HAL/Early Dining

[sportsmum]

I was reading a post below and it said that early dining on HAL /Alaska is hard to get. Why is early dining so popular?

 

I would have booked late dining but now would like to know if there is a reason on Alaskan cruises to book the early one, please!

[dakrewser]

I was reading a post below and it said that early dining on HAL /Alaska is hard to get. Why is early dining so popular?

 

I would have booked late dining but now would like to know if there is a reason on Alaskan cruises to book the early one, please!

 

Early dining is popular on HAL because most of the passengers are so old that they need to be in bed by nine... :rolleyes:

 

<note that the smiley you see is the one denoting SARCASM!>

 

The reality is that since you usually are in port fairly late in Alaska, those with early dining have to rush to get back to the ship and change. We find main dining (8 or 8:15) to be much preferable - and its often still light out after dinner!

[jhannah]

It seems early dining is preferred by many HAL cruisers, regardless of itinerary. It fills up and starts a waiting list fairly early in the booking timeline. I don't think there's any particular reason other than lots of folks simply aren't accustomed to eating late in the evening, and DO retire prior to midnight.

[sportsmum]

Thankyou! Sarcasm....yes, I believe that's my middle name.........!!

 

Okay, so if I book late dining will all the soup and soft food be gone?

 

No matter, late dining it will be. Thanks again.

[Krazy Kruizers]

Yup - we are one of those timers that like the 5:45 Traditional dining time no matter what the itinerary.

[Lynne Myrna]

We're not old....we always dine early...we like it that way....we always call Seattle early enough & request 5:45-6:00 sitting...we have the rest of the evening to do as we please.

[O2B@C]

From what I have gleaned from reading around on this board, it seems that the preference for early dining stems in many cases from the desire to be able to finish dinner early enough to attend the show afterwards, and still either go to bed at a reasonable hour, or have the energy to visit the casino and/or bars afterwards. If you have late dinner, you're not done until 9:30pm or later. If you go to the show after that, it's VERY late by the time you're done.

 

Plus, in Alaska in particular, dawn comes very early. Often the port calls or glacier viewing are early as well. This may explain the even stronger preference for early dining - and the earlier dining times for both seatings - on those itineraries.

 

That said, I personally prefer the late dining, so I can work out in the gym before dinner (no waiting for machines at 6pm!). But DH and I aren't into shows and night life. We might watch a DVD in our cabin after dinner, but we can always stop it in the middle and watch the rest the next night if we get sleepy. So the late seating works perfectly for us. Glad to be in the minority here - more likelihood of getting what we want!:p

[cruz chic]

Early dining is popular on HAL because most of the passengers are so old that they need to be in bed by nine... :rolleyes:

 

<note that the smiley you see is the one denoting SARCASM!>

 

The reality is that since you usually are in port fairly late in Alaska, those with early dining have to rush to get back to the ship and change. We find main dining (8 or 8:15) to be much preferable - and its often still light out after dinner!

 

Yeah I'm one of those old goats (47) that prefers early dining. I'm an early bird that doesn't sleep until noon. I get up at 4:30am daily and my routine doesn't change that much on holidays except for the fact that I sleep until about 7:rolleyes:

[Juanita462]

Early dining is also a medical necessity for some folks - my DH and I both have GERD so must eat early enough so that we don't go to bed with a full stomach. We never eat after 7 p.m. and we are early risers so don't stay up really late.

[SJSULIBRARIAN]

In 2004, I was told by a Maitre d' on a Princess ship that five years prior to that year, he couldn't give away a table in first seating dinner - that everyone wanted the later seating and that no one wanted early. Now (back in 2004), everyone wanted first and very few wanted later.

 

A change in the times. Also, we have noticed on both HAL and Princess, the AYW or anytime is pretty full early also. Eat before five (or as close to it) and stay alive.

 

Barbara

[Jsipes]

With Late Dining, you may not actually begin eating until 9 pm, and not finish until 10 pm. Any doctor will tell you not to eat 4 hours or so prior to going to bed, you will get reflex, or will get indigestion and be up half the night hating yourself.... People with a little experience in life do not want to suffer that. Also depending on the ships entertainment schedule, you may not see any of the shows, or have to stay up to 11 or 12 pm to do so, and have zero time for the casino...:mad: Late Dining sux....:D