"Your Choice Dining" to be implemented

[parrotthead]

This is from Carnival

(I snagged it from another site)

We are very pleased to be announcing the launch of a new shipboard dining program called “Your Choice Dining.”

 

Your Choice Dining provides a selection of three different dinner seating options. In addition to Early and Late assigned seating, Carnival is rolling out “Your Time” open seating to accommodate individual guest preferences.

 

We ran a pilot program for open seating on a few ships beginning late last year and received exceptionally positive guest feedback. That prompted the decision to extend it fleetwide.

 

Guests may choose Early dining at 6pm, Late dining at 8:15 pm or “Your Time” open seating. Guests on “Your Time” may dine any time between 5:45pm and 9:30pm (if applicable depending on ship and sailing date) and are able to request any table size or waiter. While most guests will be seated immediately upon arriving at the dining room, if a modest wait time is required, they will be given a pager so they may relax elsewhere on the ship until their table is ready.

 

“Your Time” open seating is currently available on five ships and will be implemented one vessel at a time over the next several months as modifications in dining room table configurations are completed on each ship. An additional eight ships are scheduled to be converted by the end of year and the balance of the fleet by summer 2010. As Your Time dining is implemented on each ship, we will contact you by email or fax so you may reach out to your booked clients and provide the opportunity to switch to Your Time dining or retain their original choice.

 

Another enhancement of "Your Choice Dining” is we will now confirm the dining option selected at the time of booking (subject to availability) for all ships fleetwide. If the preferred dining choice is not available, guests may confirm an alternate choice and be placed on a waitlist for their first preference.

 

Below is a timetable for the introduction of Your Time open seating throughout the Carnival fleet:

 

Already implemented: Carnival Legend, Carnival Liberty, Carnival Sensation, Carnival Paradise, Carnival Miracle.

End of April: Carnival Conquest, Carnival Elation, Carnival Pride

Mid-June: Carnival Fantasy, Carnival Spirit.

Late September: Carnival Dream.

Mid-October: Carnival Ecstasy.

Mid-December: Carnival Glory.

February 2010: Carnival Fascination.

By summer 2010: Carnival Imagination, Carnival Inspiration, Carnival Destiny, Carnival Triumph, Carnival Valor, Carnival Splendor, Carnival Freedom and Carnival Victory.

We feel the new “Your Choice Dining” program will prove to be an extremely popular enhancement to the Carnival vacation experience.

[Bran8778]

hmmmmmmmmm....

 

Doesn't sound bad to me!! :)

[Cruisin' Ron VA]

As long as traditional dining is ALWAYS an option I am ok with it.

[Memphis_Wife]

I think I would really prefer anytime dining! I like to be in charge of my day when on vacation. But we are on the Victory and it does not roll out until 2010. Guess we will just have to book another cruise!

[WeBeCruisin']

I didn't think I would care for "anytime dining", but on the Grandeur of the Seas two weeks ago, we tried the "My Time" dining, and had a table for two with the same waiters every night. It was very nice and, at least where we were sitting in the balcony area, all the tables were for two. There was also more flexibility. If we showed up an hour early or an hour late (which, unfortunately, we did a time or two due to time-zone changes) they never said a word about it and no one else was inconvenienced. I also think we got some of their better waiters in the My Time section.

 

I think on a group cruise, though, I'd probably still rather have the group seating where there can be more table-hopping and camaraderie. Of course, that would depend on who my dining companion was. :)

[parrotthead]

I think I prefer traditional dining. To me part of the fun is meeting new people at dinner and the waiters getting to 'know' you.

But, there is a certin appeal to just heading to the dining room when you feel like it.

So basicly I am on the fence. I think I will stick with traditional. ---I think--- ;-)

[bguppies]

Great news.....

 

I was hoping the experiment would do as well as it apparently did.

 

Unfortunately they roll it out too late for our next two cruises.

 

Can't wait until every ship has this long overdue option.

 

Bill

[baseball921]

We'll be on Victory next May, I was hoping they would have it rolled out by then. I like the traditional, but we've booked 3 aft balconies and I would love to watch all those islands fade away and then go to dinner, but my nephew will be 20 months and just to young for the late dinner. Crossing my fingers that Victory has it by May 2010 :D

 

~Kristie

[shartellw]

I am happy about this because my hubby and I are traveling with an 8 year old who is, shall i say, animated, and I am concerned about him ruining the dinner of others. Now, we can get a table to ourselves.

[Nunu]

I think I would really prefer anytime dining! I like to be in charge of my day when on vacation. But we are on the Victory and it does not roll out until 2010. Guess we will just have to book another cruise!

 

oops

[cruise87crazy]

I'm so thankful they have this on my August cruise on the Paradise. My bestfriend that I am going with tends to belch(burp) REALLY loudly all the time and it sounds digusting. I am always so embarressed to go out with her to dinner, parties etc. She doesn't seem it to be un-ladylike. Anyways this way we can have a table for 2 and I don't have to worry about turning red as a cherry all thru dinner with table mates with horrifed looks on their faces :)

[TnMama]

THank you for this post! Ive already adivsed our TA if this goes into effect before we sail,to go on and switch us to it!

THANKS Again!:D

[CRUZFINDER]

I personally never really liked rushing back to the ship from port to make dinner. Like to make the most of my time on shore.

 

This program seems to incorporate flexible dining times while maintaining traditional cruise dining.

 

So now you can take your time getting ready for dinner and not miss out on a great dining experience? Sounds like a winner to me.

[tnsail]

I have a question about "Your Choice Dining".... In the past we have enjoyed our wait staff at traditional dining and at the end of the cruise we rewarded them with extra tips in addition to the tips that were pre-paid... I wonder what we are supposed to do this time around on our Legend cruise (trying the "Your Choice Dining" thingy).... Does one tip every night for over and above or does one just let the pre-paid take care of it if you don't use the same waitstaff every night????

[Gail & Marty sailing away]

i like it the old way

[Cruzman]

i like it the old way

 

Me too!