You can change your dining time before boarding or after you board the ship
Carnival lets you adjust your assigned dining time through their website, by phone, or at the dining desk once you are on the ship. The easiest route is usually the Carnival website before you travel, since you can make the change yourself without waiting for a representative. If you have already boarded, the dining staff on the ship can move you to a different seating in minutes.
Your original dining time is assigned when you book your cruise and printed on your documents. Carnival typically offers two main seatings — an early seating around 5:15 p.m. and a late seating around 8:15 p.m. — though some ships and itineraries vary. If your assigned time does not work with your plans, you have options to change it before or during your cruise.
Key Takeaways
- Log into your Carnival account on their website, find your booking, and look for the dining preferences section to change your seating time before you sail.
- Call Carnival's reservations line at 1-800-CARNIVAL (1-800-227-6482) and ask a representative to move you to a different seating; have your booking number ready.
- Once on the ship, visit the dining room host stand or your cabin's information desk on your first sea day to request a seating change, which usually takes effect the next evening.
- Changing your dining time does not affect your cabin, excursions, or other parts of your booking — only which dinner service you attend.
- Some specialty restaurants and alternative dining venues charge extra and have separate reservation systems, so confirm whether your new seating applies to the main dining room.
Changing your dining time on the Carnival website before you sail
Go to Carnival.com and sign into your account using the email and password you created when you booked. Click on "My Bookings" or "Manage My Cruise" — the exact label varies by page layout, but it is always near the top of the account menu. Find your upcoming cruise in the list and select it.
Look for a section labeled "Dining Preferences," "Dining Options," or "Onboard Preferences." Click into that section and you should see your current seating time listed. Select the seating you want instead — usually early or late — and save your changes. Carnival will send you a confirmation email within a few minutes. This change takes effect on your cruise documents and the ship's records before you board.
If you cannot find the dining preferences section on the website, or if the option to change appears grayed out, your cruise may be too close to departure for online changes. In that case, call Carnival directly or make the change at the ship.
Calling Carnival to change your dining time by phone
Call Carnival's main reservations line at 1-800-CARNIVAL, which is 1-800-227-6482. Have your booking number ready — it is on your cruise documents or in your confirmation email. Tell the representative you want to change your dining seating time and whether you prefer early or late.
The representative will confirm your current seating, show you what is available, and move you to your chosen time. They will give you a confirmation number for the change. Ask them to note in your file that you have made this change, so the ship's dining staff will have the update when you board. The phone line is usually busiest in the morning and early afternoon, so calling in the evening or early morning may mean shorter wait times.
Changing your dining time once you are on the ship
If you did not change your seating before boarding, you can do it on the ship itself. On your first sea day — the first full day after you board — find the dining room host stand in the main dining room, or visit the guest services desk in your cabin area. Tell the staff member you want to change your seating time and ask what is available.
The dining staff can usually move you to a different seating the same day or the next evening. They will give you a new table assignment and may provide you with an updated dining card or note in the system. Changes made on the ship take effect when ready, so your new seating starts that night or the following dinner service.
If you are on a longer cruise or have already attended several dinners at your assigned time, the staff may ask you to confirm the change, but they will not refuse it. The process takes about five minutes at the host stand.
What happens to your table and dining companions when you change
When you change your seating time, Carnival reassigns you to a new table with a new group of dining companions. You will not keep the same table or the same server you had at your original seating. This is because each seating has its own set of tables and staff, and moving you to a different time means moving you to a different section of the dining room.
If you have made friends with your original table group and want to stay with them, ask the host stand whether you can keep your original seating instead. If you have already changed and want to go back to your first seating, you can request that as well — the ship will move you back if space is available.
Specialty dining and alternative restaurants are separate from main dining time
Carnival's main dining room is included in your cruise fare, and your seating time applies only to that room. If you have booked specialty restaurants — such as Steakhouse, Seafood, or Supper Club — those have their own reservation times and are not affected by changes to your main dining seating.
Specialty restaurants charge an additional fee per person, usually between $15 and $40 depending on the venue and ship. You reserve those separately through the website, by phone, or at the ship. Changing your main dining time does not cancel or move your specialty restaurant reservations, so you will need to manage those bookings on their own if you want to adjust them.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I change my dining time more than once?
Yes. You can change your seating as many times as you want before you sail, and once on the ship you can request another change if your first new seating does not work out. There is no limit to how many times you can move, though the ship's staff will ask you to decide by the second or third day so they can finalize table assignments.
What if both early and late seating are full?
On most ships, at least one seating has space available. If both are completely full, the dining staff can sometimes add you to a table as an extra guest or place you on a waitlist for a cancellation. Ask the host stand or guest services what options exist rather than assuming you are stuck with your original time.
Do I need to pay extra to change my dining time?
No. Changing your seating time in the main dining room is free. You only pay extra if you choose to eat at specialty restaurants, which are separate venues with separate fees.
Will my server know my preferences if I change tables?
Your new server will not have notes from your previous server, so you will need to tell them your preferences again — dietary restrictions, drink orders, how you like your steak cooked, and so on. Most servers write these down on the first night, so your preferences will be consistent for the rest of the cruise once you have told them.
Can I change my dining time if I booked a drink package or specialty dining?
Yes. Changing your main dining seating time does not affect drink packages or specialty restaurant reservations. Those are separate bookings and will stay active regardless of when you move your main dining time.