Early or late Dinner Seating?

[StarWarsGal]

Ok you wonderfully knowledgeable cruise professionals, what are the pros and cons of early and late dinner seatings? Whiich is better or worse and why?

 

:confused:

[manther225]

We had this debate and I just changed from late to early. I didn't want to be in the dining room until 10 or 10:30 at night. I thought we might not make it in from port, get showered and ready by 6:15, but I think we will be fine.

The pro that I saw with late seating was that we would have a chance to come back onto the ship and take a nap or work out or something rather than coming in and getting ready right away.

HTH.

[Tightlinerods]

Early seating causes you to stop deck activites early or can conflict with excursions, Late seating lends it self to you being to tired to sleep and then if you eat a large meal not sleeping well...

 

+, - to both of them....

 

 

John

[CruzVinnieCruz]

Early Seating

Pro:

1. Closer to the normal dinner time.
   
2. Get out earlier in the evening if there some venues you want to attend karaoke bar etc. (easier to find a seat with earlier dinning)

Con:

1. Possibility of a lot of younger children, if this bothers you.
   
2. May cut into port time and/or deck time when it is sea day.

Late Seating:

 

Pro

1. Never fill rushed to get ready to goto dinner.
   
2. yes you can take a nap if you want too before dinner
   
3. Not as many children agin if this bothers you.
   
4. Some venues like the disco are just get started up after 11:00 pm.

Con

1. Personally I can't think of one but I am sure there are some:)

[gkrnjlr]

What time do you normally eat dinner at home? We normally eat around 6-7pm. We tried the late seating on one of our cruises and did NOT like it at all. With as long as dinner takes, we were not getting out of the dining room until around 10pm. We actually gained more weight on that cruise than we did any other. We're guessing it was because we ate so late.

 

If you're on a larger ship (not the Celebration or Holiday) then there should be two showtimes for the shows and you could always catch one before/after dinner....depending on which seating you're at for dinner.

 

If you choose the late seating and end up not liking it, you could always ask to be switched to the main seating.

[scarlet4897]

I always get the 8pm dining time. I don't want to feel rushed before dinner, I travel without children and don't like the ambiance of screaming children running around, and I don't mind eating too late. HOWEVER, I always have trouble finding a seat for the second show after dinner....that's a whole other thread in itself. (I hate seat savers).

[poptart]

early seating

feel rushed all day

 

late seating

time for a nap before dinner so you are ready to party at night.

[caribbean dreams]

I would talk to everyone in your group and ask which they prefer, If kids are traveling, they may not be able to wait until the later seating.

[aleahmach1]

Last cruise we did late second seating and loved it because we did not feel rushed at all and on formal nights that extra time came in real handy for us. :)There were not hardly any children at that late of a seating. From what another couple told us, who had early seating, they felt rushed to get through the dinner because they have to set up to get ready for the second seating. The con of late seating is that you indeed do not get out of the dining room untill after 10:00 and we sometimes found ourselves just heading back to the room on a full belly and falling asleep, not good for the waistline.:(

[Cotton]

Ok you wonderfully knowledgeable cruise professionals, what are the pros and cons of early and late dinner seatings? Whiich is better or worse and why?

 

:confused:

 

Star - Welcome to the boards.:) Just an FYI, in case you aren't aware:

 

As far as choosing your exact time for dinner, there's no guarantee. You merely make a 'request' for the time you prefer. If you don't get the time you want, once on board you can see the Maitre d' and request a change. (Only 'Platinum' status passengers are assured of the exact time they want.)

 

The Matire d' will try his best to accommate you!:)

[racyguy14619]

I have decided on early seating this time around, but I hope it is the later 6:15pm rather than 5:45pm. There's just me to get ready this time around and I'm not planning on staying out on excursions really long, so I should do pretty well.

[Ellanora]

I've done both, and have decided I prefer early - it gives me more time to get hungry again before the midnight buffet. :p Also, my son likes to order midnight room service. If we don't finish the late dinner until 10:00, it's harder for us to enjoy the late night food options.

[crystalblue0610]

I just called our PVP and changed us from early 6:15 to late 8pm. We usually eat around 7-ish anyway.

 

The kids don't bother us. Hopefully parents are responsible and keep their kids in their seats. It's not like their up and "running" around the room....:rolleyes: are they?

 

I think we'll get in from the shore excursions early anyway since we're doing them on our own. We wouldn't want to get back to the ship like within minutes of it leaving...that doesn't make any sense.

 

So I'm calling her again and we're going back to 6:15:p

[caribbean dreams]

The kids don't bother us. Hopefully parents are responsible and keep their kids in their seats. It's not like their up and "running" around the room....:rolleyes: are they?

 

Most of the time NO but i have had a few bad experiences at late seating.

5 kids running around the dining room, bumping into the waiters, crawling under the tables, running up and stealing the napkins from everyones table, any empty chair they would drag over to their table and build a chair tent with the napkins they has swipped. One of the smaller ones ever crawled up onto the top of the table and fell asleep, I had to tellthem a few times to get from under our table, All the while their parents sat and talked, totally ignoring what they were doing, they were always the last ones to leave.

This went on every night, lots of people complained and the Maitre'd said nothing to the parents:mad:

 

Sorry just had to vent, this is a priome example why there is always a debate about bringing kids on a cruise.

I bring mine but if they acted like that for even one second:eek:

[wizard-of-roz]

Early seating for us.......I love going right from dinner to the show....feels so LAS VEGASY!

If I don't get it.......I pout...see the Maitre D' and get my way!!!!!! :mad:

I've NEVER been disturbed by children at the early seating.....those dirty looks can go a very long way!!!!!;)

I never feel rushed....unless you're busy parasailing......can't stand the thought of being dragged and then waved in the air......sounds like punishment to me!!!!!!!

[crystalblue0610]

Early seating for us.......I love going right from dinner to the show....feels so LAS VEGASY!

 

If I don't get it.......I pout...see the Maitre D' and get my way!!!!!! :mad:

 

I've NEVER been disturbed by children at the early seating.....those dirty looks can go a very long way!!!!!;)

 

I never feel rushed....unless you're busy parasailing......can't stand the thought of being dragged and then waved in the air......sounds like punishment to me!!!!!!!

 

Dirty looks:p I can dish out some of those.

 

What makes the children in the dining room so bad?:confused: I doubt it will be lots of children imitating a zoo in the dinning room. If they are at least 8 years old then they should be pretty well behaved and sit their little selves down and eat their dinner and talk to mom/dad and the other people at their table

[Wennfred]

If you go Earily, you will not enjoy your dinner as you will still feel full from eating throughout the day. On port days its all rush rush to get back to the cabin and get ready for dinner.

 

We now do Late Seating, no more rush and by that 8:30pm time we are hungry again.

 

 

Fred

[hockeyluver]

we prefer the second early sitting 6:15 it is closer to our dinner time at home, and as stated earlier you have more room for a late night snack :p

[wizard-of-roz]

"Not enjoy my dinner?" You are kidding, right?

I enjoy my dinner; I have a drink in the show; I look at the buffe; may grab another dessert and I enjoy myself!

There is some; "I'm too full to eat at the buffet" time so we gamble; watch a show; dance; walk on deck and by then a movie, in the cabin and "cabin time!"; now, doesn't that sound good? :p

 

I can't eat late and then expect to function the rest of the evening; let alone go to bed on it!

[wizard-of-roz]

"Buffe" without a "T"! Does it still taste as good? :D

[trafay]

Most of the time NO but i have had a few bad experiences at late seating.

5 kids running around the dining room, bumping into the waiters, crawling under the tables, running up and stealing the napkins from everyones table, any empty chair they would drag over to their table and build a chair tent with the napkins they has swipped. One of the smaller ones ever crawled up onto the top of the table and fell asleep, I had to tellthem a few times to get from under our table, All the while their parents sat and talked, totally ignoring what they were doing, they were always the last ones to leave.

This went on every night, lots of people complained and the Maitre'd said nothing to the parents:mad:

 

Sorry just had to vent, this is a priome example why there is always a debate about bringing kids on a cruise.

I bring mine but if they acted like that for even one second:eek:

 

We have 3 young children (ages 2,3 and 4) staying with us and have taken them to dinner several times. It is very easy to teach them how to behave at the table. They follow your example, but you have to pay attention to them to get them to "mind their manners". They won't be on the cruise with us though.

[wizard-of-roz]

I promise not to "beat this topic to death" but I have 3 children and if they misbehave in the restaurant...they get a babysitter next time we go out!

The good kids get to go, the bad ones stay home....it doesn't take long before they get the hint!

I would NEVER wait for the Maitre D' to say something to a family of hooligans! I walk over and say it myself! It usually works! And, is so much more effective! :)

 

The kids and the grownups don't know me and don't know just how "crazy" I can get....so, they pretty much calm down and avoid me the rest of the cruise.....How perfect is that?:p

[Wennfred]

I promise not to "beat this topic to death" but I have 3 children and if they misbehave in the restaurant...they get a babysitter next time we go out!

 

I bring Chucky with me, if anyone of them ACT UP, they get to sleep with Chucky

 

[wizard-of-roz]

OMG......scare me to death why don't you???????

[Hedocple]

We definitely prefer late seating for many of the same reasons already mentioned. Not being rushed after returning from excursions. Leisurely enjoy a cocktail and enjoy the view as we sail away from port. Maybe relax in a hottub when much of the crowd has cleared out. Less young kids. Eating later keeps us away from the midnight buffett. We prefer the disco over shows and the disco usually doesn't kick in until late.

 

We're on vacation and just like weekends at home we love staying up late.