Key Aspects:
- Is 35 minutes late just too late to be seated at an assigned dining time? Carnival Cruise Line is now cracking down on late guests.
- If guests do not arrive for their assigned dining time within a reasonable margin, they will be directed to the Lido buffet instead.
- Experienced guests agree and note they have had many frustrating experiences with late dining companions that can be stressful for staff.
Carnival Cruise Line is no stranger to dining room controversies, from proper attire to the temperature of butter to the removal of tablecloths. But for guests with assigned dining times, what type of window is appropriate for being on time or being considered late to the meal and therefore denied entrance?
The situation isn’t uncommon, but the cruise line is now cracking down on tardy diners and directing them toward the Lido Marketplace buffet instead.
Carnival’s brand ambassador, John Heald, noted in a recent daily Facebook video that the timing policy must be more strictly enforced because some guests just take it too far.
“I had somebody who complained to me about the dining room and the fact that he and his partner arrived, they were in early seating, and they arrived 35 minutes late for dinner and were asked to go to the Lido deck,” Heald explained. “I say, personally, bravo to the team on the Carnival Pride for doing that.”
Carnival Pride is homeported from Baltimore, Maryland. The ship’s current sailing departed on Sunday, October 12, 2025, and is a 7-night Bahamas itinerary with visits to Nassau, Princess Cays, and Celebration Key.
The ship features the two-story Normandie Restaurant dining room aft on Decks 2 and 3 (Promenade and Atlantic). The Lido Marketplace is midship on Deck 9.
Early dining times typically start between 5-6 p.m., though times can fluctuate on different sailings depending on dining time preference and operational needs.
Nevertheless, is 35 minutes late just too late to join the scheduled seating? Heald believes so.
“Okay, 5 minutes, 10 minutes max, but it puts ridiculous pressure on the dining room staff to get you served and to get the dining room table cleared and ready for late seating,” he noted. “We are really going to be doing this if you do arrive late for your assigned seating, you will be asked to eat on the Lido.”
Heald stresses that maintaining the proper dining times within a reasonable margin is only fair, not only for other diners, but also for staff who have to ensure the meal proceeds smoothly in order to maintain the flow of service.
Time pressure may not be so strict on late seating because those will be the last diners in the restaurant that evening, but particularly for early seating, it is important to be prompt to one’s dining time.
Carnival Cruise Ship Lido Buffet (Photo Copyright: Cruise Hive)
Other Guests React
Heald reached out to his more than 645,000 followers and asked whether a margin of 20 minutes would be fair to guests.
“Do you agree that if someone is 20 minutes or more late for dinner that under most circumstances they should be kindly invited to eat on Lido Deck?” he asked.
Responses were overwhelmingly in favor of such a deadline for dining time adherence, and in fact, many guests noted that 10-15 minutes is more then fair.
“Last trip we had 2 out of 10 folks 45 minutes late 4 out of 6 nights. It was very frustrating for us that showed up on time and in the middle of our entrees when they show up,” one guest described. “Then the entire table had to wait on dessert until they caught up.”
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“I watched a family come in an hour late on my current trip and they were still sat down. Most of the servers were setting up the tables for the next sitting,” another guest shared. “I am sure it was frustrating for staff.”
Other guests noted that land-based restaurants don’t typically hold reservations for more than 15-20 minutes, so that timing is very fair.
Fortunately, guests onboard Carnival ships have other options for their evening meals. Not only is the Lido buffet available every evening, but it might be possible to accommodate guests who are late to their assigned dining time at the more flexible Your Time Dining service.
Specialty restaurants might also be an option, though those do have extra fees and reservations often fill up for each sailing so late-minute changes might not be possible.
Appeared first on: Cruisehive.com
