Fascination (or Smaller Ship) dining questions

[robptaylor]

On past cruises on other lines we have always had set late dining. This was perfect when it was just the wife and I but we are taking our son on his first cruise in June on the Fascination.

 

8 would be too late for us to eat but I'm worried 6 will be too early and we will be rushed to get ready. This leaves me with Any Time dining but I'm reluctant to do this because I hate waiting for a table when we go out at home and I enjoy having the same wait staff. This leads to my questions.

 

How long is the typical wait for a table around 7?

 

If we are running late and don't arrive until closer to 6:30 for set dining does anyone care?

 

Another MDR question. On past cruises long pants were required in the dining room regardless of formal night or not. On Carnival it sounds like shorts are okay as long as it is not Elegant night (or whatever they call it). Are shorts acceptable most nights in the MDR on Carnival?

[HDC80]

We were on the Fascination, in May. My husband started off wearing dress pants. Not many men were wearing dress pants. By the third night, he was wearing his khaki cargo pants and a polo.

 

I'm not sure about any time dining. We did the early dining. Our kids were 8 and 5 at the time.

[bigdog1958]

On past cruises on other lines we have always had set late dining. This was perfect when it was just the wife and I but we are taking our son on his first cruise in June on the Fascination.

 

8 would be too late for us to eat but I'm worried 6 will be too early and we will be rushed to get ready. This leaves me with Any Time dining but I'm reluctant to do this because I hate waiting for a table when we go out at home and I enjoy having the same wait staff. This leads to my questions.

 

How long is the typical wait for a table around 7?

 

This will depend on the ship and how many people like to eat at 7pm that week... sometimes no wait, other times could be 20min or so.. most of the time its not a real long wait, but its possible

 

 

If we are running late and don't arrive until closer to 6:30 for set dining does anyone care?

 

yes, they care alot, they have everything orgaized based on people arriving on time.. also if you are seated with others, the waiters will want to wait until everyone arrives. There has been talk that carnival may institute a 20min time limit and close the dining room doors at that time, and you will have to go to lido deck to eat. As far as I know this has not happened yet.. but it would be rather rude to hold up other people in the MDR or cause more work for the waiters to arrive late

 

Another MDR question. On past cruises long pants were required in the dining room regardless of formal night or not. On Carnival it sounds like shorts are okay as long as it is not Elegant night (or whatever they call it). Are shorts acceptable most nights in the MDR on Carnival?

 

yes, carnival allows dress shorts in the dining room except for elegant nights..

[lukeduke07]

With three of you ATD should be fine. You shouldnt have a wait unless you get there right after the early show lets out. The ATD dining room is across the atrium from the show lounge. There will be an initial rush right at that time so try and avoid it and you should be fine. My wife and I always use ATD (twice on Fascination) and love the flexibility. Service is hit or miss but if you get a good wait staff, you can request their section from the Matre'D(sp?)

[marshhawk]

We did ATD on the Fascination in October, and we went at 7 every night. they were in the process of serving the desserts to the first seating and we were seated, they did their dance, we got to watch and participate, and then they took our food order, they served our desserts while the second seating was arriving. It was great.

[LBroxon]

On past cruises on other lines we have always had set late dining. This was perfect when it was just the wife and I but we are taking our son on his first cruise in June on the Fascination.

 

8 would be too late for us to eat but I'm worried 6 will be too early and we will be rushed to get ready. This leaves me with Any Time dining but I'm reluctant to do this because I hate waiting for a table when we go out at home and I enjoy having the same wait staff. This leads to my questions.

 

How long is the typical wait for a table around 7?

 

If we are running late and don't arrive until closer to 6:30 for set dining does anyone care?

 

Another MDR question. On past cruises long pants were required in the dining room regardless of formal night or not. On Carnival it sounds like shorts are okay as long as it is not Elegant night (or whatever they call it). Are shorts acceptable most nights in the MDR on Carnival?

 

Just off the Fascination last week. We had anytime dining for 3. We ate around 7 or 7:30. We had a 20 minute wait one time, but all the other times we were seated immediately. The piano bar is right next door, so we sat in there while we waited.

 

Arriving at 6:30 for Early seating is not acceptable, in my opinion. I know Carnival recently released some sort of time frame and won't allow people in after that, I did see some guests being turned away when they arrived too late for Early Seating. Though, in some cases you may be allowed in, I would not advise it because it throws the waitstaff off and makes their job infinitely more difficult.

 

There were few people dressed up on Cruise Casual night, nice shorts would not have looked out of place.

[tncap]

I've done YTD on Fascination three times and never had to wait for a table, and have almost always gotten a specific table request.