Booked MDR early seating, but will probably use the buffet,

[S.A.M.J.R.]

1 hour ago, Ourusualbeach said:

MTD has not required pre paid gratuities for the last 5 years or close to that

 

39 minutes ago, Ourusualbeach said:

UK cruisers follow different guidelines.  I only post NA policies.

With all due respect, and I know you're very helpful on the boards, but if someone doesn't know your "rule" about only posting NA policies, they may take your first statement and assume it applies to them (which could be incorrect).  

[Ken at the beach]

14 minutes ago, S.A.M.J.R. said:

 

With all due respect, and I know you're very helpful on the boards, but if someone doesn't know your "rule" about only posting NA policies, they may take your first statement and assume it applies to them (which could be incorrect).  

Sorry but it would be impossible to post variations for every country and this is very much predominately North American guests.  I was also replying to you who I see lives in NA.  If someone had a UK address in their signature I could have answered appropriately

Edited July 5 by Ourusualbeach

[S.A.M.J.R.]

58 minutes ago, Ourusualbeach said:

Sorry but it would be impossible to post variations for every country and this is very much predominately North American guests.  I was also replying to you who I see lives in NA.  If someone had a UK address in their signature I could have answered appropriately

I get it.  But adding "at least for NA bookings" I don't think is too much.

[Ken at the beach]

5 minutes ago, S.A.M.J.R. said:

I get it.  But adding "at least for NA bookings" I don't think is too much.

Love it on the internet that when someone gets corrected on something that they post and they try to spin it and put it all back on the person that corrected them.

[1025cruise]

My only comment is that the op is planning to hold seats in an assigned dining room that he/she has no intention of using, thereby making it so people that want those seats can't have them. Or, leaving empty seats at a shared table where the other people at that table want that experience and won't get it. That's behind my request to the op to switch to anytime.

[snaefell]

Surely not such a great problem as IME there are usually empty tables in the M DR anyway

[S.A.M.J.R.]

1 hour ago, Ourusualbeach said:

Love it on the internet that when someone gets corrected on something that they post and they try to spin it and put it all back on the person that corrected them.

True or false?  SOME people need to pre pay grats to sign up for MTD when booking (based on where they book from)?  Based on responses here, that's TRUE.  If that's wrong, go ahead, correct me.  

 

Assuming that's true, saying "RCI hasn't required pre-paid grats for 5 years" is the false statement.  Coming back and saying "Oh, I just meant for those booking in NA" is the "spin".  

[Ergates The Ant]

What does NA mean, apart from not applicable?

[Biker19]

Just now, Ergates The Ant said:

What does NA mean, apart from not applicable?

North America.

[BirdTravels]

On 7/3/2024 at 2:49 PM, 1025cruise said:

Please switch to anytime dining. Many people want early dining and you holding seats will prevent people from getting it. 

Equally bad. Many cruisers want MyTime dining, especially on big ships where the entertainment is randomly scheduled.  Fixed time dining is so "old school" and should have died with the pandemic restart. 

[island lady]

I love being able to walk in, and straight through to my assigned table with early traditional.  Reminds me of why I did so when we depart from early traditional and witness the "not so happy" pax in big lines waiting to get a table for MTD.  That is what made me switch to traditional dining.  

 

The smiles of our assigned wait staff, holding our favorite glasses of wine as we approach...has a a bit to do with that as well.  😉  🍷

[snaefell]

2 hours ago, island lady said:

I love being able to walk in, and straight through to my assigned table with early traditional.  Reminds me of why I did so when we depart from early traditional and witness the "not so happy" pax in big lines waiting to get a table for MTD.  That is what made me switch to traditional dining.  

 

The smiles of our assigned wait staff, holding our favorite glasses of wine as we approach...has a a bit to do with that as well.  😉  🍷

Agree with that,we had great wait staff & a great table in American Icon on Anthem recently,first time we had done fixed dining,handy for shows,but there always were empty tables.

[ReneeFLL]

On 7/4/2024 at 8:34 AM, SquishTheWhale said:

To give you a sensible answer to to your question, no you do not need to inform anyone. We cruised on Oasis in May and despite intentions to make our early dining slot we kept missing it as all aboard wasn't until 7.30 or 8pm and we didn't want to cut our port days short.

We used the MDR the first 2 nights and after missing it on the 3rd we recieved a call asking if the experience was OK and why we weren't attending so expect that. Someone on our sailing FB group said the MDR was very quiet all cruise, likely due to the port times.

 

Someone telling you to be forced to pre pay tips just to satisfy their idea you shouldn't be on fixed dining is silly. Ignore them. It's your cruise and there is alternate dining options for a reason, eat where you want each night.

Why wouldn’t you make a simple phone call to let them know you aren’t coming? If everyone that was going to eat in the windjammer or elsewhere all the time would let them know, then the crew wouldn’t have to take the time to call everyone. I’m sure if your job entailed phone calls to find out if people weren’t pleased with the food/service, I would think that you would appreciate a phone call letting you know they just had plans to eat elsewhere.

[1025cruise]

3 hours ago, BirdTravels said:

Equally bad. Many cruisers want MyTime dining, especially on big ships where the entertainment is randomly scheduled.  Fixed time dining is so "old school" and should have died with the pandemic restart. 

Agreed, most people don't believe that mtd has a cap a well. Since the cruise lines refuse to add an option for "won't be using mdr", we just have to deal with the issue. 

 

While I haven't cruised a line lately that offers fixed dining, is book it if it were available.

[SquishTheWhale]

10 minutes ago, ReneeFLL said:

Why wouldn’t you make a simple phone call to let them know you aren’t coming? If everyone that was going to eat in the windjammer or elsewhere all the time would let them know, then the crew wouldn’t have to take the time to call everyone. I’m sure if your job entailed phone calls to find out if people weren’t pleased with the food/service, I would think that you would appreciate a phone call letting you know they just had plans to eat elsewhere.

Because I'm in port and can't call them? We don't often know if we plan to attend in advance.

 

They don't need to phone people, no other cruise line I've sailed on does this.

[island lady]

1 hour ago, snaefell said:

Agree with that,we had great wait staff & a great table in American Icon on Anthem recently,first time we had done fixed dining,handy for shows,but there always were empty tables.

 

We had enjoyed MTD when it first came out.  Ships dedicated a separate upper level dining deck just to that program.  Then, a few years ago, when they changed it to "fill in" after first dining pax leave...it all fell apart...IMHO. 

 

We since then switched back to the traditional dining.  Actually works out well, since we eat earlier at home as well, and gives us time to see shows after dinner.