Dining question..

This is probably the silliest question and I am sure if I sifted and searched I could find the answer, but honestly I am 2 weeks away from sailing and I am up to my neck with things to do.

I have been stalking the boards and some are talking about their dining experience. What is the actual different between early dining, late dining and anytime dining? I chose anytime dining. On Norwegian we just ate when we wanted to. My family mainly ate at the buffet due to our picky eaters. Also we have friends that are sailing with us, should we ask to be seated together, where and when do we do that?

Thank you!!!!

Early/ late dining is a set dining room and a set table and a set time. Anytime is just that. You'll have a dining room designated for anytime dining. It'll say on your sign and sail card. You just show up, give them your card and tell them how many in your party. If you want to be seated together, just tell them. Don't stress.

It'll all work out!

Make sure your friends are anytime dining, then just show up together and they will seat you together.

I much prefer the "set" dinner times. I think the service is better. I also like having the same wait staff every night - they know what you like to drink and have it on the table for you when you arrive, and learn your name. Yes, I know with ATD you can request waiters, but that may increase wait time .... Just my 2 cents.

Cheers!

Jeff aka Recovery dude :)

I much prefer the "set" dinner times. I think the service is better. I also like having the same wait staff every night - they know what you like to drink and have it on the table for you when you arrive, and learn your name. Yes, I know with ATD you can request waiters, but that may increase wait time .... Just my 2 cents.

 

 

 

Cheers!

 

 

 

Jeff aka Recovery dude :)

I'll add one other point about dining when traveling with others, a set time leaves one less thing to decide or argue about during the course of the trip. Just go straight to your table each evening at your assigned time. No need to consult everyone each evening hoping all will agree to the same time.

If by chance you and the other party are in different dining rooms, you can go see the maitre d' on the first day, after the munster drill.

I much prefer the "set" dinner times. I think the service is better. I also like having the same wait staff every night - they know what you like to drink and have it on the table for you when you arrive, and learn your name. Yes, I know with ATD you can request waiters, but that may increase wait time .... Just my 2 cents.

 

Agree wholeheartedly. You don't read people on CC complaining about the set time dining service (menu maybe), but you read tons of people complaining about the ATD service, times, wait staff, etc.

If you've ever been by the ATD dining room or area around 6 and 8 you'll notice tons of people crowding around waiting for a table. Ultimately people are creatures of habit and everyone still wants to eat at the same time.

I like having the same wait staff each night, they get to know you and what you like. I like not having to wait for a table. I think the service is faster because the galley can crank out dishes in mass for each course and have them ready. Overall I'd have all my meals in the MDR with the same dining staff if I had my wish.

Agree wholeheartedly. You don't read people on CC complaining about the set time dining service (menu maybe), but you read tons of people complaining about the ATD service, times, wait staff, etc.

 

If you've ever been by the ATD dining room or area around 6 and 8 you'll notice tons of people crowding around waiting for a table. Ultimately people are creatures of habit and everyone still wants to eat at the same time.

 

I like having the same wait staff each night, they get to know you and what you like. I like not having to wait for a table. I think the service is faster because the galley can crank out dishes in mass for each course and have them ready. Overall I'd have all my meals in the MDR with the same dining staff if I had my wish.

FWIW, I have never had bad service with YTD.

Service aside, I have read many reviews in the review section as well as many posts on the boards here where people did not like set dining times. The most common reasons were not liking the people they were sat with and not liking the location of their table. With set seating (unless you are platinum or up) you are pretty much "stuck" with the table you are first assigned. These two reasons and not wanting a set time when to dine are the 3 main reasons people choose YTD.

OP - with YTD all that is assigned is the dining room (most Carnival ships have 2 main dining rooms) and this is where you must go to eat if choosing to eat in the MDR for dinner. Of course there are other options: buffet, room service, steak house...

They assign you a dining room ? Never heard of that . We have any time dinning in March with another couple . First time on Carnival .

They assign you a dining room ? Never heard of that . We have any time dinning in March with another couple . First time on Carnival .

Yes. The Glory has 2 main dining rooms - the Golden (forward) and the Platinum (aft) dining rooms. They are each 2 decks high (decks 3&4) and the galley is located between the two. Unless it changes before now and then, you will be in the Golden DR on deck 3. Deck 4 and all of the aft dining room will be for early/late seating passengers. You will be able to go to eat; however, anytime between 5:45 and 9:30 pm.

This is probably the silliest question and I am sure if I sifted and searched I could find the answer, but honestly I am 2 weeks away from sailing and I am up to my neck with things to do.

 

I have been stalking the boards and some are talking about their dining experience. What is the actual different between early dining, late dining and anytime dining? I chose anytime dining. On Norwegian we just ate when we wanted to. My family mainly ate at the buffet due to our picky eaters. Also we have friends that are sailing with us, should we ask to be seated together, where and when do we do that?

 

Thank you!!!!

We usually travel with other families and always book late seating for 2 reasons. Because we like to sit together for dinner, and not having to rush for dinner (early seating is way too early).

I'm afraid that anytime dining for you based on size of your group will have long waits each night as the bigger the group, the longer the wait. With set dining times, Carnival can arrange you to be near each other at dinner in same dining room.

But if you don't care about sitting together, go for it

Is one dinning room better then the other ?

Is one dinning room better then the other ?

No...the anytime dining room is generally towards the center/front of the ship, while the set time dining is at the stern (if that matters to you). Of course some ships only have one dining room.

have a great cruise

Menu and dress code are the same.

Thank you for all the great insight. When you speak of dining room are you speaking of when you dine and ask for a menu, not the buffet? The buffet is seat yourself correct? We have excursions almost everyday and will not be back to the boat until later. When is the late dining times?

Main dining rooms are sit-down dining, with waiters and daily menus to order from. The buffet is self-serve, except for any specialty areas (stir fry, burrito bar, indian, grille, etc).

Thank you for all the great insight. When you speak of dining room are you speaking of when you dine and ask for a menu, not the buffet? The buffet is seat yourself correct? We have excursions almost everyday and will not be back to the boat until later. When is the late dining times?

The MDR (Main Dining Room) is the sit down, waiter/waitress places a napkin in your lap and hands you the evening menu. They will also bring everything you order to the table. There are 2 main dining rooms but with YTD (Your Time Dining - also frequently called anytime dining) you will be assigned to one of the MDRs and you may go anytime between 5:45 and 9:30 pm. Traditional seating times are Early Seating which you must go to the MDR at 6:00 pm OR Late Seating which you must go to the MDR at 8:15 pm. Everyone must have a Dining Time even if you never go to the MDR and this time will be printed on your S&S card.

In addition to the MDRs, there is the buffet, deli, pizza and room service. There is also the Steak House ($35 charge) and depending on which ship you are on, there might be other pay venues such as La Cucina, Bonsai Sushi, etc. The pay venues usually require reservations.

I am choosing anytime on my upcoming cruise so I don't have to miss the early comedy. I can stand in line and wait an hour to get a seat in comedy show then watch the show at 7 then go get ready to eat in the dining room. I chose anytime so I can watch whatever evening entertainment I want rather it be late or early and I can schedule my dining around it on any given day. I never get tired of the free gourmet cheese pizza so if I am going to eat late I can grab a piece of that in late afternoon. I am looking forward to trying it this way. The dining room is going to take at least an hour no matter what option you choose but no rush long dinner conversations are one of my favorite things about cruising!

They assign you a dining room ? Never heard of that . We have any time dinning in March with another couple . First time on Carnival .

I think they want to keep the ATD in one area only as that area is expecting diners to wander in at various times. What good is set time dining if others can wander in when they feel like it?

FWIW, I have never had bad service with YTD.

 

Service aside, I have read many reviews in the review section as well as many posts on the boards here where people did not like set dining times. The most common reasons were not liking the people they were sat with and not liking the location of their table. With set seating (unless you are platinum or up) you are pretty much "stuck" with the table you are first assigned. These two reasons and not wanting a set time when to dine are the 3 main reasons people choose YTD.

 

OP - with YTD all that is assigned is the dining room (most Carnival ships have 2 main dining rooms) and this is where you must go to eat if choosing to eat in the MDR for dinner. Of course there are other options: buffet, room service, steak house...

I disagree on the "stuck" point regarding table assignment. The MDR's always have solutions depending on your request and flexibility. My better half prefers a table for 2, and we have never had an issue with getting a table for 2 - the key is to go to the MDR on day 1 when others are switching too.

I much prefer the "set" dinner times. I think the service is better. I also like having the same wait staff every night - they know what you like to drink and have it on the table for you when you arrive, and learn your name. Yes, I know with ATD you can request waiters, but that may increase wait time .... Just my 2 cents.

 

Cheers!

 

Jeff aka Recovery dude :)

Same!!

With set seating (unless you are platinum or up) you are pretty much "stuck" with the table you are first assigned.

Actually, this is not the case. On my last cruise on the Paradise, We didn't like our table-mates (boring and not lively at all) plus the wait staff was not up to par. Day 2 we talked to the man at the podium at the door, and in 5 seconds we were being shown to our newly assigned table, with interesting table mates and much better service.

I'm a purist, and just think the set dining time, same table mates and staff is part of the "authentic cruise experience" [emoji3]

Cheers!

Jeff aka Recovery Dude

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The thing I don't like about set dining times is that my family only eats in the MDR about half the time (if that). We usually will just have dinner in the buffet on the other nights.

On the cruises where we have had an assigned seating for dinner, we have always felt pressured by the wait staff to come to the MDR every single night. If we missed a night, when we returned, they were always asking why we didn't come and it made us feel like uncomfortable.