Early/Late Dinner vs Anytime (Your Time) Dining

[bonvoyage88]

Our first cruise is coming up in October and we originally booked early dinner seating. We've been thinking about changing to YTD instead. It makes sense to me---but in reading bits and pieces of other posts I'm afraid we'll be missing something by not doing the Early Seating.

 

Can anyone give me the pros and cons? Are there shows put on by the wait staff that you won't get with YTD? Any advantages?

 

Thanks,

Linda

[johneeo]

Our first cruise is coming up in October and we originally booked early dinner seating. We've been thinking about changing to YTD instead. It makes sense to me---but in reading bits and pieces of other posts I'm afraid we'll be missing something by not doing the Early Seating.

 

Can anyone give me the pros and cons? Are there shows put on by the wait staff that you won't get with YTD? Any advantages?

 

Thanks,

Linda

 

We always get early seating. The advantages:

 

1. The wait staff gets to know you and how you like to be served. You actually develop a relationship with them.

 

2. When you sit down at 6:00, they are ready to rock and roll. The food will be ready, you can order right away, have a couple of appetizers, dinner, dessert, and they will get you out of there on a timely basis, as there is round two behind you. This makes it very easy to make all of the shows.

 

3. If for some reason, you cannot make it because of another commitment, no big deal, do the buffet or specialty. (Yes, I would make every effort to let them know I will not be dining that night)

 

4. Having done early seating on every cruise, the MDR has always been one of the highlights of the cruise experience.

[paul929207]

Each option has its plusses and minuses. The key is to find the one with the pluses you care about and the minuses you don't care about.

 

As to missing things, with Anytime Dining, you can plan your dining around the other acivities that evening. Of course, that reduces a main benefit of AD.

[johneeo]

Are there shows put on by the wait staff that you won't get with YTD? Any advantages?

 

 

Thankfully, no.

 

But, back in the old days, the wait staff was quite entertaining in their interactions with those they served. We had a wait staff back in the old days that would have puzzles, brain teasers, and lots of stuff for the kids. Well, it was intended for the kids, but some of the things they did were quite amazing.

 

But, most cruise lines have cut back on the help, so the wait staff pretty much has to concentrate on getting the food served and hustling with that.

[cb at sea]

If you enjoy tablemates (and if you don't know, give it a try!), then stick with traditional seating! I know, most 1st timers are APPALLED by the thought of eating with others....but it's really fun! Once you've introduced yourselves, you're not strangers, and it really makes dinner a fun, social occassion. This isn't a "fast food" restaurant where you wolf down your food....

 

If you find you don't like it, then you can switch next time!

[justjim312]

We always get early seating. The advantages:

 

1. The wait staff gets to know you and how you like to be served. You actually develop a relationship with them.

 

2. When you sit down at 6:00, they are ready to rock and roll. The food will be ready, you can order right away, have a couple of appetizers, dinner, dessert, and they will get you out of there on a timely basis, as there is round two behind you. This makes it very easy to make all of the shows.

 

3. If for some reason, you cannot make it because of another commitment, no big deal, do the buffet or specialty. (Yes, I would make every effort to let them know I will not be dining that night)

 

4. Having done early seating on every cruise, the MDR has always been one of the highlights of the cruise experience.

 

 

 

You can do YTD for the exact same 4 reasons above!!! You can ask for the same wait staff every nite and develop the same one and one relationship as in the MDR. Your food may in fact even come quicker and hotter with YTD and never a problem with making the shows on time. Never have to call and cancel any set time as your on YTD!!! Good luck whatever way you go.

[uppitycats]

On our first cruise we had traditional dining...and were really uncomfortable with it. Having to interact with strangers every night for dinner was the worst for us. Yes, I know some people will tell you , "well, they weren't strangers after the first night!". To which we respond, "Yes they were. We didn't know them, we had little in common with them; after a round of "what did you do today?" "Yes, we had fun too.." we struggled to make additional conversation.

 

Then there is the issue of "the dining staff will know your preferences". WE don't always know our preferences! For example, what we might want to drink -- coffee, water, soda, wine, etc. -- is dependent on what's on the menu, and what we want to eat that night. And we don't KNOW that until we actually show up for dinner. Yes, we could read the menu in advance..and we do..but we also change our minds, depending on how much activity we participated in that day, how we're feeling, etc. So I hated it when we'd arrive at the table and they were already pouring coffee -- only because we'd had coffee on our first night and they assumed that we'd like it every night. Or because I had raved about a particular dessert, they assumed I'd want that same dessert every night. No.

 

And the issue of "you'll develop a relationship with them". I don't WANT to "develop a relationship with them". Not that I don't respect them, or think less of them, or have any sort of demeaning thoughts about them in any way. Simply this: they are not my friends. They are not even my acquaintences. They have a job to do; they do it well, we compensate with a generous tip. We are pleasant, courteous, but we don't need to know about their home life, they don't need to share their children with us, they don't need to entertain us. They just need to serve us dinner in a relatively smooth and timely way.

 

Finally, last time I looked I am an adult. I don't need some arbitrary "time for dinner". When I'm hungry -- and assuming the dining venue is open -- I'll go to dinner. I don't need to rush back to the ship because it's time for a set "dinner period" (early or late). I don't need to wake from a nap, or hustle to get dressed, or be late and be shut out of the main dining room; or, having spent the afternoon with somebody I've met on board that I enjoy and hoping to share dinner with them, finding out their fixed dinner time is different than mine...so we have to go our separate ways.

 

So when cruise lines started with the flexible dining options, that's what we always choose. We've made some great friends on board and shared meals with them. We've found some waitstaff that have been particularly pleasant, and so have arranged to go to dinner at about the same time, and asked to be seated in their section, when possible. And -- the key there, "when possible" -- we eat when we want to eat. And enjoy it every so much better.

[calliopecruiser]

Are there shows put on by the wait staff that you won't get with YTD? Any advantages?

 

Lord, I hope not. I haven't cruised in a while, but I hated those. Personally, I dislike a first seating (too early for my tastes, especially if there's a lot of sunshine and long days - I get hungry later), but I prefer traditional seating dinner for the MDR. In these ultra-big restaurants (MDRs typically seat about 500 people), I believe the best meals will be those prepped and served when the cooks want them to be ready, not when you want to eat them. They truthfully can't do their best with on-demand service for that many people, and I believe that the quality will suffer some. Maybe not enough to matter to some people, but that's the way I look at it.

[Hlitner]

We have spent more then 2 years on various cruise ships and never eaten at an early sitting other then a couple of cruises when we cruised with our (then) very young daughter. It is true that eating early will give you an opportunity to enjoy more evening activities. But on the other hand, we enjoy relaxing with a cocktail before dinner and chatting with other folks in the bars. When you have port days that normally do not get you back to the shp until late afternoon early sitting can mean rushing to shower, get dressed, and run to dinner. With a late sitting we always have time to relax before dinner and are never rushed (early sittings can sometimes be rushed since the waiters need to get ready for the later sittings). As to the various anytime dining schemes (called different things by each line) we love this option. Normally we will simply go to the dining room at our leisure and tell the maitre'd that we want to share a large table. We always get a full table and get to meet lots of folks (we will often form a table later in the cruise with some of these new friends). On some lines (such as RCI) we have sometimes found that a regular seating table (early or late) is often half empty since some folks decide to go other dining venues. With anytime dining we always get a full table, eat when we want, and are never rushed to meet the cruise line schedule.

 

Hank

[chipq]

I don't get too concernef about meeting new tablemates because there are so many other opportunities to meet and mingle. I do not like to have either of the established seating times because I don't wsnt other activities curtailed so that I can get ready for dinner. I like the flexibilty of the Any Time Dining so that I can not only eat when i am actually hungru, but I also do not have to rush back to the cabin from the pool or the port. It is also easy to plan around the shows or activities I want to participate.

 

I did like traditional seating when that was all that was offered but much prefer the Any Time option now. I can get the same wait team if I choose and I can ask to share a table if I choose. Flexibility.

 

ChipQ. http://luv2cruise.blogspot.com

[Smokeyham]

I'll put in a vote for Any Time Dining.

 

As others have said, it is nice to have more flexibility and if you are enjoying a pariticulary beautiful sunset, with friends in a nice bar, then it is nice to just decide that you'll have another drink and have your dinner when you like.

 

I'll also echo the frustration which was expressed above about whatever you do on the first night and second nights being assumed as the thing which you want to do for the full cruise. Yes, good service includes remembering a customer's preferences, but I wish that would be remembered in terms of asking if that is what is wanted, not assumed.

 

Finally, we like to try a variety of venues, so it is nice to be able to make a decision and not have to worry about informing the MDR that we will not be present for dinner that night (which is a courtesy to the other people at your table, and the wait staff, so service is not help up awaiting your arrival).

[Azulann]

Late seating in MDR at a table for eight. It has always been great.

[marco]

OP: How long is your cruise, what's the itinerary and how many people are in your party? For us, those factors make a difference as to whether we choose late or anytime We have been on a LOT of cruises, dined early sitting once, was not a good fit for us, but that doesn't mean you wouldn't prefer it.

[trish1c]

Different strokes for different folks.

If you have never experienced traditional dining on a ship, there's something to be said for trying it. If you like eating early, your early dining time will be fine. The shows are designed so you will see the 2nd performance of the night after dinner.

We prefer any time dining b/c we never know when we will be hungry & we hate to be rushed on vacation. There have been times when we have had to wait for a table but they got involved at the bar or watching the entertainment in the area. MTD allowed us to push back dinner as it suited us. We also prefer to eat late but that's just us.

[Jimnbigd]

I do the late fixed dining. I like to sleep late and skew my day later. After dinner I like to go to the live music shows or theater show (sometimes the theater show is before the late dinner). My reasoning for fixed dining is (1) the theater shows start at a fixed time, and (2) often we are with a group, and fixed dining seems simpler so everyone knows when and where they have to be for dinner.

[johneeo]

I do the late fixed dining. I like to sleep late and skew my day later. After dinner I like to go to the live music shows or theater show (sometimes the theater show is before the late dinner). My reasoning for fixed dining is (1) the theater shows start at a fixed time, and (2) often we are with a group, and fixed dining seems simpler so everyone knows when and where they have to be for dinner.

 

That is an excellent point.

 

The fixed time dining makes things so simple, same time, same place every night, no need to discuss anything.

[vacation luvver]

My friend and I prefer Anytime Dining to traditional dining, even though we ate most of our dinners at the same time as the traditional early sitting, because we can be assured of getting a table for two. Getting a table for two means that we don't have to wait for everyone else to show up. when we were on Celebrity, there was a notice that the door would be locked 30 minutes after early and late dinner service began. Does that mean that everyone has to sit and wait for 30 minutes, waiting for the missing people to show up, before the waiter takes everyone's orders?

 

There were times we didn't want to spend a lot of time eating because we wanted to see a show. As soon as we were seated, we told the waiter that we wanted just the main course, no soup or salad or dessert because we were in a hurry, and we were accomodated. If we had been at a table for eight, we wouldn't have been able to be served as quickly. We had enough experience at lunch in the MDR when it would take other people forever to hem and haw and dither and talk to each other trying to decide what they wanted to eat, and of course the waiter wouldn't place the orders until everyone decided what he wanted. Of course I realize that they were on vacation and were entitled to take as much time as they wanted to decide what they wanted to eat. but it was our vacation, too, and we decided to select Anytime Dining so that we could get what we wanted.

[Treven]

I've cruised alone, and generally I get a table just to myself, though I have shared a table. I don't want or need to make idle chit-chat with people I know nothing about nor want to. Dinner time is me time, to quietly enjoy my dinner and go over my day. I also don't need/want to get to know my wait staff or find out about their home or family.

[johneeo]

I don't want or need to make idle chit-chat with people I know nothing about nor want to. Dinner time is me time, to quietly enjoy my dinner and go over my day. I also don't need/want to get to know my wait staff or find out about their home or family.

 

Are you my wife?

 

Never knew you were on CC.:eek:

[Happy ks]

We've done it all, early, late and MTD. I don't care for early dining but we rarely go to shows, so there's no reason to rush to dinner. Late is a bit later than we like, but preferred to early. Anytime, or My Time dining works for a small group, but not a larger one.

 

Just feed me, please :p

[spunkyhungry]

I've always done anytime dining, though on the first night on my very first cruise we sat at a large table with strangers. It was ok, but we preferred to be able to freely talk amongst ourselves instead of having to make chit-chat with strangers. I'm shy, and I find that difficult and stressful. Also, I like to be able to eat when and where I want and not when I'm assigned to do so.

[Treven]

Are you my wife?

 

Never knew you were on CC.:eek:

:-))

[Florings]

Love early dining because the timing is perfect for my evening plans. After dinner, just enough time for a wander around, stop in the casino for a few quick games. An after dinner cocktail, then hit the show room. What great evenings!

 

If I'm hungry later after dancing, more casino, walks on deck, late comedy show, I'll have a piece of pizza or something. Maybe this time, I'll do room service!

[DDWW]

We like late seating. We are from AZ so late seating in the Carribean is about the same time as our regular dinner time, considering the the time change.

 

We tried anytime once and found that anytime for most folks was 7-7:30, so had to wait up to 20 minutes for a table.

 

So it goes.

 

DDWW

[bonvoyage88]

Thanks for all the feedback. This really has helped me to make up my mind about our dining situation.

 

Linda