Dining with a large group

I know, yet another dining thread.

We’ll be on the Valor in February, with a group of 10 family members. We’re all booked under various booking numbers which I’ve linked together in my account online. I’ve also ensured we have the same scheduled dining time.

My questions are:

1.) Have you ever sailed with a group of 10 and how difficult was it to get seated together?

2.) Does Carnival have tables for 10? The most I can ever remember was 8.

I plan on sending a message to John Heald closer to our sail date, hoping this helps.

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I know, yet another dining thread.

 

We’ll be on the Valor in February, with a group of 10 family members. We’re all booked under various booking numbers which I’ve linked together in my account online. I’ve also ensured we have the same scheduled dining time.

 

My questions are:

 

1.) Have you ever sailed with a group of 10 and how difficult was it to get seated together?

 

2.) Does Carnival have tables for 10? The most I can ever remember was 8.

 

I plan on sending a message to John Heald closer to our sail date, hoping this helps.

 

 

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I have seen a table for 10 on some of the ships, but only 1, I suggest that you go onto John's Facebook page and ask him for help in getting this, make sure you give him all the names and booking numbers.

I know, yet another dining thread.

 

We’ll be on the Valor in February, with a group of 10 family members. We’re all booked under various booking numbers which I’ve linked together in my account online. I’ve also ensured we have the same scheduled dining time.

 

My questions are:

 

1.) Have you ever sailed with a group of 10 and how difficult was it to get seated together?

 

2.) Does Carnival have tables for 10? The most I can ever remember was 8.

 

I plan on sending a message to John Heald closer to our sail date, hoping this helps.

 

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With whom did you book the cruise? There's no need to contact John Heald. Contact the person who booked the cruise and have him/her link all the booking numbers.

Should you get your S&S cards on embarkation day and find you are at different tables, check the Fun Times for the schedule that the maitre d' is available. He'll be able to help .

On our first cruise we were 21. All tables were in one section together. We were all connected and had no trouble. Easy to visit and catch up on what others had done that day. Hope it works out for you!

We had 9 people in our group. We all ate together at one table. As long as your booking numbers are linked, you'll have no problem.

Confused. How would John Heald help you?

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We travel with large groups on most of our cruises, typically anywhere from 12-24 people. We've had as many as 16 at one table together and when we've had the group of 24 we had two large tables adjacent to each other. Just make sure that your reservations are linked together.

Misty

We had 2 tables if 10 for our first cruise. The tables sat back to back and we rotated around each evening. As long as you have a traditional time and all booking numbers linked you will be seated together even if it's two tables for 6/6

Awesome! I appreciate the advice everyone has given. I booked the cruises myself, as I generally do.

I'll still pass the info on to John about a week out, I've seen him ask that guests contact him directly through his Facebook for dining requests.

If all else fails, I'll speak with the Maître de when we embark.

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No need to contact John. Just make sure all your cabins are linked together. Never had a problem.

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Awesome! I appreciate the advice everyone has given. I booked the cruises myself, as I generally do.

 

I'll still pass the info on to John about a week out, I've seen him ask that guests contact him directly through his Facebook for dining requests.

 

If all else fails, I'll speak with the Maître de when we embark.

 

 

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John wants dining requests 4 days before you sail. Include names and cabin numbers and if you have early or late dining. He does not need your booking number.

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We have traveled with a group of 25 or more. And going again in may. We sat at 3 tables. As long as you are all linked together there should be no problem.

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We once had three tables of 10 next to each other for our big group. Just make sure your bookings are linked.

We never needed to contact anyone outside of our Carnival PVP, since we used one. Or just contact Carnival. As long as your cruise reservations are linked together, you can have your dining options together too. We've traveled with a group of 7-9 almost every time. We always had a table for all of us together.

We usually have large groups cruising together (largest was 35!) and usually did anytime dining and still get large tables or an entire section to ourselves. As others have said, just make sure all the bookings are linked and that you all have the same dining.

I know, yet another dining thread.

 

We’ll be on the Valor in February, with a group of 10 family members. We’re all booked under various booking numbers which I’ve linked together in my account online. I’ve also ensured we have the same scheduled dining time.

Linking them together on your account will not link them through Carnival. The best way to do it is to call Carnival ahead of time with the different booking numbers seeing how you booked the cruise yourself online. If you book through a TA or a PVP, they can do it for you.

I agree don’t contact John just call Carnival direct and ask them to link all reservations together. I booked our family cruise and just called they were glad to do so.

I know, yet another dining thread.

 

We’ll be on the Valor in February, with a group of 10 family members. We’re all booked under various booking numbers which I’ve linked together in my account online. I’ve also ensured we have the same scheduled dining time.

 

My questions are:

 

1.) Have you ever sailed with a group of 10 and how difficult was it to get seated together?

 

2.) Does Carnival have tables for 10? The most I can ever remember was 8.

 

I plan on sending a message to John Heald closer to our sail date, hoping this helps.

 

 

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There are 10 tops. Don't waste your time asking a former CD for your reservations. Simply email the MD. We had 21 at our largest group and got all our tables next to one another.

Awesome! I appreciate the advice everyone has given. I booked the cruises myself, as I generally do.

 

I'll still pass the info on to John about a week out, I've seen him ask that guests contact him directly through his Facebook for dining requests.

 

If all else fails, I'll speak with the Maître de when we embark.

 

 

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Yes this is the best way to get your table, you are doing itthe right way and just ignore the entire nay Sayers telling you not to contactJohn Heard on Facebook

Newbie question:

There are 6 of us travelling together (in 3 rooms), we have all booked the flexible dining time. Do I need to "link" the bookings in order to ensure a table together, or do we just turn up and ask for a table for 6?

Follow up:

If we "link" the bookings, does this mean we always have to eat together? While I suspect we will have dinners together, we will likely all opt for breakfast and lunch on our own.

Thanks

I reserved the large round table for 20 for my wedding party on the Vista last June. You can e-mail the Valor Maitre D (vamaitred@carnival.com) and copy eventplanning@carnival.com to request the table(s). Just include the ship, cruise date, dinner time, cabin numbers, guest names and booking numbers if you have it. Sometimes they'll tell you to wait until final payment due date to submit the request. If any of the cabin numbers change before the sail date, be sure to update the Maitre D before the cruise.

If this helps, we had a group of 18 with anytime dining (set times were full when we booked) and our TA had linked our reservations so that Carnival knew that we were all traveling together. We met at the anytime dining room at 5:45 the first night and got 2 tables to accommodate us all (a few little kids in the group so they could be more squished) and the rest of the week met at 6 and our tables were ready for us generally. We never had to wait. I believe the key to our success was being there early for the first seating.

Newbie question:

There are 6 of us travelling together (in 3 rooms), we have all booked the flexible dining time. Do I need to "link" the bookings in order to ensure a table together, or do we just turn up and ask for a table for 6?

 

Follow up:

If we "link" the bookings, does this mean we always have to eat together? While I suspect we will have dinners together, we will likely all opt for breakfast and lunch on our own.

 

Thanks

I don't know if you "need" to but we always do. You don't have to all eat together every night if you are linked.

Newbie question:

There are 6 of us travelling together (in 3 rooms), we have all booked the flexible dining time. Do I need to "link" the bookings in order to ensure a table together, or do we just turn up and ask for a table for 6?

 

Follow up:

If we "link" the bookings, does this mean we always have to eat together? While I suspect we will have dinners together, we will likely all opt for breakfast and lunch on our own.

 

Thanks

Linking booking numbers is for assigned dining. You do not have to link them for any time dining. Just show up together and ask for a table for six.

The dining rooms are not always open for breakfast and lunch. Some days they have brunch. A lot of people eat those meals in the Lido Buffet or one of the other venues. In that case, just eat whatever time you want to with or without the other two couples.

Just off the Magic 12/16-23 cruise and we were at a round table that held 12 people, six in our group, six others.

If your bookings are linked they will most likely seat you all together.

Newbie question:

There are 6 of us travelling together (in 3 rooms), we have all booked the flexible dining time. Do I need to "link" the bookings in order to ensure a table together, or do we just turn up and ask for a table for 6?

 

Follow up:

If we "link" the bookings, does this mean we always have to eat together? While I suspect we will have dinners together, we will likely all opt for breakfast and lunch on our own.

 

Thanks

We always cruise with one to four other couples. We choose YTD. We do not link our booking numbers because it's not necessary with YTD.

On the first night of each cruise, we walk up to the hostess station at the MDR. We are asked how many people and our cabin numbers. After the second night, we are amazed that the hostess always remembers our party's cabin numbers!

You do not need to always dine together for dinners nor other meals during the day.

Have a great cruise.