Early dining or anytime poll

[purplemusik]

Hubby and I always do anytime dining and have loved it. We just booked the Dream in Feb ( woooo hooooo! ) and have 9 people going, three of which are kids ( 7, 3, and 7months ) so late dining isn't an option. With this size party, would you recommend early dining since the table is already there and waiting or would anytime still work? We usually eat around 6-630 anyway while on the ship but I've read negative things lately about early dining and the wait time. I understand every ship/crew is different but I thought I'd ask your opinion ;)

[Express Man]

I would still do ATD and have the option to change plans if needed. No less if kids are not ready ect ect. WE just got off a cruise with ATD and had a party of 10 each night sitting in the booth area across from us. They showed at 6pm every night except Family Comedy night. Probally so they can see the show and dine after.

[Cruising Golfer]

With that many people, I would say anytime would be better, just in case someone gets delayed. That way there is no rush!!!:D

[purplemusik]

You both make great points! I wasn't sure if they'd have room for us or we'd have to wait a while for them to put a few tables together. Nice to know you saw other big parties.

[PlanoDebbie]

In all of the cruises I've done with ATD, we never waited longer than 5 minutes for a table. We like the convenience. We're not always hungry at the same time every day. Also, if there are other activities on the ship that you're interested in, you might miss them so that you can rush for dinner.

 

I prefer to schedule my dinner around the activities, not the other way around. On two of these cruises, we had a party of 6. Not as big as yours, but we never had a problem.

[careycouponer]

When are you sailing on Dream? We leave in February, too!

[CaribbeanBound]

We prefer a set dining time, and take the early seating. No waiting. Just arrive at your table at 6pm.

[bruisin4cruisin]

We have done the ATD on all cruises. If we ate a later lunch, or snack, we can adjust when we go eat. With the kids, it is easier since they are a little more picky about when they are hungry.

[cathyz]

DH and I tried ATD once and hated it, but it was very early in it's availability so maybe the kinks hadn't been worked out yet. Before and since we have always done late dining and it works really well for us, we like the familiarity of it and it gives us time for 'happy hour' before dinner. We have cruised with groups several times also and have always done late dining, but some of our groups have bee 30+ at 3-4 tables all near each other, ATD wouldn't work in that scenario.

[DaveRRT]

did anytime last cruise on the Pride last Nov. There were 5 of us , that may have been the problem. First day all was good after that we waited at least 20 min. the last night we waited 35 min and no buzz. Wife went up and the said the just paged us. She went back down to lell us and about half way we buzzed, Got a table for 6 that was dirty and they moved us to a 4 top and and extra chair. We tried all different times and it sucked. Our Legend cruise in March it just me and the wife and early dinner. Like having a table ready to go

[Warm Breezes]

Hubby and I always do anytime dining and have loved it. We just booked the Dream in Feb ( woooo hooooo! ) and have 9 people going, three of which are kids ( 7, 3, and 7months ) so late dining isn't an option. With this size party, would you recommend early dining since the table is already there and waiting or would anytime still work? We usually eat around 6-630 anyway while on the ship but I've read negative things lately about early dining and the wait time. I understand every ship/crew is different but I thought I'd ask your opinion ;)

 

Even though I am a definite fan of anytime dining, if I were sailing with a group that big, I would choose early dining. That way everyone can be off doing their own thing during the day and you have a set time and place to meet for dinner.

[CarribeanDiva]

I was a die hard early diner. I tried late dining and didn't like it. I loved early dining, until....I tried anytime. I love it because it is so much more flexible.If I am in port, I don't have to hurry back for dinner. You can go early if you want, and you can even go earlier than early dining if you want. Only fifteen minutes, but you have that option. We have not had a problem with extra people. We were always seated right away.

[mitsugirly]

Although I have only done 1 Carnival cruise so far, we did the ATD (one of the main reasons we have always sailed with NCL because of the freestyle and dining) and it suited us just fine.

 

The ONLY wait we ever encountered was if we got there right before the dining room was opening. Then once the doors were open, you went right in (gotta remember these dining rooms are HUGE).

 

At other times when we went to eat after they had been open already, we were instantly seated with no problems. :)

[BellaBee]

We are going on the Magic in November. I have been on three cruises in the past two years, all with Carnival. Two with ATD and 1 with early dining. While I love ATD, we took our son, who was 3 at the time, on our trip last Summer and did early dining with a family of 8 who also had kids. It worked out so much better for us due to the kids. I think we had 5 kids total and the rest adults. The wait staff knew what the kids liked so it made ordering easy and smooth. Plus we were able to finish and hit the shows if we wanted or watch movies under the stars, or in our case, go to bed early if needed.

 

I am sure they can accommodate you with 10 in ATD, we just liked the set time with a 3 year old. He will be 5 when we take our trip in November and we opted for early dining again.

 

Have fun!

[coachpete]

ATD is the best thing they borrowed from NCL.

[bar1068]

FWIW - We were a group of 9 on the Breeze TA back in November and did ATD....no problems at all. Wait times were minimal, even had a section we were seated at most nights....15 of them. But we showed up around 7-7:30. We're doin it again this November on the Sunshine TA.

[mracer28]

Sailing on Freedom in September and wondering if you can choose your dining room with Anytime Dining; or are you assigned to one. Thanks!

[Almost Packed]

when dh & i cruise alone, late seating for us. when we cruise with ds, always early seating for us.

 

I am not a fan of the anytime seating. i like knowing my waitstaff, knowing where my table is and most often my tablemates.

[SadieN]

Sailing on Freedom in September and wondering if you can choose your dining room with Anytime Dining; or are you assigned to one. Thanks!

 

The ATD dining room is set. Your ship card will say

 

Your Name

Dining: MDR Name and Deck

TABLE: 777 Your Time Dining

VIFP#:0123456789

[WAHMto5]

We also do group of 9 on the Dream and always do ATD. Works the best and have only had to wait once.

[near the beach]

We prefer early dinning. The shows on the ship are scheduled so you can see them no matter which dining time you have. We found it is easier to schedule our evenings when we know when dinner is.

[figdu]

We do ATD but always sit in the same wait staff area.