Advantages to late dining?

[aggiedog]

Yes to late dining! We did a Baltic cruise and the early dining would have meant losing valuable port hours just getting back to eat dinner. Our kids are older (10-16) and did just fine with the later hours. They all left after dinner for the kids clubs anyways, returning when the clubs finally closed. We never felt rushed, saw all the shows we wanted to see. If going to bed with a full stomach is an issue, it is possible to eat light on a cruise and still eat well.

 

[AmandaRG]

I have a 4.5yr old and we also eat around 5:30... thanks, gives me some peace of mind. She's given up naps already on most days, though perhaps she'll wear herself out and take one anyway!

Ours weren't napping at home at that time, but with such a late schedule, we required it for them to be able to go with the counselors after dinner. It wasn't much trouble getting them to nap!

 

[Judyat]

Late dining for us is 9pm on Disney's Panama Canal trip. I wish it was 8pm or even 8:15.

 

[Judyat]

Late dining is 8 pm / or rather 8:15

Late dining on Disney is 9pm. I would love 8pm or even 8:15 but it's 9pm on our 14 day Panama Cruise.

 

[Judyat]

Sorry chimo2u but for some reason I was told 9pm. Can you confirm 8:15? When I search that's what it says too which makes more sense as 9pm seems just too late. I'm looking through what I received but can't find time now. It just says second seating so I hope you are right and I am wrong.

 

[jk and ek]

we did late dining on our cruise in feb (and specifically chose it/were excited about it after reading threads like these) since we typically don't eat until later/live on the east coast (time zone) and we actually decided to opt for early dining on our next cruise instead.

eating at 8:30/9 is one thing but with the laid back vibe of second seating and the extreme dietary restrictions of our assigned tablemates found our main courses not arriving until like 10pm on a couple of nights which was just way too much for our kiddo to deal with. its been one of only 2 or 3 times we've had to resort to ipad entertainment at the dinner table to get through the marathon of those meals.

so yeah. we are doing main dining and we have a private table (only because we have a party of 6 this time around)

 

[PrincessShmoo]

Late dining on Disney is 9pm. I would love 8pm or even 8:15 but it's 9pm on our 14 day Panama Cruise.

We were on the Wonder just prior to her Panama Canal cruise. We had late dining - 8:15.

Different itineraries will have different seating times. But MOST OF THE TIME it's 5:45 & 8:15.

 

[Maryrose]

I'm thinking I'll like the late dining so I can sleep in. If the kids are hungry they will be up 1st thing in the am.

 

[scootch]

We eat dinner at home at 3pm. My husband and daughter's lunch times are 1030am and 11:11am, so they are starving when they get home from school. I am currently on the waitlist for early, praying it comes through. I think for most people it is what you are used to at home. My oldest daughter also has reflux, DCL is aware, so hoping with the addition of that issue, we get moved. Very anxious about it.

 

[eskimoinparadise]

The only benefit to late dining is that it gives you something to do after everything else on the ship closes down for the evening

 

[Pens Fan]

Count our vote for late dining as well. Love it! Would never, ever ask for main. While I can certainly understand why some families with very young children might prefer main dining, late has always worked for us. We had main on our very first cruise and absolutely hated it. We definitely felt rushed getting cleaned up and making it to dinner on time. We aren't huge fans of the Disney production shows, so we love to take that time to relax, have a drink on the balcony and just chill after a busy day - especially if it's a port day. Even if we do decide to take in the show, we have plenty of time to change and relax a minute or two before the show starts. We always eat later on vacation than at home (home is usually anywhere between 6:30 and 7:30), then usually stay up later as well. It's a rare night that any of us are in bed before midnight.

As for the timing of late dining - as Schmoo noted it can change per the itinerary. The European cruises can often be later than the Caribbean. On the Iceland / Norway cruise this past summer dining times were 6:00 and 8:30. One night they pushed it back 15 minutes further due to some late excursions coming in right before sail away. So it can vary within the cruise as well. We had the most amazing serving team we'd ever encountered on that cruise and several nights we lingered long after dinner was done, just chatting. I almost felt guilty at times, as I felt we were keeping them from finishing up for the night, but most of the time it was the servers intimating the conversations, showing us pictures from home, etc. Ahh, great memories .