Carnival Cruise Lines’ new “Your Choice Dining” program offers three dinner seating options including “Your Time” open seating. Also, starting now, dining assignments will be confirmed at the time of booking.

Carnival has been experimenting with open seating on a few ships since late 2008. “Exceptional guest feedback to the pilot program and an indication from the vast majority of those participating that they would choose that option again has prompted the decision to extend open seating fleetwide,” said Roberta Jacoby, Carnival’s senior vice president of hotel operations.

“Your Time” open seating, currently available on five ships, will be implemented one vessel at a time over the next several months as modifications in dining room table configurations are completed. Smaller table arrangements are being added so individuals may sit only with those they wish instead of being grouped with others at larger tables.

An additional eight ships are scheduled to be converted by the end of the year and the balance of the fleet by summer 2010.

At the time of booking, customers will be asked to choose from early dining at 6 p.m, late dining at 8:15 p.m. or Your Time dining, any time between 5:45 p.m. and 9:30 p.m.

Carnival said “Your Time” diners are able to request any table size or waiter and are typically seated immediately. Pagers are handed out if there is a wait time.