"Your Time Dining" Is Broken . . .

[MrPete]

If they keep this up, they will launch a new program called FTTF: Faster to the Food.

 

For $99.99, they will seat you right away, and for an extra 20, will seat you at a window.

[GROUCHPUSS]

If they keep this up, they will launch a new program called FTTF: Faster to the Food.

 

For $99.99, they will seat you right away, and for an extra 20, will seat you at a window.

 

You let the cat out of the bag! This was going to be the next Brilliant announcement! But Platinum get 50% off and Diamond it is included!

[sra12574]

One time I was on a cruise didnt get back from port too early so i thought I would make use of the anytime dining go to the early show and get dinner afterwards . I had been eating early the whole week so if I was stuck in asssigned dining I probably would have forced myself to go to the early seating .

That night Marcus Anthony was perfoming . We thought he was great and we decided we would try to eat quick and try to make part of the 2nd show . fortunately service was quick that night and we made both shows and the sets of music were slightly different in each show . Maybe 4 different songs in each .

If I was limited to a particular seating I certainly would not have seen both shows . Sometimes timing works out for you , sometimes it doesnt .

[mj]

Then they either need to increase the amount of tables, or decrease the amount of ATD diners.

 

I agree. Seemed like when the anytime dining was first implemented, there never seemed to be a long wait for a table for 2 at the peak time of 7pm. Maybe 10 minutes and it was normally lobster night. Maybe I was lucky. It seemed on the last cruise, the first two nights was a 30 minute wait. Never had that happen before. Then it leveled off the rest of the week and walked right in the rest of the time.

 

It seems the anytime dining is getting more popular on Carnival and thus increasing wait times.

[Alzaman]

I love MTD it is how I want to vacation if you dont want to wait adjust your arrival time. Otherwise wait. Its great to be able to go eat in the dinning room when ever you want. After all there is the buffet

[CanWeGoYet?]

I am staying away from YTD. I like to plan my evenings & if I have to wait 45 minutes or an hour for a table it could mess things up. Being on a cruise ship I feel like things already revolve around food.

 

Yes on land if you go to a popular restaurant at peak time with no reservation you will have to wait. But it doesn't have to be that way on a cruise ship. That's the beauty of traditional dining times.

[CanWeGoYet?]

If they keep this up, they will launch a new program called FTTF: Faster to the Food.

 

For $99.99, they will seat you right away, and for an extra 20, will seat you at a window.

 

This will be next! People who don't opt for the all the extras will be in Steerage to the Fun Class. We'll be dining in the mess hall and watching a show put on by the housekeeping staff in the bowels of the ship. :D

[GradUT]

For those who "never had to wait long" what time did you arrive?

 

We are those who never had to wait long.

 

On the Triumph in February, our party of 4 never had to wait for a table any of the 4 nights of our cruise. We always ate between 7pm and 7:30 pm.

 

On the Ecstasy in May, our party of 2 had to wait in line for 3 of the 5 nights, but once we got to the front of the line (about 15 minutes), we were seated immediately. On the other two nights, there was no line and we were seated immediately. Again, we always ate between 7pm and 7:30 pm.

 

I love ATD and would use it again on any subsequent cruises.

[Feelin' Nauti']

We are those who never had to wait long.

 

On the Triumph in February, our party of 4 never had to wait for a table any of the 4 nights of our cruise. We always ate between 7pm and 7:30 pm.

 

On the Ecstasy in May, our party of 2 had to wait in line for 3 of the 5 nights, but once we got to the front of the line (about 15 minutes), we were seated immediately. On the other two nights, there was no line and we were seated immediately. Again, we always ate between 7pm and 7:30 pm.

 

I love ATD and would use it again on any subsequent cruises.

Thanks for your quick response.

 

I have always use ATD on Princess and Celebrity.

Never had to wait. Walked in and was seated.

Might have to due with the time.... we normal try to eat around 6:30 - 7pm

 

We only had to wait on Formal nite, that's when most eat in the dining room after pictures are taken.

[Kallen821]

For those who "never had to wait long" what time did you arrive?

 

We just returned from a 7-day cruise on the Liberty. We had ATD for a family of 4. We ate between 7:00-7:30 every night. Most nights we had a wait of 5 minutes. Twice maybe 10 minutes. And we requested a certain waiter 5 of 7 nights.

[TriciaEMTB]

Probably Families of 4 or 6, lots of tables no waiting.

 

There are limited tables for 2. The options are don't eat a peak times; be willing to seat with others, or wait. Shows and activities are still timed based on the set dining times, so as long as you are in before late seating you'll get the shows.

 

I was solo. Always seated by myself (unfortunately) and I came anywhere between 6 and 7 and was always seated immediatly.

[hokie4life]

We found YTD to be problematic on the Glory as well. We've had YTD on 3 other Carnival ships and never had a wait of more than a few minutes.

[Rottweiler Puppy]

Why is it that so many people swear by it then? .

 

I have done it twice with excellent service. I just avoided the peak times.

[coolcookie34]

After reading so many " Never had to wait for more than 5 minutes " threads on here i am quite surprised.

 

We never waited more than 10 min and that was a one off. We just got off the Miracle. The only long line I saw was one night around 7:15.

[sail2sea]

Once had to wait one hour to be seated and another one hour for food to arrive. Long dinner to say the least. It was on a first night. Other than that the wait has been tolerable. Read somewhere first nights tend to be the worst.

 

If they keep this up, they will launch a new program called FTTF: Faster to the Food.

 

For $99.99, they will seat you right away, and for an extra 20, will seat you at a window.

 

Brilliant! :D

[Wolfie48]

Sounds like what is broken is the OP's expectations. You want a table for 2, seating at the high traffic time and don't want to wait. Maybe you need to be the captain?

[cer10lee]

If they keep this up, they will launch a new program called FTTF: Faster to the Food.

 

For $99.99, they will seat you right away, and for an extra 20, will seat you at a window.

 

This is seriously funny! Thanks for the laugh.:D Brilliant..

[dreamycloud]

We're just off the Splendor.

 

We had YTD.. a few nights we walked in between 6:30 and 7 and were seated immediatly. When we came at opening (5:45) and around 7 we usually had to wait in a 10 minute line to check in. Only pager we got was second elegant night when we arrived about 7 and requested a table for 2 by a window. We had a set of pictures done by the bar, I ordered a drink, and the buzzer went off as my drink was being made.

[sra12574]

Why is it that so many people swear by it then? It sort of defeats the purpose to me. I would prefer having a "reservation".

 

What happens if you had planned on seeing a show and you had a 45 minute wait for your table?

 

Sticking to "late" dining. Has worked for "us" for years for a lot of reasons. :o After reading this thread, I would not even give it a shot.

 

There are several reasons.

1. You can sit at a table that is just your group. I dont mind sittting with people most of the time but I had a couple bad experiences with tablemates being rude to the waiter and making an unpleasant diniing expeirence. Had a tablemate try to mooch wine every night that I had ordered a bottle for myself and my gf or bringing up subjects that I didnt care to speak of while dining . Not all my tablemates were bad , some people were actually nice I would just rather not take the chance of having the weirdos .

2. Your not locked into early or late . Flexibilty is more important to some people

[halos]

I've only done YTD twice on CCL and must say that I never had a wait that long...even for just two people. I think though, that we usually ate a tad later than you.

I'm sorry that you had a bad experience.

 

 

 

If they keep this up, they will launch a new program called FTTF: Faster to the Food.

 

 

 

For $99.99, they will seat you right away, and for an extra 20, will seat you at a window.

 

 

 

 

 

Awesome!! LMAO!

[nybumpkin]

We've done YTD twice, both on Glory, both 5-day Canada cruises. All our other cruises have been early seating - it's closest to what we do at home. On the two YTD cruises, we knew we wanted to eat a little later the first night so we could take photos of the NYC sailaway and that we'd want to go to the steakhouse one night. (On the cruise earlier this month, we went to the steakhouse right after sailaway.) For our family of four, we had to stand in line to check in, then wait about 5 minutes to go to our table. Last year we were able to get the same table three of the four nights we ate in the dining room (liked the location and the servers); the other night we went a tad too late and ended up in the overflow dining room. This year we had different tables each night but had excellent service at each. It's worked well, but I still prefer the assigned seating; it's nice to go directly to your table and not wait in line, especially since most nights we eat at the same time anyway.

[askimdog]

This past January we were on the Legend, table for 3 requested during Anytime Dining ( we won't sit with strangers). We at 2 evening meals and 2 breakfasts in the MDR. Never waited once. We do eat evening meal at 5:45 though.

 

Buffet is what we prefer these days, just can't sit 2 hours, hate dancing waiters and have had some real poor waiters. At the buffet, at worst 3 ahead of me at any station.

 

Call me Mr. Lucky?

[cruise_girl2002]

ive never had to wait. next time, dont go at the busiest times. we usually went between 6-7pm. we choose anytime due to the port days. never had to wait for a table

[richfret]

I am trying to give you the benefit of the doubt. ................................ Let me try again.

............................ Nope. No sympathy here. There are x amount of tables for x amount of people at x time. After that, you wait.

 

Maybe this is too harsh but then again, do you really expect support?

[DaveRRT]

if the ship sinks during dinner ill ask for obc for the next cruise, otherwise ill get along with waiting