My Dining Time 1st Timers Advice Please

[DJP31]

1st time 3 night cruise on 27th Sept Majesty of the Seas with wife and daughters (21 yrs & 18 yrs).

 

On the advice of Avios when booking we have MDT. I looked on the cruise website and it gives me the option of pre booking my table. Having never cruised before and not knowing what to expect, or indeed what we will be doing, I am a bit reluctant to tie myself down to a specific time. However, neither do I want to be stuck without a table or having to wait for ages.

 

I'm quite sure this question has been asked before but I couldn't find it when searching the threads, so would be grateful to receive the benefit of the experiences of others.

 

Is it sensible to book a time, and if so is earlier better than later? What happens if I don't make the prebooked time, do we walk the plank?

 

Any other tips that you feel might enhance our trip would also be gratefully received.

 

Many thanks in advance.

[orville99]

There are three options available:

 

1) pre-book times - we usually do this in advance and try to book a time close to when we normally dine at home, or

 

2) Once you are onboard visit the Maitre D's station and book your first evening. After dinner stop back and book the next night, or

 

3) go with the flow and show up when you want to eat. There will be two lines for MTD each night, those with reservations, and those with no reservations. Either way, they usually can seat you in 5-10 minutes.

[DJP31]

There are three options available:

 

1) pre-book times - we usually do this in advance and try to book a time close to when we normally dine at home, or

 

2) Once you are onboard visit the Maitre D's station and book your first evening. After dinner stop back and book the next night, or

 

3) go with the flow and show up when you want to eat. There will be two lines for MTD each night, those with reservations, and those with no reservations. Either way, they usually can seat you in 5-10 minutes.

 

Thanks orville99, much appreciated. There doesn't seem to be any advantage in booking ahead then?

[orville99]

Thanks orville99, much appreciated. There doesn't seem to be any advantage in booking ahead then?

 

 

The only advantage (for us at least) is that we prefer a table for two, and that's not always possible when you walk-in. If you don't mind the possibility that your party of four could be seated with another party, then there really is no advantage to pre-booking.

[DJP31]

The only advantage (for us at least) is that we prefer a table for two, and that's not always possible when you walk-in. If you don't mind the possibility that your party of four could be seated with another party, then there really is no advantage to pre-booking.

 

 

I see, that's well worth knowing. I think I might play safe and book the first night and take it from there. Appreciate your help!

[orville99]

I see, that's well worth knowing. I think I might play safe and book the first night and take it from there. Appreciate your help!

 

Regardless of which way you decide to go, you can go online and flag your MTD reservation that you want a table by yourself if you want to have a four top every night.

[mein18]

I see, that's well worth knowing. I think I might play safe and book the first night and take it from there. Appreciate your help!

 

You can book for every night and if for any reason you find the time does not work, you can stop by the MDR or call and change or cancel the reservation. That way at least you are guaranteed the table for the 4 of you by not tied into it.

 

We always book ahead because we prefer the 2 of us and also prefer the 6:30 to 7:00 time frame unless the itinerary gets us back on ship later then we book the time accordingly. At least once during a 7 day cruise we make a change.

[CruisinCrow]

We've never made reservations for MTD, either online or on the ship. To me that defeats the purpose of MTD, which is to go when I'm hungry and not when I'm in the middle of doing something else (watching the sunset, taking a nap, winning at Black Jack, etc).

 

Some reasons I can think of for making reservations:

If there's a particular waiter/table that you want to stick with

If you need a large table for a large group

[tiessa]

1st time 3 night cruise on 27th Sept Majesty of the Seas with wife and daughters (21 yrs & 18 yrs).

 

On the advice of Avios when booking we have MDT. I looked on the cruise website and it gives me the option of pre booking my table. Having never cruised before and not knowing what to expect, or indeed what we will be doing, I am a bit reluctant to tie myself down to a specific time. However, neither do I want to be stuck without a table or having to wait for ages.

 

I'm quite sure this question has been asked before but I couldn't find it when searching the threads, so would be grateful to receive the benefit of the experiences of others.

 

Is it sensible to book a time, and if so is earlier better than later? What happens if I don't make the prebooked time, do we walk the plank?

 

Any other tips that you feel might enhance our trip would also be gratefully received.

 

Many thanks in advance.

 

 

We always use MTD. Usually, we'll call around 11 or so and make a reservation for that evening. Often we eat around 6:30 or whatever is open closest to that time. We've never had a problem and never had to wait.

 

You can also request if you want to eat at a large table with others or a table for 2.

[dplusd]

We always pre-book a standing 8:00pm reservation for two. If we choose to go to a specialty restaurant or Windjammer we call the "dine" line on our stateroom phone to modify our reservation for that day.

 

By pre-booking the same time each night we USUALLY are seated at the same (or nearby) table with the same wait staff, which we enjoy. Perhaps the same is true for walk-ins without a reservation...I am not sure.

 

To the OP, consider eating later than you normally do at home. You might find that you eat more frequently on a cruise and therefore will not be so hungry at 6:00pm. Another reason I like to eat later is to enjoy sail-a-way and sunsets without rushing to get ready for dinner. The ship is also quieter and quite pleasant between the hours of 6-8pm as half the ship is in the MDR!

[njmomof2]

I can only speak for our most recent trip on FOS and using MTD. We have had it before on other ships (and FOS) and we always had a standing reservation, and were with the same wait staff, which was lovely.

 

This time, we could not pre book as the times we wanted were unavailable. Tried when we got on board, same thing. So we did a walk up first night, they gave us a table with a great serving team. Second night, didn't have a table and told us we had to wait (and I mean wait) but then someone in the section skipped dessert so they got us in. Third night was only 2 so they got a two top. After that, we were told that we either had to go to another floor or wait 45 minutes for ANY TABLE IN THE DINING ROOM. We were four people. My mom, who has some mobility issues, refused to walk down the stairs to the fourth floor dining room and they found us a table.

 

I made reservations for the remaining nights at a time that was about an hour later than we wanted because they could not guarantee that we'd get in any earlier. One of the nights, we walked up early and they managed. Next time they told us nope, have to wait.

 

There was no "reservations" and "walk up" lines...just two podiums that took whomever came. Given some of the problems we had, I will definitely work to get our desired time booked (6:45) for our future cruises.

[PeteLettin]

The only advantage (for us at least) is that we prefer a table for two, and that's not always possible when you walk-in. If you don't mind the possibility that your party of four could be seated with another party, then there really is no advantage to pre-booking.

 

We have always gone MTD.

 

Last time we got a table for 2 with the same waiter every night.

 

Usually book but have also just turned up and had to wait 10 mins max.

 

Sometimes we book straight after dinner other times we call at the desk when passing. We like to check Cruise Compass for times of activities before booking.

 

The Maitre D usually get to know your requirements and booking becomes a passing formality.

 

 

Pete and Michelle :)

[JasonV1]

Sounds obvious, but the busiest times (in my experience) will be those timed to end before shows or start after. Even then, during peak periods I've never waited more than 30 minutes (even when asking for a private table).

 

If I know it is busy I'll go down while the wife and daughter are getting ready and put my name in for a table; this helps out quite a bit.

 

I've been doing MTD since I first experienced it on my inaugural NCL Epic cruise and haven't looked back. Early dining never worked when in port, and late dining was sometimes too late when at sea. I sometimes miss not having the same wait staff every night, but they are so busy anymore all it really means is that my "favorites" like specific rolls, or icea tea, aren't waiting for me.

[Getting out there]

When do the shows start, so you can plan that when you want to dine? Are they the same on all ships? We'll be on the Majesty.