What is the best way to get a sharing table with MTD?

[TomCruise48]

DW and I just booked our third cruise on RCCL. On our previous two cruises, we were part of a larger group, and dined with the group. This time it is just the two of us. On other cruise lines when just the two of us are sailing, we always do the equivalent of MTD and request to be seated with others. We have met many interesting people this way.

 

Unlike other lines we cruise, RCCL allows you to reserve your MTD times in advance, but I did not see any way of requesting to be seated at a table with strangers when you do this. If you want to sit with others, is it best to reserve in advance, or just get in the line without reservations and request to be seated at a table with others?

[Desert Cruizers]

When you go to the dining room, you can let them know you would like to be seated with others or go to the dining room upon boarding and get your time & table set. The daughter & I will be cruising with friends next March and we will all go to the dining room upon boarding or as soon after and get our table assigned. We will ask for a table of 6 at least as we enjoy sitting with others. Another option would be if you have not joined your Roll Call, is to do so & get acquainted with others on your cruise and ask if anyone would like to join you at dinner if they are MTD

[FLACRUISER99]

I think you would be better off if you just showed up and let them know that you would like to share.

[Clarea]

I think you would be better off if you just showed up and let them know that you would like to share.

We've had good luck that way.

[cb at sea]

Be prepared for others NOT to want to share....if you want a shared table, then traditional seating is best.

[TomCruise48]

Thanks everyone for the advice. We like to try to sit with different people every night, that's why we avoid traditional dining or trying to arrange via the roll call. On past cruises, it has been hit or miss. On longer cruises, where there are a lot of older couples traveling alone, we have had great experiences. On other cruises, typically 7 days or fewer, we find that many guests are part of a larger group or that the couples are younger and want to sit alone, and we often have trouble finding someone who wants to share.

 

I think we will not make reservations ahead of time, and will go to the dining room host/hostess on embarkation to see what they recommend.

[Merion_Mom]

Be prepared for others NOT to want to share....if you want a shared table, then traditional seating is best.

Please stop posting this every time the topic arises.

 

It's simply not a universal truth.

 

Many people who like the flexibility of My Time Dining also like to meet and dine with new people.

 

And sometimes traditional dining times are full and MTD is the only choice.

[Pstreet12]

We are abandoning traditional dining precisely because we do want to share. On the last 6-10 cruises, we were assigned a table for 8-10 (just as we requested). On each cruise, we had 4 diners at the table, at most--and several nights it was just the two of us. It appears to us that if you really want to meet people, using MTD and requesting to sit with others is the way to go. So far, we've used MTD only when we were part of a group, so we haven't tested finding strangers yet, but our next bookings we will be doing just that.

[Magnetchief]

We went out of our comfort zone and decided to sit with a group at a large table.

Most nights it was just us and one other couple.

It was not the experience we wanted.

 

 

 

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[barbeyg]

We’ve been asked, when we show up at the desk the first night for MTD, if we want to share or desire a table for two. Typically, if eating in the dining room most nights, you will be seated at the same table or in the same area. I would recommend asking for a shared table the first night. Be advised that you may have to ask for a different table each night if you desire that.

 

We have chatted in line with people around us, and ended up asking to be seated together on an occasional night. And have invited people to meet us at a certain time for dinner if we’ve met during the day and hit it off. [emoji846] Never had trouble getting a table.

 

 

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[gaylemh]

Please stop posting this every time the topic arises.

 

It's simply not a universal truth.

 

Many people who like the flexibility of My Time Dining also like to meet and dine with new people.

 

And sometimes traditional dining times are full and MTD is the only choice.

I didn't have any luck asking for a shared table the few times on Anthem I was dining alone.

[Jasukkie]

On Anthem, it was easy at lunch but the MTD dinner didn't seem to have much sharing going on. Large families or groups at the big tables, and lots of tables for 2 which felt like tables for 4 because they were very close together. Maybe meet some new people at lunch and see if they want to share a table at dinner and show up together?

[BekkaW]

On Anthem, it was easy at lunch but the MTD dinner didn't seem to have much sharing going on. Large families or groups at the big tables, and lots of tables for 2 which felt like tables for 4 because they were very close together. Maybe meet some new people at lunch and see if they want to share a table at dinner and show up together?

 

It was the same setup in the MTD area on Explorer last week

[Langley Cruisers]

Be prepared for others NOT to want to share....if you want a shared table, then traditional seating is best.

 

OK, PLEASE stop typing this. Take it out of your stock answers because it is just not true. We have shared a table in MTD on every cruise except the first time we did it. People are HAPPY to share. I don't know why you say the opposite - I know you always take Traditional Dining anyway.

 

OP, ask to share and it will be so. If it's a problem, then I question the way the MTD room is managed. It is an option.

 

Have fun with your different tablemates. We enjoy that as well. :D