Mtd

[LMaxwell]

The only times you might want to make reservations is if you are sailing on the Oasis or the Allure. Other ships are really optional, I have not heard of anyone being turned away.

On Allure they never sat us less than 45 minutes after our reservation.

 

You will NOT be turned away without a reservation but you may have to wait.

[Tony O]

On Oasis if you have gold card all you need to do is go to American Icon Restaurant on deck 3 walk pass the people in line to the last podium. show you gold card and you are seated immediately

[KeywestK]

One caveat.....if you make MTD ressies in advance: The cruise line has been known to change our ressies without bothering to notify us. Lesson learned: reconfirm immediately upon boarding the ship.

Edited August 12, 2015 by KeywestK

[LuCruise]

On Allure they never sat us less than 45 minutes after our reservation.

 

You will NOT be turned away without a reservation but you may have to wait.

 

You mean you waited 45 minutes with a reservation or without a reservation? I sure hope the latter.

[LMaxwell]

You mean you waited 45 minutes with a reservation or without a reservation? I sure hope the latter.

 

We made 6:45 PM reservations for every night. Never sat before 7:30. One night at 9:30 everyone left to make a show; this was about 10 minutes after our mains arrived. Once they led us into the dining room to an already filled table and just kind of paraded us around looking for a table. Never same table once all week, never same servers once all week.

 

Go figure.

 

 

Then on other ships with MTD we made no reservations and never waited more than 5 minutes and I'd say 90% of those times we even had same table and servers.

 

I just don't think they can handle MTD right on the very large ships.

[LuCruise]

We made 6:45 PM reservations for every night. Never sat before 7:30. One night at 9:30 everyone left to make a show; this was about 10 minutes after our mains arrived. Once they led us into the dining room to an already filled table and just kind of paraded us around looking for a table. Never same table once all week, never same servers once all week.

 

Go figure.

 

 

Then on other ships with MTD we made no reservations and never waited more than 5 minutes and I'd say 90% of those times we even had same table and servers.

 

I just don't think they can handle MTD right on the very large ships.

 

That's not good to hear. We'll be on Allure next year and I selected MTD on purpose so I could schedule dinner around the shows. I'm guessing that 6:45pm is a prime time. On most nights we'll schedule early (if we can), but would schedule a bit later when the shows are early.

[dacsmom]

That's not good to hear. We'll be on Allure next year and I selected MTD on purpose so I could schedule dinner around the shows. I'm guessing that 6:45pm is a prime time. On most nights we'll schedule early (if we can), but would schedule a bit later when the shows are early.

 

We had 6:30 (one night was 6:00) MTD reservations on the Allure in October and never had to wait more than 5 minutes for a table. We had the same table and waitstaff every night, we asked for them after the first evening. I guess glitches can happen everywhere. I was not sold on MTD at first but I have had good experiences on the last few cruises.

Edited August 12, 2015 by dacsmom

[TheTruthCanHurt]

The one advantage for me with MTD over the standard times is that I dont want to eat at 530 or 830 I prefer to eat around 6:30

 

That being said. I would suggest you make a reservation for every night at the same time ( perhaps a time that you think might work. 6, or 7 , or whatever) that way you 100% have a confirmed reservation. Then if you chose to change it, assuming it's available you just change for that specific night. but that way at least you have something to fall back on. There is certainly no harm in booking it.

[dacsmom]

We made 6:45 PM reservations for every night. Never sat before 7:30. One night at 9:30 everyone left to make a show; this was about 10 minutes after our mains arrived. Once they led us into the dining room to an already filled table and just kind of paraded us around looking for a table. Never same table once all week, never same servers once all week.

 

Go figure.

 

 

Then on other ships with MTD we made no reservations and never waited more than 5 minutes and I'd say 90% of those times we even had same table and servers.

 

I just don't think they can handle MTD right on the very large ships.

 

You said that so calmly, I would have really been upset. If I had that experience I would really have to rethink MTD. I know you have to roll with it when things do not go as planned, but that experience sounds awful.

Edited August 12, 2015 by dacsmom

[LMaxwell]

You said that so calmly, I would have really been upset. If I had that experience I would really have to rethink MTD. I know you have to roll with it when things do not go as planned, but that experience sounds awful.

I had made final payment the week before the Allure cruise for an even longer cruise and had been forced to MTD. I really wasn't looking forward to it but happily I had the exact opposite experience.

 

That is why I said I think they just haven't figured it out on the big ships. I would do MTD again though. I really think it wasn't the norm.

[TheTruthCanHurt]

I had made final payment the week before the Allure cruise for an even longer cruise and had been forced to MTD. I really wasn't looking forward to it but happily I had the exact opposite experience.

 

That is why I said I think they just haven't figured it out on the big ships. I would do MTD again though. I really think it wasn't the norm.

 

In my experience I have never had to wait more than 5 minutes for my table at MTD and I have had it on at least 6 or 8 cruises. That being said. Here are a couple things that could affect that

 

1. My normal reservation is around 6pm or 615pm so I am most likely the first wave of people ( So I am not waiting for anyone to finish)

2. If i like my table and wait staff the first night. Immediatly after i finish dinner (and this is key here) I go the the check in station and request that they give me the same table and staff for each night ( as long as I keep my reservation at the same time) Sometimes it's a bit of a challenge to get them to do this, but I have never not gotten this.

 

I dont think I would like a different table and staff each night. However, if I only went to the MTD twice on a cruise I would certainly understand that my outcome would be different.

[Langley Cruisers]

Just curious, what is the difference for formal nights?

 

I think many passengers do want to go to Formal Night, especially the last one because that is when lobster is served (on most cruises). The dining room is always packed on FN, in my experience. I suppose people just like the ambiance and the food those evenings. :)

[LuCruise]

We had 6:30 (one night was 6:00) MTD reservations on the Allure in October and never had to wait more than 5 minutes for a table. We had the same table and waitstaff every night, we asked for them after the first evening. I guess glitches can happen everywhere. I was not sold on MTD at first but I have had good experiences on the last few cruises.

 

Thank you for letting me know as that makes me feel a lot better. We are actually ones that prefer MTD, but only if it works as you say. :)

[LuCruise]

Anyone know if they let you book MTD at 5:30pm? Or do they keep that time for traditional dining and start MTD at 6pm?

[Newby58]

Anyone know if they let you book MTD at 5:30pm? Or do they keep that time for traditional dining and start MTD at 6pm?

 

 

My understanding is that MTD starts at 1730hrs, 5.30pm, on most ships?

[lizzie_m]

I can't recall at the moment as I read so many. Do you think the size of the ship matters? We will be on Radiance.

 

It happened to us on the Radiance, July 2014, on Alaskan cruise. Also, twice when we tried to make reservations in the morning for that evening we were told there were no times available.

[Big_G]

We enjoy MTD now but here's our experiences:

 

• Our first time booking reservation on-line, arrived for dinner first night and had no reservations at all. Seated right away and never booked ahead again.
  
• Same cruise, tried to cancel one night's reservation at the desk, they never asked for name or our cabin number. Never made another reservation after that.
  
• Never been turned away at the door without a reservation. Got the same waiter every night but not the same table (close enough).
  
• Never asked but the suite concierge can make reservations for you.
  
• The only time we've had an extended wait without a reservation was on Allure after a show got out. Poor timing on our part.
  

[impatientlywaiting]

On the Vision in March the wait time for the no reservation line for MTD was 45 minutes. I was shocked when I saw the line the first night and thought it must be a fluke. But it was like that every night whereas the reservation side had no lines at all.