Why 5:30 dining?

[TravelerThom]

We were on Allure last week - did MTD and made reservations online ahead of time. Worked great, even on a giant ship. We never waited more than 4-5 minutes to be seated.

However, the line was HUGE for the MTD "walk-ups", so MTD seems to work well for those that plan it ahead of time...

We were on the Oasis two weeks ago and the first night was a disaster. We had a pre-made 5:30 MTD reservation (would have preferred somewhat later, but it was that or 8:30). We stood in the "Have Reservation" line almost half an hour, while most of the people they were seating were coming from the "No Reservation" line.:( The THIRD time they attempted to upsell me to Specialty Dining I was pretty blunt in telling them what I thought:mad: (but somehow managed to not use any actual swear words [but I think incompetent and extortion were in my vocabulary]). We were seated shortly thereafter. The rest of the week went fine, at the same two top with the same waiters.:cool:

 

Thom

[DrD]

We first encountered the 5:30 pm dining time on Rhapsody of the Seas sailing from Hawaii to Vancouver in 2014. More recently, it was on Freedom of the Seas. We had never done late seating before, but decided that 5:30 was just too early, so why not try 8:00? We went into our first late dinner with low expectations, but we found there are several advantages to late seating.

 

First of all, we discovered that 8:00 pm is not too late for dinner -- at least for Mrs. Astro and me. It allows more time in the late afternoon. Finding two chairs together in the Solarium is easy after 4:00 pm. A late dinner also allows one to enjoy afternoon snacks in the Windjammer and other eateries, and enjoy them I did. It allows more time for a pre-dinner drink or two.

 

Late seating is more compatible with shore excursions, as it allows more time to unwind and wash up after a day in port. One of my favorite memories from our recent Freedom cruise was the 7:00 pm sail away from St. Thomas. It was already dark, with a beautiful crescent moon hanging over the harbor. Mrs. Astro and I decided to experience sail away from the helipad. It was a spur of the moment decision and something we would probably not even have thought about if we had early seating. That experience turned out to a highlight of the trip.

 

Yet one more advantage of late seating is that you can then attend the early show in the theater, and the early show is usually much less crowded than the late show. For example, on my last cruise, a party of four could arrive at the theater ten minutes before show time and easily find good seats in the center of the main floor.

 

For all of these reasons, I really like the 8:00 seating. I am not sure if I would like an 8:30 seating, as that might be a tad too late. So the 5:30/8:00 dining times win my vote.

 

Exactly why we like it also. Plus we're on mountain time so it's 6pm for us.

[davy jones]

It could be a plot to get more people to eat at the specialty restaurants. There might be some people that want to stay on shore longer and therefore eat at a specialty restaurant instead of rushing back or eating in the Windjammer. Perhaps those people want the early dining for the rest of the week, but maybe not for one or two nights of the week. If a 5:30 seating nudges a few more people into the specialty restaurants, there's really no downside for the cruise line.

 

Perhaps...

 

My theory. MDR staff is reduced. Therefore, dinner is slower. The extra half hour is needed as to not interfere with late seating.

[davy jones]

This is extremely rude and inconsiderate of staff.

 

Very true.

[Paulette3028]

Have a snack at 4:00 to 4:30 and do late seating. It's much more

relaxing in the afternoon, have a cocktail, take a nap,

stay longer on shore and do late seating. No use in going to bed

so early!!

 

It would ruin my cruise if I had to go to early seating.

 

Sorry but late seating would ruin my cruise. My body doesn't enjoy a late dinner -- and we do stay up significantly later on a cruise than we do at home. Don't assume that people go to bed early simply because they enjoy early traditional dining.

 

Just like early seating would ruin your cruise late seating, no matter how you feel your suggestions are helpful -- are of little use to us.

[davy jones]

For us, 8:30 is too late, and 5:30 a tad early. DW and I choose MTD because we can get a 2 top so we can have a "private" dinner at a 2 top. (Note that "private" is relative given that the tables are around a foot apart.)

 

We usually make reservations in advance for 6:30 each night. We get the same table each night, so we also get the advantages of having the same wait staff. We may have a short wait the first night, but after that, we are seated immediately.

 

If we choose WJ or a specialty restaurant, we cancel the reservation for that evening and return to the same table the next evening.

 

I understand why some prefer traditional seatings, but MTD works very well for us.

[Paulette3028]

Navigator 3/5/16 lists 5:30 as early dining also.

 

When we sailed on Navigator this past November on one of the first sailing out of PE, it was supposed to have the 5:30pm early seating --- then it was changed to 6pm a few weeks before sailing.

 

I can't see why they would have changed it back.

[Paulette3028]

Perhaps...

 

My theory. MDR staff is reduced. Therefore, dinner is slower. The extra half hour is needed as to not interfere with late seating.

 

As you can see below, cruisegirl1 provided the information that with the 5:30pm early seating, the later seating is generally moved up 1/2 hour.

 

Ships that have 5:30 early dinner, have an 8:00 late seating. We like the 8:00 seating but don't like my time dining so that earlier model is a treat for us. I know 8:30 is only 30 minutes later, but the 8pm just seems to work better for us

M

[royalgirl21]

I enjoy the early dinner at 5:30 pm ...I eat walk around then start the party by drinking if I eat late I would not drink n I enjoy drinking all those drinks of the day ☺

[cruisinfanatic]

Perhaps...

 

My theory. MDR staff is reduced. Therefore, dinner is slower. The extra half hour is needed as to not interfere with late seating.

late seating is also moved up so no added time between

[LMaxwell]

late seating is also moved up so no added time between

 

Maybe they found they are giving out less free booze overall to C&A members by moving seating times up? Perhaps there is correlation to casino spending increasing when dinner times are moved up? They track everything via SeaPass; they have the raw data, some bright mind may have looked at it.

[davekathy]

Have a snack at 4:00 to 4:30 and do late seating. It's much more

relaxing in the afternoon, have a cocktail, take a nap,

stay longer on shore and do late seating. No use in going to bed

so early!!

 

It would ruin my cruise if I had to go to early seating.

 

Take a nap...no way. Now there is a good way to ruin a Cruise. Way too much fun to be had. We never go to bed early. Not sure what that has to do with eating early.

 

Sorry but late seating would ruin my cruise. My body doesn't enjoy a late dinner -- and we do stay up significantly later on a cruise than we do at home. Don't assume that people go to bed early simply because they enjoy early traditional dining.

 

Just like early seating would ruin your cruise late seating, no matter how you feel your suggestions are helpful -- are of little use to us.

 

Agree.

[TravelerThom]

Maybe they found they are giving out less free booze overall to C&A members by moving seating times up?...

But every RCI cruise I've been on had the following correlations:

 

Late Traditional Dining Time minus 2:30 = Early Tradition Dining Time

Early Traditional Dining Time minus 1:00 = start of Diamond Happy Hour

 

If you think less Diamonds will show up for FREE BOOZE at 4:30pm versus 5pm you haven't been on the ships I've been on:D

{okay, a few people get confused and don't show up until 5, but the others make up the slack:p}

 

But you may be on to something that the casino comes out ahead.

 

Thom

[davy jones]

late seating is also moved up so no added time between

 

Then my theory is disproved.

[LMaxwell]

But every RCI cruise I've been on had the following correlations:

 

Late Traditional Dining Time minus 2:30 = Early Tradition Dining Time

Early Traditional Dining Time minus 1:00 = start of Diamond Happy Hour

 

If you think less Diamonds will show up for FREE BOOZE at 4:30pm versus 5pm you haven't been on the ships I've been on:D

{okay, a few people get confused and don't show up until 5, but the others make up the slack:p}

 

But you may be on to something that the casino comes out ahead.

 

Thom

 

I have SEEN the herd piled up outside of overflow lounged waiting for them to open.

 

good point on the time correlation; however that is always subject to shift around....

 

It's fun to speculate :)

[Rocketlady]

We were on the Oasis last week. We preferred the 5:30 to eat.We walked right in with no delays. By the time we left the lines were long for those who waited to get in later. It gave us time to go back and change our clothes and go to the different shows.

 

After the shows we had time to go to the casino late at night. It was hard to find time to sleep on that ship with so much to do.

 

We went to the Cats show and all five of us lasted the first hour. couldn't take the rest of the show and left. We left with half of the other people in that theater.

[nivek82]

The only thing I dislike about it is when it moves the lounge hours up 430 to 8. 😂😡

 

5 to 830 is so much better since most of the time you can't get a seat before early dining unless you show up an hour early. (A plus for the loaded coupons)

[CarpeCerevisi]

I haven't read every post so I apologize if I am repeating anything. One theory I've had about the 5:30 and 8:00 dining times is they are hoping more people will opt of the late seating. On cruises I've been on with 6 and 8:30 times and where I've eaten in the MDR the early seating sells out and late seating is only half full, of course this was before MTD. I always heard complaints that 8:30 was too late since one wasn't done until around 10 or later. By moving it up a half hour maybe more people would choose the late seating. Nowadays, since I cruise solo, I always eat in the WJ so I haven't been able to witness firsthand if the distribution has changed.

[John&LaLa]

Take a nap...no way. Now there is a good way to ruin a Cruise. Way too much fun to be had. We never go to bed early. Not sure what that has to do with eating early.

 

Afternoon nap can be fun. ;)

[Paulette3028]

Have a snack at 4:00 to 4:30 and do late seating. It's much more

relaxing in the afternoon, have a cocktail, take a nap,

stay longer on shore and do late seating. No use in going to bed

so early!!

 

It would ruin my cruise if I had to go to early seating.

 

Take a nap...no way. Now there is a good way to ruin a Cruise. Way too much fun to be had. We never go to bed early. Not sure what that has to do with eating early.

Agree.

 

I am not a good napper on a cruise unless I had an exhausting excursion.....and like davekathy we never go to bed early. but early traditional dinner has, for us, given us a better opportunity to enjoy all that we like in the evening without rushing around. Then flop into bed and fall asleep to the soft movement of the ship....we always have great sleeps onboard.

Edited February 25, 2016 by Paulette3028

[sellwingri]

We do early so We can get a seat in the casino. :eek:

Have found it hard to find a seat at BJ or 3 card if you have second sesting

 

Another great reason for early seating! Love to play 3 card.

[John&LaLa]

Another great reason for early seating! Love to play 3 card.

 

Finally a fan. Have you played with the dealers cards? That's fun :D

Edited February 25, 2016 by John&LaLa

[davekathy]

Afternoon nap can be fun. ;)

 

Afternoon delight...;o)

Edited February 25, 2016 by davekathy

[John&LaLa]

Afternoon delight...;o)

 

Gonna find my baby, gonna hold her tight.

[davekathy]

Gonna find my baby, gonna hold her tight.

 

Sky rockets in flight. We may have to rethink this nap thing.