How exactly does YTD work?

[gritsnc]

We are a party of 9. So do we just head to the dining room when we want and just wait as though we were going to a restaurant on land? Is the wait usually long?

[NCTribeFan]

Basically, yes.

 

Absolutely no way to know if you'll have a wait or not. Just depends on when everyone else decides to eat and whether there's a large table available when you arrive.

 

It's usually busiest around 7 pm.

 

Personally not a fan of YTD but will be doing it again at the end of the month because the friends I'm with want it.

[Schoifmom]

We are a party of 9. So do we just head to the dining room when we want and just wait as though we were going to a restaurant on land? Is the wait usually long?

 

Exactly! With a larger party (if you all insist on sitting together), you will have a longer wait, just like in a land-based restaurant. 7:30 seems to be the busiest time, so expect a longer wait then.

 

Personally, we love the flexibility of YTD.

[BossOfTheHouse]

Our family of 4 had YTD on the Magic two weeks ago. We always book ED and wanted the flexibility. However, it proved to be utter chaos.

One thing we did notice was that larger parties (multiple families) were not seated until everyone in their party arrived. We always heard complaints about this from them.

We are cruising the Magic again in March with my brother's family and will be a party of 10. We selected ED to avoid the hassle.

[skywalkr2]

Our family of 4 had YTD on the Magic two weeks ago. We always book ED and wanted the flexibility. However, it proved to be utter chaos.

One thing we did notice was that larger parties (multiple families) were not seated until everyone in their party arrived. We always heard complaints about this from them.

We are cruising the Magic again in March with my brother's family and will be a party of 10. We selected ED to avoid the hassle.

 

What was chaos for you? Also if it was chaos, why did you pick it again?

[ryano]

What was chaos for you? Also if it was chaos, why did you pick it again?

 

She didnt book it again. ED = Early Dining Im guessing.

 

YTD is utter chaos but we had the most incredible waiter ever so it wasnt that bad.

[Pellaz]

We are a party of 9. So do we just head to the dining room when we want and just wait as though we were going to a restaurant on land? Is the wait usually long?

 

The wait for a party of 9 can be long since the number of tables that can accommodate your party (or be pushed together easily within a section) might be limited. As others have said, the "mid" point of the overall dining window -- that is, around 7pm -- will be the busiest time for YTD.

 

We had a party of 9 on Conquest with YTD last October; a group of 4 unrelated cabins overall. On the first night we all showed up at the same time (FB Messenger helped) and the YTD hostess linked our cabins together in their system. We had to wait about five minutes but it was at around 6:30 and we got a 10-top table.......and an awesome dining crew.

 

We asked for the same awesome dining crew each night after that. We were only unable to get them one night (their section was completely full, including our 10-top, which had just had a party seated before we got there). On other nights we waited up to 20 minutes for "our" crew. On one night they actually pushed two tables in a different nearby section together to accommodate us, with our crew, which was pretty awesome of them.

Typically, we were arriving a little before the peak dining time, although on one night we got there later (around 7:50 pm) and were accommodated at our ten-top after a short (10-minute) delay.

 

The TL;DR: if you ask for the same crew, or arrive during peak (roughly 6:45 to 7:30), then yes, you might have to wait a while with a group of 9. Otherwise, normally, you'll be okay.

[beachbum53]

On our cruise on the Breeze, there was a group of ten of us from our roll call group that met every evening for YTD. We typically arrived between 5:45 - 6:00 p.m., walked up to the hostess desk to arrange to be seated, and never had more than a five to ten minute wait. So, to gritsnc, if everyone in your group can agree to it, I would suggest you go as soon as the MDR is open. You'll have little to no wait at all to be seated together.

[Nic6318]

Hi

 

So if you want to eat as a large group without a long wait, you need to arrive early (as soon as the dining room opens), and you will only have to wait as long as the line takes to enter (since all tables will be empty), or later in the evening. If you like late dining (8-8:30), you shouldn't have any trouble.

 

have a great cruise

[SadieN]

Hi

 

 

 

So if you want to eat as a large group without a long wait, you need to arrive early (as soon as the dining room opens), and you will only have to wait as long as the line takes to enter (since all tables will be empty), or later in the evening. If you like late dining (8-8:30), you shouldn't have any trouble.

 

 

 

have a great cruise

 

 

 

At that point might as well do Assigned dining.

[OldSaltyCruiser]

I agree with SadieN. If you are going to arrive as early as possible to avoid the line, you might as well go with assigned early dining and be assured you have a table/area for your large group to meet every night.

 

My wife and I used YTD a few times and found that waiting in line for dinner on a cruise ship was a waste of time. We now book assigned early dining and if we find that time to be inconvenient (late day in port, etc.) we will head down to the MDR and ask for a table at the second seating. Usually, they can find a place for us but we have not yet tried that with a large group.

[bnorris10]

We are a party of 9. So do we just head to the dining room when we want and just wait as though we were going to a restaurant on land? Is the wait usually long?

 

If your going to do YTD I strongly suggest you go like at 5:30 and have them set you up with a table especially if you all are planning on eating together - Otherwise I fear your wait will be long

[Organized Chaos]

At that point might as well do Assigned dining.

Not necessarily. The flexibility is still there and that's what many people look for when picking YTD. Even if someone goes early or waits until later to avoid long lines, they still have more flexibility than assigned. We like YTD because we're not always hungry right away. Maybe we had a late lunch or have been snacking. Last year aboard the Conquest we showed up at varying times and never waited more than 5-15 minutes. Except for the last night, we waited a half hour. Seems like everyone wanted to get the MDR experience that night. We will have a bigger group on our next one, so will take that into consideration in regards to possible wait times. But with a bigger group, I feel the flexibility of YTD is even more important because we have more people to consider.

[bar1068]

Having actually done YTD with groups up to 12, we've had minimal...10-15..maybe a few minutes longer wait times going at our group preferred time of 7-7:30...usually gather at the atrium bar or alchemy bar if the ship has it..someone gets a pager...have a drink...possible 2..pager goes off...and away we go...we've even not shown up all together...had a table assigned and folks arrive shortly after...

[Nic6318]

Hi

 

With a large group that wants to eat together every day getting assigned seating is preferable. The only problem, is that often they might not have their preferred seating time available, and would have to ask the maître d' to accommodate them, if possible.

 

Of course the YTD also allows for individuals in a large group to go when they please, if it isn't convenient for them to dine together every day. On most of the ships with YTD if you go as a couple you can arrive at almost any hour with little wait because they have many 2 tops available.

[coevan]

If your going to do YTD I strongly suggest you go like at 5:30 and have them set you up with a table especially if you all are planning on eating together - Otherwise I fear your wait will be long

 

 

We eat at 8:30 and never waited a minute

[gritsnc]

One thing we did notice was that larger parties (multiple families) were not seated until everyone in their party arrived. We always heard complaints about this from them.

 

That's the rule for any restaurant I've ever been to here where I live.

[bnorris10]

We eat at 8:30 and never waited a minute

Are you a party of 9?

[Pellaz]

..someone gets a pager...have a drink...possible 2..pager goes off...and away we go....

 

I should add that, if they have to give you one, the pager doesn't work everywhere in the ship. We discovered that it doesn't consistently work in the casino, nor in many (most?) staterooms. It's best to stay near the MDR, and perhaps enjoy a drink at the atrium bar or step outside on the lobby deck and enjoy some fresh air (port side) or not-as-fresh air (starboard side). :)

[Athankfulheart]

The window of time where it's necessary to wait for a table has seemed relatively small to me. We have done YTD from 2- 10 people. One nice thing about doing YTD, even if you tend to eat at 5:45 or 8:30 (like assigned) is that you still have the flexibility to choose each night. It is also nice when you have (as in my next sailing) a group of couples. Having YTD also give the option for each couple (or family unit) to do something different from the group on a given night. 

[serene56]

On 8/2/2017 at 10:29 AM, gritsnc said:

We are a party of 9. So do we just head to the dining room when we want and just wait as though we were going to a restaurant on land? Is the wait usually long?

 

depends on what ship.  Vista and Horizon you go to deck 5 to check in and they will give you a pager.   With a family of 9 you need a 10 top table.    Very few of these onboard   Most are 6 and 8         Go before 7:15 and your wait should be minimal.

 

[deedle7544]

We just got off the Miracle and several times had a party of 8 to 10.  We were told a few times we would have a 20 to 30 minute wait, but it was never more than 10. They gave us a pager, so we just headed off to the bar to wait.  It worked well for us. 

[skrufy]

We have done YTD on our last four cruises and have had different results. The first two times we sailed the Caribbean and our wait at 7pm was none to mabe 5 minutes. The last two were to Alaska and we had from 10 minutes up to a 45 minute wait. There were defiantly more people dining at 7pm in Alaska. We have also experienced less of a wait if you choose to dine with others rather than wait for a table for two. If you choose to dine with the same wait staff, a delay can also occur to be seated.

[GradUT]

We were a party of 2 who chose YTD on a Mexican cruise.  Even though we arrived around 8pm, we had a wait of 20 minutes on Elegant Night and a projected wait of 45 minutes on the last night.  (We bagged the dining room and ate pizza upon hearing that the wait would be that long.)

 

[Shaded Lady]

On ‎8‎/‎3‎/‎2017 at 8:17 AM, OldSaltyCruiser said:

We now book assigned early dining and if we find that time to be inconvenient (late day in port, etc.) we will head down to the MDR and ask for a table at the second seating. Usually, they can find a place for us but we have not yet tried that with a large group.

I've heard people suggest this a few times, yet I've heard several people who complained that they had early dining but when they asked for a pace at Late Seating were told no. You are the first I've ever heard who were successful at this. Not saying it's not possible, just that if you are denied Late Seating at 8:30, you better make it to the Lido in a hurry to eat, since most of the buffet line close down at 9.