Those who have done late dining, lend me your ear

[twindaddy]

We are doing our first Carnival Cruise on the Splendor in December. All of our past Disney Cruises we had grandma with us and she demanded early dining (no ATD on Disney).

 

This time we are giving late seating a try. We are just late night people. My daugthers typically do not go to bed until 10ish at home and around midnight on a cruise, and sleep till around 10AM every day.

 

For those who have done late dining, are there any kids at all in the dining room? I was hoping we would get seated with another family with kids of a similar age, or atleast near some. We will be a party of five.

 

So, those who have experienced late dining, what is the kid forcast?

[vacruizer]

We've seen plenty of kids at late dining. Maybe not as many as early seating would have, but there are still kids there.

 

We don't have kids, but really enjoy late seating. It's so nice not to have to rush back from ports, have time for a snack and maybe a nap, and then take your time getting ready for dinner.

[going to see the world]

We are doing our first Carnival Cruise on the Splendor in December. All of our past Disney Cruises we had grandma with us and she demanded early dining (no ATD on Disney).

 

This time we are giving late seating a try. We are just late night people. My daugthers typically do not go to bed until 10ish at home and around midnight on a cruise, and sleep till around 10AM every day.

 

For those who have done late dining, are there any kids at all in the dining room? I was hoping we would get seated with another family with kids of a similar age, or atleast near some. We will be a party of five.

 

So, those who have experienced late dining, what is the kid forcast?

 

 

There were kids every cruise we've been on during the late dining :)

[skittl1321]

There have always been some kids when we had late dining.

 

No idea what the chance of a group of 5 sitting with others will be.

[big_duck]

There is always a few, but no guarantees.

 

With a party of 5 late, you will more then likely be at a table by yourselves.

[twindaddy]

We've seen plenty of kids at late dining. Maybe not as many as early seating would have, but there are still kids there.

 

We don't have kids, but really enjoy late seating. It's so nice not to have to rush back from ports, have time for a snack and maybe a nap, and then take your time getting ready for dinner.

 

Bingo. We always felt rushed out of ports, and missed all the pier runners because many times the ship was leaving while we were at dinner. We are just late kind of folks. I have heard the servers are less rushed, but who know if that is true, I never felt rushed in early dining...

[twindaddy]

There is always a few, but no guarantees.

 

With a party of 5 late, you will more then likely be at a table by yourselves.

 

Good point. Thanks for the input. That is fine too, my girls are very outgoing, we have to drag them out of the kids club for meals most times.

[mandis]

I would do early if the kids want to take part in the fun stuff for camp carnival.. The do dance parties barely before the clubs open to adults and it was usually right when late dining started. They also had poolside activities one night at the same time. Our oldest 12 at the time missed dinner with us to go to the activities. These were for circle c group.. If they are younger than they won't miss as much.

[JenniLynn]

There are definitely fewer kiddos in the late seating, which is one reason why some choose it! I've also sailed with friends with kids that say they prefer early seating because it fits much better with the camp carnival activities schedule so the kids prefer it so they don't miss out on special activities.

 

I'm sure that it also depends on WHEN exactly you are cruising. If you are cruising over the Holiday weeks then the likelihood of kids in late seating will increase as more kids will be on board. If you are choosing to sail early in December you may not see any young ones in the late seating because there are simply not that many on board!

 

We have had late seating on all of our cruises except twice when we have sailed with friends who had teens that were very involved in the Clubs or young ones in camp carnival and their schedules demanded we all eat early! Thinking back, I really don't remember too many little kids in late seating, even when we sailed over New Years Eve.

[twindaddy]

I would do early if the kids want to take part in the fun stuff for camp carnival.. The do dance parties barely before the clubs open to adults and it was usually right when late dining started. They also had poolside activities one night at the same time. Our oldest 12 at the time missed dinner with us to go to the activities. These were for circle c group.. If they are younger than they won't miss as much.

 

Good point, however, we could use the pools and waterslide with less people when everyone leaves for early seating. Then again, with ATD that wont be as much of any issue. My girls are 6, not of circle c age yet.

 

If I was onboard and they were missing things, I think I might just take them to the buffet to eat at 6 and then drop them off and the adults could enjoy late seating alone. :)

 

I am going to see if I can find someone who posted the kids activites schedule online so I can take a look. If I had to bet, we will do late, and then drop the kiddos off at 10PM (when they start charging, of course) so mommy and daddy can enjoy some adult comedy.

 

Do they do anything special during the non-free time?

[big_duck]

If I was onboard and they were missing things, I think I might just take them to the buffet to eat at 6 and then drop them off and the adults could enjoy late seating alone. :)

 

You wouldn't be alone in that.

[twindaddy]

There are definitely fewer kiddos in the late seating, which is one reason why some choose it! I've also sailed with friends with kids that say they prefer early seating because it fits much better with the camp carnival activities schedule so the kids prefer it so they don't miss out on special activities.

 

I'm sure that it also depends on WHEN exactly you are cruising. If you are cruising over the Holiday weeks then the likelihood of kids in late seating will increase as more kids will be on board. If you are choosing to sail early in December you may not see any young ones in the late seating because there are simply not that many on board!

 

We have had late seating on all of our cruises except twice when we have sailed with friends who had teens that were very involved in the Clubs or young ones in camp carnival and their schedules demanded we all eat early! Thinking back, I really don't remember too many little kids in late seating, even when we sailed over New Years Eve.

 

Thanks for your input, I would imagine many choose it just to get away from the legions of kids.

 

My children are very well behaved most of the time (I am a former juvenile hall guard and my wife is a current corrections officer), and if they are not they get a one way ticket out of the dining room. I go out of my way to be considerate of others around us. Funny story, one night one of my girls had a mini fit about something in the dining room on Disney, lasted about 30 seconds and I hauled her out of the dining room to sit in the atrium while she calmed down. She hates being away from her sister, and begged to back in. When we got back in, I made her go to every table around us and apologize for being so loud. My wife said it was humiliating to her, but I was trying to make her realize how her behavior affects others. Not sure if that was the best things to do, but we have had very few problems since.

 

Thank you everyone for the input.

[LizaMM]

On my very first cruise I did Early Seating because I thought it wold be better with kids....NOT!!!....We hated it and all felt rushed to get ready for dinner.

 

Since then - whether I have sailed with my kids or not - I have always done Late Seating. My kids are older now but they have always preferred Late. We are a "Late" family as well and this has always worked out much better for us.

 

 

 

I agree that as a group of 5 you may wind up at your own table. When I sailed with just 1 of my kids (I am a single mom so in those cases it was just 2 of us) I was always seated at another table.....interestingly I always wound up with another single parent with their kids who were about the same age as mine. This worked out very well!

[twindaddy]

On my very first cruise I did Early Seating because I thought it wold be better with kids....NOT!!!....We hated it and all felt rushed to get ready for dinner.

 

Since then - whether I have sailed with my kids or not - I have always done Late Seating. My kids are older now but they have always preferred Late. We are a "Late" family as well and this has always worked out much better for us.

 

 

 

I agree that as a group of 5 you may wind up at your own table. When I sailed with just 1 of my kids (I am a single mom so in those cases it was just 2 of us) I was always seated at another table.....interestingly I always wound up with another single parent with their kids who were about the same age as mine. This worked out very well!

 

On our last Disney Cruise, the five of us were seated with a single mom and her adopted son, same age as my girls. We got along famously, the boy had some special needs but that is what I teach so my daugthers know all about it. We are still friends on facebook and hope to cruise again together someday, it was great getting to know another family. The last night the little boy brought my daughters some flower pictures he drew for them and gave them a hug saying he would miss them. It was about the cutest thing ever.

[AngAndBoys]

Thanks for your input, I would imagine many choose it just to get away from the legions of kids.

 

My children are very well behaved most of the time (I am a former juvenile hall guard and my wife is a current corrections officer), and if they are not they get a one way ticket out of the dining room. I go out of my way to be considerate of others around us. Funny story, one night one of my girls had a mini fit about something in the dining room on Disney, lasted about 30 seconds and I hauled her out of the dining room to sit in the atrium while she calmed down. She hates being away from her sister, and begged to back in. When we got back in, I made her go to every table around us and apologize for being so loud. My wife said it was humiliating to her, but I was trying to make her realize how her behavior affects others. Not sure if that was the best things to do, but we have had very few problems since.

 

Thank you everyone for the input.

 

Aw, who knows if it was right or wrong. You just raise them with as much love as you can and pray they turn out ok and you don't warp 'em too bad!

 

To answer your question: I have kids, I always do late because I did early the first time and it was hard to get everyone ready after ports, pool fun etc...we just weren't ready to go that early. MIne are older than yours: 12, 14, 16 now...so on the last cruise, they definitely were torn between eating with mom and doing camp carnival activities. I didn't hold it against them. This time I did ATD so we can plan our meal times around their activities. I prefer to eat with them...mostly because, at their ages, that's about the only time I actually see them except when I make them check in or randomly go find them to see what they're getting up to when they think I'm not looking. (So far, so good).:D

[twindaddy]

Aw, who knows if it was right or wrong. You just raise them with as much love as you can and pray they turn out ok and you don't warp 'em too bad!

 

To answer your question: I have kids, I always do late because I did early the first time and it was hard to get everyone ready after ports, pool fun etc...we just weren't ready to go that early. MIne are older than yours: 12, 14, 16 now...so on the last cruise, they definitely were torn between eating with mom and doing camp carnival activities. I didn't hold it against them. This time I did ATD so we can plan our meal times around their activities. I prefer to eat with them...mostly because, at their ages, that's about the only time I actually see them except when I make them check in or randomly go find them to see what they're getting up to when they think I'm not looking. (So far, so good).:D

 

Good points, the days of my girls WANTING to hang out with dad are quickly coming to an end. Pretty soon the drop me off a block from the movie theater days will start.

 

It will all work out, short of the ship sinking or my waiter spilling scalding oil on me, alot would have to happen before I wouldnt have fun on a cruise. I even have some of my wifes magic sea sickness pills that make it go away in a few minutes.

 

I actually really am liking the idea of myself taking the lil ladies to the buffet around 6, then off to camp carnival while the adults eat in the MDR. I just need to find some activity schedules around these boards.

[LizaMM]

Good points, the days of my girls WANTING to hang out with dad are quickly coming to an end. Pretty soon the drop me off a block from the movie theater days will start.

 

It will all work out, short of the ship sinking or my waiter spilling scalding oil on me, alot would have to happen before I wouldnt have fun on a cruise. I even have some of my wifes magic sea sickness pills that make it go away in a few minutes.

 

I actually really am liking the idea of myself taking the lil ladies to the buffet around 6, then off to camp carnival while the adults eat in the MDR. I just need to find some activity schedules around these boards.

 

On one of my cruises my tablemates did just that. They were sailing with their 2 kids and the nanny. They brought their kids to the Lido Deck each evening and had a snack while the kids had dinner. Then they would come to Late Seating alone as a couple. I don't know exactly how it would work with Camp Carnival but I would think it is doable and that you are certainly not the only people to want to do this.

[fishtaco]

On my June Splendor Cruise we had late dinning in the gold pearl and there were no visible kids and we were seated on a big table almost in the middle.

 

This was set dinning at 8.15 pm

 

There were some older teens/ under 21,s i presume as they were not drinking.

 

This may not be typical of Splendor late dinning but you would have a lot less kids at late dinning on any cruise I would presume.

 

Den

[luckycruzer]

mom and I had late dinner......and I've never changed...still wont....no rush no small kiddies, no hurry to leave my table.

[Yvonne]

We typically see lots fewer kids during late dining than we do early.

 

We like both dining times, but one drawback for late dining is a super full tummy to go to bed on. :( We don't go to bed that early on cruises, usually midnight or 1 a.m. or so, but with late dining we're not hungry for those "late night bites" served on the promenade, or to grab a deli sandwich in the evening to share, etc.

[summercruisin']

We are night owls, too, so we always go to the late dining. Our kids go right along with us. They were 18 months and 7 the first time and 3 and 9 the second (where we sat with another family with two kids near my 9 year old's age). In three weeks we will be eating late dinner with them at age 5 and 10-turning-11-on-the-trip. We now ask for a table just for our family, since our DS has Asperger Syndrome, but we do see some (not a lot but they are definitely there) other kids at the late dinner.

[oregonjuli]

We just got back from the Magic. Our family of 5 (18, 16 and 8) had late seating. We were seated with another family of 5 at the same table. There were a lot of kids in the late seating. If you are going during the summer, there will be plenty of kids. My youngest ate in Camp Carnival one night.

 

On the Magic at least, the shows for the late dining people are at 7:00pm.

 

Enjoy.

[Andoria]

My son(13) is an only child and has sat through many a family dinner. I picked late seating so that he has the option of eating with us or going to camp.

[twindaddy]

We typically see lots fewer kids during late dining than we do early.

 

We like both dining times, but one drawback for late dining is a super full tummy to go to bed on. :( We don't go to bed that early on cruises, usually midnight or 1 a.m. or so, but with late dining we're not hungry for those "late night bites" served on the promenade, or to grab a deli sandwich in the evening to share, etc.

 

I wish I had that problem. On a cruise, my will power is zero. I would go to bed just a tad hungry, you know where if you were at home you would have a glass of milk or a few pretzels, but instead I see the room service menu and order a bunch of bad for you stuff and go to sleep with that in my tummy :rolleyes:

 

My son(13) is an only child and has sat through many a family dinner. I picked late seating so that he has the option of eating with us or going to camp.

 

Good idea. On Disney, if the kids want to go to the club bad, the servers will bring their meals out first, like when the adults are having appetizers, and then while waiting for the main course you can take them to the club (first seating) or they come get them (second seating). Hopefully my server on the Splendor can do that too.

 

Thank you everyone for your input!

[Cigar Dude]

You'll see kids at late dining but probably not as many as early. You won't get out of late dining until almost 10pm so they'll be wired for at least 2 or 3 hours. Sounds like that's not a problem. I would not worry about finding other kids at late dining.