Dining question

[78232]

We have always had early dining. On our next cruise we are thinking about dining later so we can participate in activities that we have previously missed...like sail away and happy hours and other early evening events. I know we may get hungry before 7:30 or 8pm so is it possible to get appetizers or snacks from the lido during the dinner hour and still eat dinner in the main dining room ?

 

Marcia

[TrolleyGirl]

The lido will be open so you can grab whatever you would like to hold you over or you can order something from room service and have it delivered. A room service cheese plate might be nice to nibble on while you get ready for dinner.

[realnurse2]

Why not just ask for open dining as its a lot more flexible on shore excursion days or just times you want to relax a little before dinner?

[SeaBands]

we picked up a few snacks in the Lido and brought it to our cabin to have with drinks.

[GUT2407]

we picked up a few snacks in the Lido and brought it to our cabin to have with drinks.

 

Easy as!

 

Never gone hungry yet on a cruise.

[DaveOKC]

Open dining is a good option when you have several late ports or events that you want to do. That way you can eat whenever it works in your schedule.

[avian777]

... is it possible to get appetizers or snacks from the lido during the dinner hour and still eat dinner in the main dining room ?

 

Marcia

 

The lido will be open so you can grab whatever you would like to hold you over or you can order something from room service and have it delivered ...

 

You can also find hors d'oeuvres and/or cracker snacks in the bars during Happy Hour and in the Neptune Lounge (if you are a Pinnacle Suite or NS guest).

Edited September 22, 2015 by avian777

[maimeo]

I agree with all the posts so far. My DH and I always chose second seating so that we can do the late afternoon activities and aren't rushing to dinner at reboarding times. We usually have a snack in the afternoon.

Sometimes (on HAL) we go to afternoon tea. Sometimes there is a cook-out on deck with hambergers, tacos, etc. And the Lido often has some foods out all the time or ice cream in the afternoon. Room service is also a good option. In Alaska on HAL ships they used to do pea soup on deck in the afternoon! Not sure they still do.

 

Afternoon snack is always possible!

[Krazy Kruizers]

You can ask for Open Seating.

It is from 5:15 - 9 PM.

You can make reservations between 5:15 - 6:15 and from 7:30 - 8 PM -- for any size table you want. And you can make reservations for 3 days at a time.

[Ferry Beach Kayaker]

We do the late dining and I like sitting at a set table so we get to know our table mates. I usually go to the gym or play board games around four to five p.m., if not at a special event or sail away. Or if we are in port we always get back at the last minute and I would hate to get back and rush off to dinner. At 5:30 I will often get a chilled soup or an appetizer from the Lido to hold us over until our late dinner, The Lido starts serving dinner at 5:30 and you can walk in and get anything that they are serving. I like to look at the samples of the main meals that they have displayed that helps me decide what I will order later in the dining room. I find I actually eat less if I have a light appetizer or a soup at 5:30. I am not starved at 8 p.m. And can bypass that very good bread they serve each night.

[GmaPajama]

When we do Open Dining, we don't make reservations. We just show up when we're ready, and have never had to wait more than a few minutes. Even that is rare, as we are most often seated right away - even when we ask for a table for 2. I think HAL finally has the Open Dining down to a science.

[POA1]

We have always had early dining. On our next cruise we are thinking about dining later so we can participate in activities that we have previously missed...like sail away and happy hours and other early evening events. I know we may get hungry before 7:30 or 8pm so is it possible to get appetizers or snacks from the lido during the dinner hour and still eat dinner in the main dining room ?

 

Marcia

Yes, you can definitely pick up something to nibble on in the Lido - or at a bar, starting around 4:30 - 5:00, where you can get hors d'oeuvres. Call it "pre-game" munching.