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First Time Cruise


ecarswell

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I have booked our very first cruise in June 2014 to celebrate our daughter's graduation.  We are sailing out of Port Canaveral.  I have sooo many questions.  I will try to limit to one or two questions per post so I will not overwhelm everyone.   :)

 

My first questions

When I booked, the early dining time was full and I had to choose the later dining time.  We do not usually eat that late and I don't think my family will go for the later time.  I placed us on the waiting list for the earlier time.  Should I wait and see if spots will open up?  Is that a possibility?

Should I just go ahead and choose the My time dining so we can choose when we want to dine?  I noticed that if I choose that option, I must also choose the prepaid gratuities.  Is this also a better option?

 

Sorry to have so many questions.  Thanks in advance for all your help!!!

 

Elizabeth C

North Carolina

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Hi! You can go to the maitre d once on board and request the earlier seating. There usually is spots that open up in my experience. My time dining is a great option too. It helps spread cost of your trip and you can eat at different times each day depending on your activities if you wish. It's just like making reservations.

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We also like to dine earlier. We always select my time dining. Easy to get reservations between 5:30 - 6:15. Request them 2 months in advance on-line. You can pick same time same table or different times with different tables each night. Highly recommend Chops Grill speciality in lieu of MDR one night-- Superb!

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You are gonna have so much fun, which ship are you sailing on ?.

 

Shawn is right about going to the maitre d they always have spots available but you must do it as soon as you get on board :) .

 

I'm with Don about Chops Grill we spent both our formal nights there and it was fantastic, probably the best Steaks you will ever have.

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Don & Darkcarbbie are so right! Chops is wonderful! Nice quiet dinner! Wonderful service! This past July, my wife and I had dinner twice on Enchantment for my 40th. One night was while in Nassau! City skyline at night out the window. Great selection on the menu. Though I do miss the rack of lamb .

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Don't worry about the waitlist.  If you get to your cruise and you are still on the waitlist, just go speak with the head waiter on the day you board your cruise and ask them about availability in moving from second to first seating.  If you get there early (by 1pm or so), you should have no problem getting changed.  You should keep in mind the table and/or location of the table may not be ideal but better to eat at 6, right?

 

Frankly, I don't love My Time Dining.  I've had friends that did not care for it and personally, I prefer to have the same wait staff at the same table in the MDR.  I'm more of a traditionalist in that sense but I'd keep second seating before opting for My Time.  Just my 2 cents.

 

Welcome to the boards and feel free to ask as many questions as you like!

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I have booked our very first cruise in June 2014 to celebrate our daughter's graduation.  We are sailing out of Port Canaveral.  I have sooo many questions.  I will try to limit to one or two questions per post so I will not overwhelm everyone.   :)

 

My first questions

When I booked, the early dining time was full and I had to choose the later dining time.  We do not usually eat that late and I don't think my family will go for the later time.  I placed us on the waiting list for the earlier time.  Should I wait and see if spots will open up?  Is that a possibility?

Should I just go ahead and choose the My time dining so we can choose when we want to dine?  I noticed that if I choose that option, I must also choose the prepaid gratuities.  Is this also a better option?

 

Sorry to have so many questions.  Thanks in advance for all your help!!!whatever you decide about dinng time, don't forget crusing is worry & decision free, if you can't make up your mind about what you want for diner or dessert, you can have one of each! Just ask your waiter, he or she will take care of it.

 

Elizabeth C

North Carolina

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You are gonna have so much fun, which ship are you sailing on ?.

 

Shawn is right about going to the maitre d they always have spots available but you must do it as soon as you get on board :) .

 

I'm with Don about Chops Grill we spent both our formal nights there and it was fantastic, probably the best Steaks you will ever have.

We are sailing on Enchantment of the Seas.  

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Don't worry about the waitlist.  If you get to your cruise and you are still on the waitlist, just go speak with the head waiter on the day you board your cruise and ask them about availability in moving from second to first seating.  If you get there early (by 1pm or so), you should have no problem getting changed.  You should keep in mind the table and/or location of the table may not be ideal but better to eat at 6, right?

 

Frankly, I don't love My Time Dining.  I've had friends that did not care for it and personally, I prefer to have the same wait staff at the same table in the MDR.  I'm more of a traditionalist in that sense but I'd keep second seating before opting for My Time.  Just my 2 cents.

 

Welcome to the boards and feel free to ask as many questions as you like!

Thanks for the information Matt.  I have been a listener of WDW Today for about 5 years now, and you have helped me plan several Disney World vacations.  I look forward to some great advice!

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Thanks for the information Matt.  I have been a listener of WDW Today for about 5 years now, and you have helped me plan several Disney World vacations.  I look forward to some great advice!

Glad to be of service!  And feel free to ask all the questions you have, that's what this forum is here for!

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Matt and Don have a really good point about keeping the same waitstaff from night to night! I have some very specific dietary request! And having the same waiter keeps me from explaining it every night! They learn and remember you by name and make you feel SO special!

The prepaid tips is fine, but you might even want to add a little extra for the really good folks you take such amazing care of you! We love RCCL...and have had some great trips!

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Matt and Don have a really good point about keeping the same waitstaff from night to night! I have some very specific dietary request! And having the same waiter keeps me from explaining it every night! They learn and remember you by name and make you feel SO special!

The prepaid tips is fine, but you might even want to add a little extra for the really good folks you take such amazing care of you! We love RCCL...and have had some great trips!

If you have special dietary restrictions, I would also recommend speaking to the head waiter because they can arrange for the chef to prepare something special for you.  Your waiters will obviously help you too but the head waiter is your "gate keeper" to getting something different than what the menu offers.

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On Enchantment this past July, we went to Chops the first and third night. Chops is so consistent in the service and food! We love going each cruise. We had heard from others going to Chops on the first night was a great idea for a quiet relaxed dinner though i personally wouldn't recommend it for first time cruisers. I am a traditionalist too and prefer seeing the same wait staff nightly. After only meeting us the second night, our waiter saw us from across the dining room and came to say good morning the next day and chat. Our original table for this cruise was originally a large group in the center of the dining room, but we ask the maitre d to change us to a small table. We usually love a large table, but wanted a small intimate table for this trip. The maitre d switched us with no problem. The service all over the ship was wonderful. The cruise director was great. We realized after his trade mark "bing bong." It makes you smile every time! Even though it rained almost the entire cruise, we had a great time. The captain left coco cay early because on the rain so we could have so extra time in Nassau. They really try to make your cruise the best!!

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We're sailing Enchantment mid-Dec -- Nassau, Coco Cay, sea day. 1st time on Enchantment, will give the blog some feed back.

Can't wait to hear back your thoughts Don!

 

On Enchantment this past July, we went to Chops the first and third night. Chops is so consistent in the service and food! We love going each cruise. We had heard from others going to Chops on the first night was a great idea for a quiet relaxed dinner though i personally wouldn't recommend it for first time cruisers. I am a traditionalist too and prefer seeing the same wait staff nightly. After only meeting us the second night, our waiter saw us from across the dining room and came to say good morning the next day and chat. Our original table for this cruise was originally a large group in the center of the dining room, but we ask the maitre d to change us to a small table. We usually love a large table, but wanted a small intimate table for this trip. The maitre d switched us with no problem. The service all over the ship was wonderful. The cruise director was great. We realized after his trade mark "bing bong." It makes you smile every time! Even though it rained almost the entire cruise, we had a great time. The captain left coco cay early because on the rain so we could have so extra time in Nassau. They really try to make your cruise the best!!

That story is really a microcosm of why I enjoy cruising on Royal Caribbean so much.  I love that kind of service and friendliness!

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I have booked our very first cruise in June 2014 to celebrate our daughter's graduation.  We are sailing out of Port Canaveral.  I have sooo many questions.  I will try to limit to one or two questions per post so I will not overwhelm everyone.   :)

 

My first questions

When I booked, the early dining time was full and I had to choose the later dining time.  We do not usually eat that late and I don't think my family will go for the later time.  I placed us on the waiting list for the earlier time.  Should I wait and see if spots will open up?  Is that a possibility?

Should I just go ahead and choose the My time dining so we can choose when we want to dine?  I noticed that if I choose that option, I must also choose the prepaid gratuities.  Is this also a better option?

 

Sorry to have so many questions.  Thanks in advance for all your help!!!

 

Elizabeth C

North Carolina

Don't worry about asking too many questions--people on this blog get off on answering questions about Royal Caribbean, me included. Fire away! :-)

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Hm. I'm going on Majesty for Nassau and Coco Cay. Very similar itineraries--different departure ports! Will offer feedback, for sure!

 

we liked that itinerary as it included Key West, but choose Enchantment as Port Canaveral only one day drive for us. We'll catch Key West again on a longer Western or Eastern Caribbean trip

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We also like to dine earlier. We always select my time dining. Easy to get reservations between 5:30 - 6:15. Request them 2 months in advance on-line. You can pick same time same table or different times with different tables each night. Highly recommend Chops Grill speciality in lieu of MDR one night-- Superb!

I agree with eating at Chops or any of the other specialty dining restaurants onboard. The Main Dining Room is great but specialty dining makes the meal extra special. And I also dine earlier rather than later. 

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Wow!  What a lot of great responses.  On the topic of meals.. (remember I have NEVER been on a cruise).  What is the seating like?  Are we seated with other guests, or would my family of 4 be at a table by ourselves.  We are actually booked in two rooms (since having 4 people -two of them teenage girls- using one bathroom is not fun at all).  Would this affect any reservations for dining?  

Thanks in advance!!

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Wow!  What a lot of great responses.  On the topic of meals.. (remember I have NEVER been on a cruise).  What is the seating like?  Are we seated with other guests, or would my family of 4 be at a table by ourselves.  We are actually booked in two rooms (since having 4 people -two of them teenage girls- using one bathroom is not fun at all).  Would this affect any reservations for dining?  

Thanks in advance!!

Main dining room seating is based on availability. The cruise line will make every effort to accommodate your request for a table of 4 if you want. Otherwise you might get sat at a larger table with another family. It is up to you. If you opt for My Time Dining, you will be sat by yourselves at a table of 4.

 

Regarding the same wait staff each night for My Time Dining: If you make a MTD reservation each day (say after lunch) and request the same table number with the same staff, you should get that request, unless someone else has already taken it. I did this once. I'm not a fan of MTD, but I did request the same table, because I liked the location and the same staff because I like seeing the same people every night. They learn your names and what you like to drink, so it is like seeing a familiar face each night.

 

Feel free to ask anything questions! You can never know enough about cruising!

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If you want to sit with the people in the other cabin, make sure you or travel agent links your reservations together in Royal Caribbean's system.

 

For traditional dining, you really wont know the seating arrangement until your first day onboard.  What I like to do on embarkation day is go to the main dining room after I eat lunch in the Windjammer and look for your table (the table number is on your SeaPass card).  You can then see how large your table is and that will tell you if others will be seated with you or not.

 

If you want a change, now is the time to ask the head waiter on duty about a change.  They will try their best to accommodate you but I've had good luck with this strategy.

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Sitting at larger tables is a fun way of learning of activities and other experiences taking place on board the ship. A nice way to end the day over a meal hearing people's experiences and upcoming plans.

On our Freedom of the Seas cruise back in February, we sat with two different groups at our main dining room and had a great time.  It's a bit of a crap shoot in terms who you sit with (some people aren't talkative) but more often than not, it's fun.

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Yeah it can be a crap shoot. We have switched a couple of times. And it's just as easy as you said. On our honeymoon, we got switched to a table with 3 other honeymoon couples from Brazil, Peurto Rico, and Spain. We had the best time. Only one couple could only speak Spanish but others would translate for us. Just curious, all of us have talked about doing the specialty restaurant on Formal night, but might they miss a dining room "show"? What are some of the "shows" they are doing now in the dining room?

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