new "trial" dinner times???

[Mickeyhugger]

Add me to someone who doesnt want this done on the Magic.... What lines are reduced by doing this, getting pictures taken??? If everyone shows up at their assigned restraunt at the same time, isnt that really the same as before??? I dont get it...

Yes, the lines for pictures (and characters, hopefully) is reduced a lot. I haven't sailed DCL since they made this change, but Carnival does this now (we sailed in March.) Let me tell you all, it was great! The lines for photos before dinner were much shorter. I even commented to DH 'I wish DCL would do this,' and he said 'they probably will, eventually.' HOORAY! They did! I think most of you will be pleasantly surprised.

 

[markey]

Well I guess we are in the minority, but last year we didn't even buy any pictures. In 5 cruises I have bought 2 pictures and we never pose for any formal pictures. Last year we didn't even pose for the welcome aboard photo. My DH and I just went on a RCI cruise and did not have 1 picture taken, guess we just aren't professional picture people. Do take our own, but mostly of scenery. So changing the dining for this purpose does nothing for me. Why not have reservations for formal pictures, that would eliminate all the lines.

 

[jrabbit]

The other place it should cut down on congestion is in the hallway between Tritons / Lumiere's and Parrot Cay. There's always been a line "going" forward (to Tritons) and another line "moving" towards the back of the ship (Parrot Cay). If your room is in the aft part of the ship and you came out of Route 66 / Beat Street and want to get to the aft lifts before going up (or down) it can be pretty crowded.

The thing that ALWAYS has amazed us is people lining up to get into the restaurants 15+ minutes before they open.

 

[Ker-Bear]

If this makes the character photo opportunities easier then I am all for it. I just can't eat at 5:45pm.

 

[crisi]

IIRC, Parrot Cay and Triton's/Lumiere's also share a kitchen. So having PC start at 5:45 and Triton's not start until 6:15 may make the job easier in the kitchen.

 

[lbgraves]

Each of the dining rooms actually have their own seperate galley. Each is quite large. Lumiere's has the only kid food station so that may cause a little congestion but everything there is prepared ahead of time & placed in seperate locations so it is a bit easier. We went on the galley tour & we started in Lumiere's galley then moved right into Parrot Cay's.

 

[Scotch]

Does anyone know if these times will continue for the fall/winter cruises?

 

[MandyMommytoReaghan]

Hi everybody! I have got the cruise blues now. Ours has came and gone and we certainly had a blast! The new dinner rotation I think was great! Originally we were set for the 8:30 dinner seating. I called DCL and ask to be on a wait list for earlier. Well 2 days before we left I checked again online and we still were the late seating......to my delight I checked our tickets upon getting into our stateroom and we had been moved to early. The time was for 5:45. This worked out great for my family! I did not see any complaints from other cruisers either. The dining rooms seemed to have a steady stream coming and going. I think it was a great change, although this was my first time cruising so I never experienced the other dinner seatings.

 

[Michelle2]

I know that for early seating we couldn't get any pictures done before dinner due to the lines. We did leave the dining room before 8:30 though so could be in the front of those lines.

I was wondering about how the picture lines would work with early and late dining, and can see us doing the exact same thing. I hope that they do start this to help the picture lines. We want pics of everything we can on our first cruise!!

 

[Carrie25]

According to the DCL weblink through the cast member portal this is a trial dining arrangement only being tested on the Wonder and ending on 9/11/05. Don't know if this information has been updated recently, but I read it today on the portal.