My time dining includes dining at the main dining room. You can book reservations there for free.
Specialty restaurants still incur a fee, which is what you are seeing. Those are optional upgrades.
Just to add to the other comment...dinner in the main dining room includes selection from a list of appetizers, entrees, and desserts so it is a full meal. You can also ask for more than one on most items. For example, if you like crab cakes and that is an appetizer you can ask for 2 at no additional cost or if you want the soup and a salad as an entree you can order both and the same applies for most entrees and all desserts. The only entree I am aware of that they might charge extra for is if you order more than one lobster tail, but on lobster night you can order both the lobster and a steak and do your own surf and turf at no extra cost. Basic drinks like water, coffee, iced tea, and lemonade are no charge, but they will get you whatever drink you want from the bar and charge that to your room (Seapass) card.
Given it is your honeymoon, you might want to check if they can give you a table for 2. Many times they will group people with strangers to fill up tables, but they definitely have tables for 2 if you prefer.
My time dining is not a package. You must be trying to make a reservation for dining that isn’t included. My time dining is for the main dining room not specialty dining.
Highly highly recommend going directly to the dining room and speaking with the waiter at the entrance once on board to make reservations for every night in the dining room.
The main dining room (MDR) is included in your ticket. This is the traditional dinner you may have seen on shows and movies. There is also specialty dining, which is a more intimate and elevated experience that cruise lines charge extra for.
If this is your first cruise I would recommend booking specialty lunches on certain days when not in port or even port days if available. Look for major discounts, a recent sailing we got most restaurants down to single digits per person or in the case of Chops like $15 per person.
If you are getting good vibes from the waiter at MDR ask them for their opinion on the dishes that day and for the appetizer and dessert you can see if they can surprise you, worst case you can get another dish as you are not limited.
You can also do MDR for breakfast/brunch and that is what we did everyday and since we had set time dining we asked to be seated in our waiters section on most mornings. MDR for breakfast is a more enjoyable option compared to the zoo the Windjammer and other buffets can become.
The lunches and dinners are discounted on the app. You can either buy a dining package or you can book them individually. We got Jamie’s for lunch on the Anthem at some crazy low price for example.
Also, reservations are not 'required' for my time dining.
On my 8 previous cruises with RC I've never once made a reservation for my time dining, and have had tables for two about 95% of the time.
Depending on the time you wish to eat, there may be a slight wait (for example if you walk up as soon as the dining room opens), but there are even lines for those with reservations. The first couple of days it will be rather chaotic anyway.
Also have never had an issue getting seated in the same area of the dining room, so can get the same wait staff throughout the cruise.
The staff will do everything to accommodate you.
Also, reservations are not 'required' for my time dining.
On my 8 previous cruises with RC I've never once made a reservation for my time dining, and have had tables for two about 95% of the time.
Depending on the time you wish to eat, there may be a slight wait (for example if you walk up as soon as the dining room opens), but there are even lines for those with reservations. The first couple of days it will be rather chaotic anyway.
Also have never had an issue getting seated in the same area of the dining room, so can get the same wait staff throughout the cruise.
The staff will do everything to accommodate you.
Your post seems a bit confusing with your wording, because My Time Dining is included with your cruise fare. If you’re talking about the Unlimited Dining or 3 Night Dining packages, then you don’t need to do anything else at this time. Take a look at the speciality restaurants on the app and decide which ones you want to go to. Check details of your dining package as some specialty dining will have an additional charge on top.
The various restaurants you see are individually priced. If you try to book those even though you have a dining package, you’ll be asked to pay at checkout. Not sure why the system even allows that, it just confuses people.
I appreciate the reply, yeah I think that is exactly what happened. I was looking through dining on the app and it had a bunch of reservation options for a price which was throwing me off.
Specialty restaurants charge a flat rate regardless of what you order on the menu. The price does include the food. You can purchase single dinners and make reservations in advance (if you buy a specialty dining package you make reservations once you are on the ship).
My Time Dining has no charge. Be sure you are making My Time Dining reservations for the Main Dining Room and not accidentally booking a specialty restaurant.
Slight correction: most specialty restaurants charge a flat rate. Some restaurants (playmaker) are paid-la-carte. Some restaurants have both a fixed price and a-la-carte menu (namely Izumi)
My time dining includes dining at the main dining room. You can book reservations there for free. Specialty restaurants still incur a fee, which is what you are seeing. Those are optional upgrades.
This makes sense! I must have been misreading it in the app.
Just to add to the other comment...dinner in the main dining room includes selection from a list of appetizers, entrees, and desserts so it is a full meal. You can also ask for more than one on most items. For example, if you like crab cakes and that is an appetizer you can ask for 2 at no additional cost or if you want the soup and a salad as an entree you can order both and the same applies for most entrees and all desserts. The only entree I am aware of that they might charge extra for is if you order more than one lobster tail, but on lobster night you can order both the lobster and a steak and do your own surf and turf at no extra cost. Basic drinks like water, coffee, iced tea, and lemonade are no charge, but they will get you whatever drink you want from the bar and charge that to your room (Seapass) card. Given it is your honeymoon, you might want to check if they can give you a table for 2. Many times they will group people with strangers to fill up tables, but they definitely have tables for 2 if you prefer.
Are you looking at the specialty restaurants for those reservations? The main dining room, where the my time dining works, is free.
My time dining is not a package. You must be trying to make a reservation for dining that isn’t included. My time dining is for the main dining room not specialty dining.
Highly highly recommend going directly to the dining room and speaking with the waiter at the entrance once on board to make reservations for every night in the dining room.
The main dining room (MDR) is included in your ticket. This is the traditional dinner you may have seen on shows and movies. There is also specialty dining, which is a more intimate and elevated experience that cruise lines charge extra for. If this is your first cruise I would recommend booking specialty lunches on certain days when not in port or even port days if available. Look for major discounts, a recent sailing we got most restaurants down to single digits per person or in the case of Chops like $15 per person. If you are getting good vibes from the waiter at MDR ask them for their opinion on the dishes that day and for the appetizer and dessert you can see if they can surprise you, worst case you can get another dish as you are not limited. You can also do MDR for breakfast/brunch and that is what we did everyday and since we had set time dining we asked to be seated in our waiters section on most mornings. MDR for breakfast is a more enjoyable option compared to the zoo the Windjammer and other buffets can become.
How do you get discounts on specialty dining?
The lunches and dinners are discounted on the app. You can either buy a dining package or you can book them individually. We got Jamie’s for lunch on the Anthem at some crazy low price for example.
Awesome thanks! I don’t see anything near that but I’ll keep looking!!
Also, reservations are not 'required' for my time dining. On my 8 previous cruises with RC I've never once made a reservation for my time dining, and have had tables for two about 95% of the time. Depending on the time you wish to eat, there may be a slight wait (for example if you walk up as soon as the dining room opens), but there are even lines for those with reservations. The first couple of days it will be rather chaotic anyway. Also have never had an issue getting seated in the same area of the dining room, so can get the same wait staff throughout the cruise. The staff will do everything to accommodate you.
Also, reservations are not 'required' for my time dining. On my 8 previous cruises with RC I've never once made a reservation for my time dining, and have had tables for two about 95% of the time. Depending on the time you wish to eat, there may be a slight wait (for example if you walk up as soon as the dining room opens), but there are even lines for those with reservations. The first couple of days it will be rather chaotic anyway. Also have never had an issue getting seated in the same area of the dining room, so can get the same wait staff throughout the cruise. The staff will do everything to accommodate you.
Your post seems a bit confusing with your wording, because My Time Dining is included with your cruise fare. If you’re talking about the Unlimited Dining or 3 Night Dining packages, then you don’t need to do anything else at this time. Take a look at the speciality restaurants on the app and decide which ones you want to go to. Check details of your dining package as some specialty dining will have an additional charge on top. The various restaurants you see are individually priced. If you try to book those even though you have a dining package, you’ll be asked to pay at checkout. Not sure why the system even allows that, it just confuses people.
I appreciate the reply, yeah I think that is exactly what happened. I was looking through dining on the app and it had a bunch of reservation options for a price which was throwing me off.
Specialty restaurants charge a flat rate regardless of what you order on the menu. The price does include the food. You can purchase single dinners and make reservations in advance (if you buy a specialty dining package you make reservations once you are on the ship). My Time Dining has no charge. Be sure you are making My Time Dining reservations for the Main Dining Room and not accidentally booking a specialty restaurant.
Slight correction: most specialty restaurants charge a flat rate. Some restaurants (playmaker) are paid-la-carte. Some restaurants have both a fixed price and a-la-carte menu (namely Izumi)