Mardi Gras Inaugural Season Free Dinning Options

[markntara]

What is considered an Inaugural Season, how long will the free dinning options at "pay restaurants" continue?

 

Thanks, & Cheers!

MnT.

[markkw07]

58 minutes ago, markntara said:

What is considered an Inaugural Season, how long will the free dinning options at "pay restaurants" continue?

 

Thanks, & Cheers!

MnT.

Great Question, I sail on Mardi Gras at the end of August..so would like to hear the answer if anyone knows?? I mean this is CC...with all the "know it alls" on this site...SOMEONE has to know?? right?? 🤣🤣

[kwokpot]

This question comes up often and people's answers aren't necessarily based on inside knowledge. Having said that I don't think on the Excel Class of Carnival ships the Cucina,Chibang, and the Guy's Pig and Anchor Smokehouse restaurants will ever be pay restaurants. The size of the restaurants and the size of the MDR's necessitates at LEAST the first two two restaurants to be complementary otherwise the MDR can't accommodate everyone duing regular dining hours. Think of how Celebrity's Edge Class ships have four 'restaurants' as complementary dining. It really doesn't matter whether you call them restaurants or main dining rooms, it's all the same thing. 

Edited July 7, 2022 by kwokpot

[markkw07]

1 hour ago, kwokpot said:

This question comes up often and people's answers aren't necessarily based on inside knowledge. Having said that I don't think on the Excel Class of Carnival ships the Cucina,Chibang, and the Guy's Pig and Anchor Smokehouse restaurants will ever be pay restaurants. The size of the restaurants and the size of the MDR's necessitates at LEAST the first two two restaurants to be complementary otherwise the MDR can't accommodate everyone duing regular dining hours. Think of how Celebrity's Edge Class ships have four 'restaurants' as complementary dining. It really doesn't matter whether you call them restaurants or main dining rooms, it's all the same thing. 

I see your point and it makes sense. Let's just hope Carnival thinks the same way. I totally agree..the more "included" restaurants there are the better for people to spread out and not just be crammed into the MDR just because its "included". I don't think people care what it's called, as long as there is not an additional charge for it. 

[kwokpot]

2 hours ago, markkw07 said:

I see your point and it makes sense. Let's just hope Carnival thinks the same way. I totally agree..the more "included" restaurants there are the better for people to spread out and not just be crammed into the MDR just because its "included". I don't think people care what it's called, as long as there is not an additional charge for it. 

When Carnival recently put dinner service on hold at Cucina fleetwide due to staff shortages it would have been a perfect time to do the same on the MardiGras. They could have just taken the staff that services Cucina on the MardiGras at night and assigned them to the MDR. The fact they didn't do that is a clear signal that they need the tables in those 'restaurants' to accomodate all the passengers for dinner. Just the mere fact that Chibang and Cucina are printed on your room card and the app is designed to utilize all three dining venues (MDR,Cucina,Chibang- the BBQ is no reservations) is another indication that it's a permanent thing. There's even a choice in the app where you can be assigned automatically to whichever venue has availability if you don't have a preference. They would have never done this if it's a temporary  arrangement. 

Edited July 8, 2022 by kwokpot

[kelkel2]

For what it’s worth, I saw someone ask John Heald a while back and he said they had no immediate changes to make those venues paid venues.

[jimbo5544]

The point is that it significantly helps with food venue balancing, especially during peak nights.  I would wager therre are no plans to change the current plan.

[KmomChicago]

I agree with @kwokpot and others. When we sailed last August and they were just figuring things out, we had around 4k passengers on a ship with max capacity of 6600 and they needed the extra rooms to accommodate everyone even then, especially on Elegant night, so I don’t think they really have a choice if they want to maintain order and accommodate the guests.
 

These are managed as simply extensions of the MDR system on this ship. Of course as Kwokpot mentioned this is based on observation and no inside knowledge of CCL’s future decisions.