No chibang for me on mardi gras

[geckoaz]

I am currently on the MG..it is a great ship. I was excited to try Chibang restsurant and other new dining venues. But i am not allowed to make a reservation. Why? Those who have reserved dining room early or late seating cannot attempt to make one until 745 pm. Only passengers with your time dining are allowed to make reservations. So much for being platinum or a regular cruisers if you have a table in main dining. I can never get in chibang. This is crazy. Be careful how you sign up for dining. I have a great main dining room table but most of the tables around me are empty. 8

[UGACamper]

This is interesting. Has anyone else noticed this? 

[Jamman54]

Just now, UGACamper said:

This is interesting. Has anyone else noticed this? 

It's been like this since the Mardi Gras started sailing. You also can't book Cucina until late if you have set dining. Same thing on the Celebration. 😎

[mz-s]

4 minutes ago, UGACamper said:

This is interesting. Has anyone else noticed this? 

 

Yes, that's how Carnival is doing things with their new ships.

 

I agree it's a poor experience for set dining cruisers.

 

I don't see why they don't just allow everyone to reserve a table at the restaurant of their choosing when they want. Go to 100% "freestyle" dining.

[Jamman54]

With YTD being the most popular dining choice, the MDR's on the Mardi Gras and Celebration can't accommodate the numbers,  so they offer Chibang and Cucina to those that have YTD until 7:30. Apparently someone didn't think this through when designing the MDR's capacity wise. 😎

[lennythenose]

13 minutes ago, mz-s said:

 

Yes, that's how Carnival is doing things with their new ships.

 

I agree it's a poor experience for set dining cruisers.

 

I don't see why they don't just allow everyone to reserve a table at the restaurant of their choosing when they want. Go to 100% "freestyle" dining.

Personally I like having a choice. I gave no problem with people choosing YTD, but I avoid cruise lines that have no set time dining options. 

[TravelBluebird]

12 minutes ago, Jamman54 said:

With YTD being the most popular dining choice, the MDR's on the Mardi Gras and Celebration can't accommodate the numbers,  so they offer Chibang and Cucina to those that have YTD until 7:30. Apparently someone didn't think this through when designing the MDR's capacity wise. 😎

 I know…I still can’t figure out how they got those calculations so wrong on his class of ship.

 

On the Jubilee next year I’m on with a large group (about 12) so I think we’ll want//need set MDR dining, but that will mean Chibang and Cucina probably won’t happen.

[kwokpot]

3 minutes ago, TravelBluebird said:

I know…I still can’t figure out how they got those calculations so wrong on his class of ship.

You're assuming this wasn't purposeful. Obviously it was. Unlike the rest of the fleet, Cucina and Chibang are MEANT to be MDR's and NOT Specialty restaurants. That's why the menus aren't the same for Cucina on Excel Class ships; the choices and quality has been downscaled since it's NOT SUPPOSED to be a specialty restaurant.

[Thenagers]

12 minutes ago, TravelBluebird said:

 I know…I still can’t figure out how they got those calculations so wrong on his class of ship.

 

On the Jubilee next year I’m on with a large group (about 12) so I think we’ll want//need set MDR dining, but that will mean Chibang and Cucina probably won’t happen.

You can do your time but will probably need to break up into tables of 6? 

[TravelBluebird]

1 minute ago, Thenagers said:

You can do your time but will probably need to break up into tables of 6? 

 

True, I think we are leaning towards set time dining because we have 2 generations on this cruise, and if we don’t all have a designated dinner time all together, we may never see the “kids”

[BlerkOne]

48 minutes ago, mz-s said:

 

I don't see why they don't just allow everyone to reserve a table at the restaurant of their choosing when they want. Go to 100% "freestyle" dining.

And charge extra for the privilege? Just like NCL?

 

Carnival knows what they are doing and most people like it. Others will get used to it or move on.

[mz-s]

30 minutes ago, lennythenose said:

Personally I like having a choice. I gave no problem with people choosing YTD, but I avoid cruise lines that have no set time dining options. 

 

That's fine if you want a set time but I don't see why the branded options are locked out for set dining cruisers. I know they're in small venues, but give cruisers the choice - wait 30+ minutes for a table in the branded setting, or be seated near instantly in the normal dining room. Maybe even split the aft dining room up into a few more options.

 

My point is it can all coexist.

[BlerkOne]

11 minutes ago, TravelBluebird said:

 

True, I think we are leaning towards set time dining because we have 2 generations on this cruise, and if we don’t all have a designated dinner time all together, we may never see the “kids”

With your time dining, everyone has to be present anyway. With traditional dining at least there is a hard rule about the time.

[BlerkOne]

Just now, mz-s said:

 

That's fine if you want a set time but I don't see why the branded options are locked out for set dining cruisers. I know they're in small venues, but give cruisers the choice - wait 30+ minutes for a table in the branded setting, or be seated near instantly in the normal dining room. Maybe even split the aft dining room up into a few more options.

 

My point is it can all coexist.

No, it really can't. There aren't the resources to allow everyone to choose (and get) what they want.

 

Those on traditional dining can't have their cake and eat it too. It isn't fair to those who choose your time. They have to wait long enough as it is.

 

The branded options aren't locked out - just the prime dining times.

[Drazil65]

We love YTD, we are early dinner eaters on cruise ships so that we can plan the evening out with shows and whatever.  We also love that we have a choice to use the alternative dinning choices in the same early time frame.  Its been like this since MG started sailing the last couple of years and most people work around it some how.  You always have the option to choose YTD and then work around your schedule.  

Edited April 19, 2023 by Drazil65

[Jamman54]

41 minutes ago, kwokpot said:

You're assuming this wasn't purposeful. Obviously it was. Unlike the rest of the fleet, Cucina and Chibang are MEANT to be MDR's and NOT Specialty restaurants. That's why the menus aren't the same for Cucina on Excel Class ships; the choices and quality has been downscaled since it's NOT SUPPOSED to be a specialty restaurant.

Not buying this. Why would they devise a dining strategy that penalizes those with set dining?

[BlerkOne]

3 minutes ago, Jamman54 said:

Not buying this. Why would they devise a dining strategy that penalizes those with set dining?

One theory is to get rid of traditional dining.

[audcc77]

Wow.  😳I’ve been on MG 4 times and never knew this.  I just always happened to choose YTD.   🤷‍♀️
 

I was thinking of starting to do early dining simply because I figured the service is better and you get to know the servers.  I knew I would give additional tips on set dining and I was fine with that.  
 

However, if that’s a condition of early dining, then I am out.   I start getting hangry around 6-6:30 and nobody wants THAT.  
 

Thanks for posting OP.  

[BlerkOne]

3 minutes ago, audcc77 said:

 

I was thinking of starting to do early dining simply because I figured the service is better and you get to know the servers.  I knew I would give additional tips on set dining and I was fine with that.  
 

The base tipping is the same.

[audcc77]

1 minute ago, BlerkOne said:

The base tipping is the same.

Yes, I realize that.  
 

However, I only give anytime dining EXTRA tips if I have the same team for several nights.  
 

To me, the service during YTD ranges from ho-hum to lousy.  Unless I find a good one and stick with them for the remainder.  Thus, resulting in an extra tip. 

[2wheelin]

25 minutes ago, Jamman54 said:

Not buying this. Why would they devise a dining strategy that penalizes those with set dining?

Possibly because set dining means there is a table reserved for you. There are waiters reserved for you. When you say you are going to be there, they are expecting you. Then half the people don’t show up.

[kwokpot]

22 minutes ago, Jamman54 said:

Not buying this. Why would they devise a dining strategy that penalizes those with set dining?

Let's put it this way. If the set-up on the new Jubilee is exactly the same as the Mardi Gras and Celebration then you can be 100% sure the setup is deliberate. If it wasn't they would have had plenty of time to change the ship design if you're implying they 'didnt realize the main MDRs couldn't accommodate all the passengers at the same time' . 

[Elaine5715]

15 minutes ago, audcc77 said:

Yes, I realize that.  
 

However, I only give anytime dining EXTRA tips if I have the same team for several nights.  
 

To me, the service during YTD ranges from ho-hum to lousy.  Unless I find a good one and stick with them for the remainder.  Thus, resulting in an extra tip. 

Simply request the same team

[TravelBluebird]

1 hour ago, kwokpot said:

You're assuming this wasn't purposeful. Obviously it was. Unlike the rest of the fleet, Cucina and Chibang are MEANT to be MDR's and NOT Specialty restaurants. That's why the menus aren't the same for Cucina on Excel Class ships; the choices and quality has been downscaled since it's NOT SUPPOSED to be a specialty restaurant.

My memory is that they fully intended to charge for Cucina and Chibang and were only going to have them included in fare for the “inaugural season” and then changed their minds after seeing how dining overall was working out

[Elaine5715]

33 minutes ago, Jamman54 said:

Not buying this. Why would they devise a dining strategy that penalizes those with set dining?

It doesn't penalize set time.  Early set time diners have a table and wait team sitting on idle should they choose to eat at Cucina or Chibang at the same time.  ATD can't just go to the main dining room and use that empty table.  It is better to consider both are ATD rooms until 7:30 pm