Anytime dining: ?seat incomplete party, when peak over?

[sdf89]

Family of 5 and... 2 are... always fashionably late. If 3 of us are in line and table comes available, will they allow us to be seated, or must wait til all are there? (we would not delay our ordering)

 

Many many posts of how line begins at 4:45 for the 5:15 door opening. And posts about half hour wait at times thereafter. I know this question will vary from ship to ship and day to day (we are on Coral Alaska S/B)... but can anyone (who likes guesstimation!) take a stab at what time the wait to be seated drops down to average of 5-10 mins? 6:15, 6:30, or later?

[skynight]

Your question is very broad and has no precise answer. On Grand and Royal Class ships the deck 5 mid ship DR is for ATD and opens somewhere around 5/5:30. At 7:30 the deck 6 mid ship DR also opens for ATD, increasing the number of tables available.

On U.S. based cruises our experience has been that peak times are in the 5:30/6:00 range. The DR usually fills around those times. Since it takes about 2 hours to dine the next wave of tables become available in the 7 to 7:30 range. AT 7;30 the deck 6 DR opens for ATD and there is normally very little or no wait if you wish to dine late.

On European and South American cruises the passenger demographic is different with more passengers wishing to dine late. Therefore the rush is spread out across the evening.

Most maitre'ds allow reservations for ATD, usually at 5:30, 5:45, 7:30 and 7:45. You can get these by calling the dine line once on board.

We have found that ATD is a little hectic on boarding day and we usually dine somewhere else that evening.

 

ATD does not work so well on the Island and Coral Princess. If you are on one of these ships suggest you change to Traditional.

This is not a direct answer, but provides you with some insight.

[easyboy]

For early seating at ATD, we have observed that they are strict in giving available tables to a group that are not complete. Probably due to a long line when the door opens. But they tend to be lax on the 7:30-8pm period where the wait is short, if any. It may vary by ship though.

 

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