Question about My Time Dining on the MDR, Harmony Of The Seas

[Hcc]

Hi!

It's been over five years since my last cruise on Royal Caribbean, and the dining options have changed a bit from back then. When I reserved that cruise, IIRC, I was given the option of two diffent times (let's say 6:30 pm and 9 pm, can't remember exactly...), and when we chose one of them, we'd eat at the same table with the same waiters (and the same other guests) every night.

This time we're travelling with a group of 8 people, and we'd like to have (if possible) our own table with the same waiters every night, presumably the same time every night. How do I reserve this? Do I just grab the Main Dining Room with the My Time Dining option, for the same time for every day, and we'll automatically have the same table&waiter for the whole cruise?

Thanks

 

[ellcee]

Hi! We just did this. We had more people and tried linking everyone online, we thought we handled it between ourselves and our travel agents. 

Right after we boarded we wound up having to go to the dining area (2 of us went for the large group) and spoke to someone. We got the same table for 6pm every night - same waitstaff, same table.

[Hcc]

1 hour ago, ellcee said:

Hi! We just did this. We had more people and tried linking everyone online, we thought we handled it between ourselves and our travel agents. 

Right after we boarded we wound up having to go to the dining area (2 of us went for the large group) and spoke to someone. We got the same table for 6pm every night - same waitstaff, same table.

Thanks a lot ellcee

Our cruise is in about 2,5 months from now, is it already possible to see the schedules of evening shows etc, to make it easier to find a suitable time for dinner reservations?

[melski94]

We had the same experience as @ellcee on Harmony.  We had 7 and I linked our dining reservations for our March Harmony cruise.  We also had the same time and same wait staff the entire week.  After boarding, I double checked at the MDR to make sure our reservation was set and the wait staff told us a huge tip.  The tip is that 2nd reservation desk on the left (its just behind the first one) deals with the larger parties.  They told us to bypass the long line for the first desk and go right to the second desk to check in and we were seated very quickly every night.  

Your cruise planner should have the shows already.  If not, then look at a previous cruise compass as they don't change that much.  We had a 6:15 reservation and had no problem getting to the shows.  

[Hcc]

Another question... Does this mean that all the Main Dining Room times between 05:45 and 07:45 have already been reserved and there's no way to book a 6:30 table?

[melski94]

Unfortunately, yes it looks like the 6:30 time slot is booked.  Typically there is a "blackout" period around 6:30-7:30 (give or take 15 minutes) where they offer no reservations because the MDR will be full with the first set of diners.  However, you should see a 6:00, 6:15 and 6:30 reservation times so I would assume those times are fully booked (at least for a large party) as those are very popular times.  

I would grab the time you would be happy with and ask at the desk upon embarkation if you can move it to 6:15 or 6:30.  They may not allow it as it could mess up other reservations but then again they might.

[Hcc]

This also confuses me. When trying to checkout the MDR reservations, it asks for name and e-mail address, and specifically says that no credit card info is needed because every item is complimentary in my order (there isn't even a place to enter credit card information). After clicking Check out, I get this message, and the items still are in my "shopping cart" waiting to be ordered. I don't get any e-mails, not even in the spam folder...

 

[melski94]

Then I would call and do it over the phone if you are having problems online.  

[Hcc]

Just now, melski94 said:

Then I would call and do it over the phone if you are having problems online.  

I'll try and e-mail them first, I'd rather not call overseas

[Hcc]

Looks like the aforementioned bug has been fixed, and I'm able to book complimentary services

I pre-booked the My Time Dining for all of us (8 persons) for each evening. The selected time slot doesn't show in the confirmation e-mail, and I'm wondering am I just supposed to remember it myself (we have two different time slots varying from day to day, because of entertainment scheduling), or will they be printed and availeble in the in-room leaflets or TV or anywhere else?

Here's a pic of day 1 for example, it shows the dining, but not the time slot (I selcted 05:45 PM for day 1).

 

 

And at the My Calender page in the Cruise Planner, why does it say "at your leisure" in front of the My Time Dining, since I deliberately chose a time slot at 05:45 PM?

[Hcc]

On 10/4/2018 at 11:51 PM, Hcc said:

Looks like the aforementioned bug has been fixed, and I'm able to book complimentary services

I pre-booked the My Time Dining for all of us (8 persons) for each evening. The selected time slot doesn't show in the confirmation e-mail, and I'm wondering am I just supposed to remember it myself (we have two different time slots varying from day to day, because of entertainment scheduling), or will they be printed and availeble in the in-room leaflets or TV or anywhere else?

Here's a pic of day 1 for example, it shows the dining, but not the time slot (I selcted 05:45 PM for day 1).

 

 

And at the My Calender page in the Cruise Planner, why does it say "at your leisure" in front of the My Time Dining, since I deliberately chose a time slot at 05:45 PM?

 

Any thoughts on these two questions?

[melski94]

39 minutes ago, Hcc said:

 

Any thoughts on these two questions?

RC calendar changed some time ago to have it listed as "At your leisure" instead of your reservation time (at least it used to).  Don't worry they still have the reservation time

Edited:  Currently, the time does show up when you look at order history and it is in my calendar.  Not sure when that changed as I just checked this morning.   

[RTripp]

Thank you for covering this question about “at your leisure “ when a specific time for my time dining is chosen. I had the same scenario for day one only, all other booked time did show on my calendar though.