Anytime dining? Anytime soon?

[swom]

Hi all,

I'm a Princess and HAL cruiser. I really love Princess and HAL had some great perks, but don't want to do HAL again, because it tended to be an "older" crowd than we are use to.

BUT, I really loved HAL because of their private island. I absolutely LOVE Half Moon Cay and I noticed that Carnival goes there on some of it's ports of call.

Geez, I can be long winded.............

The thing I would really like to know is has there been any talk about Carnival trying anytime dining?

I'd love to try Carnival, but I love anytime dining that Princess offers, but I love Half Moon Cay that HAL offers........

Geez, I just want the best of both worlds...Is that asking too much??? :D

I'm really thinking about trying Carnival but hate the thought of going back to being tied down to a certain dinner time.

So does anyone know if anytime dining is going to be offered on Carnival anytime soon?

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

[tnt091605]

it is currently on at least 3 Carnival ships. I know the Liberty and the Legend and one other has it right now. We sailed on the Legend last month and really like the anytime dinning.

[momofzeke]

Yes, it is currently being offered on some ships, with more to follow. Here is the schedule:

 

Open Seating Option:

 

Available now: Legend, Liberty, Sensation, Paradise

 

Available soon:

 

Carnival Miracle 3/29/09

Carnival Elation 4/26/09

Carnival Conquest 4/26/09

Carnival Pride 4/27/09

Carnival Spirit 6/03/09

Carnival Fantasy 6/13/09

Carnival Dream 9/18/09

[stlrboo]

It is currently being offered on some Carnival ships at this time... Check their website to see which ones are involved...:)

 

I expect it to be fleet-wide within a year.. Have fun..!!:D

[mistergq]

Now on the ships that are offering it, are they offering first seating reserved, second seating reserved, and anytime? just got off Liberty of the Seas and they had anytime. so I am curious if carnival is doing a complete switch, or a partial test/switch?

[swom]

GREAT!!! I will go and check it out now. I might just have found a new cruiseline!!! :D

[tnt091605]

Now on the ships that are offering it, are they offering first seating reserved, second seating reserved, and anytime? just got off Liberty of the Seas and they had anytime. so I am curious if carnival is doing a complete switch, or a partial test/switch?

 

Yes they still offer early and late seating as usual. The anytime seating is just another option.

[poptart]

hooray! It will be available when we're on the Fantasy in November. Since it's just dh and I....we want to try it.

[Collcoll]

We are sailing on the Pride in July and were able to request open seating.

[K&P Luv2Cruise]

Yes, it is currently being offered on some ships, with more to follow. Here is the schedule:

 

Open Seating Option:

 

Available now: Legend, Liberty, Sensation, Paradise

 

Available soon:

 

Carnival Miracle 3/29/09

Carnival Elation 4/26/09

Carnival Conquest 4/26/09

Carnival Pride 4/27/09

Carnival Spirit 6/03/09

Carnival Fantasy 6/13/09

Carnival Dream 9/18/09

 

Sue,

 

Where did you get this info from...I have been searching the Carnival site with no luck. We are sailing on the Pride 05-10-09, and have requested the late seating...will this still be available ? - we are a group of 20.

 

Kathryn

[popcorngal]

Hi Swom! I recognize your name from Inletcam. We are booked on the Legend out of Tampa and were offered first, second or anytime. We chose anytime to see what it's like. I really like the idea of still being able to eat in the dining room even if you've had a busy day in port.

 

As others have mentioned, it will be fleet wide on Carnival by years end.

[kcparrothead]

Here's the link to the list:

 

http://www.bookccl.com/irman/bookccl/sections/shipboard/DiningOnboard_master.html

[momofzeke]

Sue,

 

Where did you get this info from...I have been searching the Carnival site with no luck. We are sailing on the Pride 05-10-09, and have requested the late seating...will this still be available ? - we are a group of 20.

 

Kathryn

 

Are you asking if late seating will still be available? The answer is yes it will. You still have the option of traditional dining, even on ships with the anytime dining option.

 

If you requested late seating, then you have an excellent chance of getting that. The early seating is usually the more popular one, and harder to get into. We have requested late seating on all 3 of our cruises and have gotten it every time.

 

Has your group of 20 linked your dining times together? If you do that, you would be assigned to the same time and with tables near each other. You would need to call whoever you booked the cruise with and give that person the booking numbers of each party. Ask that the dining times be linked. Otherwise, you would most likely be scattered all over the dining room, and if on a ship with 2 dining rooms, could possibly be in different dining rooms.

[Majesty Fan]

We had this in Oct on the Legend. We booked late but we now love it. You can go to early or late and even have the same waiter if you want.

Lexi

[ManyMore]

The had free style on NCL and your only option and we hated it!

[gorb]

Are you asking if late seating will still be available? The answer is yes it will. You still have the option of traditional dining, even on ships with the anytime dining option.

 

If you request and are given traditional dining, but are unable to make that time on a particular day, can you just show up at the dining room and request a table? Or, is anytime dining only available for those who book it prior to sailing?

 

Thanks.

[mousey]

Here's the link to the list:

 

http://www.bookccl.com/irman/bookccl/sections/shipboard/DiningOnboard_master.html

 

Thank you so much for that thread, we cruise in April and it will be my SIL's lst. She is a Vegetarian and now she can see all the options she has. The DS (13) was excited to learn that there will be fried mozzarella on the menu one night!:D I'm excited to try the chocolate melting cake that everyone on these boards says is delicious!:D Can't wait!:p Thanks again for the site!.:D

[momofzeke]

If you request and are given traditional dining, but are unable to make that time on a particular day, can you just show up at the dining room and request a table? Or, is anytime dining only available for those who book it prior to sailing?

 

Thanks.

 

 

No, you have to stick with either traditional or anytime....no switching back and forth. So, whatever you are assigned is what you'll need to stick with.

 

I haven't used the anytime dining, but I understand that they ask your cabin number when you arrive and ask for a table, and bring up your account which states whether you are anytime or traditional.

[Sea Born]

It is also available on the Valor. I am so excited too, we are going in May and am looking forward to being able to dine when we want!

[stlrboo]

The had free style on NCL and your only option and we hated it!

That is odd, as so many people on the CCL boards are interested in the (NCL) Freestyle concept...:)

 

Eat when ever, where ever, and dress code is casual... What is there to hate??! Just curious..?:rolleyes::p

[Insel]

No, you have to stick with either traditional or anytime....no switching back and forth. So, whatever you are assigned is what you'll need to stick with.

 

I haven't used the anytime dining, but I understand that they ask your cabin number when you arrive and ask for a table, and bring up your account which states whether you are anytime or traditional.

 

Sounds interesting. I hope they work out the kinks and it goes more smoothly than the self disembarks have in the past.:rolleyes:

[deejae]

Just wonderin' ...we're a party of 6. Would anytime dining work for us, without a long wait? We would probably go to the dining room mostly between 6 - 7 PM.

 

Thanks.

 

 

Janet

[gorb]

No, you have to stick with either traditional or anytime....no switching back and forth. So, whatever you are assigned is what you'll need to stick with.

 

I haven't used the anytime dining, but I understand that they ask your cabin number when you arrive and ask for a table, and bring up your account which states whether you are anytime or traditional.

 

Thanks for the info Sue

[Kurbanfan]

Just wonderin' ...we're a party of 6. Would anytime dining work for us, without a long wait? We would probably go to the dining room mostly between 6 - 7 PM.

 

Thanks.

 

 

Janet

 

 

I don't see why not.......although not on Carnival we had anytime with a party of 6 on Princess and it worked out great......never had a wait.

We are doing it again with 6 on the Mariner of the Seas in May......

[FabFourLover]

We've never done anytime dining so this is probably a stupid question but do you get a different table/waiter each time? Also, are you more likely to get a table for two if you do anytime? My DH would rather we have a table for two but if we can't get one, he's not going to like having different tablemates every night.

Can you choose once you're on board? We requested early dining and we are going to request a table for two when we get on board. Can we choose standard or anytime at that time? I mean if we manage to get early seating and a table for two I'd just as soon keep it. But if we can't get a table for two but we could get it on anytime dining we'd do that. Do we have to decide in advance?