Explain this whole MDR "seating time" thing

First-timer here. I'm seeing a lot of posts about "seating times" and "talking to the maitrd (i know i just butchered that spelling) about table selection, etc. When we booked we selected "early dining." But what does that mean? Is that a range of when to show up? (545-630pm kind of thing?) or are you expected to be at the MDR at a certain time (such as 615) like you would with a restaurant reservation? Are you pre-assigned to a table and if you want a "private" table (such as a 2-top instead of being at a shared table) that's when you would need to go the the MDR shortly after boarding to request one?

Whatever the time is for Early Sitting is, that is the time to be there...not a range of time.

There may be others at your table and you probably don't want to keep them waiting.

Even if you have your own table, you don't want to be late because it interrupts the flow of service for your wait staff.

So now the question is...do you want to be alone or with others. There is no way to know that until you go to the dining room and find out how big your table is.

The MD is there around 1-1:30-ish to make changes. He'll help if he can.

If you chose early your dinner time is 6pm. You will have an assigned table the same one every night. If you want a table for two you can email the maitre'd for that ship and request it. (not a guarantee) or go to the MDR and speak with the maitre'd

There are a few different dining options on CCL ships. You can have set times (Early and Late) where you show up at a specified time depending on what you select when you book. Your table will always be the same and your waitstaff won't change, you may be sat with other people. The early dining seating tends to be more popular. There's also Anytime Dining (ATD) where you can show up anytime in a block of time and they will seat you similarly to a land restaurant, but your table and staff change every night. You have the option of sitting in a group or requesting a table for 2. If you aren't a restaurant person, you also have the option to his the Lido deck or any of the other food venues for a bite.

If you want a Table for 2 and you have a set dining time you'll want to check your location on embarkation day and speak to the maitre d to see if it can be changed--sometimes they can and sometimes they can't.

There are 3 dinning times on the ship or you can dine at the Lido buffet. Early dinning is either 6:00 or 6:15 and you show up at that time every evening and have the same table each night with the same wait staff.

Late dinning is the same thing at 8:00pm every night.

Your Time Dinning (YTD) is where you can show up anytime between the stated times (like 6:15 - 8:00) and they seat you where ever is available. Sometimes you have to wait to be seated and are given a beeper.

If you want a table top for only 2 you can either wait until you are on the ship, check out your table assignment and talk to the Maitre d' if you don't like it OR you can email him ahead of time to up in your request.

Here are the ship codes since you didn't say what ship you will be on:

Code letters for Carnival ships

Try this:

CQ Conquest

DE Destiny

DR Dream

EC Ecstasy

FA Fantasy

FS Fascination

FD Freedom

GL Glory

HO Holiday

IM Imagination

IS Inspiration

LE Legend

LI Liberty

MI Miracle

PA Paradise

SE Sensation

SP Spirit

SL Splendor

TI Triumph

VA Valor

VI Victory

EL Elation

PR Pride

BR Breeze

MC Magic

__________________

maitred at carnival dot com. Example - Carnival Valor would be vamaitred at carnivaldotcom (vamaitred@carnival.com)

fascination it would be: fsmaitred at carnival dot com (no spaces).

Hope your cruise is great.

...

There may be others at your table and you probably don't want to keep them waiting....

this is the part the worries me (also a n00b). Am I supposed to notify someone on nights I find I won't be in the MDR? We have early confirmed but I know on our actual anniversary night I've made reservations in the steak house (Conquest).

Other than that I plan to be in MDR every night at whatever my assigned table is (part of the fun! Maybe I watched the Love Boat too much as a kid lol) BUT it is conceivable we'll be tired from an excursion and/or just not feel like getting dressed up one night but it is against my nature to be a no-show when I know other people are expecting me and it might negatively impact their dining experience.

I've always done late dining and it's been 8:15PM, not 8. I'll always have dinner in the Steakhouse once each cruise, and I'll let the waitstaff and my tablemates know the night before as a common courtesy.

I usually have upstairs aft dining, and I'll wait in the lounge off the stairs for the MDR doors to open. I'm been guilty of being late, but no more than 5 minutes, same with my dinner mates. After 5 minutes, the meal must go on!

this is the part the worries me (also a n00b). Am I supposed to notify someone on nights I find I won't be in the MDR? We have early confirmed but I know on our actual anniversary night I've made reservations in the steak house (Conquest).

 

Other than that I plan to be in MDR every night at whatever my assigned table is (part of the fun! Maybe I watched the Love Boat too much as a kid lol) BUT it is conceivable we'll be tired from an excursion and/or just not feel like getting dressed up one night but it is against my nature to be a no-show when I know other people are expecting me and it might negatively impact their dining experience.

If you know ahead of time that you won't be there, it would be a courtesy to let someone know that - your waiter, the maitre'd (ideally), or even your table mates. If it's spur of the moment, you can just call or stop by the dining room to let them know. It's not required, but it's the polite thing to do.

If you know ahead of time that you won't be there, it would be a courtesy to let someone know that - your waiter, the maitre'd (ideally), or even your table mates. If it's spur of the moment, you can just call or stop by the dining room to let them know. It's not required, but it's the polite thing to do.

Good deal - I can do that. Thanks!

this is the part the worries me (also a n00b). Am I supposed to notify someone on nights I find I won't be in the MDR? We have early confirmed but I know on our actual anniversary night I've made reservations in the steak house (Conquest).

 

Other than that I plan to be in MDR every night at whatever my assigned table is (part of the fun! Maybe I watched the Love Boat too much as a kid lol) BUT it is conceivable we'll be tired from an excursion and/or just not feel like getting dressed up one night but it is against my nature to be a no-show when I know other people are expecting me and it might negatively impact their dining experience.

If it's possible, (like your steakhouse night) let your table mates and servers know you won't be there.

While it would be nice to let someone know that you've just decided not to show up at the MDR (like the night you're too tired), it's not a requirement and rest assured, dinner will go on without in a timely manner. The servers will wait only a few minutes and then proceed with the rest of the table.

No need to worry about negatively impacting your tablemates. It happens all the time.

this is the part the worries me (also a n00b). Am I supposed to notify someone on nights I find I won't be in the MDR? We have early confirmed but I know on our actual anniversary night I've made reservations in the steak house (Conquest).

 

Other than that I plan to be in MDR every night at whatever my assigned table is (part of the fun! Maybe I watched the Love Boat too much as a kid lol) BUT it is conceivable we'll be tired from an excursion and/or just not feel like getting dressed up one night but it is against my nature to be a no-show when I know other people are expecting me and it might negatively impact their dining experience.

Whenever we have a reservation in a specialty restaurant we let the staff and our tablemates know we will not be there the next night so they aren't looking for us to show up.

On our last cruise we were at a table for 10 with 5 couples. Occasionally a couple or 2 would not show up and they never told anyone. The staff would ask if we knew if they were coming. I feel if you know you aren't going to be there you should do the staff the courtesy of letting them know. Of course sometimes you make a decision not to go to the dining room and there is not time to let anyone know. Don't worry about that. Everyone will figure it out after a little while.

Of course it is horrible to have someone show up 30 minutes late like 1 couple did during that cruise. Not very considerate to anyone. I would just go eat somewhere else and not show up in the dining room 30 minutes late. But that's me.

If it's possible, (like your steakhouse night) let your table mates and servers know you won't be there.

 

While it would be nice to let someone know that you've just decided not to show up at the MDR (like the night you're too tired), it's not a requirement and rest assured, dinner will go on without in a timely manner. The servers will wait only a few minutes and then proceed with the rest of the table.

 

No need to worry about negatively impacting your tablemates. It happens all the time.

We usually tell our tablemates that while our intention is to eat dinner in the MDR each night sometimes that changes at the last minute and if we are not there five minutes after the start of the dining time to assume we are not coming that night. That way nobody needs to wonder if they should wait or not.

The only thing to remember is don't show up more than 15 minutes past your assigned dining time. Running late, just eat on Lido.

The only thing to remember is don't show up more than 15 minutes past your assigned dining time. Running late, just eat on Lido.

Yes, more than 15 minutes late for assigned seating and we just waive it off and do the Lido buffet. It really messes the whole process up to walk in at 6:20 and expect them to work around it.

We usually tell our tablemates that while our intention is to eat dinner in the MDR each night sometimes that changes at the last minute and if we are not there five minutes after the start of the dining time to assume we are not coming that night. That way nobody needs to wonder if they should wait or not.

Excellent suggestion.

Our first cruise we were on the YTD. The first night we sat at one of the large tables with a bunch of strangers. There was some small talk, but my wife and I are not the most social people with strangers, so it was awkward. After that night, we typically ended up at a table for four with our girls (except one night room service grilled cheese was their choice).

The second cruise we ended up with Late dining. Given that you can graze all day, there was no issue with us starving or anything. It was just my wife and I on that one, so we had a nice table for two. It was interesting watching a few other tables and the consistency of people - including the once I could see where I think every night she found something to complain about.

Right now we're slated for late dining and wait-listed on YTD. I keep wavering on this. The late dining tends to get in the way of evening activities. The early dining looks like it will conflict with some of the port times - ie. we get on board and barely have time to cleanup...I may be either exaggerating the leaving port times or my wife's get-ready times, but I don't want to be rushed.

The one thing that I LOVED about the fixed time dining was you had the same wait staff every night. Service is their game, but they do a great job of making you feel like you're the only person they have to deal with. I have read you can ask at the YTD, but you may be waiting longer - no different than going to a restaurant and asking to sit in a certain wait persons table.

WE LOVE tablemates! It's a fun time...we are social...and easygoing...and we don't mind listening, if others are talkers! So far, we've NEVER had tablemates we didn't get along with! I know lots of folks say they didn't get "good" tablemates, but really, it's THEM...not the tablemates, who are hard to get along with....

Introduce yourself...there...you are no longer "strangers"....now..just chat! You already have vacations and cruising in common...go from there!

WE LOVE tablemates! It's a fun time...we are social...and easygoing...and we don't mind listening, if others are talkers! So far, we've NEVER had tablemates we didn't get along with! I know lots of folks say they didn't get "good" tablemates, but really, it's THEM...not the tablemates, who are hard to get along with....

 

Introduce yourself...there...you are no longer "strangers"....now..just chat! You already have vacations and cruising in common...go from there!

This is us! Great advice!

They seat YTD up til 9:30, not 8 as someone stated. We ate around 9 every night and never waited, found a great waitress on the second night, and she was our server for the next 10 days, wonderful. The first night the waiter was curt and just wanted to serve us ASAP.

Our 1st cruise was before ATD was even heard of, also Cruise Critic, so we were clueless. We did not go to the MDR until the 3rd night, and it was a table for 10. The table mates were nasty to us for not showing up, and the server, even worse. I am usually the one to step up and complain if there is a problem, but, this time, my husband actually got involved. Too long ago to remember what I ordered but, whatever I was served was not even close. My husband told the server, this order is wrong, she would never order this. The guy was so rude and argued with him, we ate the appetizer, left $5. and never returned. These were the days when envelopes were left to tip. No automatic gratuities. If we had known it was required to let someone know we would not be dining there, we would have.We never returned to MDR until ATD was put in place. We are social, but not at dinner so always ask for a 2 top. Have never waited more than 10 minutes. Works for us.:)

WE LOVE tablemates! It's a fun time...we are social...and easygoing...and we don't mind listening, if others are talkers! So far, we've NEVER had tablemates we didn't get along with! I know lots of folks say they didn't get "good" tablemates, but really, it's THEM...not the tablemates, who are hard to get along with....

 

Introduce yourself...there...you are no longer "strangers"....now..just chat! You already have vacations and cruising in common...go from there!

Agree with this. I have never had a bad time dining with others. Great way to meet people.

The one thing that I LOVED about the fixed time dining was you had the same wait staff every night. Service is their game, but they do a great job of making you feel like you're the only person they have to deal with. I have read you can ask at the YTD, but you may be waiting longer - no different than going to a restaurant and asking to sit in a certain wait persons table.

On our Inspiration cruise we went with a group of friends who preferred fixed time dining, but because we both had toddlers and you never know what schedule they'll be on, we went with YTD. We just asked for the same server every night and it wasn't a problem except the last night. He must have had a night off as they said he wasn't working that evening. Had a different table each night, but that didn't bother us.

On our Inspiration cruise we went with a group of friends who preferred fixed time dining, but because we both had toddlers and you never know what schedule they'll be on, we went with YTD. We just asked for the same server every night and it wasn't a problem except the last night. He must have had a night off as they said he wasn't working that evening. Had a different table each night, but that didn't bother us.

Thanks. I'm gonna try this (assuming we get one we like!) and hopefully not have to wait a long time for a preferred wait staff. Assuming we get switched from Late to YTD.

Arriving fashionably late is rude and holds up service for the table.