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If your dinner plans have changed after booking a Royal Caribbean cruise, you may not be stuck with the dining time you originally selected. Royal Caribbean allows guests to request a different dining arrangement after booking, subject to availability. You can manage some changes through your Guest Account, while other requests may need assistance onboard.
The process depends on whether you selected Traditional Dining with an assigned seating time or My Time Dining, which gives you greater flexibility. Understanding the difference can help you change your plans without unnecessary hassle.
Yes. Royal Caribbean states that you can select or change your dining time after booking through your Guest Account. After signing in, select your reservation under Manage Reservation and go to the Dining section. You can switch between Traditional Dining and My Time Dining when the requested option is available.
However, a requested dining time is not guaranteed. Availability depends on your sailing, ship and the dining arrangements that remain open when you make the change.
If your preferred option is unavailable online, you can contact Royal Caribbean or ask the Maitre’D for assistance after boarding.
Royal Caribbean generally gives guests two main choices for dinner in the Main Dining Room.
Traditional Dining provides an assigned seating arrangement. Guests select an early or late seating, depending on what is offered for their sailing.
This option can be useful if you prefer:
Royal Caribbean notes that traditional dining times can vary by ship and itinerary. Your table assignment is provided onboard.
My Time Dining is designed for passengers who want more flexibility. Instead of being assigned one fixed dinner time each evening, you can choose when to eat during the available dinner hours.
Royal Caribbean strongly recommends making reservations because popular times can fill up.
My Time Dining can be particularly useful if your plans change from day to day because you can select different dining times rather than following one fixed schedule.
If you want to change your dining arrangement before sailing, start with your Royal Caribbean Guest Account.
Log in to your Royal Caribbean account and access your booked cruise.
Select the appropriate cruise from your reservations and go to Manage Reservation.
Look for the dining section associated with your reservation. Royal Caribbean says guests can change between Traditional Dining and My Time Dining from this area, subject to availability.
Choose the dining arrangement that better suits your schedule.
If the time you want is displayed, complete the change and verify that your reservation reflects the new arrangement.
Dining availability can change as other passengers modify their reservations. If your preferred time is unavailable, checking again later may be worthwhile.
You can also contact Royal Caribbean for assistance.
Yes, Royal Caribbean allows guests to switch between Traditional Dining and My Time Dining when availability permits.
My Time Dining may be a better choice if you no longer want to commit to the same dinner time every night.
For example, you might choose My Time Dining if:
Remember that My Time Dining is still subject to availability, so changing to it is not automatic.
Yes, you can request the change, provided Traditional Dining has availability for your sailing. Royal Caribbean specifically states that dining arrangements can be changed through the Guest Account, subject to availability.
Traditional Dining can be preferable if you value a predictable dinner schedule and do not want to make separate My Time Dining reservations each evening.
Yes. If you have Traditional Dining and need to change your assigned time or table, Royal Caribbean advises guests to speak with the Maitre’D at a hospitality desk on embarkation day. The dining team can assist with requests based on availability.
This is especially important if you discover after boarding that your assigned dinner time conflicts with your plans.
If you need a dining change after boarding:
Try to handle the request early rather than waiting until your first dinner. Popular dining arrangements may have limited space.
My Time Dining gives you more control over when you eat in the Main Dining Room. You can select an available dinner time rather than being tied to one assigned seating every night.
Royal Caribbean recommends making reservations because availability can become limited, particularly around popular dinner periods.
The advantage is that your dinner schedule can work around your day's activities.
For example:
Yes, but the exact method depends on the reservation involved.
For My Time Dining, Royal Caribbean recommends reserving dining times before sailing because popular times can fill up. Reservations can also be made onboard based on availability.
Royal Caribbean's app allows guests to schedule My Time Dining seating times before and during the cruise.
If you need a change that the app does not allow, you may need to cancel and rebook the reservation or get help from Guest Services once onboard.
This is one of the most important points to understand: Royal Caribbean does not guarantee that your preferred dining time will be available.
If your first-choice time has filled up, consider these alternatives:
Royal Caribbean's booking conditions state that seating requests are subject to availability and cannot be guaranteed.
If everyone is traveling on the same reservation, make the dining request for the entire party when possible.
For My Time Dining, Royal Caribbean says family members can dine at different times because the arrangement is flexible. Guests are seated with whoever arrives with them. Reservations are recommended to reduce potential waiting.
If your group wants to eat together, make the reservation for the full party rather than assuming everyone will automatically be seated together.
Royal Caribbean's current FAQ says guests can participate in only one dining style per sailing and that the cruise line can honor a request to change between My Time Dining and Traditional Dining only once, based on availability.
This means you should consider the change carefully before requesting it.
If you are uncertain about your schedule, My Time Dining may provide greater flexibility from the beginning.
Specialty dining is different from your Main Dining Room dining arrangement.
If you have a reservation at a specialty restaurant and want to change its date or time, Royal Caribbean's policies for that reservation apply.
For many specialty dining reservations, changes or cancellations can be made before the applicable deadline. Royal Caribbean currently states that modifications generally are not allowed within 24 hours of the reservation, and cancellation or no-show fees may apply. Some venues have higher fees.
Therefore, do not assume that changing a Main Dining Room time follows the same rules as changing a specialty restaurant reservation.
Dining packages have their own reservation process.
For example, guests with an Unlimited Dining Package purchased through the Royal Caribbean app can make restaurant and dining-time reservations through the app before boarding. Royal Caribbean also says existing reservations can be modified before the cruise, subject to the applicable process and timing.
Once onboard, dining-package reservations can also be adjusted through the appropriate restaurant or hospitality desk, depending on the package and reservation.
Dining availability can become more limited as the sailing approaches. Royal Caribbean recommends reserving My Time Dining in advance because preferred times may fill up.
If you have late shore excursions, an early fixed dinner may be inconvenient. Likewise, an early dinner could be useful if you have a show scheduled later.
Do not choose a dining time that leaves only a few minutes before a theater performance or other reservation. Dining duration can vary.
If you're traveling with children, older relatives or a large group, select a time that works for everyone rather than choosing solely based on personal preference.
Always verify that the updated dining arrangement actually appears in your cruise reservation.
There is no single best option for every Royal Caribbean passenger.
| Your preference | Better choice |
|---|---|
| Same dinner schedule every night | Traditional Dining |
| Maximum evening flexibility | My Time Dining |
| Regular dining routine | Traditional Dining |
| Different plans each day | My Time Dining |
| Prefer advance scheduling | Either |
| Unsure what time you'll finish excursions | My Time Dining |
Traditional Dining is generally better for passengers who like consistency. My Time Dining is more suitable for travelers whose daily schedules change.
Do not assume that an unavailable online option means no solution exists.
You can:
For Traditional Dining changes, Royal Caribbean specifically directs guests to the Maitre’D on embarkation day for assistance with assigned dining times or tables.
Yes. Royal Caribbean allows guests to change their dining arrangement after booking through their Guest Account, subject to availability.
Yes, you can request a different Traditional Dining seating, but the preferred time must have availability. If you cannot make the change before sailing, ask the Maitre’D for assistance on embarkation day.
Yes. Royal Caribbean allows guests to switch between the two dining styles when availability permits.
Yes, subject to availability. However, Royal Caribbean states that guests can participate in only one dining style per sailing and allows a dining-style change only once based on availability.
Reservations are not strictly required, but Royal Caribbean strongly recommends making them because preferred dining times can fill up.
Yes. The flexibility of My Time Dining allows you to choose different available dinner times on different evenings.
Yes. Traditional Dining guests can speak with the Maitre’D on embarkation day about changing their assigned dining time or table, subject to availability.
Yes. Royal Caribbean says family members in one stateroom can dine at different times with My Time Dining.
Yes, but specialty restaurant reservations have separate rules. Royal Caribbean currently says changes or cancellations generally must be made more than 24 hours before the reservation time, with fees potentially applying for late cancellation or no-show.
You can try another time, switch dining styles if appropriate, check again later, or ask the dining team for assistance once onboard. Seating requests are subject to availability and are not guaranteed.
Yes, you can change your dining time after booking a Royal Caribbean cruise, but the available options depend on your sailing and remaining dining capacity. Royal Caribbean allows guests to manage dining arrangements through their Guest Account, including switching between Traditional Dining and My Time Dining when available.
If you choose My Time Dining, you get greater flexibility and can reserve different dinner times around your daily activities. If you prefer a predictable schedule, Traditional Dining may be the better fit.
The key is to make changes as early as possible, because popular dining times can fill up. If an online change is unavailable, ask Royal Caribbean for assistance or speak with the Maitre’D on embarkation day.
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