Your Time Dining vs Set Dining Time

[hubofhockey]

The second floor of one of the regular MDRs is where YTD is on the Dream. It's all wide open. So I assume if you're eating upstairs when the "show" is going on downstairs for the set time folks - you'll hear it.

 

Too bad. The Carnival Rep told that it will be a separate restaurant. Oh well, at least it won't interrupt my meal. I guess that obnoxious cruise directors and singing waiters are just a Carnival staple that you just can't avoid. :D

[LemurCat]

It's not a big deal for us having the same wait staff either.....but if we find a fast and efficient one on "my time" we will request them the next nite.......

Nothing worse then have a really bad wait staff like we did on the Spirit..........before they had "my time"

 

Fast and efficient means I can get my egg salad sandwich faster and have plenty of time to get my rockin bikini on.....LOL!

 

That's something else entirely. Finding a waiter you like because they're good at their job is one thing. Finding a waiter you like because he asked you about your personal life is another.

[Ga-Fl Peach]

The menu is exactly the same. You eat in a main dining room .. just one (or a section of one) that is assigned to the YTD.

 

I'll never choose traditional dining if there is a flexible dining program. I hate the pretense of "waiters getting to know me", or deciding..before I get to the table..what I might want to drink, or any of that. I LOVE the flexibility of choosing when *I* want to eat, not some arbitrary time established by the cruise line,

 

and eating with whom I want to eat..not a table-ful of strangers, whose only commonality is that we are stuck to eating together!

 

Couldn't have said it better! We love YTD, the first cruise that we had it on was NCL and were elated when Carnival began this. We live in Central Time Zone and 6 is too early and 8:15 too late. Only once have we been given a beeper to alert us when our table was ready, and that only took a few minutes.

[paulandfran]

That's something else entirely. Finding a waiter you like because they're good at their job is one thing. Finding a waiter you like because he asked you about your personal life is another.

 

I get that and nothing wrong with it for you or anyone else. But my husband is super outgoing and friendly and friendly people in turn respond to that so we often have friendly relationships with the staff. Wherever we go someone knows my husband and will shout out Hey Paul. By the end of the cruise there are dozens of people like that. Guests and staff. I'm always like, who is that? And then he tells me their story. People gravitate to my husband. It's why I married him. :D

 

And being on a ship you have the same waitstaff and cabin attendant for the whole week, it's hard not to start getting to know them a little bit. It usually starts out with talking about where they're from. Not lifelong friends but perhaps because many of them are a bit homesick on the ship is why they respond to someone actually asking about their family and their life back home and open up. Some staff we connect with more and some not as much. I'm not looking for a friend on a ship but after having been married to my husband I'm a pretty open person and make friends pretty easily now too.

[blindrid]

Too bad. The Carnival Rep told that it will be a separate restaurant. Oh well, at least it won't interrupt my meal. I guess that obnoxious cruise directors and singing waiters are just a Carnival staple that you just can't avoid. :D

 

I'm with you. I'm on the Liberty in November and haven't figured out if we're in a seperate dining room or not. Even growing up, I have always hated singing waiters and cheesy CD's. I guess it is what it is and I'll endure.

[DEBnGAB]

I'm with you. I'm on the Liberty in November and haven't figured out if we're in a seperate dining room or not. Even growing up, I have always hated singing waiters and cheesy CD's. I guess it is what it is and I'll endure.

 

 

Ill be on the Liberty in a few weeks with Anytime and will let you know. I heard Anytime was going to be upstairs....but a seperate dining room would be very nice!. Im cool with missing the "show". :rolleyes:

[Kurbanfan]

That's something else entirely. Finding a waiter you like because they're good at their job is one thing. Finding a waiter you like because he asked you about your personal life is another.

 

LOL! Totally agree! Fast and efficient is what it's all about.......which is a job they were hired for..... not to become a personal surrogate friend for the week:D

[LemurCat]

I get that and nothing wrong with it for you or anyone else. But my husband is super outgoing and friendly and friendly people in turn respond to that so we often have friendly relationships with the staff. Wherever we go someone knows my husband and will shout out Hey Paul. By the end of the cruise there are dozens of people like that. Guests and staff. I'm always like, who is that? And then he tells me their story. People gravitate to my husband. It's why I married him. :D

 

And being on a ship you have the same waitstaff and cabin attendant for the whole week, it's hard not to start getting to know them a little bit. It usually starts out with talking about where they're from. Not lifelong friends but perhaps because many of them are a bit homesick on the ship is why they respond to someone actually asking about their family and their life back home and open up. Some staff we connect with more and some not as much. I'm not looking for a friend on a ship but after having been married to my husband I'm a pretty open person and make friends pretty easily now too.

 

Call me cynical, but I've always been of the they respond to you because they want a bigger tip. I always find it funny, some of the most "outgoing" people are also some of the most suspicious. It's like when people sit here and give out massive amounts of personal details of their life and then are shocked and appalled when people not only discuss them, but remember them and bring it up later.

[paulandfran]

Call me cynical, but I've always been of the they respond to you because they want a bigger tip. I always find it funny, some of the most "outgoing" people are also some of the most suspicious. It's like when people sit here and give out massive amounts of personal details of their life and then are shocked and appalled when people not only discuss them, but remember them and bring it up later.

 

Yep, I would definitely call you cynical. :)

[Kurbanfan]

Call me cynical, but I've always been of the they respond to you because they want a bigger tip. I always find it funny, some of the most "outgoing" people are also some of the most suspicious. It's like when people sit here and give out massive amounts of personal details of their life and then are shocked and appalled when people not only discuss them, but remember them and bring it up later.

 

Never understood that one..... *shakes head*

[paulandfran]

Well it looks like the late risers are here to change the mood of the board. So I'm off for awhile. :)

[TravellinGranny]

I prefer set dining times, but travelling solo, I also may just do my own thing and go to the Lido once or twice during the cruise, depending on how the day has gone, port times, etc. It is nice to have an option to not have to get ready at a certain time every night.

granny :cool:

[Buffettfan 225]

I also loved the flexiblity of anytime dining. We never had to wait and had the same wait staff every night.

 

There were only two in our party.

We are also a table for two and trying Anytime Dining Destiny. Can you tell me if you had availabilty for table for two, and were you at a small table, or one say for four and took extra table settings away?

Thanks.

[hubofhockey]

I'm with you. I'm on the Liberty in November and haven't figured out if we're in a seperate dining room or not. Even growing up, I have always hated singing waiters and cheesy CD's. I guess it is what it is and I'll endure.

 

First, have a great cruise on the Liberty. We had a couple of good ones on that ship.

 

The Liberty was built for traditional dining. They have two double-level dining rooms (Golden Olympian and Silver Olympian). I would think that they would take one floor of one of them and dedicate it to anytime dining. With new builds, like the Magic, it would have been nice if they considered a separate restaurant for anytime dining. But I'm happy that they have it at all and a dedicated area where, at least, it won't impact the timing or other logistics of my dinner.

 

On Med cruises, people get pretty burned out at the end of the day and the last thing you need is singing waiters. As soon as I booked, I asked for anytime dining. It is certainly a relief to be able to just go to dinner when we're ready or even plan dinner around things we want to do at night rather than let dinner dictate when we do other things.

[Buffettfan 225]

Ill be on the Liberty in a few weeks with Anytime and will let you know. I heard Anytime was going to be upstairs....but a seperate dining room would be very nice!. Im cool with missing the "show". :rolleyes:

We are trying anytime dining this fall on a shorter cruise, and have spring cruise booked for Glory late dining. Can you find out- if it is easier to get late dining and then request anytime, or vice versa? Thanks.

[dmdiver]

On Liberty, the anytime dining was on the lower level. I think we were in Golden Olympian - the one close to the lobby.

[paulandfran]

We are also a table for two and trying Anytime Dining Destiny. Can you tell me if you had availabilty for table for two, and were you at a small table, or one say for four and took extra table settings away?

Thanks.

 

I haven't done Anytime Dining yet but since no one answered you yet I'll tell you what I've heard. There are plenty of tables for two but many of them are lined up about 8 or so inches apart. So it sounds like you don't really have much privacy but the advantage is you order on your own and don't have to wait for others. That's what I've gathered but maybe someone who has actually done it will chime in.

[5o'clocksomewhere]

We are also a table for two and trying Anytime Dining Destiny. Can you tell me if you had availabilty for table for two, and were you at a small table, or one say for four and took extra table settings away?

Thanks.

 

Yes they have tables for two......normally it is three 2 tops positioned next to each other (separate tables).......ask for a table on the end and you will be fine......

Normally the least they will put in a 4 top is three people.....the 4 tops are booths.......

 

We are trying anytime dining this fall on a shorter cruise, and have spring cruise booked for Glory late dining. Can you find out- if it is easier to get late dining and then request anytime, or vice versa? Thanks.

 

No more difficult to request anytime or traditional.........

[Newcruiser65]

I get that and nothing wrong with it for you or anyone else. But my husband is super outgoing and friendly and friendly people in turn respond to that so we often have friendly relationships with the staff. Wherever we go someone knows my husband and will shout out Hey Paul. By the end of the cruise there are dozens of people like that. Guests and staff. I'm always like, who is that? And then he tells me their story. People gravitate to my husband. It's why I married him. :D

 

And being on a ship you have the same waitstaff and cabin attendant for the whole week, it's hard not to start getting to know them a little bit. It usually starts out with talking about where they're from. Not lifelong friends but perhaps because many of them are a bit homesick on the ship is why they respond to someone actually asking about their family and their life back home and open up. Some staff we connect with more and some not as much. I'm not looking for a friend on a ship but after having been married to my husband I'm a pretty open person and make friends pretty easily now too.

 

I know what you mean. I am also very outgoing and talk a lot to everyone. But though I am friendly to staff and tip well, on cruises I try to be cognizant of the fact that they are at work. I think when you have very friendly, talkative passengers, the staff, especially the cabin steward ,will feel that they have to be super friendly and interested in personal conversations as not to offend. When they really have a lot of cabins to clean and other places to be, and excessive socializing slows them down. Imagine if when you were working, everyone wanted to stop you to discuss personal things. I also realize that at the end of the week, I am getting off and going home and they will start all over again with a new group of passengers, who will ask the same questions. Week after week, after week....

 

All I really need from waitstaff and cabin stewards is for them to do their job well. It doesn't bother me at all if they don't remember my name or speak to me in the hall, or anticipate my needs. But I guess that's just me. Everyone wants to get a different experience out of cruising.

[goscudder]

We have Anytime Dining in September when we sail. Do I need to call ahead of time and make reservations, or do we just show up at the dining room when we're ready to eat? There's only 3 of us.

[MistyRo76]

Taking my 12th cruise in Oct and I have never done YTD. My last several cruises have all been larger groups (8, 23, 17 and 20 in Oct) so a set dining time really works well to be able to ensure that our group can eat together (those who wish to). I enjoy eating later, so the late dining time really works well for us. I also enjoy having the same waitstaff each night. We have had some really great waiters that have helped to make the experience even better. On our last cruise, our waiter Benjamin even got involved in helping with a little prank war between two guys in our group. It was pretty hysterical. I always enjoy engaging with the crew.

 

I am not saying that I wouldn't try the YTD...but definitely with larger groups we will keep doing the set dining time!

 

Misty

[scchasgal]

We have Anytime Dining in September when we sail. Do I need to call ahead of time and make reservations, or do we just show up at the dining room when we're ready to eat? There's only 3 of us.

 

 

No reservations you just show up to be seated for dinner at the posted times.

[Liffey]

There are plenty of tables for two but many of them are lined up about 8 or so inches apart.

 

This was somewhat true on Elation, but the distance seemed greater than eight inches. (In other words, we didn't feel like the space between the tables was just a token gesture.) Here is a pic of the two-top next to us:

 

 

On Splendor, all of the tables for two seemed to be tucked here and there, more back-to-back with other two-tops than side-by-side, but since our table at dinner and breakfast was near the door, I didn't explore those dining rooms much and see the other options. (I seem to recall a few tables for two wedged between tables for 8-10?) Our table doesn't even appear on the deck plan - we were hugging the staircase, behind a waiter station.

 

The tables for two on Spirit-class ships are excellent, at least in the upstairs dining room (which is where YTD is seated). Many of them are against the oval rail in the center that looks over the downstairs seats. So, on one side you have a fun view, and on the other side is a walkway. Look at the deck plan for Spirit, Atlantic Deck, and you can see how this neat configuration works.

[092306]

We tried your time dining on the Freedom for the first time and will never go back to set dining time again. We loved it and you can request the same waiter each night. Ours gave us the best, most personalized service we've received on all of our cruises yet.

[paulandfran]

This was somewhat true on Elation, but the distance seemed greater than eight inches. (In other words, we didn't feel like the space between the tables was just a token gesture.) Here is a pic of the two-top next to us:

 

 

On Splendor, all of the tables for two seemed to be tucked here and there, more back-to-back with other two-tops than side-by-side, but since our table at dinner and breakfast was near the door, I didn't explore those dining rooms much and see the other options. (I seem to recall a few tables for two wedged between tables for 8-10?) Our table doesn't even appear on the deck plan - we were hugging the staircase, behind a waiter station.

 

The tables for two on Spirit-class ships are excellent, at least in the upstairs dining room (which is where YTD is seated). Many of them are against the oval rail in the center that looks over the downstairs seats. So, on one side you have a fun view, and on the other side is a walkway. Look at the deck plan for Spirit, Atlantic Deck, and you can see how this neat configuration works.

 

Thanks for the great descriptions and pic Liffey!!