7777leila Posted April 22, 2009 #1 Share Posted April 22, 2009 Hi! I'm cruising on the Valor in June... Has anyone done the open dining option, where you don't have to eat dinner at a set time? If so, how long have u had to wait for a table (there's just two of us). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zqvol Posted April 23, 2009 #2 Share Posted April 23, 2009 Hi! I'm cruising on the Valor in June... Has anyone done the open dining option, where you don't have to eat dinner at a set time?If so, how long have u had to wait for a table (there's just two of us). We used that seating arrangement last summer on the Legend. There were only teo of us. We would usually go to dinner around 7:00. The longest we had to wait was less than 90 seconds. The hostess would look at the seating chart, get our cabin number, grab the menus and say follow me please. IMO this is a perfect option for a party of two that wants to eat alone, and wants to pick their own dining time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WISH84 Posted April 23, 2009 #3 Share Posted April 23, 2009 Was very similar too. We did it for the first time on a Princess ship and loved it. I'm so happy Carnival is now offering this option. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hawaiikat Posted April 23, 2009 #4 Share Posted April 23, 2009 Don't think this is available on the Valor yet. Or do you know something I don't? We are cruising on her in July! Aloha, Kat Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
S.S.Oceanlover Posted April 23, 2009 #5 Share Posted April 23, 2009 Don't think this is available on the Valor yet. Or do you know something I don't? We are cruising on her in July! Aloha, Kat just did a fake booking for June on the Valor on Carnival.com and there was no option for anytime dining. Bill Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cathyoo Posted April 23, 2009 #6 Share Posted April 23, 2009 Bill, love your picture of Harry. He will be missed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jessemon Posted April 23, 2009 #7 Share Posted April 23, 2009 just did a fake booking for June on the Valor on Carnival.com and there was no option for anytime dining. Bill Yep...Valor is not anytime dining yet....It is listed to be by summer 2010 by Carnival......;) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gailc Posted April 23, 2009 #8 Share Posted April 23, 2009 We booked a cruise on Valor directly through Carnival for Aug. 9, 2009. We were given the option for open dining which we will be doing. You could call Carnival to see if they have started it yet. I had also read Valor wouldn't have it until the Summer of 2010 so I was very happy to find out they had it for our cruise. Gail Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobaroo Posted April 23, 2009 #9 Share Posted April 23, 2009 I am booked on the Valor for the June 14, 2009 sailing and was also given the option of open seating. I was skeptical at first, since it's not in their system yet and other posts have indicted that it will not start until 2010. However, I've been reassured by reading more and more posts of Valor cruisers for this summer also receiving this option. For those of you that chose open seating, does your dining option show 'unassigned (on request)'? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trock Posted April 23, 2009 #10 Share Posted April 23, 2009 Trying it for first time on the Miracle in two weeks!;) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
7777leila Posted April 23, 2009 Author #11 Share Posted April 23, 2009 I'm booked for June 14 2009, and Carnival has me down for it. I'm glad we can choose our own dinner time....finally!;) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
S.S.Oceanlover Posted April 23, 2009 #12 Share Posted April 23, 2009 I am booked on the Valor for the June 14, 2009 sailing and was also given the option of open seating. I was skeptical at first, since it's not in their system yet and other posts have indicted that it will not start until 2010. However, I've been reassured by reading more and more posts of Valor cruisers for this summer also receiving this option. For those of you that chose open seating, does your dining option show 'unassigned (on request)'? That's the week I did the fake booking for. Glad to hear it's being implemented sooner rather than later. I love anytime dining. Cathyoo, Yes Harry will be missed. My daughter got married a couple years ago and her wedding theme was the Phillies. Somehow she got in touch with Harry and recorded an announcement for her that introduced each couple in the wedding party. And the topper was he did it for free. You won't find a classier guy anywhere. My ringtone on my phone is also Harry when they won the world series. I had it on there before his passing. Bill Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MyImagination Posted April 23, 2009 #13 Share Posted April 23, 2009 I'm booked for June 14 2009, and Carnival has me down for it.I'm glad we can choose our own dinner time....finally!;) I think the wires must be crossed at some point. All the info from Carnival indicates that Valor wont offer this option until Next Year. http://www.carnival.com/CMS/Articles/yourchoice_dining.aspx Below is a timetable for the introduction of Your Time open seating throughout the Carnival fleet: * Already implemented: Carnival Legend, Carnival Liberty, Carnival Sensation, Carnival Paradise, Carnival Miracle * End of April: Carnival Conquest, Carnival Elation, Carnival Pride * Mid-June: Carnival Fantasy, Carnival Spirit * Late September: Carnival Dream * Mid-October: Carnival Ecstasy * Mid-December: Carnival Glory * February 2010: Carnival Fascination * By summer 2010: Carnival Imagination, Carnival Inspiration, Carnival Destiny, Carnival Triumph, Carnival Valor, Carnival Splendor, Carnival Freedom and Carnival Victory and here https://www.bookccl.com/irman/bookccl/sections/shipboard/DiningOnboard_master.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ck53 Posted April 23, 2009 #14 Share Posted April 23, 2009 We just tried it the 1 st week on the Miracle 3/29. It was ok and will get better. We had a party of 6 so it was pretty easy to get a large table as long as we were there by 6:30 any later we had to wait but no more than 15 minutes. I noticed a lot of tables of 6 were filled as they do @ lunch time, eating w/ other couples that you don't know. There were only a few tables of 2 but they did give out some 4 tops for twos. The waiters were at a little bit of a loss being the first week. They were used to just about everyone they served being in sync w/ each other. Open seating,we noticed that we were left w/ dishes in front of us for a very long time and one night our order wasn't taken for quite awhile.(20 minutes) Extra items like lemon, etc. were forgotten about as they were rushing about. But we were warned that we were going to be guinea pigs! Happy to say after the 3rd night everything started to come together, and by the last night service was smooth and competent, the waiters themselves were starting to relax. The whole thing was fin and interesting! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tnt091605 Posted April 23, 2009 #15 Share Posted April 23, 2009 We did the open dining on the Liberty in Feb. We ate between 7 and 8 every evening, had 2 to 6 in our party and we were usually seated right away. Once we requested a certain area and only had to wait about 15 minutes. It still did take about an hour and a half to eat. About the same as the MDR. Service was a little lacking but we really liked being able to eat on our schedule. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tycruiser Posted April 25, 2009 #16 Share Posted April 25, 2009 I was on a Black Sea cruise last fall on Holland America. My friend insisted on this dining option. When we arrived at the dining room the first night we were given a pager like they have in restaurants and waited 40 minutes with a bunch of other people in the hallway. When we got in the waiter was rushed, the food ill-prepared and the whole thing turned into a nightmare. People who were "assigned" just walked in. The first 3 nights were like this. The food in the dining room was the same as in the buffet and the service not so good, so the demand for the dining room filtered out. We always had a different waiter so we did not have the personal attention. I have always enjoyed the waiter greeting me, and me him/her by name and learning my tastes especially when we are on a cruise that lasts more than a few days. It was also nice getting to know the people who serve you and I think it makes it more enjoyable for them too.The waiter and asst waiter benefitted too as it got them larger tips having regulars who gain loyalty. I am leaving on a cruise this Sunday for a week on the Splendor and committed to a dining time. I will never do open dining again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MaiTaiMary Posted April 25, 2009 #17 Share Posted April 25, 2009 So with this dining option you're always seated at a table with just your party? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nccruiser24 Posted April 25, 2009 #18 Share Posted April 25, 2009 We did this on Princess back in 2005. It has its advantages and disadvantages. We never had to really wait for a table, and it made sure you didnt get stuck with people you didnt get along with. However, your waiter knew nothing about you and it was kind of awkward sitting with different strangers every night. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poobears Posted April 25, 2009 #19 Share Posted April 25, 2009 DH and I are very excited to try this out in a couple of months. I wanted to try it, he didn't, he wanted late seating, so that's what we booked. Then he started thinking about how nice it would be to get a table for 2 without going to the M'D and putting in a request and he decided we should switch. I knew he'd come around :D To me it seems perfect, if we are on an excursion and want to eat later we can. If we are just hanging out and get hungry early, we can eat early. I don't particularly care if I have the same staff or not, just bring me my food and I'm happy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zqvol Posted April 25, 2009 #20 Share Posted April 25, 2009 So with this dining option you're always seated at a table with just your party? Your choice to share or not. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rachel5309 Posted May 5, 2009 #21 Share Posted May 5, 2009 I like this idea much better than early/late dining. I didn't notice this option when I booked our cruise, I will have to go back and check it again. There are just two of us and will be our honeymoon so some evenings we may want company, or alone. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FabFourLover Posted May 5, 2009 #22 Share Posted May 5, 2009 just did a fake booking for June on the Valor on Carnival.com and there was no option for anytime dining. Bill LOVE the pic of Harry! I am still sooooo sad about his passing. GO PHILS for Harry!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
loveshack Posted May 5, 2009 #23 Share Posted May 5, 2009 We had anytime dining on the Legend this past Nov. and LOVED IT! The longest we waited was about 5 minutes - and that was on elegant night. Long enough to take pictures. We asked for a table for 4 - no problem any night. I REALLY like the anytime dining! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pnjkeith Posted May 5, 2009 #24 Share Posted May 5, 2009 Hi! I'm cruising on the Valor in June... Has anyone done the open dining option, where you don't have to eat dinner at a set time?If so, how long have u had to wait for a table (there's just two of us). Yes, tried it on Liberty first week they started it. Was not the best service, but was nice to go anytime. Waiting never an issue, will be doing it on Spirit next month. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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