What dining time do you prefer?

[mhshapiro]

Both my wife and I prefer the earlier seatings. I tend to have trouble getting to sleep if I eat too late in the evening. So, I really appreciate having the early dining choices. I haven't had an opportunity to try the 5:45 seating yet, but that may be a bit too early to mesh with some shore excursions.

[Krazy Kruizers]

:)

 

Because of Husband's medication we have to eat early. And as we like to sit by the rail, that means we have to eat at 5:45.

:)

[bobpatj]

We've always chosen late seating, and on our last cruise were assigned the 8:30 time. Even though it was only 1/2 hour later than before, we're going to try 8:00, next cruise and think we'll like it better.

[gliles]

This is awful but we always request early because we know if we change our minds, we can always switch to late. When we took DD for her graduation, we did late and by the time we got done with dinner, she didn't have much time in the disco before they threw her out (she was 2 weeks from her 18th BD). This time, this DD, we are doing early although this DD is already 18 so it shouldn't be an issue but I want her to have some good evening time.

 

Also with early you can consider some of the late night food but who knows, we may board and change to late anyway!

[MandyGirl]

Upcoming Zuiderdam cruise: we will do late upstairs, mostly due to port times (leaving port at 4:00, 11:00P, 6:00, and 7:00). Chose upstairs on Zuiderdam due to postings on this message board. We'll just have to stay up a little later to give food time to digest well before going to bed.

 

We did late dining on two cruises, and one one cruise, it was usually 10:30 before walking out of the dining room (loved our tablemates - they were a hoot!). That was late to us though, so we thought we would try early dining on cruise #4 (Maasdam) - especially since it was around sunset time that time of year for that itinerary. It was fine, but we did feel a little rushed getting dressed for dinner after a day in port. Of course on our first cruise with Freestyle dining (NCL) time was never an issue - we could vary it each evening depending on what we were in the mood for that day.

[Roadwork]

We have done both, but we prefer a late seating on most cruises. The 8:00 is our choice.

[iluvcruzin]

I prefer late but my friend who I sail with often likes early so we rotate. 8pm is the max though. When it gets to 8:30-9pm I choose early.

 

I find it funny that there's so many like me who like to take a nap before dinner. On my last cruise in April we had early seating. I ended up coming back to the room a few nights and falling asleep early because I was tuckered out. I like that little 45 min cat-nap.

[Orcrone]

I would definitely feel obligated to amend that statement, in another 10,000 to 11,000 years. :D

So I guess what's said about the age of HAL passengers is true.:D

 

Sorry, couldn't let that one go.

[JohnR49er]

Have always had late seating. This will be the first time with the 4 dining choices. We are going to try the 8pm seating. Seemed like a happy medium.

[FlamingoT]

We like to eat at 8 - gives us plenty of time to relax, shower and dress after a shore excursion, but by 8:30 I'm too hungry and would need a late afternoon snack. Oh NO more calories!! Also gives us more time between lunch and dinner so we are hungrier and can eat more:D . We enjoy a late night stroll around the deck and like to stretch out the day as long as possible, helps to make the cruise seem longer!

[CLapple]

6:15 Lower best fits my body clock, although I could go with 5:45pm Upper.

 

The two late seatings are much too late for me!

 

Michael

 

What I would really like, is to go back to the two dining times. As we got our 6:15 entrees, they turned out the lights, because 5:45 were having their Baked Alaska. This 4 dining time system SUCKS!

[bepsf]

I always dine late here at home - usually at 8 or later. I don't like being rushed - whether its at home or on vacation.

 

Since I like sitting in the lower dining room next to the windows - its the 8.30 seating for me.

[jdrblue]

bobpatj - I agree. We like the late seating but 8:30 is too late. We were leaving the dining room at 10:15 to 10:30 and just making it to the late show.

 

We like to watch the sail away from the deck and also don't want to have to rush back to the ship and change for early dinner. We also like a cocktail before dinner. Well okay, maybe two. We were on the Westerdam in May. We thought we had the 8:00 seating but found we were moved to 8:30 when we got to our cabin.

[Joedog]

On our cruise on the Zui we had originally asked for the early lower but after the first night we changed to the main lower (8:30). We found this to be good for us for a couple of reasons, first there are shows that are only scheduled at 7 - 7:45PM (Not so Newlywed Game, etc) and if you have early seating you will miss them. Also, we found that we normally eat lunch later in the afternoon and 6:15 just came too soon following lunch and we just werent hungry.

[joeinwpb]

So I guess what's said about the age of HAL passengers is true.:D

 

Sorry, couldn't let that one go.

 

That was in response to my statement "I would definitely feel obligated to amend that statement, in another 10,000 to 11,000 years."

 

Good one Ocrone. It was begining to look like no one was going to catch that one.

 

Of course the full Aphelion/Perihelion cycle is 21,000 years. That would put it out of the range any of the HAL cruisers. :D

[Gypsy025]

I realize that the thread is "What time do you prefer", and I hate to burst everyone's bubble, but realistically the result (getting what you prefer) of this unscientific and small sample poll is unworkable on an Holland America vessel (with the possible exception of the Prinsendam).

As of this writing, 10.1% prefer the 5.45pm sitting, 25.7% the 6.15pm sitting, 49.5% 8.0pm and the rest (14.7%) on the 8.30pm sitting.

Let's assume that this ship is the 'ms. Gooddam' (with 2 o's) with a capacity (for simplistic sake) of 1,000 passengers, and on this sailing ,the ship is booked to capacity - 1,000 (not unusual these days). The 'ms Gooddam' has an upper dining room capacity of 250 and the lower 250 - in other words the ship can seat all 1,000 passengers. Am not too sure that the upper and lower dining rooms can seat the same amount of passengers, but I think they are close.

Using the ratios above, 101 passengers are requesting the 5.45pm sitting, 257 the 6.15pm sitting, 495 the 8.0pm and 147 the 8.30pm sitting. Obviously, not all passengers will get their desired dining times.

About 245 of the passengers (on our imaginary ship) who desire the 8.0pm sitting are going to be 'assigned' to either the 5.45pm or the 8.30pm dining times (most to the early, early sitting).

I realize that dining time assignments are on a first booked basis, but nevertheless, there will probably be a long line at maitre d's 'desk' on boarding day hoping to be reassigned. This was my experience on a recent cruise.

In my opinion, the 4 different dining times offered sounds very appealing, but in practice more passengers are unhappy with the result. If you are on a ship with a large group, which normally book well in advance, your chance of getting your desired dining time can be greatly reduced.

[elmorejj]

Kind of reminds me of when we were on our last cruise, a 21 day repo on the Zaandam. Met a couple one evening and I asked them which seating they had. He, a Baptist Minister was very upset, he wanted either of the 2 early seatings but had been assigned the 8.30pm seating. They ate every night of the cruise in the lido because they couldn`t get their seating changed. Just goes to show, that booking early counts for something.....jean :cool: :cool:

[blndee77]

We prefer to eat later so that we can go at a leisurely pace, but we chose the early dinner for this cruise as we now have our daughter with us and we assumed that children should be at one of the early seatings so as not to disturb those who prefer to eat without children at the later seatings.

[Slinkiecat]

We signed up for the 8:30 dinner because we get back at 5 or later from excursions and like to have plenty of time for dressing, especially on formal nights, and when photographers are at work before dinner. If we want to take in the show we eat in the buffet instead.

slinkie

[HeatherInFlorida]

I try to switch my body clock completely because I like to have more of the day in port or whatever else I am doing. At home we eat at 7:00, but out there on the sea I prefer the 8:00. Like Carol, I now make sure to get a little nap in the late afternoon. That way, I can stay up until midnight (at home 11:00 and lights are out;) )

For some reason, I feel by doing this I'm getting more "bang for my buck":D .

[kruzkeen]

I prefer late.

If I have had enough sun, I like to go to the movies in the late afternoon. Sometimes I nip up to the Lido for a slice of pizza if lunch has been a little lite.

[Nasmas]

[quote name='jazzsea']I never wanted to believe that I was too old for late seating as I used to be the last one back to the ship when we were in port. I wanted to shower and dress and have a little cocktail before dinner.

Now I want to get back to the ship in time to take a nap before dinner so I can stay up past 9:00 PM.[/QUOTE]
I can relate to that. We've always booked late seating. Now I'm reconsidering. We have the 8:30 seating on the 09/04 Zuiderdam and I'm wondering how in the world hubby & I are going stay awake thru dessert. This is the first time we've cruised since the new times are in place. 8:15 used to be the latest and now that seems a lot earlier than 8:30. DH wanted the lower dining because the deck plans don't show a restroom near the upper level. I can't believe this is the case. Can anyone tell me if there is a public restroom near the upper level dining room?

[ron46936]

We would prefer to eat around 7, but I hate to pay extra to do so. We eat earlier at home but we don't have islands outside our front door.

[HeatherInFlorida]

[quote name='Nasmas']........DH wanted the lower dining because the deck plans don't show a restroom near the upper level. I can't believe this is the case. Can anyone tell me if there is a public restroom near the upper level dining room?[/QUOTE]
I'm looking at the deck plan and I don't see any just outside. It appears you have walk to midships by the glass elevators. Or simply walk downstairs. Maybe someone else will know for sure and post. Good luck.

[Lovebirds]

We choose late seating, which has been 8pm on all of my cruises. We don't want to be hurried getting back from shore excursions. We normally don't eat that late at home, but it works best for us on cruises.