Jewel of the Seas - My Time Dining Reservations

[shirazcruiser]

It's been a while since we've been on a Radiance class ship where we've always had early seating; however, on our upcoming sailing we have selected MTD.  Can you make reservations online for each night and do Suites have any priority for seating?  It's too far out to book any dining...I just want to know what to expect. Thanks for any info? 

[Tree_skier]

Yes 7-12 months out it should show up in cruise planner.  No, suites don't get any kind of preference.

[Ashland]

6 hours ago, Tree_skier said:

Yes 7-12 months out it should show up in cruise planner.  No, suites don't get any kind of preference.

It would probably depend on the category of suite you're in 🙂

[shirazcruiser]

6 hours ago, Ashland said:

It would probably depend on the category of suite you're in 🙂

We're in an Owner's Suite.

[island lady]

From inside to Owners suite...still no priority with MTD.  

 

Do keep in mind the changes to MTD.   It is not a separate dedicated dining floor (usually one deck up) any longer.  It is now a "fill in" at the whim of diners leaving their tables after first seating on main dining deck.  

 

Even with reservations, DO be prepared to wait in line for a table as the dining pax file back out. Earliest MTD reservations usually not until 6:45 (first dining from 5:15 to 5:30).   Set up as a guess as to when those first seating pax leave.  

[shirazcruiser]

12 minutes ago, island lady said:

Do keep in mind the changes to MTD.   It is not a separate dedicated dining floor (usually one deck up) any longer.  It is now a "fill in" at the whim of diners leaving their tables after first seating on main dining deck.  

We only did MTD 1 time on BOS and from what I recall there was a small separate section on the right side of deck 5 DR.  So are you saying that when a whole table is cleared from the early seating, they use that table as a MTD table?  

[island lady]

Just now, shirazcruiser said:

We only did MTD 1 time on BOS and from what I recall there was a small separate section on the right side of deck 5 DR.  So are you saying that when a whole table is cleared from the early seating, they use that table as a MTD table?  

 

Yes.  Once again...there is no separate section for MTD any longer.  

 

Spent 2 different B2B cruises on Jewel just recently.  Long standing lines for MTD (and the one WITH reservations was the longest).  MTD is only on the main dining deck...and only when first seating diners leave their tables...table at a time.... then reset, will you be seated.  

 

Some (like us) arrive on time, finish our meal (no dessert, no after dinner coffee) and leave within an hour.  Some....like to linger after dinner, having coffee, more drinks, dessert....that table will take longer to be reset for you. 

 

We used to love MTD...not any longer.  IMHO...MTD is now a failed system.   

 

 

[shirazcruiser]

8 minutes ago, island lady said:

 

Yes.  We used to love MTD...not any longer.  IMHO...MTD is now a failed system.   

 

 

Thank you for responding.  This is very disappointing as 5:30 is just too early for us to dine when we have tours and 8:00 is late.  We prefer 6:30 so we don't have to rush and can enjoy ourselves. I can't wait to tell DH who has no patience for this kind of stuff. I thought it worked very well on our last BOS cruise, but all of our other cruises since then have been on the larger ships with the flexibility of the Coastal Kitchen or Celebrity with Luminae.  I may have to rethink booking the Ultimate Dining Package.  Again, thanks! 

[Tree_skier]

8 hours ago, Ashland said:

It would probably depend on the category of suite you're in 🙂

What kind of suite gets priority MTD reservations in the MDR?

[reallyitsmema]

6 minutes ago, Tree_skier said:

What kind of suite gets priority MTD reservations in the MDR?

 

Full suites on Oasis class ships used to be able to bypass the lines (reservation and non-reservation) and go up the middle.  You would tell whoever approached you that you were in a suite and were usually directed to the podium behind the one that serves the line and were seated immediately.  We have only been eating in Coastal Kitchen when in a full suite for the last few years, so not sure if they still do this or not.

[mo&fran]

2 minutes ago, reallyitsmema said:

 

Full suites on Oasis class ships used to be able to bypass the lines (reservation and non-reservation) and go up the middle.  You would tell whoever approached you that you were in a suite and were usually directed to the podium behind the one that serves the line and were seated immediately.  We have only been eating in Coastal Kitchen when in a full suite for the last few years, so not sure if they still do this or not.

There is a separate suite/pinnacle checkin desk on the larger ships.

[Ashland]

4 hours ago, shirazcruiser said:

We're in an Owner's Suite.

We were also in an OS (July 2022) and they told us just to let them know whatever we wanted to do when it came to MTD. They called us several times to see if there was a reason we weren't using the dining room. After many years we now prefer the WJ now.

[Ashland]

2 hours ago, Tree_skier said:

What kind of suite gets priority MTD reservations in the MDR?

Sorry you misunderstood my post it was in response to the OP's question about MTD.

[shirazcruiser]

27 minutes ago, Ashland said:

We were also in an OS (July 2022) and they told us just to let them know whatever we wanted to do when it came to MTD. They called us several times to see if there was a reason we weren't using the dining room. After many years we now prefer the WJ now.

Thank you for responding.  That's good to know! 

[shirazcruiser]

4 hours ago, Ashland said:

We were also in an OS (July 2022) and they told us just to let them know whatever we wanted to do when it came to MTD.

Did the Suite Host schedule any tours or plan any special evening events? Last time we were on the Serenade, the Host had several events just for the suite guests (when P & D+ were allowed) to include a chocolate evening. Thanks!

Edited July 2, 2023 by shirazcruiser

[Ashland]

1 hour ago, shirazcruiser said:

Did the Suite Host schedule any tours or plan any special evening events? Last time we were on the Serenade, the Host had several events just for the suite guests (when P & D+ were allowed) to include a chocolate evening. Thanks!

We were not only on Jewel 2022 but also on Serenade in September 2022 and October 2022 each time in an OS and I don't recall anything being set up specifically by the concierge...however we're pretty low key long time RCI cruisers and don't participate in most of these things, so there could have been.

[goldfish65]

I have not done MTD but we had an owner's suite on Jewel last October, the concierge helped us with anything we asked, I feel like she would have gotten us a MTD reservation if we had wanted it. 

 

[island lady]

21 hours ago, shirazcruiser said:

Thank you for responding.  This is very disappointing as 5:30 is just too early for us to dine when we have tours and 8:00 is late.  We prefer 6:30 so we don't have to rush and can enjoy ourselves. I can't wait to tell DH who has no patience for this kind of stuff. I thought it worked very well on our last BOS cruise, but all of our other cruises since then have been on the larger ships with the flexibility of the Coastal Kitchen or Celebrity with Luminae.  I may have to rethink booking the Ultimate Dining Package.  Again, thanks! 

 

You are most welcome.   Of course RCI is most happy to have pax book the dining packages....me thinks something is fishy about how they let pax get upset with the new MTD set up....and I don't think it is coming from the sea.  😉 

[orville99]

22 hours ago, shirazcruiser said:

We only did MTD 1 time on BOS and from what I recall there was a small separate section on the right side of deck 5 DR.  So are you saying that when a whole table is cleared from the early seating, they use that table as a MTD table?  

One of the nicest benefits of sailing in an OS is that there is a dining table (seats 4) in your suite, and you can have your Main Dining room meals delivered to your suite any time the dining rooms are open (no charge), so if you enjoy the dining room menu but don't like the hassle, just order in.

[shirazcruiser]

7 minutes ago, orville99 said:

One of the nicest benefits of sailing in an OS is that there is a dining table (seats 4) in your suite, 

I'm looking forward to having an actual table for breakfast.  This is our first OS as we always book a GS.  Thank you!

[island lady]

8 minutes ago, orville99 said:

One of the nicest benefits of sailing in an OS is that there is a dining table (seats 4) in your suite, and you can have your Main Dining room meals delivered to your suite any time the dining rooms are open (no charge), so if you enjoy the dining room menu but don't like the hassle, just order in.

 

Indeed...a nice perk!  Though for some reason we never eat in our cabin...even to order room service.  I guess we like being out and about in the evening.  Probably reminds me too much of staying home for dinner or going out to a restaurant.  😉  

 

I used to feel that 5:30 was too early for dining...but since the total fiasco of what has become of MTD...we have totally enjoyed doing first seating.  Sooo nice to just walk straight to our table with the same wait staff that knows our likes/dislikes.  No waiting in line.  

 

Of course time is relative.  Just back from six weeks on Maui...6 hour time difference from Florida.  Felt like we were having dinner when we had lunch.   🙃  So, we simply adjust our body clock timing on the cruise as well.  Keeps us from filling up on munchies at happy hour and finally gives us time to make those early shows should we want to.  

[island lady]

6 minutes ago, shirazcruiser said:

I'm looking forward to having an actual table for breakfast.  This is our first OS as we always book a GS.  Thank you!

 

You will love that "extra toilet" as well.  😄 

[orville99]

1 hour ago, shirazcruiser said:

I'm looking forward to having an actual table for breakfast.  This is our first OS as we always book a GS.  Thank you!

You will love it. We usually dine in 3-4 evenings on an 8-night cruise on that class of ship (along with a few breakfasts and lunches along the way).

 

When we are in a GS, we usually just eat out on the balcony when we order in. 

[orville99]

1 hour ago, island lady said:

Indeed...a nice perk!  Though for some reason we never eat in our cabin...even to order room service.  I guess we like being out and about in the evening.  Probably reminds me too much of staying home for dinner or going out to a restaurant.  😉  

 

I used to feel that 5:30 was too early for dining...but since the total fiasco of what has become of MTD...we have totally enjoyed doing first seating.

We look at as just having a nice quiet dinner before we venture out for whatever the evening has in store,

 

As for MTD, we have a theory (totally without any merit other than our chef's training and experience with what changes when "holding" components until they are ordered) that since the restart, MTD has become the "whatever's left over that we didn't serve yet from the first seating" filler between the first and second fixed seating, and the closer to the first seating you go in the more likely you are to get something that has been either sitting under a warming lamp or in a steam table since it was prepped for the first seating. Way too many overcooked/starting to dry out/skimpy portion plates being delivered to the MTD crowd.

[shirazcruiser]

21 minutes ago, orville99 said:

Way too many overcooked/starting to dry out/skimpy portion plates being delivered to the MTD crowd.

Well...that's sounds quite yummy and something to look forward to! I wish MTD was like the Club Class on Princess where you are escorted in immediately to a table in a reserved section. It's a shame that RCCL has not carved out a portion of the MDR for suite guests on ships that don't have Coastal Kitchen.  Celebrity did that on all of their ships...even the smaller M class.  We  use to look foward to sailing on the larger ships with Coastal Kitchen, but now look forward to the smaller ones.  We are enjoying Celebrity a bit more than RCCL, but I like the suites better on RCCL and Princess.

Edited July 3, 2023 by shirazcruiser