Marina - What time to eat

[Gail Boertzel]

Trying to figure out what time to make dinner reservations in the specialty restaurants. We are doing a Baltic cruise. We only have one day at sea and three days are in port until dinner time, plus some overnight ports so a little bit more complicated. Typically what time do the entertainment and shows start? For the four restaurants, how much time would you expect to spend at dinner? Would you avoid the first and last nights? Thanks. Do want to savor the experience!

[no fuss travel]

Entertainment starts at 9:30. Dinner time depends on your choice. If you want to eat later after you have toured all day, then take a later reservation. If you want to eat as soon as you get back from your tour, then take an early reservation. Dining starts at 6:30, so it is totally up to your wishes. Do you like to eat early or late? If you want to see the show, I would not make reservations in the specialty restaurants later than 7:30. Try the Terrace Cafe at night. The buffet is good and it is not as crowded at dinner time.

[JimandStan]

Trying to figure out what time to make dinner reservations in the specialty restaurants. We are doing a Baltic cruise. We only have one day at sea and three days are in port until dinner time, plus some overnight ports so a little bit more complicated. Typically what time do the entertainment and shows start? For the four restaurants, how much time would you expect to spend at dinner? Would you avoid the first and last nights? Thanks. Do want to savor the experience!

 

The show (there is usually only one) in the Main Showroom, typically starts at 9:30 PM or thereabouts.

 

You'll need to allocate from 90 minutes to two hours for a table for two, if you plan on doing all five courses, and about an hour more if you plan on sitting at a table for six or more.

 

There are no "bad" nights in any of the restaurants.

[LHT28]

The buffet is good and it is not as crowded at dinner time.

Timing is everything;)

Also depends on what time & place your fellow ship mates like to eat

sometimes it is very busy around 7pm other times not so much

[YoHoHo]

Trying to figure out what time to make dinner reservations in the specialty restaurants. We are doing a Baltic cruise. We only have one day at sea and three days are in port until dinner time, plus some overnight ports so a little bit more complicated. Typically what time do the entertainment and shows start? For the four restaurants, how much time would you expect to spend at dinner? Would you avoid the first and last nights? Thanks. Do want to savor the experience!

Especially when we dine in the specialty restaurants that is our evenings entertainment. We usually start late and stay later. Perhaps catch the end of a show but the focus is on the dinner and company.

 

Many pax like the Terrace Cafe after a long day of touring as has been suggested already. While for me the selection has always been great now with the grill station it is the preferred choice for many at all times.

 

It is as quick as you want to make it of course (lingering over an after dinner drink on the open deck is terrific on a warm evening) but the specialty restaurant timing is much longer as per JimandStan's reply.

Would you avoid the first and last nights? Thanks. Do want to savor the experience!

No, first and last nights are good too though on the first night many are too tired from traveling to the ship and dine in their stateroom and the last night a bit of a hurry to pack and get ready to disembark for the next phase of the trip. Yes, enjoy - it is a great experience!

[JimandStan]

Especially when we dine in the specialty restaurants that is our evenings entertainment. We usually start late and stay later. Perhaps catch the end of a show but the focus is on the dinner and company.

 

+1, our thoughts exactly!

[Paulchili]

It depends on how important the entertainment is to you.

If it is important, you should eat at 6:30 or 7 so you can enjoy a leisurely dinner and still get to the theater in time to get a "good" seat rather than a "left over" seat.

We do not schedule dinner for first night as it frequently is available as an extra reservation once onboard (few people schedule for the first night and thus there are often openings in several specialty restaurants).

Enjoy your cruise!

[brian_uk]

Best time to eat is when you are hungry...........

 

We find that most Americans (I said most...not all) prefer early dining while we Europeans tend to eat later.

 

We never worry about the Shows, cannot remember ever seeing a good one.

 

Brian

[Mr Luxury]

Best time to eat is when you are hungry...........

 

We find that most Americans (I said most...not all) prefer early dining while we Europeans tend to eat later.

 

We never worry about the Shows, cannot remember ever seeing a good one.

 

Brian

 

Quit right,

I always think that cruise line dinners are much better than cruise line entertainers.

[hypercafe]

We booked our speciality rest on line on the first day we could, 45 days out. Had no trouble getting early times for two. Keep in mind this was just 4 dinners out of 10 so the others were at our discretion. They had very nice shows that were limited by the size of the stage on the Rivera, all were at 9:30, one was by the pool. The times were not any time you wanted but had fixed times you had to choose. If eating just when you are hungry is your plan there is a small problem on Oceania as all food service stops at 9:30 expect room service. On other lines we sometimes go to the early show and then eat, here just one show and then no food!

[wripro]

Do not waste your time booking restaurant reservations around the shows. The olive oil presentation in Toscana is far more entertaining than anything in the show room.

[CintiPam]

Do not waste your time booking restaurant reservations around the shows. The olive oil presentation in Toscana is far more entertaining than anything in the show room.

 

Cruelty...thy name is wripro! :) (OK, there indeed is validity to your point.)

 

I enjoy the classical music shows and book my specialty restaurants times earlier in order to dine at my leisure and still be able to attend.

 

I also endorse Jim's view that the larger the party with whom you are dining, the more time you need to allow for dinner. So if I am in a social mood, I deliberately wipe getting to the show out of my brain. (And heft another glass of wine!)

[DOJO466]

Cruelty...thy name is wripro! :) (OK, there indeed is validity to your point.)

 

I enjoy the classical music shows and book my specialty restaurants times earlier in order to dine at my leisure and still be able to attend.

 

I also endorse Jim's view that the larger the party with whom you are dining, the more time you need to allow for dinner. So if I am in a social mood, I deliberately wipe getting to the show out of my brain. (And heft another glass of wine!)

 

Cheers...as do we

[Host Sharon]

Oh this sound good. I used to love long dinners with good company, lingering over the last liqueur or coffee, but of late everyone seems so intent on escaping to the shows It has completely lost it's magic on mainstream lines.

[wripro]

Pam,

 

Sorry if I offended but that's the way I feel. I never go to the shows on any cruise so they do not factor into the timing of my dinner reservations. I much prefer a leisurely dinner with good conversation to second rate performances, especially on the Marina and Riviera where it is uncomfortable enough to play trivia in the show rooms, let alone having to sit on those hard seats, digesting my meal while someone belts out broadway tunes from the fifties and sixties. jmo.