Change in Dining Times

[bambilin]

Got a call from my TA last night. He received a letter from DCL advising him that the dining times have changed.

I don't know when this takes effect, or for how long, but we are sailing on the Magic on 7/13.

The letter inidcated that the early seating for dinner willnow be 5:30 and the late seating will be 7:45.

Thank goodness we have late seating, 5:30 would be rough! Just figurd I would share the info in case any of you want to check and possible make a change!

 

[bambilin]

PS Sorry about all my typos!!!!

 

[RIDISNEYLOVERS]

Thanks - you have given me a lot of info!! Personally for us 5:30 is fine (we live on the East coast so that is right around dinner time for us, a bit earlier, but still good) This will give us more time to get to the show!!

We are really looking forward to bingo - will this cut into that time?

Thanks,
Lisa

 

[Michelle]

Just a note, this is a TEST ONLY by DCL and right now is only on four sailings:

7/13, 7/20, 7/27 and 8/3

 

[Lisa F]

This is pretty interesting! I can't wait to see how it turns out. We prefer late seating but would not mind if that was 7:45 instead of 8:30. I wonder if this will make people who scramble for early eating now want late seating?

Lisa

 

[Gillian]

Lisa, it makes ME want late seating! We almost never eat before 7 at home. 7:45 would probably work well for us, but 8:30 was just a little too late.

Let's see how this test goes...

 

[mmouse37]

I am on late seating....7:45 is not bad, but will they adjust the show times accordingly, I suppose.

We are sailing 8/3 and we will see what happens!!!

MJ

 

[Dave_from_Marietta]

That should probably even out the demand for the two seatings. As it is, many more people prefer the early seating. I think I'd prefer the later seating given these two times. Should be interesting to see the results of this test.

 

[llachance]

I am one of those who enjoyed the late seating because there were fewer young children around......it will be interesting. Glad to hear the test starts the week after my cruise.

 

[MFan]

We're still 11 months away from our next cruise, but we are all for the "earlier" late seating!!

We're from the West coast, so we have always selected the late seating on Caribbean cruises. Before we had kids, it gave us extra daylight time in port to do things. We didn't have to rush back to prepare for dinner. Since we had kids, it gives us some extra time between our kids' afternoon nap and dinner. Although the 8:30 time was ok, it did keep our kids up a bit later than our preference. Moving it to 7:45 would be ideal!!!

Oh, please, please, please...let this "test" become permanent!!!!!!!!?

 

[Michelle]

As an EARLY seating person, I don't like the new times...see how DCL can never please everyone?

DCL actually did this as a test years ago, in the beginning when the Magic did the 3/4 night cruises. We had dinner at 5:30 and it was VERY hard to be ready for dinner that early, you don't want to stop what you are doing and rush back to your toom to get ready. A lot of people ended up showing up late and that put the servers in a real bind to get everyone served and out in time to set up the second seating.

I agree it is better for the late seating to be earlier but it is WORSE for the early seating to start so early.

DCL definitely listens to their guests, so time will tell if this change will be permanent.

 

[Fawn]

I think that 5:30 is wonderful for young families! Feed the kids as a family at 5:30, take them to kids club and go to Palo's with a late reservation...lovely treat!

 

[moocow35]

Wow! That is way too early for the early seating. I certainly can see how everyone would be late for the early seating. If they change our cruise to these times, I definately will change to the late seating! Basically you would lose out on alot of your day to stop so early to get ready for dinner. Definately not a good idea!

 

[TnRobin]

5:30 would definitely be too early for me. My body will think it is still in CST and therefore not be hungry at 4:30 CST. Plus I barely have enought time to get showered and dressed for dinner.

 

[4nana]

Anxious to hear if this works out.
We are assigned early seating and part of our family group is from Seattle ~ this would have them eating dinner at 2:30

 

[Mjasp]

I agree Robin...My family of 4 will have to leave the pool area around 3:30-4:00 to go shower and get ready.

 

[DARWIN91]

I definitely would not want 5:30 even though I usually opt for early dining. I was always rushed but I felt 8:30 was too late for the kids. However, if they change the times then I would opt for the 7:45 Seating. I think you would now see there would be a waiting list for the later seating than for the main seating.

 

[tinkerbell4two]

I'm very concerned with the early 'early" seating just because we are from the west coast and we will be eating at 2:30 PT. Will our bodies get used to this 3 hour time change right from the start. What do other Westerners do? Early or Late seating? What would you do with 14 people, 6 of whom are ages 1 1/2 to 5 1/2?

 

[my3kids]

Makes me wonder if I should go ahead and change to late seating. I have early for a November trip, but if they keep it up after the test I think almost everyone would swarm to late seating. If I wait, I might not be able to switch. 5:30 is just too early, 8:30 is just too late. What to do....what to do.....

 

[prymsu]

we normally get early seating because there is no way my son would last through late seating. I think for us that 5:30 p.m. is too early. When you take in to account that you allow time to get ready for dinner, you cut your afternoon short. If the change goes through for these times, I guess we will have to give late seating a shot. I know a half an hour doesn't seem like much, but I have always thought that we got a full day in if we didn't have to start getting ready for dinner until after 5:00 p.m.