Newbie Dining Question

[VitaLuna]

Sorry for the very basic question, but I didn’t see the answer on Carnival’s site. We have never eaten in the MDR on previous cruises, but plan on eating there a few nights on our next cruise. If we choose scheduled (early) dining.. are we committed to that? Or can we skip nights to eat other places? We have two young kids, so it would be nice to not have to wait for a table with anytime dining, but I also don’t want to take someone’s spot or leave a hole if we don’t plan on eating there every night with scheduled dining. What is the “correct” way to do it?

[Hoosierpop]

You don’t have to eat in the main dining room. Totally up to you. People do that all the time.

[bury me at sea]

It is nice, but not required, to mention to tablemates or your waitstaff if you know you will not be there the following evening.

 

This is not to say that you can't change your mind and eat elsewhere any time.

 

Happy sailing.

 

 

[VitaLuna]

Second question: if we are sailing with another family, how do we request a table with them for scheduled dining? Check with the maitre d’ after boarding? Or can we do that now? Can we get a table with just us (and not other people)? My kids are well behaved and I’d take them back to the room if they didn’t, but I also don’t want to subject other passengers to sitting at a table with kids at dinner time. 

[Elaine5715]

4 minutes ago, VitaLuna said:

Second question: if we are sailing with another family, how do we request a table with them for scheduled dining? Check with the maitre d’ after boarding? Or can we do that now? Can we get a table with just us (and not other people)? My kids are well behaved and I’d take them back to the room if they didn’t, but I also don’t want to subject other passengers to sitting at a table with kids at dinner time. 

You have your bookings linked now.  You  may be seated with other families but it is very unlikely you will be seated with couples or solo adults.  

You can go to the Maitre after boarding and ask for a seperate table

[memecakes]

Just a note about YTD. We have never had to wait more than 5 minutes for a table.

[VitaLuna]

11 minutes ago, memecakes said:

Just a note about YTD. We have never had to wait more than 5 minutes for a table.

I appreciate the info. I’m kind of leaning towards keeping it at YTD. I’m good with up to a 15 min wait, but much more than that might be difficult for one of my kiddos. 

[SDPadreFan]

With the Carnival Hub app (only works onboard the ship). You can request a table with YTD and they will text you when your table is ready. So no waiting in line (or very minimal). This also lets you schedule your dining time with your travel friends as well. Or even with other people you meet (via your kids mostly) that also have the Hub app.

 

And you can always skip the MDR and just go to the Lido Buffet because they will mostly have the same dinner items (buffet style).

 

But if you do go with the early dining option - your kids will experience several different things. One is the formality of a set dinner time and process. The other is having the same wait staff each evening and having them fawn over your kids each night (which they will love). You can also do this with the Hub app and YTD but you would not be able to request the same wait staff until you were actually notified that a table was ready and then when you checked in, you could request a certain section (wait staff) but there might be a small wait until a table was available in that particular section.

 

Another advantage with the Carnival Hub app is that for a small fee ($5), you can text between others who also have the same Hub app (and have also paid the $5 fee). So that would allow you to communicate with your travel companions (or others) even while they are somewhere else on the ship. It is a closed loop system that operates within the ship and only if activated through the Hub app.

[rvsullivan]

One comment, the Lido will not have mostly the same items as the MDR in a buffet style.  It will be a completely different menu from the MDR!!!

[crusinpsychRN]

Only some things will be the same on Lido as in MDR.  MDR is convenient and very casual dresscode.