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MTD Table Request


smtwist

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Tables are assigned each night as guests arrive but only for that night. 

If your reservations are the same time each night they generally will seat you at the same table.  However if you have different times night to night someone else will use a table that you may have used the night before.  

 There are sections in the MTD that wait staff are assigned to.  They try to keep you in the same section so you have the same wait staff but that is not always possible. 

They won't hold "your" table and make other guests stand in line waiting forever if you are running late one night.  

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We have never had luck getting the same wait staff with MTD even though we eat at the same time every night. We're back to MTD in the MDR this next cruise on Mariner so hopefully we will have better luck there.

I don't like the times of traditional dining. They are either too early or too late for us. However, I really like having the same wait staff each night and getting to know them. Feels like either way you lose out on something.  And @smtwist...keep in mind that even with MTD, there might still be a short wait just like any other land restaurant.

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We've been on 4 cruises on 3 ships with MTD and have had the same table and wait staff with only 2 night exceptions.  First, we changed times and so just got an available table.  The second, on formal night our table was already taken even though we were on time. They seated us in traditional dining which I didn't mind as it was still really good service and I am glad they found us a table rather than making us wait.

I like making a 6:15 reservation but feel the need to show up about 15 minutes early on the first night as it tends to be crazier.  Other than the first night, we show up at 6:15 with no problem.

I love having the same wait staff as they get to know us and our preferences.

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I have tried mtd once, and while I really liked the time flexibility, I absolutely hated (at least on freedom) how close the 2 person tables were.  I felt like we couldn't avoid the conversations surrounding us.  Does this seem to be the case on other ships?  Jane

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If you reserve a MTD time for around the same time every night, they will seat you with the same staff (usually at the same table or close by).  We have reserved a spot every night from 8 to 8:30 and had the same staff and table.  

If you just show up whenever you want (with no reservations), you will get moved around to different tables and staffs.  We've done this as well.  It is certainly more convenient but sometimes there is a bit of a wait.

My 2 cents: When we had the same table and staff (via MTD reservations) the service was much better and so was the food.  It was hot and fast, they remembered our preferences, they chatted with us about our day, told us about their families back home, etc.  When we moved around, the quality  dropped.  Our food was often slow to arrive and even cold. The same-staff-every-night crew assumes they will get to know you and you will leave them an additional tip at the end of the cruise over the automatic amount  (which we did).   The different-staff-every-night crew knows you won't single them out, so they don't go the extra mile.

 

 

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10 hours ago, mom2mybugs said:

I have tried mtd once, and while I really liked the time flexibility, I absolutely hated (at least on freedom) how close the 2 person tables were.  I felt like we couldn't avoid the conversations surrounding us.  Does this seem to be the case on other ships?  Jane

Yes, I feel the same way.  You have to insist that you do not want one of those tables.  Ask for a table either along the wall or along the railing overlooking the deck below.  That's about the only place you will get a "private" table.  It might take a couple of extra minutes but they will find you something where you are not within kissin' distance of the folks next to you.

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We switched to M.T.D.  and really like it. The flexibility is perfect.  It allows you to meet more people and not be stuck at a possibly boring table all cruise.    Specialty dinning and eating in port is  something done by us a lot so the choices are endless as you are  not stuck at the same time eating  day in and day out.  

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10 hours ago, cruise-y said:

When we had the same table and staff (via MTD reservations) the service was much better and so was the food.  It was hot and fast, they remembered our preferences, they chatted with us about our day, told us about their families back home, etc.

@cruise-y, this may be as much a function of having an 8:30 reservation as having the same table and staff each night. You're at the tail end of the dining window, and while I know assuming is dangerous, I would nevertheless assume that by this point the crowd is smaller and the rush to service everyone lower.

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36 minutes ago, JLMoran said:

@cruise-y, this may be as much a function of having an 8:30 reservation as having the same table and staff each night. You're at the tail end of the dining window, and while I know assuming is dangerous, I would nevertheless assume that by this point the crowd is smaller and the rush to service everyone lower.

That’s a thought, thanks for the comment!  In our case, though, when we moved around every night, we were still dining late. 

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2 minutes ago, cruise-y said:

That’s a thought, thanks for the comment!  In our case, though, when we moved around every noght, we were still dining late. 

Interesting. That would definitely point more to your comment that when you don't have the same wait staff, they're less inclined to go the extra mile because they assume you won't remember them any more than they'll remember you.

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On our first cruise (Liberty) we ate at Choppes (FNDR) the first night.  For the rest of the week we had signed-up for MTD and had preselected the same time for each night.  On Monday we sat at one table and had a good waiter.  On Tuesday we had a different table and a different waiter.  We really enjoyed our new waiter as well as the location (in the back, right side of the dining room).  After dinner I simply approached the Maitre De and asked him if we could please have the same table every night (but keep MTD!). He made a note in his system but said he could not "promise".  sure enough, for the rest of the cruise we enjoyed the impeccable service from Christobol.   We plan on doing essentially the same thing on our next cruise (April 2019).  No guarantee Christobl will still be there but we are hopeful.  MTD is the way to go!

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2 hours ago, jce2 said:

On our first cruise (Liberty) we ate at Choppes (FNDR) the first night.  For the rest of the week we had signed-up for MTD and had preselected the same time for each night.  On Monday we sat at one table and had a good waiter.  On Tuesday we had a different table and a different waiter.  We really enjoyed our new waiter as well as the location (in the back, right side of the dining room).  After dinner I simply approached the Maitre De and asked him if we could please have the same table every night (but keep MTD!). He made a note in his system but said he could not "promise".  sure enough, for the rest of the cruise we enjoyed the impeccable service from Christobol.   We plan on doing essentially the same thing on our next cruise (April 2019).  No guarantee Christobl will still be there but we are hopeful.  MTD is the way to go!

This is precisely the same tactic that we use.  It works 99% of the time and we're nearly always happy with the service.

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8 hours ago, WAAAYTOOO said:

Yes, I feel the same way.  You have to insist that you do not want one of those tables.  Ask for a table either along the wall or along the railing overlooking the deck below.  That's about the only place you will get a "private" table.  It might take a couple of extra minutes but they will find you something where you are not within kissin' distance of the folks next to you.

If we do this again, i will do this.  I'm so willing to wait and i didn't consider that i could ask for something more away.  Thank you!  Jane

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