Dining -- does this sound right to anyone?

I booked a cruise today for March of 2016 and was told by my TA that the only available dining was MyTime Dining.

Seems strange that a cruise that far out -- with so many available rooms that I had a choice of -- would have that as the only option for dining.

Thoughts?

Yes, I've heard of it. Seems like people are reporting it more and more.

I think they force you into MTD initially for the prepaids. You should be able to switch over down the road. Give it a month or so

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Hoping I can switch it. I'll have to ask I guess. I don't want to do the prepaids and I actually like the regular seating.

Does seem strange it's sold out way over a year in advance. :confused:

LuLu

My last 2 cruises have all been only available with MTD. I really do suspect it's a way to get your prepaid gratuities (mandatory with MTD) in their bank account earlier.

And on the other hand, I booked my April 2015 cruise back in August and was offered early or late seating and she made no mention of MTD, lol.

Hopefully I can switch to MTD once I'm on board. I really liked MTD but am not crazy about coughing up 168.00 in tips 8 months in advance. I want them charged to my seapass acct.

And on the other hand, I booked my April 2015 cruise back in August and was offered early or late seating and she made no mention of MTD, lol.

 

Hopefully I can switch to MTD once I'm on board. I really liked MTD but am not crazy about coughing up 168.00 in tips 8 months in advance. I want them charged to my seapass acct.

You should only have to pay prepaid tips at final payment time.

You should only have to pay prepaid tips at final payment time.

This is my experience too. I've only paid my cruise deposit. Pre-Paid gratuities are due at final payment.

Seems games are being played, I have 8 cabins booked for next Thanksgiving, first 7 are early seating, 8th is MTD and cant even get waitlisted still (booked a couple of months ago, about three months after the rest of the group).

Based on cabins available (lots) I cant believe there isn't even a waitlist option.

Which ship did you book on? Maybe they are looking to change to dynamic dining and do not want to commit to setting a time. When we booked Quantum they initially confirmed late dining then sprung dynamic on us. I and probably others complained about this bait and switch so they probably feel it is better not to confirm until they are sure.

bob

You should only have to pay prepaid tips at final payment time.

I really didnt think about that but Im one of those "crazy" people that pays in full at time of booking and didnt really want to owe anymore. I'd like to have them charged to my on board account because I have OBC coming that was purchased for me that will cover them.

If they wont move us to MTD, Im ok with early seating. Im just hoping that with as many people that like early seating, they can swap us to MTD.

I have seen this happening more and more. Just ask them to put you on the wait list for traditional dining and it should be fine. Our last 3 cruises have started out that way and well before final payments were due, we received confirmation of our requested dining assignment.

Which would be a shame. When we were on the Oasis TA, we were told that it was going to Dynamic Dining in March. "There's nothing else like it in the cruise industry!" Really? Have you heard of NCL or Disney? On that cruise, half the main dining room was MTD and they could not handle it.

Which would be a shame. When we were on the Oasis TA, we were told that it was going to Dynamic Dining in March. "There's nothing else like it in the cruise industry!" Really? Have you heard of NCL or Disney? On that cruise, half the main dining room was MTD and they could not handle it.

I think that's what is happening. I have read a few posts that Allure may be going into dry dock in 2015 so it may come out with dynamic dining. Not sure how that works yet.

I did call my TA back and ask about it and it was interesting she said that with the MTD (for this cruise) I wouldn't have to prepay my grats. Not sure if that's what they're moving toward but that would be good or maybe that's how it works with the Dynamic Dining. I had my TA waitlist me for traditional dining anyway.

I think that's what is happening. I have read a few posts that Allure may be going into dry dock in 2015 so it may come out with dynamic dining. Not sure how that works yet.

 

I did call my TA back and ask about it and it was interesting she said that with the MTD (for this cruise) I wouldn't have to prepay my grats. Not sure if that's what they're moving toward but that would be good or maybe that's how it works with the Dynamic Dining. I had my TA waitlist me for traditional dining anyway.

Allure is getting DD in May after her drydock. That was announced by Royal, but as of now no other announcements have been made .

Have your TA call and ask to clear you from the waitlist for whichever traditional dining time you want. Both of my next two cruises, we were only offered MTD with a waitlist for late seating, but I placed a call within a week of booking and we were cleared from the waitlist into the seating...

...And then they decided to do away with traditional dining for our May cruise on Allure. At least Liberty still has it for February!

Booked for FOS in April of 2016 and was unable to choose traditional dining and could not be wait listed. Our TA called RCL for assistance, but even the RCL agent could not put us on a wait list.

Since this is our first cruise, I don't even know what we would prefer. And we won't miss what we never knew.

Everything will be new to us! :D

Booked for FOS in April of 2016 and was unable to choose traditional dining and could not be wait listed. Our TA called RCL for assistance, but even the RCL agent could not put us on a wait list.

Since this is our first cruise, I don't even know what we would prefer. And we won't miss what we never knew.

Everything will be new to us! :D

Your last statement in my view is exactly what RCI wants to hear and planned for.

Pre pay your Grats and know no different:)

Which ship did you book on? Maybe they are looking to change to dynamic dining and do not want to commit to setting a time. When we booked Quantum they initially confirmed late dining then sprung dynamic on us. I and probably others complained about this bait and switch so they probably feel it is better not to confirm until they are sure.

 

bob

No DD for Voyager and I couldnt secure trad dinning only MTD when booking over a year ahead with an almost empty ship;)

Hoping I can switch it. I'll have to ask I guess. I don't want to do the prepaids and I actually like the regular seating.

You will still have to call RCI to have your pre paid tips removed from your final payment invoice when you do get your preferred traditional wait listed place.

We booked an April 2016 on Granduer back in September and we were able to choose early or late seating

I booked a cruise today for March of 2016 and was told by my TA that the only available dining was MyTime Dining.

 

Seems strange that a cruise that far out -- with so many available rooms that I had a choice of -- would have that as the only option for dining.

 

Thoughts?

seems to be standard now that they push MTD and you get waitlisted for Traditional seating. then as they get closer, they start assigning TS . every time I was waitlisted I always got my preferred time( late seating) well before the cruise actually sailed.

plus with the new Dynamic Dining being rolled out across the Fleet in stages, it seems to make sense.

actually we are now MTD converts anyway.

My last 2 cruises have all been only available with MTD. I really do suspect it's a way to get your prepaid gratuities (mandatory with MTD) in their bank account earlier.

The money goes into their bank when you do you final payment which is indeed sooner than if you were to pay your gratuities on the ship, not when you book - that's a little consolation.

However, I'm convinced it's because they don't want you to use your OBC to pay for gratutiies. If you use OBC to pay your tips, RCL must outlay the full amount to the waiters etc. If you buy a bottle of booze, the cost of that product is a lot less than what you pay. If I were RCL I'd rather you use your $150 OBC to buy something that cost me $75 rather than give the $150 to staff.

The money goes into their bank when you do you final payment which is indeed sooner than if you were to pay your gratuities on the ship, not when you book - that's a little consolation.

 

However, I'm convinced it's because they don't want you to use your OBC to pay for gratutiies. If you use OBC to pay your tips, RCL must outlay the full amount to the waiters etc. If you buy a bottle of booze, the cost of that product is a lot less than what you pay. If I were RCL I'd rather you use your $150 OBC to buy something that cost me $75 rather than give the $150 to staff.

These are my thoughts as well and have been posting them for some months now even though I do get shot down for saying lol.

My opinions are that RCI are gearing towards all cruisers paying pre paid gratuities only in the future.

DD will require once fully rolled out pre paid grats for the exact same reasons MTD require Prepaid now and this is an obvious fact that many cannot grasp.

Those that pay grats with OBC are only paying "Cost Price" because OBC is only as you pointed out cost price credit where grats are full dollar value.

Every dollar you spend OBC costs RCI less than that dollar so if you pay grats with OBC either RCI makes up the full dollar difference out of profit gained on mark up prices or the staff loose out.

Grat removers (usually in favour of cash tipping) are being flagged as grat removers thus being denied traditional dinning at booking which in turn requires them to pre pay for MTD even when they are waitlisted for trad.

With Australian sailings for Australians all grats with RCI are now added as pre paid at booking regardless your dinning preference.

Australian cruiselines now include the grats in the price of the cruise, RCI is not Australian but it adds grats at booking not includes them in the price as others do.

Australia is the testing ground for total pre paid grats and we have accepted it but many in USA will not so RCI are focussing on new cruisers "Who Know No Different":)

I am all for total pre paid grats even though I prefer Tad dining because it make an even playing field:)