A Good Reason to Choose the Late Seating

As far as missing shows, I thought they had early shows too at least they did when I went in 2016. Is this not the case. I was able to catch an early show then go to dinner.

We don't want ANY 'dinner partners'. We do not want to be eating dinner with strangers. BTW with YTD you can request and get the same servers.

I really don't care what you feel you need to chide me over because DH and I LOVE late fixed seating

...... especially since the name of this thread wasn't "Why everyone should love YTD because I do" .... the topic the OP posted was "A Good Reason to Choose the Late Seating".

Just got off the Pride yesterday and Ken was a pleasure. I had early seating (by choice) and the service was great. Sailed solo and had requested my same table for one. Ken was around to chat every night.

I've done late seating a few times when traveling with others and while we had fun and the service was good as well, getting done with dinner after 10:00 isn't my first choice these days.

I've done the ATD once and wasn't crazy about that. I like the same table/location every night. Don't know why, but I do...(LOL):)

We normally eat between 6:30 and 7:00 most nights when home. When we're on vacation we tend to sleep later, have breakfast later which means a later than normal lunch which means a later than normal dinner. I love just showing up in the dining room and walking straight to our same table every night with the same wait staff waiting for us, smiling and knowing our preferences. To each their own! But, I hope they never do away with early or late seating for dinner!

As far as missing shows, I thought they had early shows too at least they did when I went in 2016. Is this not the case. I was able to catch an early show then go to dinner.

The usually have early shows. Some people are stuck in a rut.

I have gone to early shows and if sufficiently good, will go back after dinner to catch some of the show again.

The only time I can eat dinner at 8PM is when I am traveling in Europe because of the time difference when my body doesn't get hungry until that late!

We will only do YTD and wouldn't cruise on a ship that didn't have it!

We go early and usually stick with the same wait staff for the whole cruise so that they get to know us just as if we'd have had early assigned dining.

We like having a table for 2 at meals unless we meet folks on board with whom we'd like to share. We don't like eating with strangers. We tried that waaaay back on our first cruise and it didn't work out well at all!!

WE like tables for 2 as well, but in YTD you are less than 12" from the tables on each side of you - more like eating WITH your neighbors. You can hear all conversations and we don't like that set up at all!! Prefer an assigned table in MDR for 4 that only seats the 2 of us - and we never have a problem getting that set up!!

WE like tables for 2 as well, but in YTD you are less than 12" from the tables on each side of you - more like eating WITH your neighbors. You can hear all conversations and we don't like that set up at all!! Prefer an assigned table in MDR for 4 that only seats the 2 of us - and we never have a problem getting that set up!!

The close together situation you've described is not an absolute. Yes, sometimes that can be the case. Since we've sworn off set time dining for YTD, first couple times we cruised with YTD, we did have a 2 top that was pretty close to others, but for us that has been the exception rather than the rule on our last several cruises. Some ships do have tables for 2 that are not jammed next to others...some are rather pleasant like the table for 2 we had recently on the Pride that was next to a window, rather than another table. So I'd say for us, we;ve not had issues get a table for 2 NOT jammed next to others.

Mine is set up on LATE dining. And it wont switch over to YTD when i click it.

I have not read any of your posts, but the reason we do it is because, we do not have to RUSH to get to dinner, after leaving a port or island. Also, if we want to take a shower, and maybe a quick nap, we can do that as well.:)

I can't imagine not having a late seating!

We did 4-5 cruises with assigned seating, in the early 2000s. Really disliked it. Didnt like having to go at the same time every night, and didnt like having to make small talk with people we may/may not care for.

I also strongly dislike being with other people I don't know. I enjoy meeting people on the ship and conversing as we lounge around. However, it can be very awkward to be stuck with the same people every night at dinner, especially if you don't click with them. We always make sure to request a table for two at our early dining. We love it!

I also strongly dislike being with other people I don't know. I enjoy meeting people on the ship and conversing as we lounge around. However, it can be very awkward to be stuck with the same people every night at dinner, especially if you don't click with them. We always make sure to request a table for two at our early dining. We love it!

For sure. At least back in the day they would try to group you with 'similar' people, mainly age wise. But still. Often felt very forced as far as conversation, etc.

We have never had issue with YTD waits...maybe 5min wait a couple of times? Thats alright for us though. We like to eat fairly quickly anyway, and hour or 45min is fine with us, and we found it takes much less time YTD than traditional.

We always book late fixed seating - large table. The way we look at table mates is that they would not necessarily be our BFFs if we were at home but it's not usually too difficult to find some common ground like "past travels" or "what did you do today". Those topics most often lead to other common areas ... and ... poof ... a comfortable dinner experience.

We're retired and are normally seated with middle-aged and older table mates. Never with children so I assume there is some sort of algorithm they use to organize seating.

So if I understand everyone correctly, we are assigned the same table with the same people every night? Our first cruise, so I wasn't aware. If this is the case, I certainly hope we can find something to talk about considering that dinner is 2 hours long!! I can't imagine doing late dinner, trying to go right to bed and then get up early to make it to excursions on time. To each his own though.

So if I understand everyone correctly, we are assigned the same table with the same people every night? Our first cruise, so I wasn't aware. If this is the case, I certainly hope we can find something to talk about considering that dinner is 2 hours long!! I can't imagine doing late dinner, trying to go right to bed and then get up early to make it to excursions on time. To each his own though.

do you know what dining option you requested? its typically set seating with late/early options, or your time dining.

So if I understand everyone correctly, we are assigned the same table with the same people every night? Our first cruise, so I wasn't aware. If this is the case, I certainly hope we can find something to talk about considering that dinner is 2 hours long!! I can't imagine doing late dinner, trying to go right to bed and then get up early to make it to excursions on time. To each his own though.

If you do assigned dining, yes. If you do YTD then you can sit with strangers if that's something you're into or you can sit with just your family. Also with YTD you don't have to eat at everyone elses pace, you can eat at your own. We always like to be out of the dining room within 45 minutes.

So if I understand everyone correctly, we are assigned the same table with the same people every night? Our first cruise, so I wasn't aware. If this is the case, I certainly hope we can find something to talk about considering that dinner is 2 hours long!! I can't imagine doing late dinner, trying to go right to bed and then get up early to make it to excursions on time. To each his own though.

Experienced cruiser here, and I never want to be seated with strangers. It’s just too uncomfortable to me. And we tend to eat very early at home, so I understand just how you’d be feeling concerning late dining. I would not want to go to bed, so full of a big meal. We are your typical retired couple that eats most nights at 5:00, but on a cruise, with eating so much more through the day, I have no idea when we will be ready for dinner, so I chose YTD.

I'm sure someone has probably posted the answer, but yes, you will be with the same people every night of the cruise in the MDR. You can do the other type of dining (sorry I forgot what it is called), and just go when you want to, and hope they have a table for you. Another reason I like the late dining in the MDR is I always ask for a large table. I have cruised off/on over 25 years, and there was only one or two times when the people at the table, we weren't too happy with, but stayed at the table anyway. I find, when eating at a large table, you will find people from all kinds of backgrounds, as well as countries, and I like to learn from others, experiences, about their countries, etc. I have even had when I would be talking about something, someone from England ask me to repeat it again, and then explain why I am saying that, which I had not problem with. When you get all cultures together, we may say the same thing, but it may mean something else.:)

I'm sure someone has probably posted the answer, but yes, you will be with the same people every night of the cruise in the MDR. You can do the other type of dining (sorry I forgot what it is called), and just go when you want to, and hope they have a table for you. Another reason I like the late dining in the MDR is I always ask for a large table. I have cruised off/on over 25 years, and there was only one or two times when the people at the table, we weren't too happy with, but stayed at the table anyway. I find, when eating at a large table, you will find people from all kinds of backgrounds, as well as countries, and I like to learn from others, experiences, about their countries, etc. I have even had when I would be talking about something, someone from England ask me to repeat it again, and then explain why I am saying that, which I had not problem with. When you get all cultures together, we may say the same thing, but it may mean something else.:)

We feel the same way you do and always ask to be seated at a large round table with others. sometimes we cruise with many friends, sometimes just the 2 of us which we do by choice. We love meeting new people!!

Pat

I find that I’m never hungry when dinner rolls around no matter what time it is. I pick all day long and have a big lunch when we get back on the ship so I usually can’t even eat dessert after dinner. And this is eating late (YTD) around 8:00-8:30. [emoji23]

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I'm sure someone has probably posted the answer, but yes, you will be with the same people every night of the cruise in the MDR. You can do the other type of dining (sorry I forgot what it is called), and just go when you want to, and hope they have a table for you. Another reason I like the late dining in the MDR is I always ask for a large table. I have cruised off/on over 25 years, and there was only one or two times when the people at the table, we weren't too happy with, but stayed at the table anyway. I find, when eating at a large table, you will find people from all kinds of backgrounds, as well as countries, and I like to learn from others, experiences, about their countries, etc. I have even had when I would be talking about something, someone from England ask me to repeat it again, and then explain why I am saying that, which I had not problem with. When you get all cultures together, we may say the same thing, but it may mean something else.:)

Hey listen, do whatever seating you choose. But dont infer that if you do YTD you will 'hope they have a table for you' We have done 8 YTD cruises and never had to wait more than 5min.

If you prefer set dining thats great, but lets keep it accurate for new folks as far as the options go.

So if I understand everyone correctly, we are assigned the same table with the same people every night? Our first cruise, so I wasn't aware. If this is the case, I certainly hope we can find something to talk about considering that dinner is 2 hours long!! I can't imagine doing late dinner, trying to go right to bed and then get up early to make it to excursions on time. To each his own though.

The MDR is never 2 hours, not even close. We are always in and out in an hour or less.

The MDR is never 2 hours, not even close. We are always in and out in an hour or less.

We are generally one and a half hours. I'm sure we're never done in an hour or less, and I think "an hour or less" my be an anomaly - or if not two standard deviations outside of the mean, at least one.

Hey listen, do whatever seating you choose. But dont infer that if you do YTD you will 'hope they have a table for you' We have done 8 YTD cruises and never had to wait more than 5min.

 

If you prefer set dining thats great, but lets keep it accurate for new folks as far as the options go.

1. That has not been my experience with YTD on Carnival. I was traveling with a friend who wanted to do YTD and we had waits ranging from 5 minutes to 45 minutes for a table. (Half of the evenings were waits of 30 minutes or more.)

2. You can add me to the group of people who enjoy meeting and eating with strangers on a cruise. This is one time that I purposely get out of my "comfort zone" and choose to dine with and make small talk with strangers. We have had the most interesting dining companions, including the time on another cruise line in which we were seated with people who spoke only Spanish. Fortunately, I speak some Spanish and my spouse is fluent!

3. And dinner for us generally takes 90 minutes, but on our last cruise (which is the basis of this thread), we finished each evening in almost exactly 1 hour because our waitstaff had so few people to attend to. Thus our orders were taken quickly and our food was served promptly. I really appreciated not sitting at the dinner table for close to 2 hours (which I have done on other cruises.)

Like everyone, 'your mileage may vary'. We much prefer the late dining as we don't do the shows, we tried a few times, but always end up walking out as there is little of interest going on (for us). The typical evening after dinner starts with us in Red Frog crushing the trivia with friends.