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Two questions about dinner seating.

LauraG

By LauraG,
in Carnival Cruise Lines

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LauraG

LauraG

Posted
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Hello,

I am going on the Legend with my family on December 29. I have some questions about dinner seating. Since we have children with us, we'd like the early seating but I cannot find seating times listed anywhere on my documents or on the Carnival web site. Is there a way to find this out ahead of time?

 

If we get late seating (is late seating called Main?) and I'd like to request a change, I've heard that it is possible to visit the dining room the first day to see if the Maitre'd can help out. Has anybody done this before? If so, is a tip appropriate at that time or should I wait until the end of the cruise? How much of a tip is custom? (We are a group of 7).

 

Thanks so much! All help is appreciated (I'm pretty unsophisticated about these things!)

 

Laura

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serene56

serene56

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Early seating is the MAIN seating. Times are 5:45 for Main- (early) ir 8:15 for late. Your agent should have asked you this when you booked. Once onboard look on your sign and sail card for the time- that the only place you will see it as it will not be on your documents. If by chance you did get late head to the Matre de as soon as possible and get it changed. The later in the day you wait the harder your chances will be to change.

 

Tip the Matre de at the end of the week. Its really up to you to do it when service is rendered or wait.

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neverenufcruising

neverenufcruising

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You can request a seating time but you won't be assinged a seating time until you get to the port.

 

 

If you're not happy with your assignment, you need to go to the dining room as soon as you get on the ship to talk to the Maitre'd and request a change. The sooner you make the request the more likely it will be honored. A tip certainly would increase your chances of getting something accomplished.

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LauraG

LauraG

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Thanks so much-- that was fast!

 

I did check my online TA (just a website) and it said that I had requested Main. I didn't know what that meant-- thanks for the heads up.

 

Any idea about the size of the tip to have seatings changed? I'm guessing $20?

 

Thanks,

 

Laura

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L2J

L2J

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20 bucks?? really?? if he woulda done his job right the first time I wouldnt needed to waste time looking for a move...lol (tip him 5 bucks at the end.

She said she booked main seating to begin with. How would the Maitre'd be at fault??

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serene56

serene56

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Com'on Liv- follow the post. OP stated that she wants early seating and asked what happens if she got late seating. If she booked main seating and got late seating = To change that she will need to see the Matre d correct??? to tip him 20 bucks to fix something he should have taken care of before the op sailed...??? doesnt seem right to me.

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L2J

L2J

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Com'on Liv- follow the post. OP stated that she wants early seating and asked what happens if she got late seating. If she booked main seating and got late seating = To change that she will need to see the Matre d correct??? to tip him 20 bucks to fix something he should have taken care of before the op sailed...??? doesnt seem right to me.

Serene....She doesn't sail until the 29th....now do we need to pass out the jello here and start singing? ;)

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L2J

L2J

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Yes, please pass the jello and make it red with a shot ok. LOL

 

Still not sure of your complaint- what does having to sail on the 29th have to do with anything?

Not complaining. OP said that she requested main (early) and if she doesn't get that it was suggested that she immediatlely see the Maitre'd (tip was also suggested). You said why should you tip if he screwed up?? Maybe we're just having some miscommunication here?

 

Mi...Mi...Mi......"I'd like to teach the world to sing....." :D

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Cotton

Cotton

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:DGirls, GIRLS! Remember - 'tis the season!:D

 

Laura - Early and main are the same. On most ships, there are two formal dining rooms. Each dining room has two seatings every evening. One will have 5:45 and the other will have 6:15. Late dining will be 8:00 in one and 8:30 in the other.

 

When you board the ship, you receive your Sail & Sign card, and the specific dining room and time will be embossed in the lower righthand corner. If this does not suit you, check your copy of the Capers (ship's daily newsletter) which will be in your cabin. There will be a time posted to see the Maitre 'd about any changes. I have had to ask only one time to have my seating time changed, and I didn't tip the Maitre 'd at that time...and yes, I did get the time I wanted. I tipped him $5 at the end of the cruise.

 

Now - I'd like two jello shots - one red and the other green. HOHOHO

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serene56

serene56

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Yes Cotton; Tis the season. I will take two also= make mine the same ok Liv.

 

My point was - why tip the matre d 20 bucks to make a switch when there should not have been one to make in the first place. OP has a child- requested early- (MAYBE got late instead)

 

I have never needed to tip this Matre d at all. (although I do give him an envelope at the last night) I just thought that 20 bucks is a lot of money.

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GoinCruisin

GoinCruisin

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True, but the dining request is simply that... a request. They are not guaranteed, rather they are preferences. We have been told that they will always put in the request, but it is not guaranteed.... naturally they can't be guaranteed, if 1500 people chose late seating, they would have to rearrange... LOL. I would still give a $5 tip if rearranges things for you.... but that is up to you!! Hopefully you will get early seating! And hopefully I will get late seating in Feb!!!!! LOL!! Good luck and have fun!

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finally928

finally928

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from Cotton:

 

Early and main are the same. On most ships, there are two formal dining rooms. Each dining room has two seatings every evening. One will have 5:45 and the other will have 6:15. Late dining will be 8:00 in one and 8:30 in the other.

 

Now I'm confused !! I am sailing on the Triumph in March. We requested late dinner seating, but our booking info says "Main Second Seating" .. does that mean that we would be seated at 6:15?

 

And does anyone know which dining room on Triumph is which? Is London 1st seating or Paris?

 

Thanks!

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MrPete

MrPete

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On most ships, there are two formal dining rooms. Each dining room has two seatings every evening. One will have 5:45 and the other will have 6:15. Late dining will be 8:00 in one and 8:30 in the other.

Correct, but just so the OP knows, the Legend only has one formal Dining room, so there's only two seatings.

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halos

halos

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I'm just curious...how many people have NOT gotten the dining time they requested??? We have always requested late seating, and always got it. From reading these boards...at least on here, the preference of Main and Late seem to be split right down the middle, so how often does someone get stuck with a seating they didn't request??

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