No dining time assigned? Everything waitlisted

[PaddleAddict]

When I did online checkin for us, all that was left was Anytime Dining and Late Dining, so I selected Anytime Dining. But today I just got a letter from Carnival saying that we were waitlisted and have no dining time available and that we will be assigned when we get to the ship. When I went to manage my reservation online, Late and Anytime are listed but they both say Waitlisted.

 

I've never been in this situation before. Is it possible that we are going to be forced to take Late Dining? We have two little kids so that won't work for us at all.

[teknoge3k]

Most people pick their dining when they book their cruise rather than waiting until check-in, which is most likely why you're seeing them marked as full/waitlisted. Carnival will do their best to get you into a preferred dining time, but it's not guaranteed and you may have to take whatever is left with availability. Even if you can't get into ATD or early and are stuck with late, there's always the buffet and other venues you could visit also. 

[CruisinArn]

Guess I am confused a little by this. I find it hard to believe they would not let you eat in the MDR... That's is what it is for, when you do not want or can not get early or late. The App will just not work when you want to check in for dinner ? Would love to know if this has happened to someone. I have never seen or heard of it.

[scottasp]

I would go see the Maitre d as soon as you board. They will take care of it and you will eat in the main dining room, it may not be your first choice but they seem to try and accommodate everyone as best they can. I have also never seen or heard this before but as was stated most pick dining time when they book. It probably occurs a lot on last minute bookings.

[ABQrobin]

Once you get onboard, go to the Maitre'D and tell them your request.  You WILL get to eat in the MDR, its just that the computer only allows a certain number of people per time slot.  

[Techman360]

I just learned this lesson myself earlier this month.  We weren't at check in though and still had 3.5-4 months to go but all that was left was late with early and any time as a waitlist option.  I've check any time for waitlist but when I save nothing reflects that we are waitlisted so quite confused.  Plan to see about a change when we get on the ship in October but if they can't accommodate, I guess the wife and I will make the best of it.  Harder to do when you have kids with you that is for sure.  Only our second cruise and first was a wedding so all the dining was pre arranged for us.

[DallasGuy75219]

7 hours ago, PaddleAddict said:

Is it possible that we are going to be forced to take Late Dining?

Yes

 

6 hours ago, CruisinArn said:

I find it hard to believe they would not let you eat in the MDR...

They will be assigned to a seating (likely late seating or YTD), just not necessarily their first or second preference. 

[PaddleAddict]

7 hours ago, teknoge3k said:

Most people pick their dining when they book their cruise rather than waiting until check-in, which is most likely why you're seeing them marked as full/waitlisted. Carnival will do their best to get you into a preferred dining time, but it's not guaranteed and you may have to take whatever is left with availability. Even if you can't get into ATD or early and are stuck with late, there's always the buffet and other venues you could visit also. 

I did choose Anytime when I booked. Then when I did online check-in it asked me again and I selected anytime again. And then I got a letter that I’m waitlisted. We can’t do late dining as my children will be asleep by then. 

[Salem615]

Do you a PVP? I emailed ours and he said he could see what he could do for us and the next morning I had an email that we were switched to the 6pm dining slot. 

[kdr69]

I'm having trouble with this. Carnival knows the capacity of the dining rooms and once Early and Late Dining times are full all that's left but if you want those two options your waitlisted. But Anytime dining is for eating whenever you want to go and not tied to a particular time so how can you be waitlisted to eat anytime you want???

[jsglow]

1 hour ago, kdr69 said:

I'm having trouble with this. Carnival knows the capacity of the dining rooms and once Early and Late Dining times are full all that's left but if you want those two options your waitlisted. But Anytime dining is for eating whenever you want to go and not tied to a particular time so how can you be waitlisted to eat anytime you want???

Because they are absolutely going to limit capacity in that physical dining room too. The YTD dining room can only seat so many people per hour and there are only so many hours/seatings that can be accommodated during the hours of dining. I'll use an example. Say there are 200 seats and they can do 2.5 seatings per night on average. That's capacity of 500. My math over simplies, of course, but still works. It's the same thing at a restaurant downtown when you can't get a reservation for Saturday when you call on Friday night. They're already full. 

 

One of the things that Carnival has done is to begin to tweak the set times for the Early and Late slots on certain ships/sailings. It seems that Late is a bit too late for most as it is the least popular so the solution is to adjust the start times for both those options. Early gets earlier (too early for some folks); Late gets a bit earlier and somewhat more attractive.

 

Bottom line: everyone eventually gets assigned, just like how everyone gets a cabin when they do a GTY.

Edited August 1 by jsglow

[Joebucks]

20 hours ago, Salem615 said:

Do you a PVP? I emailed ours and he said he could see what he could do for us and the next morning I had an email that we were switched to the 6pm dining slot. 

 

This is interesting. Personally, I've never had an issue getting any dining option I wanted. They may say full, but something usually opens up or whatnot. If this can save me a trip from going to the Maitre D, I may give it a try. 

 

I've tried them all and nothing is better (for me) than 6 pm. 

[StephPS79]

2 hours ago, kdr69 said:

I'm having trouble with this. Carnival knows the capacity of the dining rooms and once Early and Late Dining times are full all that's left but if you want those two options your waitlisted. But Anytime dining is for eating whenever you want to go and not tied to a particular time so how can you be waitlisted to eat anytime you want???

 

I've definitely gotten waitlisted for YTD.  But within a short period of time, I got confirmed YTD.  As jsglow mentioned, I'm sure it's a computer capacity safety net, but I'd be curious to know if anyone waitlisted for YTD didn't end up getting it eventually.  I've never not gotten it.  

[jsglow]

33 minutes ago, StephPS79 said:

 

I've definitely gotten waitlisted for YTD.  But within a short period of time, I got confirmed YTD.  As jsglow mentioned, I'm sure it's a computer capacity safety net, but I'd be curious to know if anyone waitlisted for YTD didn't end up getting it eventually.  I've never not gotten it.  

While it certainly 'fills', YTD is the one dining option where there can be some 'give' in the system. Both Early and Late have exact fixed number limitations. Each and everyone assigned has 100% expectation that their seat is waiting for them as the designated time. Ten extra folks in YTD just plays with the modeling each night. They'll eventually be seated. 

[PaddleAddict]

3 hours ago, kdr69 said:

I'm having trouble with this. Carnival knows the capacity of the dining rooms and once Early and Late Dining times are full all that's left but if you want those two options your waitlisted. But Anytime dining is for eating whenever you want to go and not tied to a particular time so how can you be waitlisted to eat anytime you want???

Right … I mean, we have no MDR dining assigned right now. We have a confirmed cruise reservation, I’m surprised why we can’t have any MDR dining assigned, even if it’s not ideal. 🤷🏼‍♀️

[jsglow]

3 hours ago, PaddleAddict said:

Right … I mean, we have no MDR dining assigned right now. We have a confirmed cruise reservation, I’m surprised why we can’t have any MDR dining assigned, even if it’s not ideal. 🤷🏼‍♀️

You'll get assigned. Final assignments might be held pending Diamond/Platinum preferences. Think of it just like Guarantee cabin. Might be truly last minute. Might be as you board.