5:15 dining time question

[egd207]

So this may be a silly question but I'm not sure.  I had MTD on my last cruise.  This cruise we opted for the 5:15 seating.  Does that mean we just show up on any given night that we are eating in the main dining room, or do we need to make reservation, and if we have dinner at specialty restaurant do we need to let them know we are not coming?

[Ryan79]

If you already selected 5:15 seating, that IS your reservation. You don’t have to do anything else other than show up and eat! 

[KristiZ]

27 minutes ago, egd207 said:

So this may be a silly question but I'm not sure.  I had MTD on my last cruise.  This cruise we opted for the 5:15 seating.  Does that mean we just show up on any given night that we are eating in the main dining room, or do we need to make reservation, and if we have dinner at specialty restaurant do we need to let them know we are not coming?

We always do traditional seating. As a courtesy, we let our servers know if we will be gone the next night due to specialty dining, late shore excursion, or whatever. They appreciate knowing ahead, but it is not mandatory.

[PPPJJ-GCVAB]

Typically the traditional reservation, as you have for your cruise, means everyone with the 5:15 time must  be in MDR no later than 5:30 at which time the doors close.

[egd207]

Thank for the information.  I will see how traditional dining vs MTD is for us.  Then we can determine for future cruises what we prefer.

[Bryan S]

9 hours ago, PPPJJ-GCVAB said:

Typically the traditional reservation, as you have for your cruise, means everyone with the 5:15 time must  be in MDR no later than 5:30 at which time the doors close.

I wish it worked this way consistently but this hasn't been our experience. As recently as July on Allure we were sat as a couple at a 10 top and were told we had to wait for the others who never showed. only after 40 or so minutes were we allowed to order. We changed to a two-top to avoid a nightly recurrence.

Regardless, I enjoy the consistency of having the same server and assistant. I order iced tea each evening. After the second evening they stop asking.

[PPPJJ-GCVAB]

So I much prefer a set dining time vs MTD.  I was “forced” into MTD for the cruise I am currently on and it’s been issue after issue!  The reason I say forced is because I did have the late dining reservation, however…apparently there were so many traditional set reservations for the early and late seatings that they moved many passengers to MTD.  I along with my daughter and our friends were unlucky enough to get moved.  Trying to get a set time for MTD is like pulling teeth!  We finally (after 3 nights of asking and our friend even “duped” one of the girls at the reservation desk) were allowed to keep the same table and waiters.  So last night and tonight we have a nice table and 6:30 time.
I miss the atmosphere of the regular seating when you walk into the dining room and all the waiters are lined up waiting for their diners!  MTD is “cold” and impersonal.