Do you prefer early or late seating?

[TigerLady]

What are the pro's & con's of early/late dinners times? which do you prefer and why? :)

I like early, I like to watch the sun set while I eat. It's the greatest..

[My2Kitties]

Early seating for us...I can't eat at 9:00 at night and snack or party later...too full for anything after late dinner...even when we go out we go early...spent most of my life trying to eat large meals earlier and now that we are empty nesters (and I don't work) we eat by 6:00 every night...

[Desert Cruizers]

My husband & I prefer early for the same reason earlier mentioned. You are thru by 7-7:30 and then can enjoy the rest of the evening. We eat by 6:30 at home so no point in breaking a tradition. :)

[glo1196]

I love early seating. We are usually back on the ship with plenty of time to clean up in most ports, then I have the rest of the night to enjoy, dancing, gambling, and shows. If they have snacks then I am even able to snack on a few because I am not stuffed!

[libertybelle41]

We prefer late seating, so we aren't rushed on port days. It is not has handy on sea days, but we usually get an afternoon snack to tide us over til dinner.

 

Late seating doesn't seem as frenzied and rushed as early, seems more relaxed and not as crowded.

 

 

 

 

I agree. That's the same reason we like the late seating.

[hazeleyes]

My vote is for late. You dont have to rush back from port excursions to go eat dinner etc.

[Honey's Gal]

I vote for early. I would fall asleep at the table it we had late. Tried it once, and did not like it at all.

We always meet for drinks before dinner and we have never been rushed to get ready. We don't usually go into ports and stay until late anyway so this is not an issue.

 

As for "anytime dinning" would not like that either. I do hope RCI does not go that route like NCL. It is like a cattle call!

[Barbiegator]

I am the minority. I prefer anytime dining, and soon I will be able to enjoy it on Royal Caribbean. Anytime dining takes the best of both Early and Late seating and puts them together without any of the drawbacks of them. It's the best of both worlds.

 

 

I agree with you. We loved anytime dining on Princess and can't wait to experience it on RC.

[Dr_DNA]

I am the minority. I prefer anytime dining, and soon I will be able to enjoy it on Royal Caribbean. Anytime dining takes the best of both Early and Late seating and puts them together without any of the drawbacks of them. It's the best of both worlds.

 

I'm wondering why you think that RCCL will be offering a flexiable dinning schedule as a choice. That would be great, but I hadn't heard that they would be anytime soon.

 

We really had a good time on RCCL, but would consider NCL because of the freestyle dinning choice. If RCCL began to offer it as a choice (like Princess does) we would then have the best of both worlds. I'm not on a set dinning schedule at home so it is hard to be that way on the ocean; especially with all of the "stuff" to do!

[Duanerice1]

We have done both and like both for various reasons.

 

First of all, we attend almost all the shows on the ship. Heck, we even sometimes go to the shopping presentations :)

 

The first couple of cruises we were on we had early dinning. We'd be finished before 8:00 and go enjoy a show then the casino, snacks, lounge, etc. Every night was a "going out" night. But, when we switched to late seating we would finish dinner around 10:00 then go to the show and afterward we are so wiped out that we can’t really enjoy the rest of the evening. The casino lost some money on these trips :) On the nights when the show was early, well that defeated the purpose of late dining since I had to get ready early anyway.

 

But, the reason we switched to late dining for the last couple of cruises was I hated getting ready for dinner around 5:00. I'd be on my balcony enjoying the day and would have to come in to shower and get ready. By choosing late dining we could just take our time and be lazy about getting ready. At home we don't eat until 7:30 - 8:00 anyway. But, I am done at home by 8:00 ish not 10:00. Big difference. On the last formal night on our last cruise on Celebrity we even ordered our lobsters from room service so we wouldn’t have to get dressed up and go to a 2 hour dinner. I can take only so many "fancy dinners". Seven nights in a row is too much for me, but my wife likes them so I do it.

 

This weekend we are taking the NOS for a 4 night cruise and we requested the early seating. We have the inaugural Celebrity Solstice booked for December and we have selected the late seating.

 

So as you see, we like them both, but for different reasons.

 

Enjoy,

Duane

[jules815]

The downside is you can never eat any of the late night muchies! Too full!

 

That was never a problem for us! :eek:

[ORANGEinINDY]

We prefer late seating

1. Less rush on port days

2. Less kids

3. Enjoy the early shows

4. Can 'hang' at table for as long as the conversations last.

5. Breakfast, Brunch, Lunch, Linner, Dinner... 5 meals!:D

The one thing I don't like about late is it is too close to the midnight buffet

I do NOT think I'd like anytime dining. We enjoy meeting and becoming friends with our table-mates. While driving south from Indy to FL, we stopped in Louisville to have dinner with friends we met that way.. Anytime dining would stop that.

[ORANGEinINDY]

We prefer late seating

 

1. Less rush on port days

2. Less kids

3. Enjoy the early shows

4. Can 'hang' at table for as long as the conversations last.

5. Breakfast, Brunch, Lunch, Linner, Dinner... 5 meals!:D

 

The one thing I don't like about late is it is too close to the midnight buffet

 

I do NOT think I'd like anytime dining. We enjoy meeting and becoming friends with our table-mates. While driving south from Indy to FL, we stopped in Louisville to have dinner with friends we met that way.. Anytime dining would stop that.

Almost forgot.... Early dinner can interfere with sunsets!

[Rala]

To the OP, Gixer,

 

I am sure you are more confused than ever, but obviously there are fans of both seatings.

 

We have done both and prefer early. We have never felt rushed to get ready, but it doesn't take us very long...maybe 30 minutes tops and we have always had time for a couple of pre-dinner drinks. The thing we didn't like about late is that you are entering the dining room at 8:30 (sometimes a bit earlier), NOT eating then. It is usually nearly 9pm before you are actually putting food into your mouth. By the time we were leaving the DR it was 10pm or after and we usually retire by 11:00-11:30. If you are a night owl, this probably won't be a problem for you.

 

I think you just need to weigh all the pros and cons of each seating and pick the one that fits you best! Have a great cruise!

[PeterPan]

Just to add another opinion - We choose late. We are usually up and going from around 6:30 am until midnite or after. Late seating works best for us on a cruise. We NEVER eat that late at home however.

 

It does seem to us that at the late seating you are not rushed through dinner as much as early seating.

[renza]

I like anytime dining. Who want to be told when they have to eat. A cruise is about me and my time. NOT THERES

[sandytoes03]

My DH and I always go back and forth about this. Eating early seems to rush us a little. If we eat late then we are starving by the time dinner rolls around. (We always eat snacks, but try holding out for dinner if we can.) The best time to eat for us would actually be around 7. But, unless we skip the dining room, that's not an option. So, we usually make our decission based on schedule. If it looks like we'll be spending a lot of time in port, then we eat later. Good luck.

[CharmedOne]

We are undecided on which seating to pick - though we currently are on the list for early on our Nov. cruise. I wanted late seating but DH wanted early. It would be nice if you could still keep the two seating rule - but could switch on and off if you wanted. One night early, one late, next early, etc. Oh well.

 

On our Princess cruise 3 years ago (we did not have anytime dining that I remember!) we had early and rushed constantly to get ready for dinner - especially on the formal nights when you want to take a bit more time getting things "just right". I would have much preferred to relax a bit - I can't imagine starving to death in the 2 hours or so difference between early and late seating!!! And I think my "system" will forgive me for messing with its timing for one week!!! LOL

[mckinna]

I'm wondering why you think that RCCL will be offering a flexiable dinning schedule as a choice. That would be great, but I hadn't heard that they would be anytime soon.

 

We really had a good time on RCCL, but would consider NCL because of the freestyle dinning choice. If RCCL began to offer it as a choice (like Princess does) we would then have the best of both worlds. I'm not on a set dinning schedule at home so it is hard to be that way on the ocean; especially with all of the "stuff" to do!

 

RCI is offering "anytime dining" on a few select sailings as an experiment, and it is optional to sign up for it or not. From the posts I have read, it has been mostly on Freedom, but there may be other ships as well. I would love to try this option, but so far, it hasn't been offered on any of our cruises.

[negc]

We are undecided on which seating to pick - though we currently are on the list for early on our Nov. cruise. I wanted late seating but DH wanted early. It would be nice if you could still keep the two seating rule - but could switch on and off if you wanted. One night early, one late, next early, etc. Oh well.

 

On our Princess cruise 3 years ago (we did not have anytime dining that I remember!) we had early and rushed constantly to get ready for dinner - especially on the formal nights when you want to take a bit more time getting things "just right". I would have much preferred to relax a bit - I can't imagine starving to death in the 2 hours or so difference between early and late seating!!! And I think my "system" will forgive me for messing with its timing for one week!!! LOL

 

Switching off from early to late as you indicate, would cause chaos on a ship that offers only traditional dining. You would lose the benefit of having the same waitstaff and the same table each evening since the night that you chose early might be the same night that the people assigned that table for early might also choose to show up at the same time. You have already indicated what you feel are the shortcomings of early seating, so I suggest that you and your DH compromise and choose one or the other. You can always dine at one of the specialty restaurants or in the Windjammer on an occasional night, but otherwise pick a seating and stick with it. If it turns out that you are very unhappy with your choice, see the maitre'd and ask to be switched to the other seating.:)

[cruzer52]

Reading this thread was an interesting one for my brother and I developed a fantastic solution to this problem when we did our first cruise (was on the mariner).Our solution is unfortunatly not for the faint of stomach haha.

 

Traveling with a sister in law who took a ton of time getting ready my bro and i grew tired of waiting as we were always hungry, so we incorporated 1st and second dinners. first dinner typically takes place between 5-6 oclock usually in the windjammer or jade etc. after first dinner we would head to the basketball court or pool for a quick bit of activity then head on down to our room, get ready for the dining room second dinner (late seating).

 

this eventually evolved into 5 square meals a day by adding a second lunch and/or second breakfast and a good 6 meals on the midnight buffet night.

 

anywho with that schedule we rarely find ourselves rushing or hungry, granted u should expect to gain a few pounds, but if you cant attack the buffet on a cruise when can you.

[SaintSomewhere]

We are late seating people, but I believe both have there advantages. I'm just leaving work at home around 6:30, 8:30 is closer to our regular schedule. We also like to visit the pool and unwind after a long day in port. Then chill out on our balcony with beverage of choice and watch that day's port of call fade of into the distance.

 

Now, if there are kids involved or my mother inlaw...I am all over early seating.

 

Cheers

Trent

[azdteapot23]

Late dinner for me!

 

I usually grab a slice of pizza by the pool around 5 and thats all I need to hold me over till dinner time. No one diets on a cruise so 2 dinners is totally allowed! :)

[CL-JW]

We prefer late seating so we don't have to rush to get back to the ship on port days.

[Lady Chew]

Mr Chew usually arrives home from work after 7pm so our regular dinner is close to 8.

 

Last cruise we ate early, because my SIL has medical reasons for eating early. We love her dearly but we hated the early dining and will not do it again (unless we cruise with her!)

 

Had to leave the pool/deck/bars way too early to get ready, not enough time to enjoy pool on a port day, missing sailaways & watching the latecomers race to make the ship, service seems much slower at main seating maybe because more people eat early? ... missed seeing the sunsets (it's not the same from inside the dr) ... it's so nice & quiet & relaxing around the pool in the late afternoon/early evening

 

Also find that if we eat dinner early, we get really, really hungry around 9 or 10pm, and end up eating really, really fattening gooey desserts because they are readily available and so tempting, and so good, and it's been so long since dinner.

 

When we eat dinner late, we usually have a late afternoon snack of fruit, maybe some cheese, a single cookie, etc. We can keep it light because we know we'll be having dinner soon. Our dessert is chosen from the dr menu, and sometimes we pass on that. We usually don't have anything else to eat after that, even though we have admired the midnight buffets!

 

Of course, frou frou drinks are good anytime!