How is My Time Dining on Serenade?

[mafig]

How does My Time Dining work on Serenade?  I have not been on Royal for a few years.  

Is it like it was a few years ago?  Mainly you can just show up .....or..... make reservations?  How early can the reservations be made?   I have read a few threads where My Time reservations don't even start until 7 or so.  Don't know if this applies to a smaller ship like Serenade.

 

 

[Biker19]

Just now, mafig said:

Don't know if this applies to a smaller ship like Serenade.

It applies to most ships - what you see in the planner for times is what's available. Otherwise, the process is about the same as the last time you sailed.

[mafig]

Thanks....then what do you suggest if we like to have dinner on the early side?  Tradiitional?  

[island lady]

Just disembarked Serenade on Saturday.  Sooo happy we have changed our usual MTD from the past years to traditional first going forward.  

 

The new system fleet wide is awful (IMHO).   Now MTD does not start until 6:45-7 pm.  Why?  Because it is now a "fill in" as the first traditional diners finish up their meals and leave.    

 

This is the same on Serenade.  Deck 4 is first dining and MTD only (no late traditional).  The line starts to form at the door...even early at 6 pm.... and then continues out the hallway and out past the elevators at times.  The longest line was....the line WITH reservations.  Getting seated is now dependent on how fast the first diners finish up right away...or linger over dessert and coffee/drinks.   

 

Deck 5 is Early and Late traditional dining...no MTD.   Was so happy to be moved for our 2nd leg from early traditional on deck 4...to deck 5.   Far less noisy and packed up like sardines.  

 

IMHO...the MTD system is a fail.  

[mafig]

50 minutes ago, island lady said:

Just disembarked Serenade on Saturday.  Sooo happy we have changed our usual MTD from the past years to traditional first going forward.  

 

 

IMHO...the MTD system is a fail.  

What time is traditional first?

 

Did you enjoy your cruise?  How was Serenade's overall condition?

Edited December 20, 2022 by mafig

[SilkySal]

We don't like to eat early before 6pm or late after 8pm, so will continue to choose MTD with a set time usually at 6:45 or 7pm. Our group of 10 had 7-7:15pm MTD on Wonder last week and we were graciously accommodated with a large round table for 10 every night just as you enter the MDR on Deck 4, which we confirmed on the day we boarded. Going forward, it will just be be hubby and I, so will keep MTD, as it will be easier to get seated. We will board the Serenade next spring! Good luck with whatever you choose to do! Cheers!

[island lady]

3 hours ago, mafig said:

What time is traditional first?

 

Did you enjoy your cruise?  How was Serenade's overall condition?

 

Yes, enjoyed our B2B on the little Serenade.  Love the Radiance class.  🙂   She is indeed in need of scheduled dry dock...which they will do before the World Cruise...but we still enjoyed.  She could use a face lift and some updating.  

 

Traditional first was 5:30, but deck 5 was 5:15 (though only listed on the entry sign, not the app or the cruise compass.).   Deck 5 has very limited two tops...mostly larger tables for larger families.  But we did manage to get one of the two tops on the second leg.  Most of the smaller tables are on deck 4, and very...very close together. 

[island lady]

33 minutes ago, SilkySal said:

We don't like to eat early before 6pm or late after 8pm, so will continue to choose MTD with a set time usually at 6:45 or 7pm. Our group of 10 had 7-7:15pm MTD on Wonder last week and we were graciously accommodated with a large round table for 10 every night just as you enter the MDR on Deck 4, which we confirmed on the day we boarded. Going forward, it will just be be hubby and I, so will keep MTD, as it will be easier to get seated. We will board the Serenade next spring! Good luck with whatever you choose to do! Cheers!

 

Wonder does a much better job with MTD than Serenade, but it may be that Serenade has very limited specialty restaurants...so there are more than usual of the percentage of pax in the dining room.  

 

There are so many dining venues on Wonder, pax get spread out pretty well, plus the dining room on that ship is huge.  We ate almost every meal in CK.  

[kruzerci]

As Island Lady said, we were on Serenade this month and MTD was a disaster. Lines wrapped down deck 4 past the centrum for both guests with and without reservations by 7:15 most nights. 
 

MTD used to work very well, but it has not lately. 

[SilkySal]

9 minutes ago, kruzerci said:

As Island Lady said, we were on Serenade this month and MTD was a disaster. Lines wrapped down deck 4 past the centrum for both guests with and without reservations by 7:15 most nights. 
 

MTD used to work very well, but it has not lately. 

Just asked DH if he wanted to change to traditional and he wants to continue with MTD. Maybe I'll try to reserve our time at 7pm, so won't have to wait so long. Not sure yet, so we'll see how it goes!

[watertraveler]

2 hours ago, kruzerci said:

MTD used to work very well, but it has not lately. 

We loved dining with MTD since it started.  It offered a little flexibility for those of us that didn't want to eat that early or that late.  We were always able to keep the same table just by talking to the maitre d' but it does seem to have changed.  This past June, while on the Serenade, we were not able to keep the same table and were shuffled around each night.  When MTD first started, it seemed like this was the way of the future, but RCCL seems to be focusing more on traditional dining times.  Could this be another way to get people in and out quicker, kind of like what the new streamlined menu will accomplish?

[kruzerci]

16 minutes ago, watertraveler said:

We loved dining with MTD since it started.  It offered a little flexibility for those of us that didn't want to eat that early or that late.  We were always able to keep the same table just by talking to the maitre d' but it does seem to have changed.  This past June, while on the Serenade, we were not able to keep the same table and were shuffled around each night.  When MTD first started, it seemed like this was the way of the future, but RCCL seems to be focusing more on traditional dining times.  Could this be another way to get people in and out quicker, kind of like what the new streamlined menu will accomplish?

Agree. Same experience on Serenade. 

[happy cruzer]

Well, here is a differing opinion.  We too were on Serenade recently.  We did MTD and made reservations for 6:45.  It does work as described.  The early fixed dining does impact table availability and the staff really rushed to setup the new tables.  The lines were long both with reservations and without for MTD but....  They moved quickly, never waited more than 20 minutes and usually about 5 minutes.  Since we were not starving and don't really mind standing for awhile before sitting down for a meal of about 1 hour, we liked MTD. 

 

Will say the noise level was very high but that was coming from a large table that were having a good time and yelling so that all at the table could hear what was going on - that meant that lots of others could hear too.

 

We sailed the week after Thanksgiving, the fog impacted cruise.  Really enjoyed the cruise but Serenade is smaller so not as much going on as on the larger ships.  Staff was great.

[mafig]

2 hours ago, happy cruzer said:

Well, here is a differing opinion.  We too were on Serenade recently.  We did MTD and made reservations for 6:45.  It does work as described.  The early fixed dining does impact table availability and the staff really rushed to setup the new tables.  The lines were long both with reservations and without for MTD but....  They moved quickly, never waited more than 20 minutes and usually about 5 minutes.  Since we were not starving and don't really mind standing for awhile before sitting down for a meal of about 1 hour, we liked MTD. 

 

Will say the noise level was very high but that was coming from a large table that were having a good time and yelling so that all at the table could hear what was going on - that meant that lots of others could hear too.

 

We sailed the week after Thanksgiving, the fog impacted cruise.  Really enjoyed the cruise but Serenade is smaller so not as much going on as on the larger ships.  Staff was great.

 

Thanks for your post.  However, what you didn't mind, we would.  Waiting in line for 20 minutes would seem endless to us.  My Time dining is not new.  They should be able to figure this out.  No excuse for this every night imo.

So I guess the other alternative is Traditional dining and having dinner at 5:30 (5:15?) at a table right next to your neighbor.🤨

[mafig]

Does being in a suite help at all?  Since there is no suite restaurant.

[LHARTWICK]

Is MTD the only option now?  Have only sailed RCCL once since the restart, and only option was MTD for that cruise since we booked very close to sail date.  Didn't really like the MTD - it was a hot mess. Just booked Harmony for DEC 2023, and the only option showing is MTD.  Wouldn't think traditional would already be full this far out.

[Biker19]

1 hour ago, LHARTWICK said:

Is MTD the only option now? 

No, early and late traditional are still available.

[island lady]

2 hours ago, mafig said:

Does being in a suite help at all?  Since there is no suite restaurant.

 

Not at all.  

[island lady]

1 hour ago, LHARTWICK said:

Is MTD the only option now?  Have only sailed RCCL once since the restart, and only option was MTD for that cruise since we booked very close to sail date.  Didn't really like the MTD - it was a hot mess. Just booked Harmony for DEC 2023, and the only option showing is MTD.  Wouldn't think traditional would already be full this far out.

 

The funny thing is....when MTD first came out and was actually a nice experience....there was always a wait list for MTD.   

 

Now....since IMHO it is a fail program, there is wait lists for traditional dining.  Especially first seating.  

[mafig]

Looks like Serenade is off my list.👎

[LHARTWICK]

1 hour ago, Biker19 said:

No, early and late traditional are still available.

So are those options supposed to show up in my dining options in my reservation??  Only thing showing is MTD, and I have not made any reservations under MTD.

[Biker19]

43 minutes ago, LHARTWICK said:

So are those options supposed to show up in my dining options in my reservation??

No, you can only book traditional online when you first book or afterward by calling with whoever you booked with.

[watertraveler]

1 hour ago, mafig said:

Looks like Serenade is off my list.👎

Although we have sailed on the Serenade quite a bit, I would bet that the line waiting for MTD is not restricted to the Serenade.  On our most recent cruise on this past October, we had a party of 10 reserved for MTD.  With a few adjustments, we were assured that the table (and waiter/asst. waiter) would be ours for the entire cruise. It was delightful.  We got the know the waiter and asst waiter, he learned our likes and dislikes, and the sommelier knew exactly what to bring to the table each night.  This was sooooo different from our cruise in June.  It couldn't have been better. It would seem that this was the perfect dining experience.  However, when making dining reservations for our cruise this coming fall, the earliest time slot was 7:00 or later.  Finishing dinner around 8:30 was not a good option for us so we swtiched to the early seating. 

 

What I don't understand is, while there is the ability to make advance reservations for MTD, every night there was a line of people a mile long waiting to be seated in the 'no reservation' line.  It could go much smoother if people just picked up the phone and made a reservation.

 

 

[island lady]

15 hours ago, watertraveler said:

 

 

What I don't understand is, while there is the ability to make advance reservations for MTD, every night there was a line of people a mile long waiting to be seated in the 'no reservation' line.  It could go much smoother if people just picked up the phone and made a reservation.

 

Just off Serenade a few days ago.  Spent 2 weeks on board.  

 

The line WITH reservations was twice as long as the "without reservations" line.  

[retired dude]

we too sailed won the same cruise with island lady...We had 6:45 mtd reservations and while standing in line to be seated on the second night a large group in front of us asked us if this was the line for folks with no reservations. We politely told them that the other line was for that and they said " oh well we will stay in the this line and those behind us can wait"....they did and we did.The first two nights were fairly long waits for our table as they always are and for dress your best night(lobsternight) the line was long again...We asked for the same waiter every night at a two seater and on one night the host gave our table away(our waiter was furious) and got us seated at another of his tables for two...On another night we were seated with another waiter and that was not good....The dining room manager apologized to us every time he saw us for the rest of the cruise....that said, the service was outstanding for the majority of the cruise....We have sailed on all of the radiance class ships and we love them.....It just seems that the mtd has not turned out to be perfect....Wish everyone a happy holiday season and looking forward to sailing on the serenade again in april....B&B in clearwater.