Which dining options?

About ready to book and trying to decide which dining option to take. Thinking about the early one at 6.30pm but wondered what time you normally get back from an excursion? If this does not give enough time to get showered and changed we just may decide to go for the flexible option. Looking at Arcadia to Scandinavia and Russia.

Thanks

Kat

Personally we always opt for Freedom dining which means you can dine anytime between 6pm and 9.30pm. This means if you do go on tours you will have plenty of time to freshen up before you dine.

About ready to book and trying to decide which dining option to take. Thinking about the early one at 6.30pm but wondered what time you normally get back from an excursion? If this does not give enough time to get showered and changed we just may decide to go for the flexible option. Looking at Arcadia to Scandinavia and Russia.

 

Thanks

 

Kat

I would pick Freedom dining because you are not restricted to the same time or the same dining partners every night.

Usually on Freedom you can go straight in the restaurant or they will give you a buzzer pager when a table is ready if you want a table for 2.

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We did freedom dining on Scandinavia and Russia cruise in June on Arcadia.We left most ports by 5pm , with the exception of Copenhagen which was 9pm , so there would be time for 6:30 sitting. We had no problem being seated as we were willing to share. Also we went to the Ocean Grill and Sindhu and on one night we were tired and couldn't be bothered to go down so had room service.

We always opt for freedom. That way you can please yourselves when you eat. You may be given a pager if you want a table for 2. Don't forget to tell the waiter if you want to go to a show at a specific time as they will speed up the service a bit!

The downside of us getting a bargain on our recent Baltics trip was having to have early sitting.

The saving meant we could actually go on the cruise, but for me it was too early as the day was shortened and the evening meal was rushed.

With a 6.15pm meal, by 4.30 latest we were having to leave the pool on sunny days to get ready for the evening.

In Warnemunde we arrived back from a half day tour at 6.10pm! We were told we could be seated later, but had to be off the table by 8pm so it could be set for next sitting. That was a very rushed meal.

If we had a choice it wouldn't be early sitting.

We always opt for 8.30 fixed dinning and a table for 6 so I can remember everyone's name ,we find this suits us because your not rushed during the evening to get ready quite early for 6,30 plus having breakfast and lunch or maybe afternoon tea you don't want to eat early also we like to have the same table companions we have never tried freedom dinning so not sure about that .

You guys are great thanks!! Think we will opt for the freedom dining.

Kat :)

We like freedom dining best as well. Have a great cruise Fraser.

I know that those who participate on these boards are only a small snapshot of cruisers but it's funny how preferences have changed over the yeast. If someone had asked this question 15 years ago they would have been told to go for the early dinner and that they would be lucky if they got it. Everyone wanted early then as there used to be more evening entertainment and the early people could get to both events while the lates usually had to pick one. Remember the proper classical concerts that used be on at the same time as the second theatre show.

I also think that the average age of travellers is now a good bit younger, my mum and dads generation did not like to wait to 8.30 to eat.