Fixed or Anytime Dining?

[AltarEgo]

MSC is repositioning the Dvina to the Caribbean for year round sailing. They are going to face some stiff competition from lines that have been catering to North American passengers for quite some time. While they are certainly implementing many new and original experiences to appeal to the demographic, one thing they aren't presently offering is “Flexible“ dining. Many other lines operating from U.S. Ports offer flexible dining in addition to traditional dining. From a logistical standpoint, one can understand the adherence to a rigid dining schedule. It's just more efficient to serve guests at a predetermined time. Time will tell if MSC opens up to the idea of flexible dining on their cruises from U.S. Ports. Do you feel it's important to have a choice?

 

After all, food is a big part of the cruising experience. Every night you get to head down to a grand dining room to taste the best that the ship's chefs have to offer. On some cruise lines, when you go to dinner, you will have a “traditional” or “fixed” dining time, while on others lines the dining experience is more flexible. Is one style more preferable than the other? Let's make some comparisons.

 

With traditional dining, dinner isn't just a meal, it's an event, an event that has been a highlight of the cruise experience for decades. It's one of the highlights of the day - a perfect ending to an enjoyable day and a lovely transition to a pleasant evening at sea.Up until recently, and for better or worse, one thing cruise passengers could count on, was set dinner times and tables.

 

One positive aspect of “fixed” dining is the same waiter and table companions could mean great service and new friends. On the other hand, the dining times (usually 5:30-6 p.m. or 8-8:30 p.m.) usually are a little too early or too late for most people’s preferences. Plus, if you happened to get a table with a lousy waiter or table companions, you were stuck with them.

 

Whatever it may be called, “anytime”, “select, freestyle” or “my time” dining, means eating in the main dining room, but without a schedule. This style of dining offers a flexible schedule where you can be seated, usually at any time the main dining room is open. Also, if you don't happen to like your waiter or table mates, you change sections until you find ones you do like.

 

What are some of the major differences?

 

Fixed Time Dining:

 

• You may make deeper connections with your dinner mates resulting in friendships that might last long after the cruise is over.
  
• You'll have the same wait staff each and every night. When you come to dinner, they greet you by name. They remember your preferences, so if you like a cup of green tea every night after dinner, they'll bring it to you without having to ask for it.
  
• Dinner is a leisurely affair that proceeds at a relaxed pace and provides time to enjoy each course as well as the opportunity to engage in stimulating conversation with your table mates.
  
• Fixed time dining also provides an anchor point in the day. You have something to look forward to each evening and get caught up on what your new friends did during the day.
  

Any Time Dining:

 

• Flexibility to eat whenever it fits into your schedule. If you want eat earlier because there's an enrichment class that you want to attend, it's not a problem. Maybe you had a late lunch and just want to eat later. That's not a problem either.
  
• Usually it's a faster dining experience. If you don't like to spend hours eating dinner each night, but don’t want to eat in the buffet, flexible time dining might be the answer. With anytime dining, the diners are not all starting their meals at the same time. One upside of this is that your courses tend to come out faster, making meal time less of a time commitment each evening allowing you more time for other activities.
  
• Instead of the same table mates, you get to meet a variety of different people.
  
• If you like your waiters, you can always ask to be seated in their section.
  

To be sure, this is a very subjective topic. So, how do you feel about it?

 

Will not being offered a choice of flexibility in dining times influence your decision when choosing a cruise line? Please comment on your preferences and share your thoughts.

[GOLDENBONNY]

MSC is repositioning the Dvina to the Caribbean for year round sailing. They are going to face some stiff competition from lines that have been catering to North American passengers for quite some time. While they are certainly implementing many new and original experiences to appeal to the demographic, one thing they aren't presently offering is “Flexible“ dining. Many other lines operating from U.S. Ports offer flexible dining in addition to traditional dining. From a logistical standpoint, one can understand the adherence to a rigid dining schedule. It's just more efficient to serve guests at a predetermined time. Time will tell if MSC opens up to the idea of flexible dining on their cruises from U.S. Ports. Do you feel it's important to have a choice?

 

After all, food is a big part of the cruising experience. Every night you get to head down to a grand dining room to taste the best that the ship's chefs have to offer. On some cruise lines, when you go to dinner, you will have a “traditional” or “fixed” dining time, while on others lines the dining experience is more flexible. Is one style more preferable than the other? Let's make some comparisons.

 

With traditional dining, dinner isn't just a meal, it's an event, an event that has been a highlight of the cruise experience for decades. It's one of the highlights of the day - a perfect ending to an enjoyable day and a lovely transition to a pleasant evening at sea.Up until recently, and for better or worse, one thing cruise passengers could count on, was set dinner times and tables.

 

One positive aspect of “fixed” dining is the same waiter and table companions could mean great service and new friends. On the other hand, the dining times (usually 5:30-6 p.m. or 8-8:30 p.m.) usually are a little too early or too late for most people’s preferences. Plus, if you happened to get a table with a lousy waiter or table companions, you were stuck with them.

 

Whatever it may be called, “anytime”, “select, freestyle” or “my time” dining, means eating in the main dining room, but without a schedule. This style of dining offers a flexible schedule where you can be seated, usually at any time the main dining room is open. Also, if you don't happen to like your waiter or table mates, you change sections until you find ones you do like.

 

What are some of the major differences?

 

Fixed Time Dining:

 

• You may make deeper connections with your dinner mates resulting in friendships that might last long after the cruise is over.
  
• You'll have the same wait staff each and every night. When you come to dinner, they greet you by name. They remember your preferences, so if you like a cup of green tea every night after dinner, they'll bring it to you without having to ask for it.
  
• Dinner is a leisurely affair that proceeds at a relaxed pace and provides time to enjoy each course as well as the opportunity to engage in stimulating conversation with your table mates.
  
• Fixed time dining also provides an anchor point in the day. You have something to look forward to each evening and get caught up on what your new friends did during the day.
  

Any Time Dining:

 

• Flexibility to eat whenever it fits into your schedule. If you want eat earlier because there's an enrichment class that you want to attend, it's not a problem. Maybe you had a late lunch and just want to eat later. That's not a problem either.
  
• Usually it's a faster dining experience. If you don't like to spend hours eating dinner each night, but don’t want to eat in the buffet, flexible time dining might be the answer. With anytime dining, the diners are not all starting their meals at the same time. One upside of this is that your courses tend to come out faster, making meal time less of a time commitment each evening allowing you more time for other activities.
  
• Instead of the same table mates, you get to meet a variety of different people.
  
• If you like your waiters, you can always ask to be seated in their section.
  

To be sure, this is a very subjective topic. So, how do you feel about it?

 

Will not being offered a choice of flexibility in dining times influence your decision when choosing a cruise line? Please comment on your preferences and share your thoughts.

 

 

Fixed Time Dinner is my only choice! I don't like to be seated with other people and I don't like to have different waiter every night. There is NCL for people who want wear shorts in DR and have any time dinner.

[taszmom]

Fixed Time Dinner is my only choice! I don't like to be seated with other people and I don't like to have different waiter every night. There is NCL for people who want wear shorts in DR and have any time dinner.

 

I always choose anytime dining and I get a table just for my family. I don't sit with anyone else. If we want the same waiter, we simply ask to be seated in their section. This way I can eat on my schedule, with whom I want, and where I want. Very easy.

 

With that said, I don't think MSC has any plans to do open/anytime dining. At least they adjusted the times more suited for U.S. guests. I believe it used to be 9 or 9:15 for the late seating.

[AmoMondo]

Definitely traditional fixed dining for me. I enjoy being at a large table and getting to know people better over the course of the cruise. For me that's one of the benefits of travelling - the people you meet. I also like my evening being structured around dinner and don't mind if it lasts well over 2 hours

[phider]

Youre missing the option "I don't care - im fine with either", even if you don't only use the buffet or the speciality restaurants.

 

Philip

[Shippy]

Definitely traditional fixed dining for me. I enjoy being at a large table and getting to know people better over the course of the cruise. For me that's one of the benefits of travelling - the people you meet. I also like my evening being structured around dinner and don't mind if it lasts well over 2 hours

 

We always request early seating, large table eventhough there is only the 2 of us.

Occassionally, we wind up with someone with a 'unique' personality. We just chalk that up to part of the cruise experience & do not let it bother us.

We have a Yacht Club cabin for our next cruise.

That is one thing that has bothered me. We have already discused spending time in the main dining room.

From what I have heard, they generally do not do 'share' tables in the yacht club dining room :O(

[sidari]

MSC should keep to their two Dining times otherwise they just become like the rest !

[GOLDENBONNY]

Youre missing the option "I don't care - im fine with either", even if you don't only use the buffet or the speciality restaurants.

 

Philip

 

 

"I don't care-just let me out of work" LOL

[Sadie cruiser]

I posted that question to Rick Sasso when there was the open question period awhile ago. I don't think MSC have any plans to add an Anytime Dining option whether we would want it or not. I would pick that option because we are an active family with teens and after a port stop and/or an excursion I would have maybe not felt so rushed to get ready for dinner even after choosing the late dinner option. Oh well....I think I will be fine for a week.:) I do choose to not dine with others but I still will get dressed up to go to the buffet or alternative dining!

[cliffy97]

I am just off the Lirica and they offered Anytime Dining in half of one of the MDR's (wish I would have got a picture of the sign etc) but we were not able to take part as we did not pre book it.

 

Maybe it was a trial but I hope they offer it going forward. We had requested a table for 2 early dining and when I went to check was told we were at a table for 6 and no tables for two available in early so we had to switch to late (which was too late for us) as we really did not want to eat with anyone else on this trip and ended up most days in the buffet which was our choice.

 

I will be doing a review this weekend but overall we had a great time :-)

 

Dan

[Capricruiser]

I'm a traditionalist so fixed dining (late sitting) is the only way to go for me. Same table with my water and bottle of wine waiting for me, same smiling waiters, same tablemates. Relaxed enjoyable dining.

[Tatka]

We prefer any type of dining as long as we have a table for 2.

Other than that it is pretty much the same on all our cruises.

[Tatka]

Fixed Time Dinner is my only choice! I don't like to be seated with other people and I don't like to have different waiter every night. There is NCL for people who want wear shorts in DR and have any time dinner.

 

Well, on NCL there are places where shorts are not allowed. Large MDR is one example. And the one main reason we pick ATD is not to be seated with other people, which is not always a choice with Traditional (tables for two are not always available)

[AmoMondo]

We always request early seating, large table eventhough there is only the 2 of us.

Occassionally, we wind up with someone with a 'unique' personality. We just chalk that up to part of the cruise experience & do not let it bother us.

We have a Yacht Club cabin for our next cruise.

That is one thing that has bothered me. We have already discused spending time in the main dining room.

From what I have heard, they generally do not do 'share' tables in the yacht club dining room :O(

 

I found that when I did samsara on Costa (not the same as the YC but you had your own separate DR). Like the whole concept except the tables were for 2 and me as a solo, more often than not ended up with a quick solitary dinner. Sometimes the people at the adjacent tables would chat to me which I really appreciated! but it was not the same as being at a big table. Occasionally you get someone a bit "unique" but mostly it works really well. Also great fun to discuss what people are planning to do in port the next day and share info amongst those of us that like to DIY.

[AmoMondo]

I'm a traditionalist so fixed dining (late sitting) is the only way to go for me. Same table with my water and bottle of wine waiting for me, same smiling waiters, same tablemates. Relaxed enjoyable dining.

 

Good point Chuck, I'd forgotten about being able to have a bottle of wine over a few evenings.

[Skipper Tim]

Not only do I prefer fixed-time, fixed table dining on a large table but I would prefer not to be on a ship where others are dining flexibly.

 

Getting to know some a few of one's fellow cruise passengers gradually over successive evenings is one of the highlights of a cruise. Through this shared experience almost everyone on board is engaging with people they did not previously know and well beyond the superficial names, origins and previous cruise experience type conversations. This changes the atmosphere of the ship. The greater the proportion of guests who are not engaging in this way and just sticking to themselves in their private little bubbles the worse the atmosphere of the ship. It is far better to have none of them aboard at all. I am afraid the same goes for those who dine at a table for two. It would be better to take those tables away altogether.

 

I would always prefer a line which does not have any flexible dining for these reasons.

[sidari]

"I am afraid the same goes for those who dine at a table for two. It would be better to take those tables away altogether"

 

Tim ... you do yourself no favours here with this paragraph!

 

My other half is profoundly deaf and it makes it close to impossible to sit on a large table with other people because she is unable to join any conversatation apart from with those sat next to her, me being one of them in order to also Lip read which cannot be done when people are putting their hands in front of their mouths.

 

What would you have people like her do sit there in silence or not go on a cruise holiday ?

 

We often have to have a table for 2 or a maximum of 4 and there have been times even with just the two of us where she has struggled to hear me above the noise of the rest of the Dining room and she is used to my voice.

 

I find what you say Insensitive to others and to my other half.

[Tatka]

Good point Chuck, I'd forgotten about being able to have a bottle of wine over a few evenings.

 

They will bring you your wine in ATD.

[Tatka]

Tim, you sound like you are from North Korea or similar country, where people do not have rights. :)

Some people are on vacations to get some rest from jobs, that require non-stop interactions with customers.

 

Besides restaurants are not the only place to meet people. But only there you are stuck with them even if you are not enjoying their company.

 

At first we were looking for a table for two, because we wanted to have conversation in our own language.. then we had a very unpleasant experience with another tablemates and couldn't bring ourselves to ask for another table...

 

You cannot force people to interact with strangers against their will. It is not a kindergarten. :)

[footzz]

Not only do I prefer fixed-time, fixed table dining on a large table but I would prefer not to be on a ship where others are dining flexibly.

 

Getting to know some a few of one's fellow cruise passengers gradually over successive evenings is one of the highlights of a cruise. Through this shared experience almost everyone on board is engaging with people they did not previously know and well beyond the superficial names, origins and previous cruise experience type conversations. This changes the atmosphere of the ship. The greater the proportion of guests who are not engaging in this way and just sticking to themselves in their private little bubbles the worse the atmosphere of the ship. It is far better to have none of them aboard at all. I am afraid the same goes for those who dine at a table for two. It would be better to take those tables away altogether.

 

I would always prefer a line which does not have any flexible dining for these reasons.

 

Interesting concept.

 

People who choose to “just stick to themselves in their private little bubbles” or “dine at a table for two” are basically antisocial, boorish reprobates that will inevitably cast a pall on an otherwise enjoyable cruise. Just because they prefer to dine alone? Perhaps this type of attitude is precisely the reason they prefer not share a table with other guest.

 

Ironically, this attitude toward fellow passengers could be construed as not only antisocial, but hypocritical as well.

 

In any event, if communal dining is a make or break proposition, the choices of cruise lines will become significantly limited. Bon Voyage!

[Tatka]

Why not share stateroom with strangers to make people get to know fellow passengers even closer? :)

 

I hope that was a joke.

[Sadie cruiser]

I think the OP was taking a poll as to what cruisers prefer when dining. This thread shouldn't have gotten so opinionated. There is no right and wrong answer. I know for myself we are a family that cruises every other year and always did our own dining choices. We like the flexibility of that when we are on vacation. I can't bear to take 2 hours out of our precious time for dinner but that is just us.....always on the go. LOL. We enjoy meeting people and talking to them wherever we go. This time we have late seating and will give our 16 year old a chance to sit with others at dinner because we want that experience for him. My husband and I when we cruised 20 years ago always did the traditional dining and we were always put at tables with much older people but we loved hearing their experiences and their wisdom when it came to cruising. I have met some very seasoned cruisers who are very traditional in their experience for dining which I think for them IT IS important that they establish friendships/relationships with those they cruise with and protect the ambience of the cruise fine dining. It is difficult for many to see the changes in cruising....including me, but, I will continue to cruise and love it! So much for me not getting opinionated!

[footzz]

Why not share stateroom with strangers to make people get to know fellow passengers even closer? :)

 

I hope that was a joke.

 

That's one of the problem with discussion forums, there isn't a sarcastic icon/avatar.

[GOLDENBONNY]

Not only do I prefer fixed-time, fixed table dining on a large table but I would prefer not to be on a ship where others are dining flexibly.

 

Getting to know some a few of one's fellow cruise passengers gradually over successive evenings is one of the highlights of a cruise. Through this shared experience almost everyone on board is engaging with people they did not previously know and well beyond the superficial names, origins and previous cruise experience type conversations. This changes the atmosphere of the ship. The greater the proportion of guests who are not engaging in this way and just sticking to themselves in their private little bubbles the worse the atmosphere of the ship. It is far better to have none of them aboard at all. I am afraid the same goes for those who dine at a table for two. It would be better to take those tables away altogether.

 

I would always prefer a line which does not have any flexible dining for these reasons.

 

 

That's only YOUR highlights of cruise . Mine is to be with my family and don't answer stupid questions from strangers while I am chewing dinner.

[GOLDENBONNY]

That's one of the problem with discussion forums, there isn't a sarcastic icon/avatar.

 

 

I hope Tim was sarcastic so I can take my post back:(