How does dining work?

[minesawine]

I have just been looking at the different dining options on the Carnival Sunshine. Am I right in thinking that you have to pre-book your meal time, you are allocated a table, which cannot change and then you have to only eat at that time at the same table. I struggled to understand how this works - have I got it very wrong? Can't you just dine whenever you want to at any time?

 

Also, I thought the food was all included in the price, and I just saw something saying the Carnival steakhouse resteraunt was $35 per person. I thought this would be included. Do you pay for other resteraunts as well?

 

Can someone please explain to a very stupid person how the eating and dining process works on Carnival ships.

 

Thanks (feeling really silly!)

 

maw:):D:D:D

[Canadian_J]

You've pretty much got the gist of it. If you choose to do an assigned dining time (early - approx 6pm, late - approx 8pm) you are assigned to the same table and wait staff nightly. You must go at that time, or you'll have to do an alternate option if you miss it. You can request the size of table, such as a table for two, table for your family, or a large table with others. We've had success with both.

 

When you board, your Sail & Sign card will have your assigned time (though you should know this in advance as you can book it) as well as your table number. It's a good practice to go to the dining room on the first day and check out your table. That way if you requested a table for two and it's a table for ten, you may be able to have the Maitre'd change it for you.

 

The other option is Anytime/Your Time Dining (referred to as either ATD or YTD). This allows you to dine anytime the dining room is open (about 6-9pm) and request any size of table you like at any time. The catch? It's like a restaurant that doesn't take reservations. So if you show up looking for a table for two at 7:30pm, you'll likely either need to settle for a different table (with others) or they'll give you a buzzer and let you wait for one to free up. You may not have to wait, but it all depends how busy it is and when everyone else shows up, if you choose this option. This needs to be requested in advance and often fills up quick.

 

Included food is the main dining room (mentioned above) for any meals, buffet, 24hr pizza, room service, and some other little things like the Taste Bar. However, the "specialty restaurants" such as the Steakhouse, Cucina De Capitano, etc do have a fee. I'll tell you though that the $35 fee for the steakhouse gets you a meal that could easily run you nearly $100 at a comparable quality steakhouse on land. Well worth the cost!

 

Hope this helps :cool: I'm starving now thinking about it!

[buddylover]

Don't feel silly, these are very valid questions for a new cruiser. You have 2 choices for dining.....1.) picking a pre-set dining time or early at 5:45 pm or late seating at about 8:15 (depends on ship) or 2.) choosing "Any Time Dining" wereby you can just walk in the dining room at any time between 5:45 - roughly 9:30.

In the first option, of pre set times, you will be assigned a specific table and will have the same "wait staff" each dinner meal service. In "Any Time Dining", they will seat by table availability and wait staff will vary with where you are seated (you can request the same wait staff if you like someone in particular and want them again - but you may wait longer for table availability tho). The Main Dining Room is free and included in your cruise fare.

There are other dining options on CCL, such as the Steakhouse. They are for a "fee" and cost extra, such as the $35 fee you mentioned. That fee would be put onto your "Sign and Sail" card account for payment at the end of the cruise. The Lido deck buffet is also for "free" and part of what is included in your cruise. Hope I have helped you!

[thomarvin]

FYI Room service is also FREE (but they do suggest a small tip $1-$2) Make sure to order a BLT. Did I mention the B? Lots and I mean lots of B in the BLT.

 

I would recommend the traditional assigned dining for you first time to get the whole "experience". We did "your time dining" this past June and found the service sub-par.(just my experience) We found if you have the same servers they get to know your habits. In the past, the bar server, after 2 days had our sodas waiting at the table for us when we arrived.

Edited October 16, 2014 by thomarvin

[Bunkie103]

Another little hint for you.....if you like the service of a wait team in the MDR you can request them again. Two years ago on the Valor we were so pleased with the team at a particular location in the MDR we requested them every night and on YTD the Maitre'd was able to grant our request.

[jandjtexas]

Also there are now some Steak House selections available on the menu in the Main Dining Room (MDR) for a charge of $20. Even if you do not pay for any of the for a fee venues you will not go hungry. There is food all the time for free somewhere on the ship.

[Bookbug53]

Try this:

 

http://www.carnival.com/cruise-food

 

Keep in mind that a couple of locations like Ji Ji Asian will be free for lunch but have a fee for dinner.

 

And you can check out your assigned table in the main dining room after boarding and can have it changed by the maitre'd if it is not to your liking. He will be available around 1pm the first afternoon in the MDR to take requests.

[Essiesmom]

Your assigned time/table in the MDR only applies to dinner. Breakfast and lunch in the MDR are open seating, and there are lots of other venues around the ship that are open for lunch that are free. EM

[Boozebabe]

The only beverages included with dinner are water, coffe, tea (hot & iced) and milk. If you want a soft drink, wine or cocktail you will charge that to your Sign & Sail card.

 

Also on Carnivals 2.0 ships you'll find Guys Burger Bar (Guy Fieri of Food Network) and a mexican cantina with tacos & burritos. There are also self-serve ice cream machines.

 

BTW when we started cruising in 1993 assigned seating was all there was. YTD is a relatively new concept to cruising. We have enjoyed both types and prefer a large table. We always make new friends. Our last few cruises we have done YTD and like the convenience of eating when we want. If theres a line we come back in half an hour.

 

I hope we all have answered your question. I suppose you haven't booked a cruise yet as you would have had to make that dining decision when you booked. Good luck in your research.

[CorrieCJ]

Remember that if you have assigned dining time and you decide not to go one night, you can always eat in the Lido (buffet) for free, or one of the other options mentioned here.

[springs741]

I am glad you asked this question. Even some "seasoned" cruises don't understand that if you have assigned dining time you are expected to be there at the beginning of the session. I have cruised with folks that commented about needing to get to the MDR before 8 as they had early dining. NO! if you have early dining you need to be there at the assigned time. Whichever you choose enjoy your cruise!

[hirent]

Am I right in thinking that you have to pre-book your meal time, you are allocated a table, which cannot change and then you have to only eat at that time at the same table. I struggled to understand how this works - have I got it very wrong? Can't you just dine whenever you want to at any time?

 

Yes, you can.

Fixed times are only for dinner and that too, only in the MDR (Main Dining Room). The rest of the time and the rest of the venues do not have fixed times; except for operating hours.

 

Dinner in the MDR:

[1] Fixed Time Dining: 6:30 p.m. or 8:00 p.m.

Guests can choose their preferred time (if available).

Guests are assigned the same table, with the same wait staff every day. Guests are expected to arrive at the time printed on their S&S cards.

[2] Any Time/Your Time Dining: anytime between 5:45 p.m. and 9:30 p.m.

Guests can arrive at any time and request for a table.

 

We had YTD on the Valor and we would be seated at the same table with the same wait staff every day, except one. This way we weren't tied down to a schedule plus we had the familiarity of the wait staff every day.

 

 

Also, I thought the food was all included in the price, and I just saw something saying the Carnival steakhouse resteraunt was $35 per person. I thought this would be included. Do you pay for other resteraunts as well?

maw:):D:D:D

 

Carnival has most of the venues included in the ticket price. The Steakhouse is the only major dining venue that is extra. I don't count the 'Chef's Table', sodas, shakes etc as full dining venues. The new venues of Guy's Burger & Blue Iguana Cantina are free. Even the Italian 'Cucina Del Capitano' is free for lunch.

Compared to Royal Caribbean, I believe Carnival is better about free/included venues.

 

 

Here's what is on the Sunshine:

http://www.carnival.com/cruise-food/?shipCode=SH

Choose 'Included' under 'Cost in the left pane and you will see all the venues that are included in ticket price.

Edited October 16, 2014 by hirent

[Rogueperson]

I'm not 100% sure, but if you're in port, they may or may not have an open seating lunch in the MDR. The buffet will be open, but I can't remember if it was Royal Caribbean or Carnival that sometimes does not open the MDR for lunch on port days.

[nchikk]

Just throw in our perspective on this, and everyone's opinion on the matter will be different...

 

We choose set-time dining, early dining, to be exact...we are accustomed to having dinner at the same time every night at home anyway, and we can do so without having to wait on a table if it's a busy time. Our servers get to know us and beginning on the second night, our drinks are usually already there waiting on us when we sit down. And they pick up on what we like and don't like.

 

As far as table size, we actually prefer a larger table than a table for two. We like meeting new people and making new friends...and we've made some good friends from being at a larger table at dinner. We've also had a table for two. What we liked about that is that since it was only the two of us, we were out in about an hour, without rushing. At a larger table, it can be 1:15-1:30, not that it's a big deal if we're all talking, laughing and getting along. We've never been seated with anyone we couldn't get along with.

 

Like I said, others may have differing opinions on the matter, so it's really more of what appeals to you.

[jefferyrachel]

We're going on our 2nd cruise in May 2015 on the Carnival Conquest. We did YTD the first time on the Carnival Fantasy and have selected YTD again this time. I didn't know you could eat breakfast and lunch in the MDR. This is why I love this site. Very helpful. What's the major difference from the MDR and the Steakhouse?...other than the cost?

[travler27]

When in port, early dining can be a little close to when you get back on the ship. Depends on port schedule and how many folks in your cabin need to take a shower.

[katiel53]

We're going on our 2nd cruise in May 2015 on the Carnival Conquest. We did YTD the first time on the Carnival Fantasy and have selected YTD again this time. I didn't know you could eat breakfast and lunch in the MDR. This is why I love this site. Very helpful. What's the major difference from the MDR and the Steakhouse?...other than the cost?

 

You have the breakfast part right about eating in the dining room. There is no lunch served in the dining room on port days. On most ships, instead of breakfast and lunch on sea days, there is a brunch that is a combo of both.

 

I don't think, but I could be wrong that any ships serve lunch in the dining room any longer, just brunch as I mentioned. There are some good choices for brunch.

[hirent]

You have the breakfast part right about eating in the dining room. There is no lunch served in the dining room on port days. On most ships, instead of breakfast and lunch on sea days, there is a brunch that is a combo of both.

 

I don't think, but I could be wrong that any ships serve lunch in the dining room any longer, just brunch as I mentioned. There are some good choices for brunch.

 

To clarify:

Dinner: in MDR every night

Lunch: MDR is closed every day

Breakfast: in MDR only on port days, not on seas days (7:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m.).

Brunch: in MDR only on sea days (8:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.), not on port days.

[Tutontow]

FYI Room service is also FREE (but they do suggest a small tip $1-$2) Make sure to order a BLT. Did I mention the B? Lots and I mean lots of B in the BLT.

 

I would recommend the traditional assigned dining for you first time to get the whole "experience". We did "your time dining" this past June and found the service sub-par.(just my experience) We found if you have the same servers they get to know your habits. In the past, the bar server, after 2 days had our sodas waiting at the table for us when we arrived.

 

Order a turkey sandwich with that BLT and make your own club. Top it off with a chocolate cake and a milk and sleep like a baby after a late night.

 

Man oh man I need to book a cruise!!!

[Davey Wavey]

Just one little point to add.

 

If you have a set dining time, they open the dining room doors at the time. There WILL be a huge line waiting at the doors. On the first night, the line will seem to move pretty slowly as people are finding their table for the first time or requesting changes. If you are at the end of the line, you may not be seated until 25 minutes or so after your dining time. After the first night, that big line will be there but will usually be seated within 5 minutes of the door opening.

 

The point is don't get discouraged when you see the huge line and think you will be waiting forever to be seated. The first night is slow, the following nights it's very quick.

[Davey Wavey]

Order a turkey sandwich with that BLT and make your own club. Top it off with a chocolate cake and a milk and sleep like a baby after a late night.

 

Sounds good! I'm gonna do it and tear off a crust in your honor. :D