My Time Dining reservations

[JCYYZ]

Has anyone successfully opted for My Time Dining and been able to request the same table/time each night?  We'll be on Allure in October and the early dining time is 5:15pm, which seems way too early.  We have a child with a food allergy so we'd prefer to be with the same wait staff each night (but at a later time).  We're wondering if this is possible with MTD.  

[Clarea]

Yes, it's possible to have the same table/waiter each night  They try to accommodate this request, but it's not guaranteed.

[boscobeans]

Make your first stop, once in board, with the seating director at the MDR. 

 

Explain your situation and I am sure you will be accommodated.

 

We do MTD and have been able to choose our table at a set time for the entire cruise.

Edited June 18, 2019 by boscobeans

[JCYYZ]

3 minutes ago, Host Clarea said:

Yes, it's possible to have the same table/waiter each night  They try to accommodate this request, but it's not guaranteed.

Thanks for the info.  Would our TA be able to request this when booking our nightly reservations, or is it something we have to speak to the Maitre D about on the first night?

[JCYYZ]

2 minutes ago, boscobeans said:

Make your first stop, once in board, with the seating director at the MDR. 

 

Explain your situation and I am sure you will be accommodated.

 

We do MTD and have been able to choose our table at a set time for the entire cruise.

That's fantastic!  Thank you 😄

[boscobeans]

5 minutes ago, JCYYZ said:

Thanks for the info.  Would our TA be able to request this when booking our nightly reservations, or is it something we have to speak to the Maitre D about on the first night?

 

Best bet would be with the Maitre D.

[vivianmarie244]

You can get the same wait staff for the entire cruise.  We used MTD on the last two cruises.  Each time, we were very happy with the wait staff we got on the first night.  Stopped by the front desk on our way out and asked them to put us at the same table each night.  They were able to accommodate us with no problem.

[island lady]

As others have stated...indeed go to see the host podium at MTD dining room.  They should happily help you with your table.  Should be no problem.  

 

For us, I have stopped making reservations, as it seems they try too hard to put you with same waiters and same table.  Will be empty tables just sitting there, but we have to wait until "our table" is available.  For me, that is not what I call "My Time Dining".  We just prefer first available, which seems to annoy them.  

 

OP:  Have you tried just doing traditional dining, though it may be earlier than you like...I believe you can arrive 15 minutes later.  You will automatically get same table and same wait team.  

Edited June 18, 2019 by island lady

[JCYYZ]

2 minutes ago, island lady said:

OP:  Have you tried just doing traditional dining?  You will automatically get same table and same wait team.  

Yes, we did traditional on our last cruise.  We were happy with it but think the 5:15pm time is too early.  That's why we thought we'd try MTD this time around.  The only reason we're thinking of making reservations for a specific time each night is to hopefully get the same wait staff and make dealing with the food allergy easier on everyone.    

[island lady]

4 minutes ago, JCYYZ said:

Yes, we did traditional on our last cruise.  We were happy with it but think the 5:15pm time is too early.  That's why we thought we'd try MTD this time around.  The only reason we're thinking of making reservations for a specific time each night is to hopefully get the same wait staff and make dealing with the food allergy easier on everyone.    

 

I don't think you will have any problems getting same table, same time, and same wait staff.  They are pretty good with food allergy issues.  Just go to see the podium when you board the ship.  Have a wonderful cruise!  🙂 

[jean-lynd]

We had reservations for different times each night. We liked the wait staff we had the first night so we just asked to be seated in their area for the rest of the cruise. It was no problem. We were at different tables each night but had the same staff. Should be no problem for you. Enjoy!

[Iamcruzin]

The first night we requested the same staff each night but it didn't happen. I did notice a lot of people at the same table each night. It must becoming popular and they are just not able to accommodate everyone. Never had the same wait staff twice and we were also shuffled to different dining rooms with one night even being placed with traditional diners. Had the worst service that I have ever had on a cruise. If you are not a regular they just didn't care. It was the only disappointment we had.

[jeanneful]

We were able to on our Jan. cruise on Vision Of the Seas.

Went to dinning room when we boarded and got a window table for two.

Same table and waiter, also on the second leg of B2B got the same table, just different waiter.

 

Edited June 18, 2019 by jeanneful

[Queen of Oakville]

My son used to have nut allergies.  First time we tried MTD was on Celebrity Reflection.  The waiter recommended that if we were happy with his service (we were) - to request the same table and same server for the remainder of the week.

 

It was not a problem.  Every night he brought us the menu for the following evening so we could pre-order my son's meal.  

 

On Oasis - we did MTD  with different times each night -we were a party of 10.  We were put at the same table same waitstaff every night.

 

On Celebrity Summit- (no more allergies to contend with) but we liked our large round table for the four of us and loved the waitstaff - we asked - and no problems - same table/same staff every night.

 

 

If you are pleasant you stand a good chance of being accommodated.  If you are pleasant and have an allergy to contend with, you stand a very good chance of being accommodated.

Edited June 18, 2019 by Queen of Oakville

[JCYYZ]

@Queen of OakvilleThat's very reassuring.  Thanks for sharing your experience with food allergies and MTD.

[JCYYZ]

Thanks everyone.  Sounds like this will be easier than we thought.

[ItalianBoyy]

We did My Time on Adventure of the Seas in December. We find the 5:30 time is too early and 8:30 is too late. 

 

We showed up at 7 PM every night. We really liked our wait staff after the first night, so we requested to have them every night if possible. We were seated right away every night and at the same table with the same staff.

 

If you have someone with a food allergy, I'm sure they'd accommodate you.

 

[Queen of Oakville]

15 hours ago, JCYYZ said:

@Queen of OakvilleThat's very reassuring.  Thanks for sharing your experience with food allergies and MTD.

 

 

 

You're most welcome!!  Just a reminder (I know as a parent you already know this) that you have to be diligent about your child's allergies - especially in the buffet.  Even in the MDR, there are some waitstaff that understand allergies and will go out of their way to inform and advise you.  Others waitstaff will tell "it's best to err on the side of caution" when asked if something contains nuts.  It is easier for them to say "don't eat something" than it is to take the time to get you a proper answer.    If you are not satisfied that your waiter fully understands the questions you are asking or the safeguards that your child needs, please ask to see the head waiter or the maitre d to make sure your child is taken care of.

 

I will say that Royal is pretty good at managing allergies but that Celebrity is EXCELLENT at allergy awareness and management, regardless of the eating venue on the ship (buffet, MDR, specialty).  keep that in mind for future cruises.

 

Also, be sure to complete the special needs form before your sailing advising them that your child has allergies.  Your waiter on the first night should know this when you are 

 

Good luck and happy sailing!!

[SomewhereCruise]

We always make requests onboard and always get the same wait staff for the entire cruise. 

[Snit13]

On 6/18/2019 at 1:33 PM, island lady said:

As others have stated...indeed go to see the host podium at MTD dining room.  They should happily help you with your table.  Should be no problem.  

 

For me,  they try too hard to put you with same waiters and same table.  Will be empty tables just sitting there, but we have to wait until "our table" is available   just prefer first available 

 

 

Sorry to have altered what you posted.  Kept the parts I agree with 100%.  Do not want same table with same servers each night. Prefer variety in my life.  Love MTD if not dining Specialty.  Not fan of MDR.  Happy Sails island lady and all.

 

 

[reeb4]

We just got off Enchantment yesterday.  After Embarkation, I went to MDR and made a My Time reservation for that evening.  We thoroughly enjoyed our waiter and assistant, so as we were leaving that evening, I stopped at the desk and asked if we could have the same table/same time each night.  Not an issue.

[island lady]

7 hours ago, Snit13 said:

Sorry to have altered what you posted.  Kept the parts I agree with 100%.  Do not want same table with same servers each night. Prefer variety in my life.  Love MTD if not dining Specialty.  Not fan of MDR.  Happy Sails island lady and all.

 

 

 

Thanks...and truth be told...we ararely go into the MDR for MTD dinner any longer.  Find it to bright, too noisy, most timse have to wait too long to be seated, and the food is "meh".  We love it for breakfast, plus lunch on sea days.  Dinner...we usually do a couple of specialty restaurants or just "graze" in the WJ later in the evening for something light.  We even go into the WJ on formal nights...mostly as late night snack after spending too much time munching and "yacking" too long in the lounges.  😉 

[grapau27]

3 minutes ago, island lady said:

 

Thanks...and truth be told...we ararely go into the MDR for MTD dinner any longer.  Find it to bright, too noisy, most timse have to wait too long to be seated, and the food is "meh".  We love it for breakfast, plus lunch on sea days.  Dinner...we usually do a couple of specialty restaurants or just "graze" in the WJ later in the evening for something light.  We even go into the WJ on formal nights...mostly as late night snack after spending too much time munching and "yacking" too long in the lounges.  😉 

The last time we went into MTD was 4 cruises ago as we spend most of our time in Giovanni's.

On Independence May25-28 Giovanni's was less than a third full each night whereas the queues for MTD were past GS when we passed.

[RFerrington]

Even though you feel that 5:15 is too early, being the “first” one to sit at “your” table is a definite plus if you want to have the same table and servers every night.  Nobody else is there before you so it would be guaranteed to be available if you “reserve” it on the first night.  The later you dine, the more chances for things running late and “your” table not being available.  We no longer eat in the MDR but when we did, we always ate as early as possible so that we would be guaranteed to have the same server and table.

[island lady]

14 hours ago, grapau27 said:

The last time we went into MTD was 4 cruises ago as we spend most of our time in Giovanni's.

On Independence May25-28 Giovanni's was less than a third full each night whereas the queues for MTD were past GS when we passed.

 

I also like Giovannis, and for the first time, tried Jamie's Italian, that has replaced Giovannis on some ships...some post that they like it, some don't...we thought it was great on Mariner!

Edited June 21, 2019 by island lady