First Night - MDR or Buffet?

[Bostonjetset]

For the first night of your cruise, which is best to do, MDR or Buffet? What would be your preference and why?

 

Thanks!

 

Meeting and dining with fellow travelers is one of the great pastimes of ocean travel. Even [or perhaps especially] on Carnival, it is one of the few experiences that can still remotely compare to the grand affair of traveling on the sea. For us, it is the MDR every night; one can eat average buffet food ANYTIME at home.

[Eeyore_Lover]

Do you have to abide by your dinner seating time (early or late) for the first night?

 

No. There was only one dining room open, and you were seated as you arrived. Was like the any time dining option that night:)

 

We did not even board until after 7 because we had to wait for a piece of luggage USAirways forgot to put on the plane. Gotta love how it is OK to travel separate from your bags when it is the airline's fault, but not when you want to go standby.

[Jenna1983]

I've only ate dinner in the buffet once in nine cruises. It was also not my choice to eat there but the group wanted to so two of us lost out.

[RRLLAL]

If the choice is buffet or MDR then go MDR.

 

IMO, it's the lesser of two evils. The food isn't very good in the MDR but, it's got to be better then the buffet.

 

If you can save some extra money I would eat at the speciality restaurants, if the ship has them, every night. FAR better food for just a small fee.

 

You don't cruise Carnival do you?

 

Sent using my Commodore 64

[RRLLAL]

Always the MDR for us.

 

Seems like a lot of people enjoy meeting their table mates. We've had table mates a couple times when it is just the wife and I but 7 cruises with the 2 kids and we've never had table mates and always been at a table for 4. Is that the norm since it is 4?

 

Sent using my Commodore 64

[SPKEMO]

You don't cruise Carnival do you?

 

Sent using my Commodore 64

 

Nope! Carnival just for fun gave me Platinum member status.

 

Not sure what you mean by this.

[RRLLAL]

Nope! Carnival just for fun gave me Platinum member status.

 

Not sure what you mean by this.

 

Why would you mention specialty restaurants for a fee? You would know that's the steakhouse. Just seed like a strange comment.

 

Sent using my Commodore 64

[SPKEMO]

Why would you mention specialty restaurants for a fee? You would know that's the steakhouse. Just seed like a strange comment.

 

Sent using my Commodore 64

 

Oh, so Cucina Del Capitano or Bonsai Sushi don't count as speciality restaurants? There's also the Chef's Table which could count as a speciality restaurant.

 

You've obviously never sailed Carnival before.

 

Sorry, it was just too easy.