early or late seating

[Bob and Linda]

My wife and I will be taking our first trip to Alaska on the Spirit sailing September 1st. We asked for early dinner seating and wonder if late might be better. Also about what time does it get dark in early September? We don't want to miss anything.

[Budget Queen]

In Alaska late is always my choice. More time in port and ability to enjoy the evening sailing. I also never hesistate to miss a few meals.

[Host Caroline]

Depending on your port times (which I admit I didn't check...) I would go with late sitting even though it will be getting dark earlier later in the season. The Spirit has some dining options if you want to eat early one night but with early sitting you will probably be rushing back for dinner at least once and will miss a sunset or two (cause I've decreed that it won't be raining on yo every evening)

 

Host Caroline

<font SIZE="1">Join me on the beautiful Diamond Princess in July 2005 for Cruise Critic's Awesome Alaskan Adventure --You'll have a whale of a good time!

 

Sept 04-Royal Hounds Mariner of the Seas

Feb 05-Partae Pirates Carnival Miracle

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[Bob and Linda]

Thanks for the info Caroline & Budget Queen.

[bucsfan1029]

We had late dining on our cruise last week... A few of our friends had early dining an skipped dinner a few night due to late port times and not wanting to miss some of the scenery outside (Misty Fjords). If I had to do it all over again, I'd stick with late dining.

[Bob and Linda]

Thanks bucsfan

[mnwildfan2]

It would depend on what time the seatings are. We just got off Celebrity and the times were 6 and 8:30. There was one port where both seatings were missed and the other two ports could make the 6pm dinner. We had late seating and liked it, but were very tired after dinner. We realized that the end of dinner (10:45) was really 1:45am for us in our time zone. I might consider the early seating the next time around.

 

Jen

 

1st Cruise on Celebrity Mercury - Alaska 6/4/2004

[merlin123]

Yes, I think it is important to check the port times and the other is what time do you eat at home? My sister and I are early eaters so we opted for the early sitting. By the time the food came it was about 6.30pm. We were lucky though with port times. I'd be starving if we had to wait until after 8pm. I know there is food available all the time but you don't want to be eating 24 hours a day.

Have a wonderful trip.

Merlin123

[BCHappyGal]

We always opt for late seating on our cruises as we don't want to have to cut short any port time or miss any sail aways - + we like to have time before dinner for a cocktail!

 

Enjoy your cruise

[lucyjohnz]

On our 7 cruises (Caribbean), we've only done late dining on one cruise. And, since it was on Carnival and they did staggered dining times and 8pm wasn't too bad. But, 8:30 sounds way too late for me. Also, we're coming from Central Standard time so Alaska will end up being 3 hours earlier so that means that for a while, it'll feel like we're eating at 11:30 at night. That's way too late for me. Also, except for one port day, we're all back on the ship by 5pm, so I don't think 6pm dinner will be that bad.

 

My last plug for early dining - after you eat, you've still got 2-3 hours of the evening left even if you go to bed around 10pm. When you eat late, I felt like I was done in by the time we finished eating.

 

Lucy