Early Dining seating at 530?

[lilli]

We are on the Brilliance in January and received our Edocs. We are traveling with my in laws and requested traditional early seating for dinner but I was very surprised to find out this is at 530!!!

Are all the ships now at 530? I was used to 615 or 630 or previous cruises and 530 just seems really early especially if we have a port day.

I guess we will try and switch to the MTD and just make a "reservation" for 630 or so each night.

[LilMermaid]

We are on the Brilliance in January and received our Edocs. We are traveling with my in laws and requested traditional early seating for dinner but I was very surprised to find out this is at 530!!!

Are all the ships now at 530? I was used to 615 or 630 or previous cruises and 530 just seems really early especially if we have a port day.

I guess we will try and switch to the MTD and just make a "reservation" for 630 or so each night.

 

 

We are on the Brilliance next week and are signed up for late seating, which turned out to be 8:00. Usually it's 8:30.....looks like they bumped both dinner times back a half hour for some reason.

 

Can you switch to MTD now? I would think it would be easier then waiting until you board.

[Clarea]

Most ships have early dining at 6pm. However, some ships change that time. Enchantment is at 5:45pm. I think Freedom might be 5:30pm. I remember Voyager out of Galveston was 5:30pm.

[tonyt]

Freedom is at 5:30pm

[negc]

It may have something to do with the demographics but the trend for most, if not all, of their ships seems to be 5:30 and 8:00pm for the traditional seatings.

[lilli]

I will just try and switch to MTD--hopefully still able to!

[Paulette3028]

I will just arrive at the dining room at 6pm. Just because dinner starts at 5:30pm, doesn't mean I have to be there at the beginning.

 

Arriving at 6pm, I will still have plenty of time to enjoy dinner -- and probably have dinner served in a more timely fashion, because the staff still needs to get ready for the late seating.

[springfire]

530 is so early for a cruise!

[negc]

I will just arrive at the dining room at 6pm. Just because dinner starts at 5:30pm, doesn't mean I have to be there at the beginning.

 

Arriving at 6pm, I will still have plenty of time to enjoy dinner -- and probably have dinner served in a more timely fashion, because the staff still needs to get ready for the late seating.

 

There was a time, alas no more, when they closed the dining room doors fifteen or so minutes after a seating began. You seem to think nothing of the inconvenience that you are imposing on the wait staff who have to hustle to get you served so that they can ready the dining room for the second seating guests. MTD is a much better solution for people who feel inconvenienced by the change in dining times. Perhaps you should consider it.:)

[Desert Cruizers]

Unless you were to alert your table and staff, arriving 30 min after seating would be considered rude. I would switch to MTD in that case and go when you wish.

[Paulette3028]

There was a time, alas no more, when they closed the dining room doors fifteen or so minutes after a seating began. You seem to think nothing of the inconvenience that you are imposing on the wait staff who have to hustle to get you served so that they can ready the dining room for the second seating guests. MTD is a much better solution for people who feel inconvenienced by the change in dining times. Perhaps you should consider it.:)

 

Of the 13 cruises we have already taken on RCCL, with #14 for next weekend and #15 for June 2014 -- I have had 2 late seating for dinner (in deference to traveling companions we were with -- never again, BTW for us).

 

What we found was at the late seating (which was too late for us, we did not enjoy the food we ate at that hour), we felt more rushed with service, service was quick, almost too quick -- the staff wanted to be done and get the dining room set up for breakfast.

 

At the early dining, if you arrive early, the staff is very leisurely, service is almost too slow; they clean table setting as people finish and they are setting up for the 2nd seating on an as they go basis. When we would arrive 'on time' for early seating, it would take 75-90 minutes for dinner (too long from my POV) -- yet if we arrive 30 minutes later, we would be leaving the dining room, 75-90 minutes after the start of the 'early dinner seating' -- yet OUR dinner look a more normal timeframe.

 

In normal restaurants, a dinner should not take 90 minutes; and in many restaurants they are making every dinner from scratch. On the ship, all of the appetizers are plated in advance, and many of the main courses are 'plate ready' or also already plated -- that is the only way to be able to serve the number of people in a reasonably short period of time.

 

BTW, it would be rude to show up at 7:00pm or 7:30pm for early dinner seating in my view.

[estoyer]

We've requested 5:30 but I was under the impression the early dinning was for families with children and adults..

[Clarea]

We've requested 5:30 but I was under the impression the early dinning was for families with children and adults..

It is more likely to have children at the early seating, but everyone is welcome at that time.

[Paulette3028]

Unless you were to alert your table and staff, arriving 30 min after seating would be considered rude. I would switch to MTD in that case and go when you wish.

 

Although the table servers would probably not say anything, if it truly caused a problem, the Maitre D' would say something, because it is their job to assure a smooth running of the dining room....and they have never done that.

 

They build in time, just like an airline builds in time, to have 'on time statistics'.

[Toddcan]

Of the 13 cruises we have already taken on RCCL, with #14 for next weekend and #15 for June 2014 -- I have had 2 late seating for dinner (in deference to traveling companions we were with -- never again, BTW for us).

 

What we found was at the late seating (which was too late for us, we did not enjoy the food we ate at that hour), we felt more rushed with service, service was quick, almost too quick -- the staff wanted to be done and get the dining room set up for breakfast.

 

At the early dining, if you arrive early, the staff is very leisurely, service is almost too slow; they clean table setting as people finish and they are setting up for the 2nd seating on an as they go basis. When we would arrive 'on time' for early seating, it would take 75-90 minutes for dinner (too long from my POV) -- yet if we arrive 30 minutes later, we would be leaving the dining room, 75-90 minutes after the start of the 'early dinner seating' -- yet OUR dinner look a more normal timeframe.

 

In normal restaurants, a dinner should not take 90 minutes; and in many restaurants they are making every dinner from scratch. On the ship, all of the appetizers are plated in advance, and many of the main courses are 'plate ready' or also already plated -- that is the only way to be able to serve the number of people in a reasonably short period of time.

 

BTW, it would be rude to show up at 7:00pm or 7:30pm for early dinner seating in my view.

 

Sounds like MTD is more suited for what you are looking for. I found that MTD serving is much quicker than tradional dining times anyways, so that solves your timing problem.

 

I've only sailed 5 times, but I know it's rude to show up even 15 minutes late for your assigned dining time. Especially if you have tablemates. Even without table mates, you seem to be oblivious to the disruption that is caused by late-comers. Just imagine if, say 25% of the dining room did this.

 

Your gauge that indicates that the rudeness starts at 1 hour late - seems way off base to me

[Toddcan]

Although the table servers would probably not say anything, if it truly caused a problem, the Maitre D' would say something, because it is their job to assure a smooth running of the dining room....and they have never done that.

 

They build in time, just like an airline builds in time, to have 'on time statistics'.

 

The fact that someone is "not saying anything to you" should not be your litmus test for rudeness.

[heatherb1958]

I will just arrive at the dining room at 6pm. Just because dinner starts at 5:30pm, doesn't mean I have to be there at the beginning.

 

Arriving at 6pm, I will still have plenty of time to enjoy dinner -- and probably have dinner served in a more timely fashion, because the staff still needs to get ready for the late seating.

 

If you are at a table for two I personally don't see a problem with what you want to do but it is a different situation if you will be sat with others. Also if you let your wait staff know your intentions it will help them.

We don't eat dessert or have coffee in the MDR and tell our wait staff this on the first night so they don't think we are being rude when we leave before the dishes are cleared from the maincourse. It can take twenty minutes sometimes if we sit there being polite waiting for that to happen!!. MTD is perfect for us, table for two and quick service always when I talk with the MTD host on the first day.

[cruzeluver]

To intentionally be late for anything is rude. Pure and simple.

 

Dinner service for staff both in the dining rooms and in the galleys is thrown off when diners arrive late. On our most recent cruise a couple that arrived about 20 minutes late the first night (we had late seating) at our table was served, but was also politely asked to please try to be on time moving forward so they could ensure a smooth dinner service. It was delivered in such a way that the couple understood and they were not late again.

[ShipRiders]

I will just arrive at the dining room at 6pm. Just because dinner starts at 5:30pm, doesn't mean I have to be there at the beginning.

 

Arriving at 6pm, I will still have plenty of time to enjoy dinner -- and probably have dinner served in a more timely fashion, because the staff still needs to get ready for the late seating.

 

 

So what you are doing is MTD without prepaying gratuities. No different than making a standing reservation everynight in MTD.

 

Backhanded if you ask me.

Edited November 22, 2013 by ShipRiders

[lilli]

I would feel very uncomfortable with showing up 30 minutes late--I am generally a follower of the rules and would not be at ease with purposefefully showing up that late.

I think MTD is the way to go and we can try to keep the same table/waitstaff each night as I know my in laws enjoy that.

It does make me wonder if RCCL is trying to "direct" people towards MTD with this early shift in dining times.

[negc]

Although the table servers would probably not say anything, if it truly caused a problem, the Maitre D' would say something, because it is their job to assure a smooth running of the dining room....and they have never done that.

 

They build in time, just like an airline builds in time, to have 'on time statistics'.

 

The fact that they haven't said anything isn't an indication that they approve of your disrupting their schedule and most maitre'ds and headwaiters seem to go out of their way to avoid antagonizing even the most difficult guests. The fact that they build in extra time may be their way to insure that even occasional late arrivals can be served and the dining room readied for the next seating, but it doesn't excuse behavior such as you indicate you intend. As I and others have mentioned, if the set times are inconvenient and we all know how important "ME" is to some people, MTD seems to be the best option for you.

[nelblu]

My reservation on Allure for the Feb. 9th cruise shows 6pm traditional dining.

[estoyer]

The fact that someone is "not saying anything to you" should not be your litmus test for rudeness.

 

Hello Toddcan.. I have a question unrelated to this blog. Has the barge above the dam ever been removed.. Thanks in advance for your response...

[Polomom]

Our March cruise on the Grandeur is 5:30 / 8:00. I was surprised so I had my TA check for us.