Downside to Anytime Dining?

[Schoifmom]

43 minutes ago, mz-s said:

 

I don't really care to argue about it. I will just say my wife and I asked to sit in the same section as the night prior and were told the section was full and I would have to wait for a table to open up but could sit somewhere else immediately. This was prior to COVID when you checked in at the table. If you still want to argue then you'll be arguing with a brick wall because I'm done.

So, what I hear you saying is that you could have been seated with the same waitstaff, but choose to be seated immediately rather than waiting.  That's fair, but it's not exactly the same as saying that you can't have the same waitstaff.  It's the same in a land restaurant. You can request a specific section, but if it's full, you would have to wait.

 

In our last two cruises (post-restart,) we have never had to request to be seated in the same section, it has happened automatically.  In fact, we were seated at the exact same table for one entire cruise. It is likely built into the system that way.

Edited July 20, 2022 by Schoifmom

[Brkintx]

I choose YTD.

Admittedly, I have little experience in the MDR comparatively.  At most, I eat dinner in the MDR one or two times per sailing. Generally it's only once. Going to a specialty one time (where food is cooked to order) does a lot to create perspective for the bulk assembly line experience in the MDRs.

 

All but one of the ships I have sailed on had a completely separate dining room for YTD vs. fixed time, so the tabling / etc.

As for downsides, the wait for a table that some experience would be a factor. Nowadays, every booking I have is an ocean suite, and my experience is that the app handles the prioritization well and I don't really wait for a table. I add myself to the list, and start heading to the YTD dining room. Almost without fail, before I arrive, I've been notified that my table is ready. I've walked past dozens and dozens of people waiting outside the YTD dining room, so I know this is a thing even if I have not experienced it.

Another downside is the wait once seated. While still not a 'prepared to order' experience... it can appear to be. E.g., at times this means your salad will take a few extra minutes as your order is aligned with the production tempo in the galley, such as when they're currently rushing to serve desert to 450 guests in the Early dining MDR.

 

I can also see where a larger group would be more difficult to accommodate. As I'm walked through the restaurant to my table I have taken note at how few large tables there are in the YTD MDR vs. the fixed MDR. (I cannot confirm this is an actual thing, however, as I've not tried to take a group in for dinner...)

[MeganGC1983]

We like the YTD. No pressure to be somewhere on a set schedule. Just request a table on the app when you are ready. We find it easier especially on port days, so you don’t have to hurry to early or wait around for late. 

[Angua]

I do think it depends on the situation.  Personally I usually prefer set time dining, late.  My husband and I are usually seated at a table for 2, although we have had lovely trips where we were seated with others and had a great time.  We have never been seated with unpleasant people, thank goodness.   I prefer having the same waitstaff, talking to them every night etc.

 

In February we did a B2B on the MG.  The first week was with my parents and it was early dining.  We did not enjoy that experience at all, the poor waitstaff was overworked, food was wildly inconsistent, my father almost never got his requested dessert coffer, and this was when we were at the same table every day.  The 2nd week we were on with some friends and we switched to your time so we could try the available specialty dining, and it was a much better experience except for one night at ChiBang where i think they either didn't enter our orders or forgot our table entirely and it took 2 hours for dinner.  I am sure the issues on the first week were because they were so severely short staffed and I felt very bad for the MDR staff, but on the 2nd elegant night the 2nd week we did go to the MDR and the waiter tried to force my husband to take a cranberry walnut roll because it was the last one in the basket.  My husband is allergic to walnuts and when he asked for the other type of roll, the waiter was actually a little short and said 'I'll have to back to get a new basket".  He would have had to anyway since there 3 more of us and that was the only piece left in the basket.  Additionally, my grand mariner souffle was raw, and when i asked for a cooked one i got pushback on that as well.  So completely out of character for any Carnival staff which i blame on them being overworked

Earlier this month we were on the splendor with my parents and my inlaws and we decided to do anytime dining.  This was a mistake.  Trying to corral my perpetually early parents and my perpetually late inlaws into arriving at the same time was nearly impossible, and my elderly in laws really didn't understand the app very well, leading to delays in arriving, mugh to my grumpy father's dismay.  I think if we had a set time at the same table it would have worked much better for everyone, so we learned a lesson there.  ;-).

 

So TL;DR, I personally prefer set time dining, but under specific circumstances YTD can work for us.  I am sure this doesn't help anyone, lol.

 

[ProgRockCruiser]

We prefer fixed time dining I suppose because it provides a minimum amount of structure to what would otherwise be a free-flowing evening.  We have found we don't like the late seating, and prefer early.  If we were forced into YTD I think we'd just end up eating at roughly the same time, around 6pm, again for structure.

 

We also like the consistency of the staff, and unlike many others here, we really enjoy meeting other people and catching up every night with them throughout the cruise.  Once we had a table for two, and it wasn't nearly as much fun. And actually, last cruise we were at a table for eight (I think), and only on one night did another couple show up, the other nights that we went to the MDR we were the only ones at our table.  But I will also admit we did a couple of the specialty dining joints, and so didn't show up those nights either.

[Top_of_the_Cube]

Not really a negative to YTD if that is your preference.  My wife and I prefer fixed time dining in order to meet up with the same folks each night, or at least those who show up at any particular night.  I know that is the exact reason why some do not like fixed time.

 

We have almost as much fun reminiscing about the "not so stellar" table mates as we do the ones we clicked with.

[Schoifmom]

I really think that the wrap-up to this is that everyone has a preference based on personal reasons and experience.  I like that Carnival offers different experiences that work for everyone.

[DrSea]

I lose my appetite when I smell seafood. My guests love seafood.

 

An easy solution to this is MTD. We can sit at different tables on nights when I know they will be eating lobster or copious amounts of seafood. With forced seating, I would have to suffer or just not eat.

 

Now this isn't full proof. I have been seated next to people who eat seafood too. In that scenario, I just ask to be reseated again. Problem solved.

[DrSea]

If you do assigned seating, eat at 6pm, leave but decide you want seconds, can you sit down in YTD?

 

Don't judge. 😁

[mz-s]

1 minute ago, DrSea said:

If you do assigned seating, eat at 6pm, leave but decide you want seconds, can you sit down in YTD?

 

Don't judge. 😁

 

Honestly has happened to me, but I just went up to Lido. Most of the time these days they serve the same dishes up there.

[Tradestock]

We typically choose YTD.  We sailed a holiday cruise, before Covid shutdown, and learned one of the large drawbacks.  Elegant night was scheduled for Christmas day and we dressed for the meal.  On that sailing, set dining and YTD was in the same restaurant, unlike the separate dining areas that seem to be the norm now.  We checked in and took our pager, we milled around and had drinks for approximately an hour.  We finally gave up, turned in the pager and went to the buffet before it closed, too.  I cannot find a positive description of going through a buffet line in a formal gown.   We continue to book YTD, but will book set dining on special occasion trips.

[DrSea]

Just now, mz-s said:

 

Honestly has happened to me, but I just went up to Lido. Most of the time these days they serve the same dishes up there.

After the MDR, I make my way to the buffet 😆. If I don't find anything I like and I'm still hungry, I go back to the MDR.

 

It's never been an issue with YTD, but I have never tried this with assigned seating.

[Schoifmom]

5 minutes ago, DrSea said:

If you do assigned seating, eat at 6pm, leave but decide you want seconds, can you sit down in YTD?

 

Don't judge. 😁

 

No.  You cannot go to YTD if you have been assigned to fixed time dining.  The Lido is the place to go in this case.

[DrSea]

Just now, Schoifmom said:

 

No.  You cannot go to YTD if you have been assigned to fixed time dining.  The Lido is the place to go in this case.

That's another ding against YTD then lol 😆

[Schoifmom]

1 minute ago, DrSea said:

That's another ding against YTD then lol 😆

It's the same as not being able to go to fixed time dining if you are assigned YTD. 😉 

[DrSea]

3 minutes ago, Schoifmom said:

It's the same as not being able to go to fixed time dining if you are assigned YTD. 😉 

fair enough. lol. YTD wins for me. I can eat 2x per night in the MDR.

[Joebucks]

4 hours ago, jsglow said:

IF I was traveling with an extended family party of 6 or more AND there was a sense that 'dinner together' was the goal I absolutely would choose Fixed Time dining.  That prevents any need for herding and checking with other family members during the cruise.  Everyone just know to show up at 6p.

 

Another great benefit of fixed dining for me. Personally, I don't experience "stress" to make it to dinner by 6 that some do. By that time, we have usually had plenty of time in the sun, at port, etc. Where some find the "free as you go" approach more relaxing, some are a little too free in their timing. Waiting for other party members and then to go wait for your table (extra wait if you want the same crew) is not my style. 

[DrSea]

26 minutes ago, Joebucks said:

 

Another great benefit of fixed dining for me. Personally, I don't experience "stress" to make it to dinner by 6 that some do. By that time, we have usually had plenty of time in the sun, at port, etc. Where some find the "free as you go" approach more relaxing, some are a little too free in their timing. Waiting for other party members and then to go wait for your table (extra wait if you want the same crew) is not my style. 

I am perpetually late. Sometimes my other guests have sat down and ordered. I can mosey on over when I am ready and sit with them to order or I can get a table by myself. YTD provides that flexibility and stress free

[kctwinmommy]

We've always done the fixed dining for our cruises, because we've almost always cruised with at least 1 other couple, sometimes up to 3 other couples. However, when we were in Alaska, we did the YTD and in Europe (on RCL) we also did it. But those were both cruises where we knew that our days would be quite packed with activities and often not coming back on the ship until early evening, meaning we'd actually miss our dining time. In fact, on our European one, there were a few times when just our son and I went, or just hubby and I, because we were so tired or not hungry. In the Caribbean cruises though, most of them are more standard with a port day until maybe 3 or 4, so plenty of time to get back and showered for 6 p.m. dining (the time we've always chosen).

[pe4all]

No downside for us.   We love eating "early" and 5:30 ensures that we will catch the 7:30 shows without rushing through our meal.   And I guess we are not in the minority, as here are the stats JH put on his FB page from one of the recent cruises:

Reflection Restaurant - (Early) : 760

Reflection Restaurant - (Late) : 726

Meridian Restaurant - (YTD) : 3164

Edited July 20, 2022 by pe4all

[thunderingherd11]

7 hours ago, Joebucks said:

I personally don't care for anytime dining in the slightest. Waiting for my table, being placed wherever, and a more impersonalized setting isn't worth being able to go whenever. 6 pm is honestly a great time for dinner, for us.

and you are often seated literally on top of others.  Some tables are like 12 inches apart.  

[thunderingherd11]

6 hours ago, bguppies said:

 

 

I prefer it 100% over assigned dining. 

We only have done assigned dining on our first few cruises.

 

One cruise we had a couple who were late every night and the waiters would make the entire table wait for these two idiots every night before they would take our orders.

 

One cruise we were seated with a couple where the husband was super rude and course and just wouldn't shut up the entire meal every night. I don't think anybody enjoyed a meal all week.

I curse from time to time. But almost every sentence this guy spoke was punctuated with obscenities.

 

One cruise was actually pretty good, with everybody at the table being well mannered and interesting. But again, one of the port nights one of the couples were late getting back on the ship and the entire table was stuck waiting for them to begin ordering. (at least we had good company at this table while we waited.)

 

I prefer to show up when we want to eat and be able to order and eat in a timely fashion.

I know some people enjoy lollygagging for hours over a meal.

I enjoy a leisurely meal, but not for hours just waiting to order.

We  have done anytime dining on every cruise since it was instituted and have never had any problem getting the same servers every night. (actually have gotten the exact same table every single meal except one. Out of dozens)

 

I can assure you this is an outlier.  We do both types of dining and like them both for different reasons.

 

[ashkir]

We love it. We don't really get to know waiters sadly. But, it's kind of nice being able to eat when our group feels like it. 

[guxu]

We had chosen YTD since it was introduced. But, I forgot to select dinning option in our last Mardi Gras cruise and was assigned to late dinning. We were upset. But when we went to YTD door by mistake and saw the customers waiting in line, then went to our door and saw the waiters lining up there welcoming us, we changed our mind.

 

We were party of 3 and we had our own table. So there was no forced conversation, no waiting for tablemates to show up. 

[Velvetwater]

Does anytime dining still sell out first?