have other options available. You may even be able to change your dining tine now being getting ob ship, call your TA or the cruise line. Have a great cruise. 

[latebuyer]

Thanks, i phoned and they told me it is 5:00 which is too bad as 5:30 would be preferable.

[crzndeb]

Since you mentioned Vancouver, I assume you are cruising to Alaska. I’m not sure if the ships out of Vancouver are the same dining times as ships out of Seattle, but I was on the recent sailing, May 11-19 on Ovation. I checked my photos of Compass, and early traditional was 5, late was 7:30, and MTD was 6:15.

There are later shows, so the late seating diners don’t miss them. 

Edited May 28, 2023 by crzndeb

[DukeASUGirl]

4 hours ago, latebuyer said:

May i ask when my time dining starts? As i recall it was quite late. The problem is my dining is at 5 and due to port times i won’t be able to go. Plus i don’t want to miss the sail away as vancouver’s is quite nice. On the other hand with next seating at 7:30 i thought i’d miss the shows. Plus i don’t like eating that late.

 

It will depend on the ship, but the app should tell you what time it opens on your ship. I just got off Navigator, where MTD officially opens at 6:45, but we got seated as early as 6 one night by showing up and apologizing, but asking nicely. They happened to have a table ready for us - a group who decided to skip their early seating due to a port day.

 

We made a standing reservation for 6:45 every night, but if our regular table was ready when we showed up, they would seat us. We got in as early as 6:35 that way. (The night we asked to be seated at 6, we didn't get our regular table/waiters.)

 

We did not miss any shows.

[Biker19]

13 hours ago, latebuyer said:

Can i still dine at a table of 6 or 8?

Sharing a table is possible.

[latebuyer]

I thought i could make reservations in advance before the cruise. Is that not the case? It is not showing in my app.

[latebuyer]

Hopefully someone is still reading this thread so i don’t have to start a new one. The agent said there were no more reservations for my cruise so i decided to stick with early dining. For my sail away day i’d like to eat at izumi but i think i want to go a la carte. Would the restaurant open early on sail away day so i can make a reservation?

[Biker19]

7 hours ago, latebuyer said:

I thought i could make reservations in advance before the cruise. Is that not the case? It is not showing in my app.

If you have MTD, you should be able to make reservations.

[Biker19]

5 hours ago, latebuyer said:

Hopefully someone is still reading this thread so i don’t have to start a new one. The agent said there were no more reservations for my cruise so i decided to stick with early dining. For my sail away day i’d like to eat at izumi but i think i want to go a la carte. Would the restaurant open early on sail away day so i can make a reservation?

It is unusual for MTD to not be available - if you want that, try to get on a wait list.

You can book any of the specialty venues at any of them as soon as you board - they don't have to be open. They should also be available in the app.