Question:
What is your Favorite Dining Arrangement?

Choices:
Traditional Dining - Early
Traditional Dining - Late
Freestyle or Personal Choice Dining

 

Not having been on a cruise yet, I didn't feel like I could vote - but we decided to choose late seating - so it looks like I selected the most popular option.
John

I would love to see more results or thoughts on this subject so thought that I would post a response just to get it back into view.
Sandy

We did early dining. I liked the sit down atmosphere of formal dining...although i would have been just as happy with something off of a buffet. We chose early dining b/c it was our first cruise and we didn't know what the evening shows were timed like and didn't want to miss anything. Early dining gave us plenty of time to eat, change and we went ot the 8:00-10:00 shows then went back to the room ..let the teens run around a little while i got our 5 yr old to bed..then they came back and "babysat' her sleeping while we went to the 12;00 shows. Worked out great for us.

We also prefer early seating.

Ok, sometimes when you come back from a shore excursion you have to hurry up, to take a shower, dress up.

But you are ready with your wonderful dinner around 8 pm. If you like, watch a show or going to one of the bars, take a drink, listening to the piano player or have nice conversations.

And around 11 pm I´m almost so tired, I need my sleep, because I stand up every morning about 5.30 am to go for some walking rounds and see the sunset.

So, this is perfect for us.

Marita

We too love the early dining and was surprised to find out that on our next cruise there was no more available tables for that time. We are only a party of two so found that kind of funny. They told us to check with the head waiter the first night and ask to be switched. I just like to eat early when there is that much food available. They say the average weight gain is a pound a day......Yikes

I really liked the early dining option. Even without kids, I would still do this. I liked having dinner over by 7ish and having the whole evening ahead of me for shows, entertainment, wandering, coffee drinks, etc.
I seem to remember that late dinner seating gave me a feeling of rushing out to catch the last show. I don't remember doing a whole lot after the last show other than the midnight buffets which are mostly a thing of the past.


Campermom

One of my favorite cruise pleasures is lingering over a late dinner. From there I take a wonderful stroll on the deck and then maybe on to some late night entertainment - but more ofen than not, return to my cabin.
Ruth

Ruth,

I have to agree. That's a wonderful way to round up a day on a cruise ship. However, if open seating is offered, I tend to dine somewhat earlier than the usual second sating, at approx. 7.30 to 8 p.m.

But a stroll on deck after dinner is a must for me.

Ruth and Raoul,
I, too, love to end the evening with a stroll around the deck. Actually late seating is a relatively new treat for me, since I had to wait for my children to be old enough to appreciate eating dinner later.
Sandy

I prefer late seating for a couple of reasons. First, I hate to rush back from a port to get ready for dinner. After a full day, I like to relax a bit, then get ready for dinner and enjoy a pre-dinner cocktail or two before dinner. I also like to linger over coffee and dessert at the end of meal and not want to feel rushed.
Sherry

We are about to take our 5th cruise in April and all have been with late traditional dining seating. Cannot imagine eating early with all we do during the day. We'll be sitting out at the pool, while others are racing to shower and dress for early dinner. Just not for us, but I am sure everyone has their specific needs and likes so glad we have so many choices.

Ruthie

we also opted for the late sitting (voyager of the seas 9/23/05)with all of the different ports I did not want to feel rushed to get ready for an early sitting,

cant wait,anyone else going on this sailing

I chose late seating, I am a night owl and never like to get the evening started too early.

Just discovered this site when I went to vote in this poll - glad I did - looks like a good place to talk about cruising.

Brenda

Well gee, guess I'm going to be the fly in the ointment here and say we're slated for early dining on our upcoming Alaska cruise. My reasoning is similar to the earlier poster who cited the put-kids-to-bed etc routine then go out and relax on your own later. Only in my case, it will be a matter of tucking mom into bed (she's an 8:30 p.m. kind of girl so late sitting would have been a push for her) and then exploring/sipping/lounging/deck-walking ---- whatever ---- on my own.

Hadn't thought about having to rush to get ready, cut excursions short etc. but in all likelihood, we'll be spending lots of time on board anyway. This is an experimental trip for us. If all goes well, we'll know more for next time. Perhaps mom won't need to retire so early when there are things to do (versus her care home) and I may just have a fellow nighthawk on my hands. We'll see!!

Hi
Another vote for late sitting.Have managed to get it on all cruises so far except for the last which was open sitting for everyone. Not keen.
Why late sitting, We Like to watch as the boat sails from port, also allows for a quick nap in afternoon. There is one disadvantage,We can never manage much at midnight buffets, suppose thats good for the waistline though.
Have fingers crossed at minute as no.1 on waitlist for late sitting for my November
cruise .
Middy

If the ship has fixed dining results are usually better on late seating as the staff is not so rushed. The best deal however is the premium restaurant on Celebrity and you can take the entire evening. Its a *** paris restaurant at sea. I would go on the cruise for the souffle alone.

Depends on my cruise plans, but, never early.

If I am with a group we usually book late seating.
When I cruise to visit friends on the ship I do Personal Choice.

Just did early seating and I will never do it again. Too much rushing around... and after shore excursions the kids were so hungry that they ended up eating a lot at around 3pm. Sushi was at 5:30... high tea was at 3pm... it just didn't make any sense to rush into dinner when we weren't even hungry.

I definitely prefer freestyle dining. No doubt about it.