Europe/ Med Cruise Dinner Time

[I LOVE TO GO CRUISING]

Last time that we were on a Med. cruise there was 4 different dining times in the main dinning room to accomodate European passengers. I do not remember the exast time, but it was like 6:00Pm for the first seating in the main dining room deck. 7:15 for the first seating in the Balcony, the second seating on the main deck was around 8:00Pm and the second Balcony seating 10:00 PM .

 

To tell you the truth eating dinner in the dinning room was like eating in a cafeteria .

 

I am seriously thinking of booking a Med cruise in 2008 for my family so I sure hope that RCL has change the dinning schedule back to the 2 seating, for if they have not it is "SO LONG RCL".

[truffles2]

What they had last month for the med cruise was early 6:00 and another early at 6:30 on another floor. Then the late was also staggered. And it seemed to work very well. We did not know ahead about the 6:30 seating or we would have chosen that rather than 6:00--some days we were barely back by 6:00 PM!

[Puerto Rican Cruiser]

Brilliance of the Seas Med Cruise has the 4 diferrent dining times or only the two regular times?

[I LOVE TO GO CRUISING]

That is exactly what I have been trying to find out. If it is four different dinner times in the main dining room then I will find another cruise line that sails the Med and stops at Venus

[truffles2]

Don't quite understand why you would object to this??? It just gives you more options and really does not affect the dining experience at all. Good luck finding a ship that goes to Venus:eek:

[dougp26364]

Last year on Brilliance they had staggered times of 6:00, 6:30, 8:00 and 8:30. We choose late seating and were put in the 8:30 group. I would have prefered the 8:00 seating as it turns out. For that matter, we ended up dining about 50% of the time in alternate venues like Portifino's and Chops (extra cost), the Windjammer or Seaview Cafe (free).

 

I'm not sure why the staggered times would be anything of an issue but, if that's what pushes you away from RCI than it looks like you'll be sailing someone else. Personally, I thought it worked out great as everyone wasn't heading to throw on the feed bag at the same time.

[I LOVE TO GO CRUISING]

If you ever sailed on a cruise ship that had four separte dining times, with the first and second overlaping, and the third and fourth serving time also overlaping you would not ask the question what is the problem with four instead of two dining times. You will know that when your are having dinner with four serving times it like eating in a cafeteria. People leaving in the middle of the service and new people coming in toward the end of service.

 

Further more there is absolutely no dining experience where the dinning staff perform.

 

I and the rest of my family do not have to spend $20,000.00 for a cruise and feel like you are eating in a cafeteria, and the service model is "HURRY UP AND GET THE PASSENGER OUT OF THE DINNING ROOM AS FAST AS POSSIBLE, FOR OTHER PEOPLE ARE WAITING TO BE SERVED.

[truffles2]

We never noticed a thing because one level of the dining room ate at 6 and the other level ate at 630, etc. They were not mixed on the same floor.

[dougp26364]

If you ever sailed on a cruise ship that had four separte dining times, with the first and second overlaping, and the third and fourth serving time also overlaping you would not ask the question what is the problem with four instead of two dining times. You will know that when your are having dinner with four serving times it like eating in a cafeteria. People leaving in the middle of the service and new people coming in toward the end of service.

 

Further more there is absolutely no dining experience where the dinning staff perform.

 

I and the rest of my family do not have to spend $20,000.00 for a cruise and feel like you are eating in a cafeteria, and the service model is "HURRY UP AND GET THE PASSENGER OUT OF THE DINNING ROOM AS FAST AS POSSIBLE, FOR OTHER PEOPLE ARE WAITING TO BE SERVED.

 

But this is not true. There are two dining rooms on seperate decks, one above the other. You do not notice people coming and going during the different dining times unless your looking up to the next deck or, if you one the upper deck, spend time looking down on the deck below you.

 

The dining staff had no problem perfoming before during the main or late seatings. They just did it at a time when everyone was there. We personally didn't notice a difference from when the only had two seating times vs the four on our Med cruise.

 

We also NEVER experienced the HURRY UP atmosphere you're talking about. No one was ever rushed or pushed to eat faster for the next group. As there are two dining rooms, WHY would this be any different than on any other cruise if you were eating during main seating.

 

Most of your fears are irrational and unfounded. The four seating times are really no different than the two. In fact, it's perhaps a little better as there is not nearly the congestion at the elevators when everyone is trying to arrive or leave.

[truffles2]

You did a better job explaining here than I did...however, I think there is some tunnel vision coming into play here.