Dining with kids

[GoGoLACP]

We will be on the Golden Princess this summer in Alaska. There will be 10 people in our group, with 6 kids ages five through eleven. We will probably want to eat on the early side. Would we be better off with anytime dining or a set dining time? Are there night the kids can eat dinner in the kids club? Thanks!

[HUNKY]

Early traditional dining would be more consistent. The kids clubs do offer a few nights of kids only dining, but not every night.

[paul929207]

I would think early traditional, otherwise there could be nights when all the tables are taken when you arrive for Anytime Dining.

[sunsetbeachgal]

I would do early traditional dining. This way the waiters will get to know your kid needs right off the bat. When we cruised with grandchildren the wait staff had their beverages waiting when we arrived, and brought the children’s food courses out early. The children’s menu has some nice main dishes and desserts.

 

We find that the wait staff loves to cater to well behaved children!

 

 

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[skynight]

Early Traditional. It may be difficult to sit 10 in ATD. I looked at the itineraries for your cruise. There are at least 2 or 3 evenings where you leave port late. On those evenings traditional dining is likely to be open seating. There is a children's menu. Also you may find that your kids want to eat in the buffet, or just grab a burger or pizza.

[dchip]

We cruised on the Ruby to Alaska with our 4 grandkids, ages 3-14. There were 10 of us. We did do ATD at 7:30. We had the same table for 10 each night except for one night. We were still given a table for 10 that evening.

 

Cheers, Denise

[WVBill]

Check the hours your ship will be in each port. Alaska is port intensive making an early traditional dining time may cut into your time ashore or you may find you have to miss some of your early dining times.

[jlp20]

My view is your looking at the situation in reverse. Your trying to change the dinning situation to the child, do the opposite. Instruct/train your kids manners from the start on behavior at home not a cruise ship. Our kids learned very fast that bad behavior lead to them being left home the next time we went out. As a rule wait staff will treat kids with respect which they will respond to. You will be amazed what happens when you also treat them with that same respect. A cruise is also prime "proving grounds" to expose your child to "food". Along with "children's menu choice, add something life Alfredo or shrimp cocktail. Next meal get ready to answer your kid's questions as to what is available.

[moki'smommy]

I totally agree with the above post, but also see what you are attempting to do. They are not mutually exclusive. You set the children up for success by doing things like early dinner and consistent serving staff. We began cruising with my daughter when she was 4. She'd eaten in "mid range" restaurants from babyhood, so the manners and such were not an issue. She became the little darling of the ship. The crew would mock fight over who got to escort her to the table.

 

We also decided on that first cruise that dinner was a family time. We would go our separate way or be together during the day as we chose, but we always ate together. This meant that we didn't do adult only dining until daughter was 18. In our minds, the point of vacation was family time which was all to scarce in our daily lives. She never ate in a kid club or program area. There is nothing wrong with that setting, but it wasn't what worked for us. She tried all manner of food...from the cruise where the nightly fare was chicken nuggets and chicken noodle soup to the time she discovered that "Snails are icky, no matter what you call them." And Alaskan salmon is amazing.

 

Fast forward many years--I probably had the best mannered kid in her high school. Adults love her as she has always been able to communicate well with them. Now, as a 20 something, I don't always approve of the language and behavior she exhibits with her friends, but I've very pleased with her behavior concerning serving staff, room hosts, and basically anyone in a service position.

[tamsocal]

I would do early traditional dining. This way the waiters will get to know your kid needs right off the bat. When we cruised with grandchildren the wait staff had their beverages waiting when we arrived, and brought the children’s food courses out early. The children’s menu has some nice main dishes and desserts.

 

We find that the wait staff loves to cater to well behaved children!

 

 

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This is what we always try for and have done about 90% of the time. Its great- Dining is while kids club is closed (for the most part). The waiters get to know them on day 1 and asked us if we wanted to order drinks and meals ahead of time for the next day.

 

Sitting thru dinner and the shows- they were great and they knew early on with cruising that that was the only thing acceptable.

 

Agree with other post- check you port times and consider your shore excursions if late port times -- will you be able to make early traditional work or will you get back to the ship 3 times after your dining time.

[Brisbane41]

I would go with any-time dining for more flexibility and turn up early. My last family cruise on Diamond Princess my nephews and nieces were on the cruise. My 10 year old nephew could only eat gluten free due to celiacs disease and we felt safer with him in the main dining room. To avoid disturbing other passengers we had a family table. Some nights I would take him myself and we had a table for 2 when my sister and her husband needed a break. They have a childs menu available and the earlier you go the more looked after you are with a speedier service. If you turn up with children later then the service gets slower and more drawn out as they are not trying to clear tables for later diners.

[cnd crsr]

When we did the Alaska cruise with our grandchildren there were 10 of us. We opted for Anytime dining. The day we boarded, I spoke to the Maitre'D and asked for a table for 10 and said we wanted to eat at 6:30 every night. He organized this for us. It was better that early Traditional because we didn't have to commit to a 5:30 sitting (too early for us) and we had the same wait staff that got to know our preferences. If we found we might be a little later coming to dinner, we just let them know the day before.

Enjoy your multi-generational cruise!

[Roatanfans]

There are a few nights that kids club will do dinners- usually on formal nights. The rest of the time kids club closes for dinner (I think it's 5-6?) We always go with anytime dinning- sometimes the kids are tired (sometimes it's not just the kids) from a busy day and the flexibility is nice. They will take reservations for big groups so that is usually not a problem, and in general the staff love seeing and serving the kids. We usually let them order a combination of things from the kids and adult menu- they love the alphabet soup, fruit salad and chocolate milk. My kids also like to try new things and our rule is if you order it you have to try it with an open mind, but if you don't like it you don't have to eat more. One night my then 8 year old son ordered the pork belly entrée and the waiter was shocked- asked more than once if he was sure that is what he wanted! My son politely let him know that he did indeed want the pork belly for dinner, and he loved it! The waiter later told him that it was his favorite too! My children practice manners and know that they are one of many requirements for going on a cruise. I also like to remind them that good manners will never go out of style and never hurt them in the future!