ASSIGNED SEATING... doors will now close after 20 minutes

[Princess Ariel]

Originally Posted by Princess Ariel

They should post that the doors will be closed after 15 but really allow the late comers up to 20 along with a warning.

WHY?? Fifteen mins. is enough time to be "late" for dinner. That is just plain rude, rude,ride.

 

To give the staff the added flexibility to deal with the 'unexpected difficulties' that are sure to arise. I say after the 20 mins 'to bad so sad'.

 

The problem is that with ATD they can't just close the curtains and doors like they used to so it makes it that much harder to police.

[Earthworm Jim]

so, if it does get finalized, will the maitre'd follow through?

 

Exactly. It's a good rule. (Though I'd be slightly miffed if I couldn't order because my tablemates were 20 minutes late. 10 or 15 minutes is plenty.) But the rule is only as good as it's enforcement. They have (or had) good rules about dress codes for dinner and chair hogging too, but if the enforcement isn't there what good does that do you?

 

 

The first night we left plenty of time to walk the length of the ship and get an elevator (and yes, we needed to wait for 5 or 6 of them before we could get on). Once we got to the correct floor, we couldn't get out of the elevator! The area was packed with people and there was not enough space to actually get the wheelchair off the elevator.

 

Yeah, unfortunately you can't really use the elevators that are right near the dining room entrance. You are sort of forced to take some other bank of elevators to the right deck and then make you way toward the dining room so you can fall in with the large group of people who are already there.

 

Either that or go really early, which I personally don't like to do.

Edited December 6, 2013 by Earthworm Jim

[skyeman27]

Brilliant idea, maybe after a while they can change it 15 minutes...Just hope that it is enforced...

[LakeMomNY]

I'm fine with them closing the doors after 15 minutes.

 

IF they consistently open them on time. There was not a single night (that we ate in the MDR) my last cruise that the doors actually opened on time.

Edited December 6, 2013 by LakeMomNY

[vols_159]

Here's hoping that it becomes final soon.

 

I agree but how long does it take them to finalize a policy...

[sparks1093]

I agree but how long does it take them to finalize a policy...

 

About as long as long as uncle sam with the passport rules.

 

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[sparks1093]

To give the staff the added flexibility to deal with the 'unexpected difficulties' that are sure to arise. I say after the 20 mins 'to bad so sad'.

 

The problem is that with ATD they can't just close the curtains and doors like they used to so it makes it that much harder to police.

 

I thought ATD had its own dining room.

 

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[ImmortalxKiss]

Sounds great to me, too!!

[Butterbean1000]

Great idea. But I can already hear the whinning and complaining from the late comers because it's not their fault they're late. .. blah , blah , blah

 

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[RuthlessBoss]

Hope they finalize it soon. Our last cruise in Oct. there were 4 people at the table next to us that came atleast 30 minutes late every night. One night we were eating desert when they came in. I felt sorry for the waiters.

 

I hope they pass and enforce this. The assigned time diners have almost turned into "their" time dining.

[Ehpride]

I think that 15 minutes is plenty of time. I always go down early to take pictures and get a drink before dinner anyway.

[mickide]

Really, no one should be late no matter where your cabin is. Plan accordingly to get there on time. If you don't want to be there at the assigned time, choose ATD...problem solved!

If you are on early dining and you come in 45 minutes late, have you forgotten that there is another dining service that they have to be ready for at 8:15? Inconsiderate and rude, hopefully they will implement this policy AND enforce it.

[larkz]

Hope they do this and follow their rule.

 

Yes and yes.

[leaski]

To give the staff the added flexibility to deal with the 'unexpected difficulties' that are sure to arise. I say after the 20 mins 'to bad so sad'.

 

The problem is that with ATD they can't just close the curtains and doors like they used to so it makes it that much harder to police.

 

ATD is separate from assigned dining. They are already set up to serve people as they arrive, hence the name, 'Any Time Dining'. This is only for the assigned dining MDR's, so there would be no impact on them.

[nybumpkin]

I'd like to think that special circumstances would be limited to things like a late-returning shore excursion (although when that happened to us we opted for the Lido deck) or people with disabilities.

 

I remember in 2006 on Carnival Legend seeing two couples on formal night, beautifully dressed (the women wore gowns), who arrived 30 minutes late. The Maitre'd politely invited them to enjoy the Lido deck restaurant.

 

Our own rather funny experience with late arrivals was our oldest son, then 16. We told him to meet us in the dining room at dinner time. He did not join us at the appointed hour. About 45 minutes into dinner he arrived, nicely dressed (wearing a tie and it wasn't even formal night:cool:), and looking very confused. Seems he was relying on his cell phone for the time, and his cell phone had switched to local time - hence, he was an hour off. He was prepared to go up to Lido deck but our waiter, who was laughing, told him to sit down, handed him a menu, and said "entree and dessert only." Now that he sails for a living (US Navy Ensign), he knows better than to rely on his cell phone for the time.:D

[poison7fl]

I love this! Great change! Only those inconsiderate people that feel it's okay to show up late will be bothered by this! Yay Carnival!

 

A lot of people aren't being inconsiderate, they are on vacation, and being "on time" for dinner is not a priority...we aren't in the military.. jeez relax people, you're gonna stroke out. :rolleyes:

Edited December 7, 2013 by poison7fl

[mickide]

A lot of people aren't being inconsiderate, they are on vacation, and being "on time" for dinner is not a priority...we aren't in the military.. jeez relax. :rolleyes:

 

Then choose ATD or go to the Lido at a time that suits you :).

Edited December 7, 2013 by mickide

[babyher]

Then choose ATD or go to the Lido at a time that suits you :).

 

 

God you are cute when you get tough :)

 

 

 

 

But I agree 100% I don't wait for anyone to show up late at home to eat, I sure wouldn't do it on vacation.

 

 

So how is the new Ink?

Edited December 7, 2013 by babyher

[mickide]

God you are cute when you get tough :)

 

But I agree 100% I don't wait for anyone to show up late at home to eat, I sure wouldn't do it on vacation.

 

 

So how is the new Ink?

 

I don't wait either and my dining staff definitely wouldn't want to tell me that I couldn't order until my tablemates (who I probably don't even know) arrive. Ummm, that wouldn't be a happy day in the MDR :p.

A whole bunch of white stuff fell here today and I couldn't get to my appointment, it was 45 miles away and my little pony (Mustang) doesn't like slick roads :(. I'm so bummed but will get in sometime next week I hope.

[richstowe]

While this is a good idea, unless it is actually enforced it's just talk talk talk.

Speaking of which, are they enforcing the strict chair hogging policy ? :confused:

[Giantfan13]

A question on this please.

 

We chose Anytime Dining on our cruise in February. It was my understanding that the ATD was in one of the main dining rooms, just a section or so, set aside for that. Is that correct?

If so, how can they 'close the doors' if people are coming in when ever they want to eat, who are signed up for ATD?

Are they literally talking about closing the doors, or just rejecting those that have assigned seating and just come late?

 

Cheers

 

Len

[zumbafan]

We had inconsiderate tablemates who routinely showed up at least 20-30 minutes late for the 8:15 seating--we had to book it to the theater for the late show thanks to them almost every night. They didn't seem to have a clue!

[Gardeneroflove]

Nice! We have waited quite a long time for people assigned to sit with us to show up. Sometimes the wait staff refuses to take orders till everyone is there.

 

Will make it much easier on the wait staff.

 

Nice! We have waited quite a long time for people assigned to sit with us to show up. Sometimes the wait staff refuses to take orders till everyone is there.

 

Will make it much easier on the wait staff.

Yeah, that'd never fly with me! But we'd never said with them if they assigned us with other people. But to make me wait would piss me off endless!

 

Idk. I have a toddler. I can see us being late for some reason or other, but one of use would likely go and start ordering.

 

 

There is NO reason to make people wait to order for other people to show up, what if they aren't eating in MDR that night?

[Gardeneroflove]

We had inconsiderate tablemates who routinely showed up at least 20-30 minutes late for the 8:15 seating--we had to book it to the theater for the late show thanks to them almost every night. They didn't seem to have a clue!

 

They didn't need to have a clue, it was their cruise as well. Why not just say you're ready to order? No reason to wait for people you don't know.

 

Of course, we always had a table for 2 (now 3). I never noticed or worried about when anyone else come to dinner.

[Elaine515]

What about the disabled passenger's? I have seen too many able bodied passengers rush to get on the elevators before a person in a wheelchair can, the same goes for those with other disabilities. That makes the time limit bad, it might even be against the ADA rules

 

 

 

While I agree with you about rude passengers running right in front of those in a wheelchair, or in my Moms case, an electric scooter, I must say that my Mom always leaves her cabin with plently of time to get to the dining room on time... Sometimes she even gets there before the doors open... Plan accordingly :)