Eating / Main dining room vs restaurants

[Kreiven]

I read that Carnival Sensation has 2 main dining rooms which serves breakfast, etc.

 

Also, they have lots of different restaurants (Guy's Burger, Pizza Pirate, Seaview Restaurant, etc)...

 

My question is: Can I opt between eating the food in the main dining room or going to one of these restaurants? Are they free?

 

I had to select my "dinner time" when I booked the cruise, so I thought I would be always eating there. In this case, could I opt to get something else instead of going to the dining room if I'm too tired to?

 

How does that work?

[grumpyjr88]

You can eat anywhere you want. I know people who never eat in the MDR because they have young kids and feel it's too much of a hassle for them.

[K&RCurt]

You are free to eat at any venue on the ship and never HAVE to eat in the MDR. You will be "assigned" a table in ONE of the MDRs, where you will sit if you decide that is where you want to eat dinner. There will be a schedule for Breakfast / Brunch / Lunch in the MDRs as it changes based on port or sea days. for these meals you just show up and sit wherever.

 

The other options you mentioned are included in your cruise fare. Some alternate dining venues incur an extra charge and that will be explained on board.

 

You will have plenty of no extra charge options in addition to the MDR.

[Kreiven]

This is great, thanks! I saw a lot of people saying to go to Guy's Burger as soon as we embark (we have FTTF) so we can eat in peace before everyone comes in, cuz the restaurants go crazy since everyone wants to eat as soon as they arrive. Is that true?

[Schoifmom]

This is great, thanks! I saw a lot of people saying to go to Guy's Burger as soon as we embark (we have FTTF) so we can eat in peace before everyone comes in, cuz the restaurants go crazy since everyone wants to eat as soon as they arrive. Is that true?

 

Very true. On embarkation day, the dining rooms are not open, so everyone is trying to eat on the Lido. Get to Guy's before the lines get too long :)

[sparks1093]

You are free to eat at any venue on the ship and never HAVE to eat in the MDR. You will be "assigned" a table in ONE of the MDRs, where you will sit if you decide that is where you want to eat dinner. There will be a schedule for Breakfast / Brunch / Lunch in the MDRs as it changes based on port or sea days. for these meals you just show up and sit wherever.

 

The other options you mentioned are included in your cruise fare. Some alternate dining venues incur an extra charge and that will be explained on board.

 

You will have plenty of no extra charge options in addition to the MDR.

 

Actually they will seat you for the other meals, you don't just go in and sit down. You may also find yourself sitting with others (unless you ask for a smaller table for your party).

[Kreiven]

Actually they will seat you for the other meals, you don't just go in and sit down. You may also find yourself sitting with others (unless you ask for a smaller table for your party).

 

I don't mind to sit with other people. It's just me and my girlfriend and actually it would be nice to make friends there hahah we are brazilians so we are very friendly, warm and open people.

 

So, I just go there in the morning, for example, and they find a table for me for breakfast? And for dinner is the same thing, unless if I want to go to one of these restaurants instead of the main dinning room?

[billslowsky]

I don't mind to sit with other people. It's just me and my girlfriend and actually it would be nice to make friends there hahah we are brazilians so we are very friendly, warm and open people.

 

So, I just go there in the morning, for example, and they find a table for me for breakfast? And for dinner is the same thing, unless if I want to go to one of these restaurants instead of the main dinning room?

 

Brazilian women are a gift from God.

[Schoifmom]

I don't mind to sit with other people. It's just me and my girlfriend and actually it would be nice to make friends there hahah we are brazilians so we are very friendly, warm and open people.

 

So, I just go there in the morning, for example, and they find a table for me for breakfast? And for dinner is the same thing, unless if I want to go to one of these restaurants instead of the main dinning room?

 

If you have fixed-time (early or late) dining, you will be assigned a table that you will be seated at every night for the entire cruise. If you have Your-time dining, it works like a land-based restaurant. You check in and they will seat you. Breakfast and brunch in the MDR work the same way, check in and they will seat you.

[MalleyCat]

You can go eat anywhere. We only eat in the MDR once per cruise, for a Sea Day Brunch.

[flyboysmom]

I don't mind to sit with other people. It's just me and my girlfriend and actually it would be nice to make friends there hahah we are brazilians so we are very friendly, warm and open people.

 

So, I just go there in the morning, for example, and they find a table for me for breakfast? And for dinner is the same thing, unless if I want to go to one of these restaurants instead of the main dinning room?

 

I do think at breakfast you have certain times for the dining room, it will be on your carnival Fun Times, that is the sheet you get every night on your bed with what is going on the next day on the ship, it lists all the shows, places to eat etc. Enjoy it is so much fun:)

[1025cruise]

Keep in mind that not all restaurants are open for all meals. The MDR will always be open for breakfast/brunch (sea day versus port day). On sea days, the MDR will serve lunch or brunch, and will always be open for dinner. The Lido buffet also will serve all meals. Guys and Blue Iguana are only open certain hours.

[sparks1093]

I don't mind to sit with other people. It's just me and my girlfriend and actually it would be nice to make friends there hahah we are brazilians so we are very friendly, warm and open people.

 

So, I just go there in the morning, for example, and they find a table for me for breakfast? And for dinner is the same thing, unless if I want to go to one of these restaurants instead of the main dinning room?

 

For breakfast, brunch or lunch the host/hostess will seat you. For dinner you will be assigned to the same table every night unless you have any time dining. Another thing to keep an eye out for is to see if the MDR is open for breakfast on the day of disembarkation. We ate there that morning on Glory and it was so much more enjoyable than trying to find a table in the lido buffet.

[TubT]

There are a lot of eating options available to you. Traditionally, passengers were assigned to a table at either the early seating (5:30-6:00, or so) or late seating (8-8:30, or thereabouts). You sat at that table every night, with the same people, usually at a table for 6 or 8 people. On two nights, the dress was designated "formal." All of that has been changing, so more and more people are opting for a flexible dining assignment, which on Carnival is called "Your Time Dining." You will eat in the same dining rooms as the assigned dining, but you will not have an assigned table. You will go to the dining room when you are ready, and you will be given a table (or, if it's currently full, you may be given a pager to call you when there is an opening). I am hearing that many of the Your Time Dining tables are for only 2-4 people, because that speeds up the service. Some people never go to the dining room, opting instead for the buffet (usually referred to as the Lido), or for an extra-cost restaurant (usually a steakhouse, sometimes others), or for a pizza, or a burger, or whatever. If you get to the ship and find you are assigned to a time or a table you don't like, you can ask to be moved, switched to another time, or just don't go back to that table. The buffet is a buffet, with all that entails, including food that is not prepared right now, choices that may not match your likes, or whatever. The dining room food is better, no doubt. But the goal of the cruise line is for you to enjoy yourself, and if this is your first cruise, you may want to experiment a little.

[K&RCurt]

Actually they will seat you for the other meals, you don't just go in and sit down. You may also find yourself sitting with others (unless you ask for a smaller table for your party).

 

I guess i could have worded that better. I just meant you don't have to sit at the same table you do for dinner!

[Kreiven]

Nice!

 

When I booked the cruise I remember I had to choose the dining time and I picked the late one (I think 6pm is too early). However, after researching a bit I realized that we actually get back from shore excursions by 4/5pm, so we can take shower and then go to grab something to eat by 7pm, but waiting until 8:30 is actually a lot of time... it would actually be better to have dinner at 7 so we could enjoy the evening attractions.

 

Do they offer this YTD on the embarkation day? Because I didn't see anything mentioning that on the website when I booked it.

[RWolver672]

Very true. On embarkation day, the dining rooms are not open, so everyone is trying to eat on the Lido. Get to Guy's before the lines get too long :)

 

Even if they are long, get in line. They move the people through real fast. The good thing about Guys is that they will give you a plate with a burger and fries on it. Then you go to a separate area and add your own fixings. That makes it quicker if you don't have to wait for them to add the fixings.

[sparks1093]

Nice!

 

When I booked the cruise I remember I had to choose the dining time and I picked the late one (I think 6pm is too early). However, after researching a bit I realized that we actually get back from shore excursions by 4/5pm, so we can take shower and then go to grab something to eat by 7pm, but waiting until 8:30 is actually a lot of time... it would actually be better to have dinner at 7 so we could enjoy the evening attractions.

 

Do they offer this YTD on the embarkation day? Because I didn't see anything mentioning that on the website when I booked it.

 

You should be able to select this through your TA or in your online account for that booking (if YTD hasn't filled up, which can happen).

[summersigh]

The Fun Times will list the times that each eatery on board is open. Be sure to check before you make plans because some of the "free" venues are only open mid-day/lunch and are closed for dinner time. :D

[coevan]

early dining or late dining you can not eat at 7 unless you have YTD, or the Steakhouse, Pizza, Italian or the buffet

[Schoifmom]

Nice!

 

When I booked the cruise I remember I had to choose the dining time and I picked the late one (I think 6pm is too early). However, after researching a bit I realized that we actually get back from shore excursions by 4/5pm, so we can take shower and then go to grab something to eat by 7pm, but waiting until 8:30 is actually a lot of time... it would actually be better to have dinner at 7 so we could enjoy the evening attractions.

 

Do they offer this YTD on the embarkation day? Because I didn't see anything mentioning that on the website when I booked it.

 

You will need to go into your cruise manager and select YTD as your dining time. This will be your dining selection for the entire cruise (including embarkation day). You cannot switch back and forth. If YTD is full, you will be waitlisted for it. If you don't receive a confirmed YTD before embarkation day, simply go visit with the maitre d' (hours will be listed in the Fun Times) and request a change.

[Kreiven]

I just logged in and changed it to YTD! Thank you all!

 

Honestly, I think my cruise is not even going to be full. I've seen so many people going on cruise later than me and the FTTF is already sold out, etc, while mine is in 35 days from now and I got the FTTF 2 days ago without any problem.

[1025cruise]

Cruises mostly always sail full. There will be discounts to fill cabins.

[unclebobg]

When I was younger, and really had an appetite (as well, perhaps, as a desire to show off) my friends and I would eat breakfast on the Lido deck, some pizza or something around 10:30am, lunch on the Lido, another lunch in the Main Dining Room (MDR), dessert in the Lido, more pizza or burgers from the always-open places in mid-afternoon, pre-dinner entrees on the Lido around 5pm, dinner in the MDR (each ordering multiple appetizers and entrees), some more desserts on the Lido, some pizza or whatever around 11pm and then the midnight buffet. They used to have breakfast available after the buffet in those days, so we’d get that too. All combined with lots of “boat drinks” or beers at the various bars.

I’m too old to handle that regimen now. But the point is you can eat as much or as little as you want, and you’ll have plenty of choices available to do so. Mostly for free, although all the ships offer extra cost options now.

Have a great cruise.

[unclebobg]

I forgot, we’d almost always get room service at some point during the night. Also free. Now I guess they charge for some items, plus a delivery fee. Still worth it. Ummm, BLT’s.