MSC Dining Times European Cruise

[sjhanksaz]

Trying to figure this out.  I found info from 2018 (See attached) that stated that dining for Mediterranean Cruises early started at 7:00 PM and late seating was 9:30 PM

 

I recently called to set up our dining time for our cruise in November 2023 and was told I could chose from either 5:30 PM or 7:45 PM dining times.   When I asked about how I thought they were later the man just told me that is all he sees to chose from.

 

Does anyone know if they eat that early?   That would mean I would have to rush back to the ship early most days to eat in the dining room.......  Not really OK with this.

[Mark_T]

It is still possible they are running 3 sittings, but the late one may be 'full' already...

 

... or they are just showing those two options and will adjust later...

 

You can still go to the Maître 'd onboard and see if you can switch to the late sitting if you don't like what you end up with once you board...

Edited June 29, 2023 by Mark_T

[sjhanksaz]

19 minutes ago, Mark_T said:

It is still possible they are running 3 sittings, but the late one may be 'full' already...

 

... or they are just showing those two options and will adjust later...

 

You can still go to the Maître 'd onboard and see if you can switch to the late sitting if you don't like what you end up with once you board...

We don't really want to eat at 7:45 either.  That was the only other eating time he mentioned.  Was really hoping that they were off and 7:00 is still the first/early dining

[Mark_T]

Depends on the ship and if it is full of course, as they will try to fit 3 sittings in on some of them and that does then need to start early.

[CruisingFox27]

It really does depend on the ship and capacity. The larger, new ships may have 3 sittings of they're at capacity and the different restaurants may have slightly different seating times. 

On our April Med cruise we were on a smaller ship which only had 2 dining times. Early was at 6pm and late was at 9pm.

Edited June 29, 2023 by CruisingFox27

[ferretktf]

the two sittings last month were 6.30 and 8.30 (6pm and 8pm for the AUREA restaurant)

when we left the ship they were preparing for 3 sittings the next cruise, which were 5.30, 7.30, 9.30

which set of sittings depends on how busy your cruise is.

outside of these hours you have the buffet of course

[shipgeeks]

OP, What Experience are you booked on?  That could affect your dining time.

[sjhanksaz]

4 hours ago, shipgeeks said:

OP, What Experience are you booked on?  That could affect your dining time.

I am on the basic entry experience

 

The ship is the World Europa

 

[CruisingFox27]

23 hours ago, ferretktf said:

the two sittings last month were 6.30 and 8.30 (6pm and 8pm for the AUREA restaurant)

when we left the ship they were preparing for 3 sittings the next cruise, which were 5.30, 7.30, 9.30

which set of sittings depends on how busy your cruise is.

outside of these hours you have the buffet of course

Aurea experience passengers have Anytime dining, there's no fixed time. 

[ferretktf]

14 hours ago, CruisingFox27 said:

Aurea experience passengers have Anytime dining, there's no fixed time. 

True, but they still have two notional sittings (starting at these times) and we regular saw people being turned away if they arrived 'anytime' but there were no 'anytime' tables left 

[shipgeeks]

22 hours ago, sjhanksaz said:

I am on the basic entry experience

 

The ship is the World Europa

 

Bella passengers have set dining times.  If your options are the two that you mentioned, you will be assigned to one of those.  If you are given 5:30 you could go to the dining room on boarding day and asked to be moved to 7:45; however, 7 would not be an option.  If there is a third, it would be around 9:30, but that is probably already filled.

[MaverickF]

On 6/30/2023 at 11:41 AM, sjhanksaz said:

I am on the basic entry experience

 

The ship is the World Europa

 

Just back from a World Europa cruise. What the representative said is not the exact time, rather he is asking you to choose earlier dinning(5:30 - 7:30) or late dinning (7:45 - 9:30). There are several MDRs on Europa, and the dinning times are stacked. Three settings are 5:45, 7:30, 9:30, and two dining settings are 6:30 and 9:00. So you may get any of the time based on your earlier/late preference, and it may not set till really close to cruise. You can only know the exact time when you are onboard.

 

[8420PR]

Up to 2017 it was easy:  The ships (Lirica, Musica and Fantasia classes) only had 2 sittings, so all you needed to decide was if you preferred dinner then show, or show then dinner.   I enjoy the shows much more after a bottle of wine, so always did dinner and then the show.  There were some regional differences in dining times, but generally the early dining time was no earlier than 1830.

 

Then in May 2017 along came MSC Meraviglia.   This was a ship designed with anytime dining for everybody.  I think it lasted about 4 cruises and didn't work out, so then they went back to fixed dining times, but with up to 3 dining times to accommodate all passengers.    

 

Now:  I want to eat between 1900 and 2000, but can still only choose early or late dining.  If I choose early I get 1715, if I choose late I get 2130.....  Luckily I have always been able to change to the dining time I want onboard.

 

 

[CruisingFox27]

4 hours ago, ferretktf said:

True, but they still have two notional sittings (starting at these times) and we regular saw people being turned away if they arrived 'anytime' but there were no 'anytime' tables left 

I can't say we've ever experienced anything like this on any of our Aurea experience sailings. We've never been given a set time to arrive. We do always advise on the first evening a time window we'll likely be arriving each evening out of courtesy. On a couple of occasions we've arrived to dinner and a table wasn't immediately available and have been asked to wait 10 our 15 minutes.... so we've just waited with another cocktail in the bar, oh the stress of cruising 🤣🥂

[ferretktf]

sorry, i may not have explained it clearly

You could go in anytime after 6pm (first sitting) or anytime after 8pm (second sitting) but when you arrived at the desk they told you if they had any tables available.  The later you arrived the less chance of getting a table.

So it was "anytime dining" but with some constraints

[4sallypat]

On 6/29/2023 at 1:35 PM, sjhanksaz said:

Trying to figure this out.  I found info from 2018 (See attached) that stated that dining for Mediterranean Cruises early started at 7:00 PM and late seating was 9:30 PM

 

I recently called to set up our dining time for our cruise in November 2023 and was told I could chose from either 5:30 PM or 7:45 PM dining times.   When I asked about how I thought they were later the man just told me that is all he sees to chose from.

 

Does anyone know if they eat that early?   That would mean I would have to rush back to the ship early most days to eat in the dining room.......  Not really OK with this.

We just returned from Eastern Mediterranean and our MDR times were 7pm and 9:30pm.

 

We chose the 7:30 as we were already on board on most of the port days.

 

Booked on Fantastica experience.

 

Edited July 2, 2023 by 4sallypat

[perakcruiser]

17 hours ago, 8420PR said:

Then in May 2017 along came MSC Meraviglia.   This was a ship designed with anytime dining for everybody.  I think it lasted about 4 cruises and didn't work out, so then they went back to fixed dining times, but with up to 3 dining times to accommodate all passengers. 

 

Exactly that. Certainly MSC cancelled the anytime dining without giving any notice. 

[carlmm]

Currently on the Grandiosa in the Mediterranean the times are 18.00, 18.30, 20.00, 21.00 and 22.00 h.

[sjhanksaz]

So I called and they said there were only two dinning times available to us 

 

5:50 or 7:45

 

Guess its early dining for us

[Mark_T]

12 hours ago, sjhanksaz said:

So I called and they said there were only two dinning times available to us 

 

5:50 or 7:45

 

Guess its early dining for us

Ask again once you are onboard...

[sjhanksaz]

3 hours ago, Mark_T said:

Ask again once you are onboard...

Will do 

 

Thanks