Cruise ship dining has evolved quite a bit over the years.
In the classic days of cruising, dinner was almost always a formal affair, and meals were slow paced. Dinner was something that most passengers looked forward to, and no one was really in rush to get through it.
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Although formal nights are still a thing on some cruise lines today, dress codes are no longer strictly enforced. Main dining room menus have also changed as cruiser palates have evolved.
Now, passengers who want something different than the main dining room experience have options, too. On Carnival Cruise Line ships, for example, the buffet is open for dinner, and most ships feature a variety of casual, quick-service dining options as well.
Additionally, main dining room dinner seatings are a little more flexible now. On Carnival ships, passengers can choose from a traditional preset dining time with the same table assignment each night or a first-come, first-served ‘Your Time’ open seating dinner option.
Still, despite the increased dining flexibility on most cruise ships, passengers often complain about one aspect of the main dining room experience that hasn’t changed as much with the times.
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Although some cruise passengers still enjoy dressing up and lingering over dinner, preferences are changing.
Image source: Carnival Cruise Line
Carnival cruisers want a quicker main dining room experience
Whether you choose the traditional set dining time or ‘Your Time’ Dining on a Carnival cruise, the main dining room experience typically lasts for about one hour and 30 minutes. For some passengers today, that’s just too long.
“I don’t know of anyone in real life who wants to spend one and a half hours in the dining room,” a passenger named Graham recently wrote to Carnival Cruise Line Brand Ambassador John Heald.
Carnival’s brand ambassador responds to hundreds of passenger questions and comments on his popular Facebook page every day, and he often receives messages like this one.
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“We had two nights in our cruise last week where we left at the one hour and 35-minute mark. I would say the average cruiser wants to be in and out of the dining room in under an hour at the very, very least. Most Carnival cruisers want this from the people I have seen and spoken to,” Graham insisted.
Although Heald himself would love to hold on to the cruise tradition of lingering over dinner with family and friends, he understands that a speedier style of dining is something that passengers increasingly value today.
Carnival Cruise Line tests Express Dining option
In response to passenger feedback about the main dining room experience, Carnival is now testing a new Express Dining option on one of its ships.
“Some people do want to be in and out, and that’s why we’re testing something on the Carnival Vista,” Heald noted in a recent video for his followers. “This is what we are calling Express Dining.”
Only available on Carnival Vista at this time, Express Dining is something passengers can choose to enjoy if they select ‘Your Time’ Dining. Carnival’s Express Dining is intended to be a 45-minute dinner experience, and it features a smaller menu than the other main dining room options.
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An sample Express Dining menu that Heald shared included the following choices:
Appetizers:
Roasted duck rollsShrimp cocktailCaesar saladTomato soup
Entrees:
Szechuan shrimpCornish game henBraised short ribSirloin steak
Desserts:
CheesecakeNavel orange cakeChocolate melting cake
Heald noted that if Express Dining proves popular on Carnival Vista, it may roll out to other ships.
“We will see if it’s popular, and if it is, we will take a look, and then we will let you know if we’re trying this on other ships,” Heald explained.
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