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Dining Times: Set Dining & Anytime Dining

Guests may choose from three different dinner seating options. By popular request, all dining rooms are smoke-free. Assigned Seating - Early Dining and Late Dining This dining option offers guests a pre-set dining time for the duration of the cruise as well as the same table assignment each evening in the Main Dining Room. Guests who choose this option will not be able to reserve 'Your Time' open seating once on board.

'Your Time' Open Seating Dining 'Your Time' open seating is offered fleet wide.  Guests are seated on a first come, first served basis depending on party size and are able to request a specific waiter. Pagers are provided if there is a modest wait time so guests may relax elsewhere on the ship until their table is ready; in most cases, guests are accommodated within 20 minutes. Advance table reservations are not accepted, and all guests must be present before the party is seated.

Guests may choose:

Splendor:  Early dining at 5:15pm, Late dining at 7:45pm or 'Your Time' open seating, between 5:00pm and 8:30pm. 

Luminosa:  Early dining at 5:15pm, Late dining at 7:30pm or 'Your Time' open seating, between 5:00pm and 8:30pm.   

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31 Carnival Cruise Main Dining Room Tips

Picture of Doug Parker

Doug Parker

  • April 23, 2017
  • 13.8K shares

We could all use more tips for taking a cruise, right? Especially when it comes to one of our favorite parts of the day – dinner time!  Here, we’ve come up with every tip and trick we can think of for the main dining room on Carnival Cruise Line ships. Enjoy!

Tips for the Main Dining Room

Main dining room

1. Scout out the dining room when you board.

The first thing people do when they get onboard is head straight up to the lido deck for food. Divert from that ritual; find your dining room. The ships have two different dining rooms and you don’t want to go to the wrong one for dinner.

2. Avoid the main rush.

Every dining seating, cruisers rush the front doors of the main dining room like they haven’t eaten in days. The doors open promptly at the assigned time. If you wait five minutes after the doors open, you will avoid being trampled by cruisers who haven’t eaten in hours!

3. Get a pre-dinner cocktail.

If you want a cocktail with your dinner, consider stopping by a bar before you get into the main dining room to avoid the slow drink service there.

4. There are two different dining rooms.

Is your dining room midship or aft? This goes back to studying the deck plans before you get onboard and finding out exactly where you’re sitting. Typically one dining room is assigned to traditional dining and one is for anytime dining.

  • READ: PROS AND CONS OF ANYTIME DINING
  • READ: PROS AND CONS OF TRADITIONAL DINING

5. Anytime Dining has a better chance to get a private table.

If you want to sit with just your family or significant other during your sailing, you’ll have a better chance doing to do that with anytime dining. Accommodating your request is still available with traditional dining but it’s on a first-come first-serve basis.

6. Order pasta as an appetizer.

If you see a pasta dish on the menu you want to try but don’t want the whole thing, order it as an appetizer. They can bring it out in a smaller portion.

7. Order appetizers as an entree.

Same goes with an appetizer that you’d want as an entree. On a recently sailing I ordered escargot as an entree and appetizer. I had garlic butter pumping through my veins!

8. Tell the dining room on embarkation day about diet restrictions.

The cruise line will cater to your dietary restrictions. Many cruise guests are now gluten-free or have allergies. Make sure you let the cruise line know on embarkation day about dietary needs you may have.

9. Befriend your server.

Be friendly with your server; they are there to make sure you have a wonderful dining experience, but they’re also human. Interact with them, if you have traditional dining they will be your server throughout the cruise.

READ MORE: The Ultimate Menu Guide to Carnival’s Main Dining Room (2019)

10. Order more than one appetizer.

You’re on vacation, don’t be afraid to splurge. Double down on those shrimp cocktails.

11. Tip your server for premium service.

If a server goes above and beyond for exceptional service, don’t be afraid to let them know.  

12. Don’t over-order.

You can order however much food you’d like and the ship won’t run out of it. After you’re done with your steak, order a second, but try not to let it go to waste. Don’t feel obligated to order everything at once.

13. Tip your waitstaff the first night.

Extending a gratuity the first night can go a long way. You’ll be surprised on what little unexpected surprises you may find. I usually tip my server the first night because I enjoy getting my food early.

14. Save your calories.

Did you know that 3,500 calories is equal to a pound? You’re going to be onboard for multiple nights. Just because you can order multiple desserts doesn’t mean you have to. Everything in moderation.

15. Don’t feel obligated to order every course.

Just because there are different sections of the menu, don’t feel like you have to eat something from every section. Heck, if you want to skip straight to dessert, do it! You’re on vacation.

16. You can ask for a new table.

If you don’t care for your table mates or the ones around you, feel free to ask to be moved to another area. The dining team will do their best to accommodate you.

17. Be adventurous with foods.

Alligator tail, snails in garlic butter, frog legs, conch. Chances are you’ll be exposed to a whole new menu on your cruise. These foods have been eaten by 1,000’s of cruisers. Try something you typically wouldn’t eat!  You never know what you’ll have a newfound love for.

18. Get two scoops of cream with the Warm Chocolate Melting Cake.

Carnival's signature Warm Chocolate Melting Cake served in the main dining room.

Make sure you get TWO scoops of ice cream with your warm chocolate melting cake, it makes it that much better.

19. You can order off the kid’s menu.

Feel like eating basic in the main dining room? Ask to see the kids menu . Here you can order items like spaghetti and meatballs, chicken nuggets, hot dogs, mac-n-cheese, and peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. Also, for dessert, you can order a banana split!

20. They let you order something else if you don’t like your dish.

This isn’t marriage, just because you said “I do” doesn’t mean you’re committed to the dish. If you don’t like something, kindly ask if you can order something else. You dining team will be happy to bring you out another dish – no questions asked!

21. Ask for extra napkins.

Some of the nights the ship may not use tablecloths and we know what an issue this can cause with silverware touching the table. Ask your server for extra napkins to set your silverware on.   

22. Keep an eye on your kids.

Don’t let your kids ruin other people’s dining experience. Keep an eye on them and don’t let them run wild around the dining room. There is a lot of foot traffic with servers carrying big trays in and out of the dining room. You don’t want your little one to get plowed over.

23. Don’t be late.

Carnival is enforcing a rule where if you’re 30 or more minutes late, they will ask you to enjoy dinner at the lido deck marketplace. Plus, arriving 30 minutes late for dinner is just rude.

24. Talk to the maître d’ on the first day for requests.

The maître d’ and dining team will have set hours on embarkation day when you can discuss dining needs. Pay close attention to the times because it’s usually a two hours window. This is where table requests and dietary restrictions should also be discussed. However, it’s always best to let them know about your dietary needs before you even step onboard the ship.

25. The dining room will hold your wine for a corkage fee.

This is at the discretion of your server, but Carnival’s website says:

A $15 USD corkage fee, per 750 ml bottle, will be charged should guests wish to consume their wine or champagne in the main dining room, steakhouse or bar. A corkage fee is a charge exacted at a restaurant for every bottle served that was not bought on the premises.

26. You can request an ocean view window.

One of the best views in the main dining room is by a window, especially an aft window. If the ship is heading in the right direction, you can catch an amazing sunset.

27. Late dining is more fun.

Unlike early seating, where the dining team has to flip the dining room for the next seating, there isn’t any time constraints for late dining. It seems to have a more relaxed and laid-back vibe.

28. Participate in the singing and dancing.

Swing your napkins in the air, do the conga line, get up and dance! You’re on vacation so don’t hold back. No one is judging you!

29. Look at the menus before you sail.

You can find the menus by ship and right online. A lot of people on the Cruise Critic message boards upload the menus. Also, check out the website ZydecoCruise.com ;  he updates Carnival Cruise Line food menus and photos.

30. Take pictures of your food

People may look at you like  you’re strange but tell them you want to try to cook the dish when you get home. I recently replicated my version of Carnival’s Warm Chocolate Melting Cake and it turned out fabulous.

31. Be patient

Last but neat least, be patient. Chances are your dining team has a handful of tables that they are catering to. If you’re in a hurry, let them know when you first get there and they can make your table a priority.

Main Dining Tips at Carnival Cruise Line

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Dinner Seating

By Ditzy Diner February 2 in Carnival Cruise Line

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Ditzy diner.

Assignment is second seating. Family has first. What can be done? I am afraid of Dine your time that we will ear at 4 ir 11 pm please advice

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  • Created Feb 2
  • Last Reply Mar 21

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Kendall James-Vargas

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Kendall James-Vargas 6 posts

Old Cruiser 6 posts

Cruising Caribbean 4 posts

euroguy 2 posts

Mar 15 2024

Mar 14 2024

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Old cruiser.

I went on Princess cruises for my Alaskan cruise. They have a fair amount of ships in Alaska. I wanted to see the Hubbard Glacier and Carnival didn't do an itinerary that went there when we went. 

Woody14

once you board go to the main dinning room and speak to them at the entrance.   they can likely get you all fixed up.     do this early don't wait till dinner time.

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carnival cruise dinner seating arrangements

once you board go to the main dinning room and speak to them at the entrance.   they can likely get you all fixed up.     do this early don't wait till dinner time.

Thanks

Kendall James-Vargas

@Ditzy Diner  I would do exactly what @Woody14  recommended. As soon as you are able, ask the dining room staff to help make those adjustments. I would do it as soon as you are able to ensure it all gets taken care of. The closer it gets to dinner time, the longer/more chaotic the lines will be. It's very likely you will be able to get both you and your family on the same dining time. Hopefully you are both assigned to dine in the same dining room! When is your cruise?

@Ditzy Diner  I agree with what others have advised. You will need to speake with the head of dinning which will be at the entrance of the restaurant in an officers uniform.  

on my last cruise in september i had an issue with my dinning as i was approved for early dinning but for whatever reason the system put me for anytime... barf.  Now comes the twist in the past I've had to make ding ING changes and the person was always available prior to opening g time however during my Alaska cruise noone was available until the time the restaurant opened which was a real pain so be prepared for that possibility. I would maybe make sure your whole family is with you when talking to them

RoadTravelled

RoadTravelled

@Ditzy Diner   I would agree with all of these suggestions.  The first thing we do when we get onboard is to head to the MDR and speak to either the maître d' or whomever is at the reception desk to check our table assignments.  We tend to go for the 2-top tables rather than being a part of a group.  It's just better for us, especially for long cruises.

The dining staff are always helpful in switching us out to a table we prefer.  They either do it right there on the spot, or more often they put us on a "waiting list" and then we'll receive confirmation later that day in our cabin of the change (or lately we notice is on the HUB app as to the change).  But, the key is to get to them first thing onboard.

On only one occasion were they unable to find a table for us at early dining that worked.  So, we stepped out and went to YTD dining instead.  We actually liked that as it gave us more flexibility to stay in port.  Many of the ports had sail away times after early dining started.  So, that helped with better use of our time.  We did however miss having the same waiters each night that knew our preferences and didn't give us a chance to get to know the wait staff well as usual.  But, we had some great waiters nevertheless and got to sit all over the MDR as a result which was fun too.

A quick reminder.  Many of the ships have 2 MDR venues.  So, if you go to one and there's no one there, trek over to the other one.  We found this to be the case multiple times that they only pre-staff one.

Cruising Caribbean

@RoadTravelled  It's such a great idea to approach  the maître d' and ask about seating arrangements. I will be cruising with another family this month, and I want to ensure we are sitting at the same table together in the MDR. It's a brilliant idea to stop in there and ensure we are all at one big table together. Thanks for reminding me of this. I have our bookings linked, but we booked at alternate times. I also have a slightly better booking package so I want to make sure we are still together even though the rooms are linked. This is another great tip, ensuring we are all in the same MDR. I can't imagine how much more of a headache it would be to switch dining rooms! Although I typically fleet to the buffet first, on this cruise I will go straight to the MDR. Your input is much appreciated! You may have just saved our dining experience. 

On 2/2/2024 at 8:18 AM, Ditzy Diner said: Assignment is second seating. Family has first. What can be done? I am afraid of Dine your time that we will ear at 4 ir 11 pm please advice

I would do what the others have suggested.

Just an FYI. If you had anytime dining or whatever Carnival calls their version of it you would eat when you choose between 5:15pm and 9pm.

@Old Cruiser  Thanks for the tip! I haven't had My Time dining in such a long time. I believe the program has advanced so much since my cruise with that dining flexibility. It's very nice to stroll up to dinner whenever you feel like it. On my recent cruises I chose the early dining time slot. Sometimes it's great and other times I wish I had more flexibility to dine a bit later based on the ship itinerary for the day. 

  • 2 weeks later...

The only problem I've seen with CCL anytime dining is they make you use the hub app to say you're ready to be seated and usually there is a large crowd waiting g to get in so you end up waiting 30-60 minutes utes to get seated.

I personally select early dining as this allows a lot more flexibility for shows, comedy clubs and other activities. I do agree at times it does at times creat a short window between re boarding at a port and dinner and it makes it usually difficult to see sunsets. I guess I pick my battles.

@euroguy  I wouldn't want to wait to be seated. If that's the case, I would prefer to dine at the selected dining time. I prefer the predictability piece of not not having to wait. Once I roll up to the dining room, I'm ready to eat! I also enjoy the early dining hour when possible. I don't mind leaving a port early to make it back in time to get ready before my dinner slot either. The MDR experience is a luxury I hate to miss. I typically try to dine in the MDR as often as possible, including lunch and breakfast if the schedule allows. Sometimes it's harder to make lunch in the MDR when you are having a good time out by the pool. Pizza and burgers can end up being more convenient if you have a good spot near the poolside entertainment! 

FJB

We’ve only done anytime dining once or twice on other cruiselines.  As someone said, we always had to wait 15 minutes or more, especially when we had a group of seven.  We prefer fixed seating time at the later hour (8:30). 

@FJB  It's a wait, but 15 minutes isn't that bad. It's way different than 30 plus minutes. I think I would still prefer to just walk up and to my table and be served right away. I'm not the type to be able to wait for food. In the morning, I rush to eat breakfast actually. I'm not an over eater, but when I'm hungry I eat. That's one reason I love the bread and butter at the table. I grab one of those and it puts me in a good mood instantly. Maybe food is my love language. 

Our last Carnival cruise on Celebration we neverwaited more than 10 minutes. Usally lobster night is  the longest wait. We let the dining room know weare ready right before we leave our cabin.

@Old Cruiser  I can't say I'm surprised about the "lobster night" having the longest wait time. Carnival Celebration seems to have its MDR operations very organized and streamlined. Many other ships don't operate as such capacity. The idea of letting the dining room know before you leave your cabin is brilliant. I never thought to do that, but it makes perfect sense. When did you decide to take such a step? I think all guests should consider doing this to save on wait times. You seem like a seasoned cruiser with many good cruise tips! 

image.png.147fedd7fb9fb6c35ef649676a3ec223.png

8 hours ago, Kendall James-Vargas said: @Old Cruiser  I can't say I'm surprised about the "lobster night" having the longest wait time. Carnival Celebration seems to have its MDR operations very organized and streamlined. Many other ships don't operate as such capacity. The idea of letting the dining room know before you leave your cabin is brilliant. I never thought to do that, but it makes perfect sense. When did you decide to take such a step? I think all guests should consider doing this to save on wait times. You seem like a seasoned cruiser with many good cruise tips! 

We started doing that when we were on the Horizon a couple cruises ago. Ty for the kind words. Going on cruise #43 next month. We are equal opportunity cruisers so we cruise with most lines.

@Old Cruiser  Wow, it's so impressive you will be on cruise #43 soon! You are a very experienced cruiser, even more than I had thought. You made me laugh with your "equal opportunity cruiser" comment. My goal is to be able to say I have traveled to (hopefully cruised to) all seven continents at some point. Have you cruised outside of your continent of residence before? At this stage in my life, I try to cruise affordably and conservatively, but I have ambitions to do more. I found out on my last cruise that I am officially a Diamond member with MSC Cruises. I have been loyal to the brand for the past six years and clearly that has paid off for me. The loyalty benefits at this highest tier level really don't compare to many other lines like CCL. I'm hopeful MSC Cruises will up its game with loyalty perks in the months/years to come. 

3 hours ago, Kendall James-Vargas said: @Old Cruiser  Wow, it's so impressive you will be on cruise #43 soon! You are a very experienced cruiser, even more than I had thought. You made me laugh with your "equal opportunity cruiser" comment. My goal is to be able to say I have traveled to (hopefully cruised to) all seven continents at some point. Have you cruised outside of your continent of residence before? At this stage in my life, I try to cruise affordably and conservatively, but I have ambitions to do more. I found out on my last cruise that I am officially a Diamond member with MSC Cruises. I have been loyal to the brand for the past six years and clearly that has paid off for me. The loyalty benefits at this highest tier level really don't compare to many other lines like CCL. I'm hopeful MSC Cruises will up its game with loyalty perks in the months/years to come. 

No we have not. Just the Bahamas, Caribbean, Bermuda, and 1 Alaska. I retired last March and today is my wife's last day. Hopefully we can do Europe now that we don't have to worry about getting more than 7 days off. South Pacific is another I'd like to try but my better half doesn't want to be stuck in an airplane that many hours. I can argue that point. I'm not into that much either.

As for the equal opportunity comment we go where we get the most bang for our buck with the itinerary we like. I'd love to go on the Icon of the Seas but those prices are staggering. Maybe someday.

@Old Cruiser  The next cruise I take, I want it to be an Alaskan cruise. It would be such new territory for me and my family considering we have always cruised the Caribbean. When you cruised Alaska, which cruise line did you choose? I feel the complete same about Icon of the Seas. The prices are way too high, although people are paying them. I know better than to overspend on an unnecessary cruise experience. I could have just as much fun on another RCL ship for half the cost. Eventually, its glory days will fade away. I will enjoy the ship when those days are over. 

48 minutes ago, Cruising Caribbean said: @Old Cruiser  The next cruise I take, I want it to be an Alaskan cruise. It would be such new territory for me and my family considering we have always cruised the Caribbean. When you cruised Alaska, which cruise line did you choose? I feel the complete same about Icon of the Seas. The prices are way too high, although people are paying them. I know better than to overspend on an unnecessary cruise experience. I could have just as much fun on another RCL ship for half the cost. Eventually, its glory days will fade away. I will enjoy the ship when those days are over. 

I went on Princess cruises for my Alaskan cruise. They have a fair amount of ships in Alaska. I wanted to see the Hubbard Glacier and Carnival didn't do an itinerary that went there when we went. 

I keep looking for a deal on the Icon or Star but none to be had. I am like you,I'll wait until the prices come down.

@Old Cruiser  Yes I have noticed that Princess Cruises does many Alaskan itineraries, but I would feel guilty bringing my family with kids along on this line. I feel think children aren't really welcome on Princess Cruises. I would love to explore the Hubbard Glacier, but I didn't know CCL doesn't cruise there.

Maybe after a year of sailing, Icon of the Seas may come at a cheaper rate. I just don't see the experience as valuable enough! If the itineraries were epic, then I would think otherwise. Maybe in the next couple of years the ship will cruise to other fun destinations that would entice me. 

On 3/19/2024 at 11:59 AM, Cruising Caribbean said: @Old Cruiser  Yes I have noticed that Princess Cruises does many Alaskan itineraries, but I would feel guilty bringing my family with kids along on this line. I feel think children aren't really welcome on Princess Cruises. I would love to explore the Hubbard Glacier, but I didn't know CCL doesn't cruise there. Maybe after a year of sailing, Icon of the Seas may come at a cheaper rate. I just don't see the experience as valuable enough! If the itineraries were epic, then I would think otherwise. Maybe in the next couple of years the ship will cruise to other fun destinations that would entice me. 

I thought I posted this yesterday but I don't see it so let's try again. I apologize as i misspoke. Instead of Hubbard Glacier I meant Glacier Bay. Carnival used to only visit this Glacier on the first sailing of the Alaska season and the last. Not sure if they do it at all now.

As for taking kids on Princess if it were a Caribbean cruise i would agree but on an Alaskan cruise they are pretty port intensive. You are up early anf going all day so you usually head to bed earlier than a Caribbean cruise.

@Old Cruiser  Thanks for clarifying Glacier Bay! You know more about glaciers that I do. You could have fooled me on that one. I will have to look into options to find which ones include Glacier Bay because it seems like a must see. I also think waiting a bit until my children get older may be a smart idea too, that way they will remember the trip and get to experience the areas' beauty more intensely. Many cruise lines don't offer enough adventure-style excursions that allow younger children. I completely understand why, they can't always keep up, but those adventurous excursions are things I don't want to miss while cruising to Alaska. I appreciate your feedback here, it seems Princess Cruises could be an option for an Alaskan cruise. I typically only cruise the Caribbean, so I don't know any better! 

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carnival group dining arrangements?

By voyages , March 16, 2005 in Carnival Cruise Lines

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25+ Club

Hi, could anyone give me any info on how CARNIVAL handle their group dining seating. I have had some bad experiences with groups on RCL and once on Princess where every table of my group where in a different section of rhe dining room or poeple not at the right table. I will be taking 2 groups on the LIBERTY this september, one on the 18th and one on the 30th. I would like to hear some of experiences with group dining on CARNIVAL. Good or bad?

Any tricks or suggestions?

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Cruising89143

Your TA should be able to handle this for you. A good TA will make sure that the cruise line has the proper seating charts given in time for them to get to the dining rooms. I have never had a problem on Carnival with our group being seated together.

1,000+ Club

38 from our group at the Rochester Elks Lodge recently traveled the CONQUEST Feb 20-27th and our seating arrangements were wonderfully arranged, We were a group ranging from age 33-80 with two teenage girls with us. We had 4 tables(304, 306,308,310) of 8 ppl right in a row and a family table of 6 across from us(tables 305) in the Monet. I agree, speak with TA, as ours helped arrange our dinner plans.

Have fun and enjoy !!!:)

radtech

Hi everyone - I am cruising with 17 people and my TA said she could not do any arranging until 2 weeks before our cruise which is 7/16/05 on the Glory... :) Could anybody tell me if this is true.... :confused: Right now she has us at two tables of 8 but that only adds up to 16 people where we have 17. I keep explaining to her that this does not make sense. This is my 15th cruise but my first with 17 people. Somebody help!!!!!! :confused:

Hi again, I am a TA but this will be my first 2 groups with Carnival. Have done a lot of groups on RCL, CEL & PRI. Just wanted to hear from other groups past experiences in this matter.

serene56

As long as EVERY person has their booking number linked together their assignment should be together.

Right now she has us at two tables of 8 but that only adds up to 16 people where we have 17. I keep explaining to her that this does not make sense. This is my 15th cruise but my first with 17 people. Somebody help!!!!!! :confused: Radtech

If you look at the deck plans and see the dining room- I am not seeing any tables of 10 on the Glory. Its tables of 8 mostly. Sounds like someone will be squeezed in somewhere.

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carnival cruise dinner seating arrangements

  • Wedding-Cruises-Responsive-Version-2

Plan Your Cruise Wedding

Wedding packages.

a couple looking over the water after their wedding on a carnival cruise

CRUISES from $ 249 * PER PERSON

SEARCH CRUISES ►

Every wedding is different, so we offer packages designed around your wishes. All of our weddings are offered on embarkation day, at sea, on the ship in a destination, or on land in a destination.

Intimate Ceremony

If you’re only inviting a few guests, an Intimate Ceremony is designed for you.

* On-Island cake is 1-tier.

** Not available for destination weddings. Call to inquire about decor options.

Grand Ceremony

If you’re inviting lots of friends and family to your wedding, a Grand Ceremony is a great choice.

Carnival Classic

For maximum fun on your wedding day, choose a Carnival Classic Ceremony followed by an onboard reception.

* Carnival weddings can accommodate up to 50 non-sailing guests. Prices displayed are based on a party of 20 guests, and includes reception with choice of hors d’oeuvres and beverage packages. For more information about reception packages, please download the digital brochure .

** On-Island cake is 1-tier.

*** Not available for destination weddings. Call to inquire about decor options.

Your Choice of Wedding Venues

a newlywed couple hugging and smiling after their wedding

Embarkation Day Wedding

If you’re welcoming guests to your wedding who won’t be sailing with you, the perfect place and time for your ceremony is before the cruise. You’ll begin your vacation with a wedding aboard the ship, and then set sail on an amazing honeymoon cruise!

a newlywed couple posing for photos after their wedding on a carnival cruise with the sun setting in the background

Wedding At Sea

Enjoy the scenic bliss of a wedding at sea. The scenery? A full 360° of blue sea and beautiful skies. This is a unique view you won’t find at any venue, anywhere on land.

* Symbolic ceremonies only.

a newlywed couple posing for a photo next to a spiral staircase on a carnival cruise

Onboard Destination Wedding

If your wedding party is planning to sail along with you, holding your ceremony aboard the ship while at a port of call of your choice is a great option. You’ll find plenty of time to pamper yourself at the spa in the days before your wedding, and once the knot’s tied, the rest of your cruise is your honeymoon!

a couple and their daughter jumping after a wedding ceremony on a beach

Destination Wedding

Say “I do” on an island! If this is your dream, a destination wedding is the choice for you! Picture the island breeze in your hair, the most amazing view as the backdrop for your photos and your friends and family around you to share the moment. We can make this happen!

* Some luxury venues require an additional per-person charge.

* For all Carnival Classic packages, the reception will be held aboard the ship in a private venue.

Personal Touches

a dj using a turntable

Entertainment

All Carnival wedding packages include complimentary pre-recorded music. If you’re interested in exploring other entertainment for your reception, please contact us for options!

a man and a woman posing for a photo on the deck of a carnival ship after their wedding

Photography

Carnival’s professional photography team will be there to capture the most important moments of your wedding… and help create visual memories that will last a lifetime. The service is included with your wedding package, although photographs are sold separately. If you choose to purchase photos, you’ll actually go home with them — they’ll be ready before your cruise is over!

Video Package

Imagine capturing the most important moments of your day on screen, to remember and share with loved ones for years to come. Our team creates a beautiful, unique wedding video to commemorate your special day.

*When purchased with a wedding package.

a two tier wedding cake

Let's Cut The Cake!

Pardon the pun, but one of the sweetest parts of getting married is the cake… both the taste and the tradition. That’s why all Carnival wedding packages include a classic wedding cake — 3-tiered for all Diamond packages, 2-tiered otherwise. Most importantly, the cake is customizable to your taste — choose a flavor for the cake and for the filling.

Cake Flavors

Choose from butter/vanilla, chocolate, marble, lemon, coconut, carrot or red velvet. And yes, you can mix flavors!

Cake Filling

Select your filling of choice from vanilla, chocolate, cream cheese, strawberry, lemon, or coconut.

Just so you know, the standard cake is 9 inches in diameter (measured at the bottom tier). On-island cakes are 6-inch, one tier cakes. If you need more cake to feed your guests, you can upgrade to a larger cake size to make sure all your guests get a slice!

Renewal of Vows

a woman hugging a man

Do you ever catch yourself thinking you’d totally marry your special someone again? A Renewal of Vows ceremony aboard a Carnival cruise is a great way to tie the knot a little tighter.

Get ready to say “I still do!” as you celebrate the time you’ve spent together… and the years still to come. Make new memories as you affirm that your feelings remain every bit as strong as the day you first said those simple, powerful words.

It wouldn’t be a ceremony without friends and family on hand, so feel free to invite them along — it’s a party, after all! This time, let Carnival take care of the little details that made the first time great: wine, music, wedding cake and more are included, with options for open bar and even more guests.

The ship’s captain will actually officiate your ceremony, signing your certificate to seal the deal.

Honeymoon Cruises

a couple dressed in white hugging on a beach

When you get married, you’ve got your new life ahead of you and the possibilities are simply endless. For what comes next, can we recommend starting with something fun, memorable and easy… like a honeymoon cruise!

After all the planning that went into your big day, you’ll be relieved to know how little planning it can actually take to book a cruise. Date, departure port and destination — get those down and you’re practically ready to go! And once you’re finally aboard the ship you’ll find that we take care of almost everything, from comfy staterooms to fine dining and entertainment… not to mention stops at exotic locations. Nearly all the ways you’ll love to spend your vacation is included in your cruise fare.

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Once you’re finally on your way, don’t forget to send the folks back home a postcard from paradise! You can tell them you’re taking it easy on a Carnival cruise.

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COMMENTS

  1. Dining Times: Set Dining & Anytime Dining

    Guests may choose: Splendor: Early dining at 5:15pm, Late dining at 7:45pm or 'Your Time' open seating, between 5:00pm and 8:30pm. Luminosa: Early dining at 5:15pm, Late dining at 7:30pm or 'Your Time' open seating, between 5:00pm and 8:30pm. Dining times are subject to change due to conflict of time with port stays or other scheduled ...

  2. Dining Room

    That's why Carnival's new vegan dining room menu is so important to making sure everyone finds food they love. Look for plant-based options like Baked Vegetable Au Gratin, Eggplant Cutlet a la Parmigiana — and even modified versions of Hawaiian Salmon Poke and Spaghetti Carbonara! Our chefs always work to accommodate dietary needs, but ...

  3. How to Select Dining Time & Bed Configuration for your Carnival Cruise

    Do you have a Carnival Cruise booked and you are wondering how to select your dining times and your bed configuration? In this video, I will show you how to ...

  4. 31 Carnival Cruise Main Dining Room Tips

    Divert from that ritual; find your dining room. The ships have two different dining rooms and you don't want to go to the wrong one for dinner. 2. Avoid the main rush. Every dining seating ...

  5. How are dining seating arrangements predetermined?

    There have been cruises where Carnival did a great job with our dining assignment. On our 25th anniversary cruise, we were seated with two other couples also celebrating their 25th (could not be coincidental!) But then there was another cruise where we were seated with a much older couple (long time ago) who didn't speak English!

  6. Carnival Cruise Selecting A Main Dining Room Dinner Option

    The Late Seating option is a dining option that allows a cruiser to have dinner at a set time, enjoy the same table, and have the same waitstaff each night of the cruise. Generally, this option has the fixed time being a 7:45pm dining time. If you select this option your Sail & Sign card will reflect what time you should report to the dining room.

  7. Dining Rooms

    Our Main Dining Room table sizes and configurations vary by ship . Table Sizes Tables for 2 Tables for 4 Tables for 6 Tables for 8 Tables for 10 Table Configurations Square tables (for 2-4 guests)... Date Updated: 12/22/2015

  8. Best Cruise Tips for First-Timers

    Early seating/late seating: This is an assigned schedule and seating for passengers in the main dining room. Open seating: This means there's no fixed schedule and no seating arrangements. Stateroom steward: This is the person responsible for keeping your stateroom in order with your requests and amenities.

  9. (Dining option) Open Seating? Anytime? How does it work?

    We have a cruise booked on the Carnival Valor for December 2021. Our invoice is marked "Open Seating" for the dining option. We prefer to eat around 530pm-630PM. ... Internet Plans, Spa activities, and other activities/purchases, but I do not see anything about meals, bed arrangement requests, preferences or payment details.

  10. What Is Assigned or Set-Seating Dining on a Cruise Ship?

    Assigned seat dining offers cruisers the chance to meet new people onboard a cruise. (Photo: Celebrity Cruises) Assigned or set seating dining is a traditional form of cruise ship dining, where ...

  11. Cruise Dining

    Check out the list of dining options aboard Carnival Cruise Line. We have exclusive restaurants onboard to provide you the best dining experience on a cruise ship.

  12. Cruise FAQ

    I need to cancel my booking, is there a penalty? New to cruising? Get answers to FAQs ranging from cruise preparation to debarkation. Browse by category or click to see the most popular cruise questions.

  13. Diner seating arrangements

    Carnival Cruise Lines ; Diner seating arrangements Add Cruise Critic's Community Forums to your iPhone's Home Screen! Diner seating arrangements. By megann831, September 2, 2013 in Carnival Cruise Lines. Recommended Posts. ... We requested the early dinner seating. Does anyone know if they would try to seat us with other families with younger ...

  14. Dinner Seating Arrangements

    775. March 20, 2002. Conroe, TX, USA. #2. Posted July 4, 2008. Carnival usually does a smashing job matching parents and kids to tables. It is uncanny. We met one lovely couple on a cruise we were on and they cruised with us the next time as well, with their two girls. Then sadly we lost touch...

  15. Largest table size in the main dining room?

    Posted July 27, 2014. 10 and 12 tops are the largest depending on the ship. Some tables, booths or banquettes can be configured to accommodate larger parties. We had a party of 15 on the Breeze, and the banquette section in the rear of the dining room was configured to fit everyone in our party. One issue with this type of arrangement using the ...

  16. Seating Arrangements????

    May 12, 2008. Florida. #2. Posted September 25, 2008. If the size of your party has increased, have your TA/PVP "Link" the bookings for same Dining Times. If you (your party), Carnival only allows you to request Dining Room time, which they do not guarantee. Either way, your Dining Room, time and table ## will be on your S&S cards issued at ...

  17. Dinner Seating

    Carnival Cruise Line ; Dinner Seating Dinner Seating. By Ditzy Diner February 2 in Carnival Cruise Line. Share ... @RoadTravelled It's such a great idea to approach the maître d' and ask about seating arrangements. I will be cruising with another family this month, and I want to ensure we are sitting at the same table together in the MDR ...

  18. 2024 Carnival Cruise Line Main Dining Room Menus

    Night 4 - Main Dining Room Dinner Menu. Night 5 - Main Dining Room Dinner Menu. Night 6 - Elegant Night 2 - Main Dining Room Dinner Menu *. Night 7 - Main Dining Room Dinner Menu. *Please note: For cruises 7 days or longer, the second Elegant Night will be happen on the second to last night of the cruise with lobster being added to this menu ...

  19. carnival group dining arrangements?

    Rochester, NY. #3. Posted March 16, 2005. 38 from our group at the Rochester Elks Lodge recently traveled the CONQUEST Feb 20-27th and our seating arrangements were wonderfully arranged, We were a group ranging from age 33-80 with two teenage girls with us. We had 4 tables (304, 306,308,310) of 8 ppl right in a row and a family table of 6 ...

  20. Wedding Packages Made Just For You

    Pre-cruise wedding planner: Private venue: 15-20 minute ceremony: Local officiant: Two-tier cake* Sparkling wine toast for couple: Honeymoon dinner for the couple: Photography services: Priority embarkation assistance (embarkation day weddings only) Service charges, gratuity included: Keepsake wedding certificate: Shipboard Decorations**: Aisle ...

  21. Princess Cruises' New Dining Reservation System Delayed

    Princess Cruises announced a delay in the launch of its new dining reservation system, citing an unforeseen holdup in the Princess Cruises App update as the cause. Originally scheduled to launch ...

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    Best Dining in Elektrostal, Moscow Oblast: See 603 Tripadvisor traveler reviews of 37 Elektrostal restaurants and search by cuisine, price, location, and more. ... Seating. Reservations. Table Service. Show all. Top Restaurants in Elektrostal. 106 results match your filters. Clear all filters. Sort by: Highest Rating. ... Flights Travel Stories ...

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