Anytime Dining Question

[jesscruiser]

Hey I have done some searches, but can't fins exactly what I need. When I changed my cruise, I was waitlisted for early dining, which is what i really really wanted! Since I don't want late dining, I am considering anytime. What time is anytime? I mean Can I go to the dining room at 6 just like the early diners? Is anytime really any time at all, as long as they are open? Also can I get a table for 2? Is there anything else I should know?

[jmcathome]

Anytime started at 545 on the Dream and Freedom. So you can go at six. Think it went to 930 though I was never there past 730. You can get a table for two if you like.

Not seen any difference in anytime than others except when you go I not set.

[jesscruiser]

On the Freedom and the Dream it started at 545.

 

I will be on the conquest if that helps

[Atlgator]

Hey I have done some searches, but can't fins exactly what I need. When I changed my cruise, I was waitlisted for early dining, which is what i really really wanted! Since I don't want late dining, I am considering anytime. What time is anytime? I mean Can I go to the dining room at 6 just like the early diners? Is anytime really any time at all, as long as they are open? Also can I get a table for 2? Is there anything else I should know?

 

 

*Your Time: 5:45 to 9:30 PM

*Prefer a little flexibility? No reservations required. Your Time dining allows you to dine in the main dining room, at your leisure, anytime between 5:45 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. Guests are seated first-come, first-serve, depending on party size. In most cases, guests are accommodated within 20 minutes. However, pagers are provided if all tables are occupied so guests can relax elsewhere on the ship until their table is ready. Due to the limited number of large table availability, parties with greater than 10 guests may need to be accommodated at different tables.

 

 

And yes, you can get a table for 2. We always you YTD because we like the flexibility of eating when we want to, not when we are assigned to eat.

[joepeka]

Your Time Dining is just like a land-based restaurant (at least one that doesn't require reservations): you show up when you want during the published dining hours and you will be seated either right away or perhaps after a relatively short wait. Tables for two are usually plentiful so just ask for one - if there isn't one available, again you may have to wait a bit. Here's a photo of two side by side "two tops" from the Freedom (a little cozy):

 

[Noel182002]

starts at 545....and you can go whenever...and yes you can get a table for 2

[T. Advisor King]

I'm a big fan of ATD -- i.e., eating when I'm hungry rather than planning my day around eating when someone else schedules me to be hungry.

 

It tastes great and it's less filling, too!

[mshimko]

We used this option on the Pride about a year ago. The experience was MUCH BETTER than what I had on NCL.

On the pride, we (2 couples) arrived first evening just after six and were seated within 5 minutes.

 

Next night, we arrived about 6:15, my sister-in-law gave her name & cabin number, and the host asked if we wanted the same table and staff......and we had all the benefits of the "reserved seating" times, with more flexibility the rest of the cruise.

 

I highly recommend it (on Carnival, at least).

[092306]

Anytime works well for us. We usually go around 6-6:30 and there isn't a wait. There are plenty of tables for 2 available, too. I wouldn't go back to traditional dining.

[JawjaFatBoy]

All we have ever done is the ATD. We love it!

 

It gives us some flexibility if we are a little late coming back while in port or if we want to hit a show that would mess up fixed time dining.

 

Sometimes you may have to wait a little while, but the wait is usually very short. Want a table to 2? Just ask. Like others have said, there may be a wait, but it will most likely be minimal.

[CatlinSTJ]

I know that others have complained about those close tables for 2, but I have to say that we really liked them! We could talk to our neighboring tables if we wanted, but there was a buffer zone.

 

Do the ATD, you'll like it! :)

[serene56]

Anytime works well for us. We usually go around 6-6:30 and there isn't a wait. There are plenty of tables for 2 available, too. I wouldn't go back to traditional dining.

 

i dont want it to sound snarky but why not... whats the difference of 15 minutes

[jesscruiser]

Thanks for all the info!

[Swampbabe]

We did YTD on the Dream last week and I'm not sure that I would do it again. We only ate in the MDR three times out of seven and had to wait 30-40 minutes on two nights. We went around 7-7:15. There were a lot of family groups (6+) so maybe that was the reason as they were pushing tables together. We were a party of two.

[readytotravel44]

We've never done it either, but I was considering it on upcoming Valor Christmas Cruise. i'm I correct to assume your waiter would not be the same every night, or are there specific anytime dining waiters. My daughter said, and I agree, we always enjoy the relationship we develop with the wait staff.

[marshhawk]

We did the Anytime dining on our last cruise-7 day the Legend, on the first night which was our anniversary we ate at the steak house, we had a table for two the next night, we ate with friends from our roll call one night, there were 6 of us, no wait, and we took an OK we will sit with total strangers one night. DH got a bad cold (too much snorkeling) so two nights we dined on the lido. I liked the anytime dining, because I didn't feel bad about holding a bunch of table mates up, when we wanted to eat a little later than 6, and earlier than 8. Have a great cruise!

[cruisedave38]

i am cruising by myself and i have anytime dinning . i have done it before on princess and i ask to sit with other guest and they did. do they do that on carnival i don't want to sit by myself. thanks cruisedave38

[jmcathome]

Have done anytime three times and all three times had same staff except one day when I went later than usual. Usually was asked if I wanted to eat with others or a table for two. Did not matter the table for two were close and you could meet and talk with the next tables if you liked.

[BARBARA J.W.]

i am cruising by myself and i have anytime dinning . i have done it before on princess and i ask to sit with other guest and they did. do they do that on carnival i don't want to sit by myself. thanks cruisedave38

 

 

The Host will ask you,,,,,,,how many is in your group..

And ask do you want to dine alone or share

a table..................

I am a Solo Cruiser,,,,the small tables for two are close

together,,,so you aren't really by yourself...........

I always get to the Dining Room early.........

Waiting for them to open..............

Happy Cruising...........:)

[serene56]

We've never done it either, but I was considering it on upcoming Valor Christmas Cruise. i'm I correct to assume your waiter would not be the same every night, or are there specific anytime dining waiters. My daughter said, and I agree, we always enjoy the relationship we develop with the wait staff.

 

You will more then likely get different waiters. We tried anytime for 3 different cruises. It is not for us. I prefer to get the same waiters-- know our likes and dislikes.. when sailing with family that have eating "problems" its better to discuss the first night with the waiters then have to go over that each night

[BARBARA J.W.]

We've never done it either, but I was considering it on upcoming Valor Christmas Cruise. i'm I correct to assume your waiter would not be the same every night, or are there specific anytime dining waiters. My daughter said, and I agree, we always enjoy the relationship we develop with the wait staff.

 

You can ask for the same Waiter.........

When I did my BTB on Fascination-Jan/Feb.........

The 2nd night ,I had a Great

Waiter,,,,I ask for him the rest of the Cruise......

I always went to the Dining Room early

so I could sit @ one of his tables........

[joepeka]

We've never done it either, but I was considering it on upcoming Valor Christmas Cruise. i'm I correct to assume your waiter would not be the same every night, or are there specific anytime dining waiters. My daughter said, and I agree, we always enjoy the relationship we develop with the wait staff.

You can certainly request the same wait staff every night and if there's a table available at their station when you arrive, you'll get them immediately. If not, you can always wait a bit for a table to open in that area. We always went at the beginning of the dining time and always got the same waiters, even the same table (a nice one at the window) every night. If you go at various times, you may not get the same staff and the 7pm-8pm hour seems to be the worst in terms of wait times.

[ichigohime]

You can ask for the same Waiter.........

When I did my BTB on Fascination-Jan/Feb.........

The 2nd night ,I had a Great

Waiter,,,,I ask for him the rest of the Cruise......

I always went to the Dining Room early

so I could sit @ one of his tables........

 

There are certain waiters that do just anytime.

My last BTB on the Fascination I also had a waiter that was just fabulous - we requested him every night. On elegant night we had to wait about 10 minutes - it is the only time I have ever had to wait for YTD.

[OCruisers]

We've never had to wait any longer than 10 minutes and that was only once. Normally have been seated almost immediately. :)

 

LuLu

~~~~

[minerva78]

We've done anytime dining on all of our cruises and on two cruises we requested the same waiter every night, which worked out great. I've noticed that going right between early and late seatings, from 7:00 - 7:30 will give you the most wait times. Definitely don't do that on elegant night, like we did on our first cruise! We learned that if we went within about 15 minutes of either the early or late seatings, we almost never had a wait. So if you really want early dining, you can still go at the same time as early dining each night and do just fine. You're also more likely to be able to get the same wait staff each night if you want. I definitely wouldn't worry about not getting early seating.