Never again ATD on Carnival

[robear14]

We were on the Dream for the same cruise, but did the early seating. Service was the quickest we've ever had on a cruise (although this was only our third). The wait time between courses was very short compared to our last cruise. We were in the Crimson Upper dining room and noticed that the majority of the tables had only 4 chairs. This probably helped speed things along for each table.

 

Previously, we did the early seating on the Legend. Service was great, but it took a long time to get each course. Most of the tables had 6 or 8 chairs. We were seated at a table of 6, and there was a couple seated with us that got multiple starters and entrees most of the time so that may have contributed to the wait. Our table was almost always one of the last ones to leave.

 

On our first cruise, we did ATD. Having never been on a cruise before, we didn't know what to expect or how the timing worked, so we wanted flexibility. We were on the Fascination, which is a much smaller ship than the Legend and Dream and never had to wait for a table.

 

What we soon realized after a few nights was that the shows in the main theater are pretty much scheduled around the assumption that you're going to eat either early or late. So if you want to see the late show, you have to go to the early seating. If you want to see the show before you eat, you have to go to the late seating. So even though we had ATD on the Fascination, we were always eating early - around 6 or a little after.

 

After experiencing both, we much prefer a set time. It's really nice to have the same servers every night: On this past cruise, on the first night when the server asked if I wanted tea or coffee with my dessert, I requested hot tea and chose Earl Grey. On the second night I asked for it again and chose the same tea. By the third night, I wasn't even asked - he just brought it with the Earl Grey. I know they're trained and supposed to remember people's preferences, but it still felt nice to have that personalized service.

[MrPete]

Just off the Dream this morning and booked ATD because was just me & DW...First Elegant night went down about 630 and lines out both sides to the elevators..Maitre D saw DW's Diamond card and seated us quickly..very slow service, I think because each table is at a different stage of dining..Next night got pager and waited 20 minutes, again service slow..Next Elegant night lines past elevators, ate at buffett...Last night was in line at 5:45, got table, ordered and got soup in about 15 minutes, entre about 30 minutes later and then ordered deserts--waited almost 20 minutes before getting up and walking out...I can see why all the complaints about ATD on the Dream...Dennis

 

Everything you state matches my fear of ATD. I usually laugh when some defend it by saying just don't go at peak times. :rolleyes: HUH? :rolleyes:

 

And although I might be tempted to try it IF I was guaranteed to walk up and be seated right away, I like doing that still for traditional dining. Just never sure why they don't budge those times, but I liked it when they had the staggered dining times on the ships that hadtwo dining rooms. 6:15 just seemed thatmuch easier, but 5:45 just seemed thatmuch earlier, but it all came down to just being "on schedule".

[MissMeggieMurphy]

i wouldn't do anything but set dining times, one of the traditional things that i do enjoy. and our group always closes up the late dining, just like we do if at home at a restaurant. to be truthful i never clock watch while eating and don't fret about the service being slow, whatever that means. besides having late dining gives us an opportunity to get a snack when we get back from the ports and then to take a nap or have a glass of wine on our balcony before we slowly get ready for dinner. actually i can't figure out what we would do between 8 and 10 if we weren't eating and enjoying each others company.

[SteelerCruiser]

we tried ATD a couple years ago on the Fascination. It took my Father-in-law about 45 minutes to get a refill on his iced tea. I could have understood a little more if it was a soda or something from the bar but for goodness sakes it was tea. We moved the next night to traditional and had some of the best service we ever had. Give me traditional late seating anytime!!!