Why we like Late Seating

[cruise-a-lot]

We usually take the inexpensive (but pretty good) wine in a box with us. One or two boxes will last the whole cruise. Our favorite time of day to relax is when most early diners are dressing or leaving to go to dinner. We will call room service around 5 and order chesse and crackers. We sit on our balcony, drink red wine, nibble on the goodies and generally just enjoy the quiet and calmness of the ocean as she glides by. By going to late seating we are able to have both that special time of day to relax and then go enjoy the great meals they serve on Carnival. To us, this is the best part of the cruise, quiet time with each other over some red wine, cheese and crackers. Guess we are easily pleased:) Hope everyone enjoys their next cruise. We are going on the Victory Sep 18 to see New England Fall Foilage. If anyone has been, would love recommendations on shore excursions.

[dustyroad]

cruise-a-lot

 

 

it sounds so relaxing and romantic. that would be a wonderful memory for you after you return home and are thinking about the cruise. have a great time on your next cruise and make sure you take those boxes of wine for the balcony.:)

[mirrajay]

cruise-a-lot - I will be on the Victory, Canada/New England cruise on October 2nd, and almost everyone has recommended the Duck Tour in Boston. I believe your cruise is just like ours, so you wont get into Boston until 3:00pm on a Sunday meaning that all the attractions on the Freedom Trail and such will be closed by the time you get off the ship and catch a cab downtown. If you have not planned your time in Boston yet, check out http://www.bostonducktours.com/. Carnival offers this tour as well, which may be a better way to go since the last Duck Tour leaves "one hour before sunset" according to this site, so doing it yourself may cut it a little close time-wise.

 

I would be more than happy to help you out with any ports on this cruise as I have been researching for months! :)

 

Have a great time!

[cruise-a-lot]

Mirrajay:

 

If you have any ideas on the ports and what to do that is most popular would love your inputs.

 

One thing I know we are going to do is the Carnival Lobster Bake (or is it boil?) in Halifax along with the Peggy's Cove tour.

 

Other than that, we have not decided yet.

 

Thank you for the link to the BostonDuck thingy. That looks like so much fun!!! We are definitely going to do that to. We are very excited about this cruise.

 

We have no idea what the weather will be like, so we are taking from shorts to fleece:)

 

DustyRoads...it is extremely romantic and does make for wonderful memories!!! Las Vegas shows I can get in Las Vegas, quiet time with my beautiful wife as the ocean glides by is priceless!

[Beffy1167]

We usually take the inexpensive (but pretty good) wine in a box with us. One or two boxes will last the whole cruise.

Thanks for the suggestion! I was trying to figure out how to get wine to our next cruise--have no desire to pack glass bottles in our luggage but could easily pack those boxes. DH and I like the white grenache (sp?) and it would go down nicely as we sit on the balcony watching the ocean!

[dream2much]

We have always chosen early dinner. Well, it's always been the second early seating. I thought it was nice because we spend the rest of the evening in various lounges. But.... I always feel so RUSHED to get ready for early dinner. I hate leaving the lido deck/pool area when the music is good and the sun is hot, just to get ready for dinner.

 

I like your idea of relaxing and taking time before dinner, enjoying each other's company and having before dinner drinks. I think we'll try that on the next cruise. And since we'll have our first balcony, it's a good time to change the routine!

[jemingway]

I think your plan sounds wonderful and I would exactly the same thing, but we have these 2 things called children that make that plan impossible.:rolleyes: As soon as they can handle it on their own, however, late seating/sitting here we come.:D

[mirrajay]

Well, lets see...this is what we have planned:

 

Boston: Duck Tour, and then Cheers for some drinks later in the evening. (yes, its a tourist trap, but I have to do it!) Since we are there until 10:00pm, I couldnt think of anything else to do :)

 

Portland: Trolley Tour with a company called Mainely Tours that will take us to Portland Head Light (I believe it is the oldest lighthouse in Maine), then an early dinner at DiMillos for some famous Maine Lobster (yum!!)

 

Halifax: Sounds like you will have your day full if you are going all the way to Peggy's Cove, but we are going to the Museum of the Atlantic to see the Titanic artifacts and then to the Titanic graveyards.

 

Syndey: I really have no idea...There is the Louisberg(?) Fortress Tour that seems very popular, but that does not intersest us, so I think this will be the one port we play by ear.

 

Have a wonderful time! I would love to read a review when you return!

 

Carey

[NewCruzer1]

Of all the things I've found on Cruise Critic, I think this is the most purely helpful and unique. Thanks.

[chieft26]

We've always done the late seating for the very same reasons that Cruise-a-lot talked about. It's nice to have that wind-down time before dinner, plus if we decide we want a nap (or other activities!), there's plenty of time.

[Tom-n-Cheryl]

We are not big "lay out in the sun - lido deck folks" ... we will often take a short nap in the late afternoon to recharge, eat at 5:45 then hit the piano bar/casino/etc for the rest of the night (until 2-3am)....and start all over again the next morning (10 am-ish).

 

When we eat at home, or go out, we never eat at 8PM. I do not like to drink prior to dinner, or on a full stomach - thus we need to eat early to get that "out of the way" !!!

 

But I am glad plenty of you guys opt for the late seating (keep it up!) so that there are tables available for the early birds... :D

 

 

Tom

[iluvdoxies]

How did you get cheese and crackers from room service?

What's the trick> it's not listed on their menu--

thanks!

[gsb]

Go to the roll call page and sign in for the 9-18 Victory.

Your routine sounds great, but I would be asleep as soon as I left the dining room( we like the 2nd early @6:15).

See you on board the 18th.

[SevenVII]

I wish they made Bacardi 151 in a box!

[cruise-a-lot]

Someone asked how we get cheese and crackers from room service since it is not on the menu. That is true; however, cheese sandwiches (American, Swiss or Cheddar) are:)....So I call and have a generally fun conversation with room service that I can order 1 dozen cheese sandwiches and throw the bread away, or would they please just send the cheese with just crackers. So far, they have always sent the cheese with crackers:) YOu can also get fresh fruit off the room service menu to go with the cheese and crackers.

 

Whoever asked for Bacardi in a Box made me Laugh out Loud so good! Thanks for the smile you gave me on that one:)