JennyB

we prepurchased for our July Navigator sailing.

I booked them for my July Navigator cruise. I am looking forward to it not being super crowded and a bit more quiet than on the ship or at the pool/water park. I wanna hear the ocean and sleep in the sun. I paid $35.

You can do either. If you're not sure at all, you can always just walk up and wait for a table, same as if you were at home at a land restaurant. If you're that unsure I definitely would NOT recommend you sign up for traditional seating at all, so they aren't saving a dedicated table/space for you.

I wasn't concerned about carrying around a cup on our cruises because I do that at home anyway. I always have an insulated tumbler with me with/for water. I guess it's a personal preference. I don't mind them at all. And I'm not a mug snob. If it keeps my drink covered, I'm fine.

I always have 2 cents...so here they are... Yes, MTD=My Time Dining. MDR=Main Dining Room. I have seen "set time" and "traditional" used interchangeably...Those are the 2 "set times" in the MDR, usually 5:30 and 8:00, but from what I understand that can vary a bit depending on ship and/or region, like @WAAAYTOOO said. You would be expected to be "on time"...I would say, like others have said, that if you think you'll be late an evening or two, you might consider MTD. That lets you choose your time each evening. The Main Dining Room (traditional times) and the My Time Dining are on separate decks...so someone from MTD won't be "in your seat" when you get there (and vise versa). And yes, you CAN walk up to the MTD room like at a "regular" land-based restaurant, but you might have a short wait like you would at home. For me personally...we choose MTD and then usually choose somewhere between 6-6:45 for our dinner. We have only ever been at a table with our friends/family who are cruising with us. It would be courteous to let your tablemates/server know if you will not be joining them one night, so they aren't waiting on you to place orders. We have traveled with just the two of us at a small rectangular 2-person table, it was a bit cramped, but not uncomfortable. We sat at a round 4-top with our friends and we all had enough room on the table for all our plates/tableware and elbow room. We sat at a round 6-person table when we traveled with my brother and SIL and my parents for their 50th anny. Each time, we chose MTD and each time we sat at the same table with the same servers each evening. Just my opinion, but I enjoy taking a long time for dinner, dressed a bit nicer than throughout the rest of the day, having people wait on me AND having time to chat with my family and friends at a leisurely pace and not feel like I am stuffing myself to hurry and leave. Also, like @WAAAYTOOO I do not enjoy small talk. I am on vacation to relax and spend time with the person/people I am traveling with. Sitting at a table with strangers AND eating in front of them is NOT my idea of a good time. So, MTD it is!

Illy was on the Indy in December.

As @VinceC said...do that...but also remember that the app is not always 100% accurate. But it will give you a good idea. Also once you are on the ship, there is usually a menu posted outside the MDR with the evenings offerings.

Yep...every.single.day. Just because it's good reading! and it gets me pumped for our upcoming cruises!

You might receive an email. It would be advertising the Royal Up bid program. Not everyone gets those emails though. I am not sure if you can just request to bid.

never knew about this LOL this will be our 4th cruise. "Private departure lounge with continental breakfast "

Our daughter and SIL just moved to Maryborough, QLD and we are looking at the possibility of doing one of those cruises when we come to visit them next summer for 3 weeks.

We are at 55 days out for our cruise and it's still just showing "We've found your reservation, please check back for cruise detail closer to departure".

I didn't read all the comments, yes, but have they ever rotated shows between the ships?

yes there is and yes you will pay way more on the ship for those items than you would if you just pack them and bring them with you.

awesome!!!

It's definitely a personal thing. For us, part of how we view cruises (so far) is that we want to go ashore to explore places in the world that we would not normally get to visit. Vacations mean different things for different people/families. Do what you want and don't feel guilty or like you missed something you didn't choose to do. It's YOUR vacation. ?

check out this thread.

No question is too silly. There is a LOT of information here. We have never NOT gone ashore, I know lots of people on here have. Maybe because we haven't really cruised enough to be "tired" of a port. But we HAVE gone ashore and NOT done an excursion, just walked around and done our own thing.

Same...we've let our children choose where we go on family vacay the summer they graduate. DD chose WDW and now our youngest says WDW...summer 2021.

if they do, it probably won't happen until you're ON the ship...but someone else will also chime in and answer.

Thanks for sharing @twangster He usually goes and gets a latte for me in the mornings. He's a morning person. I. AM. NOT. He usually gets my coffee and might grab something for himself at WJ to hold him over until I'm up and ready for breakfast in the MDR. LOL

I'll ask this question here since room service was mentioned. Someone mentioned (maybe on another thread) how they have a pot of coffee delivered through room-service each morning...can I order specialty coffees through room service in the mornings? or does DH still have to run to get them for me? ?

Thanks for asking this question...I too am NOT a waterpark/slide fan. My DH and 2 boys are doing the waterpark all day, I rented beach loungers for the day. LOL I was wondering if I would be able to walk around and take pics of them. Now I know!

where?

come on July 8!!!