Main Dining S-class Ships

[Inspirazione]

Hello – We have only eaten in the main dining room a few times (with friends who organized it) as we usually enjoy the Specialty dining.  We have an upcoming cruise on the Reflection.  We are traveling with another couple and we may plan to dine in the main dining room a few times.  When booking, Select Anytime Dining was sold out, so we are set for the Traditional Dining.  Can anyone tell me what Traditional dining is like these days?  I did a search but didn’t find anything.  We are a party of 4.  Will we be able to get a table for 4 or do they still have large tables to be shared with others? Do you have to go at 6 or 8:30 or is there flexibility?   Thanks so much!

[1025cruise]

You should be able to request a table for 4. As to time, yes, that is when dinner will be served. Showing up late is frowned upon.

[39august]

If you go to the MDR upon boarding, there should be someone at the entrance taking requests. Just request the Anytime Dining and you may be accomodated. 

[cruisestitch]

52 minutes ago, Inspirazione said:

Hello – We have only eaten in the main dining room a few times (with friends who organized it) as we usually enjoy the Specialty dining.  We have an upcoming cruise on the Reflection.  We are traveling with another couple and we may plan to dine in the main dining room a few times.  When booking, Select Anytime Dining was sold out, so we are set for the Traditional Dining.  Can anyone tell me what Traditional dining is like these days?  I did a search but didn’t find anything.  We are a party of 4.  Will we be able to get a table for 4 or do they still have large tables to be shared with others? Do you have to go at 6 or 8:30 or is there flexibility?   Thanks so much!

Traditional dining does not have much flexibility, 15 minutes at most.Traditional dining does not have much flexibility, 15 minutes at most.

[mahdnc]

55 minutes ago, Inspirazione said:

Hello – We have only eaten in the main dining room a few times (with friends who organized it) as we usually enjoy the Specialty dining.  We have an upcoming cruise on the Reflection.  We are traveling with another couple and we may plan to dine in the main dining room a few times.  When booking, Select Anytime Dining was sold out, so we are set for the Traditional Dining.  Can anyone tell me what Traditional dining is like these days?  I did a search but didn’t find anything.  We are a party of 4.  Will we be able to get a table for 4 or do they still have large tables to be shared with others? Do you have to go at 6 or 8:30 or is there flexibility?   Thanks so much!

 

My family of 4 has been doing traditional dining on S class for the last few years.  Yes, the seating times are pretty fixed.  Although we always ask to be seated at a large table, we have always been seated by ourselves at either a table for 4 or sometimes 6.

 

Reflection MDR (Opus Restaurant), Jan 5 2019

[upwarduk]

In the summer, you could only be at a large table, if your booking was linked.

Not sure of protocols now.

[DaKahuna]

Make sure you link your booking numbers with your friends.  
 

When we’ve done that they have treated us as one party of four and put us at a four top.

 

 

[TowandaUK]

Anytime dining may become available. When we booked anytime was not available and we were put in traditional early dining. When checking prices some weeks later by doing dummy bookings I noticed that anytime was available. I contacted our personal cruise concierge and she switched us to anytime with no problem. It is possible to book your preferred time if you want to when assigned anytime. 
keep checking to see if it becomes available. 

[Inspirazione]

Thank you all for the information.  This is very helpful.  We do have our bookings linked and I will continue to watch to see if Anytime seating becomes available. 

[Luvcrusn]

Whenever we've traveled with another couple and we've linked our reservations we've been assigned to a table for 4 together. We found of table assignments in the cabin when we boarded. If you don't get to switch your reservation to Select dining before the cruise I'd suggest going directly to the MDR and checking with the maitre d that you've been assigned together to a 4 top that you like. If not, (highly unlikely) you can ask at that time that they make a switch.