My Time Dining Vs Traditional Dining Royal Caribbean Guide

Clearing Up the Confusion

When it comes to cruising with Royal Caribbean, one of the biggest questions we hear from fellow travelers is: “What’s the deal with My Time Dining?” And honestly, the confusion is real. Between traditional set dining, specialty restaurants, the buffet, and now “My Time,” it’s easy to get lost in the sauce—or should I say, the béarnaise.

Let’s break it down in plain English, so you can decide if My Time Dining is right for you.

What is My Time Dining?

Royal Caribbean’s My Time Dining is exactly what it sounds like: flexibility. Instead of sticking to a traditional assigned dining time (early or late seating), you can choose when you’d like to dine each evening in the Main Dining Room.

Think of it as the cruise version of “walk-in when you’re hungry”—though with a few rules, and a whole lot of fellow cruisers trying to do the same.

How Does It Work?

Reservations are recommended: You can pre-book dining times through the Cruise Planner before your sailing or via the Royal Caribbean app once onboard. I learned this the hard way, for on our Ovation of the Seas cruise this summer, I stood in line with about 50 other people during embarkation, to set dining times with the dining manager. Learn more about that in our Ovation of the Seas review. This experience also contributed to our list of the 5 Craziest Things Heard on Ovation of the Seas.
Walk-ins are possible: If you’re more of a “go with the flow” traveler, you can just show up. But be prepared for wait times, especially during peak dinner hours.
Same menu as traditional dining: The food is identical to what you’d get in the traditional Main Dining Room—no FOMO on lobster night.
Tipping difference: With My Time Dining, tips are usually prepaid to help ensure servers rotate smoothly.

Pros of My Time Dining

There are several Pros to the My Time Dining option, including:

✅ Flexibility: Eat when you’re hungry, not when the cruise line says you should. Perfect for those long port days or if you don’t want to race back from the pool.
✅ Smaller tables available: Great option for couples or small groups who don’t always want to share a table with strangers.
✅ More relaxed vibe: You’re not locked into a rigid schedule, which makes the trip feel more like your vacation.

Cons of My Time Dining

In our experience, we definitely had some Cons to My Time Dining.

❌ Less consistent service: Since you may not have the same waitstaff every night, you miss out on the personalized experience of traditional dining. (No one remembering my “baked potato on the side, extra roll, or Diet Coke with lime” order.)
❌ Longer waits at peak times: 6:30–8:00 PM is basically rush hour in the dining room. Without reservations, expect delays, which can be substantial.
❌ Prepaid gratuities required: Some cruisers don’t love this policy, but when choosing My Time Dining, you are required to pre-pay gratuities. So if you prefer to handle your tips on a case by case basis, My Time Dining is probably not a good option for you.

MAK’n Waves Take: Is It Worth It?

For us, it depends on the mood of the cruise. If we’re doing back-to-back port days and don’t know what time we’ll be dragging ourselves back onboard, My Time Dining is a lifesaver. But if we’re sailing with friends or family and want the same table and waiter every night (who quickly learns that we always order two desserts), traditional dining wins hands down.

Key Takeaways

My Time Dining = flexibility, but with trade-offs.
Reservations make the experience smoother.
If you want the same waiter nightly, go traditional.
If you value freedom and hate schedules, go “My Time.”

Bottom line: With My Time Dining, dinner becomes part of the adventure—not a deadline on your itinerary. So go ahead, stay a little longer at the pool, grab that extra cocktail, or catch the sunset before heading to dinner. After all, the whole point of being on vacation is eating when you want and loving every moment of it.