My Time Dining on Liberty - Doesn't open until after 7pm?

[LMaxwell]

Have My Time Dining for upcoming short Liberty cruise and a couple of recent Compasses show a 7 or 7:15pm opening for MTD? Is that accurate? I don't recall My Time starting that late and if that's the case, has anyone experienced it and is it really busy right at opening? I'd prefer for "My Time" to not be after 8pm unless I rush. 

[molly361]

Yes on my upcoming Wonder cruise it starts at  7:15

[itrek]

You are correct, 7:00 or 7:15 on some ships is when My Time starts.  However, regular early seating  starts at 5:30 or 6:00 and they always have a number of tables open because passengers don't show up for their early seating time.  I've found that if you go at 6:30 they'll let My Time people in to take those no show tables.  You can ask them at the check-in counter that is in front of the dining room and they'll tell you what time they start letting people in to fill no show tables.  I was told by a head waiter that they like to do this because it staggers the dining starts more making service go faster rather than everyone showing up at once.   If you do this don't be afraid to just march right up to the counter and ask if you can be seated at an early seating no show table even if there is already a line forming for My Time.  It almost always works but the worst case is they will very nicely tell you they are full.

[LMaxwell]

Why not just open it at 6:30 then to stagger it out a bit? I don't mind that RC has "sped up" the dining and trying to hit a time target, but I am not sure I want to take chances and may opt for early dining; reality is you aren't getting your apps until about 6pm anyways so maybe it's not as early as it sounds? 

[Weluv2cruise2gether]

I have liberty on 9/7. The earliest MTD slot I could get was 7:45 every night!

[Tlbecker1]

1 hour ago, LMaxwell said:

Why not just open it at 6:30 then to stagger it out a bit? I don't mind that RC has "sped up" the dining and trying to hit a time target, but I am not sure I want to take chances and may opt for early dining; reality is you aren't getting your apps until about 6pm anyways so maybe it's not as early as it sounds? 

We always book early dining and already know before we sit down what we are going to order.  We hate to wait and hang out but n the dining room.  We have never received our appetizers at 6, but we always order immediately.

[sockmonkeygirl]

Is there some way I can change my dining from My Time to early dining?  (I did ask my TA but she's busy and my cruise isn't until June, so I am probably not high on her priority list)

[marci22]

On 7/27/2023 at 5:08 PM, LMaxwell said:

Why not just open it at 6:30 then to stagger it out a bit? I don't mind that RC has "sped up" the dining and trying to hit a time target, but I am not sure I want to take chances and may opt for early dining; reality is you aren't getting your apps until about 6pm anyways so maybe it's not as early as it sounds? 

When we did early dining on LOS recently, it was very fast for a party of two. We would order and the food would come within minutes. They didn't even pause between courses; as soon as we finished, the next thing came. I kept telling them we were not in a rush but I think they try to move people out.

 

OTOH there was a party of 8 next door with stragglers and they never started on time.

Edited August 8, 2023 by marci22

[marci22]

14 hours ago, sockmonkeygirl said:

Is there some way I can change my dining from My Time to early dining?  (I did ask my TA but she's busy and my cruise isn't until June, so I am probably not high on her priority list)

Did you try doing it online? I have a TA booked cruise with early dining, but I can click on the MTD option in the plan my cruise section.

[molly361]

6 minutes ago, marci22 said:

When we did early dining on LOS recently, it was very fast for a party of two. We would order and the food would come within minutes. They didn't even pause between courses; as soon as we finished, the next thing came. I kept telling them we were not in a rush but I think they try to move people out.

 

OTOH there was a party of 8 next door with stragglers and they never started on time.

I was kind of dreading eating alone when I started travelling solo since it usually takes so long but in my case I have basically been in and out within a half hour which works for me as I still find it a bit awkward eating alone at dinner.  For breakfast and lunch I bring my kindle but at dinner I have been imbibing beforehand and don't want to carry it around 😱  Usually the larger tables around me haven't even gotten their apps yet.  Disclaimer I don't get dessert

[Another_Critic]

On 7/27/2023 at 5:56 PM, Weluv2cruise2gether said:

I have liberty on 9/7. The earliest MTD slot I could get was 7:45 every night!

When I booked (mid-July), 8 or 8:15 was the earliest time slot.  I checked on 8/1 and 6:45 and 7:00 were available.  I reserved 6:45 every night.

[Jimbo]

For Jewel next month, we had MTD. Didn't like the available times being so late so we asked our travel agent to see if we can get regular Early Dining.

 

Travel agent got back to us and said Early Dining was full, she did however put us on the Waitlist for early Dining.

 

About 3 weeks later something must have opened up because now on the app we have Early Dining and can no longer select any times for MTD. It blocked us out from making those selections.

 

So even if nothing is available now, at least get on the waitlist and see what happens.

[Jerseygirl1416]

On Liberty in May we had early dining but the time changed one day and we missed the memo so we showed up to dinner an hour late. Our servers were so sweet about it but when we left after eating the line for MTD to get into the dining room was insane. 

[cruisegirl1]

49 minutes ago, molly361 said:

I was kind of dreading eating alone when I started travelling solo since it usually takes so long but in my case I have basically been in and out within a half hour which works for me as I still find it a bit awkward eating alone at dinner.  For breakfast and lunch I bring my kindle but at dinner I have been imbibing beforehand and don't want to carry it around 😱  Usually the larger tables around me haven't even gotten their apps yet.  Disclaimer I don't get dessert

"Been imbibing".... Sound so innocent! 🙂 

I hope you'll feel more comfortable eating alone as time passes.

M

 

 

[sockmonkeygirl]

1 hour ago, marci22 said:

Did you try doing it online? I have a TA booked cruise with early dining, but I can click on the MTD option in the plan my cruise section.

I can find MTD and click it, but it only allows me to make reservations.  It doesn't allow me to switch to early dining.  😞

[marci22]

38 minutes ago, sockmonkeygirl said:

I can find MTD and click it, but it only allows me to make reservations.  It doesn't allow me to switch to early dining.  😞

I would ask again. Early dining fills up.

[rockmom]

43 minutes ago, sockmonkeygirl said:

I can find MTD and click it, but it only allows me to make reservations.  It doesn't allow me to switch to early dining.  😞

You need to call to switch.  

[sockmonkeygirl]

1 hour ago, rockmom said:

You need to call to switch.  

Can I call RCI directly, or do you think I need to go through my TA? 

 

Editing to add that I attempted to go through RCI but they said I need to use my TA.  Who is an MIA TA.   😑

Edited August 8, 2023 by sockmonkeygirl

[Jimbo]

4 minutes ago, sockmonkeygirl said:

Can I call RCI directly, or do you think I need to go through my TA?  

Still through TA

[Weluv2cruise2gether]

3 hours ago, Another_Critic said:

When I booked (mid-July), 8 or 8:15 was the earliest time slot.  I checked on 8/1 and 6:45 and 7:00 were available.  I reserved 6:45 every night.

Thanks! I just checked and changed all of ours to 6:45!

[steveru621]

There seems to be a shift to 6:45 or later.

[Ashland]

If you want very early MTD on Liberty just walk up when they open...no need to make a reservation.

[cruisegus]

On 7/27/2023 at 2:43 PM, itrek said:

If you do this don't be afraid to just march right up to the counter and ask if you can be seated at an early seating no show table even if there is already a line forming for My Time.  It almost always works but the worst case is they will very nicely tell you they are full.

If there is a line already for MTD this is just plain RUDE and smacks of entitlement.

 

While I agree they are trying to Seat MTD as soon as tables become available in my recent experience, jumping any line is uncalled for.  If your there before the line forms that is different.

[itrek]

cruisegus is correct and my bad for not explaining going up to ask for a no show seat better than I did.  Often the line for mytime starts forming not at the podium but in the hallway in front of the elevators.  Definitely do not cut line in front of someone at the podium.  That would be rude as cruisegus pointed out.  

 

I originally found out you could go up and ask for a no show seat from the staff person directing people to get in that line in front of the elevators.  He said "Did you check to see if you could get a no show seat?  If you want to see if they have any just go up to the podium and ask.  If they don't have any you can line up here with the rest of these people"

[Another_Critic]

23 hours ago, Weluv2cruise2gether said:

Thanks! I just checked and changed all of ours to 6:45!

Glad to hear that.  Maybe we'll be table neighbors.  😄