Which dinner seating is better with kids?

[weazie]

We are going on the Granduer in March and we'll have 3 children (10, 12 &14). Which seating is better? Are the kids activities planned around one of the seatings? We just don't want to be rushed when we are on excursions.

[KeyOfSea]

I don't know about the younger one but the 12 - 14 age group often has activities during late seating. Therefore, we didn't see much of our then 14 year old son at dinner. We did "make" him come to the formal nights with the family. At 16, he was happier to eat with us each night.

[sailor moon]

We do early seating because the kids are usually tired and hungry by then. Sometimes we opt for the windjammer instead of the dining room.

[wrp96]

From what I can tell, a lot of families prefer early seating. Adventure Ocean programs start around 7pm and many kids don't want to miss them, which they would if you are in late seating. This may not make as much difference to your kids depending on how involved they get in the kids programs. Also, the late seating usually doesn't end until at least 9:30 or 10, which can be really late eating for kids (for adults too depending on what you are used to). One option I've seen families do is to take late seating. The kids eat in the Windjammer early and then go to A.O., and then the parents eat alone together in the main dining room at the late seating time. Maybe a couple of times a week, usually on formal nights, then they'll have the kids join them at dinner.

[MiniMom57]

Definitely early seating. The kids will want to meet up with friends, or go to some of the activities, plus they will be hungry from their busy day.

[Grayce]

We did early seating, kids just would not be able to wait until late seating.

[nanfromatlanta]

Early seating is always best when you have children with you. That way they can participate in their own activities afterward.

[ZPOOD@AOL.COM]

We cruise without children. For us this is our time. Although your children are precious I care not to share my meal with them. We always choose the late seating hoping to avoid children in the dinning room. When there are children at the late seating. They usually look tired, and fidigity. I fell bad for them. Dinner isn't over usually till after 10 pm.

[steve20832]

Most kids are very tired late at night from all the activities during the day. I would suggest early seating so you don't have cranky kids at dinner.

[PhoenixCruiser]

We cruise without children. For us this is our time. Although your children are precious I care not to share my meal with them. We always choose the late seating hoping to avoid children in the dinning room.

 

That is why we select the late service too! :D

 

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[luckymbt]

I have 2 daughters, now nearly 5 and 10, they each have cruised since age 2 and we have had both late and early seating. As long as the adults and children are well rested there are never cranky or fidgity persons at the table.

On busy shore days...the family has enjoyed a late afternoon snack and a NAP!!!! this has helped us all get thru the rest of the nite. So late seating can work.

 

Early seating is a bit rushed , esp. if you have activities planned off ship. Although it does allow your children to eat a quick bite and then scurry on up to the kids activities just a bit late, the adults are left to finish their meal.

As I said it is rushed to get ready and to dinner, especially for formal nites.

 

Your children are older and can probably enjoy a late seating dinner w/o problems if you plan a busy day of excursions.

[sandrab]

This is a difficult question to answer - every family is different - I think you have to go with the flow, and just see what suits your family.

 

We sailed last month on Serenade (12 nights) with 4 kids - 8, 9, 13, 15 - and opted for 2nd seating.

 

This suited the 6 of us as we could have a shower and snooze on sea days before dinner, and when ashore, we didn't have to rush back too early for dinner.

 

Our 2 younger kids were let go to AO after the main course most nights (around 9.45pm)- but the older 2 were happy to sit with us for the entire evening.

 

I have to say my DH and I really enjoyed their company for each evening meal.

 

They were all free, btw, to do their own thing during each day at sea - we only had 3 ports of call (Acapulco, Costa Rica, Aruba) and the Panama Canal (& Cristobal), so they had plenty of time for AO/rock climbing/chilling out/hanging out etc.

 

Hope you all have a fabulous cruise!

 

Sandra

[Ella2]

Another vote for EARLY! Our daughter (now 12) has sailed with us probably 6-7 times since she was five, and only ONCE did we have to take late seating as early was full.

 

It was NOT good. She wanted to go to the kid's clubs and rushed through her meal. She was also HUNGRY about two hours before dinner, so we'd have to do a late afternoon snack or room service. Just made for a much more hectic dinner time than we wanted. The kid's activities are ALWAYS based on early seating, as that is where most kids eat.

 

That said, if you would like some COUPLE time, then take late seating, feed the kids earlier in the buffet or through room service, send them to their clubs and then enjoy a quiet dinner with your spouse. That's good for a short cruise, but I think most families (mine included) wanted some FAMILY dinner time as well.

 

Good luck deciding. :)

[FJTinSC]

EARLY ...for sure

 

Late seating has very few children, and it is not usually over till close to 10 PM or later.

 

If you select late seating, the kids miss out on all the activities and just end up bored.

[imatarb]

We're going for early seating with our 7 yr. old son. We'd hate for him to miss out on any programs in Adventure Ocean after dinner. :)

[xpcdoojk]

early is the correct seating time for families. Pretty please!:D

 

jc

[Happy ks]

We have always had better luck with the late seating with our kids, even when they were younger. Of course, every family is different and has different needs, our kids have never been terribly thrilled with the kids club. So, we enjoy the late seating, after a nap and getting ready at a more leisurely pace.

 

The couple of times we had early seating, we felt as though we were rushed through the whole cruise, every day we would have to keep an eye on the clock to return to the ship to get ready for dinner. Being the mom, I have to start earlier than everyone else, so I am available to supervise the rest (including DH). That means, for a 6:15 dinner, I have to start by 4-4:30. If I'm not done ahead of everyone else, it's chaos and everyone is ready but me. I've walked by myself to the dining room 15 minutes late more than once because of it.

 

So, preferring a more relaxed environment and no stress related squabbles, the later seating is more civilised way for us to dine.

[Host Kewlguy]

I would recommend taking the kids to the early seating. Especially since I ALWAYS take late seating. :)

[KJHorton]

We always go for early seating. That way, we enjoy dinner with our son every night. He usually finishes earlier than we do and gets bored sitting at a dinner table anyway. He usually heads off to AO sometime shortly after 7:00, sometimes 7:30 and doesn't miss too much there. Then we are free to enjoy our dessert and have some quiet time before our evening activities. I think we are the ones more tired out than he is!

 

As for feeling rushed for early seating, that is a personal thing. It depends on how long it takes your family to prepare for their meal. We are quick; the three of us can shower and be ready for dinner within 30 minutes so we usually have until about 5:30 every day before we have to prepare for our meal. (No we are not late or sloppy!) Formal nights may take a little longer we might get ready earlier to get a family photo before dinner.