My Time Dining - Waitlisted, Not Cleared

[brentp]

So, . . . for this sailing/itinerary at least, it seams to be a very popular option. If you desire to use MTD, you may wish to sign up in advance. Too bad, this would have been the perfect choice for us for this cruise. Unfortunately, I didn't get a chance to talk to anyone on MTD during this cruise, . . . it would have been interesting to know if they had issues getting a table given the response and desired signups.

 

 

Without knowing how many tables were allocated to it, it's kind of hard to say whether it was a very popular option. All you can really say is that demand exceeded supply.

 

Not really sure where you were headed here, but yes, . . . obviously demand exceeded capacity - hence the reason I posted.

 

To my knowledge, this is the first time anyone has posted that they experienced not being able to switch to MTD once they got on board. This is a new service, . . . I'm sure there are far more learning curve issues associated with this change then we are aware of, . . . but wanted people that are interested in signing up on board for MTD to be aware of our experience.

 

My comment (the one that you highlighted) was made to reflect this issue may not yet be fleet wide. I'm sure MTD demand varies ship to ship and itinerary to itinerary. In this specific case, this was a European cruise with most port sail aways between 7pm to 8pm, . . . so, evidently it was a popular option for this sailing/itinerary.

 

As an FYI - there was a very large section of the dinning room on Deck 5 reserved for MTD. Also, the Brilliance was one of the first to add MTD and this was not their first sailing of this itinerary . . . so they have demand history already. It is possible that the demand for MTD is growing faster than expected by the cruise line. Hopefully, they will adjust as demand increases.

[Mark_K]

Not really sure where you were headed here, but yes, . . . obviously demand exceeded capacity - hence the reason I posted.

 

To my knowledge, this is the first time anyone has posted that they experienced not being able to switch to MTD once they got on board. This is a new service, . . . I'm sure there are far more learning curve issues associated with this change then we are aware of, . . . but wanted people that are interested in signing up on board for MTD to be aware of our experience.

 

My comment (the one that you highlighted) was made to reflect this issue may not yet be fleet wide. I'm sure MTD demand varies ship to ship and itinerary to itinerary. In this specific case, this was a European cruise with most port sail aways between 7pm to 8pm, . . . so, evidently it was a popular option for this sailing/itinerary.

 

As an FYI - there was a very large section of the dinning room on Deck 5 reserved for MTD. Also, the Brilliance was one of the first to add MTD and this was not their first sailing of this itinerary . . . so they have demand history already. It is possible that the demand for MTD is growing faster than expected by the cruise line. Hopefully, they will adjust as demand increases.

Not really heading anywhere, other than to point out that the statement, logically, doesn't stand up. The only conclusion that can be drawn from the fact that there was a waitlist is that demand exceeded supply.

[brentp]

Not really heading anywhere, other than to point out that the statement, logically, doesn't stand up. The only conclusion that can be drawn from the fact that there was a waitlist is that demand exceeded supply.

 

How so? For this sailing/itinerary, it was a popular option as there were more people that wanted to use MTD then were allowed to. Did I say anything more than that?

[labeachcomber]

Without knowing how many tables were allocated to it, it's kind of hard to say whether it was a very popular option. All you can really say is that demand exceeded supply.

 

MarkK, your original post is in bold. You only edited it later to add that demand exceeded supply. The OP was merely making a comment that he felt like MTD was extremely popular on his sailing. Why must you nitpick and try to find fault with the OP's observation?

 

GarettsNana, I'm sorry to hear of your troubles with MTD. I think the other posters are just trying to point out some clues that might have told you that you were in assigned dining, although I would agree that they are being a little harsh. I also agree with you that just because you are new to the CruiseCritic forums that it doesn't mean that you might not have cruised before. The dirty table that you were seated at was likely made dirty by the family with the small kid who had already eaten and gone. But other clues that you might have picked up on were: 1) Did it seem like you were the only party arriving at 7? 2) Did they rush to get you out of the dining room by 8:30 when the next throng of people showed up for their assigned dining?

 

I think what happened is that the Maitre'd had notified you that you couldn't switch to MTD, but to "compromise", he said to "just show up before 7". In reality, you were assigned the 6:15pm dinner service but he was allowing you to show up later to partially accomodate your wish to eat on your own time. It was stated in the note that he wasn't able to accomodate you, but it would have made things much clearer for you if the note had also clearly stated "You are assigned to main dining. But if you come before 7 pm, you will still be able to finish service before the next seating." I think that would have made your dining experience more enjoyable. Guess it was a lesson learned, hope you have better luck next time!

[Mark_K]

How so? For this sailing/itinerary, it was a popular option as there were more people that wanted to use MTD then were allowed to. Did I say anything more than that?

e.g. If they had 10 tables allocated to it and needed 13, that wouldn't mean it was particularly popular, that would probably be well under 10% of the passengers.

[madforcruising]

No I DID NOT understand my situation, and when I tried to find out, I was ignored.

 

There is really nothing to help me with, I learned the hard way. I originally posted in an attempt to educate anyone else that might face a similar situation.

 

We had an absolutely wonderful cruise other than the screwed up dining assignment. I'm not going to let that keep me from cruising RCCL again, but you can bet that I'll never post my experiences again.

 

Well you were not ignored here and people tried to explain what happened to you here.

While it of course doesn´t help you with what happende in the past it still might help with future cruises. In addition you say you posted in an attempt to educate anyone else who might face a similar situation, so for those people I´m sure it is very helpful to know about how MTD works and how tips added might indicate MTD and same table etc. indicates traditional. So while there´s no need to help you the responses will educate others and serve your intention to post.:)

[brentp]

e.g. If they had 10 tables allocated to it and needed 13, that wouldn't mean it was particularly popular, that would probably be well under 10% of the passengers.

 

Already posted this was not the case.

[Cruiser42]

Interesting post. I'm not asking to combative' date=' but why didn't you sign up for My Time Dining in advance? I was under the impression that the folks on sailings with that option got a chance to sign up in advance and change (if necessary) from fixed seating? (When we cruised on Freedom last year we got a call ahead of time offering this option).[/quote']

 

I would LOVE to sign up in advance for MTD, but have been told I cant -

that I have to do it on board. We sail Sept 14th from Barcelona on Brilliance.

[Fran Harp]

No worries, . . . there are a couple of simple reasons.

 

First - We had on board credit and would have preferred to have the gratuities billed to the on board account versus a large payment in advance (12 day cruise).

 

Second - The information I received from RCI said we would be able to sign up on board on Day 1.

 

Given no one on Cruise Critic had yet experienced being turned away on board during embarkation, . . . we felt this was the best option for us.

 

A side opinion - I do believe that as this service continues to evolve, RCI needs to better estimate demand sailing to sailing. Further, once there, it seams reasonable to me they could then make small adjustments and accommodate all requests after Day 1 along with the other dining change requests. My impression from listening to the head waiters on that first seating Day 1 was that they were limited to the tables assigned to MTD and could not change this.

 

Well, other people on CC have found themselves unable to sign up and/or unable to get the time they want. It is still far simpler, less hassle for everyone including the staff, the old fashioned way. Technically, that's what my-time dining works out to anyway - semi-assigned seating hopefully when you want it, if you get on board early enough and/or sign up ahead of boarding.

 

There's one thing as well - if they accommodate everyone who wants my-time dining, what happens to those of us who have tables at the same time, who *don't* want it. They can't boot other people out in order to accommodate people who want to eat at a particular time.

 

Fran in Toronto

[Fran Harp]

Your responses reflect that YOU did not understand your situation.

 

No I DID NOT understand my situation, and when I tried to find out, I was ignored.

 

When you are assigned to the same table each night, that is traditional fixed dining. There are two seatings: (generally) 6 P.M. and 8:30 P.M. If you were showing up at 7 P.M., of course the family with the baby was finished. They had come at the assigned time of 6 P.M. I don't know how long your dinners were, but arriving at 7 for a 6 seating REALLY throws off the waitstaff and the kitchen staff. BIG time.

 

Why did they not tell me this when I asked? They treated me like I was a nuisance every time I tried to ask a question.

 

Please answer that now: were your entire gratuities placed on your SeaPass account immediately after the second night's dinner? (if you were two people, 2 x $9.75 x 7 = $136.50)

 

If not, you were NOT in "My Time Dining", which allows you to eat at any time at any size table that you wish.

 

The gratuities were not added after the second night's dinner. How would I have known this was an indication of which dining time I was assigned to?

 

Did a Maitre D' greet you each evening as you arrived in the dining room, requesting whether you wished to be seated with just your party, or with others?

 

No he did not. Again, how would I have known at the time that this was an indication of which dining time I was assigned to?

 

No one was belittling you. People are trying to help you understand what happened to you.

 

Since his second sentence was "Based on the fact that you have 6 posts here I don't think you were aware of what they were doing and the implication of what they were saying to you," I felt it was an attack. Just because I have only posted 6 times does not mean that I've never cruised before.

 

Should they have honored your request for Second Seating? Of course.

 

But you should have been able to either figure out your situation, or ask someone.

 

I tried to ask, they just shrugged their shoulders and turned away. Any further attempt to get an explanation would have caused an ugly scene in front of other passengers and that is not the way I conduct myself.

 

Now that you have come here, after the fact, we are trying to help.

 

There is really nothing to help me with, I learned the hard way. I originally posted in an attempt to educate anyone else that might face a similar situation.

 

We had an absolutely wonderful cruise other than the screwed up dining assignment. I'm not going to let that keep me from cruising RCCL again, but you can bet that I'll never post my experiences again.

 

I just read back a little further and came to this one. Having sailed Brilliance recently, I cannot imagine the staff just shrugging and turning away. One of the reasons Brilliance appeals to me is because of the dining room staff - they have always been helpful and polite.

 

Fran in Toronto

[rubrrick]

I would LOVE to sign up in advance for MTD, but have been told I cant -

that I have to do it on board. We sail Sept 14th from Barcelona on Brilliance.

 

Who is saying that you cannot sign up in advance??? If you are booked directly with RCCL........call thier main reservations number, and ask for the My Time Dining department. You will be transferred to someone that will help you. It will be explained that to do MTD, you must be charged for all prepaid gratuities. You need to give them a credit card number to sign up for MTD in advance of being onboard.

 

You cannot pick a time for your MTD till you board the ship.

 

If you wait to sign up for MTD on day one, onboard.........if they are full, you will be turned away. The only advantage of signing up onboard, is that the prepaid gratuities will be put on your seapass card.

 

I have mentioned in other posts that we tried it on the Jewel of the Seas on their first cruise to offer MTD. It was almost flawless for us. We loved it!!

 

Hope this helps. :)

 

Rick

[Cruising89143]

Well, other people on CC have found themselves unable to sign up and/or unable to get the time they want. It is still far simpler, less hassle for everyone including the staff, the old fashioned way.

Fran in Toronto

 

For you but not the rest of us that want "My Time" dining. I am trying it on the Freedom in November and have no doubt that I will love it. The number of positive comments on this board have far outweighed the negative. Also if it were not working, RCI would not be moving fleet wide with this new feature.

[Cruising89143]

Who is saying that you cannot sign up in advance??? If you are booked directly with RCCL........call thier main reservations number, and ask for the My Time Dining department. You will be transferred to someone that will help you. It will be explained that to do MTD, you must be charged for all prepaid gratuities. You need to give them a credit card number to sign up for MTD in advance of being onboard.

 

You cannot pick a time for your MTD till you board the ship.

 

If you wait to sign up for MTD on day one, onboard.........if they are full, you will be turned away. The only advantage of signing up onboard, is that the prepaid gratuities will be put on your seapass card.

 

I have mentioned in other posts that we tried it on the Jewel of the Seas on their first cruise to offer MTD. It was almost flawless for us. We loved it!!

 

Hope this helps. :)

 

Rick

 

I agree with Rick. When I called, I was transferred to the MTD desk and it was very simple to sign up.

[labeachcomber]

Well, other people on CC have found themselves unable to sign up and/or unable to get the time they want. It is still far simpler, less hassle for everyone including the staff, the old fashioned way. Technically, that's what my-time dining works out to anyway - semi-assigned seating hopefully when you want it, if you get on board early enough and/or sign up ahead of boarding.

 

There's one thing as well - if they accommodate everyone who wants my-time dining, what happens to those of us who have tables at the same time, who *don't* want it. They can't boot other people out in order to accommodate people who want to eat at a particular time.

 

Fran in Toronto

 

My Time Dining affords you the flexibility of not having to eat at either 6:15 or 8:30, but still gives you the chance to experience the dining room service and not have to eat at the Windjammer or elsewhere. Yes, it may be that you don't get the exact time you want, but it still is less rigid than the Main or Second seatings.

 

It sounds as if there is a limit to the number of people that they accept into MTD, presumably the number of people they can fit into half a floor of the dining room during the set hours. There would never be a situation where because there are so many MTDs eating at, say 6:15, that they "overflow" into the traditional seating and boot you out of your table. Those extra MTDs would just have to wait until another table opened up. At least that's how I envision it. I'm sailing on the Serenade in two days and am going to try it, so I'll have more to report later.

[ccc321]

I wondered how long it would take for someone to attack me due to the fact that I only have 6 posts:).

 

A little background--I have been a member of Cruise Critic for almost a year, a reader for about 3 years. The main reason I don't post often is that I have seen the carnage imposed on "newbies" on these boards.

 

I can't imagine what additional information you might need to understand what happened to me, but I would be happy to answer your questions.

 

1. Did they shift you to MTD or Early Seating?

I can only assume they consider our dining time MTD. The note I got only said "Come anytime before 7:00." It never occurred to me to demand a name for it.

2. What time did Early Seating start?

I have no clue, since I had no reason to ask.

3. Were the gratuities added as a prepaid charge to your seapass account after the first night or did you tip at the end of the trip?

Why would this make any difference?

4. If they had shifted you to Early, why didn't you catch on, since the family with the kid always finished before you showed up? This would have clued me in and we would have asked the waiter what time the seating started.

Just because the other family at the table chose to come extremely early, that doesn't mean that I had to, my instructions were "anytime before 7:00."

 

They were made very aware of my preferred dining time and my displeasure with being forced into dining early. Nobody even attempted to explain why I was changed other than they didn't have room for us in the Late Seating.

 

Now, my question for you is, why are you being so hateful and sarcastic to me? What in the world did I say in my post that offended you?

 

I understand your point. Unless you're completely familiar with how everything works, or have been in the same sidtuation before, you don't know unless it is explained to you. No matter who's fault, it is the crews job to explain what's going on until you understand, you shouldn't have to figure it out for yourself. And if the note said before 7, that means before 7, not 6. Maybe they didn't quite understand what you were trying to tell them, or maybe they were vague in their rersponses assuming you'd understand. In either case, I'd have probably felt the same as you.

[ccc321]

Does RCI offer MTD on all of their cruises now or is it only certain sainings?

[rubrrick]

Does RCI offer MTD on all of their cruises now or is it only certain sainings?

 

It's still only certain sailings. For a list contact RCCL. Someone posted it on CC but I don't think their search feature is working.

 

Rick

[Bakincakes]

If you want MTD and there are limited tables you may not get the time you want or will have to wait to be seated. Obviously more popular times will be taken first.

 

It then becomes "RCI time dining".:)

[ccc321]

Is it really worth it than if you end up waiting anyway?