Poll: What do you prefer, Main or Late dining and why

[K&RCurt]

We prefer Late seating. When in port we like to be able to take our time getting back onboard, shower, maybe hit the pool for awhile etc.... We then have time for a cocktail or two before dinner. Early seating we would feel rushed before dinner.

[puffer46]

It's a good thing that they have early AND late dining or we wouldn't all fit in the dining room at the same time.:rolleyes: Think about that:confused: :D

[Chucksta63]

When I cruise with the kids, we take early seating. We all get to eat together and then they head off for the evening activities which gives us grown ups some alone time. We are also hungry enough to eat at the midnight buffets.

 

Without the kids, I prefer late seating. It usually gives us more time in port, and a period of time with the pools quiet. Less rushed. Down fall, not hungry to eat any more over the course of the night.

Could not have said it better! :)

[liv2cruise4ever]

I had originally booked main seating, as I figured I'd be hungry before 8/8:30 when late seating dinner was served. Then I started thinking, and realized a few things that made me change my request to the late seating:

1.) there's ALWAYS food available on the ship, if I'm hungry I'm sure hunting down a little something to snack on won't be a problem. LOL:D

2.) I don't know when I'll make it back to the places we're visiting (in port) and don't really want to rush back for dinner (most ports we don't set sail til 7 or 8 p.m.)

3.) I'm gonna be beat in the afternoon from either sunning/drinking on sea days or running non-stop on excursions and will probably REALLY be able to use a nap before dinner

4.) I think I'd like to enjoy a glass of wine or a drink before dinner

5.) I don't think there's a whole lot going on before we'd get out of the late seating that we couldn't do afterward

 

anyway, I have no clue how it will all work out in the end. that was just my thought process and we'll see how it turns out!:)

 

Not too bad for a soon2bcruiser........You've got it figured out MamaParrotHead. Seasoned, and couldn't put it better....:D

[claudie]

We prefer late seating as there is less rushing from activities to getting ready for dinner. Also there are less younger children. Before you all start jumping all over your keyboards I am a mother of 2 children, 17/12. I speak from experience that younger children who have been running all day should not be taken to dinner at 8:30 and most parents know that and do the earlier seating.

[Deb in Cali]

We tried late on our last cruise and it was a diaster for us. If I wanted to have a cup of coffee with dessert or a chocolate dessert then I am up half the night. Two nights of the last cruise I couldn't go to sleep until 3 AM. The dessert and or coffee will give me that added boast to dance part of the night away. If I choose a dessert based on what I can eat and don't have coffee then I feel like I have been cheated This way I can eat and drink what I want, and go to bed by midnight. Then I can be active the next day to enjoy the port or the activiites on the ship.

 

We also discovered that after the late dinner the shows were full by the time we were able to get to them. I think that some of the first seating guests would watch the show twice or go out of the deck for a while before heading to the second seating for the shows.

[J & H love2cruise]

When we are at home, we eat early. On the ship, we like to have time to relax after excursions. We can take a nap and have plenty of time to get ready for dinner. Then we are rested for a late dinner, shows, music or walking around the ship. One drawback is that we have never been able to eat at a midnight buffet. Don't feel too sorry for us, I'm sure you know we are able to get enough food to eat!

[cincicruisers]

I prefer the early seating as I am an early riser by nature. Linda

[MikeNJ1109]

I wish the poll included the option of "Neither". When we cruise, we take NONE of our meals in the main dining room because we don't want to be locked into set dinner dining times. Our preference is to stay out at the pool or in port, or just "wing-it" when it comes to our daily schedule. We'll eat in one of the specialty restaurants, or the Windjammer...anywhere but the main dining room.

 

Mike & Silke

[JimF]

In this thread there seems to be a LOT of cruisers who rerturn to the ship after a day in port to eat on the ship. Isn't there a desire to try the food of the port you are visiting?

[MamaParrotHead]

In this thread there seems to be a LOT of cruisers who rerturn to the ship after a day in port to eat on the ship. Isn't there a desire to try the food of the port you are visiting?

 

I have a great appreciation of cultures and sense of adventure, but limited funds. I figure I all ready paid for the meal onboard, and besides, I'm sure I'll have a few chances to sample some local fare for lunch and when we stop for drinks here and there.:)

[catmand]

When sailing with Princess we do "Anytime Dining" when sailing Celebrity, late seating. Main is just too early for us. We enjoy going to tea at 4 and sometimes the sushi is around 5. Don't like to rush to get dressed or eat while it is still bright out. Also very few kids at late seating.

[Fisherlady48]

When sailing with Princess we do "Anytime Dining" when sailing Celebrity, late seating. Main is just too early for us. We enjoy going to tea at 4 and sometimes the sushi is around 5. Don't like to rush to get dressed or eat while it is still bright out. Also very few kids at late seating.

 

I am on RCCL this year and do the late dining too. For the very same reason, less children.

 

And I don't like to be rushed after a fun day at a port.

[AACJ]

I wish the poll included the option of "Neither". When we cruise, we take NONE of our meals in the main dining room because we don't want to be locked into set dinner dining times. Our preference is to stay out at the pool or in port, or just "wing-it" when it comes to our daily schedule. We'll eat in one of the specialty restaurants, or the Windjammer...anywhere but the main dining room.

 

Mike & Silke

 

Mike, no offense, but when I created the poll, I wanted to know which seatings people prefer, which is why I did not put a "Neither" option. I did carefully think about whether to add neither to the options or not, and decided to not include it.

 

Celebrity makes me choose one or the other and I wanted many different viewpoints to help make my decision, which is exactly what I got.

 

I realize some people do not eat at either seating, I will probably have one or two meals either someother place on the ship or at port.

 

However, I do appreciate your response and certainly hope you did vote.

 

Thanks for taking the time and looking at it too!

 

art

[AACJ]

I think I like the late seating from everyone opinions, it give me time to go out to port and not rush back, take a shower/nap, have a drink or two, etc....before going to dinner. Plus the concensus seems to be less children too, too bad they have to go to bed so early, sic.!!

 

art

[DisneyDestroyer]

Late, definitely. With main seating you're too scared about missing dinner to be able to enjoy all of the ports. Also, our favorite cruise was Alaska. Late seating means you get to see sunset just as you are starting desert - what fun!

[bibb]

We prefer the early dinner because we do the shows and dance until the wee hours (1:30-3:00AM). If we eat too, too late I'm too full to enjoy a few beers later on. That's just me. I wan't my coffee and cookies before turning in and, again, the late dinner is a little too close.

 

As to rushing in from port, we all have to be back on the ship at the same time and, after getting ready, we generally meet our friends in a lounge before dinner (don't care to do the "stand outside the dining room door and wait" thing) and have never really been rushed. It only take me twenty to twenty-five minutes to shower and get dressed. DW takes a bit longer but not much. Our friends are always slower so we have time for a frozen drink while waiting for them.

 

In 16 cruises, I've never felt like we are being rushed out of the dining room to make room for the late group. Children have been a problem a couple of times. Not "too many of them"; just parents who don't control them.

[pg.]

Sorry we are niether also, we have tried late and early traditional, and prefer Princess Anytime dining, we loved it and won't go back to traditional. We went early some nights and late others.

Early is too early on port days, and on sea days late was too late, besides it's our vacation and we live very scheduled lives so we love the flexiblity of PC.

[ClaudiaF]

I am a neither too.. prefer to go on ships that have no assigned seating, so assigned times.. like to eat when and with whom we prefer.. or just a table for 2..

[NJcruiser21]

i'm neither too. never cruised traditional but from what friends and family tell me it's not something i would enjoy..Norweign cruise line and freestyle is the only way to go!

[GottaLuvCruising]

At home, we typically have dinner between 6:30 and 7:00. So main seating is closer to our usual dinner time. On the ship, we like to take a walk after the show and often enjoy the hot tub under the stars. When we've had late seating, there isn't enough time for the hot tub and the midnight buffet is so close to dinner time that we can't enjoy it.

 

On our first 7 or 8 cruises, we always had late dining. But since we tried main seating, we'd never go back.

[notthatway2001]

Much fewer if any kids and a more adult and mature crowd makes for a quieter and more enjoyable dinner. Then off to the activities after dinner, maybe a cigar or afterdinner drink.

[ImAcruiser]

Kids:)

[levtas]

It is very interesting...I would have tought most people would vote for main rather than late. All my 3 cruises, and the one coming up, ran out of main seating first so I would have thought that main seating would be most desirable for majority cruisers.:confused: I like main seating because I have two young children.

[CruiseAwayWithMe]

I like main setting because i am used to eating earlier. Also, I like to swim afterwards and late dinner just doesn't go well with me. The late setting dinner is just too late for me too because I like to get up in the morning early. :p Also, the shows tend to get later for the late setting. But, they have two different times because everyone likes different times to eat dinner.