Advantages to late dining?

[january9]

Are there any advantages to second seating dining? New to cruising and we've been assigned the late dining. We're 2 adults and a 13 yr. old so I'm not concerned with getting a young one off to bed. I take it we go to an early show if we want then off to dinner? Very interested in replies and experiences. Thanks.

 

[pgroom48]

We only dine second dining, the advantages are that you don't have to rush back to the ship to get ready and you can spend more time in the sunshine. I also find with all the food around all day and the picking that goes on I'm generally not hungry at 6. The other advantage that won't apply to you since your child is 13 is the dine and play.

 

[xlxo]

Love 2nd dining...

• 2nd dining may be closer to regular dining of the cruiser's home time zone
• kids get taken to the kids program right after the meal
• 2nd dining means a later breakfast on debarkation day
  • I get to sleep in or have an extra hour to pack... very important on Alaskan cruises when they turn the clocks FORWARD on the last day
  • I can wait comfortably in the dining room waiting for that later debarkation time
• more relaxed
• clothes stay cleaner for the early show without the food stains
• more port time
• great for night owls.... going to bed a midnight means I don't need to worry about noisy hallways or the noisy cabins next door

Only disadvantage.... not much time afterwards to hit the buffets to reload.

 

[CesD]

We love late dining.
If you're from the west coast sailing in the Caribbean, late dining is closer to your actual dinner time..
If ure stopping at castaway cay, late dining allows you plenty of time to shower and even nap before dinner.
You can spend long times in ports and have a chance to catch your breath and rest before dinner.
Late dining means later breakfast time on disembarkation day so u have a bit longer to pack or sleep.

 

[JimGA]

Our first cruise we had first seating, we always felt rushed to get ready and to get to dinner and we were not very hungry either. On our next cruise we have second seating.

 

[Sir William]

Yes! to all the above. At first, I was a bit miffed to have second seating, but we find that we prefer it. DW gets to enjoy the pool longer, while I attend the shows, then we both clean up afterwards before going to dinner. If we're in port, we don't feel rushed to get back in time for dinner, yet can still get in a bit of pool time or the show without difficulty or feeling rushed. Nor do our servers have to rush to get us out so the next seating can take place, so that we can enjoy a leisurely meal and socializing.

I will usually get a light snack around 4pm to tide me over until dinner.

Only downside is that we've yet to sample any of the late night buffets (but then we don't have to suffer the lines either).

 

[january9]

Yes! to all the above. At first, I was a bit miffed to have second seating, but we find that we prefer it. DW gets to enjoy the pool longer, while I attend the shows, then we both clean up afterwards before going to dinner. If we're in port, we don't feel rushed to get back in time for dinner, yet can still get in a bit of pool time or the show without difficulty or feeling rushed. Nor do our servers have to rush to get us out so the next seating can take place, so that we can enjoy a leisurely meal and socializing.

I will usually get a light snack around 4pm to tide me over until dinner.

Only downside is that we've yet to sample any of the late night buffets (but then we don't have to suffer the lines either).

I think the only downside I'm seeing is maybe the early show time. I'm wondering how late dining plays out on Pirate Night?

 

[kuhltiffany]

We did early our first 3 cruises (when we were on the same time zone), and late on our last cruise (coming from the west). Although I liked having more time during the day, we found that there wasn't much to do after dinner. Our main thing to do as a family was watch movies from the pool/hot tub and they were closed

 

[anricat]

I think the only downside I'm seeing is maybe the early show time. I'm wondering how late dining plays out on Pirate Night?

We prefer late dining and there are no problems with pirate night. Nothing is scheduled during any time when you would be dining. There was no rushing and no problems seeing either the between dining/show pirate performance (this was on the Dream for us last year) or the late night pirate show with fireworks.

 

[SuperDry]

Another vote for late dining. One thing it lets you do is skip the show on an evening or two where you don't care for it and sit up on deck (Currents bar on the newer ships) and watch the sunset. You can't do this with early dining without missing dinner.

 

[sambycat]

The early dining is too early for us and I enjoy the shows less after eating and drinking a huge meal!

 

[january9]

Another vote for late dining. One thing it lets you do is skip the show on an evening or two where you don't care for it and sit up on deck (Currents bar on the newer ships) and watch the sunset. You can't do this with early dining without missing dinner.

That really sounds good. I have been thinking of trying to switch dining times but everyone's answers have made me decide to just relax and enjoy the second seating.

 

[Sir William]

I think the only downside I'm seeing is maybe the early show time. I'm wondering how late dining plays out on Pirate Night?

For us the early show time is insignificant. DW doesn't go but prefers to spend that hour by the pool, so I attend the show by myself (or with my adult kids if they are along). There is always plenty of time for us to clean up afterward (if I didn't do so before the show), enjoy a glass of wine on our veranda, and then go to dinner.

No problem on Pirate Night. Our servers always have us out of the MDR in plenty of time to get up on deck, grab a drink (if we feel the need) and find a place to watch the show. I usually watch from the deck above the pool. Not as crowded and has better view of the fireworks, though when on the Fantasy or Dream we've gone to Currents instead.

 

[ludari]

Personally late dining is best for me because;
I don't feel rushed to eat.
Less children during late seating.
Dressing casual for the shows.
Tine to enjoy a pre-dinner drink or two.

 

[ANGRebel]

Our first cruise in May, we left the kids at home and we had late dining and really liked it. We are going on the wonder next month over Thanksgiving and taking our 5 year old and 2.5 year old. We booked late so we only had the option of late dining. I am still debating on whether or not to try to swap on the ship. I really liked the early show, but I'm afraid the kids would have a tough time being out at dinner till 10:00. We were routinely still finishing dessert between 10-10:15.

Has anyone had very young children at late dining? If so, how did they do?

 

[SuperDry]

Another thing about late dining is that the dining room is less crowded. Because of the general preference for early dining, it's always completely full, even if the ship is not at capacity. Depending on how many passengers are on board, late dining can have a few fewer passengers to a lot fewer, and this tends to make the service more attentive.

 

[MickeyEarrings]

Here's why I love late dining: I'm taking a day to sleep on a little. Breakfast around 8:30 or 9. Lunch at 1:00. And then you realize aw, nuts! I have to eat dinner in 4-1/2 hours! I was never hungry at early dinner but of course I ate anyway.

 

[TimeAndTide]

We prefer late dining because the day is less rushed. We don't attend many shows anyway and prefer the extra time to just hang out.

We have young kids 6,5,5 and they did fine with later dining. (We usually eat at 6:30 EST at home.) They were tired by the end of dinner and never went to kids club afterwards. But it really just meant they were in bed earlier. With early dining they always wanted to go to kids club and came back wound up.

We travel with a caregiver and she handles bedtime but her preference is late dining, too, because less rushing and the kids are ready for showers and bed after dinner.

 

[Sgleisten]

We prefer late dining and there are no problems with pirate night. Nothing is scheduled during any time when you would be dining. There was no rushing and no problems seeing either the between dining/show pirate performance (this was on the Dream for us last year) or the late night pirate show with fireworks.

Thanks for info!

 

[MunFam]

No worries about spilling on your formals for pictures because you are through the picture lines before you eat!

You get to enjoy the pools while the early diners scamper off to get ready for early dining.

Early shows were less crowded because it seemed people skipped them more often.

No rushing back to the ship on port days!

No worrying about staying in character lines or photo lines because you have the extra time...no dining team or table mates waiting on you to start dinner service.

You can do photos and then change before dinner (we skipped most shows). Or visa vera.

I will never have anything but late dining again...and we have a young child.