Why do you choose the dining option you do?

[help04me]

I am not anti child but I prefer to dine with very few distractions so the 8/ 830 traditional dining works for me because i rarely retire before 1 am

[Cuizer2]

My DH and I have selected Traditional Dining for our upcoming Jewel cruise, early seating. Now we are second guessing that decision.

 

Understanding that each option is subjective and has a pro and con (or perhaps not) that fits your needs. Why do you choose the dining option (Traditional, early or late seating and My Time Dining) that you do?

 

Thanks.

 

Just choose the option you are most comfortable with. Every option has its advantages and disadvantages.

[mek]

DH likes Early Traditional and while I would like going just a little later than 5:30, it does free up our evenings for shows and other activities. He enjoys sitting with other people and the whole "dinner is a social event" appeals to him much more than it does to me, so I go along with what he wants because it pleases him. I like to go to the MDR because at the end of the day, I like to sit and be served, but I don't think the food is that much better than the Windjammer - I was really disappointed with the food on our Grandeur cruise earlier this month.

Edited November 29, 2015 by mek

[Paulette3028]

On our very first cruise when we were travelling with 'experienced cruisers' we had late traditional dining time. For us the time was just too late....one other time, again because we were cruising with people who seriously preferred the late seating we did it again. Both times for us, we found we did not enjoy or be able to participate in as many evening activities going on around the ship as we would have liked. Eating that late was also not a norm for us, and it wasn't good for our digestion systems.

 

On all of the other cruises we have gone on we have chosen early traditional dining....it was always scheduled between 6-6:30pm which was ideal. We love having people to enjoy dinner with so we request to be seated at a table of 8-12. Only once did we have less than interesting people to dine with.....and even then, it was better than dining by ourselves....my feeling is: 'We dine alone at home'.

 

Our most recent cruise on Navigator, last week, MIGHT have given us our first opportunity to try MTD. When Navigator was in Galveston it has its early dining time at 5:30pm and that would have been just too early for us. However our booking confirmation did say 6pm and I confirmed it with the Dining Dept at Royal HQ.

 

We always manage to have enough time to return to the ship and shower even on a port day. Generally we have a few minutes to even slip into the DL for a drink first or at least stop at a bar and use one of our coupons.

 

I love knowing exactly where to go, after the first night, to find my table. Just simple.

Edited November 30, 2015 by Paulette3028

[hazeleyez3]

So, what do you mean by entertainment in quotation marks? I have one last question about MTD - can we just change to it once we get onboard or do we have to switch in advance. Thanks.

 

If there is space, you can change to MTD onboard.

 

I believe "entertainment" in this case means singing / dancing / napkin waving wait staff.

 

Clarea was correct. Many people love it. I'm just not one of them.

[molsonschooner]

Clarea was correct. Many people love it. I'm just not one of them.

 

I too have seen it enough but it does not bother me. I just look at it as a way to thank all the staff.

[Andrew89]

We do traditional early because we're late risers so we tend to have breakfast just before Windjammer closes at 11 and are usually so full from it that we skip lunch and don't feel it's too early by the time 5:30 rolls around. I would suggest traditional late though if you're someone who likes to eat a big lunch, especially on port days off the ship, because the last thing you want is to go to the MDR with no appetite.

[redlobster]

We are early traditional diners. When we travel as a couple we allow Royal to place us with others and have always enjoyed the matches.