Carnival implementing anytime dinning.

Hillbilly · May 17, 2009

I'll stick with the traditional dining as well. It is good to know where you will be sitting and who your wait staff are.

Hillbilly · May 17, 2009

Howdy all, I'll stick with the traditional dining option myself. It is good to know when you are eating, where your table is, and who your waiter is.

hazelson · May 27, 2009

I think the wait staff will loose out ont ips - we always tip extra at the end of the cruise - hoping the staff get to keep it.

We will always opt for the traditional dining - but then we are old farts LOL.

Hillbilly · June 1, 2009

I see where Carnival is going to implement anytime dinning fleet wide.
This is from...Carnival News. Com

Carnival Cruise Lines will begin testing a new flexible dining option with the Carnival Legend’s June 29, 2008, departure that will enable guests to choose an open seating option for dinner. Guests who opt for flexible dining can dine at whatever time they wish between 5:30 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. nightly in the ship’s main restaurant.

The new flexible dining pilot program aboard Carnival Legend will in no way replace Carnival’s popular classic dining system which provides a choice of either main or late seating. Under classic dining, guests dine at the same table with service from the same wait staff throughout the full voyage.

Guests will be asked to designate either flexible/open seating or classic, assigned seating prior to departure and their choice will be in effect for the full cruise.

The new open seating dining initiative is the latest addition to Carnival’s Total Choice Dining and designed to provide guests with additional flexibility in their dinnertime options.

Carnival will begin contacting guests sailing on the Carnival Legend’s June 29 departure and beyond to advise of the new dining initiative beginning later this month.

Carnival Legend sails year-round seven-day western Caribbean cruises from Tampa.

[/size]There aren't any changes at the moment. However, it doesn't mean that there won't be any changes in the future. Fliexibility is good to a point. When you don't get the same service every time, have to ask for things that the waiter brought because they knew you like it may be giving up too much for some. In my experience, anytime dining meant you had the privledge of waiting to be seated even if you eat early. Not such a good thing.

bobby · June 11, 2009

In the past there was the choice of early or late dining. Now there is the choice of early, late, or anytime. Small difference, just an extra option. NOTHING being taken away.

If we were talking just a bought a meal. i would agree small differences.. but Dan what about the little things that you do in-fact lose get when traditional dining will no longer become an option.. like the traditional Baked Alaska parade!

And amateurish singing and uncoordinated dancing by waiters can go today as far as I'm concerned.

TRADITIONAL DINING is NOT being replaced. It WILL be kept. 'Your time' dining is ONLY an additional choice.

Well said.... that singing/dancing drives me nuts - it's place is NOT in an upscale dining room, I know, I know - this is just MY opinion. Bring on the Orchestras if one wants a "fine dining" experience.

I also enjoy anytime dining on CERTAIN itineraries. Sometimes early is too early like when you have been out walking all day in Europe and you get back exhausted..... actually late seating is then too late as well because of how tired you are, you would like to have a meal at your own chosen time and then hit the sack. We did Europe on Celebrity and missed anytime dining BIG TIME!!!! We had come to enjoy anytime dining on Princess and we has the same table mates that we had become friends with and the same waiter as we asked for him..... so we had the best of both worlds.

Traditional or anytime..... we like them both - just get me onto a ship, pleeeez!

We had anytime dining on carnival in April it was great and we had the same table and staff every night

drohrscheibs · June 13, 2009

In the past there was the choice of early or late dining. Now there is the choice of early, late, or anytime. Small difference, just an extra option. NOTHING being taken away.

If we were talking just a bought a meal. i would agree small differences.. but Dan what about the little things that you do in-fact lose get when traditional dining will no longer become an option.. like the traditional Baked Alaska parade!

And amateurish singing and uncoordinated dancing by waiters can go today as far as I'm concerned.

TRADITIONAL DINING is NOT being replaced. It WILL be kept. 'Your time' dining is ONLY an additional choice.

Well said.... that singing/dancing drives me nuts - it's place is NOT in an upscale dining room, I know, I know - this is just MY opinion. Bring on the Orchestras if one wants a "fine dining" experience.

I also enjoy anytime dining on CERTAIN itineraries. Sometimes early is too early like when you have been out walking all day in Europe and you get back exhausted..... actually late seating is then too late as well because of how tired you are, you would like to have a meal at your own chosen time and then hit the sack. We did Europe on Celebrity and missed anytime dining BIG TIME!!!! We had come to enjoy anytime dining on Princess and we has the same table mates that we had become friends with and the same waiter as we asked for him..... so we had the best of both worlds.

Traditional or anytime..... we like them both - just get me onto a ship, pleeeez!

We were on Celebrity last fall and they offered a no- extra charge alternative dining that was very nice. You had to make a reservation between 6pm and I think 9pm. They had a great menu and waitstaff. We thought the food was excellent, and the atmosphere was less stuffy and cramped than the formal dining room - many tables for two. So eventhough Celebrity does not offer anytime dining - they still do offer flexible alternatives.