My Time Dining Waits (with reservations) on Oasis/Allure

We're signed up for My Time Dining on Allure next year (and prefer this so can coordinate dinner with shows). My one concern is I've heard people complaining of having to wait for their table, even with reservations.

For those that have been on Oasis or Allure (since bigger ships than others), how long did you have to wait for your table with a reservation? Also, can you let me know the following as I imagine this would have an impact on the wait:

• # people in your family
  
• time of booking
  
• sat alone or with others
  

We are a family of 4 wanting to sit alone and would most likely be booking in the range of 5:30 - 6:30pm (depending on the night)

Our experience with MTD on Oasis was late 2013.

I emailed ahead of time and asked for a table for 2, near the center railing so I could see down to the dining rooms below. Reservations were available on-line pre cruise for the times we wanted (5:00 - 6:30 time frame, depending on what shows / plans we had for the day). I signed up for dinner reservations as soon as they became available for our sailing.

When I got to our cabin on Day #1, we had a message from the Dining Room asking us to come down and select our table. They walked us to the Dining Room and asked us to pick which table we wanted. I selected, and they made a note. That evening when we arrived for the first dinner, there was a very long line (out into the hall) for those without reservations. There was a line for those with reservations as well, but not as long. It took about 5-10 minutes to reach the front of the line and when we did, the head waiter caught our eye and came over to tell us that from now on, don't wait in the line. Since our table had been "assigned", go straight to the table from now on. Whether we arrived 15 minutes early or a few minutes late, we walked straight to our table from then on and it was always ready and waiting for us, with our preferred drinks and rolls already on the plate!

Wow...that's great that you could just walk up to your table.

MTD worked really well for us on the Allure last year. We made reservations for a few nights, and other nights we just walked in. I think the longest wait we ever had was 15 to 20 minutes for a table. Much quicker than what we experience here on land! We had a routine of grabbing a cocktail and then heading into dining room to check in. We were a party of two and had the same table and waiter all but one night.

On our BTB on Oasis in the Med last September, just before dry dock, we had reservations for the same time- 8.30 each night. It was very rare that we just walked in. The longest we waited in the reservations line was 45 minutes!They seemed to be giving priority to those without reservations- possibly because they wanted larger tables- we wanted a two-top each night.

We did get a complimentary meal at the Solarium Bistro on the last night :D - I think they had noticed how long we had waited earlier in the cruise!

Hmm....15 to 20 minutes is ok (but should be top waiting time)...but certainly not 45 minutes when you have reservations. I can see them wanting to get the large group in but totally not fair nor makes sense when you have a reservation.

I did MTD but I had it set to 6pm every night:

Allure Nov - 5 people. The wait was 15-20 minutes but after the first night we told them that we wanted the same table each night. we just went straight to the table. One of the check in people would come by later and tell us we had to check in, we ignored her and she stopped coming by after a few days. The annoying part was the first day when they told us that we had no reservations. We pulled up the website to show them the rez and then they were like oh the computers onboard are different from the ones on land and one has nothing to do with the other. the line for the people with no ressies seemed to go faster than the line with the people with them.

Allure Dec - 4 people. The same routine as Nov. The wait was 15-20 minutes but after the first night after we told them that we wanted the same table each night. we just went straight to the table. One of the check in people would come by later and tell us we had to check in, we ignored her and she stopped coming by.

oasis March 2 people. the lines were 15 -30mins. the table was slightly different each night even though we requested the same one for the week. There were 2 two tops next to each other so we alternated between them.the line for the people with no ressies seemed to go faster than the line with the people with them. the line was annoying on a few occasions because they had photographers blocking half the space. the tail of the line would curve around but when the photographer moved aside the people in the back would surge forward so it was just a scrum. very poorly managed.

MTD on Allure. Standing reservation for 6:45 PM each night.

Minimum 30 minute wait, some nights 45 minutes.

Never sat at same table.

Never had same wait staff.

This was 5 bookings all coordinated and linked together with reservations made by our TA before the cruise.

Service terrible. Left MDR at 10PM once before dessert was served just to get to a show. Thought with a 6:45PM dinner reservation that wouldn't be an issue.

Family of 4 eating earlier I would not anticipate these issues and would be furious if encountered them again.

somerandomidiot , by booking 6pm every night, I assume that you wanted traditional dining at early seating but it was booked up? So sounds like it's good to try to ask for same table every night so you can just head to it.

LMaxwell, yikes, those are long waits for reservations. :eek: If the Allure showtimes remain as they are set today, then we'd be booking MTD mostly at either 5:30pm or 6pm (but one night may be 6:30pm). The only reason we're not going for early seating traditional is that some nights we would want 5:30pm to make 7pm shows (or to see departure parade / fountain show without feeling rushed)

I think the key to less wait time is to ask to select your table on the first day. Once you do that then the table # is assigned to you and will be available for you to seat yourself at your specified reservation time. Otherwise you may be seated at a different table every night and might have a little wait.

somerandomidiot , by booking 6pm every night, I assume that you wanted traditional dining at early seating but it was booked up? So sounds like it's good to try to ask for same table every night so you can just head to it.

yes, just trying to replicate the early seating. the advantage to doing this with MTD is that you don't get seated next to random people unless you want to. You can head straight to the table but then you have the check in people coming over to complain that you didn't check in. It's still better than waiting in line for no reason.

Thank you both. I have added your comments to 'ask to select your table' for MTD to my Allure document under 'Tips' section :)

We had MTD on both The Allure & The Oasis, reservations every night at 7:00 pm. The only wait we had was on the first night, about a 10 minute wait the other nights we were seated within minutes. We had the same wait staff each night an we sat at the same table almost every night. We had a table for two but the tables were very close, it was like sitting at a table for six. The same two couples sat by us 6 of the 7 nights.

Can you provide the email address?

Our experience with MTD on Oasis was late 2013.

 

I emailed ahead of time and asked for a table for 2, near the center railing so I could see down to the dining rooms below. Reservations were available on-line pre cruise for the times we wanted (5:00 - 6:30 time frame, depending on what shows / plans we had for the day). I signed up for dinner reservations as soon as they became available for our sailing.

 

When I got to our cabin on Day #1, we had a message from the Dining Room asking us to come down and select our table. They walked us to the Dining Room and asked us to pick which table we wanted. I selected, and they made a note. That evening when we arrived for the first dinner, there was a very long line (out into the hall) for those without reservations. There was a line for those with reservations as well, but not as long. It took about 5-10 minutes to reach the front of the line and when we did, the head waiter caught our eye and came over to tell us that from now on, don't wait in the line. Since our table had been "assigned", go straight to the table from now on. Whether we arrived 15 minutes early or a few minutes late, we walked straight to our table from then on and it was always ready and waiting for us, with our preferred drinks and rolls already on the plate!

When was your cruise?

MTD on Allure. Standing reservation for 6:45 PM each night.

 

Minimum 30 minute wait, some nights 45 minutes.

 

Never sat at same table.

 

Never had same wait staff.

 

This was 5 bookings all coordinated and linked together with reservations made by our TA before the cruise.

 

Service terrible. Left MDR at 10PM once before dessert was served just to get to a show. Thought with a 6:45PM dinner reservation that wouldn't be an issue.

 

Family of 4 eating earlier I would not anticipate these issues and would be furious if encountered them again.

We only went to MTD once on the Oasis, but I thought it was very poorly run and disorganized. We had a 6:30 reservation for 2, and when we arrived the line stretched all the way down the hallway that leads to the dining room entrance. We volunteered to sit with others...first they asked us if we'd like to sit at a table with a Chinese family who spoke no English. We politely declined.:o They finally put 8 of us together and walked us down two decks to the traditional dining room where they had a table available.

On the first couple nights of the cruise, they were so backed up for MTD that they were pulling groups out and seating them in the Specialty Restaurants. It was a little annoying to be paying for dinner in Giovanni's Table while they were sending people over from the MTD reservations line for a free meal!:p

Thankfully, we had access to Coastal Kitchen, so we ate there the other two nights we were scheduled for MTD instead of going to the dining room.

rcldining@rccl.com is what we used.

rcldining@rccl.com is what we used.

Thanks for the email. So basically it's good to email them beforehand and request to get the same table each night? Or did you specifically ask to select your table?

Thanks for the email. So basically it's good to email them beforehand and request to get the same table each night? Or did you specifically ask to select your table?

We emailed about a month before our cruise and all I requested was a "table for 2 by the center atrium area". I wanted to be able to see down to the dining rooms below, and I knew I didn't want to feel hemmed in between several other tables. I think if you ask to select your table once on the ship they will do their best to accommodate you.

When we got into our cabin the message light was blinking asking us to come to the dining room to select our table. He walked us in to the actual dining room - it was probably around 2pm by that time - and told me to point out whatever table I would like. He assigned us that table and asked if I needed to adjust any of my reservation times (I had prebooked them on line). And that was it! We had the same table, same waiter and assistant waiter every night.

As an aside - I do remember that after we emailed the dining staff ahead of the cruise, we received an email back confirming they would do their best to meet our request.

We emailed about a month before our cruise and all I requested was a "table for 2 by the center atrium area". I wanted to be able to see down to the dining rooms below, and I knew I didn't want to feel hemmed in between several other tables. I think if you ask to select your table once on the ship they will do their best to accommodate you.

 

When we got into our cabin the message light was blinking asking us to come to the dining room to select our table. He walked us in to the actual dining room - it was probably around 2pm by that time - and told me to point out whatever table I would like. He assigned us that table and asked if I needed to adjust any of my reservation times (I had prebooked them on line). And that was it! We had the same table, same waiter and assistant waiter every night.

 

As an aside - I do remember that after we emailed the dining staff ahead of the cruise, we received an email back confirming they would do their best to meet our request.

Thank you so much for the advice. I am going to try this. Do you think it would work if we don't eat the eact same time each night (but close in time at 5:30pm or 6pm...but I think one night may be 6:30pm)? I also wouldn't know where to ask to sit but we are a family of 4 requesting to sit by ourselves (since coming with our kids and it's a family trip)

Thank you so much for the advice. I am going to try this. Do you think it would work if we don't eat the eact same time each night (but close in time at 5:30pm or 6pm...but I think one night may be 6:30pm)? I also wouldn't know where to ask to sit but we are a family of 4 requesting to sit by ourselves (since coming with our kids and it's a family trip)

We had reservations on our last cruise ranging from 5:30 - 6:30 every night. We had no problem. After first night, walked right to our table. I would imagine if you want 5pm one night and 7:30 the next, it might be more difficult to assign you a table because that would basically put the table off limits to others dining later in the evening. But my guess is that if all your reservations are within maybe an hour or so of each other you'd have no problem.

As for where to sit, I haven't been on since the Dining Room changes were made. But the dining room covers 3 levels. There is a center atrium that is open to all three levels. Personally, I like the top level, near the railing, so I can see down to portions of the other levels. On one or two nights there will likely be live dinner music of some sort. That takes place on the lower level, but because we were right at the atrium railing, we could easily see and hear. Very pleasant. There were mainly tables for 2 and 4 up there. And you can certainly ask in the email to be seated at a table for 4 and that you'd like the opportunity to select your table when you board on xxxx date.

We had reservations on our last cruise ranging from 5:30 - 6:30 every night. We had no problem. After first night, walked right to our table. I would imagine if you want 5pm one night and 7:30 the next, it might be more difficult to assign you a table because that would basically put the table off limits to others dining later in the evening. But my guess is that if all your reservations are within maybe an hour or so of each other you'd have no problem.

Yes, makes sense. We are in the same range as you so will give it a try (I know not your point but I think 5:30pm is the earliest you can book)

Give it a shot! The first night we went to the dining room, we noticed a lot of tables for 2 and 4 that looked as though they'd been placed as an after-thought. Literally, right when you enter the dining room, they were there. No privacy. Just one after another, almost touching. When I saw that I was very glad we had selected one by the railing. We had no other tables wedged up against us like some did.

Give it a shot! The first night we went to the dining room, we noticed a lot of tables for 2 and 4 that looked as though they'd been placed as an after-thought. Literally, right when you enter the dining room, they were there. No privacy. Just one after another, almost touching. When I saw that I was very glad we had selected one by the railing. We had no other tables wedged up against us like some did.

That's awesone. Thanks again for the tips. I am going to email them a month prior as you suggested (which is like a year from now...a "bit" of a wait...lol).

Our experience by the railing wasn't enjoyable for us. With MTD it was like a freeway with constant coming and going and the waiters with carts use that 'lane' also. We were only 2 but asked for same waiter with a quieter table. We got a table for four at the window for the rest of the cruise.