1 year old - early or late seating

[TNC010100]

I was curious about those of you who have traveled with young ones. We are from CA and are set for the early seating. But somehow I feel that it just might be too early for her (i.e. 3pm) If we go to the late seating, do we see the shows before or after dinner? I read where others have brought the stroller into dinner to have them sleep, but I don't want to do that. She is eating solids and I would rather her be a part of dinner, not just sleep through it. Any thoughts?

[caribbean dreams]

What time does she normally eat dinner? I don't know what ship you are on but most of the families with young children are at earily seating.

If you have late seating you will miss some of the shows or have to eat fast and run to get a seat.

[Dawniepoo]

They usually have shows for each seating so no one misses it. I would take the late seating because being on Pacific time, you will be eating around 5:00 your time.

[Califonria cruiser]

We live in Ca and since we arrives before our cruise and our kids will get into the new time routine we opt for early dinner. (we like to get off the boat early so they couldn't sleep in that much)

 

If you are going to stay on Ca time or going to allow them to sleep in, I'd go for late dinner since it matches our Ca time.

 

I'm always amazed that on the flight day our sleep seems to get into the routine almost of where we are going.

 

Jenn

[Julienatul]

We are cruising with our one year old in a few weeks. When she was younger we did the late seating with her in the stroller but now that she is older and eating solids too we opted for early seating. I guess which seating you pick depends on your schedule. Are you planning to stay on CA time, getting up later, eating later etc??? If so I would do late seating. If you are planning to get up early then late seating will be too late and your child will probably not make it through dinner. The late seating usually gets over around 10 to 10:30pm. I hope that helps some

 

On most ships the shows for late seating are before dinner and early seating shows are after dinner. Hopefully your little one can make it to both. Mine I know cant, she is a live wire and would not sit still long enough for dinner and a show. Enjoy your cruise.

 

Julie

[cccole]

We cruised with a 1-year old in August and did late seating. We are also from CA and do not usually have dinner until 7:00 p.m. With the 1-year old we were able to really enjoy all of our shore excursions and if she needed a nap before dinner it was possible. To do shore excursions and be back for early dining seemed very difficult for all of us, including the 1-yr old who might need some down time. We had a great cruise and I have to say that my great-niece was always well received in the dining room.

[TNC010100]

Thanks everyone - now I am a bit torn. She usually eats dinner late. So early seating would be better for that. Although we could always catch a snack after the show and that would be clsoer to her dinner time here in CA.

 

We plan to get off the boat early a couple of days, so sleeping in wasn't really in the plans. She isn't much of a napper to begin with (she sleeps well at night so that offsets the no nap issue) and is good tempered even without any naps.

 

I think we will stay with the early seating to give ourselves more options after dinner. If she gets hungry again, we can feed her. If we switch to late seating I am afraid that she may get hungry in between lunch and dinner.

 

Thanks again!!