Anyone not eat in dining room?

[stacieps]

I'm looking at a 3 night cruise in April - we've been told that we would be given 2nd seating for dinner and "waitlisted" for 1st seating. My kids are too young to eat at 2nd (and it's late for me too), so I was wondering if anyone skips dinner and eats elsewhere - buffet or room service? This would be our first cruise with DCL. We usually cruise Carnival and like to eat in the dining room as the buffet and room service choices are limited but for just 3 nights, timing would be important and I think I'd eat elsewhere if I couldn't get 1st seating. I've read some reviews but haven't seen any mention of dining other than dining room or Palo.

[gizfish]

One of the most important things on a DCL cruise is the rotation dining. Just like anything Disney does, the attention to detail paid in making the dining experience magical is something you won't want to miss. There are alternatives to the dining room, but you would be giving up a big part of your cruise experience by missing it. When you get on board, you can try to change to first seating if you haven't been able to get off the waitlist. If that doesn't work out, it's only three days in your and your kids life to have to deal with what is unusual for you. It will be well worth it to try to deal with it if you can't change seatings.

[mkymouse4ever]

We did this on our 2nd DCL. We are 2 adult's but felt with the 2nd seating we where "late" for a few activities the 1st cruise and really wanted 1st seating, but unable to get it, we did Palo 1 nite, and room service dinner another then fast food the 3rd. There is no buffet, in the traditional type on board for the 3 day cruise. :rolleyes: But I agree, we had already experienced disney's roational dining and our cruises where only 6 months apart so that was not a big deal to us, but you could be missing something. I did feel, I missed out not eating at Palo our 1st cruise! :eek: You might have a better chance getting moved to 1st seating with kids, but we where totally unable not having kids. This up coming cruise we have 1st seating locked in already :) I am thrilled! But still plan on Palo, and maybe skipping another nite Only eating twice in the dining rooms. We really did not care for AP, which I thought would be our favorite, but we where disappointed? Maybe the build up is to much? :confused:

 

Mky

[squeakcat]

I got second seating on my first cruise, a 3-day with just me and my then 4 year-old daughter. We both did fine. We had a quiet room -service lunch and rest each afternoon. She loved that the pool emptied out while most of the kids went to early dinner. I wouod get her a snack just before the snack area near the pool closed. We slept late each morning except the last-- she was not an American citizen then and we had to get up at the crack of dawn. It all went exceedingly well. I wouldn't hesitate to have late seating again.

[kplattzzz]

We have been assigned late seating for each of our cruises. Every time we have been able to be switched to the early dinner time. When you check in you will be told where to go to request the change. They will do everything possible to accommodate you.

 

Happy cruising!