Any Time Dining

[ydoodle]

We thought we would try the any time dining for our Enchantment cruise this January. We're tired of rushing back from port to get showered and dressed for first seating. Unfortunately, dining at 8:30pm is a bit too late.

I've heard you have to make reservations online for the time you would like to have dinner. Ok, say we select 7:30PM. What are the chances of being seated close to that time, and will we have the same waiter and asst. waiter? (We have already prepaid our gratuities)

If we don't want the same time every night, can we just show up at the DR and be seated at whatever time works best for us that night? Wondering how late you can come for dinner, and what the wait might be?

We are looking forward to trying this but would appreciate any answers


Thanks,
Nancy

[Mike M]

Originally Posted by ydoodle

We thought we would try the any time dining for our Enchantment cruise this January. We're tired of rushing back from port to get showered and dressed for first seating. Unfortunately, dining at 8:30pm is a bit too late.

I've heard you have to make reservations online for the time you would like to have dinner. Ok, say we select 7:30PM. What are the chances of being seated close to that time, and will we have the same waiter and asst. waiter? (We have already prepaid our gratuities)

If we don't want the same time every night, can we just show up at the DR and be seated at whatever time works best for us that night? Wondering how late you can come for dinner, and what the wait might be?

We are looking forward to trying this but would appreciate any answers


Thanks,
Nancy

You can get a set reservation in Anytime Dining. You can also request the same waitstaff. These requests may make your wait a bit longer.

I have not done Open Seating dining on Royal Caribbean but I have on Princess, Carnival and Celebrity, I have never had more than a fifteen minute wait for a walk up on any of the lines. If you a willing to share a table your chances of being immediately seated are greater.

Take care and enjoy
Mike

[Donna]

I did notice the 6:00 to 6:30 time frame, there was always a line to get into the MDR. You may also consider trying out the Windjammer for dinner, I was pleasantly suprised and we ended up having the rest of the meals there. It was difficult getting seats for the 8:00 show after eating in the MDR.. We found, at least on the Allure of the Seas, the dinner food in the buffet to be as good as the MDR and so much quicker...

[cruise planner]

I'm surprised your agent didn't explain all the options available to you.

With anytime dining, you have a choice; you can reserve a set time, and then when you get onboard you can even a reserve a particular table and server, if you wish. But you don't have to reserve anything if you prefer not to. You can simply decide to show up whenever you want, as long as it's within the anytime dining hours, and it's like arriving at a regular restaurant. You may be seated right away or you may have to wait a while - depends on when you arrive and how many other people arrived at the same time. And it can depend on whether you want a table for just the two of you, or don't mind sitting with other people.

But don't feel like you have to make reservations if you don't want to. Besides, that's really what 'anytime' dining is all about.

Pete

[ydoodle]

Originally Posted by Donna

I did notice the 6:00 to 6:30 time frame, there was always a line to get into the MDR. You may also consider trying out the Windjammer for dinner, I was pleasantly suprised and we ended up having the rest of the meals there. It was difficult getting seats for the 8:00 show after eating in the MDR.. We found, at least on the Allure of the Seas, the dinner food in the buffet to be as good as the MDR and so much quicker...

Thanks Donna. I've heard that the Windjammer is different at night i.e. tableclothes, napkins, etc. But wasn't sure if this was the case. I'm assuming it is still buffet style??

[Donna]

Yes, dinner is still a huge buffet, but they do have servers there to get you what ever else you may need, etc...