Early seating or late?

[Jacqueline]

Which is in most demand?

I can't imagine eating dinner at 8:30. I would have to add a whole extra meal at tea!

[cruiseluvva]

I believe early sitting is most popular. We don't like either.

[bluemarble]

Yes, early seating is usually the most popular. For the specific back-to-back crossing from New York you have indicated you are considering on another thread (July 24-August 9, 2016), early seating is waitlisted in both directions.

 

Regards,

John.

Edited June 3, 2016 by bluemarble

[Thaxted]

We'd prefer something in between, but alas that's not possible on our budget. Keep in mind that most days on eastbound transatlantic crossings the ship's clock is turned ahead one hour at noon, so the early seating can feel very early indeed. We've always asked for the early seating anyway, but this year we're going to try 8:30 instead.

Edited June 3, 2016 by Thaxted

[Jacqueline]

So it would make perfect sense to do the late seating eastbound, especially as I live in New York. Going earlier every night is early indeed.

But what about going back? I guess by then one is accustomed to the time, so perhaps it really doesn't matter!

[bellemere]

We have always chosen the early seating for dinner in the Britannia so we could enjoy the first evening program in the theater. Even when we have been fortunate to be in the Princess Grill and choose our dining time, we always plan our dinner time to allow us to attend the first show in the theater with a snack following the program in the buffet restaurant.

[Thaxted]

So it would make perfect sense to do the late seating eastbound, especially as I live in New York. Going earlier every night is early indeed.

But what about going back? I guess by then one is accustomed to the time, so perhaps it really doesn't matter!

 

Westbound the clock is set back one hour on five of the seven days of a normal crossing. But since this happens at 2 a.m rather than noon, instead of having to wait an extra hour for dinner, you can use the hour you've gained to linger in bed before heading to breakfast.

[Scrapnana]

Although I eat much earlier at home, on a ship I like late sitting. Go to afternoon tea around 3:45, read for awhile, get ready for dinner, play trivia, watch the dancing for awhile and it is time for dinner!

[Aussieflyer]

I'm with you Scrapnana; we always like the later sitting if we are on a ship with no anytime MDR dining.

[GUT2407]

Although I eat much earlier at home, on a ship I like late sitting. Go to afternoon tea around 3:45, read for awhile, get ready for dinner, play trivia, watch the dancing for awhile and it is time for dinner!

 

We're the same

[DreamflightPat]

Totally agree with you Kathy. As you know I prefer late sitting. Yes, it is later than I eat at home but I find early sitting is too early especially when you are getting ready for formal nights. Prefer to sit on deck and watch the sun go down, go and have a shower and get ready for the evening and maybe a little cocktail before going to dinner. Then go to the second show.

[Host Hattie]

Late sitting for us too

[LondonTowner]

We always prefer late sitting on a cruise. That way we have plenty of time to get ready and have a pre dinner drink. We have dinner at home around 8pm, anyway.

[Camgirl]

Late for us too.

 

We sometimes take advantage of the quiet time when the early sitting people do off to dress and eat to use the swimming pool. Also, when on a cruise it gives more time to get back on-board and relax before getting ready for dinner. When not in port it is essential. How else would we squeeze in afternoon tea as well :)

[Ray66]

We prefer early seating. We get to the Britannia restaurant around 6.15pm so we're not actually eating until 6.30pm. We usually manage to fit in afternoon tea most days, but don't have too much to eat.

 

We tried late seating once and weren't served the main course until 9.15pm. Never again! - that's far too late for us. At home we eat 6.15-6.30ish.

 

Our ideal time for dinner on a cruise would be 7pm.

[jburton59]

Since time is really relative, we just adjust all our meals to a bit later than we'd do at home and late seating is fine. Our usual breakfast moves from 7:00 to 8:30, lunch moves to 1:00 or 1:30 and then presto, our 7:00 dinner at home becomes 8:30. Normally we go to bed about 11:00 and we just move that too until about 12:30 a.m.

[Summergee]

When we were in Dublin last year several of the coaches were not back until after 6 o'clock. Anyone who was on early sitting would have had to have used the Lido, or room service.

[pepperrn]

When we were in Dublin last year several of the coaches were not back until after 6 o'clock. Anyone who was on early sitting would have had to have used the Lido, or room service.

I had similar happen to me (QV in Rotterdam) but I was on SECOND seating.

 

Returning from a very late-running* excursion to Amsterdam, our coach arrived back at the ship shortly after 9pm. I would have to have had a quick wash, changed clothes (put on a jacket), presented myself at the Britannia Restaurant and begged to be allowed to order dinner a long time after "last orders" were allowed.

Rather than do that, I spent some time in my cabin and then went to the buffet where I saw many other people from the coach, using the buffet rather than the MDR**

 

(* Late-running because a couple who took the coach to Amsterdam in the morning decided to return to Rotterdam by train, and failed to inform anyone (another passenger, coach driver or guide). So, rather than leave them behind stranded, our coach waited... and waited... until confirmation came from the ship that they had re-boarded some hours previously.

** I'd like to thank that couple now for their thought and consideration for their fellow passengers whom, like me, I am certain were delighted to use a self-serve buffet and forgo a multi-course dinner in the splendour of the Britannia Restaurant. :mad: . I hope the couple really enjoyed their relaxing dinner... )

 

So early or late, there is always the chance, after a shore excursion, that you'll end up in the buffet for dinner... :(

 

Best wishes,

Edited June 4, 2016 by pepperrn

[Csardas]

Late for us too. Usually eat around 8 at home and wouldn't dream of going out for dinner in a restaurant at home at 6 or 6:30.

[Lakesregion]

Late for us too. Usually eat around 8 at home and wouldn't dream of going out for dinner in a restaurant at home at 6 or 6:30.

 

Late seating is my choice. Allows for a longer day and tea in the Queens Rooms. Here in New Hampshire by 6 PM most restaurants are onto their second or even third seating. Lunch starts at 11:00 am and supper (no one takes dinner here in the Live Free or Die state) begins at 4:00 PM and if you wait until 8 PM most restaurants have already closed.

[Henderson1]

Always late for us, just move lunch a bit later then if peckish afternoon tea is always available. We've done a couple of Princess Grills and used to gravitate towards dinner round 8ish after drink or two!

[ovccruiser]

We always do late sitting, on Cunard you can have breakfast as late as 11:30am, lunch around 3 and dinner at 8:30. It's not what I do at home, but when on holiday, why get up so early :D Unless of course you are going on a trip.

[bluemarble]

These comments, which are mostly supportive of late seating, have convinced me. I had already selected late seating for our upcoming July 24 eastbound crossing because of the time change that occurs at noon when sailing in that direction. We've done the eastbound crossing several times before and do prefer late seating in that direction.

 

I had selected early seating for our return westbound crossing when I booked that portion of the voyage. Since we have never done a crossing in that direction, I wasn't sure which seating we would prefer. I have just made the switch from early to late seating in Voyage Personaliser. Some lucky couple on the August 1 westbound crossing has now been promoted from waitlisted to confirmed for early seating on that voyage.

Edited June 5, 2016 by bluemarble

[babs135]

Late sitting every time for us. It means we can indulge in a rather splendid afternoon tea knowing that we have plenty of time to digest before our evening meal. It does mean that sometimes we have been late for the evening show, but this has usually occurred because we have dawdled over our food enjoying the company of our fellow travellers.

[Ab Ovo]

I've had Britannia years of late seatings, especially enjoying that "quiet time" throughout the ship in the dark winter hours 5-7, then would meet friends in the Chart Room before 8:30 dinner. All Grills experiences, the tables usually were in by 7. Last December I had my first Britannia early seating. Loved it, plan to do it again. It opens up many more hours to enjoy the ship at night! Works for me!