Open Dining table for 7?

[blrgrl]

We are a family of 7 (three couples and a single) and have requested open dining. Will it be difficult to get a table for 7 each night for dinner?

[dakrewser]

We are a family of 7 (three couples and a single) and have requested open dining. Will it be difficult to get a table for 7 each night for dinner?

 

There are 8- and 10-tops available, but you'd probably do best to make reservations. This can be done up to 3 nights ahead. Check with the DR Mgr when you first board.

[drneal]

It won't be difficult to get a table for 7 people.

The anytime dining is not anytime you want to eat, it's anytime they have a table for you.

You can show up when you want to eat, at let's say 6 PM but you may have to wait a while.

They will not have a table to seat you at until the 5 PM diners are finished with their meal, which might be 1 1/2 hours.

You can make a reservation from 8 AM - 4 PM.

We needed a table for 6 and were always given the same option of 5:45 or 7:45. We would take the 7:45.

The buffet and extra charge restaurants are anytime you want to eat.

[kazu]

Reservation times are correct - but you can go at the other times. Most of the ships give you a pager gadget - so you can go to a bar, get a drink and wait to be called.

 

It really depends upon when you want to eat. Easy to make a reservation at non peak times (already stated). Otherwise if you want to eat at the other times, just go, request and you may have wait. HAL has number of big tables.

 

It might not hurt to say you will fill a big table every night to the Asst/Dining room Manager -you never know. We saw a lot of empty tables on our cruise ;)

[cb at sea]

It's like any restaurant...larger parties are harder to seat. Any reason not to do traditional seating, where you table is waiting for you nightly?

[Daisyloo]

A couple of years ago we cruised as a group of six and never had any issue getting a table whenever we showed up to the dining room. We never made reservations.

[Krazy Kruizers]

If I were you I would see the dining room manager when you get on the ship and explain that you want a table for 7.

Most ships will allow you to make reservations between 5:15 - 6:15 and 7:30 - 9 PM for 3 days at a time.

[blrgrl]

It's like any restaurant...larger parties are harder to seat. Any reason not to do traditional seating, where you table is waiting for you nightly?

 

Yes, because we are a large party and some people aren't always ready on the same time schedule as others. We wanted flexibility but to still be together.

[blrgrl]

I appreciate all the responses. Anytime dining at Carnival is a bit different and we had a party of 8 two years ago and were always accommodated with very little wait time, but it was a completely different dining room than the one for people with assigned times.

[take us away]

I appreciate all the responses. Anytime dining at Carnival is a bit different and we had a party of 8 two years ago and were always accommodated with very little wait time, but it was a completely different dining room than the one for people with assigned times.

 

Most HAL ships have a 2-level dining room and one floor (the larger area) is usually reserved for any time dining with some overflow to the assigned seating area, so you should have somewhat the same experience. Agree about talking with the maître d and to make reservations to make everyone's life easier.