Miss scheduled 5:00pm early seating can you use MTD standby line later ?

[turtle1947]

When you give your room number at desk I assume they'll see you are scheduled for early dinner will they seat you or send you off to to Windjammer?

[Biker19]

1 minute ago, turtle1947 said:

When you give your room number at desk I assume they'll see you are scheduled for early dinner will they seat you or send you off to to Windjammer?

You may get an accommodating host, but don't put the host in such a position. If you miss your set time, go elsewhere.

[SNemeth]

People have reported being seating without issue, while others report being refused.  I would hate to wait in a line to be told no.

[Coralc]

Generally, not. It is usually one or the other. 

[georgemoe]

I was on Icon last week with the 5:00 main seating and arrived at 5:30 many times during the sailing. Others were doing it as well. We just walked directly to our table. May differ on other ships.

[bajathree]

6 hours ago, georgemoe said:

I was on Icon last week with the 5:00 main seating and arrived at 5:30 many times during the sailing. Others were doing it as well. We just walked directly to our table. May differ on other ships.

And you don't see the issues and inconvenience that causes to the main dining room staff as well as your fellow passengers?!?!

Edited May 13 by bajathree

[nelblu]

On 5/9/2024 at 4:17 PM, turtle1947 said:

When you give your room number at desk I assume they'll see you are scheduled for early dinner will they seat you or send you off to to Windjammer?

Usually, many times we miss the 5PM dining times due to late arriving Royal excursions.  We basically pre-advise the head waiter, and he helps set up a future time for that night. This happened twice on our Easter Anthem sail in Port Canaveral and Nassau. As a matter of fact, we had a table for 8 and got the same table as assigned.

 

I've seen over time that many tables or seats for the early seating go unused and MTD are accommodated even prior to the 6:45 time frame

 

[georgemoe]

2 hours ago, bajathree said:

And you don't see the issues and inconvenience that causes to the main dining room staff as well as your fellow passengers?!?!

 

How do you know there was any inconvenience to anyone? You don't and there was none.

[cruisinfanatic]

3 hours ago, bajathree said:

And you don't see the issues and inconvenience that causes to the main dining room staff as well as your fellow passengers?!?!

Entitlement 101

[cruisinfanatic]

16 minutes ago, georgemoe said:

 

How do you know there was any inconvenience to anyone? You don't and there was none.

Your waiter has to stop serving the folks (at all their tables) that bothered to come on time and take your orders. Then he (she) has to run to get your order while still trying not to make everyone else (the ones that bothered to come on time) wait for their orders. Be an adult and go at scheduled time next time

Edited May 13 by cruisinfanatic

[RobInMN]

I've been on cruises where we had an all day excursion and were not going to make it to the MDR by our early seating time. When telling our servers that we would not make it the next night, we've been told that there is a 30 minute window, and if we get there in that 30m, then no problem. They did add that after that window, please go to the WJ.

When this has come up on other threads, other people have reported 15 minutes. So I suppose it's ship dependent.

When we have done that, I am pretty sure that we were still out of there at the same time, so it's not like you push everything back, they just condense your visit, which is fine by me.

 

So, there is a window in which they happily accept passengers. You don't have to be there by your seating time.

[cruiselvr04]

2 hours ago, nelblu said:

Usually, many times we miss the 5PM dining times due to late arriving Royal excursions.  We basically pre-advise the head waiter, and he helps set up a future time for that night. This happened twice on our Easter Anthem sail in Port Canaveral and Nassau. As a matter of fact, we had a table for 8 and got the same table as assigned.

 

I've seen over time that many tables or seats for the early seating go unused and MTD are accommodated even prior to the 6:45 time frame

 

This.  If you know you’ll be late due to an excursion let your waiter now the night before.  They will usually want to accommodate and make you happy. Being late just because you didn’t get ready in time is different.  
 

DH has a food allergy and pre orders every night.  We have been late due to a ship excursion more then once. They have given him his food to go and we’ve taken it to the WJ. But usually they insist that we sit down and eat at an empty table. If we do that, we eat quickly and usually skip dessert so we can get out of their way for the next seating. On bigger ships, different maitre d, YMMV but it doesn’t hurt to ask. If it wasn’t for his allergy we’d just go to the WJ. 

[AC Stew]

15 minutes late "might" not be problematic if you're at a two top. But do you really want to possibly inconvenience the service flow and timing if you're at a larger table with others? And 30 minutes would be worse. Especially when Select Dining now starts after the early diners have departed.

 

On certain days there will (from time to time) be issues with checking in at your scheduled time. It happens. But the MDR's ability to minimize the impact of late arrivals is always ship specific and different circumstances will affect the potential outcome for others. A late "window" will always be different.

 

Probably, none of us would see the downline effects of arriving late. We're only aware of our own dining experience! So, it all comes down to trying to be considerate of your fellow cruisers. If you know that you'll be 30 minutes late, let the MDR know.

 

Just a thought ... what would happen if you strolled in 30 minutes late for a doctor or dentist or even a hair appointment?! 

[PokrChick]

13 minutes ago, AC Stew said:

Just a thought ... what would happen if you strolled in 30 minutes late for a doctor or dentist or even a hair appointment?! 

Or a dinner reservation at a restaurant.  Standard policy is to hold the table for 15 minutes.

[nelblu]

17 minutes ago, AC Stew said:

Just a thought ... what would happen if you strolled in 30 minutes late for a doctor or dentist or even a hair appointment?!

Under those circumstances, I would be on time.🤣

[AC Stew]

10 minutes ago, PokrChick said:

Or a dinner reservation at a restaurant.  Standard policy is to hold the table for 15 minutes.

Exactly. That's the real world.

 

The dining staff will always try to be accommodating. But it's on us to not take advantage.

[RobInMN]

42 minutes ago, AC Stew said:

Just a thought ... what would happen if you strolled in 30 minutes late for a doctor or dentist or even a hair appointment?! 

At the doctors office, if you're 30m late, you will still probably wait another 30m 🙂 

 

[firefly333]

3 hours ago, georgemoe said:

 

How do you know there was any inconvenience to anyone? You don't and there was none.

If you are now taking up 2 seats per pax, that's inconvenient to others. If all took 2 seats in Mdr they wouldnt have enough. Common sense to me. Now they have your fixed seat reserved for you plus now you want a 2nd seat.

 

I go to the Wj, never tried to be honest. I have had enough issues as a solo getting a assigned early seat. 

 

Whatever, I dont care, just think of everyone did this. MDR has enough issues without people now taking up 2 seats. I understand the comment.

Edited May 13 by firefly333

[Toddcan]

Showing up 30 mins late.... I wonder if these are the ones complaining about the food being sub-par?   After all, some of it was likely plated at the time everyone else was getting their courses, 30 mins earlier. 

[c-leg5]

17 minutes ago, firefly333 said:

If you are now taking up 2 seats per pax, that's inconvenient to others. If all took 2 seats in Mdr they wouldnt have enough. Common sense to me. Now they have your fixed seat reserved for you plus now you want a 2nd seat.

 

I go to the Wj, never tried to be honest. I have had enough issues as a solo getting a assigned early seat. 

 

Whatever, I dont care, just think of everyone did this. MDR has enough issues without people now taking up 2 seats. I understand the comment.

Whilst I don’t agree with the PP coming in so late without pre-arranging I don’t understand how they are taking extra seats if they go to their original table? With the doubling up of tables and sections for MTD however the PP may well find their table is no longer available if they do this regularly. 

 

I know some excursions seem to be planned to return late which is a problem with such early dining times (especially if they have been moved earlier on the ship) but this should be known in advance and arrangements can be made.
 

However if you are just “running late” through mismanagement of time, or you want flexibility, then this is what MTD should address and accommodate. Pre-Covid this was the case and worked effectively however it seems unfortunately Royal has made this option less accommodating and efficient now which is disappointing.

 

It doesn’t excuse rudeness of individual guests if this is what they have chosen and committed to early dining but likewise there is definitely a lack of organization and coordination on the company’s part in many aspects of the administration of different departments. 

[nelblu]

1 hour ago, firefly333 said:

If you are now taking up 2 seats per pax,

On my Harmony sail in December, my 3 tablemates had 9 extra seats to spread out.  4 solos for a table for 12.  On my February Anthem on the 1st 2 nights I was the only one on a table for 8.  Not complaining as the service was magnificent.🤣 

 

Many tables and seats available and dining room management reps constantly roaming my section of the dining room with their tablets identifying empty tables and seats and followed by diners to be seated.  

 

People complain that they can't get traditional early dining, but yet over the last 2 years whether it's Oasis, Harmony, Allure, Anthem, etc., I'm amazed at the number of tables and chairs available for diners.

[firefly333]

45 minutes ago, nelblu said:

On my Harmony sail in December, my 3 tablemates had 9 extra seats to spread out.  4 solos for a table for 12.  On my February Anthem on the 1st 2 nights I was the only one on a table for 8.  Not complaining as the service was magnificent.🤣 

 

Many tables and seats available and dining room management reps constantly roaming my section of the dining room with their tablets identifying empty tables and seats and followed by diners to be seated.  

 

People complain that they can't get traditional early dining, but yet over the last 2 years whether it's Oasis, Harmony, Allure, Anthem, etc., I'm amazed at the number of tables and chairs available for diners.

I've had multiple issues on oasis class. 11th at a family 10 top being the worst, and they never fixed it. Changed my reservation for chops, didnt send me notice. Oasis I had a table, 2nd night went to izumi went back next night and they were really rude. A couple came in saying it was their table, they had sat there every night. Impossible. I said I know I sat here night 1. Got moved, again no notice. They used to send notice to your cabin. My table was close to the entrance and easier for someone in a wheelchair so they moved me. Fine, but why not send me a notice. I could go on, just keep having issues. The pax in the wheelchair were so rude to me. No reason, I sat down and ordered because my card said it was my table. How would i know i was changed. 

 

No one but rcl gives solos a discount. When I hit pinnacle and lock it down, I plan on looking around at other lines. 

[nelblu]

18 minutes ago, firefly333 said:

Changed my reservation for chops, didnt send me notice

I had a similar experience on Oasis in August.  As soon a s I boarded, went to Chop's to exercise my BOGO coupon.  Got Chop's for the 2nd night for me and my son.  Added Giovanni's for the 2 of us for the 5th night.  I was with a party of 8 and the individual manning the front desk was having all sorts of problems for a simple transaction.  Finally, was resolved, so I thought.  A couple of days went by and my DIL noticed that Giovanni's reservation for the 8 of us was moved to the 4th night and never informed.😜 Thank God for the planner in the APP, otherwise it would have been a nightmare.

[PhillyFan33579]

16 hours ago, georgemoe said:

I was on Icon last week with the 5:00 main seating and arrived at 5:30 many times during the sailing. Others were doing it as well. We just walked directly to our table. May differ on other ships.

I doubt I was on your cruise, but people like you who show up late screw up the service for the rest of us who show up on time. 

[PhillyFan33579]

3 minutes ago, nelblu said:

I had a similar experience on Oasis in August.  As soon a s I boarded, went to Chop's to exercise my BOGO coupon.  Got Chop's for the 2nd night for me and my son.  Added Giovanni's for the 2 of us for the 5th night.  I was with a party of 8 and the individual manning the front desk was having all sorts of problems for a simple transaction.  Finally, was resolved, so I thought.  A couple of days went by and my DIL noticed that Giovanni's reservation for the 8 of us was moved to the 4th night and never informed.😜 Thank God for the planner in the APP, otherwise it would have been a nightmare.

I would be flexible/understanding if I were in your shoes since the D+ BOGO is only valid for the first two nights of the cruise per RCI’s rules.