Dining for 8 guests or more on Carnival Magic

[outandabout]

Greetings!

 

We are a party of 14 adults and we would like to sit together when dining in the MDR. From what I've read, they only have a table for max of 8; so if this is the case, we are okay with two tables so long as we are near each other.

 

Is it possible to request/ask for this kind of arrangement prior to sailing or does it have to be done once onboard; and who should we talk to?

 

Sailing in April on the Magic!

 

Appreciate any ideas or suggestions.

 

Outandabout

[FLCruisinMom]

I'm not sailing on the Magic until March. But I have sailed on her sister ships, once on the Dream and twice on the Breeze. Our largest group was 15 and we all sat together at one table. I am sure they can accommodate you.

[Micahs Grandad]

Link your reservations and you will either get one very big table or two close by ones and you can switch around each night

[serene56]

Traditional dining is what you want. We had two tables of 8 back to back. Each night we rotated 4 seats so everyone got to sit with each other

 

 

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[jackdis]

I am almost positive we had a table for 13 last summer on the Magic. Have a great trip!

[outandabout]

Hi everyone...FLCruisinMom, Micah's Grandad, serene56, jackdis

 

Thank you for all your responses. This is what I lifted from Carnival's website: "Since most tables are configured for parties up to 6 guests and many cannot be moved together to make larger tables, parties greater than 8 guests may need to be accommodated at several tables and the wait can sometimes be more than one hour. It is important to advise accordingly as to manage expectations and avoid disappointment once on board. We highly suggest that parties of 8 or more guests choose the traditional assigned seating (6:00pm or 8:15pm) to assure sitting together at one table or several tables close together."

 

We will choose traditional seating at 6pm. Our reservations are linked. So my question is: To request a big table for 14, should I call Carnival before sailing or can this be done once onboard. Who should we talk to? Concierge or Maitre D' at the MDR?

 

Thank you.

[cmichael1279]

Hi everyone...FLCruisinMom, Micah's Grandad, serene56, jackdis

 

Thank you for all your responses. This is what I lifted from Carnival's website: "Since most tables are configured for parties up to 6 guests and many cannot be moved together to make larger tables, parties greater than 8 guests may need to be accommodated at several tables and the wait can sometimes be more than one hour. It is important to advise accordingly as to manage expectations and avoid disappointment once on board. We highly suggest that parties of 8 or more guests choose the traditional assigned seating (6:00pm or 8:15pm) to assure sitting together at one table or several tables close together."

 

We will choose traditional seating at 6pm. Our reservations are linked. So my question is: To request a big table for 14, should I call Carnival before sailing or can this be done once onboard. Who should we talk to? Concierge or Maitre D' at the MDR?

 

Thank you.

 

Maitre D is Jan Gusmann - email is mcmaitred at carnival dot com

 

I emailed about an upcoming cruise and received a response within an hour.

[serene56]

We will choose traditional seating at 6pm. Our reservations are linked. So my question is: To request a big table for 14, should I call Carnival before sailing or can this be done once onboard. Who should we talk to? Concierge or Maitre D' at the MDR?

 

Thank you.

 

Make sure every reservation has a LINk in their reservation. And get your agent to mark in on your reservation.

 

Email the mairte de about 3-4 weeks before. You do not want to wait to board to get this taken care of. THe tables are assigned by then

[BoDidly]

Hi everyone...FLCruisinMom, Micah's Grandad, serene56, jackdis

 

Thank you for all your responses. This is what I lifted from Carnival's website: "Since most tables are configured for parties up to 6 guests and many cannot be moved together to make larger tables, parties greater than 8 guests may need to be accommodated at several tables and the wait can sometimes be more than one hour. It is important to advise accordingly as to manage expectations and avoid disappointment once on board. We highly suggest that parties of 8 or more guests choose the traditional assigned seating (6:00pm or 8:15pm) to assure sitting together at one table or several tables close together."

 

We will choose traditional seating at 6pm. Our reservations are linked. So my question is: To request a big table for 14, should I call Carnival before sailing or can this be done once onboard. Who should we talk to? Concierge or Maitre D' at the MDR?

 

Thank you.

 

The wait time for dining becomes extremely longer. If planning entertainment for the evening most of your time will be tied up waiting for food and others in your group to finish their meals. Hopefully the food arrives as ordered and still warm ,other than that you may have an even longer wait . Just a thought ;)

Edited January 9, 2017 by BoDidly

[FLCruisinMom]

To clarify, we do assigned dining and always link our reservations ( usually 4 families) and have never emailed anyone for requests. We have always had one table.

[meester_jamie]

To clarify, we do assigned dining and always link our reservations ( usually 4 families) and have never emailed anyone for requests. We have always had one table.

 

Yup,, same, we have had "large" groups,, and we LINK groups of 20 ... at one table .. sometimes a big round one

 

In fact,, we have decided to SUPRIZE friends,,, we hear they are cruising, and secretly book on the same itinery!! ,, and LINK our info with theirs!!... lol... we go a little late for the first dinner... let them sit and wonder who is going to sit with them........... and when they escort US to their table,, it is a hoot!!

 

soo,,traditional assigned dining --- 6pm so we can hit the entertainment asap..

all rooms / pax/ LINKED on the reservations ..

and AbraCadabra ,, MAGIC! you will all sit together! << see what I did there.. lol

 

We are on Magic Jan 21 till Feb 4th

[cruizinisthebest]

There were 15 of us last year. We had two tables for 8 side-by-side. Our reservations were linked. Never needed to speak to the maitre'd.

[eeudj]

I'm not sailing on the Magic until March. But I have sailed on her sister ships, once on the Dream and twice on the Breeze. Our largest group was 15 and we all sat together at one table. I am sure they can accommodate you.

 

Great to know we have a party of 20 on the Breeze in June... did you have anytime dining? Did you have to make a special request? TIA

[outandabout]

Hello again,

 

All reservations are linked but...we are wait listed! Cruise is on April 22nd. Should I email the Maitre D' now?

 

Thanks!

[serene56]

Hello again,

 

All reservations are linked but...we are wait listed! Cruise is on April 22nd. Should I email the Maitre D' now?

 

Thanks!

 

no, its too early and may get lost. Try it at 3-4 weeks but not before.

Include all names and booking numbers

[robinbandit]

How do you link booking numbers? We are a group of 9.

[shellsd]

Helpful thread! I have 3 other bookings linked to my booking. Is that enough or do all three other parties also have to link all bookings on their side too?

[Micahs Grandad]

How do you link booking numbers? We are a group of 9.

 

Ask your TA or pvp but you will need everyones booking number

[FSHLOT]

We sailed Magic in December with a group.

 

We had a weird experience dining with a group of 10. First they just put a couple of square tables together that were separated by a few feet and had 2 different head waiters taking our orders. We tried to get a big table but they couldn't do it for some reason. It was just a weird situation dining as a group but kind of separated at the same time with 2 head waiters.

 

We still had a great time at dinner every night, but we just wanted to be as one group.

[serene56]

Helpful thread! I have 3 other bookings linked to my booking. Is that enough or do all three other parties also have to link all bookings on their side too?

 

I would have every one put all numbers in their booking

 

 

How do you link booking numbers? We are a group of 9.

 

 

do NOT allow them to put you at a table for 8 people. When you get onboard the dining room will be opened at 1pm. head there to check on that table. If its for 8 people visit the mairte de and tell him you want a table that holds 10

 

Unless you booked anytime then dont worry about it

Edited January 25, 2017 by serene56

[auscgguysgirl]

I'm not sure if it matters by boat, or not. I would call prior to sailing and make sure they understand your party wishes to be seated as closely together and unobstructed as possible. Your dining table # is assigned prior to boarding.

 

We recently came off of the Valor in Port Canaveral from an 8 day cruise w/ a party of 12. They seated 8 of us at one table and the other 4 at another table w/ a divider wall in between us. We weren't even able to see the other 8 people we came w/. It was a little disappointing. When we asked @ dinner the 1st night, they said they were unable to accommodate any changes.

 

We will be traveling again this coming April on the Sunshine out of Port Canaveral w/ 15, which includes my son, who is flying home for the cruise from his duty station in Hawaii, who we have not seen in 3 years. We want to make sure this doesn't happen again.

[outandabout]

Serene56...

 

I've been calling Carnival diligently if there's any update; but no--we're still waitlisted. -;)

[nwo4life]

no, its too early and may get lost. Try it at 3-4 weeks but not before.

 

Include all names and booking numbers

 

 

John Heald handles many of these requests, he has stated many, many times the the maitre'd does the seating assignment 4 DAYS before the cruise. The easiest thing to do is ask John for assistance on his Facebook page 4 days before you sail.

 

 

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[A&Jfamily]

Hello again,

 

All reservations are linked but...we are wait listed! Cruise is on April 22nd. Should I email the Maitre D' now?

 

Thanks!

 

What exactly are you wait listed for? And is it just some reservations or all showing wait list? As others have said, you do NOT want anytime dining with this many people. You need to select the early or late seating. Early may be "full" so if that is what you are trying for, you may not get it - you could certainly try to rearrange once on board but that is not a 100% guarantee they can accommodate. Odds are late seating is not full and my guess is you could move everyone to that time slot by calling.

[sjcruiser]

We've had groups of between 12-25 on several cruises in the past five years. We've used the same PVP, or had the representative at Carnival link the reservations or bookings together under one primary travelers name, booking number or room. We were all seated at several (2-3) long tables side-by-side/back-to-back in the MDR. I think the most important thing to do to accomplish this is linking the reservations/bookings.