Welcome to the Crossroads! I recently sailed on the Carnival Jubilee out of the Port of Galveston, and I’m ready to share my experiences. Over the next few weeks, on this page and on the YouTube channel (http://www.youtube.com/@Brents_Crossroads), I will be sharing everything I ate on board, touring the ship, and my excursion adventures in Roatan, Costa Maya, and Cozumel.

So, step on the lido deck with me, and let’s have some honest conversations about the ship, food, and all things cruising from this trip.

One thing that can be annoying when dining in the Main Dining Room (MDR) on ships is how long the dining service can take. If I have a show I’m trying to get to, I only have a certain amount of time before I have to dine-and-dash. Honestly, there have been multiple times when we’ve left before dessert arrived at our table because it took so long to get the last course. I know they have a system and intervals where the staff bring out courses of food, but I have places to be. I also get that some people like to take their time and talk to the strangers at the table around them.

That ain’t me.

I’m a Gen-X kid. Heck, let me free in the kitchen to make my own food and get the hell back out of Dodge, and I’ll be happy. We, latchkey kids, have done it our entire lives. So, nothing new…

Okay, back to the express dining.

The first time I noticed this mentioned in the Carnival App, I was immediately interested. The description boldly claimed that by choosing the express option, you’d be seated, fully served, and out the door in 45 minutes.

I was skeptical.

The times were the same as for My Time Dining, and the dining room was the same. I wondered what sorcery Carnival had performed to achieve something such as this. We’ve been on many Carnival ships and sailings, and this was the first time we’ve found this option on a ship. We wanted to get seats for a show one night and were going to eat in the MDR, so we decided to try out Carnival’s claim.

If you’ve never cruised Carnival before, if you choose My Time Dining, you check into the app when you’re ready to eat, and they will tell you when your table is available. If you’ve cruised on the Fun Ships, you know the drill. The express is handled the same way.

When the check-in opened in the app, I checked us in, and away we went.

Now, this is where you have to be careful, and this is my big tip about using the express option. You have to plan ahead depending on what you want to eat from the menu. The express dining menu is reduced, and not all the same food options from the full menu are available.

The express menu above seems a little light on choices, right? Well, compare it to the MDR version of the menu below.

Because of the differences, if you want to go the express route, you need to check the menus ahead of time to decide if that menu item you’ve been craving is worth sitting through the entire regular MDR experience. If it is worth it, have at it. If you still can find something to eat? Go for the express.

Now, once I was notified our table was ready, we headed down and we were seated with all the other regular MDR Your Time Dining guests. When my butt hit the seat, I started the clock. The wait staff started the bread service quickly and took our order. The starter and main courses came out at a decent pace, and I wasn’t left sitting and waiting 20 minutes or more for my dessert. I didn’t look at the clock while dinner was happening, but when I chewed that last sweet morsel, I peeked.

What did I find?

45 minutes exact.

I won’t lie about kind of being in a state of shock. I didn’t think Carnival could do it, but they did. Kudos to the staff for making me feel bad about doubting them.

Overall, I was pleased with the experience. It lived up to the name and promise of a quick dinner. I hope they roll this out to all ships in the fleet, as I think it would become a popular option for guests looking to get a head start on their nightly entertainment. I know some people will say the buffet is a quick option, but it doesn’t have the same food. I can’t get a good steak or lobster on the buffet.

This option won’t be for everyone. Some groups like to take their time and enjoy a nice, casual evening with their significant other, family, or friends. Some want to get on with their night and don’t care about missing out on the full main dining room experience and menu. Which way would you want to enjoy your dinner on a cruise ship? Let me know in the comments below.

Overall, the express dining option on the Carnival Jubilee was a positive experience. If they offer it on any Carnival ship you’re sailing on, I suggest giving it a try. I hope you have the same good luck with it that we had on our sailing.

I’m off to work on the next batch of videos for the channel, so thank you for meeting me here at the Crossroads. I hope to see you out on our travels!

Brent