Poll: What do you prefer, Main or Late dining and why

[AACJ]

Up to the top I go!!

[AdamOfCanaveral]

I voted for late seating because main and late are the only alternatives on Royal Caribbean at the moment. I would really prefer 7 p.m. or 7:30. Six o'clock is too early (hardly any time for cocktail hour) and 8:30 is a little late (makes for a 3 hour cocktail hour).:)

 

The food and beverage manager on the Mariner told us in April that Royal Caribbean is experimenting with some other options - but not open seating.

[98Charlie]

The food and beverage manager on the Mariner told us in April that Royal Caribbean is experimenting with some other options - but not open seating.

I believe on some ships on HAL they are working with more seating times by having staggered seating times for the main floor of dining rooms with balconies and a later time for the upper floor. It creates 4 seating times instead of just 2. Wonder if that is what RCCL is thinking about?

 

Charlie

[Bonnie J.]

When we were new cruisers, we wanted 1st but couldn't get it so had 2nd. we cruised 2nd time with friends who had been on about 20 cruises. They said HAD to be 1st seating. So, we did and we HATED it. Then on next cruise with them, we said HAD to be 2nd and it was. They could never figure out why they loved 1st seating after that!

We get back from shore and can relax, don't have to get dressed for dinner right away. We often take a nap then get in hot tub til about 7:30. Then we dress for dinner and enjoy the evening and do not go to bed at 10!

And, if you really don't like whichever seating you have, just ask the Maitr'd to move you to other seating!

[Daizygirl]

We will be sailing with another couple (late 20's/early 30's) on the Glory in September. This will be my 8th cruise and I have to say I like to get the nightlife started early...hence to say we like main seating. We've found that we are never really out to port for as long as we can be and still have plenty of time to rest and take our time getting ready before dinner. The main seating simply fits more into our life style and the activities we have planned afterwards.

 

Have fun and enjoy yourselves!

[floridaboyz]

Late seating is fine for us. On port days, we do not have to rush around and feel like we are missing something in port. On sea days, we can relax late afternoon when the crowds start to dwindle on deck and enjoy the pool area just a little longer. We usually have a snack around 3:30 or 4:00p and make it to the late seating just fine.

[T_Bird]

Late - We don't like to be rushed and when on vacation, I love afternoon naps. I am usually hungry before dinner. After returning from port or just sunning myself all day, I do a light snack, relax and then get dressed for dinner.

[Tomm]

Early seating allows you to take in the stage shows. But - after an island excursion - I need a nap and so I feel rushed to get showered and dressed for dinner.

[une_petite_rosee]

Canapes... I lve canapes. Generally my family saves up for travel so we gereally go for the delux suites, which means (bet you guessed it) canapes! So, I am never hungry until 8:30-9:00 anyway.

Although I am cruising on Norwegian for the first time ad have heard great things about the freestyle dining, and also I think many ships are now serving little hors d'oeuvres and canapes in any balcony room (don't quote me on this one)!!

Finally, I am a 20-something and I like the ambience of the late setting ecause you are almost guaranteed no children (though sometimes you get some large and boisterous drunken parties)!

[Skinsfan1311]

I prefer late-seating, as to not have to rush back from a day in port...

[nosnobunny]

If it was just me and DH it would be late seating. However, we often cruise with friends who feel otherwise and since dinner is the only time we promise to be together - early it is. :( Life is a compromise isn't it?

 

Beth

[AACJ]

Looks like its trending more to late seating.

 

 

art

[bilgeboyPa]

Much prefer late seating. We can get nappy time after a day ashore :D. Get ready for dinner without being rushed. We also found that you can eat at a relaxed paced since no one is coming into eat after us.Late dinner is usually 8:30 and we usually are done dining and ready to leave about 10:45 or so.

That's my 2 cents

 

Jeff

[Sigtau21]

Prefer early...dont like to eat late. However, on the last cruise to Alaska, some of the port of calls had departure times of 8 or 9 pm. Wish had late dinner for that reason.

[CaliforniaDreamin]

Main (early) is our time of choice everytime. We usually don't do the long shore excursions and are back on ship by our dinner time. If not, there's always pizza, pasta, sushi, Healthy Choice all-day dining available at later hours. This gives us time before the 9:00 pm shows to relax and listen to music in the lounge or go to our room for a while.

 

If we had late seating I'm afraid we would get hungry before dinner and tend to snack prior to our meal. We want to avoid this and enjoy the meal itself. We eat a substantial breakfast and usually a light lunch.

 

I do understand why some would like late seating also and that is certainly why it is available.

 

So many choices - so little time

[AACJ]

Up to the top I go!!

[notthatway2001]

late

[Sunrunner3]

Late seating!!!!!

 

This way you don't have to rush for dinner on port days plus I've found there are less small children at late seatings.

[RachelD]

DH and I prefer Late seating to Main seating. It gives us time to relax before dinner, maybe even take a nap. If we get hungry we can just grab a quick bite somewhere beforehand.

 

For our next cruise we have Main Seating which hopefully will be changed when we board the ship (Which is Saturday!). When we purchased the cruise back in January we were given Main Seating; Late seating was not an option. They said to talk to the Maitre 'D once we boarded to see if we could switch it. Wish us luck!

[LonW]

I prefer late also as does most of my cruising friends... The early is too early when having port days and doing excursions and such... Plus not having to rush to get ready. Plus we rarely eat before 8:00 pm at home.

[monicuba23]

On a few cruiselines, you may select the first or second seating of either Main or Late. For example, on Carnival Valor, Main seating is either 5:45pm or 6:15pm and Late seating is either 8:00pm or 8:30pm.

 

We prefer to have the first late seating:

 

1. Spend more time in port

 

2. Take a nap before dinner - to unwind from a busy day

 

3. Take our time getting ready for dinner

 

4. Fewer children in the dining room for the late seating, so there's a better ambiance for those of us without children

 

5. Do not feel rushed to finish the meal and get out of the dining room because the staff needs to set up for another batch of diners

 

6. We take the first late seating in order to make it in time for the shows before the theatres become packed with guests. We feel that the second late seating lets us out too late

 

7. Prefer to stay up later and enjoy the nightlife on a full stomach

 

8. We like to spend time on deck during the twilight hours with fewer people around - so we can enjoy it while the rest of the folks are having the Early meal

 

9. The only hesitation was to avoid being too full for the 'Midnight Buffet'. Since Carnival no longer has a TRUE Midnight Buffet every night, this isn't a problem anymore.

[stmomma]

After 1st cruise with early seating I think I would like late better. Didn't like having to rush back to ship from port days. Requested late seating this time.

[cruiser77]

Early for me thanks!

 

I am not used to eat very much in the evenings so trying to stuff myself full late in the evenind when I am alredy tired is just not comfortable for me. I am one those people who normally go to sleep already around 9-10 o'clock.:p

[dekor8r]

We prefer late seating for a few reasons. * We are from the west coast & eating at 5:30 would be like eating in the afternoon! * I find it better to not be hungry for the midnight buffet (easier to keep the calories down, which is already hard enough :) * We don't have to rush to get ready right after coming back from ports.... But I think any seating, as long as you are on a cruise ship somewhere hot & fun, would be great!! Diana

[lukegr]

LATE! (On Carnival, at least)

 

On Carnival ships, there is a spectacular performance after dinner, and if you eat at the main dining, then you have to go to the early show, but if you go to the late dining, then you go to the late show. The bad thing in my mind about the earlier dining/show is that there's not as much to do between the time after the show and sleep time (or midnight buffet :p). However, with the late dining/show, you can do activities up until dinner, and then watch the show, maybe a midnight buffet, late night comedy, and then sleep.

 

My $0.02 :D