Open Dining

[Frassy]

I hadn't hear about this until recently. We are scheduled for a Carnival cruise at the end of May. We opted for late seating because 6 something is too early. I thought their were only two choices, but apparently I am wrong. For open seating do you just go anytime you want during the evening? Guess you could have a different table each night?

[paul929207]

Yes, you go when you want each evening. No set tinme, and can vary night to night. Most likely, you will sit at a different table with different wait staff each evening. If you want to share the table with others, it would be different people each evening.

[mousey]

Yes, you go when you want each evening. No set tinme, and can vary night to night. Most likely, you will sit at a different table with different wait staff each evening. If you want to share the table with others, it would be different people each evening.

 

However, if you did want the same waiter/waitress every night, you can ask to be seated at a table where that person is serving. You may have to wait a little longer until he/she has an open table, but it is doable if you find a waiter/waitress that you particularly enjoy.:D

[okgirl]

It's called Anytime dining and you have to be signed up for that. You can't be assigned late dining and decide one night you want to go to anytime, they won't seat you.

 

As others have said though you can choose to be seated at the same table and/or with the same waitstaff every night, but you might have to wait a bit for a table to come open.

 

They give you a little square buzzer like in restaurants and page you when your table is ready.

[poobears]

I don't think it's offered on all ships yet so you'll need to verify it's available on your ship.

[Frassy]

Cool. Thank you all for your replies. I think we're going to ask to be switched from late to open dining. Like I said, I didn't even know that was an option.

 

Thanks again!!! :D

[navybankerteacher]

It's called Anytime dining and you have to be signed up for that. You can't be assigned late dining and decide one night you want to go to anytime, they won't seat you.

 

As others have said though you can choose to be seated at the same table and/or with the same waitstaff every night, but you might have to wait a bit for a table to come open.

 

They give you a little square buzzer like in restaurants and page you when your table is ready.

 

That is not correct: there is no control in anytime dining which would bar you if you had been "assigned late dining"-- if you show up, they will seat you -- it's not as though there is a tatoo on your forehead marking you as an assigned dining passenger. It is, however, discourteous to the others at your assigned table - as well as the staff, to change your mind without notifying them.Lots of people at assigned dining will eat one or more times in a specialty dining room, at the Lido, with room service or at anytime. If you skip your assigned table two times running, without notifying the staff, you will likely lose your assigned place/time/

[DDWW]

On our last cruise we chose anytime dinning. Problem was that everyone wanted 7 PM - 8PM. Lines were long and wait was up to 3/4 hour. Also our wait staff seemed to be in a rush to get us out and free up that table.

We still prefer late seating with same staff/tablemates and more relaxed dining.

DDWW

[poobears]

That is not correct: there is no control in anytime dining which would bar you if you had been "assigned late dining"-- if you show up, they will seat you -- it's not as though there is a tatoo on your forehead marking you as an assigned dining passenger. It is, however, discourteous to the others at your assigned table - as well as the staff, to change your mind without notifying them.Lots of people at assigned dining will eat one or more times in a specialty dining room, at the Lido, with room service or at anytime. If you skip your assigned table two times running, without notifying the staff, you will likely lose your assigned place/time/

 

 

When they scan your room card or you give them your room # it pulls up what time of dining you are assigned, no tatoo needed. They do not let you bounce around between dining times. Try it next time and see what they say.

[Treven]

Cool. Thank you all for your replies. I think we're going to ask to be switched from late to open dining. Like I said, I didn't even know that was an option.

 

Thanks again!!! :D

This is all I ever do. I'm hungry when I'm hungry; not when the ship tells me I'm hungry. Plus I'm diabetic so I have several small meals throughout the day instead of three set ones. That means I get two breakfasts, two lunches, and at least three dinners!!

[navybankerteacher]

When they scan your room card or you give them your room # it pulls up what time of dining you are assigned, no tatoo needed. They do not let you bounce around between dining times. Try it next time and see what they say.

They did not scan, or ask to see cards, on recent cruises on HAL, Celebrity or Princess.