Sunshine main dining room - Do you recommend any time dining or assigned seating?

[binwinbinwin]

For the main dining room on Sunshine, do you recommend assigned seating or anytime dining?

 

We normally book anytime dining but we have our doubts about Sunshine given the reviews about the hassle for anytime dining...you have to first checkin on deck 5 to get a ticket/pager and then go down to deck 3 for the main dining room.

[pauleydm]

Because of the check in process on Deck 5, and the long lines I witnessed, I would highly recommend a set dining time.

[ray98]

I recommend Anytime on every ship. I will gladly wait a few minutes to dine on my schedule and with who I want. If you don't show up when the doors first open there wait is normally minimal. I have waited several minutes to be seated on assigned time dining also. No difference.

Edited January 31, 2015 by ray98

[Velvetwater]

Anytime dining is the best no matter what.

 

If you are feeling tired and unsociable you can have a table for two.

 

If you want some table mates you can ask to share and meet new friends.

[ray98]

Anytime dining is the best no matter what.

 

If you are feeling tired and unsociable you can have a table for two.

 

If you want some table mates you can ask to share and meet new friends.

 

Yup...to expand.

 

Sleep in a little from a late night...late breakfast....late lunch....then go to dinner later when you are actually hungry.

 

Up early on a port day....early breakfast....early lunch....then go to dinner early when you are actually hungry.

 

Make your own schedule instead of trying to make yours fit theirs.

Edited January 31, 2015 by ray98

[Cruise-Crazy]

Not just the Sunshine but anytime dining is the best.

[A&Jfamily]

Anytime dining is the best no matter what.

 

If you are feeling tired and unsociable you can have a table for two.

 

If you want some table mates you can ask to share and meet new friends.

 

I disagree that Anytime is best. If it is just a couple, then it is easy with anytime getting a table for 2 persons.

 

If however you have kids, especially younger ones that are used to eating early anyway and get cranky when not fed, the the fixed seating is best. Plus you and they have the benefit of getting to know the staff and requesting special preparations like milk and fruit ready to go when you arrive. In 10 cruises with our 2 boys, only on the first one were were sat at a table with others, and then it was a family of 3 with a son the same age as my oldest. They became fast friends.

 

The other time I don't think Anytime works is if you have a group larger than 4. There are limited large tables, and when we have tried it with 5 on different ships, we have waited anywhere between 30-45 minutes on average per night.

[sweetsixteencruisers]

Our experience with anytime dining both times was terrible. We prefer assigned seating. We do early seating.

[CHOPPERTESTER]

Seeing the system they have for doing it on the Sunshine first hand last month. I would pass on MTD on the Sunshine. On other ships yes but not the Sunshine.

[Martini Mom]

Did ATD on only one cruise and we didn't like it at all. We got used to cruising where you eat at a certain time, get to know your waiter, they get to know you and what you want, etc. The dining room was a ATD and assigned room, so sometimes we were being seated at the tail end of the the waitstaff "show." We just felt like we were missing out the whole time.

[Leinad79]

Did anytime dining on Sunshine last April with zero issues. Have it for my upcoming trip this May.

[cruizinisthebest]

If you do prefer ATD and know what to expect (process is a little different on the Sunshine) then go for it. We always choose assigned late seating anyway. Always.

[Lacaena]

Just off the Sunshine today. We had anytime dining. We only did it once and we waited about an hour from getting in line to check in to getting food. Most other nights the line was so long we said forget it and ate at a specialty restaurant.

 

I spoke with one woman at brunch after formal night and she said that she waited over two hours on formal night just to be seated!

 

They give you a pager and you have to wait on deck 5, so you're choices are either a bar or the casino (at least on Sunshine).

 

 

 

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[imluvncruzn]

Just off the Sunshine last week. Anytime dining was a nightmare and the worse dining experience we've had in 17 cruises. We waited 45 minutes night one then 70 minutes night two. Even after we were seated the service was extremely slow. That whole system on the Sunshine needs an overhaul. We did anytime dining on the Valor in May and it was fantastic. Had a group of 8 and never waited more than 5 minutes!

[OCruisers]

We love anytime dining but have not experienced the waits others have mentioned. That could make a big difference. :o

LuLu

[Lacaena]

As a sort of side note to my previous post... I think there is a higher percentage of ATD on Sunshine than on other ships. We booked more than 4 months out and all dining options besides ATD were full. My theory (just my own cockamamie idea) is that because they've added more cabins, and thus more passengers, the dining rooms can't handle the added diners in the traditional seating times so they've shifted more people to the ATD. I think that is part of the strain on the system.

 

As other people have mentioned our dining service was extremely slow even once we were seated.

 

We usually love a more freestyle approach; however, if you have the option to do an assigned time on the Sunshine I would do it.

 

 

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[binwinbinwin]

Thanks for everyone's feedback. We will have to decide soon if we go with anytime dining for Sunshine or assigned seating.

 

We usually prefer anytime dining, however, Sunshine requires anytime dining passengers to checkin first on Deck#5 to get a ticket/pager and then proceed to Deck#3 when their table is ready.

[pcc1342]

Just off the Sunshine yesterday. We had anytime dining and even though you had to sign in and get a pager on deck 5 then go to deck 3, that was not a problem. You sign in next to the taste bar so while waiting there were nibblies and the alchemy bar was also there. The problem was the food in the dining room. Lukewarm at best and both my husband and I felt the choices did not thrill us. This was a surprise for us as usually we can't decide what we want, everything looks good! Go to Ji Ji's or Bonsai Sushi. $15 per person and so worth it - and this from someone who has never been to a paying restaurant on a ship!

 

 

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[sjcruiser]

On my last cruise on the Sunshine, i had assigned seating, but walked past the check-in station several times for anytime dining during the cruise, and each time those with anytime dining seemed to be disgusted and not happy with the wait times. Me myself, I like late assigned seating as it gives me a chance to come back and relax, and even take a nap in the afternoon or early evening before getting ready for dinner. Since we are night owls, this allows us to stay up late or early into the morning. We usually only go to one or two shows per cruise, and late seating works out perfect on the nights we choose to go to the Lido or other venue to eat, if we we don't want to wait until our assigned seating.

[sailingships]

Just off the Sunshine last week. Anytime dining was a nightmare and the worse dining experience we've had in 17 cruises. We waited 45 minutes night one then 70 minutes night two. Even after we were seated the service was extremely slow. That whole system on the Sunshine needs an overhaul. We did anytime dining on the Valor in May and it was fantastic. Had a group of 8 and never waited more than 5 minutes!

 

I agree about the Valor. On that ship anytime was great, we just seated ourselves right away with people we knew etc The Triumph Feb 9 was the pits, long waits, rudeness from the staff, and I was travelling solo there was only me to seat. Then about the 3rd night of the 11 day cruise the staff told me I would be happier doing the late seating at 7.30. As I like to go to dinner about 7.15 that worked for me. However the Triumphs dinner times 5.15 and 7.30 were changed for that sailing. I don't know what they did for the 2nd leg of the B2B.

 

I used to always do late seating but then I discovered anytime and do prefer that arrangement. However why cant Carnival get it right ? It doesn't have to be painful to eat dinner on a ship.

[MarcelLucSell]

We did late dining on SunShine.

 

It was great to have the same staff and table mates and to experience the staff show.