My time dining or late dining??

[laurrbarr]

Normally for every cruise we pick the late dining but for the next cruise we chose my time dining. I am reading pretty horrible reviews on it. What are your past experiences with it? If we dont like it are we able to change to a set dining time? We are Fttf if that makes a difference. :)

[iliveinletters]

I've always chosen my time dining because I like the flexibility it affords me. We don't like to eat too early and at the same time, we like to watch the late shows in the theater. With anytime dining we don't have to worry about rushing through dinner. We've been lucky in that we've had excellent service the first night of our cruises and were able to continue requesting the same dining team for the rest of the cruise. I like that aspect because the servers would remember us and our preferences.

[dainew]

We only do late dining

[bar1068]

Normally for every cruise we pick the late dining but for the next cruise we chose my time dining. I am reading pretty horrible reviews on it. What are your past experiences with it? If we dont like it are we able to change to a set dining time? We are Fttf if that makes a difference. :)

 

Well...don't just read the horrible reviews...read the good ones, of which there are many...then make a "balanced" choice ....we've done ATD on our last 6 cruises....nothing even remotely close to horrible...

[jtxo]

I think there are pros and cons to both. We've usually had ATD, although we are thinking of going with a set time next time. I think it can also depend on how many of your fellow cruisers are ATD and when they show up. On our most recent cruise ATD wasn't so good, but the 2 previous cruises it rocked.

 

Whichever you pick, have a good time! Even if it's bad service you can still have fun!! Yahoo for vacation!!

[sjcruiser]

We haven't done early seating, or MTD/YTD, and stick with late seating. We prefer late as it gives us enough time to get back to the ship and relax on port days, or to take a nap, even if its a power nap, before getting reading for dinner. This allows us to be refreshed and alert for the night activities. I have also seen mixed reviews on MTD/YTD, which as stated, I think you have to balance the negative and positive reviews to get a real feel, if its really that bad.

[idiebabe]

Late Seating! Not a fan of ATD!

[WindsorFred]

Well...don't just read the horrible reviews...read the good ones, of which there are many...then make a "balanced" choice ....we've done ATD on our last 6 cruises....nothing even remotely close to horrible...

 

 

Agree. We've done ATD since it became available. Only one time were we given a pager and waited for 15 minutes. Other times either right in or within 5. Party of 4.

[re-re]

I love ATD, try it for yourself you may or may not like it, i tried the chocolate melting cake that everyone loves and it was not for me, all that to say you will never know if it's something you will like if you don't try, Enjoy your cruise :)

[OCruisers]

We love the option of ATD! Sometimes we want to have dinner earlier and sometimes even later than Late Dining. We are flexible so will share and sit at any waiter's station so we've never had to wait.

Whatever works for you! :)

LuLu

[marshhawk]

We love ATD. The first time we tried it, it gave us the opportunity to dine with our roll call buddies. The second time we used it we figured out when to go to get the waiter's shows, and the third time we were a party of 6-some came to all the meals, sometimes it was just two or 4, so ATD worked for us.

 

Enjoy, it's a meal-it's like going to a restaurant.:)

[Cruise, J.D.]

Normally for every cruise we pick the late dining but for the next cruise we chose my time dining. I am reading pretty horrible reviews on it. What are your past experiences with it? If we dont like it are we able to change to a set dining time? We are Fttf if that makes a difference. :)

 

We like YTD. I can't see a good reason to ever go back to set time dining.

[SMSACE6]

Normally for every cruise we pick the late dining but for the next cruise we chose my time dining. I am reading pretty horrible reviews on it. What are your past experiences with it? If we dont like it are we able to change to a set dining time? We are Fttf if that makes a difference. :)

 

I think it just becomes a personal choice, once you have done both set time early and late as well as your time dining. I have done early and late traditional dining because that is all there was at the time, and they both had their pros and cons. Last cruise I had your time dining and loved it, and I swear I will never go back to traditional unless I am travelling with others who insist on it.

 

My experience with your time dining was very good. I got the same wait team every night, they were excellent. I did however always go early between opening time at 5.45pm and about 6.15pm. I never had to wait, and always got my same wait team. I did like the flexibility of arriving when it was suitable for me, and not having to rush to get ready for a specific time, or have to cut short something that I was doing because it was time for dinner.

 

This is just my opinion as it relates to me though, so I think that one should at least try your time dining once, and then decide if you like that or not. If you go first night and find your wait team not so great, you can request another the next time. I do not believe however that you can switch to early or late fixed time dining after day one or two, however I suppose it doesnt hurt to ask if need be.

 

 

 

Whichever you choose I hope you enjoy and hope you have a wonderful cruise.

Edited June 30, 2014 by SMSACE6

[092306]

We used to do late seating and switched to anytime several cruises ago and would never go back to traditional. We've had positive experiences with it and like the flexibility.

[Chileancruiser]

Late Seating! Not a fan of ATD!

 

 

Any Time Dinning! Not a fan of Early/Late Seating!

 

Just simply love the flexibility.

[MaraBerk]

I love ATD never had any issues or wait. We've gone as early as 5:45pm and as later as 9:15pm and got the same service and waitstaff. The only way to decide is to try it yourself.

[siestakeys04]

We tried your time and we stood in line longer than we did when we did late dining. For some it maybe ok I just will stick to late. Have fun cruising

 

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[tandemcruzr]

Late for us.

[Cruise life]

ATD...They ask us if we want a romantic table for two or if we want to join/meet others. Timing Flexibility. The option to bring other ATD diners we meet along the way for a group dinner. Meeting lots of wait staff and discovering their unique qualities; some are more humorous or attentive, for example.

We have made the switch and won't go back. We had more bad experiences doing scheduled dining than ATD...one time we were traveling as a couple and always were sat with two other couples at tables for two in a weird triangle configuration. We ended up meeting one of the other two couples and spoke to them from across the tables since those tables could not be joined together.

 

 

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[lauraezzell]

We've only done ATD and LOVE it! We usually request the same table and wait staff each week and have been fortunate enough to get them every time. The wait & bar staff get to know you and your preferences and sometimes have them ready for you when you arrive. It has been nothing but a great experience for us!

[Lovefuninthesun]

Have always done late seating and loved it.

This time, however, in the spirit of trying something new, we are going to try ATD - we'll see! :)

 

 

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[Rh2458]

Late Seating! Not a fan of ATD!

 

Not sure what the problem would be with the Any Time Dining to be honest. We haven't had an issue, and like the flexibility to hit the dining room when we're hungry and ready to eat. What about it makes you not a fan?

[mrobstad]

You could have to wait with ATD if you wish to dine only with your party. Once, we had to wait 45 mins cuz we didn't know we could sit with others....

 

 

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[Rh2458]

You could have to wait with ATD if you wish to dine only with your party. Once, we had to wait 45 mins cuz we didn't know we could sit with others....

 

 

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It was always just the two of us so we never had a wait. This time though I will request to be seated with another couple at least if one might be available. Making new friends and having dinner conversation would be enjoyable.

[Singer4Him]

Our first two cruises we did early. We were scheduled for early on the third but needed to change dining rooms and all that was left was late...we LOVED it! Ever since, that's what we pick. Since we sleep in sometimes, we eat breakfast late which means we eat lunch late. We aren't that hungry until later on in the evening. Late dining definitely works for us!