Late Scheduled Departure

[Kryssa]

We are on the May 9th sailing for the Miracle. It’s schedule to leave San Francisco at 11 pm. Someone on Facebook says they expect we will start boarding at 6 pm but I’m not sure if that information is accurate. 
 

Does anyone know if we do board that late and if so, how the main dining room schedule is handled? We have early dining and it’s schedule for 6 pm. I am traveling with my mobility-impaired elderly grandmother so we need to have a plan for dinner.

 

Thanks!

[DallasGuy75219]

6 hours ago, Kryssa said:

Does anyone know if we do board that late and if so, how the main dining room schedule is handled? We have early dining and it’s schedule for 6 pm. I am traveling with my mobility-impaired elderly grandmother so we need to have a plan for dinner.

For a late embarkation, Carnival usually treats the first night as YTD for everyone, even if you have assigned dining for the cruise.  Only one MDR (or one deck for Spirit class) is open.  You just show up and get seated at an available table.

 

I haven't had a late embarkation since Carnival started YTD check-in on the app though, so don't know if they're using the app (like MDE breakfast or brunch) for check-in or having people check-in in person. 

[Kryssa]

Thank you! YTD would be fine and we can even send someone to the dining room to check us in if needed to avoid having my grandmother make the trip just to have to wait for a table. What we want to avoid is a jam-packed buffet. 

[VentureMan_2000]

2 hours ago, Kryssa said:

Thank you! YTD would be fine and we can even send someone to the dining room to check us in if needed to avoid having my grandmother make the trip just to have to wait for a table. What we want to avoid is a jam-packed buffet. 

You won't even need to send someone ahead... You can make the dinner reservation request from the comfort of a nice chair on one of the decks via the Carnival "Hub App".  Just link all the cabins together, which will allow a person to make a dinner reservation for any or all linked.  The App tells you when your table is ready - you have to arrive to the MDR within 10 minutes or the reservation is cancelled.

[BlerkOne]

In my experience it will be open seating for the first night, people seated as they show up. The table you get is the table you get, shared or otherwise. If everyone doesn't show up together, oh well. Expect madness. It's a lot of people who need to be fed in random order. Hopefully some, or many, might like to enjoy dinner in San Francisco?

 

I imagine some exceptions will be made for Grandmothers to show up a few minutes late, but she can look at the menus ahead of time and have some idea of what to order. They (or you) could call the cabin from the MDR when a table is ready.

[DallasGuy75219]

4 hours ago, VentureMan_2000 said:

You won't even need to send someone ahead... You can make the dinner reservation request from the comfort of a nice chair on one of the decks via the Carnival "Hub App".  Just link all the cabins together, which will allow a person to make a dinner reservation for any or all linked.  The App tells you when your table is ready - you have to arrive to the MDR within 10 minutes or the reservation is cancelled.

Even if you have assigned seating? My point was I'm not sure the app is smart even to realize that even though you have assigned dining you should be able to check in online on one night.

[csm5986142]

On 1/10/2024 at 5:52 PM, DallasGuy75219 said:

Even if you have assigned seating? My point was I'm not sure the app is smart even to realize that even though you have assigned dining you should be able to check in online o

 

I agree.  In our experience (just last summer) we couldn't use the app in a case like this - we just walked up to the door of the MDR, they asked our cabin number, and seated us.  In our case (a party of 2) we did get our own table, but I can see where that could  vary by ship.

The app will specify "open dining/open seating" or something like that, so you know it's not a typical dinner process.

Edited January 12 by csm5986142

[jsglow]

I'm in agreement with everyone else. Back in the 'old days' down in San Juan dinner that first night was 'as you arrived' and 'at a random table'. No worries; everyone gets fed. 👍