EddieC Posted February 22, 2023 Report Share Posted February 22, 2023 Hi everyone, my wife will be sailing on our first cruise in August and we’re wondering if we book a “my time dining” reservation for 2 will we actually get a table for 2 or will we be seated with other people? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SpeedNoodles Posted February 22, 2023 Report Share Posted February 22, 2023 With MyTIme Dining you will be seated for just the two of you. Ryan79 and EddieC 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EddieC Posted February 22, 2023 Author Report Share Posted February 22, 2023 Awesome! I did not know that. Thank you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WAAAYTOOO Posted February 22, 2023 Report Share Posted February 22, 2023 Word of caution regarding 2-top dinner tables in the MDR... Most of the MDR have the majority 2-tops configured so that, while a table for 2, they are jammed so close together that you might as well be sitting at a table for 4-6. If you truly want a PRIVATE table for 2, I recommend you ask for that up front. There usually aren't many such tables, so they generally are claimed very quickly. We usually ask for a table for 2-top along the "balcony" looking down on the big downstairs dining room or one of the few that are stuck in a corner or somewhere else, off by themselves. If you do not ask for this, trust me, you will end up in one of the long lines of 2-tops that are strung together and absolutely NOT private. bobroo, FloatyBoaty, Neesa and 2 others 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EddieC Posted February 22, 2023 Author Report Share Posted February 22, 2023 5 hours ago, WAAAYTOOO said: Word of caution regarding 2-top dinner tables in the MDR... Most of the MDR have the majority 2-tops configured so that, while a table for 2, they are jammed so close together that you might as well be sitting at a table for 4-6. If you truly want a PRIVATE table for 2, I recommend you ask for that up front. There usually aren't many such tables, so they generally are claimed very quickly. We usually ask for a table for 2-top along the "balcony" looking down on the big downstairs dining room or one of the few that are stuck in a corner or somewhere else, off by themselves. If you do not ask for this, trust me, you will end up in one of the long lines of 2-tops that are strung together and absolutely NOT private. Ok. How do I do that? Do I leave a note when I make the reservation online or do I go see the head waiter when we board? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WAAAYTOOO Posted February 22, 2023 Report Share Posted February 22, 2023 32 minutes ago, EddieC said: Ok. How do I do that? Do I leave a note when I make the reservation online or do I go see the head waiter when we board? Go directly to the MDR when you board and chat with the person at the podium who is making reservations. Ryan79 and Neesa 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScottD Posted February 24, 2023 Report Share Posted February 24, 2023 On 2/22/2023 at 2:21 PM, EddieC said: Ok. How do I do that? Do I leave a note when I make the reservation online or do I go see the head waiter when we board? Depending on how far out your cruise is, you can email rcldining@rccl.com. I requested a table for just the 3 of us (window if possible) and were given an emailed response confirming the table, but not the window part...we ended up exactly where @WAAAYTOOO mentioned...on the top floor of the MDR, right on the rail looking down at the other two floors, which was nice. It took a full month for the response, so if you don't hear from them before the cruise...then go ahead and talk to the MDR staff on boarding day. Neesa and EddieC 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EddieC Posted February 24, 2023 Author Report Share Posted February 24, 2023 @ScottD Should I make the reservation first then email the request? Or email the request and they make the reservation? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smokeybandit Posted February 24, 2023 Report Share Posted February 24, 2023 For MTD, I'm not sure emailing them will help since it'll be heavily dependent on the actual cruise itself. ScottD 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScottD Posted February 24, 2023 Report Share Posted February 24, 2023 Yeah, I didn't realize it was MTD.... I guess you can give it a shot.. make the reservation then email them with the time you reserved and request the private table. I think they'll still at least respond and either tell you they took care of it, or they'll suggest you do it on board. EddieC 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ampurp85 Posted February 24, 2023 Report Share Posted February 24, 2023 MTD guest will be sat a table for two but the odds of it being "private" is the problem. Even those tables along the railing like @WAAAYTOOO suggest still won't be too private. I always do MTD and am sat alone but tables are in close proximity so you won't have as much privacy as you would get in other restaurants. WAAAYTOOO 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
togo Posted March 3, 2023 Report Share Posted March 3, 2023 Is there a way to at least get a table for two? I must be doing something wrong when I book. Because we are always placed with a group despite asking for a table for two at booking. Then we spend an hour stressing with the maitre d, to get it changed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ampurp85 Posted March 3, 2023 Report Share Posted March 3, 2023 15 minutes ago, togo said: Is there a way to at least get a table for two? I must be doing something wrong when I book. Because we are always placed with a group despite asking for a table for two at booking. Then we spend an hour stressing with the maitre d, to get it changed. With traditional dining I believe you have to be a party of 3 to automatically get a table not with others. Otherwise even with a request you may get stuck at a table for 8 with other randos. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FloatyBoaty Posted March 3, 2023 Report Share Posted March 3, 2023 43 minutes ago, togo said: Is there a way to at least get a table for two? I must be doing something wrong when I book. Because we are always placed with a group despite asking for a table for two at booking. Then we spend an hour stressing with the maitre d, to get it changed. If you have traditional dining, go to the dining room as soon as you board - don't wait until dinnertime. I add it to my list of booking entertaining, booking specialty dining as my priorities. There will be a line, but I have never not gotten what I requested when making the request right away. Maybe this is what you're already doing? If so, then for me, the only time spent is waiting in the line - once at the podium it's been taken care of quickly. That's been my experience anyway. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
togo Posted March 3, 2023 Report Share Posted March 3, 2023 2 hours ago, FloatyBoaty said: If you have traditional dining, go to the dining room as soon as you board - don't wait until dinnertime. I add it to my list of booking entertaining, booking specialty dining as my priorities. There will be a line, but I have never not gotten what I requested when making the request right away. Maybe this is what you're already doing? If so, then for me, the only time spent is waiting in the line - once at the podium it's been taken care of quickly. That's been my experience anyway. Yes, that is what I have been doing. But is that how it should be? Just seems like it should be done when booking. Unless, I need to state it explicitly to have a table for two, which i can't remember if I've been doing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FloatyBoaty Posted March 3, 2023 Report Share Posted March 3, 2023 (edited) 1 hour ago, togo said: Yes, that is what I have been doing. But is that how it should be? Just seems like it should be done when booking. Unless, I need to state it explicitly to have a table for two, which i can't remember if I've been doing. I use a travel agent. I know she knows that that is our preference, but not sure how anything goes through the system until you are actually on the ship. I believe one of Matt's "first things to do" recommendations after boarding is to check out your table location, so that's how I just started getting in line to check. One time, while traveling solo, I did try out the group table thing. It was ok, but not for me. I now request single tables when I cruise solo as well. As people have mentioned, many of the 2-tops are so close together that sometimes you end up striking up a conversation with your neighbors, but at least you are not stuck doing dinner at their pace. Oh, and is that how it should be? No idea - they have way more experience at this than me. When you look at these boards and see that people are trying to join their parties together, switch times, (and nothing wrong with any of that) etc etc, it just seems like everything is still in motion until people board. Edited March 3, 2023 by FloatyBoaty add to reply Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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