Timed Seating on the Carnival

[blondi_21]

We're going to the Eastern Caribbean in January on the Carnival Glory. We signed up for 6pm seating even though we perfered the Anytime Seating. Our TA informed us that the 6pm seating books up fast. Do we have to go to the 6pm seating all the time or we can go can we go later?

[sparky-elpaso]

We're going to the Eastern Caribbean in January on the Carnival Glory. We signed up for 6pm seating even though we perfered the Anytime Seating. Our TA informed us that the 6pm seating books up fast. Do we have to go to the 6pm seating all the time or we can go can we go later?

 

Yes you have to go at the same time - no switching back and forth. You might check once you get on the ship to see if you can switch to Anytime.

[RoadTripFanatic]

No, you can not arrive later. You must go at 6p if that is your dinning time. These seats are reserved until a certain switch over point when they prepare for the late seating. If you don't think you can make this then as the previous poster stated you need to switch to anytime dinning.

[blondi_21]

Do if we dont arrive at the 6pm seating then we cant go in the MDR that day?

[uppitycats]

Do if we dont arrive at the 6pm seating then we cant go in the MDR that day?

 

If you don't arrive at the 6 p.m. seating -- and you're assigned that specific seating time -- then no, you cannot go into the MDR that day. You could eat at the buffet, or elsewhere on the ship (I don't know what other dining venues might be available), or get room service, but not in the main dining room. You called it "assigned seating" -- that's what that means.

 

Once you get on board the first day, if you go directly to the dining room and talk to the staff, you might be able to get switched to "anytime dining" .. which, as it's name implies...allows you to go to the MDR "any time".

[nybumpkin]

Do if we dont arrive at the 6pm seating then we cant go in the MDR that day?

You won't be able to dine in the MDR if you miss your seating. They only allot a portion of the dining room to anytime dining, so they can't allow people who have assigned dining to switch.

 

Usually you can arrive up to 15 minutes late, but beyond that you throw the wait staff off their timing. Although some are willing to cut you some slack - in 2008 when we sailed on Valor, our oldest son showed up an hour late the night we were in Cozumel. Seems he was using his cell phone for the time, and his phone switched to Cozumel time.:rolleyes: He entered the dining room looking completely confused, and our waiter had a good laugh, told him to sit down, handed him a menu and said "entree and dessert only.":)

 

If you miss your assigned dining, the Lido restaurant is open for dinner. While I've never gone there (I love the dining room too much), others have said that a lot of the entrees are similar, if not the same, as those in the MDR.

[SuperCoolOne]

If you prefer anytime, then switch to anytime now if there are openings.

 

We had anytime and loved being able to walk in whenever we were ready rather than rushing for the 6pm or waiting for the late night seating.

[RoadTripFanatic]

Do if we dont arrive at the 6pm seating then we cant go in the MDR that day?

 

Exactly. As the others have said you can not eat in the MDR that day.