Carnival dinner seating - a thing of the past?

[LuckyZ]

Personally has the whole concept of cruise dining become out of date with today's eating habits. When I grew up, we had dinner as a family at the exact same time every day.

But today at our house, we never know who is showing up for dinner and when dinner will be. It's a totally random occurrence on most nights.

 

Why would we expect a cruise would be any different.

 

I'm wondering if dinner for everyone should be anytime dining. If they can do it for lunch and breakfast, why not for dinner

Edited January 24, 2016 by LuckyZ

[StolidCruiser]

For you, a flexible schedule for whoever wants to show works.

 

YTD was implemented for people like you. Not everybody is like you. In fact, a good majority still maintain traditional dining habits despite today's hectic lifestyle.

 

I don't see traditional/fixed seating on cruises going away.

[CdrescherRBL152]

Although our lives don't make normal dinning an option day to day. We enjoy it when on a cruise. Of course a big part of being on a cruise is you are doing things you don't normally do.

[sweetsixteencruisers]

Personally has the whole concept of cruise dining become out of date with today's eating habits. When I grew up, we had dinner as a family at the exact same time every day.

But today at our house, we never know who is showing up for dinner and when dinner will be. It's a totally random occurrence on most nights.

 

Why would we expect a cruise would be any different.

 

I'm wondering if dinner for everyone should be anytime dining. If they can do it for lunch and breakfast, why not for dinner

 

I hope not!

[nchikk]

When I grew up, we had dinner as a family at the exact same time every day.

But today at our house, we never know who is showing up for dinner and when dinner will be. It's a totally random occurrence on most nights.

 

 

At first I wanted to say I felt sorry for you. To me, dinner together at the family table is a big thing. But I won't say it because I realize it is not for everyone, for a variety of reasons. While traditional dining doesn't work for you, it does for many.

[E&B]

When my kids were growing up, we almost always had a meal together and if something was going on we just adjusted the time we ate. As the kids got older the frequency of whole family meals diminished and now that they're in college may only happen once or twice a week when they're home. But, we still do Sunday dinner as a family almost every week when they're home. When vacationing we enjoy being able to get together for a formal meal every day. We booked traditional dining for our upcoming cruise because we felt it would be easier to say we will be eating at 6pm every night than try to pin down a time every day depending on mood. Yes, I realize we could do this with anytime dining, but the flexibility may lead to compromise and we want a fixed time. If you really dislike fixed dining times you should either book anytime or cruise NCL. Many people would miss traditional dining. Not everyone feels the same way you do.

Edited January 24, 2016 by E&B

[Librarian365]

Why bother with chefs at all? Why not make all of the restaurants franchises? Sure a McDonalds, Subway, Chick-Fil-A etc should cover everyone! No one eats in a normal restaurant anymore. No one has time! Everyone's palates have changed and they don't appreciate fine dining anyway. Out with it!

 

 

Sorry but having a set time for dining and having a proper service sounds heavenly to me. Breakfast and Lunch can be grab and go but when it comes to dinner on my vacation, I can't wait until phones are down, there is no TV in earshot, and we can all sit and discuss all of the marvelous experiences we have had all day - and plan our grand adventures for the next. It's like having a date with my husband and kids every night.

 

Ive experienced YTD and prefer seatings so much more. Norwegian went all your time and it was great with toddlers - but my kids are far more refined now and having a time works for us.

[Sweet Dutch Girl]

We often travel with a fairly large group with a mixture of couples, singles and families. Our tradition has been and will continue to be late dining at adjoined tables where we can all meet up and converse and eat slowly. (By the way we don't do the "shows" so late dining works well for us).

 

We mix up our seating at our assigned tables so that we can visit with a different person or group each night; catching up on the day's activities and getting a chance to visit with everyone in the group. Kids and grownups intermingle, couples often sit apart, families break apart from their specific units so that we can "visit" with nieces and nephews and inlaws we don't get to spend time with on a daily basis when not cruising.

 

I would hate the hassle of anytime dining...waiting for tables and being unsure of who our wait staff might be.

 

At traditional dining we get to interact with our wait staff...they get to "know" us and we get to find out things about their lives and jobs.

[steph7021]

You are right; with 3 teens/young adults dinner is in competition with the hockey coach, theatre rehearsals and work schedules. Dinner together is rare.

 

However; on a cruise I am not competing with any of that and showing up for dinner is the number 1 rule! We cruise in a large group and so I prefer assigned dining because it's the one place we can all meet up. We will never do YTD. Maybe my husband and I would if cruising alone...but not cruising with others. It's the best part of the cruise!

[LuckyZ]

Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So, throw off the bowlines and sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore, Dream, Discover

!

 

Steph - I love your signature line. So true

[steph7021]

At first I wanted to say I felt sorry for you. To me, dinner together at the family table is a big thing. But I won't say it because I realize it is not for everyone, for a variety of reasons. While traditional dining doesn't work for you, it does for many.

 

 

It is a big deal to me to and we always did it when the kids were little. We do it when we can now but I'm not in charge of sports schedules or work schedules etc....It's not that we don't value dinner together! That's an unfair statement and I doubt what the OP meant! Although, on a cruise I think it's different (or can be different for everybody) and we insist on Traditional dining.

[steph7021]

Steph - I love your signature line. So true

 

 

Thanks!

[Warm Breezes]

Personally has the whole concept of cruise dining become out of date with today's eating habits. When I grew up, we had dinner as a family at the exact same time every day.

But today at our house, we never know who is showing up for dinner and when dinner will be. It's a totally random occurrence on most nights.

 

Why would we expect a cruise would be any different.

 

I'm wondering if dinner for everyone should be anytime dining. If they can do it for lunch and breakfast, why not for dinner

 

When we cruise, going to dinner together is something we don't get home that we enjoy on a cruise. We still do anytime dining though since we like the flexibility to go when we want with just our family and not get put with strangers at dinner.

[Banks822]

I have 4 teens and know that our family dinners will be gone faster then I'm ready for. We eat at the table together almost every night, but not at a set time. When we cruise we let the kids have one night where they don't eat with us so they can hang out with their friends they've meet, but we always eat together on elegant nights. We even eat breakfast in the dining room once or twice just so we can all sit together and talk. If that went away cruising wouldn't feel like a family vacation to me.

I hope when my children marry and become parents they will sit down and eat together as a family, even if they have to eat at 8:00 some nights.

[John Reid]

Personally has the whole concept of cruise dining become out of date with today's eating habits. When I grew up, we had dinner as a family at the exact same time every day.

But today at our house, we never know who is showing up for dinner and when dinner will be. It's a totally random occurrence on most nights.

 

Why would we expect a cruise would be any different.

 

I'm wondering if dinner for everyone should be anytime dining. If they can do it for lunch and breakfast, why not for dinner

 

This accommodation has already been made with YTD. Not sure why it would be necessary to eliminate the choice of many others, fixed-time dining, when those who want flexibility can eat at a time they wish already.

[GMRPHRN]

My family also eats at different times and often not together because of work, school and activities schedule. My last cruise I really did enjoy sitting down nightly together and talking about our day. I especially like having the same wait staff every night and the effort they make to get to know you. I know people who cruise and rarely do the dining room at all. I am glad there are options for every style.

[golfb4cruzing]

Dinner is still the same time every day here. Be here or be square and on your own.

[cruzeluver]

I hope both fixed and flexible options continue to be offered.

 

While its true we eat dinner at different times at home, part of being on a cruise for us is to not do everything "just like at home". Having fixed, late seating works really well for us. We like to linger over coffee and have a relaxed dinner, as well as sit at a larger table in order to meet new people. It makes dinner much more to us than just the third meal of the day.

[summersigh]

For you, a flexible schedule for whoever wants to show works.

 

YTD was implemented for people like you. Not everybody is like you. In fact, a good majority still maintain traditional dining habits despite today's hectic lifestyle.

 

I don't see traditional/fixed seating on cruises going away.

 

We agree :) We always choose late fixed seating so it rarely, if ever, interferes with sail-aways. We see dinner as part of the evening activities rather that something necessary to get over with quickly. We eat together, the 2 of us, every night at dinner at home so we enjoy sharing our dinner time with the same group each night on the cruise. We've made some lasting friendships with our fixed seating tablemates. :)

 

Also, interestingly enough, RCCL's new Anthem of the Seas started out as ALL it's version of YTD with 4 different themed main dining rooms. I saw recently that, in response to passenger complaints/wishes, they are now doing (by choice) a fixed group with a fixed time who rotate as a group to the various restaurants.

[zqvol]

Personally has the whole concept of cruise dining become out of date with today's eating habits. When I grew up, we had dinner as a family at the exact same time every day.

But today at our house, we never know who is showing up for dinner and when dinner will be. It's a totally random occurrence on most nights.

 

Why would we expect a cruise would be any different.

 

I'm wondering if dinner for everyone should be anytime dining. If they can do it for lunch and breakfast, why not for dinner

 

 

More and more people are choosing anytime dining. It is now well over 50% and more would choose it if it were available. NCL has been 100% unassigned dining for years, and it is just a matter of time until all of the mass market lines go that way. Within 10 years traditional dining will be a thing of the past.

 

Going to anytime dining doesn't prevent families from eating together, all it does is mean that you select the time you head to the dining room instead of being stuck to the times that the ship wants you to eat.

Edited January 24, 2016 by zqvol

[steph7021]

More and more people are choosing anytime dining. It is now well over 50% and more would choose it if it were available. NCL has been 100% unassigned dining for years, and it is just a matter of time until all of the mass market lines go that way. Within 10 years traditional dining will be a thing of the past.

 

Going to anytime dining doesn't prevent families from eating together, all it does is mean that you select the time you head to the dining room instead of being stuck to the times that the ship wants you to eat.

 

 

True. But what a pain with 10 plus people!

[pcvtmom]

Once again..."one size fits all" philosophy is suggested. Choices are a good thing. SOME of us enjoy interaction with the wait team and a set dining time and table. Any time dining gives the rest of you a choice, as well. What Carnival has going on now is a great compromise. We don't need to have just one option for dining, as the OP suggests.

[SkyMaster]

I stopped booking NCL when they went to ALL "your time dining", and probably would do the same for Carnival if they did the same. One of the highlights of the day is dinner aboard the ship, with good, new, friends, and an excellent wait staff who has my iced tea in place, and knows what I'm going to order, before I order. ;)

 

"SKY"

[BeachChik]

At first I wanted to say I felt sorry for you. To me, dinner together at the family table is a big thing. But I won't say it because I realize it is not for everyone, for a variety of reasons. While traditional dining doesn't work for you, it does for many.

 

So you say it but than say you won't say it? Makes sense.

 

Your comment is just rude. You imply that if people don't do things the way you do they are wrong.

[luckyin]

Dinner is a special time. I prefer a set time for dinner and for all to dress up,