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Dining - Odyssey - Evening hours of operation.....


Mabers
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As North Americans, we are also early diners. We spent four days in Rome ahead of our cruise and it was such a comedy as we tried to have dinner before seven. It just wasn't going to happen! LOL On our cruise (on the Encore), we had dinner every night at 6:45 so that we could be at the first show at 8:45. This worked for us. After a long (but very fun day) which began around 7am, we went straight to bed after the show--which ended about 9:45 pm. We are NOT that old--only 65 and 66. It was just a full day. We loved every minute!

 

This would work out just right for us!:)

Jackie

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As North Americans, we are also early diners. We spent four days in Rome ahead of our cruise and it was such a comedy as we tried to have dinner before seven. It just wasn't going to happen! LOL On our cruise (on the Encore), we had dinner every night at 6:45 so that we could be at the first show at 8:45. This worked for us. After a long (but very fun day) which began around 7am, we went straight to bed after the show--which ended about 9:45 pm. We are NOT that old--only 65 and 66. It was just a full day. We loved every minute!

I appreciate one's desire to eat early and keep to the same schedule one has at home. But isn't the point of travel to experience different cultures, different times to eat, different foods??? When you go to Spain you have dinner after 9PM and that's early. Am I going to skip Spain because I can't have dinner at 5:30? Anyone can adjust his schedule for a while in order to accommodate a local culture. Have a later lunch. Have a late afternoon snack. If that is impossible for someone then travel in the U.S. where you can have that early dinner. jmo.

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Totally agree Henry.

If eating dinner at 6.00pm is so important whilst on vacation then one must research and find places and restaurants around the world that offer

that but what a shame to not experience different countries and cultures just because you want to do exactly the same as you do at home.

I have also seen people moan about menus on ships that offer different food to what they usually eat at home.

Why travel at all if you want things that you have and do at home,it just seems a waste.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

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It's not that eating at 6:45 is all that important to us. Theoretically, we could easily eat at 9pm. However, we did enjoy seeing few of the productions and we just aren't capable of staying up until 11pm every night and getting up at 7am the next morning. It's only a question of getting enough sleep. At home, I often stay up quite late, but at home I'm not out seeing exotic ports for a good part of the day with a full slate of activities every minute. We had a fabulous time. And we DO enjoy the difference we find around the world. But, point well taken. I probably should not have commented but wanted to assure some that on the Encore their desire for an earlier dinner and show could be met.

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It's not that eating at 6:45 is all that important to us. Theoretically, we could easily eat at 9pm. However, we did enjoy seeing few of the productions and we just aren't capable of staying up until 11pm every night and getting up at 7am the next morning. It's only a question of getting enough sleep. At home, I often stay up quite late, but at home I'm not out seeing exotic ports for a good part of the day with a full slate of activities every minute. We had a fabulous time. And we DO enjoy the difference we find around the world. But, point well taken. I probably should not have commented but wanted to assure some that on the Encore their desire for an earlier dinner and show could be met.

 

We also are poor sleepers and need to get to bed at a decent time, as we get up early and can't sleep in no matter what time we get to bed.. We can't go to bed right after eating a big meal. We really enjoy our meals. This is the problem. It's not that we will be dying of hunger (as we are never hungry on a cruise.) I really like the entertainment too and 9:45 is just too late. I would really hate to miss it each night.

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So, this is another reason Encore may appeal to some--a slightly earlier dinner hour and the option of two different showtimes--early (8:45) and late (9:45).

 

This appealed to us, particularly on the port intensive cruise through the Med. We tried to leave the ship in a port as early as possible, get back to the ship for a late lunch, relax and enjoy the ship, go to the gym, go to trivia, go to a bar for a drink and music before dining, go to the early show. I tired now even thinking about it. Even with the early show we were not in bed till 10:30/11. We did look forward to the sea days :p

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Mr Luxury and wripro.....

 

You are both absolutely right! How I wish I could run all day, eat late, stay up late, and partake of all the different things that I don't do at home. The problem is I like to feel good, and I don't, if I don't get enough sleep and/or change my routine too much. Hence going for the best of both worlds - a change from the ho-hum of every day living, but not going overboard, has proven a winning formula.

 

Anyway, we are not flaming you for what you choose - we all have different likes and dislikes - my criticism is the lack of choice on this particular ship.

 

Sheila.

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I think the only really important point here is that anyone who likes to go to bed early will not be going to the shows at 9.45, which I totally understand is annoying.

 

One point not yet made - on port days the ship usually sails at 5 or 6, and there is sometimes a deck event, with drinks, at sailaway time. This is usually fun to attend, and often the views at sailaway can be very attractive. Obviously you can look out from your balcony, but one sees more from on deck or in or outside the observation lounge. On these days we do not get back to the suite before 6, and consequently dinner before 7 would be a rush - especially if you enjoy a leisurely cocktail first. Often we intend to dine at 7, then find that conversations over drinks mean it is much later when we notice the time!

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:)

I appreciate one's desire to eat early and keep to the same schedule one has at home. But isn't the point of travel to experience different cultures, different times to eat, different foods??? When you go to Spain you have dinner after 9PM and that's early. Am I going to skip Spain because I can't have dinner at 5:30? Anyone can adjust his schedule for a while in order to accommodate a local culture. Have a later lunch. Have a late afternoon snack. If that is impossible for someone then travel in the U.S. where you can have that early dinner. jmo.

 

I agree in principle about modifying your routine to fully experience different cultures. But, a cruise ship is not a "different culture." It's a means or platform to transport you to different cultures. As such, a cruise line should be in sync with it's primary clientele and their customs and routines, in Seabourn's case, north Americans. They do not change their dining hours to 9 pm when cruising in Spain, nor should they.

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:)

 

I agree in principle about modifying your routine to fully experience different cultures. But, a cruise ship is not a "different culture." It's a means or platform to transport you to different cultures. As such, a cruise line should be in sync with it's primary clientele and their customs and routines, in Seabourn's case, north Americans. They do not change their dining hours to 9 pm when cruising in Spain, nor should they.

 

 

I am sorry but you seem to be dismissing any other nationality cruising on Seabourn as being unimportant. Are you really saying Seabourn should only cater for North Americans and any other nationality be ignored?

 

One of the things I enjoy on Seabourn is that they cater for many nationalities and the many North Americans I have met are well travelled and accepting of other cultures.

 

Julie

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You may be surprised to know that (and I have just looked at our recent passenger list), one third of the passengers (just over 150) were from the USA, and of the rest about 200 from other English speaking countries (UK over 100, Australia 60 and Canada 30) with the rest mainly from other European countries. This is another changing 'demographic' I think. When we first cruised Seabourn about 80% of the passenger list would be from the USA; this is no longer the case. I am referring to cruises in Europe; I expect those in Alaska and the Caribbean have a much higher USA representation.

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On our recent Encore cruise out of 553 passengers on board only 195 were from the USA, the rest made up of 25 different nationalities, Australian, New Zealand, South Africa and many Europeans, oh and of course us Brits, so to suggest Seabourn should just cater to the Americans who only want to eat at 5.30 etc would be very unacceptable to the majority. Even though we are in the older demographic we don't want to eat before at the least 7.30 preferably around 8.p.m. then we might go to the show if it appeals and after if we feel like it go to the Observation Bar for a nightcap.

 

I think Crystal might appeal more to those who want to eat earlier, they use to have two sittings, one very early and a later one around 8.p.m. not sure if this still applies, perhaps someone on hear might be able to clarify.

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Yes, Crystal has 2 seatings (one at 6 and a later one) plus an Any Time option.

 

Again, no one is suggesting that Seabourn should 'just cater to Americans'.....that would be ridiculous. Opening the dining room even half an hour earlier (6:30) would be a huge help, especially on this side (American) of the Atlantic.

 

Sheila.

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We found the “anytime” reservation policy on Crystal to be a joke. By the time we got on board we found the only “any” was 8:15. So it was basically a second class, off kilter version of the late seating. Leftover tables and staff caught between both seatings. If perchance we go Crystal again I’d probably just do a late seating.

At home (US Atlantic coast) we usually eat dinner around 6 or 6:30. We enjoy the temporary change in habit on board — especially if someone else is mixing drinks, cooking and cleaning up! Like the flexibility on SB. We can usually get our favorite table if we’re dining alone, very easy to set up a group dinner. Our trivia team had a lovely dinner just last night. I didn’t try to arrange anything similar on Crystal, didn’t get the sense it was encouraged, though perhaps I’m being unfair.

Yes, Crystal has 2 seatings (one at 6 and a later one) plus an Any Time option.

 

Again, no one is suggesting that Seabourn should 'just cater to Americans'.....that would be ridiculous. Opening the dining room even half an hour earlier (6:30) would be a huge help, especially on this side (American) of the Atlantic.

 

Sheila.

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oregon50, Judging from what you have posted, I am assuming you will never again sail on Seabourn ships.

GREAT point, if one complains about a lot of things, you would assume they would take their $ elsewhere. Certainly if I thought there were so many issues on Seabourn (which I do NOT, I have had only very good / great experiences on Seabourn - and have over 170 days on the Odyssey alone so the comments on CC about it are surprising) I would go somewhere else.

 

When we were on the Encore they did open the MDR and Colonnade earlier, and I appreciate the comments about that option. For us, we usually never eat before 8 so not an issue for us, like others, pre-dinner cocktails is something we enjoy about being on the ship and we never know who we might strike up a conversation with. But I totally understand those who want to dine early to be able to go to sleep early or for whatever reason. In port / tender ports I do not need to be the first off, I rather prefer to enjoy my morning on the ship and then head out and return whenever - unless we have a private tour reserved which means we need to be off at a certain time. Just me.

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It's not that eating at 6:45 is all that important to us. Theoretically, we could easily eat at 9pm. However, we did enjoy seeing few of the productions and we just aren't capable of staying up until 11pm every night and getting up at 7am the next morning. It's only a question of getting enough sleep. At home, I often stay up quite late, but at home I'm not out seeing exotic ports for a good part of the day with a full slate of activities every minute. We had a fabulous time. And we DO enjoy the difference we find around the world. But, point well taken. I probably should not have commented but wanted to assure some that on the Encore their desire for an earlier dinner and show could be met.

 

The shows will start at 9:45 no matter what time the restaurant opens. Even if the restaurant opened at 6Pm and you dined at that hour if you wanted to see the show you'd have to waste time doing something else until the show started.

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Wripro, On the Encore, dinner is served in the MDR beginning at 6:45 and the first show is at 8:45. The second show is at 9:45. It worked well for us. I realize that most are talking about the other ships, but I was just relating that the Encore has a slightly different schedule which worked well for us. If we were on the other ships, I am sure we could adapt!

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I do not think that the theater can hold 600 guests. At the same time, it is doubtful that 600 guests would attend a program all at one time. We had 571 passengers on the Encore during our voyage and I would say that the theater was never more than 2/3s full, if that, for the evening programs we attended. The time schedule DID work for us. We had a great time on the Encore.

 

I agree that back to back shows are probably hard on the performers.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Many would prefer an earlier dinner time; and most on my Nov. trip were from US and Canada not Europe (sailing from Miami). Crystal not only has earlier dinner times available, the service is faster, so you can go to shows that are also available earlier. On Seaborne O, it wasn't just that dinner started at 7 but seated at 7 that your first course was served after 8 then salad after 8:30 and main course after 9 with dinner service finished around 10 which was after the show which begins at 9:45 p.m. (if you usually eat at 5 , you are hungry at 7 and don't receive main course until 9 which for many is too late). Yes you can have snacks earlier but you will eat more food and eat too much prior to bedtime which for those attempting to watch their weight is not a good option. The only early dinner option is room service but the menu is the same each night for early dinner room service. Enjoyed the staff and service elsewhere on the ship was friendly and good service, enjoyable trip, but will admit that I may go back to Crystal since Seaborne doesn't have reasonable options for those who would like an early dinner.

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Many would prefer an earlier dinner time; and most on my Nov. trip were from US and Canada not Europe (sailing from Miami). Crystal not only has earlier dinner times available, the service is faster, so you can go to shows that are also available earlier. On Seaborne O, it wasn't just that dinner started at 7 but seated at 7 that your first course was served after 8 then salad after 8:30 and main course after 9 with dinner service finished around 10 which was after the show which begins at 9:45 p.m. (if you usually eat at 5 , you are hungry at 7 and don't receive main course until 9 which for many is too late). Yes you can have snacks earlier but you will eat more food and eat too much prior to bedtime which for those attempting to watch their weight is not a good option. The only early dinner option is room service but the menu is the same each night for early dinner room service. Enjoyed the staff and service elsewhere on the ship was friendly and good service, enjoyable trip, but will admit that I may go back to Crystal since Seaborne doesn't have reasonable options for those who would like an early dinner.

 

Did you try talking to the Maitre d' (or failing success there with the hotman) to say you want to be out of there in 90 minutes or less? I would think that would help.

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