Why anytime dining?

[Dicecatt]

I understand why people would want flexibility, but it seems like When anytime dining is mentioned in a thread it is associated with long lines. I liKe traditional dining (late) but if anytime has such lines, why do people Choose it?

 

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[Cruisin 4 Ever]

We choose it because we prefer to sit on our own or with our own group, (depending on whether we are travelling alone or with friends). We have done anytime dining on 4 cruises and we have never waited more tan 5 minutes, and have never been in a line up. If you are in a large group (10+) you may have a wait but otherwise we didn't wait and didn't see anyone else waiting either. We love to eat earlier or later depending on the ports and how our day went. Some nights we dined as early as 6 and others as late as 8:30.

[Cruizinman]

I haven't the foggiest , if your not arriving early it's a waste !

[christmas]

I understand why people would want flexibility, but it seems like When anytime dining is mentioned in a thread it is associated with long lines. I liKe traditional dining (late) but if anytime has such lines, why do people Choose it?

 

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We like the flexibility that's why we choose it. We have never waited more then 5 minutes 10 minutes tops in line.

[chef5674]

We do it because it guarantees a table for two. And I like to eat when we're ready instead of waiting until 8:15. We've barely ever waited and we've done it at least 5 times now. And it's an extra bonus if we make it all week and miss all of the singing and dancing.

 

 

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[rickechambers1@aol.com]

Love that my day doesn't revolve around a set schedule....and if I am not hungry then don't have to go just to eat at that time. Longest wait ive had is around 15 minutes. You get a pager and walk around a bit.

[HazelSmrf]

One time we had to get a pager and go have a drink at the atrium bar, it was such a horror :) I like how laid-back it is when you don't have to obey a clock and can just go to supper when you feel like it instead of a set time.

[fuddrules]

I understand why people would want flexibility, but it seems like When anytime dining is mentioned in a thread it is associated with long lines. I liKe traditional dining (late) but if anytime has such lines, why do people Choose it?

 

Because it's like any other restaurant we go to w/o a reservation.

 

We go when we want. If there is seating available, we sit.

 

If there's a line we put our name in and are called when a table is ready.

 

It works on land so why not at sea?

[Dare2Believe]

We loved anytime dining on the Freedom! It was our first time and we won't go back to traditional dining. We had NO problems with lines apart from the first night, where we waited behind maybe 6 people and then were told to wait for 15 minutes (we had asked for a four-top for our party of 3). After that first night, we basically walked right up to the podium and got a four top each night, no problem.

 

Maybe we were just lucky... We went at various times, too..anywhere from 6-730 probably.

[Grayce]

I'm trying anytime dining for the first time on my next cruise because I don't want to have to sit with strangers.

 

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[Tatka]

We are ok with traditonal seatings, but we prefer to have a table for two and earlier time. If we cannot get this, we usually switch to anytime.

[ccarpenter1963]

I picked anytime dining with my first cruise just because I don't like making small talk with strangers. Whatever you like, do it. :)

[Warm Breezes]

I understand why people would want flexibility, but it seems like When anytime dining is mentioned in a thread it is associated with long lines. I liKe traditional dining (late) but if anytime has such lines, why do people Choose it?

 

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We had anytime on CCL Destiny, Glory, and Freedom (since it first came out). I've had to wait in line 2x. Both times we were given a buzzer like you get in a restaurant. Both times were on Elegant night. The wait on Destiny was 10 minutes. The wait on Glory was 20 minutes. That was it. There was no wait on any night on the Freedom. For the flexibility to eat when I want, with whom I want, I will gladly take an occasional short wait. We will not go back to traditional.

[HO HO]

I understand why people would want flexibility, but it seems like When anytime dining is mentioned in a thread it is associated with long lines. I liKe traditional dining (late) but if anytime has such lines, why do people Choose it?

 

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Just about all the pro's have been given....but as to long lines....the first night is usually confusing as the staff are having to figure out who's who, etc., and there may be a line stretching back to the atrium bar back wall, but after the first night, there's hardly ever any kind of wait.

 

I think on our last cruise we may have had to wait with a pager once - and that was the second elegant night. The first elegant night we ate in the steakhouse and avoided all the mess in the MDR.

 

..and like some others...I'd rather choose who I sit with than be directed to a table of folks I don't know....(who might be really great people, or not...)

[rhinomike]

One of our favorite things of the cruise is dinner at the MDR. Traditional dining for us. Love having a set time, same table and same waiters every night.

[bar1068]

I understand why people would want flexibility, but it seems like When anytime dining is mentioned in a thread it is associated with long lines. I liKe traditional dining (late) but if anytime has such lines, why do people Choose it?

 

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Long lines? Huh...seems we've been lucky to have missed those on the several cruises we've taken and done ATD....So for us..it's still flexibility...16 days of flexibility comin up next month!!!

[HO HO]

One of our favorite things of the cruise is dinner at the MDR. Traditional dining for us. Love having a set time, same table and same waiters every night.

 

We've had the same table and same wait staff every night with ATD....just note the table number the first night and ask for it every evening when you get to the desk - might have had a wait one or two nights, but never more than a few minutes, and we stayed right near the desk...

[OCruisers]

We like the flexibility and we've NEVER experienced long lines. :)

 

LuLu

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[iwannagocruisin]

We always choose anytime dining for the flexibility. We go when we want and have never had to wait long because we are willing to share a large table with strangers. We enjoy being able to meet new people each time!

 

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[CruisingSoon88]

We haved used ATD once on the Breeze and once on the Dream. We only waited about 10 minutes on the first formal night on the Breeze. On both cruises we found great wait staff that we loved and just asked for them. After the second night, they knew who we wanted and automatically seated us in their section. I would never take another cruise that I had to have traditional dining. I hate being scheduled on vacation. ATD works perfectly for our family.

[bride123105]

I like that Anytime Dining starts before the early seating. We get in line at 5:30, go in at 5:45, always get a table for 2 next to the window, and are out early enough to catch the first comedy show. Also we usually miss the singing and dancing unless the service is being slow.

[wrigley80]

We have only done anytime dining once...on the Carnival Freedom in March. We truly enjoyed the flexibility of going when you want to. I also thought the service was much quicker with anytime dining. After the first night we still continued to sit in the same area with the same waiters. We never had to wait longer than 10 minutes for a table.

We have booked anytime dining for our back-to-back cruises in December

[Amy6710]

I understand why people would want flexibility, but it seems like When anytime dining is mentioned in a thread it is associated with long lines. I liKe traditional dining (late) but if anytime has such lines, why do people Choose it?

 

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Because I'm on vacation. Ain't nobody going to tell me where I have to be at any specific time. I like the option of going to dinner whenever I want. I don't like sitting at dinner with people that I don't know.(I like to meet new people, just not while I am trying to eat dinner.)

 

We have never waited more than I'd say 10 minutes but only cause I don't wear a watch on vacation.(I think it was a lot less than that though)

 

edit: Also I really like to go to sleep early'ish. Go to dinner early, then the show, then catch both Adult only comedy shows, then to sleep... Cause I am old and I like to sleep!!

[BIG_Steve]

I understand why people would want flexibility, but it seems like When anytime dining is mentioned in a thread it is associated with long lines. I liKe traditional dining (late) but if anytime has such lines, why do people Choose it?

 

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We eat early, right around 6pm. Have never had to wait at CCL or even freestyle over at NCL.

[TruckinMama]

We've only been on one cruise, but we chose ATD and never had a line at all. I also chose it for our next cruise, because we want to eat when we want to eat, not when someone else says we should. I also don't like sitting with strangers for meals, the whole concept really disturbs me. Ha! We didn't ask for a table for two one night last time because my husband talked me into trying it, we ended up sitting at an 8 top and the uncomfortable small talk was really annoying. For the remainder of the cruise, we sat alone, and if we wanted to talk to people, the tables next to us were plenty close enough to converse.