The Argument is Over, The Results are in, My Time Dining TOTAL success!!

[negc]

While I am happy that you were pleased with your MyTime dining experience and hope that you are correct that RCI has found a way to offer both types of dining experience in a way that will satisfy both those who want a flexible dining program and those who prefer the traditional dining that RCI has been noted for since its inception, I hope that you are not being premature in concluding that the experiment is a success. Only on the Freedom of the Seas has the system been in operation for more than two months and tests on two additional ships in the fleet have only recently begun. Declaring success with so little evidence and experience is frighteningly similar to the "Mission Accomplished" boast of the Bush Administration some five years ago. There are another 18 or 19 ships in the fleet which have yet to install the MyTime Dining system and the numbers of cruisers who have opted for this style of dining is still miniscule compared to those who are still opting for, or are assigned to traditional dining. Perhaps it would be wise to wait until more time has passed and more people have had the opportunity to test the system before declaring it an unconditional success. If the two systems can co-exist and if guests can choose and get the type of dining they request, then we can come to a valid conclusion. At this point, however, I think that the votes are not all in, despite your protestations to the contrary. Lets wait awhile and let the cruisers decide.

[exarolf]

MTD will stay - but IMO the service was not nearly up to par with traditional...

 

We always got a table when we needed it (made a reservation earlier in the day) - BUT:

Only one night did we have a table in what I would call a 'nice' area (not next to waiter station etc etc - though we did have 7 which limits things like windows etc).

Service was incredibly spotty. We would request things that would not show up, or repeat requests... The worst part was the amount of time we had to spend - one night we were trying to get out early (explained in the beginning), and it was almost comical how long things took - even bread... I am sure this was due to the waiter who was overworked at the time (he was RUNNING from table to table - and clearly had too many tables to deal with).

Personally, we can't do normal seating due to the times (either too early, or too late), so we were stuck with MTD - it was OK - but again, service was far from top notch, and location of seating was not top notch...

[macpiper]

Toataly agree with you on Ernest and Christine, but do not forget the waitstaff. We had Jay for 6 of the 7 night and he was fantastic. He came over to us when we were eating lunch in the windjammer one afternoon and he even offered his help at lunch time.

At first when we signed up for anytime dinning we thought we made a mistake, but after the first night, I knew we made the right decision.

Dave J

You are absolutely correct about the waiter, Eremil (sp) deJesus, and his assistant Baldwin. Two excellent workers who provided our every need, often before we even realized we needed it.;)

As good if not better service than in traditional dining. In Traditional Seating it seems like we waste so much time waiting for either the rest of our tablemates to arrive, or the next course to be served when it is the designated time for the next course, etc. In My Time each course is served as soon as you are done with the last, or if you prefer the waiters "get it" that you'd like some leisure time between courses. They are not on a "fixed schedule" to serve the next course. A refreshing change from Traditional Dining.:)

[cyukuk]

Very interesting numbers, thanks for providing. It sounds like very reasonable and well thought planning on RCCL´s side as it´s roughly the same like with traditional. The capacity is about half the amount of people signed up, so they need to seat every table twice like with traditional.

 

If RCCL is succsesful in implementing MTD I think this will be the reason compared to their competitors. I don´t know how Princess handles this, but on my NCL cruise it was very obvious that every table had to be served multiple times a evening to feed all passengers and not just twice.

 

 

Unfortunately that is not what happened on Brilliance, the whole upper floor was designated for MTD leaving inadequate space for "traditional" folk. I posted the negative report on Brilliance, note "on Brilliance", which was purely concerned with how RCCL had instigated it. I have no experience of the MTD experiment so clearly that was outside my remit. The posters who immediately leapt in in its defence were , in the main, talking about other lines, irrelevent I suggest. The odd one who gave such positive reports of Brilliance MTD could not fail to have a good experience since there were so few of them opting to dine that way.

 

Interestingly it seems that Jewel did the same thing TA ! Ithought only three ships were part of this trial ??

 

If nothing else this should have shown RCCL that it needs to consider very carefully how it introduces this concept fleet wide, if indeed it does.

 

Luv

Cy

[SherriZ366]

We are just off the Serenade of the Seas after 14 nights and had the extreme pleasure of choosing My Time dining. The dining experience could hardly have been any better. Nothing but the word ‘yes’ to every one of our requests. Window table any time we asked. Table to share, “My pleasure” from the head waiter. Seating before our reservation, ‘yes’. Seating after our reservation, ‘of course’. Seating overlooking the main dining room floor, ‘yes’. Same servers every night making sure we have everything we could possibly want, ‘of course’ Meet new friends on board and join them for dinner, ‘yes’. Etc., etc. etc.!!!

 

 

Our head waiter, Ernest, and his assistant, Christine, were the most active, attentive, and accommodating head waiter and assistant we have ever seen on any of our cruises. They did everything that you can possibly think of to make My Time dining a true success!

 

The best part, aside from the flexibility of dining times every night (they take your reservation for the following night as you are enjoying your dessert), is that it allows both those who want traditional dining to choose traditional as well as those who are going to have a different schedule each day the opportunity via My Time to be flexible. It is all about choices and the option of MyTime dining provides that.

 

We had absolutely no downsides at all nor did we meet anyone who did. And as a group the My Time diners were thrilled with their service every night.

 

Can’t say it enough ways that My Time was absolutely fantastic!

Was the all of the upper deck of the dining room set aside for MyTime or only a portion (1/2, 1/3 etc.)?

[SherriZ366]

You obviously got lucky - on the Jewels TA is was a total disaster. According to the reports on another board too. Many folks who wanted tradional dining couldnt get it because of the open dining and then had to wait for long periods of time - some even ended up eating after 9pm because the M'd couldn't get his act together on almost all nights.

 

This open dining thing will probably really only work on ships explicetly built to cater for this option. Trying to use existing facilities especitally on the Radiance class and make it work for ALL passengers will probably be very difficult if not impossible.

Are you sure it was Jewel's TA that had MyTime or was it Brilliance?

[SherriZ366]

You ask some great and pertinent questions and I'll try to provide some details on our cruise.

 

There were 114 seats set aside for My Time dining on the 5th deck with approximately 220 people signed up for My Time. I don't recall the seating capacity of the whole dining room but I know that you are very familiar with this class ship.

We had approximately 2100 guests on this sailing.

 

Hopefully this will provide some insight for you.:)

Thanks,

Sounds like a little over 10% (10.4%) of the passengers opted for MyTime. That answers my question about how much of deck 5 was used for MyTime.

[Arizona Cruz Chic]

Glad for all of you who enjoyed MTD.

 

Does anyone know if this will go fleet wide? Any dates on it?

DH hates change! Right now I am hoping our Oct cruise will still be traditional dining.

 

 

***

[negc]

Glad for all of you who enjoyed MTD.

 

Does anyone know if this will go fleet wide? Any dates on it?

DH hates change! Right now I am hoping our Oct cruise will still be traditional dining.

 

 

***

 

RCI has indicated that they expect to extend MYD throughout the entire fleet by the end of this year. However DH needn't worry since they also indicate that they have absolutely no intention of eliminating traditional dining and believe that they can offer both dining styles and satisfy everyone. Initial reports have been generally favorable but I am not sure that, to date, they have had sufficient experience and participation in order to make a valid conclusion. By October there should be a better feel for how well the two systems can co-exist. As long as they hold to their promise that they will not deny traditional dining to those who request it, it shouldn't prove a problem for you or your husband.:)

[cyukuk]

On the TA for Brilliance the whole of the upper deck was set aside for MTD certainly on the first night. I don't know if that changed during the cruise but if it did it wasn't sufficient to still the murmurings. Many folk had been given Main Seating on their Sea Pass card but without a table allocation. Consequently when they arrived in the Dining room at 18:30 there was nowhere for them to sit ! It was an absolute shambles, one line queing to get into the Dining room with another line facing outwards waiting to lynch the M'D.

 

The Jewel reference came from another poster who had a similar bad experience on that ship TA. So I guess they also were trialling it on the way across the pond?

 

On FOS in January MTD caused no problem because only half of the topdeck was utilised; bear in mind FOS has three decks devoted to dining.

 

Luv

Cy

[Arizona Cruz Chic]

RCI has indicated that they expect to extend MYD throughout the entire fleet by the end of this year. However DH needn't worry since they also indicate that they have absolutely no intention of eliminating traditional dining and believe that they can offer both dining styles and satisfy everyone. Initial reports have been generally favorable but I am not sure that, to date, they have had sufficient experience and participation in order to make a valid conclusion. By October there should be a better feel for how well the two systems can co-exist. As long as they hold to their promise that they will not deny traditional dining to those who request it, it shouldn't prove a problem for you or your husband.:)

 

 

Sounds good, thanks! :)

 

***

[macpiper]

Glad for all of you who enjoyed MTD.

 

Does anyone know if this will go fleet wide? Any dates on it?

DH hates change! Right now I am hoping our Oct cruise will still be traditional dining.

 

 

***

Don't forget that part of the benefit of My Time dining is that you still get to stay with Traditional dining if you so choose. In fact that is the default since you would have to opt to pre-pay your gratuities for My Time, thus you have to choose to participate in My Time otherwise you are left with Traditional.:)

 

We are convinced that one of the reasons that My Time dining is so successful, as opposed to NCL's and Princess' version, is that a significant number of people are staying with Traditional dining thus allowing the My Time flexibility.;)

[Oville]

You obviously got lucky - on the Jewels TA is was a total disaster. According to the reports on another board too. Many folks who wanted tradional dining couldnt get it because of the open dining and then had to wait for long periods of time - some even ended up eating after 9pm because the M'd couldn't get his act together on almost all nights.

 

This open dining thing will probably really only work on ships explicetly built to cater for this option. Trying to use existing facilities especitally on the Radiance class and make it work for ALL passengers will probably be very difficult if not impossible.

 

Actually, one person who did My Time had a negative report and another from Traditional complained for others though it didn't have an impact directly on her dining. Others on the same ship, Brilliance not the Jewel, refuted her report.

 

Please be careful with you facts. Your post was misleading. To call it a "total disaster" was simply unfounded.

[SherriZ366]

Actually, one person who did My Time had a negative report and another from Traditional complained for others though it didn't have an impact directly on her dining. Others on the same ship, Brilliance not the Jewel, refuted her report.

 

Please be careful with you facts. Your post was misleading. To call it a "total disaster" was simply unfounded.

Basically, a better title would be "My results are in -- MyTime worked well for Me."

[MrsPete]

Window table any time we asked . . . Seating overlooking the main dining room floor

This is the main reason we're going to go with "my time" for our next cruise. More often than not, we have been assigned to stinky tables on our cruises. For example, we spent one cruise dining by the kitchen door with waiters coming and going right behind us at every meal. Our last cruise, however, was the worst: We didn't get a table in the dining room at all! We were assigned to a "side room" instead of a table in the main dining room -- it felt like eating at the kids' table at grandma's house on Thanksgiving. Very disappointing after spending much effort to put together nice dinner outfits.

 

I fully understand that all the tables can't be by a window or overlooking the main dining room . . . but at least with "my time" we won't have stinker tables ALL WEEK LONG!

 

Hmmm . . . somehow I always get THE BEST hotel room (or stateroom) and THE WORST dining table. Wonder why that is?

[cyukuk]

Actually, one person who did My Time had a negative report and another from Traditional complained for others though it didn't have an impact directly on her dining. Others on the same ship, Brilliance not the Jewel, refuted her report.

 

Please be careful with you facts. Your post was misleading. To call it a "total disaster" was simply unfounded.

 

 

Kathryn

 

Were you on either of these vessels at the time? If not, as I suspect, you should leave emotive phrases like "misleading" and "simply unfounded" out of your missives; you cannot possibly know.

 

Luv

Cy

[negc]

 

I fully understand that all the tables can't be by a window or overlooking the main dining room . . . but at least with "my time" we won't have stinker tables ALL WEEK LONG! quote]

Are you sure about that?:D Perhaps all the mtd tables will be in "stinker" locations.;)

seriously though, if my table was in an objectionable location, I think I would have approached the Maitre'd to request another location. We have had tables in those adjacent wings and I agree that they are lacking and would prefer to be seated in the main dining room.:)

[Oville]

While I am happy that you were pleased with your MyTime dining experience and hope that you are correct that RCI has found a way to offer both types of dining experience in a way that will satisfy both those who want a flexible dining program and those who prefer the traditional dining that RCI has been noted for since its inception, I hope that you are not being premature in concluding that the experiment is a success. Only on the Freedom of the Seas has the system been in operation for more than two months and tests on two additional ships in the fleet have only recently begun. Declaring success with so little evidence and experience is frighteningly similar to the "Mission Accomplished" boast of the Bush Administration some five years ago. There are another 18 or 19 ships in the fleet which have yet to install the MyTime Dining system and the numbers of cruisers who have opted for this style of dining is still miniscule compared to those who are still opting for, or are assigned to traditional dining. Perhaps it would be wise to wait until more time has passed and more people have had the opportunity to test the system before declaring it an unconditional success. If the two systems can co-exist and if guests can choose and get the type of dining they request, then we can come to a valid conclusion. At this point, however, I think that the votes are not all in, despite your protestations to the contrary. Lets wait awhile and let the cruisers decide.

 

Hi Bill, do you think it's possivle that number of passengers trying My Time is that it isn't an option when you book a cruise, rather you get an invitation to try it. I think I have read this numerous times.

 

Thanks

[SherriZ366]

 

I fully understand that all the tables can't be by a window or overlooking the main dining room . . . but at least with "my time" we won't have stinker tables ALL WEEK LONG! quote]

Are you sure about that?:D Perhaps all the mtd tables will be in "stinker" locations.;)

seriously though, if my table was in an objectionable location, I think I would have approached the Maitre'd to request another location. We have had tables in those adjacent wings and I agree that they are lacking and would prefer to be seated in the main dining room.:)

We always check our table when we get on the ship and have had it changed a few time because of location.

[madforcruising]

Hi Bill, do you think it's possivle that number of passengers trying My Time is that it isn't an option when you book a cruise, rather you get an invitation to try it. I think I have read this numerous times.

 

Thanks

 

 

Not Bill here, but having an opinion on your question anyway;)

 

From what I´ve read here those "invitations" have not been only to selected people but actually dragging people to try this. I remember posts from people who not only got this invitation numerous times via email but got also called to get them in.

 

In addition from reports after beginning the trials people have posted that MTD was even available once onboard and they still took reservations for MTD at that time.

[SherriZ366]

Hi Bill, do you think it's possivle that number of passengers trying My Time is that it isn't an option when you book a cruise, rather you get an invitation to try it. I think I have read this numerous times.

 

Thanks

On FOS, they had a huge sign in the Windjammer and on the MyTime deck (deck 5) advertising MyTime. The Day 1 Compass had an announcement about MyTime as well as instructions on when to meet with the MyTime M'aitre d'.

[Oville]

Kathryn

 

Were you on either of these vessels at the time? If not, as I suspect, you should leave emotive phrases like "misleading" and "simply unfounded" out of your missives; you cannot possibly know.

 

Luv

Cy

 

I was not, but the poster I responded to was not either. The poster had the name of the ship incorrect and the summary of the cruise did not reflect the information that was reported on your own thread. Have you questioned his/her emotove phrases for example "total diaster."

 

Unless your thread changed signicantly after I read it, others on you cruise did refute your accounting.

 

I'm really not trying to be a pain, but I'll happy listen to your view and others who were on the ship or who have tried My Time,

not someone who read your thread and grossly, in my opinion, exaggerated it contents.

[MrsPete]

I fully understand that all the tables can't be by a window or overlooking the main dining room . . . but at least with "my time" we won't have stinker tables ALL WEEK LONG! quote]

Are you sure about that?:D Perhaps all the mtd tables will be in "stinker" locations.;)

seriously though, if my table was in an objectionable location, I think I would have approached the Maitre'd to request another location. We have had tables in those adjacent wings and I agree that they are lacking and would prefer to be seated in the main dining room.:)

It was Thanksgiving week and the ship was sailing at full capacity, which obviously is why they were using the awful side rooms in addition to the main dining room. Asking isn't always the same as getting! The larger point, of course, is that with traditional dining SOMEONE is going to be stuck in those tables for a whole week. I really don't mind taking my turn at a less-than-stellar table; however, I don't want to do it all week long.

[madforcruising]

This is the main reason we're going to go with "my time" for our next cruise. More often than not, we have been assigned to stinky tables on our cruises. For example, we spent one cruise dining by the kitchen door with waiters coming and going right behind us at every meal. Our last cruise, however, was the worst: We didn't get a table in the dining room at all! We were assigned to a "side room" instead of a table in the main dining room -- it felt like eating at the kids' table at grandma's house on Thanksgiving. Very disappointing after spending much effort to put together nice dinner outfits.

 

I fully understand that all the tables can't be by a window or overlooking the main dining room . . . but at least with "my time" we won't have stinker tables ALL WEEK LONG!

 

Hmmm . . . somehow I always get THE BEST hotel room (or stateroom) and THE WORST dining table. Wonder why that is?

 

To me there´s no real bad table location. I´ve been all the way back in the dining room right next to the galley entrance / exit and it was actually the table right next to the Captains Table and we got great service, but most important I had great table mates that became friends over the years.

Another time I checked my table after boarding and it was on the uppder level right next to the entrance against the wall. I would really say the location was less desirable. Actually I thought about changing but then I didn´t. Wow what a good choice was that. It turned out that fellow CC members from the Roll call were seated at the same table and they thought about changing as well but didn´t. Again we had a great time and never regreted having stayed. Actually we cruised together again.

 

So I think more important than the table location is the company of fellow cruisers for having a good time. JMHO.

[isujim]

Not Bill here, but having an opinion on your question anyway;)

 

From what I´ve read here those "invitations" have not been only to selected people but actually dragging people to try this. I remember posts from people who not only got this invitation numerous times via email but got also called to get them in.

 

In addition from reports after beginning the trials people have posted that MTD was even available once onboard and they still took reservations for MTD at that time.

 

that is what I have heard also...........the early results were not what they expected.

 

Look, as long as they can work out both types of seating.......it might work. RC has been reinenting themselves in others images for several years...........as the ships get bigger, more berths to fill........they are trying to cover all their bases. It's not so much to increase market share as it is to fill the berths they are going to have (which indirectly will increase market share)........

 

Companies all the time do things to try and make sure they don't make anybody mad........usually they just end up making everyone mad:)

 

For those that like MTD.......I hope it works out where they can successfully do both.........I have my doubts.........but they are working hard to make it work for both........(and not make anyone mad:) )