How late for dinner can you be? (and still be served)

[latitude918]

I was 25 minutes late to dinner once. The wife-to-be had a wardrobe malfunction on the way to dinner and had to skedaddle back to the room to fix it.

 

I hate being late, and even more, I hate inconveniencing other people. I made up for it by apologizing to the waiters and buying my table a round.

 

OP, if it was an accident, I wouldn't sweat it too much, but since you already know ahead of time you'll be pushing lateness, just plan on eating at the Lido that night. No harm, no foul :)

[Laurie S.]

If you can't make it your set dining time within 10 minutes of it, eat on Lido. They really need to close the doors to the stragglers.

[love my grandkids]

One cannot show up late to ATD (based on the post I responded to). Later than expected, but not late. Either way, if you're told it's going to be a while to seat you and your child is hungry, there is no wait at the buffet so again, the parents are the ones who inconvenienced their child, not the MDR (whether ATD or dedicated dining time).

 

If it was us with a small child and we were told a long wait we would immediately head up to lido.

 

My point is if they were late arriving to set time dining would think they would be told to go elsewhere or be seated. Do not understand why they would have been asked to wait screwing up their poor waitstaff even further.

[skittl1321]

 

The shuttle leaves the Play Mia store' date=' across the street from the dock, every hour. The ship is scheduled to be at port at 11:00, which is why I assumed I'd be on the 12:00 shuttle. Any chance the ship could arrive early, and we'd catch the 11:00 shuttle?[/quote']

 

Sometimes the ships are early. Sometimes the ships are late. Who knows.

 

 

Early dining is nice for people with kids, but has the negative appeal of meaning shorter time in ports. Late dining means you have to wait a long time to eat; but you also don't have to rush to get back and cleaned up for dinner. It's just how it goes, pros and cons. Plan on eating at the Lido or cutting your port day short.

 

Personally, I like spending time in port, so I'd just go with the Lido.

[Out to sea!]

Sometimes the ships are early. Sometimes the ships are late. Who knows.

 

 

Early dining is nice for people with kids, but has the negative appeal of meaning shorter time in ports. Late dining means you have to wait a long time to eat; but you also don't have to rush to get back and cleaned up for dinner. It's just how it goes, pros and cons. Plan on eating at the Lido or cutting your port day short.

 

Personally, I like spending time in port, so I'd just go with the Lido.

 

The ship could even miss the port making this thread moot. :D

[PrincessArlena'sDad]

The ship could even miss the port making this thread moot. :D

 

If that happens, I'm going to come here and stalk you for eternity :eek:

 

Where is the best place to wait for them to let us off the ship? (on the Paradise)

[SadieN]

One cannot show up late to ATD ...............

 

 

You can, but they won't seat you.

[faroozi]

Please don't go late. On our last cruise we were on a table top for 4. Our table mates started the trip 10 minutes late. Halfway through the cruise they showed up after our entrees were served, and by the last day showed up while we were eating dessert. Loved our wait crew and the fact that they did not wait for the latecomers. Our wait staff named us by name, took pictures with us, and were great. They did not seem to care for the extra work caused by the latecomers, though they were sweet about it. And it made us feel like we must have been the worst table mates that they were avoiding us so drastically. But they spent so little time with us, how could they know! Plus we are fabulous! I know you are only going to be late one day because a late port day, but other people read these and we were greatly affected by our tablemates' lateness. We would have much rather had tablemates that we could have gotten to know or been by ourselves. Being inturrupted halfway through our meal was rude.

Edited July 24, 2015 by faroozi

[mickiemac]

On our Freedom cruise, there was a family of about 5 adults and 3 children that came to dinner an hour past time, every night. After about the 3rd night, the waitstaff brought them family style bowls of food. I do not know if it was prearranged or not, but the individual service ceased.

[dave_k58]

We have 6:00 dining. I'm not sure what time we will be back from our trip to Playa Mia. They have shuttles that leave Playa Mia every hour on the hour.

 

I think they are open until 7:00 ships time (not sure). If they are' date=' we may decide to skip MDR, and just eat at Lido buffet. We won't be getting there until around 12:30 ships time. But, if we're getting tired and want to head back, I'd like to know which shuttle would work so we could eat at the MDR.

 

I assume the 5:00 shuttle would get us back in time to change in our cabin before dinner.

 

But, what if we bring our change of clothes with us to Playa Mia? This way, if we catch the 6:00 shuttle, we can go right to the MDR after boarding. When would we arrive at the MDR? Would they still serve us? Would it help if we spoke to our server the night before, maybe even pre-order?

 

Just trying to figure out all of our options.

 

We're using the shuttles instead of a cab so we won't need car seats.

 

If it matters, we're scheduled to depart Cozumel at 8:00.

 

Thanks![/quote']

 

I think you should either make arrangements to be on time, get a late reservation in the steak house or eat in the Lido. When someone is late it really screws up the servers and the rest of the people at your table. Not trying to be rude - just my opinion.

[PrincessArlena'sDad]

I think you should either make arrangements to be on time, get a late reservation in the steak house or eat in the Lido. When someone is late it really screws up the servers and the rest of the people at your table. Not trying to be rude - just my opinion.

 

No steakhouse on Paradise.

 

That's why I asked. I didn't want to just show up late and cause a problem.

 

If I didn't care about being rude or discourteous, I would have just shown up at 7 without asking about it first.

[skittl1321]

Where is the best place to wait for them to let us off the ship? (on the Paradise)

 

Whichever deck you disembark on there will be a giant crowd waiting. Usually deck 0, but often you have to wait on deck 1.

 

Although, last time we were in Cozumel they never announced you could disembark, and we just noticed people slowly filtering out a little before the official port time.

[PrincessArlena'sDad]

Whichever deck you disembark on there will be a giant crowd waiting. Usually deck 0, but often you have to wait on deck 1.

 

Although, last time we were in Cozumel they never announced you could disembark, and we just noticed people slowly filtering out a little before the official port time.

 

What time would you suggest we start lining up? On, on Paradise, is it the front or aft of the ship?

Edited July 24, 2015 by PrincessArlena'sDad

[092306]

We have 6:00 dining. I'm not sure what time we will be back from our trip to Playa Mia. They have shuttles that leave Playa Mia every hour on the hour.

 

 

 

I think they are open until 7:00 ships time (not sure). If they are' date=' we may decide to skip MDR, and just eat at Lido buffet. We won't be getting there until around 12:30 ships time. But, if we're getting tired and want to head back, I'd like to know which shuttle would work so we could eat at the MDR.

 

 

 

I assume the 5:00 shuttle would get us back in time to change in our cabin before dinner.

 

 

 

But, what if we bring our change of clothes with us to Playa Mia? This way, if we catch the 6:00 shuttle, we can go right to the MDR after boarding. When would we arrive at the MDR? Would they still serve us? Would it help if we spoke to our server the night before, maybe even pre-order?

 

 

 

Just trying to figure out all of our options.

 

 

 

We're using the shuttles instead of a cab so we won't need car seats.

 

 

 

If it matters, we're scheduled to depart Cozumel at 8:00.

 

 

 

Thanks![/quote']

 

 

In our experience whenever there was a late port time, the MDR just had open seating for that evening since many would be on excursions or already have eaten in port and planned not to eat during their set dining time anyway. That may be the case for your port day as well. If so, you are fine to show up in the dining room during open seating times just like breakfast. Hope it all works out for you.

[angiegal]

If I remember correctly, we went to Playa Mia when we were in Cozumel on our last cruise (on the Paradise as well). It was a last minute change for us because there was poor visibility and our snuba excursion was cancelled. Anyway.... If it was indeed Playa Mia, and I'm 97% sure it was, food was included in our beach day. We ate brunch around 10:30, got off the ship as soon as they made the announcement, then ate at the beach for lunch and again right before we left. We took the last shuttle back, showered and changed when we got back to our cabins and had pizza or deli later in the evening. We've only gone to the dining room for dinner a handful of times on port days. We typically prefer to relax after a day of snorkeling or exploring :)

[PrincessArlena'sDad]

If I remember correctly, we went to Playa Mia when we were in Cozumel on our last cruise (on the Paradise as well). It was a last minute change for us because there was poor visibility and our snuba excursion was cancelled. Anyway.... If it was indeed Playa Mia, and I'm 97% sure it was, food was included in our beach day. We ate brunch around 10:30, got off the ship as soon as they made the announcement, then ate at the beach for lunch and again right before we left. We took the last shuttle back, showered and changed when we got back to our cabins and had pizza or deli later in the evening. We've only gone to the dining room for dinner a handful of times on port days. We typically prefer to relax after a day of snorkeling or exploring :)

 

When was the last shuttle back? Do you remember how long it took?

[PrincessArlena'sDad]

In our experience whenever there was a late port time, the MDR just had open seating for that evening since many would be on excursions or already have eaten in port and planned not to eat during their set dining time anyway. That may be the case for your port day as well. If so, you are fine to show up in the dining room during open seating times just like breakfast. Hope it all works out for you.

 

This would be perfect. I assume they would announce this in the Fun Times?

[jimbo5544]

When was the last shuttle back? Do you remember how long it took?

 

 

There are two ferry companies, they both run on the hour and take about 45 minutes. The last ferry is 9 pm (Mexico time) weather permitting.

Edited July 24, 2015 by jimbo5544

[jimbo5544]

This would be perfect. I assume they would announce this in the Fun Times?

 

Open seating is only in certain ports of call.

[skittl1321]

In our experience whenever there was a late port time, the MDR just had open seating for that evening since many would be on excursions or already have eaten in port and planned not to eat during their set dining time anyway.

 

 

They are scheduled to depart at 8:00- so I think most people would be back for dinner; or they plan to eat lightly in the Lido. I suppose it might happen, but if I were the OP I wouldn't bank on it.

 

I've only seen that in ports that depart nearing midnight; especially if you don't get to the port until like 3 or4.

[PrincessArlena'sDad]

Open seating is only in certain ports of call.

 

Do you know which ones?

[jimbo5544]

Do you know which ones?

 

 

I have not seen it done with any regularity. The other poster who said it is only in ports where you stay late (and get in late) is the best info. That being said, we have taken the ferry over to playa del Carmen and really enjoyed the time over there.

[SadieN]

Nvm

Edited July 25, 2015 by SadieN

[pezhead]

Last time I was in Cozumel, it was the same port times. Dinner that night was open seating. It might has changed, but it was definitely a more casual night on board.

 

Sent from my KFTHWI using Tapatalk

[PrincessArlena'sDad]

Last time I was in Cozumel, it was the same port times. Dinner that night was open seating. It might has changed, but it was definitely a more casual night on board.

 

Sent from my KFTHWI using Tapatalk

 

How long ago was this?