Dining Times Explained Please?

[ColoradoTravelLover]

Hello cruisers!  

 

We will be on  MSC Meraviglia with Fantasia experience this winter.  Forgive me for my naivete, but we've only taken one cruise before with NCL, which has freestyle dining, so I'm unfamiliar with how a cruise with dining "seating" works.  If we miss our assigned dining time, are we out of luck except for the buffet?  If we book a specialty restaurant, do we have to "cancel" our MDR dining time?  What if only a few of us show up for our reserved time (i.e. kids decide to go to buffet or order room service) -- is that OK?  And we are traveling with two other families who may or may not have the same dining times/locations (one has Bella, so can't even request). Any chance we can mix and match as long as the same number of people show up that is assigned to that particular time/location?  

 

Thank you for helping explain this to the novices! 

 

Heather 

[Essiesmom]

You will be assigned a time, table, and dining room.  If you miss it, you may eat at the buffet.  Don't know if you can mix & match as that would totally confuse your servers who are trying to get to know your and your preferences.  And your names.  EM

[ready2cruzagain]

No, you can't mix and match.  Each person will have their assigned time and table. They will have to go when seated or else eat somewhere else.  Also, since you are new to this, just a heads up, try to show up on time. Nothing more irritating than sitting at a table with other people and them always showing up whenever they want to (such as 30 or 40 minutes late).

 

You could always go and talk to the maitre d the first day and see if he could seat you all together. Not saying it would happen but you could try.

Edited August 2, 2019 by ready2cruzagain

[deliver42]

You do not have to cancel your MDR time to go to a specialty restaurant. You just go. However, if it's not the first night, i would let your server know that you wouldn't be there for dinner the next night because you are going to restaurant xxx, or to the buffet. That way he wouldn't be waiting for you.

[Epos Man]

As soon as you get on board go to the maitre D and ask if the people you want to dine with can be seated with you if its possible they will accommodate the request

[ColoradoTravelLover]

Thank you, everyone, for helping out a newbie!