Dining Times

[GAMOM4]

I have been thinking about this all day today - we are scheduled for the early seating for dinner on the Inspiration (I know it isn't guarateed but it is showing up on the computer screen) we have always had early seating but once and the early seating seemed more for us since we eat early. But after reading about the Skyway Bridge in Tampa - I really want to see that ( I wonder if it is like going under the bridge out of Jacksonville we have did that 3 times and it is amazing how close we seem to the bridge! ) but obviously in Jacksonville you must go under the bridge quicker than you do in Tampa. My husband said it didn't matter to him that we could just eat in the buffet the first night - but then the day we are in Cozumel we may get in late also - so that would be two days we may miss the dinner. Do you think we should just request to change to the late seating? Or just forget about it and eat from the buffet. On the last cruise on one of the sea days we just didn't want to get dressed to go to dinner so we just skipped it. I guess it is no big deal either way - we just live in a place that we don't get to go to the kind of restaurants to eat where they wait on you like they do on a cruise. I can't believe I have spent so much time thinking about this today.........

[jimbo5544]

I have been thinking about this all day today - we are scheduled for the early seating for dinner on the Inspiration (I know it isn't guarateed but it is showing up on the computer screen) we have always had early seating but once and the early seating seemed more for us since we eat early. But after reading about the Skyway Bridge in Tampa - I really want to see that ( I wonder if it is like going under the bridge out of Jacksonville we have did that 3 times and it is amazing how close we seem to the bridge! ) but obviously in Jacksonville you must go under the bridge quicker than you do in Tampa. My husband said it didn't matter to him that we could just eat in the buffet the first night - but then the day we are in Cozumel we may get in late also - so that would be two days we may miss the dinner. Do you think we should just request to change to the late seating? Or just forget about it and eat from the buffet. On the last cruise on one of the sea days we just didn't want to get dressed to go to dinner so we just skipped it. I guess it is no big deal either way - we just live in a place that we don't get to go to the kind of restaurants to eat where they wait on you like they do on a cruise. I can't believe I have spent so much time thinking about this today.........

 

We always take late seating. Reason is that 1. we like eating late, 2. On port days you don't have to rush back to eat, 3. There is so much to do,we don't want to have "getting ready" in the way of our day. Going under the Skyway Bridge is a pretty cool event (done it twice), wouldn't miss it.

[GAMOM4]

After so much thinking - I went on-line a few minutes ago and was going to change the dining time (ours was listed as confirmed early seating). We have two booking numbers because we have two rooms - when I went on to make the change I noticed a new option; which wasn't there when I made the reservation of "anytime dining" - I didn't realize this was available on the Inspiration. I sent my PVP a message to ask him about it. Have any of you tried it on the Inspiration and if so how did you like it? This may be a good option for us..but I wanted to see if others have experienced it and it if worked out good. Thanks!

[jimbo5544]

After so much thinking - I went on-line a few minutes ago and was going to change the dining time (ours was listed as confirmed early seating). We have two booking numbers because we have two rooms - when I went on to make the change I noticed a new option; which wasn't there when I made the reservation of "anytime dining" - I didn't realize this was available on the Inspiration. I sent my PVP a message to ask him about it. Have any of you tried it on the Inspiration and if so how did you like it? This may be a good option for us..but I wanted to see if others have experienced it and it if worked out good. Thanks!

 

We have not tried it. I have heard mixed reviews. You can go to one of the dining rooms anytime between certain times (5:30 and 9:00...but I am not sure on that part). You are seated on a first come basis. You will be seated with other people (again I think) and your wait staff is random (like when you go to breakfast in the dining room). I think once you start one way, you cannot switch.

[KimberleyFL]

I love 'anytime dining. You just go to dinner between the anytime dining hours. Mine will be 5:45 - 9:30 on the Legend. I don't think it differs too much between ships. You can ask for a table for 2, 4 (however many is in your group) for only your group or you can ask to be seated with others. Sometimes DH and I asked for a table for 2 and other times we said we wanted to sit with others at a big table.

 

I liked it for the following reasons: 1) flexible eating times 2) meet new people every night 3) if you get a really good wait team, you can ask for them specifically each night if you want.

 

It really depends on what you like about traditional seating and if you think you will miss out on that experience if you do 'anytime dining'.

[billh65]

After so much thinking - I went on-line a few minutes ago and was going to change the dining time (ours was listed as confirmed early seating). We have two booking numbers because we have two rooms - when I went on to make the change I noticed a new option; which wasn't there when I made the reservation of "anytime dining" - I didn't realize this was available on the Inspiration. I sent my PVP a message to ask him about it. Have any of you tried it on the Inspiration and if so how did you like it? This may be a good option for us..but I wanted to see if others have experienced it and it if worked out good. Thanks!

 

Anytime dining has not started as yet on the Inspiration. They did mention that it would be available soon on cruises. I asked head server (Zuzana of Slovokia) on May 30 what she thought about it, and she likes both anytime and assigned. Of course, breakfast and lunch are basically anytime dining, but it is nice to build rapport with a set group at dinner time.

 

 

We did have early seating ... and went under the Skyway Bridge while on our first course ... but being near the window -- we could see the piers (not just under) -- but I did see it on the return at 418am!

[Rochmom]

OP - are you traveling with kids/young teens?

 

We did the late dining for our first cruise, thinking that we wouldn't want to rush back from ports. Our girls were 12 & 14, and wanted to join several of the kids activities - almost all of which started during our dinner hour. We ended up compromising by letting them go every other night - we like to eat as a family generally speaking, and we did enjoy the treat of the extra level of service in the dining room. Not everyone's cup of tea, but we liked it.

 

This year we are trying early, to see if it works any better. After that we will have tried both and can choose accordingly. I hesitate for the "anytime" option, only because my personal preference is not to wait for a table (even if it's only 10 minutes or so) when I don't have to. And that's just a personal preference - no one right way to do things, of course.

[GAMOM4]

My daughter is 20 and my son is 16 - and he's not interested in the teen clubs - he usually just hangs out with us all day - his dad doesn't like lounging in the sun so they find other things to do while me and our daughter lounge around. My husband and son told me late last night that they don't care when or where we eat as long as they get lots of food!

[momofzeke]

billh65 is right.....Inspiration does not have Anytime Dining yet. It is scheduled to have it by summer 2010.

 

Personally, I prefer late seating over early in Traditional dining. That way, you have more time in the late afternoon for whatever activity you're doing before you have to start getting ready for dinner. On port days, it is especially nice not to have to rush back to the ship and hurry to get ready for dinner.

 

I do get hungry before 8:15 PM (late seating time) so we always get some kind of snack either at the Poolside Grill, the deli, the Lido buffet or pizza or room service.....to tide us over until dinner.