Dining in MDR versus Camp Carnival

[TheGirlNextDoor]

Can you tell me what hours Camp Carnvial shuts down in the evening? I think I heard 5-7 but can't confirm that anywhere.

 

I ask because we are taking our 4 children on a cruise in August. I am uncertain how well dining in the MDR with them will go. The meal takes so long and kids can be antsy. I would like the option of taking them to the MDR or allowing them to go to camp depending on what they want. Our current dining time is 6. I am wondering if that is when Camp Carnival is closed nightly?

[cruisinthemed]

Can you tell me what hours Camp Carnvial shuts down in the evening? I think I heard 5-7 but can't confirm that anywhere.

 

I ask because we are taking our 4 children on a cruise in August. I am uncertain how well dining in the MDR with them will go. The meal takes so long and kids can be antsy. I would like the option of taking them to the MDR or allowing them to go to camp depending on what they want. Our current dining time is 6. I am wondering if that is when Camp Carnival is closed nightly?

 

We were on the Paradise last weekend and my son (13) was in Circle C. There were no planned activities between 5pm-8:30pm.

[shixie]

I can't remember the exact time they closed down, but I do remember being called to make sure I was on my way to pick them up, so it must be right around 6. I also remember the kids opting to skip desert once because they wanted to be back in time for face painting at 7:15 or 7:30. They missed face painting the previous night because we weren't done eating, and I still have not heard the end of it.

 

Next time they will hit all the face painting times :D

 

ETA The waiters made a huge deal over my kids every night. Really took the time to make them feel special. And always brought their food out a bit faster than the adults, so they didn't get quite so antsy waiting for food.

[AandBmom]

Can you tell me what hours Camp Carnvial shuts down in the evening? I think I heard 5-7 but can't confirm that anywhere.

 

I ask because we are taking our 4 children on a cruise in August. I am uncertain how well dining in the MDR with them will go. The meal takes so long and kids can be antsy. I would like the option of taking them to the MDR or allowing them to go to camp depending on what they want. Our current dining time is 6. I am wondering if that is when Camp Carnival is closed nightly?

 

On my last two cruises (Imagination and Sensation) camp closed from 4:30 - 6:00, then opened back up on the Lido deck for dinner. Some nights our kids (ages 5 and 7) chose to eat with us and other nights they chose to eat with their friends in camp. The camp menu is limited so we would read them the menu and they would make a choice based on that. We had anytime dining which opened at 5:45. We usually ate around 6 so we could easily swing by the Lido deck and drop the kids off at 6pm on our way to the MDR.

[CruisinFamily_3]

We just got back from the Miracle, and Camp Carnival was shut down from 5-6 each night with dinner on the lido at 6. My son ate a few nights with Camp Carnival and loved eating with his friends!

[silkhair1]

I have never been on CCL, but I thought I read somewhere they will take your kids for dinner. Mine are getting better in the dining room, but they are 8 and 10 now. Good luck!

[serene56]

camp is closed for activity from 5pm til 7pm. (dinner for the kids at the buffet at 5:30- you take your kids to the buffet)

 

If you make it fun at dinner the kids will be fine.

 

Pick something you never tried before and pass it around so everyone can get a taste- talk about what you liked and didnt like.

 

It was wonderful

 

we did this with each course.

 

we had a 5 year old with us last cruise- we made the waiter hold her food until we got ours. (no reason she needed to eat before us)

we had early dinner and were done well before 7:30.

 

ASk you waiter if there is a table magician available to come by around dessert time. We did and he was the highlight of her dinner

[nybumpkin]

We've had kids in Camp Carnival since 2004, over 13 cruises. The youngest was 4 then. This summer he will sail his last 2 cruises with Camp Carnival, since after that he will turn 12 and be in Circle C. Dinner with Camp Carnival is not available the first night. After the first night, dinner with the Camp Carnival staff will be available on the Lido deck at 6:00. The Camp Carnival schedule should list the dinner menu for each evening. After dinner, the staff will bring the kids to whatever Camp Carnival activities are on the schedule.

 

Circle C and Club O2 do not have scheduled dinners.

 

Our sons have done dinners with Camp Carnival; however, they generally prefer the dining room because they love the dining room staff. They're great with kids. We've had waiters teach our kids magic tricks - one time we had a waiter from Russia who taught our kids some words in Russian. (Of course, a lot of this depends on staffing; if they have too many guests, they can't spend as much time with kids.) They have kids' menus available; our 11 YO skips the kids' menu in favor of the regular menu (LOVES shrimp, lobster and tilapia) while our 15 YO usually orders chicken fingers or pizza.:rolleyes:

 

Hope this helps!

[sbnuggie]

Not to repeat the already great info posted, NYBUMPKIN got the info right, just wanted to add a couple of quick things:

 

1) The times everyone has given you vary from ship to ship but they are generally accurate. We just got off splendor and the camp shuts down at 5pm with dinner for camp carnival served at the Lido at 6 and some nights it was 630, for whatever reasons. They stop serving food within 20 minutes and mark that on the activity guide so don't be late. Check the camp carnival activity guide for exact times on your ship.

 

2) The menu at camp carnival is printed in the activity guide. The counselors, at least on the splendor, were very adamant that what is printed on the activity guide is what will be served with no substitutions (with the exception of food allergies/special needs etc). Be sure your child will eat what they are serving that night. Don't misunderstand me, it is all kid friendly stuff but varies from night to night.

 

Our kids are 5 and 9yr old twins, they did great in the dining room, there are kid menu's with crayons and we had the 5 yr old bring a little toy. But each family is different so YMMV. Good Luck.

[lillian marie]

My kids always dine with us in the MDR and enjoy it. They are used to dining in that manner at home. We get a table as a family in anytime dining and dine early. If you think your kids would prefer Camp C for dinner do it. It's your holiday with your family and whatever is best for you all is what you should choose.

[AQW]

Reiterating what others have said; the younger kids can eat with Camp Carnival every night in the Lido restaurant if you/they choose. CC generally closes around 4:30 or 5:00p and re-opens at 6:00 or 6:30p with a meal in the Lido restaurant. My now-9yo prefers to eat with CC every night - probably because they feed them absolute JUNK, all pizza and chicken nuggets and french fries and burgers and nary a vegetable in sight. Meanwhile my now-10yo nephew wouldn't be caught dead eating with CC; he prefers steak and lobster! ;)