Carnival - the cruise line of those who love to wait in line???

So, first impressions are that Carnival staffs for lines. And then as a customer you wait or not, your choice. Eat or not, also your choice. Have a drink or not- again, your choice, depends on your threshold for waiting in line. Mine happens to be limited.

No MDR on embarkation day. So, everyone has to eat on 9 at the buffet, Guys, Pizza or the Mexican cantina. Why not have those open???

Line at Guys

Blue Iguanas closed right next door

Deli is open with a line as far as you can see

Half the buffet is closed

And half the buffet is open with a line as far as you can see...

Wait for it, the longest line yet, pizza!

Just wow. Your customers deserve more Carnival... no one vacations to wait in line!! My humble opinion. Charge little more and staff you facilities maybe???

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Well, I do agree the closed venues could be open. BUT, when trying to service thousands of people at one time, there are bound to be lines. You’re boarding 3,000+ people in a 3 hour time period.

Don't like lines? Willing to pay a little more? BUY FTTF. Beat the lines at the food venues on embarkation day. The staff that would normally be working in the MDR and some of the other closed venues are pushing wheelchairs, delivering luggage, answering questions, and all of the various other tasks that are limited to embarkation day. I think that it may be unreasonable to expect them to "staff up" to the level required to have everything open on embarkation day, when the additional staffing is only necessary for one day.

We have never waited more than 10 minutes in line. Its all about timing.

I see from your other post that you did buy FTTF. Arriving earlier would have been to your benefit. We normally arrive fairly early, drop off our carry-ons, grab a bit to eat, and are back to our cabin to unpack before the crowds get that bad on the Lido.

Don't like lines? Willing to pay a little more? BUY FTTF. Beat the lines at the food venues on embarkation day. The staff that would normally be working in the MDR and some of the other closed venues are pushing wheelchairs, delivering luggage, answering questions, and all of the various other tasks that are limited to embarkation day. I think that it may be unreasonable to expect them to "staff up" to the level required to have everything open on embarkation day, when the additional staffing is only necessary for one day.

fair point! We usually get FTTF. We eat by 12 and are in our rooms drinking a cold drink before most board :)

Welcome to Embarkation day!!!!! Here is Guy's hint....Go to the line that forms near the entrance/exit to buffet (back side of Guy's)...That line is always much shorter!! Also....go to pool bar aft (back of ship)....easier to get drinks

If you don't like waiting in line, you have to learn to zig when everyone else is zagging. Instead of trying to eat right away when you first get on the ship, try exploring the ship and having a cocktail or 2. Then when the lines die down, you can enjoy a nice lunch before the muster drill. Embarkation day is also a great time to enjoy the swimming pool because hardly anyone is in the pool that day.

As one who hates lines, crowds and buffets I don't go to lunch the first day.

I'll have something to eat before I board, usually late breakfast or early lunch and opt for a later boarding time.

I book the Steakhouse for the first night for around 5:30.

It only took 27 cruises to figure out what works for me...LOL

No lines, no waiting, no stress.:D

So, first impressions are that Carnival staffs for lines. And then as a customer you wait or not, your choice. Eat or not, also your choice. Have a drink or not- again, your choice, depends on your threshold for waiting in line. Mine happens to be limited.

 

No MDR on embarkation day. So, everyone has to eat on 9 at the buffet, Guys, Pizza or the Mexican cantina. Why not have those open???

 

Just wow. Your customers deserve more Carnival... no one vacations to wait in line!! My humble opinion. Charge little more and staff you facilities maybe???

 

 

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IMHO, the solution would be to have a good breakfast, pack a snack bar or two and wait for dinner. I'm simply not that hungry on embarkation day to put up with a silly line for a burger or pizza.

I'm an avid NCL cruiser so can only compare to what I've experience and have never experienced this... we did purchase FTTF and boarding was a breeze and rooms were ready at 11:45. I ate at Seafood Shack and it was wonderful. Don't do burgers and would normally eat at MDR on embarkation day for an nice quiet sit down lunch. Not a Buffet fan - knew dining would be limited on the Victory with no speciality restaurants. But I did not expect the lines. I wasn't hungry or looking for food. I simply find them offensive for their brand. I think paying customers deserve better.

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Ever been to a Theme Park? Just sayin........

As one who hates lines, crowds and buffets I don't go to lunch the first day.

 

 

 

I'll have something to eat before I board, usually late breakfast or early lunch and opt for a later boarding time.

 

 

 

I book the Steakhouse for the first night for around 5:30.

 

 

 

It only took 27 cruises to figure out what works for me...LOL

 

 

 

No lines, no waiting, no stress.:D

I actually love the way you think!!! I'm not a buffet person either. No steakhouse in victory. No speciality dining at all. Tried to book chef's table and it was full. Too bad! Sounds wonderful.

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Wow. That is not good customer service! Please send the pics directly to Carnival and JH. We purchased FTTF, so hopefully we can get our food before the lines get so bad! If not, we will eat a protein bar and wait till our steakhouse reservation.

The only times I've ever had this kind of line was once during embarkation and Mongolian Wok. Other than that, it's not been bad.

That is why if on ship that’s has barbecue, Italian, or Asian place I always go there for lunch on embarkation day, most don’t realize they are there and open for lunch!

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Yeah I’ve never seen lines like that on any carnival cruise I’ve been. But I usually don’t get on the boat til 2pm. I eat lunch before I get on and so I’m just ready to start drinking when I board at 2

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So, first impressions are that Carnival staffs for lines. And then as a customer you wait or not, your choice. Eat or not, also your choice. Have a drink or not- again, your choice, depends on your threshold for waiting in line. Mine happens to be limited.

 

No MDR on embarkation day. So, everyone has to eat on 9 at the buffet, Guys, Pizza or the Mexican cantina. Why not have those open???

 

Just wow. Your customers deserve more Carnival... no one vacations to wait in line!! My humble opinion. Charge little more and staff you facilities maybe???

 

 

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I am guessing that you have not been on RCL, when they have half of the buffet closed, very LONG lines and not many other options available at sail away (except for Oasis class ships) or on the last morning prior to disembarking (or during the cruise)!!

Yeah I’ve never seen lines like that on any carnival cruise I’ve been. But I usually don’t get on the boat til 2pm. I eat lunch before I get on and so I’m just ready to start drinking when I board at 2

 

 

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Drinks will come first when we board Vista in May, however I do know where we are heading to eat a close second and it's not Lido!

That's embarkation day for you. The other issue is finding a table. All those people with no where to go...

Ever been to a Theme Park? Just sayin........

Exactly. You pay good money to go to Disney but once you get in, you're standing in line everywhere you go.

Just off the breeze and I didn’t have any long lines. I never used the main buffet line. I ate at pig and anchor once. There were two people in front of me. I had guys burgers once..no line. Blue iguana twice 1-2 people in front of me. Coffee shop was always less than 5mins. The longest lines were the deli and the pizza place. May have gone over 5mins at the deli once and at the pizza place once or twice. On the last night YTD had a long line but it moved super fast because they had a person out there with a mobile device assigning people tables. I thought it was going to be a 20min wait and it was no more than 5.

Yeah I’ve never seen lines like that on any carnival cruise I’ve been. But I usually don’t get on the boat til 2pm. I eat lunch before I get on and so I’m just ready to start drinking when I board at 2

 

 

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Lines like that were what turned me off to eating lunch on the first day...people lined up like they never had a meal in their life...LOL

I too, eat something before boarding and start drinking around 2 as well....(sometimes earlier):D

What time was this? Blue Iguana is typically open from 11:30am-3:15pm on embarkation. Same with the Buffet. At least on Glory. I would think they all have similar hours.

And the pic of the buffet "as long as you can see" appears to be the other side of Guys. Notice how they are going outside to the Lido deck and the red tile on the wall?

Lines like that were what turned me off to eating lunch on the first day...people lined up like they never had a meal in their life...LOL

 

I too, eat something before boarding and start drinking around 2 as well....(sometimes earlier):D

LOL...Well it is only a 4 night cruise....so I guess passengers are chowing down to get their moneys worth!!

Again...being a short cruise... and in the middle of College break....perfect length of cruise for college kids. Thus the crowds and lines!!