? About dining time preferece??

[S.S.Oceanlover]

Liberty also has open seating.

 

somebody posted a list last week that said the Sensation was going with the open seating Feb 26th so they may have it now.

 

I bookmarked the page but my computer crashed last week and am now on a new one.

 

I believe it said that CCL would have most or all of the fleet changed over by the end of 2009.

 

Bill

[arpie05]

Thank you all so much.

I am booked about 51/2 months out. So... I guess we will see.

This will be our first cruise with our daughters. And our first on Carnival. My husband will be in his glory surrounded by his "girls"

Thank you again for helping out this newbie

Nadine

 

I made the mistake and let my friend talk us into late seating last trip. This created problems for those with kids. If you are traveling with kids, you need early/main dining. Kids activities end in time for them to go to dining with the parents and started back around 8/8:30 so if you have late seating - your girls may be wanting to go hang out with their friends, go to the disco, ice cream eating contest, etc.

[momofzeke]

somebody posted a list last week that said the Sensation was going with the open seating Feb 26th so they may have it now.

 

I bookmarked the page but my computer crashed last week and am now on a new one.

 

I believe it said that CCL would have most or all of the fleet changed over by the end of 2009.

 

Bill

 

See post #15 on this thread. :)

[andychris]

What is open seating?

We were on ncl last summer and you could not make reservations for the "free"dining rooms. You would show up and wait on a very long line. I hope carnival is not going to start doing this.

[Wolfie48]

I booked my first Carnival cruise on Friday.

We will be sailing on the Valor this summer.

The TA I spoke with told me that I could not have confirmed seating, for 1st or 2nd seating.

Is this true?

We wont be on the ship till about 2pm, to go to the dining hall to make a request. How hard is it to get late seating? What do you seasoned Carnival cruisers think?

I have some back issues and after spending time at a port I will need to ice and rest my back. That will be very hard to do if we have to have the 6pm seating.

Thank you much

Nadine

 

DW and I always request late seating, and have always gotten it. True they can't confirm till you get your sail & sign card, but they try to give people what they want. Good luck and have a great cruise

[MamaParrotHead]

How does it work with "anytime" dining along with the traditional "assigned" time and seating? I'm curious how this all works.

[Brenda33]

I just read on this thread that the Miracle is implementing anytime dining on 3/29/09......I am cruising on 6/9/09 and I asked if this was an option for this cruise and was told that it was not. So how can that be?

[momofzeke]

What is open seating?

We were on ncl last summer and you could not make reservations for the "free"dining rooms. You would show up and wait on a very long line. I hope carnival is not going to start doing this.

 

Open seating is where you do not have an assigned dining time and table. It has been reported that you can make a reservation, or you can just show up anytime between 6 pm to 9:30 pm or so. You can request a specific waiter or table size. Carnival has already started doing this, and has plans to add more ships in the future.......see post #15 for the list. You still have the option of choosing traditional dining (assigned time and table) even on the ships with the open seating option.

 

How does it work with "anytime" dining along with the traditional "assigned" time and seating? I'm curious how this all works.

 

On Spirit class ships, like Legend, the upper dining room is open seating and the lower is traditional. On Conquest ships, I don't know if one dining room is open and one is traditional or if they so upper on both dining rooms for open and lower for traditional.

 

I just read on this thread that the Miracle is implementing anytime dining on 3/29/09......I am cruising on 6/9/09 and I asked if this was an option for this cruise and was told that it was not. So how can that be?

 

Probably because sometimes the Carnival employees who answer the phones are the last to know about new things. If you call and ask someone else, you will get a different answer. You will get a letter in the mail when you get a little closer to your cruise, explaining the open seating and letting you know you can call and request it if you want to.

 

You have to choose open or traditional seating and stick with it. You can't go back and forth between one and the other on the same cruise.

[pnjkeith]

So is it true, Carnival wont tell you right away if you got the seating you want?

 

 

 

Thats your onboard surprise.:D

[Brenda33]

Open seating is where you do not have an assigned dining time and table. It has been reported that you can make a reservation, or you can just show up anytime between 6 pm to 9:30 pm or so. You can request a specific waiter or table size. Carnival has already started doing this, and has plans to add more ships in the future.......see post #15 for the list. You still have the option of choosing traditional dining (assigned time and table) even on the ships with the open seating option.

 

 

 

On Spirit class ships, like Legend, the upper dining room is open seating and the lower is traditional. On Conquest ships, I don't know if one dining room is open and one is traditional or if they so upper on both dining rooms for open and lower for traditional.

 

 

 

Probably because sometimes the Carnival employees who answer the phones are the last to know about new things. If you call and ask someone else, you will get a different answer. You will get a letter in the mail when you get a little closer to your cruise, explaining the open seating and letting you know you can call and request it if you want to.

 

You have to choose open or traditional seating and stick with it. You can't go back and forth between one and the other on the same cruise.

So once I receive this letter, then I will be able to switch from traditional to open seating? That sounds ok. I guess if I don't get a letter by final payment....this month sometime, I will ask again when I call to make final payment.

[bobaroo]

Does the Valor have open seating? When I booked my 6/14 sailing, my PVP gave me the option of open seating and I took it. However, I see from post #15 that the Valor is not included in the list :confused: Can anybody confirm if the Valor will have open seating for the 6/14 sailing? Thanks.

[vacation_junkie]

I booked my first Carnival cruise on Friday.

We will be sailing on the Valor this summer.

The TA I spoke with told me that I could not have confirmed seating, for 1st or 2nd seating.

Is this true?

We wont be on the ship till about 2pm, to go to the dining hall to make a request. How hard is it to get late seating? What do you seasoned Carnival cruisers think?

I have some back issues and after spending time at a port I will need to ice and rest my back. That will be very hard to do if we have to have the 6pm seating.

Thank you much

Nadine

We requested Early seating as we have a young child. We were told all along that we had it..when we got to the port we were "Advised" that we were out of luck and had the late dining 8:15....it was awful with a young child eating at 8:15pm!!!!!

[S.S.Oceanlover]

We requested Early seating as we have a young child. We were told all along that we had it..when we got to the port we were "Advised" that we were out of luck and had the late dining 8:15....it was awful with a young child eating at 8:15pm!!!!!

 

The maitre'd couldn't change you to early seating? Especially with a youngster?

 

I don't now who told you all along that you had early seating because you never know until you get to the ship exactly what you have.:confused:

 

Maybe there was a miscommunication between you and whomever you booked with.

 

The only way to be 100% sure of getting what you requested is to be Platinum as far as i know.

 

Bill

[vacation_junkie]

The maitre'd couldn't change you to early seating? Especially with a youngster?

 

I don't now who told you all along that you had early seating because you never know until you get to the ship exactly what you have.:confused:

 

Maybe there was a miscommunication between you and whomever you booked with.

 

The only way to be 100% sure of getting what you requested is to be Platinum as far as i know.

 

Bill

 

Nope they would not change our seating time!

I was under the impression as well cause it stated Early dining on all my documents! I will know for next time!

[S.S.Oceanlover]

Nope they would not change our seating time!

I was under the impression as well cause it stated Early dining on all my documents! I will know for next time!

 

NO tip for him!

 

Sorry that you couldn't get your times changed. Seems you were very unlucky as most people do get their change request honored even if it is a day or 2 later.

 

I hope you get your desired dining time next time you cruise.:)

 

Bill

[vacation_junkie]

NO tip for him!

 

Sorry that you couldn't get your times changed. Seems you were very unlucky as most people do get their change request honored even if it is a day or 2 later.

 

I hope you get your desired dining time next time you cruise.:)

 

Bill

 

It was fine in the end..the days he was ancy....he ate with Camp Carnival! The other few days he fell asleep at the table...:D

[momofzeke]

Yes, it can be a little confusing. People see that it says "early seating" or "late seating" on their documents and they think that means you are guaranteed that time. That is the time you have requested, but it doesn't mean you will get it (as you, unfortunately, found out).