Early or Late?

[halos]

Chose first late but second late works just as well...just as long as I am not seated early.....don't like to eat early unless I am at home.

[madelinerose]

Late seating at a two-top. ;)

[Donnask8pro]

We are scheduled for late seating b/c we are going with a group. But I have a 4 year old and I think late is going to be a problem. Does he have to eat with us? can he be in CC during dinner? 1 late, 1 early, that means 8:15?

[factor]

We have cruised and done both times. Only thing about the late seating is that if you would like to check out the Midnight buffet, you may be too full to try anything. And our late seating cramped me for the Chocolate Buffet. It was a bummer to see all of those chocolate covered strawberry's and not be able to have any let alone all of the great looking cakes.

 

As far as I know, kids can stay in camp and eat there. And if need be, the cruise line babysitters aren't that expensive. Besides, do you really think your child will have a set bedtime? Let him/her have fun. Wear him/her out and they go down a lot easier. Even on ruff sea nights. Good luck!!!

[tankersbabe]

Hubby and I found the 8pm late seating to be the best. That way we can get in from our excursion, take a nap, grab a snack, and then clean up for dinner. Then we head for dinner, go back to the room, change and then hit the casino, the show, or one of the bars. It works well for us!

 

Stef

[Donnask8pro]

Dont care about bedtime. He just never sits still. I know he will be annoying at dinner.:rolleyes: The king of wiggle worm...

[tispwisp]

None of them! That's one of the reasons we prefer Princess because we like the personal choice dining. 7:00 is perfect for us! However, on our Carnival Glory cruise we are requesting the 8:00 seating. On our Royal Caribbean cruise we had early seating and missed every sailaway and sunset. :( Even though 8:00 is a little late for us, it'll be nice not to feel rushed and that way we can have a drink and relax before dinner!!

[Fighterone]

I like sushi also and I like to watch the early show too because bedtime is too late with the second seating and I miss the show anyway. So after 3 cruises, this year, I say early seating. If you can take the later early seating, it is better because you can enjoy the sushi from 1700 hours to 1800 hours and just go for the 1815 seating. Otherwise, enjoy the sushi for 35 minutes, instead. I know I did, this time around.

The sushi was not that great anyway!...it was sushi "for the masses"

[bh2359]

Let me preface this by saying that at home we both work real late at home, and we usually eat dinner around 11:00 pm. (We go to bed between 4:00-5:00 am and get up around Noon.)

 

That said, we always opt for late dining on our cruises, generally because of the reasons given so far:

 

Like to eat late

 

Getting back from excursions and not having to rush

 

Dining room less crowded at late seating

 

BUT, there is also another bonus:

 

On formal night when they are serving lobster tails, our waiter brought a platter full after the first serving and asked how many more we wanted. He said that at early seating, they have to save enough for late so seconds and thirds are given when asked but not "advertised".

 

On late seating, there no longer is any reason for saving and you can have as many as you want. (Second to last cruise on the Rhapsody, I have four, my wife ate five, and that was also with Prime Rib!)

 

It also seems to me that late seating seems to be more relaxed for the wait staff although we've had early seating only twice out of 12 cruises.

 

Again, for whatever choice and reasons you have, the cruise is what you make of it, not the other way around. When I reviewed our last two back-to-back cruises on the Rhapsody and Elation, I tried to give both negative and positive things that were compared to earlier cruises.

[ConquestMike]

Help ??? our registration shows we choose main second seating and I cant remember what we told the TA when we booked,,,what is main second seating, is that early second dinner or late second dinner or does it mean second seating meaning late?? Conquest 1/2/05:eek:

[Shangrilq]

Dont care about bedtime. He just never sits still. I know he will be annoying at dinner.:rolleyes: The king of wiggle worm...

 

 

Then just have dinner on the Lido deck so others will not be offended by his annoyance? Thanks from the senior members on here who prefer not to be annoyed by little children at dinner time.

 

Sara

[ConquestMike]

Then just have dinner on the Lido deck so others will not be offended by his annoyance? Thanks from the senior members on here who prefer not to be annoyed by little children at dinner time.

 

Sara

I suppose the Senior Members never had children or all their children were the best behaved and perfect or for that matter were never children themselves or better yet maybe the perfect Senior Crowd should stay off the stairs and decks as they walk too slowly so the rest of us will not be annoyed by their behaviour when we are trying to move around the ship,,,obviously this is said sarcastically for the Senior member to realize a little tolerance for everyone is called for so all can have a nice trip and that includes tolerance for the Senior and Junior cruisers alike, The money spent by the parents for the kids to go is as green as the Seniors and quite possibly may be the first nice vacation a family had in years

[sheree23]

Then just have dinner on the Lido deck so others will not be offended by his annoyance? Thanks from the senior members on here who prefer not to be annoyed by little children at dinner time.

 

Sara

 

Wow, that's a little harsh, isn't it?

Well said, ConquestMike :-)

[kujobie]

First thing I consider is the ports. On most 5 day western cruises, only 1 port interferes with early seating. Grand Cayman is usually an early port departure so Cozumel is the only port that you would miss dinner. And who want's to eat ship food when you can grub on authentic Mexican food anyways. Another point is that if your ship has multiple dining rooms, I would suggest 1st seating whether you eat early or late, especially if you like the shows. The good seats for the shows are gone 30 minutes before showtime. 1st seating allows you to go for a quick change or drink or whatever and still get a good seat for the shows. As others have said, late seating is usually less crowded and fewer kids.

[ConquestMike]

Wow, that's a little harsh, isn't it?

Well said, ConquestMike :-)

Thank You Sheree,,,I thought it was harsh too and Im not traveling with toddlers even but remember those days well myself, you are in a mini city while onboard, if you let the little anoyances that are going to happen during the week or so on board get to you the trip is not going to be enjoyable for yourself or the people you complain about, but if everyone is tolerant and considerate it goes so much more smoothly for everyone. The Mom who posted (Donnaask8pro) was trying to be considerate of others while at the same time trying to enjoy her trip while traveling with a Toddler, not an easy thing, and she seems the type that if her son was screaming at dinner she would remove him so why not have a little tolerance and understanding for her if her son is just a little fidgetety during dinner so she can enjoy the dinners in the dining room rather than go to the lido for the buffet every night,,,Donna can sit at my table with my family anytime because of her consideration of others

[4 cruisers]

To Sara "Life is short, so live it while you can," I feel sorry that you have such a problem with children on cruises. Aren't there still some cruises that are adults only? Oh, and life is short, so we chose to enjoy every vacation we can WITH our kids (and take our parents on most as well!!!) Maybe you should practice what you preach.

[Riviera Deck Randy]

I love early seating and request it on every sailing, but on our last Carnival Cruise we got late and asked when we boarded to be changed. we were asked if we had children and we said no. He explained that Carnival was reserving early seating for senors and families with children. if there were any empty seats after those were satisfied then we would be notified. needless to say we stayed second seating.

[4 cruisers]

Loved seeing the pictures of the Splendour! How in the world did you get pictures without any people in them???? :cool: Splendour is sure a nice ship!!! We'd certainly sail her again if the itinerary was right!

[Riviera Deck Randy]

I take a lot of them on embarkation day and since we get to the ship at like 10:30 we are one of the first ones on so it is pretty simple as soon as I board a ship I am like a kid with a new toy. then I take some at night. I try to take one in the day and one at night as I never know which will look better. and since I am still old school (load film in the back) i dont know until I develop it.

[Mask]

I just came back from our first cruise and we had the 1st seating during the early. I think I'd prefer the early but wouldn't mind the 2nd seating of the early. That way the evening is totally free for shows or whatever, and that late evening snack. On the Triumph one dining room is used for the first seating and the other is used for the second. I was told that the dining room closest to your room is where you will probably be assigned, which will also determine what time you eat within your early/late choice.

[BADBUOY]

We chose late last week on the Glory and was really happy we did. By the time we got ready it was already after 7:00 pm.

 

I think most families with kids chose to have the early seating. Loved eating later and then visiting either the shows or the casino.

 

Buddy

[finally928]

My boyfriend chose early second seating for our first cruise, coming up in March 05. He is an early riser, so it works for him. I'm not a morning person, but since I am a single mother, so it works for me. In theory.

 

We'll find out for sure in march -- what I am afraid of is that we'll miss the sunsets!!! :eek: THAT I don't want to have happen ...so maybe a few meals my have to be eaten in the Noodle Factory rather than the dining room!! :D

[Donnask8pro]

ConquestMike,

 

Thank you. I was trying to be considerate and I Have had my food in restaurants to go if he gets out of hand. I wish some people were more tolerant of children. Its shame. I am now thinking of bringing him to dinner everynight..lol The GOOD people would be cool and the MEAN people will just have to give me looks. I think if I see the looks I will have my son go over and sit w/ them...Ü Thanks for the defense..Sheree & Mike

[mared1]

We have done both early and late and both have advantages and disadvantages. The late is good because you won't have to rush back from port to get ready to eat. Also the wait staff don't rush you to eat as they don't have to get ready for another group of people. Sometimes after we were done eating we didn't feel like going to the late show and felt we missed out on somethings. Being hungry was never a problem because we could eat something light from the bufffet before the 8:15 seating.

 

The early is good because you have the rest of the evening to do whatever you want. Sometimes we have felt we were rushed by the wait staff so they could get the dining room ready for the late group.

This seating has more kids, which isn't a problem for us. For our upcoming cruise we requested the early seating but won't be upset if we get the late seating.

[daddybuff]

My potential acid reflux says EARLY