Early or late seating poll!!!

[RichNKatHolly]

Having the late seating nearly ruined our last cruise. Ds was 4.5 and DD was 1.5. They fell asleep everynight either at dinner or before. 2 nights we did not make it to dinner. I didn't spend a few thousand $$ to eat chicken fingers and pizza for dinner. (On the 3 & 4 night there is no dinner buffet).

A few other parents we spoke to whose children were asleep at the table did not enjoy the late time either.

This time we have the early seating - thank goodness. Even on vacation our kids are asleep by 8 or 9pm so this will work out better I hope.

I'm sure there will come a time when late will work for us, but even before kids on RC and Carnival we took the early time. Leaves more time for other activities after dinner. I rarely stay up past 10pm or 11pm, even on vacation . Don't I sound like a ton of fun??

 

[lovemickeyworld]

we just booked for the Jan 28 Western Carib cruise on the Magic and they said early seating was all booked and we had late, but that they would wait list us for the early seating, which I prefer. I have a 5 year old and a husband with acid reflux who needs to eat early and not go to bed on a full stomach. I asked them about this so they sent me the medical form and said that would bump us up on the wait list. I just wonder though still if we'll get the early seating after all. If not, I don't see how my daughter will make it till 8:30. Unless she does like the previous poster's son and eats and the club. I just don't want to spend our whole vacation not eating with our daughter. One or two meals is okay, but it is a family vacation, and we're a family who is used to eating every meal together.

Did anyone waitlist for the earliest seating and actually get it? Thanks!

 

[RichNKatHolly]

we just booked for the Jan 28 Western Carib cruise on the Magic and they said early seating was all booked and we had late, but that they would wait list us for the early seating, which I prefer. I have a 5 year old and a husband with acid reflux who needs to eat early and not go to bed on a full stomach. I asked them about this so they sent me the medical form and said that would bump us up on the wait list. I just wonder though still if we'll get the early seating after all. If not, I don't see how my daughter will make it till 8:30. Unless she does like the previous poster's son and eats and the club. I just don't want to spend our whole vacation not eating with our daughter. One or two meals is okay, but it is a family vacation, and we're a family who is used to eating every meal together.

Did anyone waitlist for the earliest seating and actually get it? Thanks!

Not sure if it's any consolation, but I believe on 7 night cruises there are dinner buffets available in the event you don't go to the main dining room. Our problem with late seating was that we did not have any other option but to eat at Plutos Dog House and the other counter place (food is fine but it's chicken fingers, hot dogs, tacos and pizza only).

Another couple on our late dining rotation said they were on the wait list and did get the early seating one night out of the 4.

Best of luck - I'm sure they will do their best to accomodate a medical request.

 

[lovemickeyworld]

Oh, well, that's interesting about getting the waitlist on single nights. I never thought of that. I suppose if we only ate late 1 or 2 nights it might not be a problem. But then, how do they handle the wait staff? I guess we'd have different ones on different nights? Or do the same servers just serve the same tables regardless of the time? Probably.

 

[LAMPSKIES]

The Kabuki......remember there is a time change.....7:30 IS 8:30 and when on the Eastern there is another hour change also........

 

[pearlieq]

We really prefer the late seating. There's so much to snack on that it's not hard to get a little picker-upper around 5pm so you can make it to dinner. I really prefer seeing the shows early--if you stuck me in the theater after that big dinner I'd just nod off. Plus, it seems to be a bit more adult at night, which is nice for us.

 

[Houzer]

We found we liked early seating just due to the fact that we had a younger son who we found unwinds best at the show after the meal. Our teen son didn't really care as long as he got food.
Houzer

 

[Robert and Kelley]

We prefer the late seating. It seems to give us more daytime for fun. The one drawback I find is I'm never very hungry for the late night buffets at pirate night and the dessert buffet.

The best thing is you dont have to be at breakfast so early on debarkation day.

 

[jennat]

Could someone please tell me about the dinner schedule "trial" in June. Are they looking to going to "anytime dining"? What is this all about? Also, it does seem that no matter when you book, early seating is sold out. It is curious to me. It also seems that people on the waitlist don't have a hard time getting it. Hummmmm. Makes you wonder if they say it is full and then fill it with the people who care the most (willing to get on waitlist and make calls). Probably not but just seems strange to me. Any thoughts?

 

[cockermom]

Since it's just going to be DH and I on our first cruise in January, I'm guessing that we're going to be assigned the later seating slot. Sounds good to me - more time to get ready in a leisurely fashion, maybe a little quieter during the meal.

My one concern, though, will be whether I'll be hungry enough afterwards to partake of the late-night dessert extravaganza. Would hate to have to miss that. (Yeah, like that would ever happen!!!)

 

[smahoney6]

loved early seating- we have younger children and after watching the shows- we were off to bed!