Early vs Late Dining: Pros/Cons

[Joebucks]

Each window has its pros and cons.

 

Personally, I like 6 the best. I honestly don't get the rushing complaint at all since I am either on the ship already or back on the ship at 4:30 90%+ of the time. It's so nice to have 7-7:30 on to do whatever you want. Finishing your meal at 9 PM is not enjoyable in the slightest. Although it is definitely less-crowded.

[zqvol]

On 12/25/2020 at 5:11 PM, jaybeedee619 said:

I’m cruising with a multigenerational group (6 total). We selected a set dining time over anytime dining. Would early or late seating be better? No small children. 18-74 years old. 
Early: Allows us flexibility in showtimes, ppl to get to dinner at a more usual time/some ppl might not want to stay up so late even on vacation

Late: Less rushed finishing activities onboard/off ship - getting ready for dinner, time to have a pre-dinner drink/stroll, photos

 

thanks for your input

I would never do late again, because it is too close to when we go to bed and we always end up unable to sleep with all of those fresh calories in our stomachs. Early is really too early, so our choice is anytime or what ever the cruise lines calls it.

 

As an FYI to OP, late dining is really too late for your older passengers unless you live on the left coast and cruise out of the right coast.

[jaybeedee619]

Thank you for the input. 

[KEN W]

We eat at 6 or so at home. I am Diabetic and have to eat at the same time every night. We have found that we only go to Anytime Dining if we are more than the 2 of us. If just my wife and I, we would wind up eating by ourselves. Where's the fun in that?

 

 Because of this we never book Norwegian for just the 2 of us. Since they only have Anytime Dining. Small group would be OK on Norwegian. Mostly book early and ask for a table with 6 or 8 others. Seems to work for us. Meet some interesting people that way.

[2wheelin]

8 hours ago, Roz said:

I agree that 6 is a manageable number for anytime dining.  But then you're stuck deciding every day what time to eat.  It can be like herding cats. 🐱

We last winter did our first family and friends cruise and chose anytime because of the flexibility. We usually ate about the same time each night and had the same wait staff. Sometimes there were 6 of us and sometimes 12. It was not that hard to pick a time each night for the next night. If you have a small group, you could rotate who sets the time for the next evening based on port times, etc.

7 hours ago, 1025cruise said:

It's really a personal preference.

I determined that I enjoy having the same waitstaff each night. On our last cruise, my preferred beverage was sitting at the table waiting for me. You don't get that with anytime. I also enjoy getting to know my tablemates (if they would show up). 

 

However, I know I am now in a minority. Where at one point specialty restaurants were for a single night, now people enjoy them all the time. Plus more people eat at the buffet. To each their own.

We did anytime and had no problem getting the same wait staff who knew our preferences. I had the name of a waiter from suggestions on CC and he was impressed that we asked specifically for him the first night.

 

And for the OP, age has little to do with dining time preferences. Habit has more of an impact but even that can get thrown out with the dish water on vacation.