Dinner Seating Time:Late Ok to Bring Kids?

[momofmn00]

Yes, yes, I know most people say they would never bring their kids to the late dinner seating (actually the 8:00 p.m.), but ours are use to eating late on the weekends with our friends. We always take the along to Cheddars or another "Sit down Resturant" and most of the time it is not untill (at least) after 7 before we get to the resturant. I am pretty sure my kids would do alright at that late of seating, plus I just feel like the late seating is better for our family; give us time to get abord the ship and clean up and even take a little nap before dinner if we need. We had late seating on our last cruise and I did really enjoy it. (although, we did not have the kids!) Since we never ate while @ port, we always ate a sandwhich or something when arriving back onboard before heading back to the cabin.

 

Ok, so on to my QUESTION~

 

If I sign up for late seating dinner, will my kids be the only ones there, and will it make other cruisers mad.:confused:

[Peto]

sure .... kids are fine anytime.

[karenh1127]

It would not make me mad. I have kids too. Most likely they are going to seat yall with another family w/ kids unless yall sit alone. They will probably try to keep those with kids in the same area. Restaurants used to do this but over the weekend my dh and I went out for our anniversay and you would think they would seat us in a corner away from kids but they sat us in the middle of a section loaded with families and kids. Not a big deal, since all we did was talk about our kids!:)

[momofmn00]

I will probably request we just sit alone, in a small booth. That way we are not bothersome to other pple and also if we decide to leave the kids @ Camp Carnival, it will just be the two of us....:p

[newistcruiseaddict]

I'm not even going to vote on this topic b/c my preference has nothing to do with yours! We eat earlier so I chose an earlier dinner time. If 8 is closer to your usual dinner time, then eat at 8! And where have you heard children shouldn't be at an 8 pm seating? Thats just silly! If that time works best for you then don't worry what others might think. You paid for your vacation too! Now if you have some rowdy uncontrollable children that can't behave to save their lives...eat at the buffet..or even better, eat in your cabin. But, I suspect that is not the case. Enjoy your cruise and pick the seating time that best fits YOUR lifestyle.

 

I also wouldn't request a "private table." To me, sitting with strangers is part of the cruise experience. In fact, tablemates are what define each cruise for us. "hey honey, remember the cruise we took and sat with those two nurses? Or how about the cruise where we sat with those two couples, one couple from England and the other both cops?" Don't deprive your children of that experience! We're talking memories here! If your tablemates decide THEY don't like sitting with children THEY can request to move. Its as simple as that!

 

Have a great cruise!

[vacationfool]

We love kids! Ours are grown now, but If I were you, I would pick the time I wanted, and any table. Its a great experience for the kids and depending on age, a great way to help them practice manners. The staff love the kids, and are always catering to them! It sure would not bother me if your kids were at a late dinner. Hey what ever works for you...its your VACATION! hehe

[momofmn00]

thanks for the reply, although the poll is just b/c I am curious of what other do, although I have my assumptions already. I was really just wanting to know whether or not my kids would be "the outcast". I know this is our vacation, but it is the others too, which I'm sure some just don't want to be with kids 24/7. For the most part, since they are used to eating out, they do quite well, and I am sure will be entertained with the singing/dancing and both love steak so dining room food is good for them! :D

 

[Moondawgie]

mom, your kids are adorable. I wouldn't mind if they were next to me. And just the fact that you "care" and don't take the attitude some do, is a huge step in the right direction. I bet they are very well behaved and will make you proud.

[momofmn00]

most of the time, they are usually pretty well behaved....;) dd more than ds as he is the youngest by 13 months! :eek:

[wework2play]

My kids will be eating with us at the late seating. I hope it doesn't make anyone mad because I'm paying just like everyone else! 8:00 isn't that late to me. Especially during the summer, after ballgames and such, we don't eat till 8 a lot of nights. I don't think it will be an issue at all.

[Froufie]

While our 7 yr old had a 'seat' at our 8 pm seating - table of 8 - he only ate with us twice (first night and last night) - he was more interested in the Camp Carnival activities - so we would either feed him at the buffet or room service or pizza - then off he went to join the kids.

 

This left me and dh w/time to shower, get dressed and have a leisurely adult dinner. After dinner we would go to pick him up to see if he wanted to see the show w/us - and usually he opted to stay at Camp Carnival.

 

...and yes we made sure he had a nap every afternoon! Worked out great for everyone!

 

Froufie

[momofmn00]

I figure my kids will probably opt out of dinner with us some/most of the nights to go to camp carnival anyway. :rolleyes: But, you know, just in case, wanted to check out what others thought about the late dinner seating. ;)

[big_duck]

I have no trouble personally with kids eating late, however ...

 

If you don't eat late at home you probably shouldn't on a cruise, travel can be hard on kids and the fewer adjustments they have to make the better (depending on age of course).

 

In order to maximize use of Camp Carnival the earlier seatings are better because of activity times. Even the first night sign-up is usually during the late dinner time.

[DaisyL]

It's not kids I mind at the late seating it's rowdy, unruly, misbehaving kids we don't like any time.

 

On our last Carnival cruise there were kids in the dining room at the late seating. It's nice to see kids all dressed up and dining with their families. We took our son on a cruise when he was five (many years ago) and he loved geting dressed up for dinner and again when he was 16 and he still loved it and we enjoyed him too.

 

Now we're empty nesters and enjoy seeing the kids.

[rxralph]

thanks for the reply, although the poll is just b/c I am curious of what other do, although I have my assumptions already. I was really just wanting to know whether or not my kids would be "the outcast". I know this is our vacation, but it is the others too, which I'm sure some just don't want to be with kids 24/7. For the most part, since they are used to eating out, they do quite well, and I am sure will be entertained with the singing/dancing and both love steak so dining room food is good for them! :D

 

 

 

You just started this thread so that you could brag.

 

ralph

[crusinmama06]

I voted early for two reason, that's the normal time we eat at home so I don't want to mess up their normal schedules

 

Two, when kids have late seating they often miss certain Camp Carnival events going on at that time and my kids would never forgive me. :rolleyes: ;)

[stephuney]

I voted for the early dinner ... but only because the kids will miss out on certain Camp Carnival activities with the late dinner. My kids missed out on a lot when we didnt get the early dinner seating.

 

But we still had a good time!:D

[sausimayok]

Hi,

We had the late sitting on or first cruise with the kids, after them leaving early to go do other things, we booked the early sitting the second time around with them. I think if you want to take your kids to the late dinner, go for it.

[momofmn00]

You just started this thread so that you could brag.

 

ralph

 

Not really, :rolleyes: but thanks for the thought...actually I just wanted to see what oppinions are about kids @ dinner! ;)