YTD vs Late seating

We’ve always done late seating which we like. Most of the time 8:15 is a good dinner time for us but once in a while we would eat a little earlier around 7:30 if we could. Is it worth switching to YTD if we are mostly good w late seating? I’ve read some reviews that there can be a wait. We are a family of 5 and will be on the sunshine.

I still like late dining but my cruise buddy likes YTD so I go with her wishes. Yes sometimes there is a wait. For a party of 5 you might have to wait a bit, but is is never too long.

Hi

The later you go the less chance of a wait. By 8 p.m. the main rush is over, this would be the case for your Caribbean cruises.

We like YTD because it allows us the flexibility to be where we want when we want. On the Pride the experience was that if you went at 8:15 there was no wait. About 7:00 seemed to be max wait. While I say that, we never waited more than five minutes.

Am I correct, that with YTD, you have to go to one floor, and register...and then go to another floor to eat? Do you have to do this every night?

The process can vary by ship. With YTD on the Pride, we checked in at one dining room and depending on available seating, we were sometimes seated in that dining room and sometimes we were taken up a floor to another dining room. However, on other Carnival shops, the ATD is only done in one dining room.

I will say, however, that we have had LONG waits with ATD on some ships. On the Imagination, we waited one night about 30 minutes. Another night the predicted wait was 45 minutes, so we gave up and ate in the Lido. On the Ecstasy, we also had long waits, but not on the Triumph.

Am I correct, that with YTD, you have to go to one floor, and register...and then go to another floor to eat? Do you have to do this every night?

This depends on the ship. Some ships you don't have to go to separate floors.

We do YTD on every cruise since they started it. Only had a longish wait once, about 25-30 minutes, but we had 6 people and went around 7:00 which seems to be the time period where you may expect the longer wait. Other than that time we have always been seated immediately upon checking in at the desk.

Am I correct, that with YTD, you have to go to one floor, and register...and then go to another floor to eat? Do you have to do this every night?

On the Sunshine, yes. People make this into a much bigger deal than it really is. Simply go to the desk across from the Taste Bar (or where it used to be?) on deck 5. Check in and they will hand you a little slip to take to the dining room. Walk about 20 feet, go down the elevator to the deck 3. Walk directly into the dining room (about 5 steps), hand the slip to the hostess and immediately be seated.

It really just eases congestion in the front of the dining room in peak times and doesn't require a huge effort on your part. On the Sunshine, there is no room for a line at the DR entrance, as the DR opens right into the elevator lobby.

The process can vary by ship. With YTD on the Pride, we checked in at one dining room and depending on available seating, we were sometimes seated in that dining room and sometimes we were taken up a floor to another dining room. However, on other Carnival shops, the ATD is only done in one dining room.

 

I will say, however, that we have had LONG waits with ATD on some ships. On the Imagination, we waited one night about 30 minutes. Another night the predicted wait was 45 minutes, so we gave up and ate in the Lido. On the Ecstasy, we also had long waits, but not on the Triumph.

We’ve always done late seating which we like. Most of the time 8:15 is a good dinner time for us but once in a while we would eat a little earlier around 7:30 if we could. Is it worth switching to YTD if we are mostly good w late seating? I’ve read some reviews that there can be a wait. We are a family of 5 and will be on the sunshine.

YTD is the only way we go, that way you choose each day!:D

Not a fan of the YTD...We did it once when it was just the wife and I. We don't mind being sat with other people and did not want to wait so we requested whatever would be quickest. Most nights they sat us at a large table but we had to wait until they filled the table before they would take our order. The whole process seemed to take away from what we like about the MDR on cruises. We enjoy having the same wait staff each night who by the second night seem to pick up on what we like. When they do their little shows (singing dancing) we are at the right time and place (after main course waiting for dessert).

I understand that you can request the same wait staff each night even if at different times/tables but it's just not the same IMHO.

This is just my opinion though so if these are not things that would bother you then go for it...

...either way have a great cruise!!!