Dinner Seating Times

[ucla92]

I just booked the 5/8 cruise on the Pride for my family (2 kids ages 2 & 5). When I booked I told the Carnival reservation agent I would like the early seating because of the kids. The agent told me that you can only REQUEST a seating there is no guarantee you will get the seating you request. Is this true? Seems very odd. I cruised Celebrity about 6 years ago and they guaranteed my dinner seating time.

 

Thanks for you help.

[Runner Girl]

Well, that depends on how many people booked before you did and requested early seating. If the dining room is already full, then they'd have to assign you the late seating. If you get late, you can go to the maitre' D the day you board and get try to get it changed. They seem to be able to move people around. The late seating tends to be more popular, so it's unlikely you'll have a problem, though.

[tef43]

Is this true?

Absolutely true.

Seems very odd.

Why? :confused:

I cruised Celebrity about 6 years ago and they guaranteed my dinner seating time.

This ain't "X".

[TheGrandparents]

>you can only REQUEST a seating there is no guarantee you will get the seating you request<

 

Exactly!

 

We booked our cruise 1 year in advance and requested early seating.

When we boarded we were assigned late anyway.

Easily changed once onboard though.

[oceantravel]

If you get there and your sail and sign card states a dinner time that you did not want, it is usually no problem to get it change. Just see the maitre'D. That has only happened to us once in 6 cruises and it was changed the next night. Remember that some ships have 4 dinner times.

[Marge M]

Yep, we requested early and got late. The first thing we did when we got onboard was go to the Maitre'd. There was a line there already at 12:30. This was a busy T'giving sailing, and he told us he couldn't change it at first. After I told him we had kids--and a late seating would make them miss some camp activities, he *managed* an early seating for us. We did tip him extra for this, but not until the last night at dinner.

[I&MsMom]

We were on the Glory with our 2 and 5 year olds. Something that made all the difference for us was requesting, and getting, a booth. I realize some kids this age are able to stay still in chairs for long periods of time, but my children are not among them! This gave them some "wiggle" room at no danger to the waitstaff or other diners.

 

We were also at the railing on the second floor, so there was always something going on below to entertain them! (I just had to watch nothing got jettisoned! LOL)

 

The only drawback is, all the booths I saw seated 4 - so no chance to connect with others (although a really nice young couple was seated at a 2-top next to us, I hesitated being too friendly as I assumed they requested a table for 2 for a reason!)

 

Happy cruising!