Dining. First seating or Second? Why?

[Jimnbigd]

...we do late seating, because we prefer to do our drinking BEFORE dinner...

 

Hey, it's vacation. You don't have to make a choice. Drink before and after dinner. :p

[mikewrit]

The very question strengthens my preference for NCL and freestyle everything. I certainly do not aim to replicate my onshore habits when I get out on the briney.

[junglejane]

When we first started cruising with the kids in 2006, we did Anytime Dining and loved it. However, we have discovered since then that both of our kids have food allergies. Now it's just easier to do Early Seating and have the same waitstaff every night who are familiar with their allergy issues.

 

DH and I just booked our first cruise without the kids on the Queen Victoria. We discussed the fact that we could do late seating, but in the end we decided to stay with early seating. I'm not a night owl and I find it too hard to get to sleep at night if I have lots of rich food and alcohol late in the evening.:)

[5326jan]

When we first started cruising with the kids in 2006, we did Anytime Dining and loved it. However, we have discovered since then that both of our kids have food allergies. Now it's just easier to do Early Seating and have the same waitstaff every night who are familiar with their allergy issues.

 

DH and I just booked our first cruise without the kids on the Queen Victoria. We discussed the fact that we could do late seating, but in the end we decided to stay with early seating. I'm not a night owl and I find it too hard to get to sleep at night if I have lots of rich food and alcohol late in the evening.:)

 

I'm so glad that the cruise industry has realized that as many people as there are that cruise, there are that many opinions about how they want to do it. We don't particularly like Formal Nights. But there is the buffet, the grill, pizza and room service to choose from. Everyone gets to have their meals when, where and how they want it!

[griffy116]

We started main/early dining when we had small children in the family. The youngest is now 16. We prefer to do an excursion that gets us back to the ship by 5. If we are out by the pool, I've reached my limit of frozen drinks and/or margaritas by 5. I'm ready for food and if I had to wait until 8 or later, I don't think I'd enjoy the meal as much. It doesn't take me hours to get ready. We are ready in 45 min. to an hour (that's us ladies too), even on formal night because we've found that this is just not a Red Carpet event. Stick on the cocktail dress and a pair of heels and I'm ready. By doing the early dining, everyone gets a chance to do the things they enjoy without having to watch the time. Some go to the casino, some shop, arcade, shows, sitting out on the balcony with some wine watching the ocean slip by, the pubs, etc. We usually see each other in the Promenade area at some point during the evening. Besides, if they made me wait until 8, I would have had to hit the buffet, the pizza, room service or something to hold me over. I'd be banging on the dining room doors by 8.

[gapearl]

I prefer late dining at 8:15 p.m. That gives me plenty of time to get back on the ship from port, maybe get in a quick workout, shower and take a short nap, and have a drink before dinner. I take TONS of pictures and always bring my laptop with me so I can upload and view my pictures from the day, and I usually will do that in that relaxation period before I eat. Dinner is just the start of my evening. I'm a night owl and after dinner, I go straight to the nightly show and then the disco, which is another reason I prefer the late seating.

[Chloe4ever]

I hope that all Med cruises don't start late dining at 9:30pm! What ship is that on?? There's no way we could wait that late! On our last cruise we had anytime dining and it was nice to go when we were hungry, but we ended up in the buffet line more times than not. :(

 

Where can you find this info?

 

I am not sure about other cruise lines, but we are sailing on the MSC Orchestra and late seating starts at 9:30; and that is way too late for us! I know that Europeans eat later than Americans, and this line is Italian.

[cruisedad521]

My vote is late seating, but that assumes about 8:30. 9:30 is a bit late but given the choice of early being before 8 pm and anytime dining we would make late seating work even if 9:30.

There are many factors though, such as itinerary and your own style. On our Med cruise 8:30 was late TD on Princess and that was perfect. We had time after our day in port to get ready at leisure and have a cocktail before dinner. Early seating would have been stressful and we do not like anytime dining.

I suppose it might be different on a tropical cruise where you are back on the ship earlier and not exhausted from walking miles and miles...

[dobiemom]

Kinda sums up my attitude too, Bill.

But I've seen comments that on some ships the timing of shows doesn't always suit one sitting or the other - though I don't entirely understand why

 

John Bull

Sometimes the show for late seating diners is before dinner. :o

[highflyingrealtor]

We've gone both ways, dependent on itinerary. Early has us rushing to get ready, late has us bloated before bed. :eek: We're going back to anytime this year and will probably only hit the dining room half time.

[travel girl23]

we prefer early dining- don't like to eat such huge meals that late- makes sleeping difficult. plus by 6 we are usually starving anyway.

This is exactly how we feel plus we always eat early at home. This is such a personal preference, depending on when you eat at home. I'm glad we are given both options. We did eat late once and although we enjoyed our table mates and waiters, we will never do it again. We have no desire to try the anytime dining as we like to have assigned seating with the same wait staff every night.

[celticd1]

We always choose late dining for many of the same reasons others have mentioned. The main reason is so that we don't feel rushed after ports.

[printingchick]

Wow. I'm intrigued that so many people still prefer the traditional dining over MyTime/AnyTime dining. I can't imagine going back to traditional dining after having experienced MyTime Dining.

[Wormy53]

I picked anytime dining. But I am also a "late traditional" diner too. We pick anytime so we can get that table for 2. Would never consider early dining. It just does not mesh with our lifestyle! Would love to do the late sitting every night with the same waitstaff, but don't want to run the risk of being set at an undesirable place. (Been there, done that)

 

Love to be able to take my time coming back from ports, watching us take off from the port, and indulging in a martini before we eat. Princess is one of the lines that has late seating for shows also - so that makes an excellent night. Dinner & a show - who could ask for more!!

[5326jan]

Wow. I'm intrigued that so many people still prefer the traditional dining over MyTime/AnyTime dining. I can't imagine going back to traditional dining after having experienced MyTime Dining.

 

 

I'm intrigued that there was someone who didn't think food was important!:eek: Although there was a medical reason for it, I will always find food important! (That's why I need to lose a few pounds!):rolleyes:

[Tao Diva]

I love early seating.

 

After a day of activity, exploration and adventure, it's a nice transition to the sophistacated, luxurious ships night life.

 

Gives me that "pirate by day; lady by night" feeling complete with a change of cloths between.

[Hlitner]

Late seating for Caribbean cruises and early for med cruises. I am going on a med cruise this October and the late seating is at 9:30 :eek::eek:

 

I don't want to finish at midnight!! And then go straight to the midnight buffet!! I would have to try out for the Biggest Loser after that cruise :D

 

Now that is interesting. We have been on more then 20 Med cruises and have never seen a seating later than 8:45. Lately they all seem to be about 8:30. Please tell who is doing 9:30! And by the way, most ships no longer have mid-night buffets except perhaps once a voyage

 

Hank

[jocap]

I'm intrigued that there was someone who didn't think food was important!:eek: Although there was a medical reason for it, I will always find food important! (That's why I need to lose a few pounds!):rolleyes:

Ha! Love it!.....I think we found food important before, and that's the reason OH became diabetic 2....along with so many of my friends who've hit 60!!:eek: It's been a long 2 years learning how to ignore all the sweet things of life, and filling up on veg and fruit, but it's become 2nd nature to us now, even on a cruise. One reason we don't eat in the MD is because of all the great food being served around us....whereas a plate of salad and cold meat can be taken quietly to a corner of the buffet.

I'm the one who breaks out on a morning- can't resist bacon and eggs, and fried bread, and a touch of marmalade on my toast................;)

Jo.

[5326jan]

Ha! Love it!.....I think we found food important before, and that's the reason OH became diabetic 2....along with so many of my friends who've hit 60!!:eek: It's been a long 2 years learning how to ignore all the sweet things of life, and filling up on veg and fruit, but it's become 2nd nature to us now, even on a cruise. One reason we don't eat in the MD is because of all the great food being served around us....whereas a plate of salad and cold meat can be taken quietly to a corner of the buffet.

I'm the one who breaks out on a morning- can't resist bacon and eggs, and fried bread, and a touch of marmalade on my toast................;)

Jo.

 

I would watch in sympathy as my DH ate whatever he needed to. :p I assume that OH is "other half"?

[boogs]

I prefer late seating. This give me a chance to enjoy most port sailaways, the beautiful open ocean sunsets, and to enjoy a before dinner drink in a favorite lounge. My wife, however, prefers early seating.

 

We always do early seating :rolleyes:

[NancyIL]

Now that is interesting. We have been on more then 20 Med cruises and have never seen a seating later than 8:45. Lately they all seem to be about 8:30. Please tell who is doing 9:30! And by the way, most ships no longer have mid-night buffets except perhaps once a voyage

 

Hank

 

I read that Adventure of the Seas out of Malaga, Spain has a 9:30 2nd seating to accommodate the large number of Spanish people onboard. I'll be on that ship's Transatlantic crossing in November, although we have early seating.

[Hlitner]

I read that Adventure of the Seas out of Malaga, Spain has a 9:30 2nd seating to accommodate the large number of Spanish people onboard. I'll be on that ship's Transatlantic crossing in November, although we have early seating.

 

Hmmm. Many of the Spanish would be unhappy to eat so early. :). We have spent some time driving in Spain and they certainly do eat late. DW and I once went to a well known restaurant in Caceres and thought we would fit-in by making a 10pm reservation. We were only the 2nd table in the place and around mid-night some of the locals starting coming for dinner with their children. Gotta love it

 

Hnak

[Chloe4ever]

Now that is interesting. We have been on more then 20 Med cruises and have never seen a seating later than 8:45. Lately they all seem to be about 8:30. Please tell who is doing 9:30! And by the way, most ships no longer have mid-night buffets except perhaps once a voyage

 

Hank

 

We are going on the MSC Orchestra. And actually I mispoke a tad, late seating is actually 9:45! And early is 7:30. We are fine with 7:30.

 

And yes, you are right, most ships do not have midnight buffets, but MSC does! Which I love by the way. It is one of the only ships with a midnight buffet every night. So that is why seating time is even more important when sailing MSC.

[pris993]

We have done both over the years.

 

We were much younger, we did late for sure. Then as we got older we shifted to early for a while because we do eat early at home now that we are retired.

 

But we have shifted back to late again because we really enjoy taking a nap late afternoon, especially when we are cruising over seas. Late gives us time to nap, shower and relax.

 

We don't eat heavy anyway, so late is not a problem.

[cruisemom42]

I prefer Anytime dining, as I cruise mostly for the ports. Despite what another poster said, the early seating time does interfere with port days when you are in port until 8:00 pm or later in some cities.... I don't like to eat in the buffet, so it's always the MDR for me. I will occasionally eat ashore (looking forward to dinner in Istanbul on my upcoming cruise :D), but ships mostly leave too early to allow for that.

 

I don't require a lot of personal attention from waitstaff, and I can't say I've noticed any big difference (for me) between Anytime and fixed dining in that regard. It's a great way to meet a lot of people and by the end of the cruise I find that I'm frequently running into people I've shared dinner with, which is nice.