The New My Time Dining

[Merion_Mom]

Yes, it is.

 

What was the original topic?;)

 

Topic? We don't need no stinkin' topic! ;) :D

[ckrobyn]

Topic? We don't need no stinkin' topic! ;) :D

 

Carol - do you ever sleep???? :rolleyes: Maybe you shouldn't, 'cause then I won't get my early morning CC entertainment (reading all your night owl posts!)

[hcat]

Wonder where on the Radiance Class ships they will locate these diners..hope not the upper level whihc is what we prefer with traditional seating? Or will they be dispersed throughout

--

sounds like alot of calls & reservations & things that could get messed up & wonder how it will affect other schedues on board like the shows...

 

& will you get tables for two or have to sit with strangers if you are only a couple? Could you get a standing res for say 7 pm same table, same waiter?

7 is better than 6 but much better than 8:30...

 

Hope as it unfolds more will post the actual details of it--we wll certainly be asking questions on our cruise next week on Jewel--very Happy the new plan is not in effect at this time!

[Host Karen]

On the Radiance class ships, the dining room on deck 4 will be traditional main or late seating, and the area on deck 5 will be My Time. Similarly on the Voyager and Freedom class, the different levels will be used for either traditional or my time.

 

I hope this is true, as we prefer traditional dining and DH hates to be seated on deck 5. Guess we'll find out for certain when we board.

 

Thanks for the info.

[alicam]

I just wonder why I had to read about this on here instead of hearing it directly from Royal Caribbean. I signed up months ago for email updates and such, and haven't heard a peep out of them...not 1 message. I'm sailing on the Serenade on March 8/08 which is the date this new dining option starts on this ship. I've never done the traditional on a ship before as we did anytime dining on the Grand Princess a couple of years ago....it worked well for us then, but now I feel I would like to try the traditional...but...I may change my mind once I get on board...I've already prepaid the gratuities....just wished I had known from RCCI first

[stompy]

SoS is having this option for our Alaskan Cruise in May

 

I usually don't like prepaying gratuities and I actually enjoy getting to know my tablemates.

 

You have to make reservations each night and have the option of when you want to dine and what size table you wish to be seated at.

 

I can see the appeal for some folks but I can always grab a bite in the Windjammer if I want to stay ashore a longer period of time-actually I usually get back early and take a nap before dinner...

[Bonnie Voyager]

I'm sailing on Serenade on March 22nd and did not receive an anytime dining email. I wonder if the option is offered to everyone or if a test group is selected to give it a try on each voyage? Anyone know?

 

OT .... but ckrobyn... sure looks like it to me. :)

 

Patrioticgirl, I DID get the e-mail for the "My time dining" for our March 22nd Serenade cruise, so I guess they are just using a sample population to get this program started? I haven't decided yet whether or not we are going to try it. I think it sounds like a great idea for this particular port-intensive cruise though.

[Bonnie Voyager]

I would love to try this on my upcoming AOS cruise - guess this ship is not one of the "test" ships :o

 

I want some flexibility around dinner time, and 7:00pm would be, in my own opinion, the best time for dinner....

 

Guess I'll be in the dining room at 6 :rolleyes:

 

Also - a bit off topic.... does anyone know if the shirt below is the same shirt the waiters in the windjammer wear?? I was ordering uniforms for my staff today and came across this shirt on cintas.com

 

 

 

That sure does look like the Windjammer shirts!!! Cool! I think I will order one for my husband to wear around the kitchen so I feel like I am on a cruise all the time! ;)

[shipty2]

Did you reserve your dining time day by day? For example did you have to wait until the day of to make that evening's reservation? Or could I just ask for 7pm everyday. How did you reserve?Did you have to go to the dining room or could you call?

[SherriZ366]

I think Mytime is available on FOS as they extended the test. They used either deck 4 or 5 of the dining room for MyTime and from some reports from Crusie Critic passengers, sometimes when demand warranted, they used half of one of the upper dining room decks. Maybe that shows RCI's flexibility from sailing to sailing but more reports have to be posted as this dining option is rolled out.

[RetireeWannabee]

I really wish this was available for the AOS instead of the Seranade. I guess there is always that chance it might be by late March but I doubt it. I guess my only concern is, do the waiters work just as well already receiving their tips.

Can't speak as to any specific group of wait staff, but we did AD on Princess and had fabulous service. They are still doing a job, and it seems to have been stated plainly that you should feel free to tip extra then and there.

[zantedeschia]

Also - a bit off topic.... does anyone know if the shirt below is the same shirt the waiters in the windjammer wear?? I was ordering uniforms for my staff today and came across this shirt on cintas.com

 

 

It's not the same, but it's similar. For that matter, over the course of the week I saw several men wandering around with shirts similar in style to those in the Windjammer.

[Bonnie Voyager]

 

 

I found these photos on Webshots. (Their not mine, so thank you to whoever took them!)

[Miss Vickie]

I hope this is true, as we prefer traditional dining and DH hates to be seated on deck 5. Guess we'll find out for certain when we board.

 

Thanks for the info.

 

This is the info we got from our headwaiter on Serenade just a couple of weeks ago. We prefer traditional dining, too. This year was our first time being seated on deck 5, and we really liked it - quieter than deck 4.

[patrioticgirl]

Patrioticgirl, I DID get the e-mail for the "My time dining" for our March 22nd Serenade cruise, so I guess they are just using a sample population to get this program started? I haven't decided yet whether or not we are going to try it. I think it sounds like a great idea for this particular port-intensive cruise though.

Hi Bonnie! my guess is that they are offering the option to a select population. My initial thought was that perhaps they sent emails offering this to passengers who had prepaid tips??? I suspect that one reason why I might not have gotten the email is that I booked and made final payment as a single.... I am not thinking that anytime dining would be a great option for a solo passenger. This past week, a friend decided to join me on the voyage, so I have been thinking about possibly trying the anytime option this time since we do have so many port days.

[dutchess43]

I guess RCI has to roll with the times & include anytime dining. As long as they keep a dining room for us traditionalist I will be happy. We like getting to know our waiter's good or bad & not have to hassle for a table time.

[dianancolin]

Just to prove that this old man can be a contrarian - we are looking forward to the flexible dining option.

On the JOS last year we ended up playing "musical tables"! First assignment was a very good position - large table as requested and 1 couples turned up - so 4 people on a table for 8. Next night was formal night and the other couple had already warned that they never dressup for formal nights so - we are all alone on the table. 2 people on a table for 8. The Maitre'd (bless his heart) offered to move us that night but we were already settled so it was arranged to move the next nightl Couple of nights there with some pleasant enough people and by now we had met other people who were a delight - very similar to us -i.e in for some fun! They also had a table for 8 with several spare seats so ...... poor Maitre'd had another surprise when he found us at another table.

Nice thing about the whole exercise was the attitude of the Maitre'd and ALL the waitstaff involved - could not have been better - we made sure that the gratuities were spread among all involved!

Other than the original empty table (never did fill up any further) it was a typical RCI experience - just great people making a great cruise experience!

BTW this was a 12 day TA crossing so we didn't want to eat all alone like lepers for the entire trip.

Just another thought - if 2 couples on a table for 8 are friends, or become very friendly, and go off to alternative dining, it leaves the ones left behind wondering what happened. (Was it something even their best friend wouldn't tell them - please pardon my British sense of humour):eek:

[renza]

I love to eat when I want to eat. I can request and a server each night if I want. I am so glad they are offering anytime dining on the Freedom in April.

[Snoozeman]

[quote name='ckrobyn'] cintas.com

[IMG]http://www.cintasuniforms.ca/ProductImages/IMGLIB0089/44541.jpg[/IMG][/quote]

Sure looks like it.

edit-Sorry didn't know this had already been answered so well.

Good for you Bonnie!

[jplotts865]

Good grief! Please don't tell me RCI is doing this! I have always refused (still do, actually) to consider a sailing on NCL because of their ridiculous "free style" dining options - which, from what I read, are anything but "free" as you have to make reservations, may or may not get the one you want, wait and so on for a table. I much prefer the traditional 1st or 2nd sitting with an assigned table with the same (always very nice, interesting) people. What's the deal here...the late sitting, which I always opt for, allows plenty of time to get back to the ship for any shore excursion and then going on the the show afterwards is a delightful "cap" to a very nice day. Just as with overly casual dress if you have to have that much "flexibility" have dinner sent to your cabin.

Do I have to start looking for another cruise line? Please tell me no???

[SherriZ366]

[quote name='jplotts865']Good grief! Please don't tell me RCI is doing this! I have always refused (still do, actually) to consider a sailing on NCL because of their ridiculous "free style" dining options - which, from what I read, are anything but "free" as you have to make reservations, may or may not get the one you want, wait and so on for a table. I much prefer the traditional 1st or 2nd sitting with an assigned table with the same (always very nice, interesting) people. What's the deal here...the late sitting, which I always opt for, allows plenty of time to get back to the ship for any shore excursion and then going on the the show afterwards is a delightful "cap" to a very nice day. Just as with overly casual dress if you have to have that much "flexibility" have dinner sent to your cabin.

Do I have to start looking for another cruise line? Please tell me no???[/QUOTE] RCI is doing an experiment on Serenade, Brilliance and Freedom by offering open dining. They have set aside the 5th floor on FOS and the top floor on the Radiance ships for the experiment. The other areas are traditional. Folks sailing on the upcoming sailings have been getting emails from RCI offering "My Time". They have to prepay their tips.

Reports coming back (which are very anecdotal) from cruisers on FOS Oct-Dec. have indicated that some weeks had deck 4 or 5 of the dining room dedicated to My Time and other sailings had 1/2 of one of these decks. People in traditonal saw a few folks waiting for a table on the designated deck but no real awareness of this.

I'm hoping that RCI will have the flexiblty to adjust the Traditional/My Time to the sailing (ie 1/2 of a deck or a full deck as per demand). However, we must keep letting RCI know how important it is to keep tradtional in the mix with sufficient capacity so that tradtional folks are not forced into My Time Dining.

I would suggest you sail on your upcoming trip and praise traditional dining to the skys on your comment card. I'm going to on the FOS 2/24 sailing.

[jplotts865]

I will definitely let RCI know my thoughts on this move. One of the really nice things about a cruise is the fact that I don't have to make any decisions - including where and when I will have dinner. I've always enjoyed my tablemates on every cruise, like having the same waiter(s) and the resultant rather "personal" service as they rapidly get to know what I like...I love bread and they just keep bringing it to me! I do not want to have to make dinner reservations and the related hassle. The traditional sittings work perfectly - I know when dinner is and plan my day accordingly. Actually, after a full day of shore excursions (or doing nothing on deck) I am ready for dinner and the following show...then off to bed! In reality, what on earth do I have to do during a cruise day that makes the second sitting a problem? Now if they'd just enforce the dress code...but that's a dead horse and another story.

[Conanc]

As long as there is a choice between Traditional Dining and my Time Dining I'm OK with it being available. It's all about choices. We have always enjoyed traditional dining and had great tablemates on our cruise on the Brilliance last week, however we do think we might like to try My Time Dining on a European itinerary.

Nancy

[Suzanne74]

I don't think RCCL would even be doing a trial run if they hadn't already heard complaint from guests. If everyone was happy - why change it? I have also noticed that for our full cruise last Spring Break much of the dining room is empty. We ourselves never had a full table except first night. Someone stays late in Cozumel, some go to a specialty one night, one goes to WJ as to not dress up on formal nights. We missed 3 ourselves for specialty restaurants because we wanted to eat at a time that worked best for us, not RCCL.

They have multiple dining levels so I see no reason why they won't keep at least one traditional. It will probably come back to demand. If more people like the anytime, 2 dining rooms will have it, if more people like traditional, they will keep just one anytime.

I for one am glad for the option. I guess if you do the same thing day in and out on a cruise, traditional works best. If you are a couple or a single by yourself and you want to meet and get to know other people, traditional probably also works for you.

I would think for most families and most people that like to spend the entire day at ports, anytime will work better. I like to go at our own pace on my time. To me, that is what a vacation is all about. :)

[SherriZ366]

[quote name='Suzanne74']I don't think RCCL would even be doing a trial run if they hadn't already heard complaint from guests. If everyone was happy - why change it? I have also noticed that for our full cruise last Spring Break much of the dining room is empty. We ourselves never had a full table except first night. Someone stays late in Cozumel, some go to a specialty one night, one goes to WJ as to not dress up on formal nights. We missed 3 ourselves for specialty restaurants because we wanted to eat at a time that worked best for us, not RCCL.

They have multiple dining levels so I see no reason why they won't keep at least one traditional. It will probably come back to demand. If more people like the anytime, 2 dining rooms will have it, if more people like traditional, they will keep just one anytime.

. :)[/QUOTE]
Right now demand has resulted in one of the upper tiers (deck 4 or 5) being tradtional.