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Booths in the dinning room?


partyof3

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I was just surfing the net looking for a cruise to go on out on NY. I am already booked on NCL dawn for 1-20 05. I wanted to so something over the summer too. I was debating to go on Carnival so I was looking at some photos of the legend. First impressions of the ship is it is way to tacky for me. All the gaudy gold and brass even around the pool deck! The dinning room didn't look much better either. I am not sure if I am correct but did I see booths in the dinning room? It reminded me of a gaudy Vegas dinner!! So if you know if they have booths or not in the dinning room let me know. Thanks.

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They do have "booths". We had one on the Legend in April. They have more tables than booths from 2 up to 8 or 10. Don't let the decor keep you from trying the ship. Yes, it's a bit bright, but a lot of it is actually pretty once you get past the glitz.

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I actually PREFER a booth.

 

The existence of booths in and of itself is not indicative of *any* restaurant's quality. The London Chop House in Detroit had booths and was one of the most prestigious eateries in the country.

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I took a tour of the Crown and the dining area seem to be able the same as it was on the Victory. I dont sail because of a ships decor. so for me that wouldnt make my cruise. But if you decided to cruise and got a booth and didnt want it--you can always head to the Martre de and ask for a change. It should not be a problem.

 

Before we headed on the VOyager every picture we saw of the Promanade deck showed us it was a deep purple. Nothing could have been purther fromt eh truth as it was spectacular.

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Can anyone tell me how much space is available in the booths? My husband has lots of love handles and depending on the size of the booth, it can sometimes be an uncomfortable fit. In some restaurants we request tables for this reason. Will Carnival allow us to make such a seating request in advance?

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I think it will depend on the ship. On the Legend, there was plenty of room in the booths. DH & I aren't exactly what you'd call small and we were very comfortable. The booth next to us had cruisers who were even larger than us and they seemed very comfortable as well. We also had a booth on the Pride and it was just as spacious. Hope this helps.

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We (Hubby and I) were on the Legend last year and loved it. We had a table for 6 and enjoyed meeting two other couples. Yes, there were booths, but they looked comfy. There are tables for 2 and 4, and if you book the Legend, go visit the dining room on the afternoon you board to check your table assignment. If you don't like where you are, they will do all they can to change your table to your liking.

Yes, the Legend is a bit "over the top" but in a very pretty and tasteful way. However, if you dislike any kind of glitz, this may not be the ship for you. I don't remember any glitz on the Lido deck.

If you would like to try a Spirit class Carnival ship and think the Legend might be too much decor wise for you, may I suggest the Miracle? We just returned from a cruise on the Miracle and loved it! The decor is toned down some, and may be more to your liking.

DH and I just LOVE the Spirit class Carnival ships! Now, we want to go on the other two Spirit class ships! A good size, lots of different entertainment, you can do as much or as little as you want. The ship never feels crowded expect on the first formal night, during the Captains Reception...then the passageways get a bit clogged, but even that is enjoyable..seeing everyone dressed up! In my experience, on both of my Carnival cruises, the majority of people dressed formal on the formal nights..I saw very few people NOT dressed up, and this was a pleasant surprise!

If you have any more questions please ask away, and I will do my best to answer them.

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Our last cruise was on the Legend. All the ships we've been on have had booths, but only our first on the Imagination, were we seated in a booth.

 

Everyone raves about the Spirit Class ships. It's not that I didn't like it; I just prefer the larger Destiny or Conquest class. (I'm male...bigger is better. :rolleyes: ) After being on both Triumph and Victory, Legend seemed cramped to me. Amazing how being just 10 feet narrower can make that much of an impact for me. It just seemed too narrow to me. Imagination is actually smaller, and it was our first cruise and the ship was very roomy then.

 

Both my wife and I didn't like how everyone herded in like cattle to the dining room. It was the only time of day we actually felt crowded, but it was every day! It really got annoying. I don't know if anyone else has had that problem, and my parents are on Spirit this week in Alaska. I'm going to ask them if they had the same problem.

 

Decor is a personal opinion. I loved the decor of Triumph, and my wife loved the decor of Legend.

 

Look, the food is incredible and the service has always been top notch. You can’t go wrong on any class of ship with Carnival.

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WHEREVER we dine, we prefer booths - this is even more the case while on a cruise... while some may find the interaction with strangers a postive experience - we like to have quiet productive conversation with each other - it feels awkward ACTING interested in your random tablemates conversations, when you are (usually) NOT - and wondering if the same is going on in the other direction...

 

No, we are not PARANOID or INSECURE - nor do we have SOCIAL ANXEITY ... we just do not wish to gamble with our time during the dining experience.

 

Tom

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I don't want to get slammed but I still find it strange to have booths in the dining room. Maybe this is special to Carnival. It isn't so much having to sit in a booth as much as having to look at the booths while eating. It gives the impression that it is more of a budget line. Is this what I should expect from the cruise. I have been on RCCL, Princess, HAL, and even NCL and have never seen booths in the diningroom. As far as getting over "the glitz" I don't want to spend $$ to get over the glitz. Perhaps I should not consider carnival for my cruise decemeber cuise 05.

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I think you have already made up your mind not to go Carnival. That is up to you. Carnival is the fun ships and is for people who want to have a fun vacation like me.We went on the legend and had a booth on the upper level overlooking the main dining and enjoyed it emencely. Not only was the food most times superior to the the higher priced cruise lines but we felt the service in the booth was even better than at a table which could have been my imagination. We had no problem with the booth and found plenty of things to look at besides the booth like the fantastic food.

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I think you have already made up your mind not to go Carnival. That is up to you. Carnival is the fun ships and is for people who want to have a fun vacation like me.We went on the legend and had a booth on the upper level overlooking the main dining and enjoyed it emencely. Not only was the food most times superior to the the higher priced cruise lines but we felt the service in the booth was even better than at a table which could have been my imagination. We had no problem with the booth and found plenty of things to look at besides the booth like the fantastic food.

Thats why I want to try Carnival it seesm to be more fun then the other lines. What to do what to do....I think I will rooll the dice and try Carnival....How bad could it be

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Partyof3: If looking at booths upsets you that much then perhaps Carnival is NOT for you. Depending on where you were seated you might never see a boothe. Even so, if it turns you off, not a problem, there are many other lines out there that might be more to your taste. I recently took HAL to Alaska and while I thoroughly enjoyed the experience many, MANY times I yearned for the "fun" of Carnival.

 

DbauKnight: If the "herding" at dinner time bothers you, arrive five minutes after the dining room opens. They won't have started serving yet, but the crowd should be gone.

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Partyof3: If looking at booths upsets you that much then perhaps Carnival is NOT for you. Depending on where you were seated you might never see a boothe. Even so, if it turns you off, not a problem, there are many other lines out there that might be more to your taste. I recently took HAL to Alaska and while I thoroughly enjoyed the experience many, MANY times I yearned for the "fun" of Carnival.

 

DbauKnight: If the "herding" at dinner time bothers you, arrive five minutes after the dining room opens. They won't have started serving yet, but the crowd should be gone.

If booths in the dining room is a fair representation for the entire atmosphere of the cruise then perhaps I will not enjoy it. However I do want to have some fun. This is why I am asking for help

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To tell you the truth, I have no clue what I "sat" in while in the dining room... I was much more interested in the atmosphere (and watching the sunset each night), the food, my tablemates, entertainment, etc... I'm not trying to be mean, but if booths in the dining room make you think it is "budget" then you may not want to go... there are far worse things that a cruiseship could have. Smith and Wollensky's has booths and they are far from budget... Some of the finer restaurants I have been to have had booth seating... Carnival is fun, but probably only fun to those that allow themselves to be open to having fun and not being too overly concerned with the decor and seating options.... whatever you choose, have a great time....

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"If booths in the dining room is a fair representation for the entire atmosphere of the cruise then perhaps I will not enjoy it. However I do want to have some fun. This is why I am asking for help"

 

I guess I just don't get it. It seems you're equating "Booth" with "low class". Why would you do that? Do you not know that MANY expensive, exclusive restaurants have SOME booth seating?? It's not like any significant percentage of Carnival dining room seating is in booths. Quite frankly, while I noticed it before, I never gave it a second thought. The dining rooms on all of the Carnival ships on which I have sailed are quite elegant, in my opinion. I just don't understand why someone who "want to have some fun", is sweatin' the small stuff!!

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