Any Advantages to Early Seating for Dinner?

[Arubalisa]

We are a family of 10 on the waitlist for a table at the late seating on a sailing with a southern Caribbean itinerary. Spoke to Captains Club, we are all "only" Select or Classic Levels, and was told what I am sure they tell everyone, "oh don't worry, there will be lots of cancellations" you won't have a problem getting late seating. This is a holiday sailing, the ship is almost full now and it is only April.

 

I am not very optimistic that we will be lucky enough to have the good fortune of being switched. So...try to cheer me up and tell me why the early seating is so terrific?

[TPKeller]

It's much easier to partake of the midnight buffets / treats after 5 hours, instead of only 3 hours! :)

 

Theron

[chessbriar]

Early seating usually fills up first. It's odd you had to waitlist for Late. During holiday cruises you get more families with kids who want early seating. Don't worry, you should have no problem getting late seating.

[dkjretired]

traveling with children and it is a definite advantage for the kids. On some nights the kids clubs are closed for early seating and resume their activities once completed. If they ate at late seating they would miss quality hours at the kids clubs if they participate.

[Bruin Steve]

Okay...I'll bite...

I am among the many that greatly prefers the Early or Main Seating...

 

But, of course, there are benefits and detriments with both...and it largely comes down to personal preferences...

 

The thing I like the best about early seating is how it affords you so much more of an evening on board in which to partake of nighttime activities--we generally go from dinner to the show to karaoke or the piano bar, then, if we still have the energy, the casino or dancing and so on...The folks with Late seating end up with so much shorter of a night...and we love nights on the ship!!

 

Here's a long answer I wrote and saved from another thread:

 

Early versus Late Seating

 

Probably the most debated and most polar question on the board...

 

Some people prefer late, others early...and both groups seem to be convinced they are absolutely right...

 

There are arguments pro and con both seatings...though most may be rationalizations...Most folks could probably adapt well to either seating...but it really is a matter of personal preference...

 

Here's the basic rundown:

 

Late seating afficianados claim:

 

--Late seating has fewer kids (I guess they don't like kids)...

The argument counter to this is that they usually don't seat you at a table with kids unless you yourself have kids...and, depending on time of year and itinerary, most cruises don't have a lot of kids anyway...Also, on some European cruises with a large European contingent, the European families --with kids--are all at the late seating

 

--You don't have to rush through dinner to make way for the next seating...

Counter argument: This is total hogwash...They leave about a 2 to 2-1/4 hour window for EACH seating...plenty of time...and the wait staff wants you out of second seating so they can get their very short sleep time before breakfast...They move you along at BOTH seatings on a very similar schedule...

 

--You don't have to rush back from port to get ready for dinner...

There's sometimes some truth to this one, though far from the absolute some would have you think. Check your itinerary...If the ship sets sail at 5 pm in most ports, you've got to be back on board by maybe 4:30...There's plenty of time to get ready for dinner by 6 (remember "Formal nights" are typically on "at sea days")...unless. of course, you're married to that woman who "needs" 3 hours to dress for dinner...It only really becomes a problem for most of us when a ship is in port very late...and that's where it makes great sense to avail oneself of Specialty restaurants and alternative dining...Last cruise, we were in LeHavre late and merely arranged with the Maitre d' to have ourselves accommodated at late seating in that one port--no problem...

 

--They like to have a lot of time pre-dinner to drink martinis and go up on deck and watch the ship shove off from the dock...

This is important, I guess, for some people...not important at all for others...it's a lifestyle choice at best...

 

The arguments for Early Seating:

 

--It leaves a longer window for more nighttime activities...You're done with Dinner by 8:30, you can go to a show, then Karaoke or dancing or the casino...there's a longer night to enjoy the amenities of the ship...

The late seating argument is that there's always a later show...or a pre-dinner show (But, somehow, doesn't that counter the more time to get ready, drink martinis and watch the sailaway argument?)...or that the shows aren't that good or who gives a dang about the Karaoke or the Piano Bar or whatever...Again, it's a lifestyle choice...

 

--You don't go to bed on a full stomach...

I guess it depends on when you go to bed...

 

--You aren't still full for the Midnight Buffet

Well, most ships don't do many Midnight Buffets anymore...and, who can eat again even if you ate back at 6 to 8:30? But, of course, it does leave room for a little late night pizza or other snack...

 

--You don't come back from port hungry and have to wait around several hours before you can eat...

Of course, the Late Seating crowd will tell you they come back and go to the buffet or sushi or wherever for a bite to tide them over while waiting for dinner...

 

Personally, we prefer Early seating because we're accustomed to eating a little earlier while home and don't need much time to get ready for dinner...We also enjoy all of the nighttime activities on the ship...We've often been lucky and have been seated at tables near windows where we can watch the ship shove off while enjoying appetizers and the company of tablemates...

 

But, the real answer is....Whatever works for you...

[caviargal]

I agree that it is a lifestyle choice for the most part.

 

At home, we have dinner at 7:30 or so. When we dine out, it is that time or later.

 

On a cruise, I like to take a fitness class in the late afternoon and then do some sauna time. This puts me at around 6pm or so.

 

Then it is back to the cabin for a glass or two of wine while taking my time dressing for dinner. We leave the cabin around 8 or so for a drink before dinner.

 

On this last ZUI cruise, we had standing reservations in the PG at 8:30pm.

 

We do not enjoy sitting down in a show after dinner so will opt for dancing if available. When finishing dinner around 10:30 or so, there is generally a bit of activity in the lounges as the shows have finished.

 

It is just what works for us.

[cruzin4us]

I'm sorry, but I can't think of one good reason to have early seating......sorry

[dlhamlten]

Sorry, but I can't think of one good reason for Late Seating.

[CAKER]

Okay...I'll bite...

I am among the many that greatly prefers the Early or Main Seating...

 

But, of course, there are benefits and detriments with both...and it largely comes down to personal preferences...

 

The thing I like the best about early seating is how it affords you so much more of an evening on board in which to partake of nighttime activities--we generally go from dinner to the show to karaoke or the piano bar, then, if we still have the energy, the casino or dancing and so on...The folks with Late seating end up with so much shorter of a night...and we love nights on the ship!!

 

Here's a long answer I wrote and saved from another thread............

 

 

WE AGREE WITH ALL OF YOUR POINTS. WE ALWAYS PREFER FIRST SEATING. ONLY ONCE WAS THERE ANY PROBLEM, AND THAT WAS IN ST. PETERSBURG, RUSSIA WHEN WE GOT BACK FROM THE AFTERNOON TOUR AT 5 P.M., AND HAD TO RUSH TO GET READY FOR THE RUSSIAN BALLET, AND HAD TO EAT QUICKLY BEFORE LEAVING. ON ALL OTHER CRUISES, TOURS GOT US BACK BY 4:30, AND PLENTY OF TIME TO GET READY FOR 6/6:15 DINNER. USUALLY "DINED" UNTIL 8 P.M., THEN LEASURELY WALK TO EVENING SHOW AT 8:30/8:45/9 P.M.

 

THE ONLY OTHER IDEA THAT WASN'T MENTIONED, IF EARLY A.M. TOUR, THEN EASIER TO GO TO SLEEP EARLIER THAN IF WE WERE SECOND SEATING.

[mahdnc]

We have always done main seating because of our children.

 

One thing that I noticed on our last two Celebrity cruises is that on some nights, the evening show is presented to the Late Seating passengers before their dinner which I would not like.