Starry Eyes

I hear you; I feel the similarly about the 5 pm time. Still, the lines for MTD when Harmony was at full capacity were just too off putting for us. Different ship, different itinerary, etc, so your experience may be different; maybe you will soon gain insight from reviews). As DH likes to eat early, we generally settle for early dining despite the early time, though next cruise we are trying UDP, so we might not use the MDR much. That is another option to consider if you’d like the specialty restaurants. I’d postulate that with the new system they have moved early up early dining (in the US market…I am not not sufficiently in touch with other markets to comment) for two reasons: 1. With MTD starting after early dining, the sooner they start early dining, the sooner the can post MTD start time. 2. Similarly late dining does not have to be scheduled as late, so perhaps it can attract more people. What time is late dining for your cruise? Is that a viable option for you or is it too late? Or perhaps pack your patience and stick with MTD; hopefully you won’t encounter bad lines but you will be psychologically prepared if you do. I really don’t mean to bum you out, I just want people to know about the new system so they can think through their options before their cruise and make the happiest choice at their leisure.

Well, the app shows that Anthem is following the pattern I outlined above. Early traditional dining is scheduled on decks 3 and 4. MTD on deck 4 starts after the early diners begin to dribble out (6:45). Late traditional dining on deck 3. I cannot pull up the maid dining room schedule for Ovation right now. Still, as the passenger count rises, odds that they will utilize the above plan also rise. If you like to eat early, perhaps just sign up for early traditional dining; you may find it less frustrating. If you tend to eat substantially than the MTD opening time, then MTD might still work out fine for you.

Here’s my explanation of the new, not-improved MTD system, so that you will understand why MTD is now scheduled to start later. I copied this from another thread as the topic seems to come up regularly. Traditional early dining uses decks 3, 4, and 5 at about 5 pm. So all the tables are quickly and efficiently filled with assigned guests right away (except those tables that happen to be empty because guests elect to eat elsewhere that night). MTD is not scheduled to start until about 6:30-7:00 or so (about when some early traditional diners finished with meals). As the early traditional diners on deck 3 vacate their tables, the tables are cleaned and MTD guests are then seated. Meanwhile, there is pent up demand for tables as many MTD guests expected to be able to get a table as early as 5pm (they did not read threads like this or did not believe them). So the MTD line at opening is long. Knowing the line is long, others with later reservations line up, hoping to reach the front of the line by the time if their reservation. Also remember:if service for early dining guests happens to be slow for any reason, the early diners will of course exit later, making the MTD guests wait longer on nights when service is apt to be slow once they are finally seated; a recipe for frustration. Pre shutdown lines for MTD on deck 3 were so bad as we exited early traditional dining, we had difficulty getting past the waiting people to reach the elevators or the stairs to leave the area. The people waiting in the (disorganized looking) end of the MTD line were cranky, some acting as though everyone going to the elevator or stair lobby was trying to cut into their line. It made quite an impression on us. We won’t do MTD, and I no longer recommend it to anyone who likes to eat relatively early. Late Traditional dining is on deck 4 and 5.

Do you have the app? Check the app to see what time MTD is scheduled to start for your cruise. I suspect you will find it does not even start until about 7:15 on the app. That leaves you with a choice: either try to switch to early traditional dining (call your TA today if you used one, or Royal if you booked direct)…. Or line up with a bunch of other people waiting for MTD to open (some of them will be grumpy because they did not know MTD would start later than it used to and it is messing up other plans)

Thanks for the info. Personally were it my reservation, I still rather the cruiseline process the charge so I’d know the correct amount of money was applied on the correct date. I’d want to know my vacation payment was properly processed and my vacation slot secured, not just that my money was generally safeguarded. A TA in the US tried this years ago; I insisted they re-do the charge. I did not use the TA again. A different TA declared bankruptcy before our scheduled land tour; our credit card refunded.

Yes, they do. They should ask for a conference call with the TA and RCI to get this sorted out urgently. I’m already a bit suspicious of he TA’s story about airline/airport changes. If the TA won’t cooperate with a conference call, I would be even more suspicious of TA. If the credit card charges were made by the travel agency rather than by Royal Caribbean, I’d be deeply concerned.

Remember you are allowed to carry two (your gf’s favorites?) bottles of wine aboard with you. Doing so might also diminish your desire your a drink package.

Were the charges on your credit card for your cruise and flight package made by Royal Caribbean or by your Travel Agency or by an airline etc?

Yes, and I think issues with new MTD system become more obvious as the passenger census increases. Also, people with MTD who like to dine later will likely be be fine with the new system; it is the MTD folks who tend to dine early that get pinched (especially if they need to eat on a schedule and a long or variable line messes with the schedule)

To check the status of bids try this link: https://www.royalcaribbean.com/booked/cruise-room-upgrade Maybe you will be get a hint of your cabin assignment from your set sail bar code after you check in for your cruise (45 days out)🤞 if your assignment does not show up in “my cruises” by then. If so, that is a reasonable time to re-evaluate whether to bid on those options.

While I do not know why, I can take a guess. Please keep in mind that, like you, I liked the old MTD system, so do not take my guess as an endorsement of the new system. I suspect the cruiseline feels they get more efficient use of the tables/seats in the dining room by using this new system. Using Harmony as an example, by assigning the tables on deck 3 to early traditional dining, the seats are promptly filled between with very little staff time needed. Seats are utilized efficiently, as seating for early traditional is pre-planned, so there are not a lot of empty seats (unless guests elect another venue that night…as tables on deck 3 tend to be small, those vacant tables can be used for the earliest MTD guests). In contrast, the old MTD system tended to get off to a slower start and required substantial hostess time per guest. If guests asked to share and other parties not join, there were vacant seats for the duration of the meal.

Before Royal Caribbean changed the MTD system, we happily took either MTD or early traditional dining, depending on dining availability and our shore schedule. Now we stick we early traditional dining (there are more early traditional slots with the new system, so we have always gotten it).

I really liked MTD in it’s early form years ago. Not any more, as it has changed on most ships. Every time it comes up on cruise critic, I try to warn people about the new, unimproved MTD regime. It started before the shutdown and made quite an impression on me on Harmony. Now that passenger counts are are approaching full capacity, the really long lines when MTD finally opens are recurring. It is not just a staffing shortage; it is the new system. That is not entirely correct. Here us how it works on Harmony. Traditional early dining uses decks 3, 4, and 5 at about 5 pm. So all the tables are quickly and efficiently filled with assigned guests right away (except those tables that happen to be empty because guests elect to eat elsewhere that night). MTD is not scheduled to start until about 6:30-7:00 or so (about when some early traditional diners finished with meals). As the early traditional diners on deck 3 vacate their tables, the tables are cleaned and MTD guests are then seated. Meanwhile, there is pent up demand for tables as many MTD guests expected to be able to get a table as early as 5pm (they did not read threads like this or did not believe them). So the MTD line at opening is long. Knowing the line is long, others with later reservations line up, hoping to reach the front of the line by the time if their reservation. Also remember:if service for early dining guests happens to be slow for any reason, the early diners will of course exit later, making the MTD guests wait longer on nights when service is apt to be slow once they are finally seated; a recipe for frustration. Pre shutdown lines for MTD on deck 3 were so bad as we exited early traditional dining, we had difficulty getting past the waiting people to reach the elevators or the stairs to leave the area. The people waiting in the (disorganized looking) end of the MTD line were cranky, some acting as though everyone going to the elevator or stair lobby was trying to cut into their line. It made quite an impression on us. We won’t do MTD, and I mo longer recommend it to anyone who likes to eat relatively early. Late Traditional dining is on deck 4 and 5.

Along the same lines as the bookbub suggestion, if you have your library card (or if hubby has his card number to share) with you check your library website. You may find your hometown library offers digital loans of ebooks, audiobooks and/or videos. You may be able to use your cellphone if you do not have another device (if you don’t want to read on a small screen, try the audiobooks). You may need to download an app. Quarantine would be a good time to take advantage of their offerings, if any.

Like you, I accept the current protocols and have enjoyed cruising since the restart. Still, I respect other people’s choices. In addition to the testing and the now reduced masking, the potential of being quarantined in an oceanview cabin (especially if one cruises in nicer cabins or spends little time in cabin, perhaps even with minor child) might cause some to select other options now. To each their own, especially if such confinement might drive one batty.

Common colds were contagious pre-covid yet people were not quarantined to cabins for common cold symptoms. Just a few years ago, people went to work with colds, to stores with colds, to restaurants with colds, on vacations with colds; it was difficult to convince some people with colds NOT to visit loved ones in hospital or care facilities or in poor health.

It seems to me there are separate issues to consider when considering potential asymptomatic (or mildly symptomatic) covid quarantine after a cruise (or vacation): there is the time/inconvenience/unpleasantness of the quarantine to consider and there is the separate issue of cost of quarantine. We have not scheduled overseas trips that require re-entry testing because of the former; even if the costs are covered, the idea of being stuck in quarantine (potentially double length if one test positive at beginning, then the other at after one quarantine cycle). If that risk does not deter you and it is about costs, then you need to assess you insurance situation.

Maybe because there is no pediatric medical care on the island

Edit. I reread initial post and realized your name is not currently on cabin c.

Haha, point taken. I’m glad your wife is attentive so you don’t wander off😉. So perhaps I should say no bed checks by cruise ship personnel.

There are no bed checks; people can sleep where they wish. Assuming the cabins have different stewards and steward does a good job, I tend to give an extra cash tip to a steward who cleans for more guests paperwork says. Since it is a baby, I think I might put a parent and baby in cabin B, to facilitate any baby related needs (maybe a pack-n-play, distilled water, whatever) and baby will have muster station with at least one parent. That would put the other parent (on paper) in cabin C. That parent would carry two cards( one to open cabin B, one for charges/C). Note: The above plan might be good or bad depending on beverage package desires. For example if the two parents want the beverage package but the person in C dies not, moving a parent to C messes things up. On the other hand, if Dad wants the beverage packages, but neither mom nor C do, than dad+babe and mom+C might work nicely.

Cannot take one of the cruises….cancel one of the legs To me those are basically different words for the same occurrence; the op does not get to take those cruises b2b as it is a violation.

It is a violation. I would not be surprised if the “fix” might be that you are be told months later you cannot take one of the cruises. Do not book nonrefundable fares. I think people have found a different ship (perhaps a different line) for the first leg so they could do a S2S

As others have mentioned, you might have trouble moving one cabin as currently booked if the kids are underage. You could swap names on the booking so one adult and one kid are in each cabin; then if you win the upgrade, the other will still be “legal” as it contains an adult (on paper). The trouble, of course, is that one adult and one kid get suite benefits.

Bigger soup containers are available 24 oz, 32 oz etc