late or early seating. Which one do you choose?

[funhouse8]

I'm trying to figure out which seating to choose for our RCL vacation. Can you share with me the reason you picked the time you have and why. This will really help me decide. Thanks all!

[masterbaker]

Most of the time we pick late seating. The advantages are not having to rush to get ready for dinner after a port, and that more adults are at late seating. Most families with young kids choose early so that their kids can do the kids club activities in the evening. We love being able to come back aboard after a long port day and relax in the pool and have time for coctails before dinner. We eat late at home anyway so it's not different than our normal routine.

[momofzeke]

We choose late seating. That way, we're not rushed getting ready for dinner, especially on port days. Our kids are adults, however, (20 and 23 on our next cruise). A lot of people with smaller kids prefer early seating. One thing about late seating, though, you are NOT hungry enough to partake of the midnight buffets (not a problem for us, but worth thinking about). Good luck!

[Julie UpNorth]

We have always chosen the late seating for a few reasons

 

1. We don't have to cut our time short in port to rush back to get ready for dinner. The ship often leaves port at 7p.m. and with the late seating you get to be on shore longer and don't have to rush to get ready for dinner.

 

2. We don't have children traveling with us. Many people with small children prefer the early seating.

 

3. Late seating tends to be less crouded and rushed as they don't have to hurry you along for the next seating.

 

4. If we chose to go to the show after dinner, this too is less crouded later in the evening.

[Sheffie]

We choose late seating for the same reasons PLUS I like to be up on deck for sail-away, and I cannot do that if we have first seating.

[CruiseAddict82]

Always late!! ;)

[cali-croozer]

We choose early because it's closer to our regular dinner time and we sail with our kids. Many families choose early dinner because it gives their kids a chance to participate in "camp" activities after dinner (for example, on Carnival, organized activities for kids up to age 14 end around 10pm and late dinner might not be over until around then).

[wwinfl91]

We like late although Princess's PC choice dining is what I would really like to have on all cruise lines. We like the late dining because we usually do things on port days and prefer having some time to clean up and wind down before we go to dinner.

 

Have a great next cruise.

[LuvMyVette]

Hi:

 

DH/I started with early seating and after a few cruises we changed to late seating.

Why....

1 ~ More time in port, don't have to rush back to the ship to get ready for dinner.

2 ~ Being able to have a cocktail in the Viking Crown an hour before dinner (it's a tradition on every cruise.)

3 ~ If we want to take a nap, relax in the pool, read, etc. we would have time to do so.

4 ~ Not being hungry for the midnight buffet.... unless there's chocolate! LOL

5 ~ We don't feel rushed at dinner.

[Sekhmet]

Always late, largely because it's closer to our normal dinner time at home. Also, we like to have a leisurely pre-dinner drink, and 5.30 seems a bit too decadent!

[CaptData]

Early, I'm diabetic. Here a quick break down

 

Late

- not rushed from shore

- not rush from table

- fewer children

- to full for mid-night buffets

- You can have a drink before hand

 

Early

- see all the shows without rushing

- good for children (can go to kids club)

- good if you have to have meals and meds at certain times

- can have a messauge before bed (they close at 9)

- enjoy the mid-night buffet

[familycruzer]

If I am cruising without the kids, I look at what times we are in and out of ports. I dont want to miss a sail away while sitting in the DR.

If I am cruising witht the kids, I take early seating because then my kids dont miss any of the evening activities. It also gives us a chance to spend some quiet time alone without them.

[serene56]

I have tried late seating once. The rest we did early. Even the kids (older teens at the time) prefered the early.

 

Camps are closed during the early seating so theydont miss out on much. Camp and teen activities are hoping when we went to late dinner.

 

Late dinner is done between the hours of 8 and 10pm and can not imagine trying to stuff another bite in from the midnight buffet. Eating early allows us to samle stuff on that buffet.

 

Sleeping after eating at 10pm was very uncomfortable. Usually we eat by 6 at home so by the time we went to bed the food is somewhat digested.

[LSUtraveler]

We used to choose late seating but now do early seating. We choose early seating so that while on the ship we can eat early and take in any early shows or just roam the ship until late without having that 'heavy' feeling later.

 

Also if we're off the ship and we want to stay on shore until close to sailing we can always eat at the buffet. Not that big a deal.

[Grayce]

We do early because it's close to the time we usually eat at home.

[Happy ks]

We've done both and for us, late works better. The times we have had early seating, we just feel as though we miss so much more of the cruise. After a heavy meal we're both pretty well done for the day. If we have early seating, we're in bed by 9pm!

 

Late seating, you have time for a nap before dinner and more time to get ready.

 

I have to add, we don't care if we attend the midnight buffets, we really don't need an extra meal. The buffets are pretty, but the food is, well, buffet food, not really a big deal.

 

Late seating has always worked out better for us, even when our children were younger.

[serene56]

I am wondering if where you are from has anything to do with picking later seating. Seeing the people from the west coast-picking a later seating would just keep you on time. Or does it not really matter.

[trish1c]

check out this thread --it's a poll about seating times.

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=159632

[texancruzer]

It would depend on the cruise itinerary. We ate early for our first as this was the time my MIL/FIL chose (we were sailing w/them) however: we again have chosen early for our upcoming cruise as we liked eating first, then going to show, then to casino or dancing then back to cabin. Our itinierary has our ship leaving port (new port each day !!) at 5:30 so we have to be back by 4:30 anyway. Time for a quick nap, shower, dressed and off to dinner. When at home we usually eat dinner pretty late so I guess this is out of the norm for us. Just seems to flow better for us. PS. Our kids are grown and do not cruise w/us so that is not a factor.

[bh2359]

If you are one of those that likes to be a glutton on lobster tail night, or crab legs, or prime rib, then late seating is for you. At early seating, the waiters are reluctant to serve seconds or thirds (they will but are reluctant to) because they want to make sure enough is left for late seating.

 

We asked for seconds and thirds on lobster tail on late seating and have had several waiters bring a platter of just lobster tails to the table for all of us. On one cruise, I had six and my wife had five. That was only on one cruise as we usually don't eat like that.......

 

But it was fun!

[sillylizzie]

I think it's all about personal choice. At home, we rarely eat before 7pm due to work and whatnot. SO the idea of eating at 5-5:30pm seems odd. We also like to spend as much time as possible in port, and then relax a bit before having to get ready for dinner. However, that's all personal preference.

[mii]

As we eat early at home we always choose early seating. We find if we eat late the food just lays like a lump in our stomachs. So early for us.

 

Marilyn

[kiwigirl]

We also choose the early seating. We usually try to eat before 7 when we're at home so this is closer to the norm for us. Also if we're in port we don't worry about eating on the ship. My DH likes to try local foods.

 

On our next cruise we chose the 6:15 seating (hopefully we'll get it). It seemed like a good compromise - 5:30 a bit to early, 8:00 definitely to late.

[PurpleCow]

Ive been on 4 cruises, 2 early seating, 1 late seating and 1 open seating. With open seating I found we seldom got to the dining room before 9, so I guess late seating would be my preference.

[mrsfuzzmo]

Always Late. We love to spend as much time in port as is allowed. We are always on the last tender or getting onboard 5 minutes before last call. (Don't worry, we've never missed the ship, as we usually get back to right in the area of the tender or the ship and find a couple of extra cocktails near the dock - usually at least an hour or so before, just in case). Anyway, we prefer late seating due to the fact that we don't have kids, don't really want to eat with them, but like to sit with a larger group, so it is more likely to get an all adults table for late seating. We also stay out late dancing and gambling so we never go to bed without some digestion.