Early Dining

[Cruzin4fam]

Hi! I have taken one cruise (girls trip) back in January 2010. It was a disaster all around on many different levels. It was a short 4 day cruise but because of a major storm we stopped at a port that we weren't scheduled to go to, so I don't remember much about it.

 

With that being said...I have booked a cruise for me and the kiddos for March 2017 (hoping this one will be a success :D). I currently have selected the early dining option. However, on two of the excursion days the depart time is listed as 6:00 pm.

 

Is it going to be nearly impossible to make it to the early dining? Will we have to cut excursions short in order to make it? TIA

[rae.holmes]

Typically excursions end well before the departure time.

[nwcruiselover]

If the ship departs at 6:00 PM, you will have to be on board no later than 5:30 PM. You'll be on board in time for early dining. If you have an excursion that lasts till close to all-aboard time, you might not have a lot of time to get ready for dinner, but you'll be able to get there just fine.

[footfixer1]

I was told that if you miss your dining time, you can go to the "my time" dining maître d' and let him know. They should then be able to accommodate you. You may have to wait a bit (usually no more than 20 minutes). I just called Carnival yesterday with the same concern.

 

 

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[SadieN]

I was told that if you miss your dining time, you can go to the "my time" dining maître d' and let him know. They should then be able to accommodate you. You may have to wait a bit (usually no more than 20 minutes). I just called Carnival yesterday with the same concern.

 

 

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If you miss your assigned dining time your options are buffet, room service and any other food area. Not fair to those who are assigned to ATD to wait behind those assigned diners who miss their dining time.

Princess allows this and it's a point of contention on Princess.

 

 

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[erinmarie424]

I was told that if you miss your dining time, you can go to the "my time" dining maître d' and let him know. They should then be able to accommodate you. You may have to wait a bit (usually no more than 20 minutes). I just called Carnival yesterday with the same concern.

 

 

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I've never heard this before and it really doesn't make sense. What if everyone that had early dining decided to do this on a particular night? May I ask where this information came from?

 

 

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[riffatsea]

My Time Dining or Any Time Dining as it is also called is ONLY for those folks who have it assigned to them. You cannot just switch to it as you please if you are late to your assigned early time!!

You have a choice to pick excursions that get back in a timely manner or to go to the buffet or other dining venue or order room service. You canNOT just barge in on ATD that night!!

[bananawindnj]

I've never heard this before and it really doesn't make sense. What if everyone that had early dining decided to do this on a particular night? May I ask where this information came from?

 

 

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I think the odds of that happening are slim to none !

[Micahs Grandad]

I was told that if you miss your dining time, you can go to the "my time" dining maître d' and let him know. They should then be able to accommodate you. You may have to wait a bit (usually no more than 20 minutes). I just called Carnival yesterday with the same concern.

 

 

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Sorry that is wrong. Your choices are lido or room service

[Micahs Grandad]

Princess allows this and it's a point of contention on Princess.

 

 

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We have been on two longer 15 day cruises on Princess with early dining.

 

Both cruises we did anytime twice and MD had no problem seating us. Did it either due to late excursion or wanted to have dinner with friends who had anytime.

[footfixer1]

Sorry that is wrong. Your choices are lido or room service

 

I can't say whether you are right or wrong; however, that was not what I was told by a Carnival employee. The woman actually put me on hold to find out the answer. I even repeated the answer to her with a "let me make sure I am understanding you. . ." I guess my suggestion would be to call Carnival and ask. If the employee was incorrect, than I stand corrected.

Edited August 16, 2016 by footfixer1

[footfixer1]

I've never heard this before and it really doesn't make sense. What if everyone that had early dining decided to do this on a particular night? May I ask where this information came from?

 

 

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I can't say whether you are right or wrong; however, that was not what I was told by a Carnival employee. The woman actually put me on hold to find out the answer. I even repeated the answer to her with a "let me make sure I am understanding you. . ." She may have told me untrue information and I am sorry if she did.

[jimbo5544]

I can't say whether you are right or wrong; however, that was not what I was told by a Carnival employee. The woman actually put me on hold to find out the answer. I even repeated the answer to her with a "let me make sure I am understanding you. . ." She may have told me untrue information and I am sorry if she did.

 

 

You cannot change between the two dining options. I don't know who told you that but they were mistaken. That said you will not have a problem getting back from an excursion in time for dinner.

[Rosefloater]

We have been on two longer 15 day cruises on Princess with early dining.

Both cruises we did anytime twice and MD had no problem seating us. Did it either due to late excursion or wanted to have dinner with friends who had anytime.

 

And there is the problem. Princess should just make all of dining YTD. They let any one go to YTD even if you have an assigned dining time and they let you make reservations for a certain time with YTD. It becomes a clusterf... at the YTD dining rooms. This is why we like to eat in the buffet on Princess (and imo, the buffet is better than their dining room).

[berrieh]

I was told that if you miss your dining time, you can go to the "my time" dining maître d' and let him know. They should then be able to accommodate you. You may have to wait a bit (usually no more than 20 minutes). I just called Carnival yesterday with the same concern.

 

 

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You typically cannot. They may squeak someone in on occasion but YTD is an assigned dining time, just like early or late, and not a fallback option.

 

It's not unusual to be told multiple things by customer service. Unless you heard that from the maitre d of your ship, I wouldn't count on it.

[JaniceB]

I can't say whether you are right or wrong; however, that was not what I was told by a Carnival employee. The woman actually put me on hold to find out the answer. I even repeated the answer to her with a "let me make sure I am understanding you. . ." She may have told me untrue information and I am sorry if she did.

 

Maybe she meant that once you onboard ship you can go and change your dining preference to something else.

[riffatsea]

The question is being asked about Carnival and not Princess! They are 2 different lines with obviously different rules!

[asalligo]

On our last cruise we missed our dining time on one port night due to arriving late from an excursion. We just redirected to the Lido buffet, it was fine.

[originalgeek]

We came close to late once on our 7-day cruise. The ferry from mainland to Cozumel was the last one back because our (Carnival) excursion was slow getting back. We had to step lively from the ferry to the ship and change in a hurry (I still had time to shower off the Mayan ruins sand and bug spray) but we made it. Might have been 6:03 when we got to MDR but our table-mates weren't there yet so it counts as a win. ;)

 

The rest of the cruise we had plenty of time. (And we excursed on every port day.)

 

I intend to do early dining on our future cruises but I sure won't go on excursions every day next time. That was a workout!

[dacsmom]

Just my opinion, but if the departure time is 6pm and you get back at 6pm you may be waving to the ship as it sails away. Depending on the port you have to be back onboard at least 30 to 60 minutes before it sails.

[bakersdozen12]

To the OP: on my first cruise we had Early Dining and I will never willingly choose it again for the very reason you are worried about. We had a Carnival excursion that had us back on the boat at 5:45. It was elegant night that night and I only had 15 minutes to get ready. Needless to say, even with my dress, I didn't feel elegant at all that night.

 

 

My Time Dining or Any Time Dining as it is also called...

 

 

Actually, it's called Your Time Dining with Carnival. I think the other two terms you mentioned are from other cruise lines.

 

 

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[BallFour4]

We've always had ETD and switch to late once and ATD on a recent cruise.

 

The first time we were in Progreso and were delayed getting back to the ship. We went to our regular dining room, presented our cards, explained what happened and were seated immediately.

 

The second time we snoozed after getting back on the ship from a hot day in Cozumel and were sent to ATD.

 

After this and a few other experiences aboard ships I'll never say never...

 

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Edited August 16, 2016 by BallFour4

[jimbo5544]

We've always had ETD and switch to late once and ATD on a recent cruise.

 

The first time we were in Progreso and were delayed getting back to the ship. We went to our regular dining room, presented our cards, explained what happened and were seated immediately.

 

The second time we snoozed after getting back on the ship from a hot day in Cozumel and were sent to ATD.

 

After this and a few other experiences aboard ships I'll never say never...

 

.

 

Wow, I have never heard of that before, nice to know they were willing and able to do that.

[crusinpsychRN]

And there is the problem. Princess should just make all of dining YTD. They let any one go to YTD even if you have an assigned dining time and they let you make reservations for a certain time with YTD. It becomes a clusterf... at the YTD dining rooms. This is why we like to eat in the buffet on Princess (and imo, the buffet is better than their dining room).

 

I saw a youtube on a Princess ship and they had lobster, crab in various forms, escargot, stuffed mushrooms. Is that true?

 

As to asking a Carnival employee a question, you can ask 5 of them and get 5 different answers. I was at Guest Services with a question and was given incorrect info. I can't remember what it was exactly but I had to tell the lady the right answer.

Edited August 16, 2016 by crusinpsychRN

[cherbear4000]

If departure time is 6 PM, then you have to back on board by 5:30 PM. Also, when you purchase ship excursions, they tell you the starting time and how long they are, so you should have an idea of if you will make it back on time for early dinner. That said, on my last cruise, they ship arrived late into port and our excursion time was changed. It was originally 10 AM and was changed to 4:30 PM. Our time in port was also extended. We ended up missing dinner and had to eat at the buffet.