Showing up to Your Time Dining unannounced?

[diesteldorf]

This may seem like a weird question, but I wanted some advice.

 

I am leaving on the Triumph next Monday. Since they don't have a steakhouse, I elected to be part of the Chef's Table.

 

I participated in the Chef's Table earlier this year, on the Elation, and really enjoyed the experience. I had a good food, company, and definitely didn't leave hungry.

 

However, there are a few MDR entrees, appetizers, and desserts that I am looking forward to. Lamb, Duck, Oysters Rockefeller, bitter and blanc.

 

Has anyone with reserved dining ever showed up during Your Time Dining without being officially scheduled?

 

Earlier this year, I lucked out, since the Chef's Table was scheduled during the night where the MDR entrees and appetizers were ones I really didn't care about. The only thing I missed was the teramisu.

 

I actually talked to the chef during our chef's table and told him I thought his food was exceptional and delicious, but, half jokingly, mentioned that I was disappointed that I was missing the tiramisu.

 

He mentioned that he would be happy to have some delivered to my cabin. However, I was so stuffed at the end that I elected to pass.

 

I am one that enjoys having a scheduled MDR dining time and it's what I prefer. However, has anyone with a set time ever showed up during Your Time Dining and been admitted?

 

Maybe you overslept one night, or had a previous engagement on that one night that caused your plans to change.

 

Obviously, this would be a one-time thing and I am not looking to be a huge inconvenience to the staff or other 'Your Time Dining' cruisers that are signed up for that.

 

Looking back to my previous cruise, would anyone have thought it rude if I would've accepted the chef's offer to have some tiramisu in my cabin?

 

Part of me is a little surprised Carnival hasn't turned this into a revenue opportunity. I would think there may be a reasonable market for guests that would pay a surcharge to have MDR food delivered to their cabin for a private experience.

 

In my case, I really don't care about privacy and am more than willing to eat in the MDR. I just want to know if it'll be heavily frowned upon, since it's not my normal schedule.

 

On a side note, has anyone ever asked the dining staff for any small accommodation or non-menu item and have it honored?

 

One thing I really like about the MDR is the opportunity to get real ice cream and not the soft serve on the lido deck. I normally go for Butter Pecan.

 

Butter Pecan is always listed as a choice on the dinner menu but never during lunch.

 

Well, it was lunch time and I figured it wouldn't hurt to ask if they could bring some Butter Pecan......

 

No problem and I was happy.

Edited November 30, 2016 by diesteldorf

[firemanbobswife]

No, you cannot simply show up for Your Time Dining if you have Traditional Dining. And if you make the switch, you can't go back. Had this happen to some table mates of mine 2 cruises ago. It's a long story.

[mississauga]

No, you cannot. You are either assigned or YTD. No switching back and forth.

 

Just as a YTD person would not have a seat in assigned, the open seats in YTD need to be made available for those coming in for YTD.

[riffatsea]

Your Time Dining is only scheduled for those folks who booked it. Just like early or late dining is only for those folks who booked that.

You cannot just decide to "crash" YTD just like I cannot just decide to crash at a set dining table.

There is room service but of course you cannot get the MDR entrees there.

You can however, take dessert from the MDR back to your room.

We have done that several times when we were trying to make a particular activity and dinner took a little too long.

 

 

Edited November 30, 2016 by riffatsea

[GradUT]

1). It would not have been rude to accept the chef's offer to have tiramisu sent to your cabin.

 

2) As already noted, you cannot go to ATD if you have a fixed dining time.

 

3). As for "Anytime Dining" on the various cruise lines: Of Carnival, HAL and Princess, HAL does it best and Carnival does it worst. My experience with Princess was good except for the formal nights.

[winddawn]

Try cruising another line. The last time I cruised on Holland America, I opted to stay in my cabin on formal night and enjoyed my lobster dinner from the main dining room on my cabin balcony. I called room service to order from the dining room menu for supper, and they delivered a menu to my cabin. I then picked what I wanted and called them back and ordered it. HAL does not charge extra for that service and absolutely does allow you to order from the main dining room menu during meal time and have the food delivered to your cabin. The only thing it cost me was the tip I gave to the room service delivery person. And when I was finished eating, I called room service back and they came back to my cabin and picked up the rolling table with my dishes on it.

 

While I love Carnival, that is one thing I enjoy on other lines when I cruise on them. I love being able to order hot food from room service--especially hot breakfast. Many people don't realize these subtle differences between cruise lines and tend to think a cruise is a cruise.

[westview1]

The only time we have been allowed to go to YTD instead of early seating was on a port day and our excursion got back 30 minutes after dinner had started. We explained the situation and they were happy to help us out.

[Micahs Grandad]

Princess does allow this.

 

Several times we had a late returning tour and dined in anytime dining room with no problem.

[bakersdozen12]

However, there are a few MDR entrees, appetizers, and desserts that I am looking forward to. Lamb, Duck, Oysters Rockefeller, bitter and blanc.

 

 

I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but the new menus no longer include bitter n blanc. And the Triumph does have the new menus.

 

I feel your pain, though. It's my favorite dessert as well and unfortunately for me, the Fascination switched to the new menus the week before we sailed just recently.

 

 

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[Athankfulheart]

We were on a sailing once in the past couple of years and my husband noticed on day 3 or 4 that he hadn't seen creme brulee on the menu yet. He asked the waiter if it would be served at all that week and the server said that it would not be. Husband was a little disappointed looking, but dinner went on as usual and we didn't think about it again.

 

On the last night of our cruise, when dessert menus came around, he showed up with creme brulee for everyone at our table (our family of 7 at the time) and also indicated that if anyone was so inclined, that they could choose something else from the dessert menu. It was a fun surprise that we never asked for. I imagine that if you asked for something small in a kind fashion, that they would see what they could do for you.

Edited November 30, 2016 by Athankfulheart

[diesteldorf]

I imagine that if you asked for something small in a kind fashion, that they would see what they could do for you.

 

I appreciate all the responses. I figure if I ask nicely, all they can do is say no. Part of me feels silly, since the Chef's Table will also offer an incredible dining experience, but there are just those few things that I worry about missing.

[StolidCruiser]

I appreciate all the responses. I figure if I ask nicely, all they can do is say no. Part of me feels silly, since the Chef's Table will also offer an incredible dining experience, but there are just those few things that I worry about missing.

 

Please let us know if asking nicely worked for you so that the rest of us can also ask nicely when we don't want to stick with our fixed dining assignment and want to avail ourselves of the YTD option for purely personal convenience.

[cruizinisthebest]

Please let us know if asking nicely worked for you so that the rest of us can also ask nicely when we don't want to stick with our fixed dining assignment and want to avail ourselves of the YTD option for purely personal convenience.

Like.

 

Pick one or the other. Asking nicely is all good but then I'm sure you would be offended if you were told no after all that niceness, because the rules were actually followed.

 

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[BeachChik]

Please let us know if asking nicely worked for you so that the rest of us can also ask nicely when we don't want to stick with our fixed dining assignment and want to avail ourselves of the YTD option for purely personal convenience.

 

Give me a break.

 

This board is full of threads of people asking for special accommodations on all kinds of things and the response is always it doesn't hurt to ask.

 

It's no different with this situation. The op can always ask and see what they say but shouldn't be upset if they say no.

[cruiselife4me]

We'll be on your sailing with you. :D

Mary

[cruizergal70]

I don't see the problem. If you have the 5:30 seating and show up at 7pm, what? They aren't going to feed you? You're in before the 8:15 pm seating. I wouldn't worry about rudeness or any other such foolishness.

[It's a Ship!!!]

I actually have some friends that did just this on a couple nights. They didn't even realize it wasn't allowed. One night they missed their dining time and went to the Your Time dining room and the hostess sat them without a problem. Then another night they did the same thing and the hostess told them that they really aren't supposed to do that, but she would seat them anyway. It seems like it's just one of those things where it depends on who you ask.

 

That being said, I don't see how you could possibly eat at the dining room and then eat at the Chef's table later. I was so full after Chef's table that I could barely move. Maybe I misunderstood the question.

[Maarek]

Do they check names or S&S for YTD now? Last time I was on (granted, it's been a couple years) you would just show up and they seated you as you came and filled each table before moving onto the next. Staff had no clue who you were so even if you had a scheduled time, you could goto YTD because no one verified who you were.

[riffatsea]

You have to give your cabin number to the hostess before she seats you for YTD.

They know who you are and where you are supposed to be!

[cruizinisthebest]

I don't see the problem. If you have the 5:30 seating and show up at 7pm, what? They aren't going to feed you? You're in before the 8:15 pm seating. I wouldn't worry about rudeness or any other such foolishness.

There's no 5:30 seating.

 

Either you have a slot for assigned time or a slot for ATD. The OP is asking if they can show up to ATD unannounced with having an assigned dinner slot. And that you cannot do. Just like you can't do the reverse either. Asking nicely is in fact rude since you've already been given the slot of your choosing with the assigned time.

 

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[peajay84]

I've read that some with YTD have had to wait to be seated because it was so busy when they went. I would hope that if you don't have YTD and you just show up and there is a waitlist that either A) they turn you away and send you to the buffet or whereever or B) they put you on the waitlist but seat all those WITH YTD first.

[diesteldorf]

I don't see how you could possibly eat at the dining room and then eat at the Chef's table later. I was so full after Chef's table that I could barely move. Maybe I misunderstood the question.

 

Realistically, my original post may not be rational anyway, since I know the Chef's Table provides plenty of food.

 

However, on a 5 day cruise, there are probably certain things on the MDR that will only be served once and never again.

 

I was only asking to see if it was feasible to eat and enjoy at the Chef's Table and then show up later in the evening around 8:30-9:00 if there was a dessert or special appetizer that I really wanted to try.

Regardless, it isn't anything I'm going to be disappointed about.

 

While I really enjoy the Chef's Table, if the Triumph had a steakhouse, I would probably just eat there once or twice and, knowing that I could plan my time, and pick a day when the MDR had nothing I cared about missing.

 

Though not the same, there have been times where I've gotten up early on sea days to have double-brunch, just because there were too many good things to choose from.

[SadieN]

There's no 5:30 seating.

 

Either you have a slot for assigned time or a slot for ATD. The OP is asking if they can show up to ATD unannounced with having an assigned dinner slot. And that you cannot do. Just like you can't do the reverse either. Asking nicely is in fact rude since you've already been given the slot of your choosing with the assigned time.

 

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Hawaii itins have early seating at 5:30.

 

Ive witnessed the hostesses on the Miracle turn away assigned diners from ATD. At the very least it messes up the tip allocation.

[WpgCruise]

Put me with the group who says "No", and don't ask

 

Just my opinion but putting service people in a position to choose between breaking the rules and saying "No" isn't fair to them.

 

These people are trained to meet clients expectations, having to say "No" puts them in a difficult position. Why make their jobs more difficult than it has to be ?

Edited December 1, 2016 by WpgCruise

[GradUT]

put me with the group who says "no", and don't ask

 

just my opinion but putting service people in a position to choose between breaking the rules and saying "no" isn't fair to them.

 

These people are trained to meet clients expectations, having to say "no" puts them in a difficult position. Why make their jobs more difficult than it has to be ?

 

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