My Time Dining strategies?

[br111]

Hi - Sailing on Anthem in a week and just now realizing the possible impending disaster of My Time Dining! We've sailed RCCL for decades and have done MTD for as long as they've offered it, showing up around 6pm or so and generally getting seated without a reservation and without a problem. But it seems things have changed! I see reports that even though MTD doesn't officially start until 6:45pm, it might be possible to still show up around 5:45pm-6:15pm to maybe snag one of the unclaimed early seating tables. Have people found that to be doable? Any other tips or experiences? Most of the reservations available aren't until 8pm or later. Thanks!!

[crzndeb]

21 minutes ago, br111 said:

Hi - Sailing on Anthem in a week and just now realizing the possible impending disaster of My Time Dining! We've sailed RCCL for decades and have done MTD for as long as they've offered it, showing up around 6pm or so and generally getting seated without a reservation and without a problem. But it seems things have changed! I see reports that even though MTD doesn't officially start until 6:45pm, it might be possible to still show up around 5:45pm-6:15pm to maybe snag one of the unclaimed early seating tables. Have people found that to be doable? Any other tips or experiences? Most of the reservations available aren't until 8pm or later. Thanks!!

If you are a party of 2, odds are probably in your favor to go early and be seated. Of course you won’t really know until you try. I know of 2 personal situations that this happened with, and no reservations were made.

[travelchica915]

I made reservations in the app for 7:45 each evening (that was earliest I could get except one night at 6:30). We plan to go sooner than that to see if we can get seated closer to 7. I have no idea if it’ll work though! 

[moposh]

Yes, this can work.  I saw people seated probably around the times you mentioned when early seating guests didn't show up.  Both of these were tables of two.  If you have more people, I think it might be harder to get a table this early.

[LeeW]

A few weeks ago on Ovation the greeter was letting blocks of reservation times through in order.  So 7:00 got in around 6:50.  However the only time he did this was on formal night where the line was long.  Most nights if you showed up early for a reservation you just went up to the podium.  Might have a delay if the table you wanted was still occupied, but generally the host just put us at a different table in the same waiters' area.

[loman]

We had 645 MTD on deck 3  on Harmony in September . 

We would show up around 6 pm each night and the doorman would check with other floors for no shows from early fixed seating. We needed a two top.

We were the only people there and no lines.

We were seated right away , but on a different floor and table each evening with different waiters .

Worked out really well for us. All the waiters were great and service was fine. Food wasnt bad either.

[ShillyShally]

2 hours ago, travelchica915 said:

I made reservations in the app for 7:45 each evening (that was earliest I could get except one night at 6:30). We plan to go sooner than that to see if we can get seated closer to 7. I have no idea if it’ll work though! 

It works, they also have a line for those with reservations - use it even if you're trying for an earlier/later time but have a reservation for an alternate time since they just pull you up and seat you then!  We had no issue on Mariner doing this.

[cruiseboy89130]

16 hours ago, br111 said:

Hi - Sailing on Anthem in a week and just now realizing the possible impending disaster of My Time Dining! We've sailed RCCL for decades and have done MTD for as long as they've offered it, showing up around 6pm or so and generally getting seated without a reservation and without a problem. But it seems things have changed! I see reports that even though MTD doesn't officially start until 6:45pm, it might be possible to still show up around 5:45pm-6:15pm to maybe snag one of the unclaimed early seating tables. Have people found that to be doable? Any other tips or experiences? Most of the reservations available aren't until 8pm or later. Thanks!!

On Oasis they had a big sign printed that MTD without reservation has to line up AFTER 7pm

[br111]

14 hours ago, cruiseboy89130 said:

On Oasis they had a big sign printed that MTD without reservation has to line up AFTER 7pm

Hmmmm - that's a little concerning! I guess much for this from the RCCL website:

"guests who opt for My Time Dining can eat in the Main Dining Room anytime they like during dinner hours, according to availability."

[Biker19]

19 minutes ago, br111 said:

that's a little concerning!

The specific implementation of MTD can vary across ships and even sailings on the same ship.

[akcruz]

15 hours ago, cruiseboy89130 said:

On Oasis they had a big sign printed that MTD without reservation has to line up AFTER 7pm

 

That may help a little, definitely wasn't that way in March when we were on Oasis.  Lines for both reservations and non were 50+ people long most nights by 6:30.  We had reservations, were not happy, especially when they were seating those in the non reservation line while we missed our reserved time.  Don't think anyone was seated any time close to their reservation time.

[joeyancho]

Hurry up and wait and wait and wait.  Unless you have a mtd reservation.   In which case it is the same.  RCCL has no clue how to do mtd.

[bretts173]

6 hours ago, akcruz said:

 

That may help a little, definitely wasn't that way in March when we were on Oasis.  Lines for both reservations and non were 50+ people long most nights by 6:30.  We had reservations, were not happy, especially when they were seating those in the non reservation line while we missed our reserved time.  Don't think anyone was seated any time close to their reservation time.

Thet can't not seat the non reservation line if people are given the option to dine without a reservation.

[SG65CB]

If you normally show up for MTD around 6:00 or so, why don't you do early traditional dining? You don't have to be there right at 6, there is a little leeway and you won't have to line up to get in. 

[Donsyb]

52 minutes ago, SG65CB said:

If you normally show up for MTD around 6:00 or so, why don't you do early traditional dining? You don't have to be there right at 6, there is a little leeway and you won't have to line up to get in. 

On some ships early dining is now 5pm or 5.30 at the latest

[LobsterStalker]

6 hours ago, SG65CB said:

If you normally show up for MTD around 6:00 or so, why don't you do early traditional dining? You don't have to be there right at 6, there is a little leeway and you won't have to line up to get in. 

Early hasn't started at 6 for ages , (due to the fact that they have completely messed up MTD )

It is usually 5-5:30 , ocassionally as late as 5:45

[akcruz]

6 hours ago, bretts173 said:

Thet can't not seat the non reservation line if people are given the option to dine without a reservation.

 

I disagree, they say you can be seated without a reservation but nowhere does it say it will be right away.  It should be as available.  I had 6:45 reservations, got in line by 6:30, didn't make it to the podium until close to 7.  People without reservations were being seated ahead of me.  They should seat all with reservations times that are close or at least past first.  That's how most restaurants work.

 

The post I quoted says they are not letting non reservations line up before 7, this is good in my mind, at least let's the first wave of reservations get seated first.

Edited November 5, 2023 by akcruz

[cruiseboy89130]

9 hours ago, akcruz said:

The post I quoted says they are not letting non reservations line up before 7, this is good in my mind, at least let's the first wave of reservations get seated first.

That is what they were doing - no seating without reservation before 7pm - A big sign in front of the non-reservation line and a rope closing that line until 7pm!

[AC Stew]

September 17 night Arctic crossing on the Jewel with My Time Dining:

 

We've done My Time Dining for years, always with an advance reservation for around 6:00 to 6:30. Always a good experience with little or no wait time, and usually the same table and servers.

 

For this cruise, we had 6:45 reservations for every night of the sailing, the earliest time slot offered. It was a nightmare. As previously reported in other threads, MTD now opens later, and only when the traditional early diners vacate the dining room. Consequently, well before 6:45, the line ups have formed. Both on the "Reservations" line and the separate "No Reservations" line. 

 

There were always delays be seated; never got in before 7:00. It took time to process those line ups! Lots of grumbling and frustration could be heard. Especially when "No Reservations" folks were regularly seated ahead of the "Reservations" line. Service with different waiters/assists was hit or miss.

 

After a few nights, we gave up and ate dinner in the Windjammer. In point of fact, a great many cruisers did the same. The WJ was packed every night. We found that the food choices were actually better than what we'd experienced in the MDR. And it was more relaxing to eat at our leisure. Never a worry about making the show. Honestly, we were quite happy there!

 

Unless MTD is returned to its original format of using a separate restaurant level and starting earlier, it will remain inefficient and increasingly unpopular.

[Spunky946]

10 hours ago, AC Stew said:

September 17 night Arctic crossing on the Jewel with My Time Dining:

 

We've done My Time Dining for years, always with an advance reservation for around 6:00 to 6:30. Always a good experience with little or no wait time, and usually the same table and servers.

 

For this cruise, we had 6:45 reservations for every night of the sailing, the earliest time slot offered. It was a nightmare. As previously reported in other threads, MTD now opens later, and only when the traditional early diners vacate the dining room. Consequently, well before 6:45, the line ups have formed. Both on the "Reservations" line and the separate "No Reservations" line. 

 

There were always delays be seated; never got in before 7:00. It took time to process those line ups! Lots of grumbling and frustration could be heard. Especially when "No Reservations" folks were regularly seated ahead of the "Reservations" line. Service with different waiters/assists was hit or miss.

 

After a few nights, we gave up and ate dinner in the Windjammer. In point of fact, a great many cruisers did the same. The WJ was packed every night. We found that the food choices were actually better than what we'd experienced in the MDR. And it was more relaxing to eat at our leisure. Never a worry about making the show. Honestly, we were quite happy there!

 

Unless MTD is returned to its original format of using a separate restaurant level and starting earlier, it will remain inefficient and increasingly unpopular.

It was so much better when they used a separate dining room and it ran the whole time of 5:15-9. Easy to make reservations or even walk in, especially when we were two or four people.  I hate it now that they share.

[Pinballs83]

Early dining is 530 and late was like 830.   I just booked the same time every day 7pm.  I never had to wait more than a couple minutes.  They even had a guy working the line with a tablet that started recognizing us and checking me in and letting me walk to the table I had all week.

 

Even without a reservation I don't think it would have been that much of a wait at 7pm except maybe the first night.  You can make MTD dining reservations way in advance through the app.

 

On Oasis it seemed MTD was on deck 3 and the regular was on 4 and 5.

[Donsyb]

On 11/7/2023 at 9:03 AM, Pinballs83 said:

Early dining is 530 and late was like 830.   I just booked the same time every day 7pm.  I never had to wait more than a couple minutes.  They even had a guy working the line with a tablet that started recognizing us and checking me in and letting me walk to the table I had all week.

 

Even without a reservation I don't think it would have been that much of a wait at 7pm except maybe the first night.  You can make MTD dining reservations way in advance through the app.

 

On Oasis it seemed MTD was on deck 3 and the regular was on 4 and 5.

That was our experience on oasis last November. Will see on wonder in a couple of weeks if it’s the same!

[adolfo2]

MyTime has morphed into RCtime 😞 

No longer worth the hassle or aggravation as you're corralled into semi-fixed dinning times under the new rules.