NEW BENEFIT: My Time Dining Fleetwide

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cruisingator

Guest
They just need to become more consistent with it. On the Freedom back in November it worked perfect. Just show up any time between 6 and 9:30 and we never had to wait. On the Adventure OTS a few weeks back, they wanted a time for each night. That is not MTD. We ended up not even eating in the dining room other than one lunch the entire cruise. I did not care of the attitude of the dining staff. If RCI can get their act together on this, I will love it.
 
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PH8

Guest
Monarch is the same way/.........you had to choose a time.............sorta defeats the purpose.......
 
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Conniemc

Guest
Definitely not a fan of anytime dining. Many reasons, but the one I read most recently is the biggest. The poster stated he gets really tired of "whats your name" "where are you from" "is this your first cruise" "what do you do for a living" with a different group of people every night. You never really get to "know" anyone. I agree completely. I tried Anytime once....now if I can't get reserved seating with same table and waiter, I don't book.
 
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CRUZINQUEEN

Guest
Also not a fan, I will post a note to RCI....I like building a relationship with a group over a cruise, my next cruise is a foursome, so no problems.....
 
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LindaInCT

Guest
Hmmmm... do you have to participate in MTD?? We have a table for four reserved already for late seating. Does that mean they won't honor it?
 
A

AJ coast

Guest
This Just In:

My Time Dining is now available for selection online at RCCL.com. No more need to call in. Thank you for this enhancement(tu)
 
A

AJ coast

Guest
LindaInCT said:
Hmmmm... do you have to participate in MTD?? We have a table for four reserved already for late seating. Does that mean they won't honor it?
Click to expand...

No, My Time Dining coincides with the traditional dining times of first and second seating.
 
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Conniemc

Guest
AJ coast said:
This Just In:

My Time Dining is now available for selection online at RCCL.com. No more need to call in. Thank you for this enhancement(tu)
Click to expand...

Why did you repost the same thing...I don't see any posters who seem excited about this at all.=huh
 
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jetblue

Guest
I'm just curious how does this work? Do they reserve one floor of the dining room for MTD and the other floor(s) are still traditional, or will people be coming and going around me while I enjoy my traditional dining?
 
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Conniemc

Guest
Depends on the line, but generally, they are completely different dining rooms with different names. Same food, just different locations and tablemates and waiters everynight, if you're doing anytime dining.

The fixed seating ensures you the same table, dining compansions, waiter, etc. each evening. Unfortunately, and ESPECIALLY now with mandatory tipping, you will find tablemates may not show up at all on many evenings...they're not so concerned about the cruise etiquette of past (normally one would advise the table if they were not dining the following evening as to not hold up the entire service waiting for them)...and the normal comradarie may be off. I found my last fixed seating BIZARRE. Many nights were 75% full, many 20% full...just no rhyme or reason to it. And the waiters seemed far less concerned about remembering your name and preferences.
 
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CRUZINQUEEN

Guest
Yeah, I agree with Connie people coming and going throughout a meal, the lack of building relationships, knowing your likes and dislikes, I have cruised solo many times, and with this change, I would hesitate. The camaradie built, and friendships made, that last to this day. My next cruise is a foursome, and we may choose for the first time to dine alone. I have always chosen a large table for 20 cruises !
 
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nhl101

Guest
I agree with many of you. We're not fans of "anytime dining." Tried NCL's Freestyle Dining in 2008 on the Gem and didn't like it at all. Not only do you not get acquainted with table mates, but a solid relationship with the wait staff is never established. The Gem's attitude was a tad snooty on occasion as well, and more than half the restaurants had fees.
 
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Conniemc

Guest
I dunno, but it seems to me the only people who like it are couples who "vant to be alone"....:couple

Which begs the question - why did Carnival take that route with their fleet?=huh

I also have lifelong friendships with tablemates, as did my parents, and every other long time cruiser I know. It was part of the treasure of cruising.
 
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mickeyboy7

Guest
I have to agree with Conniemc on this one...I really enjoy my new pals at dinner and by the end of each cruise we usually become fast friends.:)-D
 
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janz

Guest
I guess we are the odd ones. Have done enough "fixed" on Celebrity and now do enjoy the flexible options on other ships. We found we enjoy not having a set time to dine. :)-D
 
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Luci

Guest
I have had the experience of ANY TIME DINNING. You just have to have a talk with the Matri D' that you want a certain table for dinner every night
at a set time. It has worked for me on the Princess cruise lines.

Times have changed since the 1970's when I would have a wonderful time with the people at my dinner tables on each cruise.

On my most recent cruise on the Star Princess... I had confirmed early dinner seating. We noticed that there were two tables near us who would just show up for dinner on formal nights. Their problem was that they had young kids with them. Their spoiled toddlers would make their dinner a hardship on them so they would finish dinner early on formal nights. Plus, maybe the whole families couldn't get ready to eat dinner at the appointed time? SO...... Any time dinning most likely worked for them better.

Like I have said.... times have changed and on some cruises I never knew if our table mates were planning to show up or not so I would go ahead and order my food. I am a slow eater anyway. Plus, I have gotten into the bad habit of asking for the desert menu before I finish eating so I can see if I want to eat desert or not. I mostly prefer the deserts at the buffet.lol.
On my last cruise it was really funny because everybody wanted to see my desert menu and it was passed around. By the time it was desert time everybody already knew what they wanted. Lucy
 
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Mbandy

Guest
One other thing is that if you book my time dining you are required to pre pay your gratuities at the time you book.
 
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traveltime

Guest
OK, I'm an odd-gal out here. A few thoughts - I am a very outgoing person, never meet a stranger type of person. While I do love meeting new people on cruises, personally, I prefer the anytime dining (i.e., Freestyle Dining on NCL) and I'm looking forward to it on AOS next month. I prefer to be able to come in from port when I want to rather than because I need "x" amount of time to get ready for dinner, etc. My husband and I have met some wonderful people who were dinner companions on other cruises, BUT, have you ever been "stuck" with some people whom you did not click with, who were obnoxiously loud, were not in ANY way sociable, etc.? Makes for a very uncomfortable time. True, most people I've met at dinner add to a wonderful cruise experience, and like some of the rest of you, my husband & I are still in contact with some of these folks. :thumb
 
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