New to RCCL and trying to Understand My Time Dining on the Oasis!

[mcfam5]

Hi Everyone,

 

We are CCL Vet's but just booked our first RCCL cruise last night! We are sailing on the 3/5/16 sailing of the Oasis of the Seas. The gentleman we booked through (an RCCL vacation planner) was describing the Dynamic Dining to me on the phone ~ so I am suprised today to be reading that they have actual cancelled this on the Oasis??

 

He told me Classic 1 (I think this is 6:30 seating) and Classic 2 (I think this is 8:00 seating) were already full and that he had to put us in My Time Dining. I am SO CONFUSED by what this means. Even the RCCL website is not much help in understanding it! Would someone mine giving me a "My Time Dining for Dummies" briefing? LOL Because things seem to be changing, I am not certain I should be relying upon previously published threads and posts.

 

Thank you! :)

[Clarea]

Hi Everyone,

 

We are CCL Vet's but just booked our first RCCL cruise last night! We are sailing on the 3/5/16 sailing of the Oasis of the Seas. The gentleman we booked through (an RCCL vacation planner) was describing the Dynamic Dining to me on the phone ~ so I am suprised today to be reading that they have actual cancelled this on the Oasis??

 

He told me Classic 1 (I think this is 6:30 seating) and Classic 2 (I think this is 8:00 seating) were already full and that he had to put us in My Time Dining. I am SO CONFUSED by what this means. Even the RCCL website is not much help in understanding it! Would someone mine giving me a "My Time Dining for Dummies" briefing? LOL Because things seem to be changing, I am not certain I should be relying upon previously published threads and posts.

 

Thank you! :)

My Time means you can set your own time to eat. You can make a standing reservation, different reservations for each night, no reservations and just show up, or any combination.

 

If you would rather have traditional dining at a set time, call Royal and ask to be put on the waitlist for whatever time you want.

[blackshirt]

My Time Dinning just means you don't have go to dinner the same time every night and you won't sit at the same table every night. You have the option of making a reservation each night or just show up and wait to be seated. You still sit in the Main Dining Room, just in a section with other MTD diners.

[dacsmom]

We had MTD on the Allure and had the same table and waitstaff every night. If you like a dining team just ask and you can have them each night.

[mominva]

We were on the Oasis last summer and the later dining time (8:30) was full. We had to do my time dining. You have to prepay your gratuities now. I was so worried about having to wait for a table. My family gets so impatient. We always tried to meet up for dinner at 6:30 or 6:45. There are hours that you cannot make a reservation for. I know I could not make a standing reservation for 6:30.

 

We never had to wait for a table. My whole family actually loved MTD. We never had the same waiter, but it was fine. I thought the servers were great. Our dinner actually took less time and was not the usual long drawn out affair. I have 3 teens that are dying to finish dinner and go on to their activities. So, this was perfect.

 

I do think they make an effort to give you the same waiter, but we didn't want to wait for a specific waiter.

 

Formal night is more crowded. So, I would show up by 6:30 to avoid the lines.

[mcfam5]

Thank you for the replies so far! Part of my confusion....with My Time Dining, will we eat in the main dining room every night? The vacation planner mentioned that we would eat at a different complimentary restaurant each night??

[dacsmom]

As far as I know Oasis was not getting Dynamic Dining yet, it is only available on the Anthem and Quantum. That is where you can eat in any of the 5 or so restaurants that are included in your cruise fare. It sounds like whoever you talked to combined features of Dynamic Dining and MTD. On the Oasis with MTD you eat in the main dining room, just at whatever time you want to. Traditional dining times are 6:00 and 8:30, but if you choose MTD you can make reservations before you board the ship, or when you board, or each morning, or not at all and just show up. They typically hold back some times on the website so if you are unable to book the time you want just change it when you get on the ship. It is really very simple, I think you talked to someone on the phone who was a bit confused himself. I also believe they changed the policy and you do not have to prepay your gratuities with MTD.

Edited July 22, 2015 by dacsmom

[Clarea]

Thank you for the replies so far! Part of my confusion....with My Time Dining, will we eat in the main dining room every night? The vacation planner mentioned that we would eat at a different complimentary restaurant each night??

Yes, you will eat in the same dining room every night. There are 3 different decks to the main dining room, and they each have a different name, but they all have the same menu.

 

The vacation planner might not have been up to date with Royal's announcement that they have decided not to implement Dynamic Dining on Oasis class.

[mcfam5]

As far as I know Oasis was not getting Dynamic Dining yet, it is only available on the Anthem and Quantum. That is where you can eat in any of the 5 or so restaurants that are included in your cruise fare. It sounds like whoever you talked to combined features of Dynamic Dining and MTD. On the Oasis with MTD you eat in the main dining room, just at whatever time you want to. Traditional dining times are 6:00 and 8:30, but if you choose MTD you can make reservations before you board the ship, or when you board, or each morning, or not at all and just show up. They typically hold back some times on the website so if you are unable to book the time you want just change it when you get on the ship. It is really very simple, I think you talked to someone on the phone who was a bit confused himself. I also believe they changed the policy and you do not have to prepay your gratuities with MTD.

 

Yes, he must have been thoroughly confused! He even went so far as to give the names of the complimentary restaurants we would rotate through....so strange!

[Clarea]

Yes, he must have been thoroughly confused! He even went so far as to give the names of the complimentary restaurants we would rotate through....so strange!

Unfortunately, this is not so strange for Royal. Accurate and timely communication amongst their employees is not their strong suit.

[mominva]

MTD should be on the 3rd floor main dining room. There will be a hostess that you check in with there. She/He will seat you at a table, usually on the 3rd floor. A couple of times, they seated us at a table on Deck 4 or 5.

[BekkaW]

MTD is just like a land restaurant - you can make a reservation or just go when you're ready and wait for the next available table