Kids age 8 &10...MDR time?

[Penelope222]

I booked early dining on our upcoming first cruise because I know my kids (and energetic husband...can't wait to see how he incorporates his triathlon training onto a cruise [emoji13]) won't make it to late dining before needing sustenance. We always eat together as a family at home.

I'm now concerned that the girls, aged 8 and 10, will find the main dining room boring due to long waits, and that the youngest will not find food she likes - she's picky but not in a kids picky way, she loves many different foods just not a lot of seasoning. I could park her in the sushi restaurant every night and she'd be happy [emoji6]

 

Would I be better swapping to late dining, taking the kids to the buffet, then dropping them in kids club so my DH and I can enjoy our meal?

 

 

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[Tigerlily75]

I'm a big vote for the MDR, it was one of my favourite things (I do love to eat!).

 

I didn't have young kids, I had a teen, but between the kids menu, the everyday menu, the today menu, starters, desserts.. they will find something they like.

 

The best part too, is it's risk free.. they can try whatever they like, you're not paying $35-40 a meal, it's all included. If they don't like something, no big deal .. just order something else! You can order more than one of anything. You can order extra sides. You can say you want TWO ice creams with your warm chocolate melting cake :) . MDR is the best!

 

You might be in there for an hour, but it's a fun hour. The waiters make it really special, and they pay special attention to the kids. My guess is, they'll love it :) .

[clairebearinaus]

My kids are 10 and 12.

 

Based on Mr 10's fidgets on the 2 night cruise we did together last year, we're going to alternate on our upcoming cruise.

 

So we've booked the late sitting, and every second night or so they can join us, subject to their behaving respectably. On the other nights it'll be buffet or pizza or whatever, and off to kids club while we eat in peace.

 

I honestly doubt that pickiness will be a problem in the MDR. For me, it's more about enjoying at last some of my meals without having to hiss 'close your mouth while you chew! Use your fork!' etc a dozen times.

[Penelope222]

My kids are 10 and 12.

 

Based on Mr 10's fidgets on the 2 night cruise we did together last year, we're going to alternate on our upcoming cruise.

 

So we've booked the late sitting, and every second night or so they can join us, subject to their behaving respectably. On the other nights it'll be buffet or pizza or whatever, and off to kids club while we eat in peace.

 

I honestly doubt that pickiness will be a problem in the MDR. For me, it's more about enjoying at last some of my meals without having to hiss 'close your mouth while you chew! Use your fork!' etc a dozen times.

 

 

I'm cracking down on their manners as we speak! They've gotten lax over summer.

 

 

 

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[GUT2407]

Which ship?

[Penelope222]

Which ship?

 

 

Carnival Spirit. I know the MDR will have entertainment but they don't have the longest attention spans...

 

 

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[Tara Jane]

They will love the spirit and let them join in the entertainment between courses.

I have taken my 2 grandaughters 10 and 6 on a couple of cruises now, P and O as they love the kids club and the cruises were for them to have a great time not old granny.

I intended for us to eat dinner in the MDR each night together but that only happened one night. It wasn't a problem, just that they were having such a wonderful time in the kids club that they wanted to be there all the time.

It was a case of dragging them out to give them a quick feed and watering in the buffet, visit the "little room" and back to kids club.

No granny isnt mean and horrible and so they wanted to get away from me, it was more that they loved the kids club.

Carnival Spirit has a wonderful water park area if you are going in warm weather.

Edited February 29, 2016 by Tara Jane

[wagtail_syd]

It is a dilemma. We had a 4, 8 and 11 year old last year and booked early dining. Mine are fairly adventurous eaters so they loved the food but I was worried about timing etc too. In saying that, there are kids meals and also side meals. The sides aren't obvious on the menu (right down the bottom in small print) but you can just order your child a plate of mashed potato and steamed veg if that is what she would like to eat. There is a spaghetti dish on the kids menu every night. You could always feed her up on a toasted sandwich late in the afternoon and she can just pick at dinner and then enjoy her dessert. :)

 

With the timing, early was good for us as it meant we could all make it to the family friendly comedy straight after dinner. There weren't really any long waits in the MDR. The longest wait was between main and dessert but that is when they have the dancing. Having our same table every night meant that my kids knew our waiters and couldn't wait to get up and dance with them every night. Very sweet.

 

A few nights my husband and I wanted to eat on our own. We discovered that you could drop the kids off at the buffet at 5 or 5.30 and they could be signed into kids club there for dinner. They loved doing this as they could sit and have dinner with their friends.

 

Another night we took the kids to the buffet, dropped them at kids club and then got dinner ourselves at the buffet later and ate it out on the Serenity Deck. That was lovely too.

 

Hope you have a wonderful trip!

Edited February 29, 2016 by wagtail_syd
typo

[clairebearinaus]

They do dancing between the courses on Carnival? Every night? :eek:

 

Princess made us stand up and sing Waltzing Matilda on the final night of our last cruise, it was quite mortifying. I can imagine if he'd been there, my 12yo would have crawled under the table crying "laaaaaaaaaaame".

[The_Big_M]

Early dining is the more popular for the above reason. I'd stick with your current plan. If you find there are issues or you want a change, you can try the buffet one night, but early dining works best for fitting in with kids club and meal times.

[wagtail_syd]

They do dancing between the courses on Carnival? Every night? :eek:

 

Princess made us stand up and sing Waltzing Matilda on the final night of our last cruise, it was quite mortifying. I can imagine if he'd been there, my 12yo would have crawled under the table crying "laaaaaaaaaaame".

It was actually quite endearing. Before going I thought it would be cringeworthy but I ended up thinking it was fun. You didn't have to join in, you could just watch (I didn't do it, just the kids). They played nut bush city limits, gangnam style...that kind of thing. The teenagers at the table next to us were right into it, videoing themselves and hamming it up with their young waiter.

[MicCanberra]

I'm cracking down on their manners as we speak! They've gotten lax over summer.

 

 

 

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I think you should do early seating in the MDR (tee if up before hand or once on board) and get a table for the four of you. The you eat as a family and can just go as quickly as needed.

Edited March 1, 2016 by MicCanberra