WAAAYTOOO Posted May 18, 2017 Report Share Posted May 18, 2017 RUMOR ONLY !! Unconfirmed rumor that some MTD reservations have been cancelled on Harmony. The explanation from Customer Service is that MTD is being eliminated. I don't know more than that and there is every reason to believe that this is typical RCI CS misinformation. Will be interesting to see how this one goes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coneyraven Posted May 18, 2017 Report Share Posted May 18, 2017 NOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!! I hope it just stays a rumor and NOT become a fact. Geema 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WAAAYTOOO Posted May 18, 2017 Author Report Share Posted May 18, 2017 I don't really see how they can truly eliminate it. It is far too popular. Perhaps they are just reorganizing or rescoping it in some way. Or maybe there is no truth to any of it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
monorailmedic Posted May 18, 2017 Report Share Posted May 18, 2017 I'm interested to hear more, but I find this terrifically unlikely. Perhaps a change is coming to it? When NCL started the "Freestyle Cruising" almost every line adopted some of the basics (especially around dining) in short order b/c it was a huge success, and customers, as far as I can tell, continue to demand that option, which I wouldn't think represents a very large cost to cruise lines. Anything could happen - let's see. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt Posted May 18, 2017 Report Share Posted May 18, 2017 I would be shocked to discover that is the case....unless it was being replaced by some sort of Dynamic Dining 2.0 coneyraven 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FManke Posted May 18, 2017 Report Share Posted May 18, 2017 Seems like this would be a huge PR mistake, taking into account how popular it is. If they are eliminating MTD all together, as reported, why were only some of the reservations cancelled. If they were totally eliminating the program, wouldn't they cancel all the reservations? Why do it only half way? Where and how was this discovered? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tiny260 Posted May 18, 2017 Report Share Posted May 18, 2017 I read some of the thread on CC and it seemed like that one's that were commenting were all of very large groups 8 to 12 people and they some how booked that through MTD. I've never used MTD before, I've always eaten at a specialty restaurant our used the standard late seating as my choice, but for my upcoming Liberty (5-28) I did book MTD on the nights I didn't have a specialty restaurant. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coneyraven Posted May 18, 2017 Report Share Posted May 18, 2017 1 hour ago, Matt said: I would be shocked to discover that is the case....unless it was being replaced by some sort of Dynamic Dining 2.0 I could handle Dynamic Dining ... In theory, it seemed like a lot fun, although, I wonder if it would ever work on the smaller ships with limited dining options. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tiny260 Posted May 18, 2017 Report Share Posted May 18, 2017 I did what I assume was/is the precursor to Dynamic Dining on RCCL on a Disney cruise, it was actually pretty cool, at first I didn't think i would like it, but since your same wait staff moved with you it was a non-event. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DocLC Posted May 18, 2017 Report Share Posted May 18, 2017 Best guess: no advanced reservations for MTD, but MTD will continue to exist. If reservations are taken, they'll be day of only. janza, FManke and monorailmedic 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WAAAYTOOO Posted May 18, 2017 Author Report Share Posted May 18, 2017 38 minutes ago, DocLC said: Best guess: no advanced reservations for MTD, but MTD will continue to exist. If reservations are taken, they'll be day of only. This makes sense to me. DocLC 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
monorailmedic Posted May 18, 2017 Report Share Posted May 18, 2017 40 minutes ago, DocLC said: Best guess: no advanced reservations for MTD, but MTD will continue to exist. If reservations are taken, they'll be day of only. That's the smart money DocLC 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DocLC Posted May 18, 2017 Report Share Posted May 18, 2017 For what it's worth, I've only done MTD since 2014 and NEVER made a reservation. Thus, if this is the change, it's one I can get behind (unlike charging for room service). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WAAAYTOOO Posted May 18, 2017 Author Report Share Posted May 18, 2017 If this turns out to be true in some way (still far from being known) then I suspect it will be the result of an excessive number of no-shows. We always do MTD and we always make reservations at the very earliest reservation time (usually 5:30). Since we rarely eat at specialty restaurants and I loathe the Windjammer, we usually keep our reservations or at the very least, let them know when are not going to be there. I have noticed, eating so early, that we are very commonly the only diners in our entire section of the dining room ! I don't know if those tables were reserved and were no-shows or if it's just that nobody else likes to eat that early ! It doesn't matter one way or the other to me. I just liked having the same wait staff for the entire cruise but it's not a deal breaker for me. This is going to be particularly difficult (if true) on large groups as they will have to try and wrangle accommodation for their group along with all of the smaller groups. Guess we'll just have to see if we get any insight on this or if it was just a case of misinformation from Royal Customer Service....and of course we know that NEVER happens..... tiny260 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tiny260 Posted May 18, 2017 Report Share Posted May 18, 2017 I'm glad to hear you enjoyed it, this will be our first time to use MTD, I scheduled 6:30, closer to the time we eat at home, we decided to go to MTD because out of the last 5 cruises, we have had 1 group of table mates for regular seating that were interesting and engaging, the rest either didn't show up or were pretentious a**'s, maybe I see a common denominator here, maybe it's us.... WAAAYTOOO and RestingBird 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DocLC Posted May 19, 2017 Report Share Posted May 19, 2017 If they do happen to completely eliminate reservations, which I doubt, I'm sure they'll still have some system in place to reserve time for large groups. There are a lot of all-inclusive resorts that only allow day of reservations, and I'm guessing this is because of a no-show issue with advanced reservations. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sarah Posted May 19, 2017 Report Share Posted May 19, 2017 I usually do fixed dining, first seating in the MDR. My cruise in June 2018 is the first I've selected to have MTD & now I may not get to experience it!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mbk999 Posted May 19, 2017 Report Share Posted May 19, 2017 We've done MTD back in April and I varied the reservations from 6:00 to 6:30. We had the same table for two each night which allowed us the same wait staff which I like. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tiny260 Posted May 19, 2017 Report Share Posted May 19, 2017 Glad to hear that, our plan is a table for 2, I booked 6:30 every night, my OCD sticking it ugly head up... WAAAYTOOO 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mom2mybugs Posted May 21, 2017 Report Share Posted May 21, 2017 Over 300 days out I couldn't get 6pm mtd. Really wanted to get it for night 1 so my teen could eat with us before going to the teen center for night one. DocLC, you said you've never waited...even on night 1? We might just try and show up with her right after sailaway at 530! Our reservations aren't until 730, but we could cancel when seated. Also, do times pop up? Do mtd diners teens to cancel those prime 6pm times ever? Jane Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eaglesfaninfl Posted May 21, 2017 Report Share Posted May 21, 2017 Saw this earlier this week on CC, I believe. and have been following it here. All I can add to this discussion is I set up our MTD reservations on Brilliance for Thanksgiving, 2017 last weekend (5/13) for the entire cruise, got my confirming email(s) immediately, and, after just checking a few moments ago, they are still all there for the two of us. It could be any number of things; an RCL error (yeh, like that never happens!), a test of something, a decision to limit advance reservations to groups below a certain size (say a group of 10-12 makes a weeks worth of MTD reservations and never shows up for dinner, RCL is forced to hold two or three tables out of service each evening for however long, causing longer waits for those who walk up or have reservations). I find it hard to envision RCL cancelling MTD, when it has shown to be so popular on every cruise we have take. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DocLC Posted May 22, 2017 Report Share Posted May 22, 2017 On 5/20/2017 at 7:35 PM, mom2mybugs said: Over 300 days out I couldn't get 6pm mtd. Really wanted to get it for night 1 so my teen could eat with us before going to the teen center for night one. DocLC, you said you've never waited...even on night 1? We might just try and show up with her right after sailaway at 530! Our reservations aren't until 730, but we could cancel when seated. Also, do times pop up? Do mtd diners teens to cancel those prime 6pm times ever? Jane I did wait once (20 minutes) on a formal night in Europe. That's the only time out of probably 45 nights. If you go early, you won't have a problem. The rush is typically 6:30-7:30 in my experience. mom2mybugs 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FManke Posted May 23, 2017 Report Share Posted May 23, 2017 On 5/22/2017 at 2:24 AM, DocLC said: I did wait once (20 minutes) on a formal night in Europe. That's the only time out of probably 45 nights. If you go early, you won't have a problem. The rush is typically 6:30-7:30 in my experience. I know I've waited on land for a table even with a reservation before, so I guess that's not bad. DocLC 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ocalatim01 Posted May 27, 2017 Report Share Posted May 27, 2017 my MTD on Allure in Oct for 5:30. was suddenly gone and replaced with traditional dining at 5:30 on my reservation. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jce2 Posted May 27, 2017 Report Share Posted May 27, 2017 Just gave t a try on my January reservation on Liberty. It still shows MTD. SO I tried to set up a res for first night. When I tried to link other guests to the res it just spins at me Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FManke Posted May 28, 2017 Report Share Posted May 28, 2017 Still have our MTD times for our Oct cruise on Serenade. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WAAAYTOOO Posted May 30, 2017 Author Report Share Posted May 30, 2017 Fortunately, I think this rumor has been thoroughly debunked. Yippee ! coneyraven and DocLC 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cruise-y Posted June 9, 2017 Report Share Posted June 9, 2017 We always do MTD. Usually it is on an upper level (where there are more tables for 2) and you can look down on the large, main dining areas. MTD is always full, and when we look down, we see tons of big empty tables for 8 or 10 or 12. Really, some people love to gab and want to sit with a bunch of strangers that will become friends for the week. But I think most people just want to do their own thing. I remember in the really old days, when you had to sit all together, a cruise official once told me they never put New Yorkers and Texans together at a table! But I admit we did meet some nice people that way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JLMoran Posted June 9, 2017 Report Share Posted June 9, 2017 10 hours ago, cruise-y said: I remember in the really old days, when you had to sit all together, a cruise official once told me they never put New Yorkers and Texans together at a table! But I admit we did meet some nice people that way. I laughed out loud when I read this, as @Wilson (Texas) and I (New Jersey) are on Anthem for the same Bermuda trip next year. Was wondering if chance might find us seated at the same table in the MDR, but maybe not! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FManke Posted June 10, 2017 Report Share Posted June 10, 2017 On 6/9/2017 at 8:32 AM, JLMoran said: I laughed out loud when I read this, as @Wilson (Texas) and I (New Jersey) are on Anthem for the same Bermuda trip next year. Was wondering if chance might find us seated at the same table in the MDR, but maybe not! Maybe they should ask about peoples political party, sports teams or religious opinions, to avoid any conflict. RestingBird and Jerel 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mom2mybugs Posted June 10, 2017 Report Share Posted June 10, 2017 On 6/8/2017 at 9:46 PM, cruise-y said: We always do MTD. Usually it is on an upper level (where there are more tables for 2) and you can look down on the large, main dining areas. MTD is always full, and when we look down, we see tons of big empty tables for 8 or 10 or 12. Really, some people love to gab and want to sit with a bunch of strangers that will become friends for the week. But I think most people just want to do their own thing. I remember in the really old days, when you had to sit all together, a cruise official once told me they never put New Yorkers and Texans together at a table! But I admit we did meet some nice people that way. I think that the specialty restaurants have made the mdr more tricky. I don't mind being at a big table, but we felt guilty when couples were left with nobody to sit with while others went to specialty. One night it was 2 peopled by themselves at a table for 12....that feels awkward. This time we are going to see if we like my time...we are doing 3 specialty dinners and trying to accommodate the teenager on the other nights. Im not sure i will miss the big table thing. Jane DocLC 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FManke Posted June 10, 2017 Report Share Posted June 10, 2017 On 6/8/2017 at 9:46 PM, cruise-y said: Really, some people love to gab and want to sit with a bunch of strangers that will become friends for the week. This is one of the reasons we chose three specialty dinners and to do MTD, while requesting a table for 2. Although we are very social, we have little or no time alone as a couple, as we have 2 sons, 23 and 16 and in-laws, that live with us. We have had a total of 6 nights, away, alone, in 23yrs of being parents. I am not kidding! This is our anniversary cruise and it is all about us. Maybe we will choose to have dinner mates on our next cruise. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wilson Posted June 11, 2017 Report Share Posted June 11, 2017 On 6/9/2017 at 8:32 AM, JLMoran said: I laughed out loud when I read this, as @Wilson (Texas) and I (New Jersey) are on Anthem for the same Bermuda trip next year. Was wondering if chance might find us seated at the same table in the MDR, but maybe not! Hahaha. We will definitely be sitting at the same bar at some point. ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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