Anytime vs Early Dining for Large Groups

[nickel1522]

We have done both any time and early time dining and loved the flexibility for any time dining, but it was for a group of 4. Our upcoming cruise has a group of 9 and I was wondering if anyone had any experience on the wait time for a group that large with any time dining?

 

 

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[CruisinJerseyMom]

choose a set dining time. It will be almost impossible to sit 9 people together with anytime dining. And even if they could the wait time will be very long.

[teddybear231]

Definitely do a set time for dining with a larger group like that. We met a group (8) on our last cruise that did the anytime dining and they all hated it because they always had to wait for a larger table to open up.

[nwo4life]

In a large group who decides when to eat?

[MistyRo76]

We almost always have a large group when we cruise and for that reason, we always do assigned dining time (late dining). There are several reasons for this. #1 being that we don't want to risk having to wait for a table or tables for our group to open up. #2. This eliminates us having to decide on what time to eat each night. With an assigned time, everyone knows where to be and when. If they decide to do something else for dinner, that's fine. But it's not a discussion point every night. #3. We love having the same wait team as they really get to know us and our preferences. Our drinks are usually waiting for us when we arrive or shortly thereafter and they brought our daughter's fruit plate right out. It made things so seamless for us.

 

Maybe if my husband and I ever go on a cruise that's not part of a large group, we'll try anytime. But for now, late dining works great for us!

[moondog73]

We had a group of 9 on the Sunshine with YTD. We never had a wait. We found a wait team we liked on night 2 and requested them for thevremsiner of our 8 day cruise. Early dining is too early...feel rushed after ports. Late dining is too late and we missed most activities. YRS is the way to go

 

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[SadieN]

Assigned dining is easiest with large groups. No figuring out what time to eat each night. Formal nights can have long waits. There are a very limited number of large tables. Either get there when the ATD MDR opens or wait two hours for the first one to leave. At that point, might as well get assigned dining.

 

 

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[cb at sea]

Agreed. That way, EVERYONE knows what time to be there, and the table is waiting on YOU!

[Oompaland]

You have no guarantees with ATD. We’ve had large and small groups and had to wait and also got right in. It all depends on your fellow cruisers to be honest, I don’t understand how some people think lol. We prefer assigned for our family.

 

 

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[PhillyFan33579]

I would definitely go with early time dining. Also, make sure all your booking(s) are linked together. Of course that won’t matter if you go with YTD.

[summersigh]

Agreed. That way, EVERYONE knows what time to be there, and the table is waiting on YOU!

On the Sunshine our fixed late dining table was next to two long tables for a family group of 20 - two 10 tops. There was no pressure for them of waiting for the rest of the group to arrive to be seated. Members drifted in and sat next to whoever they wanted on any given night. They seemed very relaxed.