World Cruise Dining TImes preference

[tgetz]

WE are considering booking the world cruise for 2017 and have a choice on two different dining times, no flexible dinning times are available on world cruise. For those of you who have done a world cruise, what do you recommend?We have been doing flex dining ever since it became available and not sure which is considered more favorable for the world cruise. My husband usually liked second seating so he can linger over his meal, but late seating almost seems too late to me. Any thoughts would be appreciated.

[Scrapnana]

I like late seating. On port days you have some time to relax before getting ready for dinner. You also have time to enjoy the sail-aways which often happen close to first seating.

[bcd2010]

CC member WCB posts daily reports while on a WC, of which they have taken many. Something s/he mentions is that several activities take place after the first seating and those at the second seating miss out on them or get there late - some include special give-aways and gifts/prizes. Those who dine later have complained but more people eat early and they are the ones who are catered to. If those evening activities matter to you, consider this. I cannot remember which activities (others may be able to help out with this) but it seems to me they are games and special balls (e.g., black and white ball).

Edited July 20, 2015 by bcd2010

[tgetz]

I remembering reading some posters complaining but I couldn't remember if they complained if they had late seating or the early one. As always I am sure there are personal preferences, but I am just looking for several different view points so we can make a more informed decision. Thanks for your input.

[wander]

On a WC or any other longer cruise, I prefer late seating. Time to clean-up if needed, relax a bit etc, particularly on Port Days.

 

HOWEVER, due to several health situations, I CANNOT eat that late anymore - unless I was to stay-up and be physically active every day until past midnight, which does not work for me. (I am definitely an early morning person - usually up by 6 regardless if bed time.) So, I now ask for early seating and except for a few port days, this has worked-out very well. For the few times I have gotten back too late from shore excursions for first seating the Lido has worked just fine.

 

Before I switched to early seating, I had thought that the first seating would primarily be "Older" passengers (LOL - to me that is anyone 10 years or more older than I am regardless of my age). While I did not study the MDR as a whole, the folks at my table and surrounding tables were anything but "older". I have always had active folks to eat with, most active physically and all with sharp minds. Really no different than the second seating folks. If there was any difference - my second seating table mates have had a higher proportion of complainers.

 

Just read the last two posts - in my experience, the main activity that starts before first seaters are normally done eating is Music Trivia. Nearby table folks had to forgo dessert to get to Trivia. (For me, this would be a positive thing - do not need dinner dessert calories on a 50+ day cruise.)

Edited July 20, 2015 by wander

[JB&JLG74]

Haven't done a WC but just did the 78 day Grand Pacific and Far East Sept to Dec 2015. We have always been late seating people as we enjoy not having to rush to be ready for early dinner. However, as mentioned, there are events that start before we can expect to be finished (usually around 9 pm), most notably the gala ball events. If you are at a larger table on late seating with people who enjoy every course, it could be a problem getting to the late show. We have had that happen and skipped desert if we were interested in the show.

[take us away]

Personally a fan of early seating on the WC as I get up early and like to enjoy evening entertainment. Eating at 9 pm is just too late for me and I miss much of the entertainment as have to fight to stay awake thru dessert. HAL does not usually have the show for late seating before dinner as some ships have done. I would rather be up and out on an adventure as soon as I can in each port but also need my sleep.

 

Do have friends who like early seating but after a long port day will eat in the Lido at a later time. The food is almost equivalent to the MDR, there are tablecloths, napkins, etc. You go thru the 'line', order your meal and it is usually delivered to your table. Some of the food comes from the buffet line but the cooks prepare as much as they can when you order.

 

There are pros and cons to both early and late seating, and only you can decide which would work best for you.

[tgetz]

thanks for all your input. For sure it will have to be our personal preference. I was just wondering if we choose the late time do we miss something's we could catch if we dined early. We seem to eat in the Pinnacle often so we can always pick our times for that and same with Canaletto. And yes I enjoy the Lido often also. I also love the dinners they do on the lido deck in the evenings. This will be our only world cruise I imagine, so I want to enjoy as many things as possible. Hopefully not our last cruise :-) just our last really long one. We did the 58 day Volendam last fall to and around Australia and we loved it, but on that we did do anytime dinning. Thanks for all your personal thoughts about your preferences.That is what I wanted.

[KirkNC]

We are signed up for the 2017 WC and picked early seating. Like the OP we have done anytime for years as we like the flexibility and the opportunity to meet new people at dinner. I don't understand why they don't do anytime on the WC, Lord help you if you get seated with folks that you don't hit it off with. :rolleyes: The reason we picked early is twofold, late is a tad too late and as pointed out, I have read compliant from previous WC bloggers concern events starting before they were done eating.

Edited July 20, 2015 by KirkNC

[rkacruiser]

We are signed up for the 2017 WC and picked early seating. Like the OP we have done anytime for years as we like the flexibility and the opportunity to meet new people at dinner. I don't understand why they don't do anytime on the WC, Lord help you if you get seated with folks that you don't hit it off with. :rolleyes: The reason we picked early is twofold, late is a tad too late and as pointed out, I have read compliant from previous WC bloggers concern events starting before they were done eating.

 

During my world cruise, I was seated at a "challenging" table. Being a "glass is half-full" person, I thought/hoped the situation would improve, with time. It did, somewhat; then, deteriorated; then, improved, etc. I learned my lesson from this experience: I will never again permit myself to experience such a situation on a cruise of any length. All I needed to do was to speak to the Dining Room Manager and a change of tables would have been possible. I was in second sitting and there was plenty of room elsewhere in the dining room.

[SilvertoGold]

WCs are usually underbooked, so there is no problem changing seating or, often, times.

[take us away]

WCs are usually underbooked, so there is no problem changing seating or, often, times.

 

Very true. Only once had 'challenging' tablemates' and after the 2nd night, we talked with the MDR manager who was a bit hesitant but when I laughingly mentioned that murder may be on the menu in a few days, he reassigned us to a wonderful table with people we knew from a previous cruise.

[Johnny B]

I think that there are pros and cons for both seating times. It's true that the "grand balls" have been moved from 10:00 to 9:30, but that only happens a half dozen times during the WC. I can't remember any activity of that sort beginning at 9:00, except perhaps music trivia. We do enjoy late seating (actually called "main" seating), even though at home we eat much earlier.

 

The drawbacks to early seating have to do with port days. If we sail at 6:00 PM, then all-aboard is at 5:30, and that's when the sail away party begins. If you eat at 5:30, you're pretty much out of luck unless you wish to eat at the Lido or one of the other alternatives.

We do love having extra time to get ready and then meet friends in the Crow's Nest at 7:00 for a little "happy hour" before dinner.

 

Of all the people we know at 8:00 seating, very few have a problem with the "grand ball" evenings; we certainly don't, because if we wish to attend, we just make sure we're done with dinner by then.

 

Glad you're taking that "once in a lifetime" world cruise; we did the same thing five world cruises ago!

[tgetz]

Thank you all for your insight. That was what I was seeking..

[KirkNC]

I think that there are pros and cons for both seating times. It's true that the "grand balls" have been moved from 10:00 to 9:30, but that only happens a half dozen times during the WC. I can't remember any activity of that sort beginning at 9:00, except perhaps music trivia. We do enjoy late seating (actually called "main" seating), even though at home we eat much earlier.

 

The drawbacks to early seating have to do with port days. If we sail at 6:00 PM, then all-aboard is at 5:30, and that's when the sail away party begins. If you eat at 5:30, you're pretty much out of luck unless you wish to eat at the Lido or one of the other alternatives.

We do love having extra time to get ready and then meet friends in the Crow's Nest at 7:00 for a little "happy hour" before dinner.

 

Of all the people we know at 8:00 seating, very few have a problem with the "grand ball" evenings; we certainly don't, because if we wish to attend, we just make sure we're done with dinner by then.

 

Glad you're taking that "once in a lifetime" world cruise; we did the same thing five world cruises ago!

 

Good point on the sailsaways, I had not thought of that. Now you have me rethinking it 😀.