Carnival Explains Why Guests Can’t Pre-Select Seats for Dinner
If you can pre-select your seat on an airplane, why can’t you pre-select your seat for dinner on a cruise ship?
This is something that one future Carnival guest has asked Brand Ambassador John Head on his public Facebook page – as she is worried that her and her husband’s weight will prevent them from fitting comfortably in a booth.
In order to save herself the embarrassment of requesting a new table once onboard, she was hoping to guarantee in advance that her family of four would not be assigned to a booth in the main dining room.
“We are booked for Legend for August…DH (Darling Husband), myself, and two grand kids. Darling husband and myself are fluffy people. I would rather say fluffy than large and we really do not feel comfortable in a booth,” the anonymous guest wrote to Heald.
It’s true that Carnival Legend’s main dining room, called Truffles, does have a mix of tables and booths. But there are a variety of seating options at the two-level venue to cater to different types of cruisers.
“As this is our first Carnival cruise, is there a way we can request a table instead of a booth…I don’t see why we cannot go on the app and choose a table before the cruise. This is what we can do with an airline seat when we fly,” she continued.
The guest then proceeded to comment on Heald’s own weight, calling him “fluffy” as well, as a way to drive home her point about needing a proper table.
But despite the insult, Heald did go out of his way to make sure the woman’s table preference would be honored – and noted that he is able to assist with some requests as long as he receives the request and booking details at least five days before embarkation day.
However, it’s important to note that these requests cannot always be accommodated. If cruisers were always allowed to pick their own seating, the dining rooms would descend into chaos – with some chairs and tables not used when they should be or resulting in longer wait times for other passengers.
Assigning Tables is Challenging
Deciding who should sit where in the main dining room is always a challenge – sort of akin to the ultimate game of Tetris.
Lots of factors come into play when the assignments are being made, such as keeping travel parties together and if guests have expressed a preference for private dining or sitting with other passengers – which can be indicated in the HUB App.
They are also balancing seating assignments for two different fixed meal times, as well as “wildcards” who choose “Your Time Dining” and may arrive for dinner anytime between 5:30 p.m. and 9 p.m. rather than at a specific time.
The reservation managers, or Maitre D’s as they are sometimes called, go through a complex process of sorting out seating for the following cruise during the current cruise – using a complicated computer software to help sort out all the details.
“It’s all quite a big process to say the least and my understanding of it is only that it is truly complicated,” Heald summarized.
Cruise Hive Discussion Boards: Carnival Cruise Line Dinner Seating
Although there are no guarantees, guests who require a specific seating assignment may be able to email the Maitre D in advance or contact customer service – especially if the request is being made due to a disability.
Once onboard, guests who are unhappy with their seating assignments may approach the Maitre D desk for assistance.
Alternatively, cruisers may have more luck with specific seating requests at the specialty restaurants onboard.
Carnival Explains Why Guests Can’t Pre-Select Seats for Dinner