Early or Late Dinner

[DJandSydney]

We too have kids 9 and 12 and will be on a 4 day cruise with 2 sea days and we're opting for early. We may feela lil rushed on the 1st night and port day...but also know the kids will be hungry at 6...so will me the dad.

[63Corvette]

On our first cruise, we had the late seating (based on recommendations I read on this forum). It worked out well for us - watched the ship leaving each port (while many were getting ready for or already dining with the early seating). We have reserved the late dining for our next cruise as well. Good luck with your decision.

[GJClay]

We have cruised twice with our kids and once as a couple. Had the late seating when without kids and were not able to wait that late to eat, therefore, as another poster said, ended up eating twice, and aside from gaining ten pounds, we also felt like we were "waiting" to eat for three hours since we normally eat around 5:00-6:00pm at home. DH is the type who can't think of anything but food when he is hungry!

 

Regarding the kids, my kids make so many friends on cruises that they would not consider eating with us at the late seating because they always have plans with either the organized kids clubs or other plans to meet friends they made on board (they are teenagers and since we always cruise on school breaks, there are tons of kids).

 

Last year on spring break I made a point to analyze whether or not we felt rushed to make the early seating when coming back from port and we really did not. On formal night we took extra care to get perfectly ready, but other days I had no problem taking a quick shower, throwing on a dininig room appropriate outfit and going to dinner. My hair and makeup may have not looked perfect on some of those days, but I didn't care.

 

We usually got to the dining room about five minutes past the scheduled time, sat down and started eating what I thought were great meals! Our table mates disappeared after the first night so we didn't have to worry about making them wait on us if we were a couple of minutes late.

 

We did skip the dining room one night and ate the buffet which had surprisingly good food as well, so as others have said, that is also an option if you just don't feel like goinng to the dining room.

 

Please tell your waiter if you don't plan to eat in the dining room. Ours last time said it was very helpful to know. I tried to plan ahead enough to let him know either the night before or sometime during the day when the dining room was open if we were not going to be there. If you can't though, it's not the end of the world.

 

Sorry this is so long. I have probably repeated everything already said!

[shadow6274]

I would have to say take the late dinner. We have done this on all our cruises and you are less rushed to make dinner after getting on board after a port call.;)

[Chigirlcruzin]

 

It all depends on the Class of Ship... On Elation, Fantasy Class we had the shows throughout the week scheduled as I posted above.

 

Now I know that ALL ships have their Embarkation Welcome onboard Show at 10:30pm.. they call it The One Big Show... Its has been like that on Spirit and Fantasy Class. This is for the very first night.

 

Im looking at my Elation Capers right now and this is what it states:

 

Main Show SPIN

 

7pm and 8:45pm

 

7pm for Late seating

 

8:45pm for Early seating

 

I believe on the Bigger Ships they have it the way you posted the times.

 

 

 

Fred

 

Depends on the CD and other scheduled activities, not the class of ship. On the Miracle, the nights of the deck parties they did late seating show at 7, early seating show at 8:30. All other nights were 8:30 for early seating and 10:30 for late seating, except the first and last nights where they just have one show. On Inspiration, one of the nine nights on my B2B had the late seating show at 7. Valor had one night with a 7:00 show; rest were at 10:30. I've never seen a blanket "rule" where late seating had the show at 7. I personally wouldn't like that if it were like that all week. From what I've observed, shows are usually at 8:30 and 10:30, and if there's another activity later in the night, they'll move the late seating show to 7.

[Chigirlcruzin]

Seems the later you eat the harder it is to get rid of those extra pounds ! :rolleyes:. The extra carbs late night will always make you sleepy!:eek:

 

Calories in vs calories expended is all that matters - not when you eat them.

[H82seaUgo]

We tried late once, pre kid. While it was nice not having to cut the afternoon short, we found ourselves waiting for dinner.

 

With time for a couple extra drinks.

 

Then we'd crash during dinner and then attend the show so late.

 

And then we were still too full for the midnight buffet

 

Have tried and got early ever since, except for one time, but we were able to switch.

[Chigirlcruzin]

I had early on my first cruise, and then late for all others. I will be sticking with late. I like that there are fewer children in the late seating, and I like not having to rush back from port to go to the dining room. I can enjoy sailway, take a nap, etc. I rarely get hungry before dinner, but if I do, there's room service, pizza, the grill, etc. Never going to go hungry on a ship!

[ItsAllAboutTheSass]

We used to eat early all the time. I can be a bear when I get hungry. Last cruise we ate late. Didn't have to rush back on the ship. Took a little nap before dinner. Managed to stay up a little later as well. We will always do late dining now. We don't have kids either, so it seems like there are less kids at the late seating.

[Wolfie48]

I had early on my first cruise, and then late for all others. I will be sticking with late. I like that there are fewer children in the late seating, and I like not having to rush back from port to go to the dining room. I can enjoy sailway, take a nap, etc. I rarely get hungry before dinner, but if I do, there's room service, pizza, the grill, etc. Never going to go hungry on a ship!

 

I agree fewer small children make the late dining time more enjoyable for those of us without kids. DW and I always do late dinning then to the casino or piano bar till all hours.

[Payd]

1st timers, my wife, 10 yr old daughter & I sailing Pride next year. Torn between cutting day short a bit to eat early & catch the evening shows (if they are interesting for a 10 yr old) & not having to rush, eat late & not care much about the evening stuff. How are the evening shows? Thanks!

 

The shows are good. We book late for ourselves and it is perfect - gives time for a long port day and afternoon nap before dinner. Our kids are 13 and 15 and can wait till 8:15 for dinner. Will your daughter be able to adapt to that schedule?

[SeattleMother]

We always got late seating with the kids. We would feed them at the buffet and then take them to Camp Carnival while we had a dinner together. Sometimes our teenager would wait to eat with us depending on what activities she had planned. That's what works for us.

[aggieastrosfan]

We started out doing early on our first couple cruises, pre-kid. Then we started eating late seating, and liked how we weren't rushed.

 

But the last couple cruises we noticed something different. From the time we got back on the ship until dinner, there wasn't a whole lot to do. We ended up just kind of hanging out and snacking until dinner time.

 

This last cruise we took our 3 year old, and while he behaved beautifully at dinner, I hated looking at the camp schedule every night and seeing all the fun stuff he was missing, because he loved camp. All of this combined with our next cruise sailing from the west coast with the 2 hour time difference, we've decided to go back to early for the next cruise. Our port times end at 10 pm, 5, and 3, so I think it'll work out pretty good for us.

[TMWTim]

We always go with the late seating. Time is on hold while we are at sea so we prefer to eat late and not worry about cutting an excursion short in order to make it back in time.

[spectatorsports]

Last cruise we had late dinner... I didn't particularly like it. I found that there was a lot of time between when we finished our daily activities and when dinner started that we would waste just sitting around in the cabin. Then by the time we finished eating it was really late and there was not enough of the night left to enjoy.

 

That being said, it is still better than the alternatives. The early dinner is just too early and not eating in the dining room is not an option because it would mean eating by myself.

[zqvol]

After reading every reply in this thread, I knew that there was a reason that I like the anytime dining that is available on Legend and Liberty (I think Liberty is the other one).

 

It is nice to be able to go to dinner around 7:00 or 7:15, sorta mid dinner.

 

You don't have to rush back from port or leave the deck before sail away, nor do you have to eat so late that it is time to go to bed before you leave the table.

 

If you can find it give it a try!

[Carolinamamasita]

I like to have the early seating cause if I would do the late seating I might be tempted to eat at the buffet or etc if I get hungry ... and then might not be able to eat a full dinner at late seating

 

With early seating I know that I will be hungry enough

and wont miss my wonderul dinner in the dining room :D

 

Later on if I get hungry , We stop & get some Pizza before bed

but then again... doesnt everyone ? LOL;)