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If they don't have a special table set up to take care of this go directly to the dining room and try to find the maitre de. Even if it looks closed just walk in and try to find someone who can point you to the maitre de. Let him know you want to switch to late seating.
In many cases there are people who want to switch from late to early so there is a good chance of making the switch - the key is to get there early be firm about your request.
Be that as it may, on our last cruise (Carnival Jubilee), they messed up and put us in the late seating...The head waiter had a table in one of the open areas that first day (the purser directed us as to where)...We went there and got our names onto a list...Later that afternoon, we had new cards slipped under our door with revised seating assignments...
Seems there are loads of reasons why people are seated contrary to their wishes:1. The system just screwed up...2. They changed their minds after booking...3. They had a poor travel agent who just never took care of it properly...and more...
Chances are there as many people looking to switch early to late as there are late to early...But to be on the safe side, make it your first order of business when you board the ship...
As far as breakfast, some cruise lines have assigned seating and some do not. Don't know about your ship, but you might check.
On the cruises I've been on, it's been a mixed bag for breakfast and lunch...
The key is often whether the ship is in port or "at sea"...
When the ship is at sea, they expect everyone to show up for lunch, so they have to enforce seating times...When in port, a large number of people don't come back to the ship for lunch, so they can do it in one "open" seating...
Breakfast, it is also largely a matter of people scarfing it down and trying to get to a shore excursion when in port, so the ships will generally go to an open seating policy...
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