What to do if on Main Seating but Port Departure Time is Late

[YayDisney]

We are going on the 7 night Alaska in August and have always chosen Main Seating in our Disney Cruises before because we like to digest and relax during the shows (we all get a little "Hangry" otherwise!) However, I see the port departure times in at least two of the ports are almost 8:00 pm. Also, the earliest Palo brunch I could get on a different day was at 12:30, so I don't think we are going to be so hungry at 5:45 that night!

I don't think it is worth it to change to late seating just for two or three nights, though.
What are our options on those nights?
Are we stuck with a buffet dinner?
Or can the dining room accommodate us for second seating that night?
If so, when do we request that?
Room service??
If so, how early can we request that?
Or do we need to do it upon return?

THOUGHTS??

 

[gismo1554]

The buffet upstairs will be open for a dinner service til around 9pm I think. They do stuff from the main restaurants from what I've read. Its not a typical buffett like you would have at lunch. When I last did this (but it was in 2010) you got starters and mains from a menu and a salad buffett and dessert selection from the buffett but it was nothing like the usual bufffett. The food is usually from the menus in the main restaurants just combined so if its Standard Menu night you would have a combination of the 3 menus or if not you would have a very similar menu but this may well have changed.

Room service is 24 hours just order about 30 mins before you fancy something but is more sandwiches and burgers than the MDR meals. I doubt that the dining room will be able to accomadate you as realistically they will have those people on late dining eating. Also there are the quick service places on deck as an option.

With regards to brunch you can try and change your booking once you are onboard to an earlier time as they do save times for onboard bookings.

 

[xlxo]

• Personally I prefer late dining.... you get to sleep in on debarkation day with the later breakfast.
• Late seating allows you enjoy an afternoon snack at the local port (Tracy's crab shack!)
• You don't need to stay out in port until 8pm for your early dining.

 

[SillyInventor]

As you will be on the Wonder your options are:

Beach Blanket Buffet, which will be table service for diner, just like the MDRs. Your rotational servers will not be there, so you will have different servers. It's first come, first serve basis as long as they are open.
Palo (but 18+ only and probably not a good idea after a long port day
Roomservice (24h)
Poolside outlets: the usual junk food will be available at the poolside
Late night snacks: check your navigator where and when these are served. They are snack, but unlimited in supply...

Whatever you choose: you will never be hungry on a cruise!

 

[DISNEY FANTASY]

I always prefer main we swapped to late in St Petersburg as we were there over night, it was easy. Most places we are black comfortably for Main.

 

[YayDisney]

Thanks to all. We actually have excursions on the late ports till late so we definitely won't be back on the ship, but I have been convinced actually that late seating will make us all feel less rushed in general and also gives the opportunity for a late afternoon nap I have requested a change to second seating.

 

[gotomu212]

We had two separate cruises where we had DCL port excursions that got back after main dining. We were met as we came up the gangway by an officer with the dining team asking if we wanted to reschedule our dinner to late dining. The first time we were exhausted and said no and did room service.

The second time we said yes and he had a list of second seating tables and asked what dining room we were suppose to be in that night and got us a table. He even tried to get it with our regular sever but his section was already full so we got the one next to his and he kept stopping by to say "happy family? Everything okay?" Which we thought was funny and still occasionally say "happy family?" to each other.

 

[DisneyWishes14]

I'm not sure how they will handle it on the Wonder, but we just got off the Magic last week and had a few later excursions and they always accommodated by either keeping the deck 9 food areas open later or pushing dining times a little later.

 

[SailingSeas]

Thanks to all. We actually have excursions on the late ports till late so we definitely won't be back on the ship, but I have been convinced actually that late seating will make us all feel less rushed in general and also gives the opportunity for a late afternoon nap I have requested a change to second seating.

Totally love sea naps. Those are the best.

I digress - if you have children in the 3-12 age group, be aware that for the second seating only, they have a program called "Dine and Play." Children are served their meal first, and about 45 minutes after the seating starts, the Youth Activities counselors come to collect the children and bring them back to the children's programming, allowing you to dine at a more leisurely pace. Let your server know they wish to participate.

 

[SnowWhite2]

We had second seating dinner for Alaska and loved it. Most excursions were longer than a typical Caribbean excursion so it was nice to get back and relax before having to get ready for dinner.

We also were able to complete dinner in less than an hour. If you let your servers know that you want to speed up the meal, they will try to accommodate that request. Most times when we left the dinning room the kids club was there organizing the "dine and play" kids to head back to the Oceaneers club.

 

[YayDisney]

We had two separate cruises where we had DCL port excursions that got back after main dining. We were met as we came up the gangway by an officer with the dining team asking if we wanted to reschedule our dinner to late dining. The first time we were exhausted and said no and did room service.

The second time we said yes and he had a list of second seating tables and asked what dining room we were suppose to be in that night and got us a table. He even tried to get it with our regular sever but his section was already full so we got the one next to his and he kept stopping by to say "happy family? Everything okay?" Which we thought was funny and still occasionally say "happy family?" to each other.

That is so cool! ha ha ha Happy family Cute! What a nice touch though