Can you do MDR dining with other people not on your cabin reservation or linked with yours?

[rabidstoat]

I'm going solo on a cruise next week, and some other solo cruisers and I have discussed asking to be seated together in the main dining room for dinners so we aren't eating alone.

 

Is this possible in the age of COVID? I know, for example, that on some other cruise lines you can only eat at the same table if your reservations are linked. And on Carnival's site, there is a page where it says: "Here you'll see names of all the guests that are part of your travel group. Missing someone? Go ahead and send them an invite by entering their email address below and clicking "send invitation." You'll be able to enjoy onboard entertainment events and dine with members of your Cruise Companion group."

 

So do we have to be on the same reservation or in a "Cruise Companion group" to be seated together?

[odis]

You can sit together, but you will need to all see the front desk/maître d and request to be seated together. Provided there is room, it should not be a problem. One cruise we had YTD and the other group had 8:30 dinner seating and we were able to sit together. 

Edited November 4, 2021 by odis

[Elaine5715]

Yes, seating arrangement options have not changed. If everyone is on YTD and you are not linked, you just go to the podium as usual.

If you are on Assigned Dining, you need to link up and/or go to the Maitre on arrival and get assigned together

Edited November 4, 2021 by Elaine5715

[Elaine5715]

Just now, odis said:

You can sit together, but you will need to all see the front desk/maître d and request to be seated together. Provided there is room, it should not be a problem. One cruise we had YTD and the other group had 8:30 dinner seating and we were able to sit together. 

That would have required a change in dining assignments not seating arrangements 

[Guest BasicSailor]

Just do anytime dining and request to sit together before being seated.

[RunnerGirl26.2]

We were on Glory last month, early dining.  We (my sister and I) were seated at a 10 top. Seven people total. So they are letting you sit with people who are not in your party or travel companions. 

[nlktx49]

We just had our first cruise since January 2020, and there were a lot of changes. Had YTD, the first night we showed up at MDR as usual and were asked if we had registered and what table number were we assigned.

 

Say what? Turns out almost everything is now done on the HUB. If you have YTD when you are ready to eat you go to Food and Drink on the HUB, go to MDR,  list everyone who will be in your party, and submit. You will receive a message about how long your estimated wait is. Then you'll get a message that your table is ready, with the table number. Head for the MDR, and show the host your phone - it will have a table number and you and your party will be seated. There is also a place when you are registering where you can say you are willing to sit with others. I didn't see any social distancing at any of the tables.

 

At first I didn't like this process but once I knew what to do I loved it! Instead of showing up at the MDR ready to eat, find out there are no tables available, getting a pager and waiting 30 minutes or more, you know when your table is ready.

 

You also have to do this for breakfast in the MDR. They ask that you also access the menu on your phone on the HUB, if you can't or won't, they will give you a printed menu.

 

There were a lot of confused people at the MDR entrance the first night, so I don't think Carnival communicated this very well, not as well as they did the new muster drill procedure. We are in our 70's and are sometimes intimidated and confused by technology!

[skrufy]

3 hours ago, rabidstoat said:

I'm going solo on a cruise next week, and some other solo cruisers and I have discussed asking to be seated together in the main dining room for dinners so we aren't eating alone.

 

Is this possible in the age of COVID? I know, for example, that on some other cruise lines you can only eat at the same table if your reservations are linked. And on Carnival's site, there is a page where it says: "Here you'll see names of all the guests that are part of your travel group. Missing someone? Go ahead and send them an invite by entering their email address below and clicking "send invitation." You'll be able to enjoy onboard entertainment events and dine with members of your Cruise Companion group."

 

So do we have to be on the same reservation or in a "Cruise Companion group" to be seated together?

Don’t wait to go to the mdr the first day of your cruise. You might not get what you want. Link the reservations together, if it’s available you will have everyone together prior to the cruise.