Can't do late seating!

[repeater]

We're booked on a Panama Canal cruise in April 2014. Our capable, competent, generally wonderful Travel Agent said that RCCL cannot book us for early seating, and they would not even put up on a wait list.

 

Coming from the USA's West coast, we'd be finishing dinner very very late, and with several health issues, that just will not work for me. I dread having to eat every dinner in the Windjammer, to eat at a semi-reasonable hour!

 

Do I have any other options here?

[ehfl]

When you board, see if it can be changed by visiting the dining room when you board. If not, there are lots of other great venues, so you can eat at the Windjammer or somewhere else when it's convenient for you.

[Langley Cruisers]

^ Yes, and you could also ask your TA to switch you to My Time Dining, when you can choose the time you want to have dinner by making a reservation or by just showing up. The only thing is with MTD, you must pre-pay your tips before you go.

[repeater]

^ Yes, and you could also ask your TA to switch you to My Time Dining, when you can choose the time you want to have dinner by making a reservation or by just showing up. The only thing is with MTD, you must pre-pay your tips before you go.

 

 

I haven't heard much good about MTD...I hear it works much better on other lines. Is that true? We'll be on Legend of the Seas.

 

I just want dinner, not a hassle.

[rubrrick]

I don't post much anymore on the main boards, but love to lurk!

 

However, here I have to make an exception. Even though you cannot be booked for the main seating, give the Maitre'd a small token, and he will seat you at the first seating.

 

Why?

 

Many that are in both seatings have alternative restaurant reservations, but only the Maitre'd knows. You will not have an assigned table, but, who cares, you will be able to eat at the early seating time.

 

Rick

[bob brown]

I have a related question....

We are booked on the new Quantum in December of '14, and we did get the 'early' 6:00 PM seating. We would actually like to eat earlier, say around 5:00, but we were told that the 'anytime' dining also started at 6PM, so there was no advantage to doing that.

We have sailed on NCL for the last few years, and they advertise one of their MDR's opening at 5, but on our last cruise they actually started each night at 4:30 for the 'early birds'.

My question is, is there a chance that the MDR on the Quantum may open earlier than 6PM? If so, we would change our reservation from assigned early to anytime to take advantage of that.

We like to eat early enough to still see the first show, and retire early....

[RSLeesburg]

This sort of happened to us to. When we booked our cruise through RCCL, all they had open was late seating, which was unacceptable to us (we are traveling with our 4 y/o son); however, I was told that they only release a few tables so far in advance, and was able to be put onto a waiting list, and the rep I spoke to told me that there would be no issues getting me in for the My Family Time Dining. But, we also booked a suite, so we can have in-room dining as a fallback.

 

I am surprised that there is no waiting list. Is there a wait list available for the My Time Dining? I am not sure I wold want to be forced to eat in speciality or windjammer for every dinner either. Although I have seen many people say, just talk to the MDR when you board, and they will bend over to accommodate you, but I have never experienced this, so not sure if this is true or not.

[Langley Cruisers]

I just want dinner, not a hassle.

 

Wow. OK. Well, this doesn't have to be a hassle, and I'm sorry you have not heard many good things about MTD. For most, it works out very well. There are copious amounts of threads here on this subject, if you want to run a search.

 

Additionally, there may be others who want to change their time to get into Late Seating. You should go to the Maitre'd's desk when you board and discuss this with him. And contrary to Rick's advice (no offense!!) we would certainly never tip him for any help concerning either of the Traditional Dining times. That's his job - to help the passengers who need it. I obviously feel differently about it than he does. :)

[RSLeesburg]

I have a related question....

We are booked on the new Quantum in December of '14, and we did get the 'early' 6:00 PM seating. We would actually like to eat earlier, say around 5:00, but we were told that the 'anytime' dining also started at 6PM, so there was no advantage to doing that.

We have sailed on NCL for the last few years, and they advertise one of their MDR's opening at 5, but on our last cruise they actually started each night at 4:30 for the 'early birds'.

My question is, is there a chance that the MDR on the Quantum may open earlier than 6PM? If so, we would change our reservation from assigned early to anytime to take advantage of that.

We like to eat early enough to still see the first show, and retire early....

 

When we were put on the MFTD wait list, we were asked if we wanted to be in 5:30pm or 6:30pm seating, so I think there are earlier seatings than 6pm. I doubt that this would be ship specific.

[bob brown]

When we were put on the MFTD wait list, we were asked if we wanted to be in 5:30pm or 6:30pm seating, so I think there are earlier seatings than 6pm. I doubt that this would be ship specific.

Hmmm. So now I wonder....should I wait until I am on board to see if this is the case, and then try to change my status from assigned early to My Time, or should I change it now? Is there a cap on how many are on My Time? I would imagine more people would want assigned early then My Time, so if I change now, it would likely not be possible to change back later....

[broberts]

Did your TA suggest My Time dining? This would let you use the dining room at a time most convenient to you.

[CruiseMore1]

We're booked on a Panama Canal cruise in April 2014. Our capable, competent, generally wonderful Travel Agent said that RCCL cannot book us for early seating, and they would not even put up on a wait list.

 

Coming from the USA's West coast, we'd be finishing dinner very very late, and with several health issues, that just will not work for me. I dread having to eat every dinner in the Windjammer, to eat at a semi-reasonable hour!

 

Do I have any other options here?

 

We have never been refused wait-listing, and it has always cleared....hope this is not a new RCCL policy! Ask your TA to call again - maybe a different rep will have a different answer. Good luck!

 

BTW, if you do decide to try My Time, do it right away - better chance to be able to get the time you prefer!

[bob brown]

We have never been refused wait-listing, and it has always cleared....hope this is not a new RCCL policy! Ask your TA to call again - maybe a different rep will have a different answer. Good luck!

 

BTW, if you do decide to try My Time, do it right away - better chance to be able to get the time you prefer!

Huh?

Isn't 'My Time', go anytime you want? That's the way 'Freestyle' works on NCL...it's just like a restaurant ashore...if the dining room is full when you arrive, you wait or they give you a pager to tell when table is available. Usually only have to wait 10 or 15 minutes or so during peak times. Other times you sail right in. They serve from around 5 PM to 10 PM.....

If they 'give' you a time, isn't that the same thing as assigned seating?

[broberts]

One can reserve times online before the cruise. My Time dining explained at http://www.royalcaribbean.com/findacruise/experiencetypes/product.do?pagename=onboard_prod_my_time_dining

Edited June 10, 2013 by broberts

[Newtoncruise]

Availability once you get on the ship might be different to what you have been told.

 

From malaga last year, the passengers were mainly Spanish who generally eat late. Those who were assigned early because late was already booked were looking to change to late seating leaving big gaps in the early sitting.

 

I suppose if the panama cruise is mainly Spanish speakers you might getva similar situation occurring.....enjoy your cruise.....

[micmacmissy]

Going to add my two cents about My Time Dining. We also like to eat on the earlier side and only late dining was open, so we switched to My Time.

 

It worked VERY efficiently on Independence. I made a reservation online for the first night- thereafter, I tried to make reservations on the ship- but all they had was 8pm or later! Hey, what's the point of My Time if you can't choose your time?

 

So here's what we learned....there are two lines, one for folks without reservations, and one for people with. After the first night, we just jumped in the "no reservations" line, which was shorter, I might add. On all occassions we were seated in less than 3 minutes.

 

It worked just fine- do My Time Dining and don't bother with reservations!

[BillB48]

Is there a cap on how many are on My Time? I would imagine more people would want assigned early then My Time, so if I change now, it would likely not be possible to change back later....

 

Yes there is a limit as to how many they can handle. When we have booked a last minute cruise we have often been told that MTD was maxed out and had to go with one of the traditional times. Have not tried to change back from one to the other.

[BillOh]

Do I have any other options here?

 

Adapt! Your subject should be, I don't want to do a late seating.

[Folk Singer]

I don't post much anymore on the main boards, but love to lurk!

 

However, here I have to make an exception. Even though you cannot be booked for the main seating, give the Maitre'd a small token, and he will seat you at the first seating.

 

Why?

 

Many that are in both seatings have alternative restaurant reservations, but only the Maitre'd knows. You will not have an assigned table, but, who cares, you will be able to eat at the early seating time.

 

Rick

 

we do this all the time.

[Mark_K]

We're booked on a Panama Canal cruise in April 2014. Our capable, competent, generally wonderful Travel Agent said that RCCL cannot book us for early seating, and they would not even put up on a wait list.

 

Coming from the USA's West coast, we'd be finishing dinner very very late, and with several health issues, that just will not work for me. I dread having to eat every dinner in the Windjammer, to eat at a semi-reasonable hour!

 

Do I have any other options here?

You're going to go through three time zone changes, regardless, and if you get early seating, by the end your cruise you're going to be eating dinner at 3:00PM west coast time.

[mom4mom]

When we originally booked our cruise we were told that we couldn't wait list for the early seating and we chose MTD over late seating. Within days early dining opened up and w were able to reserve it. My t/a suggested that we bring a doctor's note stating because of medical conditions that we would not be able to do late dining if that's all we could get. It might be a better way to assure that you get early dining if you can't arrange it before getting on the ship. Once final payment nears, there may be early diners canceling. Good luck.

[repeater]

When we originally booked our cruise we were told that we couldn't wait list for the early seating and we chose MTD over late seating. Within days early dining opened up and w were able to reserve it. My t/a suggested that we bring a doctor's note stating because of medical conditions that we would not be able to do late dining if that's all we could get. It might be a better way to assure that you get early dining if you can't arrange it before getting on the ship. Once final payment nears, there may be early diners canceling. Good luck.

 

 

Thanks, everybody, for your ideas. I'm mostly concerned about the medical issues, more than the time zones. Also, we use different cruise lines, and kinda look forward to the same people and waiter for dinner each night on RCCL. MTD negates that.

 

I think I'll ask TA to call again in a while.

[katiel53]

Never mind, it still doesn't make any sense to me, but lots of posts on here don't, lol.

Edited June 10, 2013 by katiel53

[awhcruiser]

Where did you hear this? We used it on the Mariner and had no problems.

 

I haven't heard much good about MTD...

Edited June 10, 2013 by awhcruiser

[edjny]

I haven't heard much good about MTD...I hear it works much better on other lines. Is that true? We'll be on Legend of the Seas.

 

I just want dinner, not a hassle.

 

MTD is great. That is the only thing we do now. There is NO HASSLE. You can either reserve a specific time before you cruise or reserve/change a time for that evening on-board or just walk up when you feel like eating. If you just walk up, there sometimes may be a short wait until a table is available, but it is never very long. If you feel like talking to and dining with other people, just tell them you want to be at a big table, or tell them you want a table for two. Even with the tables for two, you are close enough to the other tables to hold a conversation with others if you so choose.

 

After getting 'stuck' with some people we would really not want to associate with on the traditional dining, we tried the MTD and will never go back.