"Your Time" Dining

[wealwayswander]

In reading some reviews and posts it sounds like people who have had the "Your Time" flexible dining time feel that the service is sub par to that in the set dining time. Right now I have that selected for my Nov 18' Splendor cruise. It seems like in past cruises we are always late getting in from the pool or port for the early time, and with the late time we never get a good seat at the shows, so I thought we would try the flex time for this cruise. However, this is the first cruise for my 13 year old and I want him to have a great experience so now I am second guessing that choice. Opinions?

[lasekeye]

We have only cruised once before and had YTD. Our 2 cruises this year, we have the same YTD. Yes, we have nothing to compare our experience to, but we felt the service and attention was great. Sometimes we had the same wait staff and were greeted with big smiles and greetings of recognition, but no matter what area of the MDR we were in, we were always taken care of very well. We had thoughts of asking to be seated in a certain Server area, but we preferred a table for 2 at the railing, looking down over the tables below, so that was our priority. We feel that YTD is the way to go. Never miss a show or event and decide when you are hungry, not when a schedule tells you to eat.

[S.S.Oceanlover]

Wrong board.

 

Bill

 

 

 

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[wemjam]

In reading some reviews and posts it sounds like people who have had the "Your Time" flexible dining time feel that the service is sub par to that in the set dining time. Right now I have that selected for my Nov 18' Splendor cruise. It seems like in past cruises we are always late getting in from the pool or port for the early time, and with the late time we never get a good seat at the shows, so I thought we would try the flex time for this cruise. However, this is the first cruise for my 13 year old and I want him to have a great experience so now I am second guessing that choice. Opinions?

 

Have cruise for years with Carnival, and we love YTD! We were so happy when they finally wen to this as an option.I do not feel there is any difference in service as to compared with what you get with set dining times, but all the flexibility to choose when to dine instead of being set to a specific time is awesome. There is nothing worse then having to rearrange your schedule, or rushing to try to make it to diner at a specific time every night.

 

Stick with YTD!

[beachbum53]

We have chosen YTD for our last four cruises, and have chosen it for our upcoming cruise. I've never felt the service was "sub par". Most people that choose a fixed dining like having the same waiter each evening. If you choose YTD, you can have the same waiter each evening too. When you check in at the hostess stand, just ask to be seated in (fill in the name)'s area so you can have the same waiter each evening. Your odds are better if you can arrive at about the same time or a little earlier each evening, before it gets really busy. We like having the option to not always eat in the MDR, and not having to answer to table mates if we opt to go to the buffet instead.

[naxer]

We've had both and experienced no difference in service. In fact, we've found YTD to be better because we don't have to wait for the other "scheduled" diners to finally show up. We go about 10 or 15 minutes after opening, get seated right away, and the service starts and continues at the pace we want.

[bar1068]

In reading some reviews and posts it sounds like people who have had the "Your Time" flexible dining time feel that the service is sub par to that in the set dining time. Right now I have that selected for my Nov 18' Splendor cruise. It seems like in past cruises we are always late getting in from the pool or port for the early time, and with the late time we never get a good seat at the shows, so I thought we would try the flex time for this cruise. However, this is the first cruise for my 13 year old and I want him to have a great experience so now I am second guessing that choice. Opinions?

 

Well, are you not also reading the posts saying service with YTD is pretty much the same as fixed times? Several follow your post along with many others from before your question. I guess I'm also lost in how the cruise experience is defined as great by the service in the MDR.

[beachbum53]

Well, are you not also reading the posts saying service with YTD is pretty much the same as fixed times? Several follow your post along with many others from before your question. I guess I'm also lost in how the cruise experience is defined as great by the service in the MDR.

 

For the same reason that the fashion police whine that their dining experience was ruined by what someone else was wearing.

[riffatsea]

We love YTD!! IF we like the wait team/service the first night we ask for the same table or at least the same area during the rest of the cruise. That way the team gets to know us the same way as the would if we had set time dining.

The service is just fine! We prefer choosing our dinner companions instead of being sat at a table with strangers whose company we may not enjoy.

On the Splendor, for the first time we encountered tables for 2 next to one another and we had the pleasure of chatting with others most nights. Only once were people next to us that were unpleasant dinner companions and we knew that the next night they wouldn't be there!! Stick with YTD!!

[SadieN]

Service will be the same whether it’s fixed or YTD. It truly depends on your waitstaff.

We sailed on the Splendor in February and March. Some teams were better than others.

 

 

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[ricew001]

We prefer YTD. It's more relaxing since you don't have a certain time to be there! Some days we need a nap before dinner, other days we aren't hungry yet and prefer to go later. Other days we may want to make a certain show.

 

Service has been great in YTD for us.

[pittsburghcruise23]

I always prefer set late dining. Just me though. I like to know when and where and who I will be dining with each night.

[teknoge3k]

We definitely prefer YTD. In fact if we had a set dining time we'd probably just end up eating on lido. Always had great service and never had bad food

[skrufy]

We switched to YTD a few cruises back and really like it. We go around 7pm and never waited longer than 5 to 10 minutes. Have not seen any service drop off with the YTD.

[bakersdozen12]

Actually, my opinion is the opposite. We have had better service when we have done YTD vs Early dining.

 

 

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[A&Jfamily]

Service will be the same whether it’s fixed or YTD. It truly depends on your waitstaff.

We sailed on the Splendor in February and March. Some teams were better than others.

 

 

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I agree. We have learned when we find a good team either at breakfast or at dinner we request them for the remainder of the cruise.

[IPlayWithString]

Except for our very first cruise (when we didn't know any better) we've never had anything but YTD and we've never felt the service was lacking. We've always had servers who were extremely friendly and my son usually gets them wrapped around his little finger by the end of the first night. LOL

[torcruise]

I think the service is less because you don't have the same servers every time, so they don't get to know your wants and likes. But the service is not bad so it does not bother me enough to stop doing ytd

[loxley]

I only do anytime. It is not subpar.

 

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[jexxwil]

I've only been on one cruise (so not much to compare with ;) ) but I had YTD and did not feel like I noticed anything lacking in service. I usually ended up eating around the same time each night, just due to happenstance, but I always ended up with the same wait staff and they came to know me and brought me my preferred drink when I sat down etc. I wouldn't think anything could've been better with the service I received.

[ray98]

Same service......certainly not sub par.

[CaneDawg]

Our last few cruises there has been a service drop off on YTD and it took forever, last cruise average was almost 2 1/2 hours. I had to always ask for coffee with desert, never asked. I always tend to eat early so this next one I am doing at 6:15 to see if there is a difference.

[pacruise804]

I think the service is less because you don't have the same servers every time, so they don't get to know your wants and likes. But the service is not bad so it does not bother me enough to stop doing ytd

 

I think I may be a different type of cruiser. Other than wanting a lot of water with meals, I like doing something different each night. Since Carnival switched to having carafes on the table that helps for the water (except for when we run out). Some evenings I might want a cup of tea but not every night, and just because we get wine one night doesn't mean we want every night either.

 

I like the option of changing my mind day to day and would feel bad if the server went to the effort to bring me something but I didn't want it that night.

[Bookworm1985]

I hate YTD. I am one of the cruisers that tried it and DID find it subpar compared to the late seating. Just personal preference. Luckily (at least for now) there is still an option for everyone.

 

 

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[Garth2]

"Your Time" is not always what's convenient for you. On one of our cruises we saw people in line at 5:00 waiting for put in there requests at 5:30.