Questioning 8:30 dining for 2 adults

[branv]

This thread is also known by it's other title "Overthinking and Asking Way too Many Questions"

We initially chose 8:30 seating for our Four Night Wonder cruise b/c we were advised this was the best time for couples only dining. Makes lots of sense, of course.

But now I'm starting to worry about us. DH and I almost always have dinner by 6:30 pm. We've just gotten into the habit of eating as soon as he gets home from work. That gets your stomach into a pattern, and so we even eat by then for weekends or we suffer the wrath of the growls.

I'm just curious...for people who had the 8:30 dining time, what time do you normally eat at home? Did you find it hard to wait that long? Did you have some way to tide yourself over that wasn't TOO filling so you were able to enjoy the dinner fully? I thought about putting in a standing order for the cheese plate

Just wondering if we should inquire about switching.

 

[goofymama]

What time zone are you in? If you're not in Eastern, 8:30 may be closer to the time you eat anyway.

also, there are always snacks up on deck 9 or room service to hold you over until 8:30. I've read on these boards that the All Hands On cheese platter is to die for ... that may be a good appetizer for you.

Or if you are very concerned, you can request a change to 6:30, but that dining service fills up first due to families with young children, so you may not get that choice.

Plus, you can make a reservation for Palo's for one of your nights and can eat earlier that night.

 

[runa00]

prolly doesn't matter since you can always get snacks along the way

 

[pppiglet]

We usually eat at 6:30 at home and we didn't like 8:30 because we didn't get done with dinner til 10:15 and then were too full to sleep. I need 3-4 hrs after dinner before I go to bed and by 10:30 we were tired and too full to go to bed. There are all kinds of things to eat to hold you over til dinner, but if you have a buffet lunch you won't need snacks! Next time we are going for main seating so we will have room for the 11:00 snacks and dessert buffet.

 

[mmouse37]

Yes, you are overthinking this....do you always keep to your exact schedule when you go on vacation? Probably not. We always eat between 5 and 7 at home and always get late seating onboard....our tummys adjust just fine!!! We do usually order something from room service late afternoon and then take a nap....that is what vacation is for!! Through the schedule to the wind and enjoy all the non-routine things you will be doing on the cruise!!!

MJ

 

[tvguy]

You're in Texas, so 8:30 eastern is 7:30 your time. Only an hour later than home.
We're west coasters, and with busy kids and work, we rarely eat before 7:30 pm pacific, or LATE seating is like eating at 5:30 pm for us, 2 hours early.

 

[kcashner]

We eat earlier at home but like the late seating--fewer crowds, noise, young kids both at the dinner and the shows.

As to something to hold you over....get an "All Hands On Deck" from room service (cheese, crackers and grapes)...or get some fruit at Scoops...or get real food at one of the fast food outlets on deck 9. Trust me, we were never hungry on the cruise.

If there is a downside to late seating, it is that you're not hungry for the late night buffets.

 

[mommasita]

I agree with everyone here..We normally eat between 5 and 7, and on our first 2 cruises we had late, last time we were travelling with friends with kids younger than our own, and we had early...

Early seating, is soooo rushed IMHO...Not enough time to get ready if you really want to enjoy your ports of call. The kids loved to swim around 5o'clock as the pools are nice and quiet.. We just want to relax and get ready for supper, and with late seating it really worked out well, and we have kids...So, definitely travelling without them, I would take the late..

HTH

 

[Momeska]

We loved late seating and we normally eat dinner around 6:30. As other posters have mentioned, the availability of food is not an issue. We found that with the late seating, we didn't have to rush. We did go to the shows but there's an hour between the show and dinner so we did have to kill time then. Scoops is a great afternoon snack place. They have fruit, ice cream, cookies, or if you'd prefer something more substantial, wraps or sandwiches. Pinocchio's has pizza, Pluto's has burgers, chicken, tacos, you name it. I agree that dinner is over late but a nice walk around the deck afterwards helps get rid of that "too full" feeling. The best part...no attacking please, very few young children. Yes, I did have young ones once! But, been there, done that. Crying babies at dinner isn't pleasant. On vacation, we tend to move everything later, breakfast and lunch included so a late dinner works out beautifully.

 

[auntie k]

We usually eat around 6-6:30 at home...but I think I like the fact the 2nd dinner will probably be a slower, quieter pace & your day will seem longer. I just don't plan to eat as much as I might normally. I'm planning to have a snack mid afternoon, some dinner and if I don't eat enough, I'll try the late night appetizers!!!! I see a pattern here, eat, eat eat!!!

It is vacation after all - Live a little!!

 

[Mmketeer]

Hi BRANV,

Well, it is all a matter of personal choice. Yes, there usually is less kids at the late seating, cause the kids really get tired before that dinner seating is over. But, DH and I would ratehr dine with kids then to eat late (again this is our personal choice). DH and I always eat by no later than 7pm and usually it's closer to 6pm, so I can't wait til 8:00 or so to eat. I like my schedule and being a "planner' personality changing my schedule or plans really doesn't agree with me. I use to not have a choice and was automatically given the last seating and DCL sure broke me of that. I'll pay full price now just so I can get what I want and when I want it. I was always way too full after eating at the late seating to even order cookies in the stateroom after dinner or attend the midnight buffets. Besides we never got out of dinner before 10pm anyway. Now, when I book our family group Christmas cruises at main seating and the family gripes about having to cut their day short, because they have to start getting ready for dinner by no later than 6pm, I happily remind them of the days when we had no choice and that they aid late seting was too late. Bt, that's up to you.

Oh yeah and since Main seating is sooo poular, it's easier to switch to late and than try o do it the other way around.

<a href="http://www.TickerFactory.com/">
<img border="0" src="http://tickers.TickerFactory.com/ezt/d/4;10732;128/st/20060202/e/Sailing+the+Wonder+again%21/k/a684/event.png"></a>

 

[branv]

Thanks everyone!

DH just gets a little testy when he gets hungry, though he has good reason. He's borderline diabetic so when he doesn't eat enough, his hands get really shakey and he gets headachey. Not life threatening, but not fun. Sounds like we can just try to keep some light snacks in the room just in case, or easily find a snack on deck 9

I don't really care for the idea of eating and going to bed either, but at least it will keep us from being lazy and turning in too early. Incentive to walk a bit!

 

[geffric]

we were late seating last time, it was not a rushed as the early seating. We tended to stay out later to let our dinner settle. The dinner was more relaxed. DH and the boys had burgers/pizza and ice cream/cookies about 4 o'clock to hold then until dinner and loved that part...


Plus, we did not want to take up space on the early dining since little kids needed that a lot more than us.

 

[aidanht]

I just scanned everyone's replies and I don't think anyone has mentioned the best benefit of late dining--you get to sleep in 2 hours later on your last morning!!!! Breakfast is at 6:00 a.m. or so for the early diners and 8:00 or so for the late diners on the last morning of your cruise.

We were disappointed not to get an early seating, but now we wouldn't do it any other way. There are plenty of snacks if you get hungry, and it just seems so much less rushed with the later seating.

 

[pppiglet]

aidanht....that is the only reason I would go back to late seating. (late breakfast!)