Anytime versus Early Dining

[latebuyer]

Thanks for the replies. I'm still debating. One advantage i see to early is i'm not having to meet 7 sets of new people on the other hand i'm not sure about making it on port days. May i ask if there is some advantage to early in terms of shows and the lincoln center stage?

Edited August 9, 2019 by christinand

[DaveOKC]

7 minutes ago, christinand said:

Thanks for the replies. I'm still debating. One advantage i see to early is i'm not having to meet 7 sets of new people on the other hand i'm not sure about making it on port days. May i ask if there is some advantage to early in terms of shows and the lincoln center stage?

Usually Early gets you out in plenty of time for the shows.  Of course, so does Open if you go about the same time.

 

[latebuyer]

Thanks. decisions, decisions! I am thinking i could try out the buffet too.

[catl331]

On 8/7/2019 at 11:22 AM, 3rdGenCunarder said:

Will they do this if a ship's excursion is scheduled to run later than early fixed, or only if it's running later than scheduled? 

I don't know, but I would expect it would be the same. 

[globalgertie]

I prefer anytime dining whether I am traveling solo or with friend(s). Nice not to be tied down to a specific time. On one cruise my friend and I met some very compatible people so we arranged to all go at the same time and ask for the same table. When alone I enjoy meeting different people at dinner and often have been seated with some of the same people who go at the same time and ask to join others. Only once were we poised to refuse to sit with a particularly annoying person, but luckily the occasion did not come up again! When traveling solo it is nice to be seated at a table with an odd number so that I don’t cause a seat to remain empty.

[3rdGenCunarder]

4 hours ago, christinand said:

Thanks for the replies. I'm still debating. One advantage i see to early is i'm not having to meet 7 sets of new people on the other hand i'm not sure about making it on port days. May i ask if there is some advantage to early in terms of shows and the lincoln center stage?

 

I was very disappointed on the K this winter to discover that most of the Lincoln Center performances were during the early dining time. The year before they were not all at one time, so it was easy to get to performances regardless of our dining time. I'm hoping that because they won't be sharing a space with BBKings (who got all the "prime time" slots on the K) on  Zuiderdam, I'll be able to eat at my usual early fixed and then to to Lincoln Center.

 

[ChinaShrek]

On 8/7/2019 at 9:43 AM, dfish said:

Many solo cruisers will say to do Fixed Dining at a shared table.  I'm going solo in 10 days and I'm doing the opposite.  My fear is being at a table for 6 or 8 and having no one else show up.  

 

This happened to me on a Carnival cruise in April.  I asked to be seated with a group on the first night and it ended up being a table of 7 (including myself). The second night there were four of us.  On the third night, I was seated at the table and told, "I'm sure someone will join you."  No one did. 😕

[latebuyer]

It sounds like early dining may be risky. I am leaning towards anytime dining now. How long does it take approximately to eat a 3 course meal?

[boards]

1 hour ago, christinand said:

It sounds like early dining may be risky. I am leaning towards anytime dining now. How long does it take approximately to eat a 3 course meal?

I doubt it be under an hour, especially if there more one or two at the table.

[catl331]

1 hour ago, christinand said:

How long does it take approximately to eat a 3 course meal?

For us at a table for two it's typically 75 to 90 minutes.  At a table for 7 or 8 you can double that easily. In the Lido we're done in 30 or 40 minutes.

Edited August 9, 2019 by catl331

[TAD2005]

With late, fixed dining, you can take in a full Lincoln Center Stage performance, have a few pre-dinner cocktails, have dinner at 8:00, and then have plenty of time to make the 10:00 pm Main stage show, or the BB-King show, or the Billboard Onboard show.   That's why we love late seating fixed.   And with a reserved 2-top or a 4-top, depending on who we travel with, there's no issues of 7, 14, 21, or 28 nights of questions like "where are you from, where do you work, how many kids/grandkids do you have, how many cruise have you been on, etc etc.   

[latebuyer]

I switched to anytime dining. I can see i am going to be irritated by being asked don't you have someone to travel with? or some such variety seven times during the cruise. It just seems less risky. It would be horrible to be alone at a 6 person table or to not like the people i'm seated with. I also wouldn't want to miss lincoln center stage and this will keep it more flexible for excursions. I believe i can eat even earlier with anytime dining too.

[latebuyer]

I thought i read somewhere you make reservations at 4. Is that correct or is it anytime?

[cruisemom42]

As a solo, I like Anytime dining. I cruise for the ports primarily and prefer not to be tied to a fixed dining time so I can stay ashore without having to worry about getting back. I also like to join a larger table for conversation. I find the preliminaries (where are you from, etc.) only last a few minutes before moving on to more interesting things -- and really, if someone is going to get annoyed by being asked the same questions once per 24 hours, perhaps one might think that one's level of impatience is a bit high....

 

Even on larger ships, if you tend to dine at a similar time in the evening and ask to join a larger table, you will generally begin to run across others you've met before. And being solo, it is also a good way to meet more people who you will then recognize around the ship. (And possibly arrange to have dinner with, if compatible.)

 

 

 

[latebuyer]

 Just today someone asked me don't you have a friend to travel with? and it irritated me. Do you think i would be travelling alone if i had someone to travel with? On the other hand it suggests there is something wrong with me for travelling solo. Shouldn't there be someone else? You've probably just got used to it. I think i will keep on being irritated. I'll try and keep a positive frame of mind though and keep my thoughts to myself. That won't make friends. Its good to hear you've had a good time.

Edited August 10, 2019 by christinand

[latebuyer]

Excuse my last grumpy email. I really do appreciate all your comments. I just sat through a 2.5 hour meal and it made me think i better just get an appetizer and main at dinner and save dessert for lido later! 2.5 hours is too long.