I always thought I was a planner/plodder, but...

with all these posts by people making reservations for dinner and shows on a cruise that is months away boggles my mind!

What I love about cruising - if I'm signed up for MTD, I go when I want or I make a reservation for one of the specialty restaurants. If all else fails the WJ wins by default. If I want to see a show, I am there, otherwise, I'l be in the casino or a bar or watching a movie under the stars. When cruising with DH - we have late seating and even fewer choices to make.

I love the lack of pressure and know that once I make the cruise reservations almost all of my decisions are made for me until I have to choose an entree at dinner the first night.

Now people are trying to decide what time for dinner, which restaurant, which show, etc. Much more than I can deal with.

I hope this is not going to extend to the ships below Oasis class because it will take the fun out of planning for a cruise for me.

It is enough to deal with - how many pairs of sandals do I need and should I really pack 3 pairs of white slacks?

Before we started cruising we vacationed yearly at Disney world. I would have to lay out graphs and charts (literally) as to what days each park would have extended hours, shows and restaurants that we wanted to attend. I would then sit down with the charts and graphs and develop our plan. At the very moment that Disney opened the time slots for reservations (90 days from your first day of visit) I would be on the phone. If I didn't do this we wouldn't be able to eat at most restaurants. I didn't realize how big a pain in the butt this process was until we started cruising. I no longer have the cognitive capacity to do the planning as I have substantial cognitive impairment. I am looking forward to dynamic dinning in principal but I hope that it doesn't turn into needing charts and graphs. If Royal Caribbean goes this direction it will difficult to enjoy cruising with them. For now I will assume that RCI will work out the kinks.....hopefully

Yep, when we travel on land I'm the travel agent. I make all the hotel reservations, come up with a list of sights to see, restaurants to choose from, etc.

I totally and 100% agree with OP, and have actually been thinking about this for quite a while now. We prefer MTD, and feel pressured to make reservations for a particular time, or otherwise we'd be stuck with really early or really late, neither of which we prefer. Interestingly, after making ressies for MTD on our past few cruises, they changed them on us. Prior to sailing on LOS a few years ago, we were told to book in advance the three main shows. We did that, and guess what? When we got on board, they were changed on us too. So why bother? I feel like it's a lot of hoopla and it's mostly unnecessary.

I hate the idea of booking shows, booking specialty dining restaurants in advance, even booking a massage at the spa in advance. It's gotten too organized and it takes away, at least for me, the relaxing atmosphere of vacation. I have already made the decision that when we take our next cruise (not yet on the books) that I will take a much more relaxed approach, save myself some aggravation, and just go with the flow. Hummm, sounds relaxing to me! Oh yeah, and it's kind of a throwback to our earlier days of cruising.

I doubt that the OP and I are the only ones who feel this way;):)

I totally and 100% agree with OP, and have actually been thinking about this for quite a while now. We prefer MTD, and feel pressured to make reservations for a particular time, or otherwise we'd be stuck with really early or really late, neither of which we prefer. Interestingly, after making ressies for MTD on our past few cruises, they changed them on us. Prior to sailing on LOS a few years ago, we were told to book in advance the three main shows. We did that, and guess what? When we got on board, they were changed on us too. So why bother? I feel like it's a lot of hoopla and it's mostly unnecessary.

 

I hate the idea of booking shows, booking specialty dining restaurants in advance, even booking a massage at the spa in advance. It's gotten too organized and it takes away, at least for me, the relaxing atmosphere of vacation. I have already made the decision that when we take our next cruise (not yet on the books) that I will take a much more relaxed approach, save myself some aggravation, and just go with the flow. Hummm, sounds relaxing to me! Oh yeah, and it's kind of a throwback to our earlier days of cruising.

 

I doubt that the OP and I are the only ones who feel this way;):)

Agree many times over. We have worked our way to Diamond on Royal, probably not to see Diamond plus for 4 years or so. We have cruised Celebrity twice and loved them! We will probably jump ship to Celebrity, where it is definitely a more relaxed atmosphere. I guess that matches our age in the early 50's! We will cruise Royal with the kids, along with any great deals out there. I work a stressful job with way over 40 hours a week. I do not need stress on a vacation.

Do suite passengers have any priority for dinning or shows? I know that some ships have areas for shows. Is that the case with the newer, larger ships?

So far, I've not felt I have to make reservations in advance with MTD. With just 2 of us seating has been easy so far.

Do suite passengers have any priority for dinning or shows? I know that some ships have areas for shows. Is that the case with the newer, larger ships?

For shows, all ships through Freedom class have sections in the main theater for full suite guests. I don't know how suite guests are handled on Oasis class.

I was just saying the same thing on another thread. We like to see what's happening and then decide what we feel like doing. This scheduling everything isn't my idea of a relaxing vacation.

This making reservations several weeks ahead is my main complaint about the Allure/Oasis.

Although it worked out okay, I had accidently booked two things at same time and one I was late for. I do the any-time dining on all the ships and never have made an advance reservation for a time. I also have never waited more than a couple of minutes to be seated.

I understand that with the size of the mega ships, they need some reservations to control the numbers. But this is why I will not plan to go back to the Oasis class ships. I still will sail with Royal but without dining reservations. (I also sail with Celebrity..) (10 on Royal, 8 on Celebrity, plus a couple here and there on Princess , Carnival and Hal)

For shows, all ships through Freedom class have sections in the main theater for full suite guests. I don't know how suite guests are handled on Oasis class.

Thank you.

It's good to know that ressies for MTD wasn't problem for a small party.

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I feel the same way about needing to make reservations before I set foot on the ship. That is not relaxing and cruising to me.

I am amused that another line that advertises itself as "Freestyle" with the do what you want when you want ads has passengers worrying about booking restaurants and shows 3-6 months out. What a farce.

Agree with you all. One of the big things we enjoy about cruising is that the trip is somewhat planned out for us. Activities are there and if we want to go we do. If we don't feel like it we do something else.

We have been on Allure twice and the first time planned it all out so that once on board I didn't have to think about it. The second time we planned very little ahead of time since we had "done it all" before. It was a much more relaxing trip since we could do our normal show up if we felt like it.

Trying out Quantum on the 3 day just to see the ship and struggling with reservations :(. Don't see us planning another trip on a ship that has dynamic dining and shows to deal with unless its a repeat which we try not to do. We will see how long cruising is in our future as all ships and lines seem to be going this way.

For shows, all ships through Freedom class have sections in the main theater for full suite guests. I don't know how suite guests are handled on Oasis class.

Same on Oasis class. There is a reserved area on the top balcony. Nice seats to see Blue Planet. We arrived at the theater early for that show and sat in that area not knowing it was a reserved area. It wasn't marked off on the side we entered. A lady next to us didn't blatantly tell us we were in the wrong area, but certainly implied. Area wasn't full, so we just stayed put. :)

Temple1,

Wow. Yes to everything you just said. I'm a detailed planner, too, but I love not having to worry about details for a cruise. Thanks for vocalizing what I didn't even realize I was thinking.

Gotta throw in my .02 cents here as well..

I am a smart, college educated guy and I can't begin to figure out a lot of things nowadays about cruises. For instance..

Do I want to get the exclusive drink package or the not-exclusive (but very good) drink package? Are soft drink packages the way to go or do I need a limited drink package? EEEEekkk :eek:

If I have early dining and am running late do I need to call the cook and tell him or just not show up. And if I have My Time dining do I have to make reservation? EEEEekkk :eek:

I think on my next cruise I am just going to drink water (but which water does or does not carry an extra fee), and order room service (but what time does room service carry and extra fee)? EEEekkk :eek:

I hope everyone has a relaxing cruise.. I know I will.. QTPie :cool:

It's good to know that ressies for MTD wasn't problem for a small party.

 

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I think this depends on ship/sailing. I read lots of posts before our Navigator trip about not needing reservations for MTD or having 5 min waits, but twice on our trip the wait was substantial for our party of 2 - 1 hr and 45 min, and we showed up at 6pm - so we ended up at Windjammer (no complaints though). We did make reservations for other nights. Just be prepared. :)

...... And if I have My Time dining do I have to make reservation? EEEEekkk :eek:...

Reservations not required for My Time.

Some people prefer to wait in line aboard getting show tickets, dining reservations, etc. Others prefer to get that out of the way before boarding.

I think either way is fine. Nothing to complain about really, if someone wants to do it a different way.

Some people prefer to wait in line aboard getting show tickets, dining reservations, etc. Others prefer to get that out of the way before boarding.

 

I think either way is fine. Nothing to complain about really, if someone wants to do it a different way.

I don't want to stand in line to get a ticket to go to a show and I don't stand in line to make dinner reservations. I hope they don't extend the show tickets to all ships. If I decide I want to go to a show - I go. I do get tickets for the ice show but now I understand I can get them through the interactive television on board ship.

We don't want to go to dinner at 6PM and late seating in the main dining room so we show up somewhere in the middle and has not been a problem.

My concern are the mega ships with reservations for everything it seems.

I think this depends on ship/sailing. I read lots of posts before our Navigator trip about not needing reservations for MTD or having 5 min waits, but twice on our trip the wait was substantial for our party of 2 - 1 hr and 45 min, and we showed up at 6pm - so we ended up at Windjammer (no complaints though). We did make reservations for other nights. Just be prepared. :)

That would be fine with me. When we did a Carnival cruise they would not allow ressies for their version of MTD. We were a party of 4, and every evening except one time, we were seated within a few minutes. One evening we waited 30 minutes--no biggie in my book.

I love the lack of pressure and know that once I make the cruise reservations almost all of my decisions are made for me until I have to choose an entree at dinner the first night.

 

Now people are trying to decide what time for dinner, which restaurant, which show, etc. Much more than I can deal with.

The problem is not with the people who are doing the planning but with the cruise lines who are forcing people to do the planning. Nowadays in order to feel "all my decisions are made for me until I have to choose an entree at dinner" people better make some plans before hand or they go to the windjammer. Yes the decision is still made for them but they forfeit all choices. ;)

And sadly that is exactly what we will be doing if we make the Oasis cruise. Because none of us can be bothered to make dinner reservations we will probably end up going to windjammer every day. :D

I don't want to stand in line to get a ticket to go to a show and I don't stand in line to make dinner reservations. I hope they don't extend the show tickets to all ships. If I decide I want to go to a show - I go. I do get tickets for the ice show but now I understand I can get them through the interactive television on board ship.

 

We don't want to go to dinner at 6PM and late seating in the main dining room so we show up somewhere in the middle and has not been a problem.

 

My concern are the mega ships with reservations for everything it seems.

It's one of (the many) reasons why I'm not anxious to cruise on one of the biggies. I'm looking forward to our next cruise, whenever that will be, with my new and improved attitude. For those who love all that over-organizing and planning, I say go for it. For me, I'm over it.

Reservations not required for My Time.

Not required, but highly recommended by some (if you want the same table, waiter, etc.).

But you are exactly right.. not required.

QTPie :cool: