What dining time do you prefer?

[Lisa63]

We normally eat at about 7:00 at home, but we go for the early seating onboard as we travel as a family. As we enjoy the evening shows, the 5:45 would likely work best for us. I'll let you all know in a couple of weeks, after we return from our first HAL cruise.

I am a very early riser on board, so by the time the show is over in the evening, I'm ready for some zzzzzzz....

[BJ + RM]

I choose the early dinner so later I could go to the chocolate buffet!! is there such a thing(1st timer)

[gizmo]

Hi BJ + RM,

It depends on which ship you are sailing on as to when the dessert extravaganza is held. Some ships have it at night around 11:00PM but the Zuiderdam has it in the afternoon. I am not sure about the times on the Oosterdam or Westerdam but it might also be in the afternoon. Someone on this board could verify it if you are sailing on one of these ships.

Have a great cruise.

[Smoky]

From this survey it would appear that about 65% of the respondants of the poll prefer the main seating, Then how come the early seating is usually the first to be waitlisted.

Is HAL fooling with us or is it the higher level of sophistication and experience of the Cruise Critic group that is skewing the results??

Hm!!

[trubey]

[quote name='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.[/QUOTE]
Bless you, bless you, may your house be safe from tigers!

Lane

[barefootguy]

We really prefer early dining as then you have the evening to enjoy, sunsets, uncrowded strolling of the decks & the early shows if we're so inclined. Your're also early to bed so sunrises can also be captured!

[bepsf]

Strangely, Amsterdam seated its lower dining room first, the upper dining room later:

5.45 - Early Lower
6.15 - Early Upper
7.45 - Main Lower
8.15 - Main Upper

Is this an overall change for the line? A fluke? An Alaska thing...? :confused:

Of course, as long as I have my table for 6 at the center windows in the lower dining room (# 128 on Amsterdam) for Main Seating, I'm a happy guy...:D

[CrazyforCruisin]

[quote name='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.[/QUOTE]What a wonderful considerate set of parents! Bless You.
Later Seating 8pm for us. We like cocktails and taking our time gettig ready and eating.

[kent4489]

[quote name='bepsf']Strangely, Amsterdam seated its lower dining room first, the upper dining room later:

5.45 - Early Lower
6.15 - Early Upper
7.45 - Main Lower
8.15 - Main Upper

Is this an overall change for the line? A fluke? An Alaska thing...? :confused:
[/QUOTE]

Hmmm...they must have changed time again...just got off the Amsterdam yesterday. We had 8:30 Upper Level...I would prefer 8:00, but I like Upper Level.

[BonnieSeattle]

[quote name='bepsf']Of course, as long as I have my table for 6 at the center windows in the lower dining room (# 128 on Amsterdam) for Main Seating, I'm a happy guy...:D[/QUOTE]

Brian... you already know your table assignment? We're both first time cruisers, and have requested an upper level later seating, at a table for 8 people. I assumed we wouldn't know which table we're assigned to, until we boarded the ship (Volendam). A table with a nice view sounds wonderful, but I thought we'd have to leave that to chance.

We're planning to make Pinnacle reservations for the first night, but thanks to the wonderful advice here, will be stopping by to introduce ourselves to our tablemates!

Bonnie

[SueOverend]

Could not imagine having dinner at 6.15. We like to have at least 3 hours in our cabin to unwind before going to dinner. We always have a nap, sit on the balcony with a drink, read etc. If I couldn't get into a late seating dinner, I would not do the cruise.