Only 2 Dinner seatings on Miracle?

[FLA Indy]

Hi, we just booked the Miracle for Nov and are a bit dissapointed with only two choices for dinner seatings. The last 4 cruises have been on Princess and we are so use to the open seating and are feeling trapped by having to choose 5:45 or 8:15pm. One is too early, I don't want to have to rush back from the ports each day or the pool just to get ready for dinner and the late seating is so late. I don't want to do buffet any nights since I love the sit down dinners. When we first inquired Carnival told us there were 4 times but when I booked with our agent she confirmed that this does not apply to this class of ship. Did anyone else feel this way? I hate when everyone is lined outside the dining room waiting for the doors to open and are filed in like cattle. I love cruises but wish Carnival would add some flexibility to their times. But still looking forward to our trip.

[Nliedel]

Carnival and RCI do not have open seating. Just traditional.

[walkswife]

You will absolutely love the Miracle..... when we went we had teens with us so we took early seating so they wouldn't miss out on their time in the dance club.... I actually prefer late seating.....

 

With these ports the only days we missed the dining room were Sunday.... we wanted to see the Sunshine Skyway Bridge at 6:00....and Wednesday... we didn't want to get back on the ship early in Cozumel to make dinner.....

 

Otherwise your back on the ship early enough to make dinner.....

[marktac]

Sorry about that...Miracle only has 1 formal dining room with 2 times. You can reserve a particular time in the alternative restaurant, get room service, go to the Lido Deck and have any number of choices, even eat pizza at 2AM if you are so inclined.

 

That's the Carnival way..no free-style here (Been there on NCL and all I can say is, "Thank God").

 

Mark T

[Rena921]

Hi, we just booked the Miracle for Nov and are a bit dissapointed with only two choices for dinner seatings. The last 4 cruises have been on Princess and we are so use to the open seating and are feeling trapped by having to choose 5:45 or 8:15pm. One is too early, I don't want to have to rush back from the ports each day or the pool just to get ready for dinner and the late seating is so late. I don't want to do buffet any nights since I love the sit down dinners. When we first inquired Carnival told us there were 4 times but when I booked with our agent she confirmed that this does not apply to this class of ship. Did anyone else feel this way? I hate when everyone is lined outside the dining room waiting for the doors to open and are filed in like cattle. I love cruises but wish Carnival would add some flexibility to their times. But still looking forward to our trip.

 

Make reservations at Nick and Nora's. You can make your res. for whatever time you want to eat. Unfortunately there is a cover charge (think it was 30.00 pp) BUT, it's well Worth it to eat there at least once. The food was amazing and the service was impeccable.

IMO, 8:15 is not too late at all. We were surprised at how quickly dinner rolled around each night. I actually prefer the structured seating times...if you are lucky enough to get great table mates, you look forward to dinner every night. You have the same waiter and asst. waiter so they really get to know you, that's all part of the cruising experience.

[BigDoug]

The dining experience on Carnival will be far superior to the anytime dining on Princess. Your waiter and asst. waiter will actually be able to spend time at your table and get to know you.

[dznymom]

We don't line up for the dining room. Just come down a few (very few in consideration of your tablemates and servers) minutes after the start time, and the line should be gone, other than the first night when it takes a few more minutes to escort everyone to their table. We usually eat in the alternative restaurant one night, and we select a night that a different time works better with our port plans.

 

We are really looking forward to our Miracle cruise, even after seeing pictures of the dining room :D

[HeidiHo]

We took the early seat ing on the Miracle because we were afraid late seating would interfere with the teen disco hours. I would have preferred late and was worried about making the early dinner on port days but we never had any trouble making it on time. We never waited in line to get in the dining room either. As another poster said, just come to the dining room a couple of minutes late and the line will be gone.

[momofzeke]

We had late seating on the Miracle and loved it. No rushing after port days. I get cranky when I'm hungry, so I would just go up to Lido around 5 or 6-ish and grab a light snack from the buffet. Worked perfectly. And, as Heidi and dsnymom said, just go to dinner a couple of minutes after 8:15 and the line will be gone ~ walk right in and to your table. Or, sit in the lounge right by the dining room and enjoy a drink and listen to the music provided (there was a live guitar performance most nights that was very entertaining). Wait until the line is gone and then walk right into the dining room. :)