What is your ideal length of time for dinner?

[shipgeeks]

We've always enjoyed a leisurely dinner, usually at a shared table, with time to enjoy the food and the conversation.  Two hours in the dining room would not be unusual.  Now, more and more frequently, I see posts complaining that MDR dinner took almost 50 minutes for three courses.  "Just not acceptable!"  And the most recent one: asking about Chef's Table (a specialty meal with wine pairings, for a small group at a shared table), and how to make sure it doesn't have to last over an hour.

Do you still prefer an unrushed dinner?  Has this changed for you since the shutdown?  What would your ideal dinner be like?

[BklynBoy8]

 

We don't have that problem in either BC or PG.

 

We take whatever amount of time to eat and being served and no rush. Pleasant serving and possible conversation with fellow passengers or staff...

[lenquixote66]

We always enjoyed sitting with people and engaging in conversation.A time of two hours would be sufficient

[lahlah57]

The length of time is dependent on the company. Great conversation seems to never have a time limit!

We have had boorish and obnoxious people share our table and I would be ready to go before the main course.

If I alcohol has been overdone by said people it can be unbearable.

[Harters]

When we first started cruising, back in the 1990s, it was time when dining was at fixed sittings, at the same table. It meant you could be stuck with folk you wouldnt choose to be with (sniffers and soup slurpers - I'm looking at you). It was actually a significant reason (along with formal dress codes) why we stopped cruising.

 

Since we resumed cruising, in 2018, it's been with Oceania which has open dining, so we always dine at a two-top at whatever time we fancy that evening. So, the ideal time we spend eating is pretty much within our control (service in the restaurant permitting). And, as at home or land based restaurant, time will depend on our mood of the  day - sometimes we linger and chat, others we don't so much. 

[CGTNORMANDIE]

Two hours in the right atmosphere is just right.  A bit longer if the company and conversation is enjoyable.  A glass of Port and a cheese plate after dessert with friends usually extends our meal beyond the two hours.

[Hlitner]

DW and I really enjoy dining and prefer to share tables with 4-6 other folks (friends or strangers).  For us, the ideal meal time would be at least 2 hours.  When we happen on a really fun group, our dining time has been known to go over 2 1/2 hours.  When we see younger folks, sitting at a table with everyone looking at their phones and texting we are somewhat amused.  Just recently a young couple told us that they really do not even know how to "socialize" face to face since most of their conversations are via texting.   Even in our own home we do not use phones at the dinner table.

 

Hank

[Harters]

10 hours ago, Hlitner said:

When we see younger folks, sitting at a table with everyone looking at their phones and texting we are somewhat amused.

There used to be a time when we'd go to restaurants and reckon we were old enough to be the parents of most other diners. Now it's grandparents.  We recently went to one small place where almost all the diners were couples, so presumably a "date night" (like we septuagenarians were enjoying). And, on literally every nearby table, everyone was looking at their phone. It was disappointing to see this  - after all, they'd gone there to enjoy each other's company, surely.

[shipgeeks]

We agree that we enjoy a good dinner table with others, but for us, we prefer that it be the same people for the duration of the cruise, so we can go beyond the first night "Where are you from?" and "How are you enjoying the cruise?" conversations.

We've been fortunate in that even the very young (20s) tablemates on recent cruises have been excellent conversationalists, at most bringing out a phone long enough to check on a show time or similar.

[lenquixote66]

On nearly every cruise that we have been on with strangers after lengthy conversations we find that we share something in common.Example :

A Professor from Penn State and I graduated the same HS.