FOR DISCUSSION: Which dinner seating, and why?

[AllenF]

We eat around 530pm to 600pm at home and prefer eating early on the cruise also. I think if my wife and i had to wait till 8 pm to eat we would both be crabby and I dont like snacking before dinner kind of ruins it for me...so definately early.

 

11/02/03 Carnival Inspiration

03/20/04 Carnival Glory

12/13/04 Carnival Legend

04/17/05 Carnival Spirit

 

Till the Legend Sails

 

 

Taking the Spirit West Aloha style

[robcool]

Early. We like being done with dinner, going to the shows, and then having some room for the buffet.

 

--------------------------

"Semper Gumby" - Always Flexible

12/01 - Victory (Victory Review)

2/04 - Fascination (Fascination Review)

 

It's a Miracle! Cruising on the Miracle 12/12/04!

 

( Miracle 12/12/04 Roll Call)

[halos]

It's great that the opinions are so split, or else we'd all be crammed into the dining room, eating at the same time!

 

I believe in Miracles

MIRACLE JUNE 19, 2004

Calm Seas, Good Friends

[CruiseFever]

Tom/anybody who likes to eat with strangers-

 

Have you ever been disappointed with your tablemates?

 

We've always shyed away from dining with others for one reason because our family of four fills a table easily but we've always been a little leery of eating with people we never met.

 

This thread, however, has me reconsidering this as an enriching part of the cruise that we're missing out on.

 

yes?

 

Happy Cruising

 

Chris

 

www.LifeIsCruising.com

 

Next up:

Caribbean Princess 06/26/04

Star Princess 10/24/04

Diamond Princess 12/22/04

Carnival Miracle 03/13/05

 

[tef43]

Chris,

 

I've had amazing luck over the years with tablemates. And as I've repeatedly stated, the ones last time out were the BEST. We ended up on the America's Cup Regatta together in SXM and won the race (woo-hoo!) with our tablemate as Captain. About halfway through the cruise, we started all sitting together at the shows. No one planned it, it just happened.

 

With a family of four, I would think that you would need at least an eight- or ten-top table, so as to not overly dominate the table talk with "family" stuff. A six-top just wouldn't do.

 

Tom <--- Curmudgeon of the Seas

 

Eleven cruises so far. Up next:

Shhhh, it's a surprise!

And then:

Carnival Spirit 12/10/05 Mexican Riviera

Perhaps something else as well. Watch this space.

 

Dance like it hurts, love like you need money, and work when somebody's watching.

[RabidDolly]

Okay let me get this right... early time is 6 and the late times are 8??? I was trying to figure out the times on this post but thought it would be better if I'd just straight out ask? What are the times???? lol

 

~~Dolly

 

Carnival Jubilee 6/2004

[tef43]

Early:

5:45 and 6:15

 

Late:

8:00 and 8:30

 

Except on Spirit-class (only one dining room).

 

Tom <--- Curmudgeon of the Seas

 

Eleven cruises so far. Up next:

Shhhh, it's a surprise!

And then:

Carnival Spirit 12/10/05 Mexican Riviera

Perhaps something else as well. Watch this space.

 

Dance like it hurts, love like you need money, and work when somebody's watching.

[RabidDolly]

Thank you Tom...

 

~~Dolly

 

Carnival Jubilee 6/2004

[teedee]

My first cruise I had early dinner and didn't like it. Too rushed after coming back to the ship, unlike a lot of folks we usually stay in the port until about time to leave. I like to relax in the cabin or in the hot tub after a day in port before I get ready for dinner so it works out better for me. The last thing I want to do is eat at midnight, so the midnight buffet doesn't hold any appeal for me (now drinking at midnight is a whole 'nother ball game!)

 

As far as table mates, I've been really lucky except for my first cruise. It was my (then) 13 year old daughter, myself and 4 couples on their honeymoon. We felt kind of left out from that group.

 

Terri

 

Skyward - 1989

Carnivale - 1991

Holiday - 1994

Fantasy - 1998

Century - 2002

Century - 2003

Jubilee - 7/04

Century - 9/04

Coral Princess - 3/05

Valor - 10/05

 

Days til Valor Vampires Cruise

[imatarb]

Hey Robcool...my hubby and I lived in Westerville for three years, and our son was born at St. Ann's there. What a small world, eh?

 

We moved north to Michigan and I have to admit, I don't miss the OSU fans! LOL..

 

Lisa

 

Monarch of the Seas - 1994

Royal Majesty - 1996

 

Until VICTORY is ours 5/9/04

 

 

<MARQUEE>A day at sea is better than any day at work</MARQUEE>

[Cotton]

Madeline/Karen? ~ I've seen several couples at "tables for two", and they're always against a wall by the kitchen door, or in a corner somewhere. I've seen others on this board say the same thing. You might want to reconsider?

 

About early/late. I like having dinner at home around 6:30, so the 6:15 is perfect for me. (Ummm, room for more goodies later.)

 

I just booked another cruise, and my PVP asked me "Would you like early or late seating? I told her early, and she said "5:45 or 6:15?"...that surprised me. She said Carnival is trying a different method. Interesting, huh?

 

Chris ~ Man, that really surprises me! YOU, always-in-the-middle-of-everything-guy, and you haven't had dinner at a large table? Try it, you might like it? I love meeting my tablemates, and have never had to change tables except once, 'way back in '89. (Bubba from He!! made me lose my appetite!)

 

 

 

Festivale 1987

Carnivale 1988

Mardi Gras 1989

Pacific Princess 1990

Norway 1994

Holiday 2001

Holiday 2002

Holiday 2003

[madelinerose]

Thanks, Cotton...you always have good advice. I'm thinking I read somewhere on these boards that the Miracle is different. My dh was in the restaurant business for years and I can guarantee you we won't be sitting on a busy aisle or next to the kitchen - LOL!

 

I think I'll email Carnival. Maybe they have a seating chart or something or they can just tell me how many 2-tops there are and where they're located.

 

Also, thanks to Tom. I'll give the larger table some thought. I book all the vacations, so I haven't really sat down with dh to discuss ANYTHING. We've still got time, that's for sure. I'd be disappointed if we dined with people we had absolutely nothing in common with and couldn't change to a 2-top because they were all reserved. Guess it's a chance you take.

 

Thanks again!

 

Karen

 

Carnival Miracle 10/24/04

 

[This message was edited by madelinerose on 05-04-04 at 07:56 PM.]

[Cruisinita]

We have had both early and late seating. I prefer late but there are pros and cons to both. Sometimes late is too late when it's 8:30. We always seem to be going to bed full. The only place I definitely want the late seating is Bermuda. We missed 4 nights in the DR that cruise. If you make the wrong choice, just ask to change seatings.

 

Cape 8 Reunion on the Legend 6/24/04

[PINEVIEW01]

I was leary of eating with strangers. We were sitted at a table for ten on all but the last cruise. I really enjoyed the larger table. I was very diapointed this last time at a table for just four. Our table mates were nice but they didn't come a lot and we were alone. Some mind set change huh?

 

Melody

 

Paradise, 9-5-04

Holiday, 4-10-04

Inspiration, 11-30-03

Inspiration, 1-26-03

Victory,3-31-02

Sensation, 11-28-98

Holiday, 3-19-94

 

 

 

[Sea Turtle]

Late seating only for me--dinner at home is always at a late hour so it wouldn't dawn on me to choose an early seating at sea.

 

And, as for the side topic on this post, dinner at a large table with people I don't know (well, I didn't know them on the first night) is always a highlight of my day/cruise.

 

<img src=http://members.hometown.aol.com/bay2baygal/myhomepage/seaturtle.gif?mtbrand=AOL_US>

 

 

[bethee]

We have done both and prefer late seating. We like to go out for a couple drinks and to dance. Early we end up going back to the cabin until things start up and get comfy and do not go out again. We have been at tables for 6-8-10 and prefer the 8. Have had great people every time with only one exception. A mixed racial couple were there at a table for 10 and after the first night only that couple and us were left so do not know which of us ran the rest off but it was uncomfortable. The four of us did lots of things together though.

Late seating allows time for a nap after Senor Frogs.

[sea-cruise]

Most times we've taken the late seating, but this time we'll have the early one because we'll need some extra time at night for the shows, dancing, lido parties, etc. This will be our first Carnival cruise so I have been reading all I can on this cruiseline. I know we'll love it. To answer Chris' question about tablemates, we always requested tables for 8 or 10 enabling us to meet new people. The most interesting tablemates were an older couple, old enough to be our parents at the time, who had traveled on old freighters and cruiseships. They had the funniest stories to tell...we couldn't wait for dinner to see them again each night and hear about their past cruising adventures. (There was only ONE cruise that we suffered through, with tablemates who were so happy to finally be United States citizens, they wanted to stand up each night and holler, "We will make petition and everyone should sign..." (no matter what the subject was; whether it was a menu or a missed port of call)..... Yikes!!

"Nothing should be more highly prized than the value of each day".... celebrating cruise #30 soon

[jemingway]

When we're with our boys, we do early seating because they become ravenous about 6:00pm. When we are off parent duty, we do the late seating to have more time to relax with a drink before dinner. [img]http://messages.cruisecritic.com/infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif[/img]

JV The 4 stages of cruising: planning, anticipation, experience and reflection.

[Megandie]

For years I had early seating and this past year I tried late seating and loved it so for the past 3 cruises it was late seating.

I liked it because there aren't that many kids in the dining room at that time and I don't have to rush back to the ship and hurry and get ready for dinner if I'm on shore. I'm not much of a midnight buffet'er so having dinner later doesn't spoil my urge to pigout at midnight since I don't get the urge.

If I'm hungry earlier I'll go to the early buffet.

[matt082600]

I personally prefer early as I like to have some time to not feel so stuffed after dinner. Plus, it gives you time to enjoy the ship at night after the show. As for table mates, I have been seated with strangers twice, once good and once bad. I must say as nice as the "good" time was, the bad time was bad enough to not let me want to ever sit with strangers again if at all possible. The people we sat with the "bad" time were nice people, we just had absolutely nothing in common with them and it made for very quite and sometimes uncomfortable dinners.