Do you choose your dinning time or open seating?

[gemcrusier]

We are going on the Golden to Alaska and I have a 8:15 dinning time , but what happens if you go to the steakhouse instead ? and I also read somewhere on these boards that I might miss shows eating that late does anyone know?

[Cruisin' Chick]

Using the big production shows have two times to accommodate the fact that many like having an assigned time.

 

If you want to try a specialty restaurant, that's okay. Just let your regular servers and tablemates know the night before so they don't wait for you.

 

Personally, we prefer late traditional dining. Got stuck with anytime on our last cruise and it wasn't the same.

[jeromep]

Hey Gem, you are in the roll call for the same cruise that my wife and I are taking. We are sailing with four other couples, one couple with a well behaved 2 year old.

 

We all opted for anytime dining just because we need to be somewhat flexible to accomidate the couple with the toddler, the fact that all of us might not want to dine at the same time or place each evening, and to not be stuck trying to accomidate each couple's interests on a daily basis. I don't have any issue with formal nights, in fact I'm looking forward to them (yes, I digress), but the whole thought of being stuck at a particular seating for dinner just wasn't something I could get my head around.

 

I kind of figured that some time mid-morning we'd figure out what our daily plans were and my wife and I would call the dine line and make reservations for the number of people that were dining with us and when we all could make dinner. If we couldn't figure out our plans between ourselves and another couple we'd just wing it and in the evening just show up and wait in line if necessary.

 

I'm not sure how many shows my wife and I will take in. Personality wise, the two of us are a little more into piano bars, small venues and commedians, so we'll probably not worry too much about missing or not missing one of the big production shows, but we'll certainly try to take in at least one while on board.

[1 HappyCruiser]

The night you go to the steakhouse usually involves a 2 1/2 hour + dining time so you will probably miss out on any show that evening since it'll almost be impossible to find seats when arriving at the last minute. We always schedule eating at one of the Specialty restaurants when they repeat one of the productions shows the second night.

[uppitycats]

We always choose anytime dining whenever possible. We don't like sticking to a set schedule, and really dislike eating with strangers (and yes, I know "they're not strangers after the first night!!!". Yes they are. And we aren't comfortable!)

 

So by choosing anytime dining, we can go to a specialty restaurant whenever we want without having to inform anyone, and schedule our dining times around any evening activities we want, including shows.

[Liz54]

We love that 8.15 late Trad and have never had to miss any shows because of it. Enjoy!

[JerseyGuys]

We always do 815 traditional and haven't missed a thing. We like a little structure on the cruise. The 815 allows us plenty of time after excursions to freshen up, change cloths, relax a bit, sit on the balcony and enjoy sailaway. Then we head down at 810 for dinner and immediately sit down to dinner.....Just our preference

[BruceMuzz]

Dinning is not allowed on ships.

The excessive noise upsets all the other passengers.

 

Dining is OK, however.

[Andee]

We'll only cruise if we can have open seating for dinner. Early is too early, late is too late, we don't like to eat at the same time very night, don't care about getting to know our waitstaff, don't want to be sitting alone if our assigned tablemates don't show up.

[Cuizer2]

We are going on the Golden to Alaska and I have a 8:15 dinning time , but what happens if you go to the steakhouse instead ? and I also read somewhere on these boards that I might miss shows eating that late does anyone know?

 

Shows are scheduled around the set dinner times. There are two shows, one for the early seating and one for the late seating.

 

If you are going to miss dinner for some reason, such as going to the steakhouse, let your table mates/server know the night before so that they do not wait for you.

[Toto2Kansas]

We never go for assigned (tradional) dining anymore. We don't like having a rigid schedule on vacation, especially when port times can vary. We prefer to dine when we want, with who we want.

[gemcrusier]

Crusin Chick , we had anytime dinning last cruise and found it to much no matter what time we had a long wait.

Jeromep, yes we are on the same cruise I have seen your posts on the roll call. Sounds like quite a group and lots of fun to be had. As far as the shows it depends on what it is I do like to see them, then we seek out piano bar or commedian.

Uppity cats Your point is good about not having to inform the wait staff, what if last minute we change plans? but I have never felt uncomfortable with other diners at the table I like to meet and hear about there day and travels and make new friends.

Thank you Liz for confiring 8:15 will work for the show times. Isn't crusing the best!!!!

And lastly Jersey Guys you were reading my mind that is the reasons I choose 8:15 , I wanted to be able to return from excursions go to sail away and then get ready for dinner knowing I would not have to wait for my table so I'm sticking to the plan.

Thanks all! Happy crusing

[gemcrusier]

Dinning is not allowed on ships.

The excessive noise upsets all the other passengers.

 

Dining is OK, however.

 

you are correct

 

definition of dinning

 

A jumble of loud, usually discordant sounds. See Synonyms at noise. v. dinned, din·ning, dins. v.tr. 1. To stun with deafening noise

 

so I better use spell check from now on.

[Shogun]

Hi There

 

Has to be late tradional, if not no cruise, done anytime a few times

 

and do not like it. Reasons are simple, we take longer cruises, as such

 

we like to get to know our waiter etc, we like getting to know our table

 

mates which will most likely change once or twice over the length of our

 

cruise. Just a pity there is not a later sitting, 8.15 is still early for us.

 

 

yours Shogun

[Ima Cruiser]

We'll only cruise if we can have open seating for dinner. Early is too early, late is too late, we don't like to eat at the same time very night, don't care about getting to know our waitstaff, don't want to be sitting alone if our assigned tablemates don't show up.

 

I agree. We like a lot of the evening activities and prefer that flexibility to come and go as we please, so anytime is for us.

[Treven]

... and really dislike eating with strangers (and yes, I know "they're not strangers after the first night!!!". Yes they are. And we aren't comfortable!)

 

Getting stuck at a large table with a bunch of strangers, trying to make small talk, is something that would be the worst thing I can imagine. Fortunately, by dining at whatever time the doors open (5:30, I guess), sitting alone at my little table for 2 is just about perfect for dining. Then, about 8 I can head up to the buffet and have a lite dinner up there; again, by myself.

[1 HappyCruiser]

 

Getting stuck at a large table with a bunch of strangers, trying to make small talk, is something that would be the worst thing I can imagine. Fortunately, by dining at whatever time the doors open (5:30, I guess), sitting alone at my little table for 2 is just about perfect for dining. Then, about 8 I can head up to the buffet and have a lite dinner up there; again, by myself.

 

Where else do people eat dinner at a community table with strangers & have top be forced to talk about their lives? ;)

We talk enough all day long to the others on board & at dinner we just want peace & quiet & a table for 2 provides that even though it is a little close to the other tables, people respect the "table for 2" concept & don't really force the conversation.

[dutchess43]

We always opt for second seating & when not traveling with companions we always ask for a table for 2 only. Not interested in making small talk with strangers this our vaction & I want to enjoy dinner.

[shepp]

On shore, my partner and I spend a lot of time with each other (and love it) and our friends tend to be fairly much like us. For us, cruising is a great way to get to know people who come from different backgrounds and viewpoints - sort of the person-to-person equivalent of traveling to new places.

 

Only once were our tablemates (well, one, really) an outright disaster - we ended up moving to a table for two. Cruise before last, we were seated with two women from SoCal whom we most likely would never have met on the cruise, otherwise. They were totally wonderful, and we all looked forward to sitting down together...the small talk gradually got a lot less small. Last cruise, we ended up with somebody we didn't like at first - not at all - but as time went on, we began to quite enjoy his company, and he even thanked us for being such charming companions.

 

Sure, I have a bit of trepidation over spending two weeks eating with strangers this month. But what I really am not fond of is being seated with strangers at breakfast or tea and having to engage in the same conversation - Where are you from? Where else have you sailed? - over and over and over again. It's like interviewing prospective roommates...but that being said, we've met some great folks that way, too.

[sabookkeeper]

Most shows are shown early and again late...we always book the late dining and have been able to see everything we wantedto. When we knew we were not going to be in the dining room, as when we did the balcony dining, we just let our waiters know the night before.

 

We prefer traditional dining and always request a table of 8. We enjoy sitting with the same people every night and getting to know them.

[dancing lady]

We find it interesting to meet different people and talk about what everyone did on shore that day, where everbody is from, etc. Hey, you win some, you lose some! We've met folks at the beginning of a cruise, instantly hit it off and made dinner reservations together for the remainder of the cruise. :) The ones that we didn't click with, well, we just didn't sit with after that. You can always make a reservation in A.D. so you don't have to wait so long to be seated. Also, because of the different times you return to the ship, it's nice for your dining time to be flexible. It works for us.

[owt205]

After only 5 cruises, our choice will always be late traditional!

 

We did not realize how much we liked it until we went Norwegian, and anytime dining....not happy at all with that. Knowing that my table (and tablemates) will be there waiting for me is one less decision we have make during the day. We love the interaction with the same waitstaff every night, some of our dinners have been the highlights of our cruises.

 

We also go to the dining room quite often for lunch....meet alot of new people, and enjoy being waited on!

 

As others have said, nothing is better after a long port day, to return to the ship, have a swim, then shower, and enjoy a drink on your balcony, AND still often have time to nap, or do laundry (great time to do it when the early diners have gone!).

 

We have never missed a show we wanted to see, and find that there is less crowding for the late shows.

 

Can't wait to be on our next cruise 20 days B2B on the Emerald Feb 2012!

[jeromep]

We always choose anytime dining whenever possible. We don't like sticking to a set schedule, and really dislike eating with strangers (and yes, I know "they're not strangers after the first night!!!". Yes they are. And we aren't comfortable!)

 

So by choosing anytime dining, we can go to a specialty restaurant whenever we want without having to inform anyone, and schedule our dining times around any evening activities we want, including shows.

I had not honestly thought much about dining with strangers. Some people say I'm outgoing and gregarious, however I would actually disagree and say I'm a little more introverted. Dining with strangers is always a crapshoot, one I'm usually willing to take. As another poster said here, you either click with them right off the bat, or you find that you have nothing in common and the company is not necessary or appreciated. That's just life.

[Cuizer2]

... and really dislike eating with strangers (and yes, I know "they're not strangers after the first night!!!". Yes they are. And we aren't comfortable!)

 

Getting stuck at a large table with a bunch of strangers, trying to make small talk, is something that would be the worst thing I can imagine.

 

Worse than striking an iceberg and sinking?

[Tak8]

I like early traditional. I don't want a late dinner. I'd rather pick up a snack later in the evening. Dinner at 6ish then show and drinks followed by whatever snack I'm in the modd for that night. The other thing I like about traditional is having the same servers. I think it helps with service. If we are in a port later, those are the nights I go to a specialty restaurant and let my servers know the night before.