Carnival's MDR times...what should we do?

[rubygigi]

We (DH, 1 yo DS and I) are going on our first Carnival cruise in less than 4 weeks. We cruised before on NCL and they had "freestyle dining" so I know things are different on Carnival. I have a few questions about how dinner works in the MDR. Do you have to sit with others? Do they serve all of the courses at the same time as all of the other diners in the MDR? How long do dinners generally last?

 

We really want to be able to eat in the MDR, but I'm worried that our 14 month old won't do well if it's a 2 hour long ordeal. Would the Anytime dining option be better? Would that allow us to sit at our own table and order/eat at our own pace in order to be a little faster about it? I'm looking for the best option for us to still be able to experience the food and atmosphere of the MDR but to also not have our little guy lose patience. Sorry for all of the questions and I hope this makes sense! Thanks!

[StillPooh]

Choose Anytime Dining. That will give you much more flexibility to eat whenever your little one is hungry. And the option to skip the MDR entirely without having to worry about notifying anyone, if the Lido buffet or room service works better on a particular night.

[okgirl]

I'm not sure I think that Your Time Dining is any faster. It is what I select, but each course is still served individually and because the waiters are serving multiple tables all being served different parts of the meal the timing can actually be slower.

 

If you choose traditional dining, I would go to the Maitre' D and ask for a private table. I would let my wait team know that your son can't sit through a long meal time, so they will speed things along.

 

I would also order things for you and DH that are easier to be served quickly, like soup as an appetizer and hold off on dessert and order from room service.

 

I've seen the wait teams work miricles with little ones, but should he become anxious or to unsettled to get through service you may want to leave the dining room with him and enjoy a more relaxed and casual meal in the buffet or from the deli or pizza stations which are open late.

[golfadj]

We did early seating with 1 year old grandson in April. Waiter understood grandson would not sit for 2 hours and food came out quickly. Bestt to have your own table so as not to inconvenience others.

[deborahjo]

If you are that concerned you can always go to the MDR once on board and request and table for just the 3 of you. That way no one is made to feel uncomfortable.

[rubygigi]

Thank you all for your advice. I think we'll do the Anytime Dining instead of Early. Hopefully that will allow us to get our own table for 3 and speed things along a bit. We'll probably try to get there at 5:45 to get started.

 

I read on another thread that if you are at a big table and someone orders 2 appetizers, they bring everyone their appetizers and when they finish, they still have to wait for that person to get their 2nd appetizer and eat it before they bring everyone's entrees. Can you request that they bring your two appetizers at the same time (like if you get a salad and a different appetizer)? That sounds ridiculous to have to wait on one person like that. Sorry for the ignorance, like I said before, our only other cruise was freestyle on NCL so I know it's totally different on CCL. Thanks!

[Kerry's Girls]

I actually preferred set dining times when cruising with toddlers. Since you have the same table/waiters each evening, when we arrived the table would be set for us (minimum at my daughters' place settings) and my girls' favorite appetizer would come out immediately so they could munch while I looked at the menu. They were always great about keeping the pace up so that the kids always had something in front of them and it wasn't too long. My girls would be on their ice cream while I finished my entree. They LOVED the singing and dancing each night, which you may miss if you're not on set seatings.

 

Best,

Mia

[rubygigi]

I actually preferred set dining times when cruising with toddlers. Since you have the same table/waiters each evening' date=' when we arrived the table would be set for us (minimum at my daughters' place settings) and my girls' favorite appetizer would come out immediately so they could munch while I looked at the menu. They were always great about keeping the pace up so that the kids always had something in front of them and it wasn't too long. My girls would be on their ice cream while I finished my entree. They LOVED the singing and dancing each night, which you may miss if you're not on set seatings.

 

Best,

Mia[/quote']

 

Thanks for the info! Were you able to get a table of your own each night?

[Mari1023]

Any time dining is awesome. When you to the dining hall the hostess will ask you your cabin no., and at that moment just tell her you want a table for 3. Our wait staff was great, and were usually done in 1 hour top. The menu is available daily on the TV so as soon as you get to your table you don't need to take too much time looking at the menu because you know what is offered.

[luvscruising2007]

With set dining you have the same wait staff and same table each evening.

[SadieN]

If you know what you want to eat and order eveything at the beginning service will be faster.

[Kerry's Girls]

Thanks for the info! Were you able to get a table of your own each night?

 

With set dining, my family of three was assigned our own table. You can check in the dining room when you embark and confirm the size of your table.

 

Another plus to the assigned dining - your high chair will be set up and waiting for you at the table.

 

Enjoy!

 

Best,

Mia

[bluehenfan]

On my last cruise we had ATD and a young couple with 16 m.o. son sat near us a couple nights. He was a cutie pie and we asked parents his age . I noticed the courses of their meal came much faster than others around them. We were right next to their table the last night and heard the parents thanking the waitstaff for helping them get through dinner so quickly all week. My travel partner saw the husband slipped some money in main waiter's hand, which was a nice gesture. I'm sure if you ask, staff will keep the courses moving a little more quickly for you too. Especially if there are just the 3 of you at the table. With ATD you're assured you will not have to share table with anyone. With set dining, you can make request for a table for 3 but there's no guarantee.

Enjoy your vacation with your little one.

[NewKansasKruiser]

We wanted ATD, but received 6:00 time MDR because the cruise was full and we booked late. We were grouped with 3 other couples to make it a table of 8. On our cruise, everyone with small children had their own table. We had 2 young families around us that were parties of 3 (mom, dad, child) and they had their own tables also. It is a **minimum* of 90 minutes, more like 120 in MDR. In ours, they severed everyone at the table at the same time, so our table of 8 had to wait to assure everyone was there that was showing up, then waited on anyone who wanted a second main meal before dessert was served, etc. The table of 3 families were a little bit quicker, but not much. I would do any time dining and then you can go when your child is hungry, well rested, etc. The one family that had a 2 year old beside us had a portable DVD player they brought to dinner and their child was SO good. He ate and watched a video really quietly and I never heard a sound out of him the whole time.

 

 

We (DH, 1 yo DS and I) are going on our first Carnival cruise in less than 4 weeks. We cruised before on NCL and they had "freestyle dining" so I know things are different on Carnival. I have a few questions about how dinner works in the MDR. Do you have to sit with others? Do they serve all of the courses at the same time as all of the other diners in the MDR? How long do dinners generally last?

 

We really want to be able to eat in the MDR, but I'm worried that our 14 month old won't do well if it's a 2 hour long ordeal. Would the Anytime dining option be better? Would that allow us to sit at our own table and order/eat at our own pace in order to be a little faster about it? I'm looking for the best option for us to still be able to experience the food and atmosphere of the MDR but to also not have our little guy lose patience. Sorry for all of the questions and I hope this makes sense! Thanks!

[Cruisegirl6]

We prefer set dining having the same wait staff each night is nice because they get to know what you like. I am sure you can explain to your wait staff that you like to be served fast because you have a youngster who may not want to sit there that long, Im sure he/she will accomodate.

 

Unfortunately Carnival is the only one so far that I know that not allow you any longer to choose large or small table. What I suggest is having your TA or yourself if booking on your own have Carnival add a remark in your booking stating you like a small table and see what happens. I suggest early dining with a one year old this way he not get tired and hungry before dinner time.

[serene56]

Thank you all for your advice. I think we'll do the Anytime Dining instead of Early. Hopefully that will allow us to get our own table for 3 and speed things along a bit. We'll probably try to get there at 5:45 to get started. s!

 

 

the line will be LONG at 5:45.

 

with a 1 year old I would take tradition seating. get your own table and have the waiters get to know your likes, dislikes.

especially with a 1 year old. The waiter can have stuff on the table waiting for him. (including a high chair) with anytime you will have to wait for someone to find you the high chair

[cruzinlisa]

Anytime dining is definitely the way to go with a little one. We went in April with our 15 month old DD. Her nap schedule was unfortunately all over the place- not for lack of trying on our part, she just sometimes refused to nap until she would crash. One night we tried to get her to go down for a nap all afternoon and she did not. About 5:45 she was out like a light. It was elegant night and I did not want to miss lobster, but there was NO WAY I was waking her up right way. Ultimately I had to or she would have probably woke up later and kept us up all night, but I was able to wait a while and let her sleep while DH and I got ready for dinner. Had we had early dining we would have missed dinner that night (or woke her up too early and dealt with that).

 

As far as reports of getting food faster than others, that was not my experience. I would not count on it. A couple of tips I can give you, stop by the buffet to pick up milk before going to the MDR (they took forever to get it and DD was crying that she wanted a drink) and bring some cherrios or something to snack on. They do bring bread, but there were nights that it took quite some time to get it. And if you have a hungry toddler with other people eating all around them, you know that every second you wait feels like hours.

[TEXAZJEWL]

Sometimes you do have to wait to be seated for ATD, one time we waited almost 30 minutes. So, if you add that time onto our actual dining time, it can be just as long of an experience as early/late seating. With set dining, you can go on in & sit at your table and get going on the meal!

 

We have always gone to the maitre'd upon embarkation and requested a table for two, and they've always accomodated us. You may not have it that first night, but by the second night they will accomodate you. (Although we had it on our first night both times we requested it, but I know others who didn't).

[uababs]

Even with ATD you can ask for the same waitstaff each night. We were very pleased with Cornelia on our first night on Liberty last fall so asked for her every night. Only had to wait a few minutes one night, otherwise our party of four was seated quickly.

[serene56]

Even with ATD you can ask for the same waitstaff each night. We were very pleased with Cornelia on our first night on Liberty last fall so asked for her every night. Only had to wait a few minutes one night, otherwise our party of four was seated quickly.

 

 

getting the same area of the waiter is luck of the draw- if someone is in front of you and requests the same thing---arghh

 

the head guy told us if we want the same waiter all week we better be in line way before 5:45 (kinda defeats anytime dining dont ya thing.

 

we we were in line before 5:45 and so was a bunch of other people.

we did manage the same wait staff 3 nights out of the 7 but people in front of us got there first.

 

and contrary to people posting they can make a standing reservation- I have yet to have that happen.

 

doesnt mean it does not happen-- but I would not let people count on it.

 

we sailed with an 18 month old. we did good. But its a long time for a kid that age to sit there like that. after dinner we went to the promanade deck to the outdoor area and just let her run to her hearts content. She wasnt going anywhere and the railing is not wide enough for her to "slip" through.

 

it really wore her down being in that salt air and moving about after sitting for that long.

[stevenr597]

1) Anytime Dining: You could have a long wait time for a table

2) The waiters are getting busier they have to serve more tablets with less support in a shorter amount of time. I am not sure if you could depend on the waiter to rush you thrugh your meal

3) Suggest you eat upstairs in the buffet.

[daisitroy]

Thank you all for your advice. I think we'll do the Anytime Dining instead of Early. Hopefully that will allow us to get our own table for 3 and speed things along a bit. We'll probably try to get there at 5:45 to get started.

 

I read on another thread that if you are at a big table and someone orders 2 appetizers, they bring everyone their appetizers and when they finish, they still have to wait for that person to get their 2nd appetizer and eat it before they bring everyone's entrees. Can you request that they bring your two appetizers at the same time (like if you get a salad and a different appetizer)? That sounds ridiculous to have to wait on one person like that. Sorry for the ignorance, like I said before, our only other cruise was freestyle on NCL so I know it's totally different on CCL. Thanks!

I don't know if was just on our ship, but last week on the Glory whenever anyone ordered 2 or more appetizers or desserts they all came out at the same time.

[bartleby112]

someone else already mentioned it. Know what you want to order before you go in the dinning room. They post it at the door to the MDR that day.

 

We did this one sailing and we were being served our entree's when others were still working on appetizers.