Variable dining

[kdowneymd]

HAve just booked Voyager late September and given alternative dining rather than traditional. Past three cruises on RCCl always had early dining. Our only experience with open seating was last year on HAL and we had mixed reviews, loved the flexibility missed having someone who knew our desires right off the bat and knowing exactly where to go and sit down. This cruise will only be my husband and myself so it will also be different in that we usually have a group of six. Would be interested in knowing recent traveller's experiences especially if just two persons, thank-you

[cb at sea]

It's only the 2 of us cruising--so we ask for a larger table. Don't get me wrong--we enjoy our time together, but after 34 years, we ENJOY having others to share meals with! We have ample "alone" time all day long--at meals we like conversation, laughter and a bit of fun!

With the My Time Dining, you can still request to be seated with others. Or, go it alone...your choice. If you want to make a standing reservation, you can do that, too, and request the same waitstaff daily.

Since I don't always want the same thing everyday, having the same waiter doesn't matter much, to me. I don't mind making a request, since they will fulfill it, posthaste!

[Chimpy Boudreaux]

With the My Time Dining, you can still request to be seated with others. Or, go it alone...your choice. If you want to make a standing reservation, you can do that, too, and request the same waitstaff daily.

 

How does that work? Do you go straight to the maitre d at the beginning of the cruise to set up your arrangements or do it beforehand through your travel agent?

[kdowneymd]

It seems to me unless you know staff from a previous cruise requesting staff will be a result of sevral nights observations.

[love2vacation]

We requested this on our Jewel cruise and loved it because we think 6pm is too eary and 8:30 too late. :o

 

The maitre d called our room the day we boarded and asked what time we wanted to dine. We where a bit surprised because we thought we would not need to make a reservation. :confused: First night we dined alone and zipped right through the meal.

 

My DH mentioned the same thing as a previous poster that 10 nights of dining alone might get a bit boring so we asked three other couples in or CC group if they would like to dine together each night. This worked out great. Some nights one or another of us ate at another venue but for the most part we ate together each night at the same table for 8. A couple nights we ate at 7:30 and the rest of the cruise we made a standing reservation for 7pm.

 

With a group of 8 you will not get through dinner any sooner than usual and you may have to remind he waiters about your wine (left from the night before) but we liked MTD because we prefer to eat at 7 or 7:30.

 

Half of our group liked the my time dining and half decided they would go back to early or late. Not sure why but some people do like the more traditional seatings.

 

We always made the shows in time so that was not a problem at all.

I think the head waiter worked very hard in MTD to get to every table.

 

We have requested MTD for our February cruise and I hope we can meet up with some dining companions so we don't have to dine alone all 7 nights. ;)

 

Another note- we saw other smaller groups come in at different times and eat at open tables so I know it can be done.