Dining Time Options - ASAP - RCCL Radiance

[bicoastalbabe]

We are cruising on Radiance of the Seas on 12/21/09 and I have a question about dining time procedure. If we have a dining time assigned (early/late) can we go to "anytime" dining on some nights? Do they check your cabin number and refuse to seat you?

 

We are grandparents, kids and young grandkids and we are torn between early dining when we know we can go without needing a baby sitter but not have pleasant adult dinners (especially since we all would eat late by choice) and late seating which we would much prefer but then we would be absolutely dependent on having a baby sitter every night. Since this is our first experience cruising with (young) kids we don't know if a babysitter would be available every night or if we want to pay $18/hour every night.:eek:

 

If we choose anytime dining (we currently have early seating) can we count on being able to reserve to eat at 6PM (all of us with the kids) or 7:30 or 8PM?

 

Thank you so much for all thoughts. :)

[uppitycats]

Generally with "anytime" dining you can just show up when you want to eat, and...sometimes after a small wait, be seated to eat. On some cruise lines you can make reservations to eat at the same time every night with anytime dining, or at least make a reservation at dinner for the next night.

 

(That always strikes me as odd, as it seems to be opposite of what "anytime" dining is!!, but that's just me!!)

 

The cruise lines all frown upon people trying to move from "traditional" to "anytime" and back and forth once they're on board, however -- unless, on the first day, they commit to the other for the entire length of the cruise.

 

Given what you describe here, if it were me, I'd sign up for "anytime" dining, and then, in the morning, your group decide what it wants to do for dinner..what it's plans are..then call for reservations. Or just chance "showing up" when you want to eat, and see how that works.

 

You would not have the experience of the same waiters at the same tables every night...but for some of us, that's part of the good thing about anytime dining!

[boulders]

You cannot switch between anytime and fixed dining. Anytime was a small section a few months ago. The wait staff would know who you are. ;)

 

When I was on the Radiance in Alaska this summer, I saw very few people in the anytime dining section at 6 p.m. From reports I've read, most people who choose anytime prefer the 7 pm - 7:30 time period.

 

Potty trained children 3 and older can go to Adventure Ocean at 7 p.m.

 

Don't forget the third option for those adult-only meals - the specialty restaurants. :D

[Canadian Tyler]

I'm in a similar predicament. Cruising with my then one year old in April, and not sure how well the whole 6pm dinner time each night will go. But also I don't want to miss out on sitting with the same people and getting to know the tablemates.

I think we've decided that we will stick with early dining, and if it's just not happening that night, we will go to buffet.

 

Good luck with your little ones!