tinkerbellinmaine Posted August 7, 2018 Report Share Posted August 7, 2018 My husband and I will be taking our first RC cruise in December on the Independence. It is a 4 night cruise. We haven't been on a cruise in 15 years and really enjoyed the older style traditional way of dining where you had the same table and same waitstaff. The only seating available is the 8:30. That seems like a pretty late and inconvenient time to have dinner. Should we just go with the My Time dining? What are the benefits of the 8:30 time slot? It is just the 2 of us. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt Posted August 7, 2018 Report Share Posted August 7, 2018 I always book late seating for dinner. At home, I consider it late if we eat past 6pm, but on a cruise ship late seating is a great idea. The nice thing about late seating is it frees up your afternoon much more, and you have more time to get ready for dinner (shower, change, etc). This is especially true on port days. tinkerbellinmaine 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DRLPP Posted August 7, 2018 Report Share Posted August 7, 2018 Just depends on your wants for the rest of the cruise. Check out some of the Cruise Compass' on the blog to see what else may be available or not available with 8:30 seating. Also once you first board ship, find the dining staff and request to move to 6:00. Also consider doing Windjammer or specialty restaurant for a night if there is something that conflicts with 8:30. I tried My Time once and didn't care for it. Seemed we weren't given as much attention by servers. Postings have others liking MT. No matter what you choose, you should have a great time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DRLPP Posted August 7, 2018 Report Share Posted August 7, 2018 Forgot to add, I usually choose the later dining slot as it gives me extra time to just relax and not rush to dinner. Most sailings have the evening shows available to either dining time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ellcee Posted August 7, 2018 Report Share Posted August 7, 2018 I would just make sure you make it to the shows you'd like to. We had 6pm dinner reservations every night...I hated it. I felt like I was rushed to get ready every night which is not fun on vacation. 8:30 is a little late though but you figure you're out by 945-10ish...that actually doesn't sound awful.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MotleyCruiser Posted August 7, 2018 Report Share Posted August 7, 2018 39 minutes ago, Matt said: I always book late seating for dinner. At home, I consider it late if we eat past 6pm, but on a cruise ship late seating is a great idea. The nice thing about late seating is it frees up your afternoon much more, and you have more time to get ready for dinner (shower, change, etc). This is especially true on port days. No, not too late! I 100% agree with Matt. All his points are mine also. PLUS, you get to enjoy an 4 O'clock-ish Pre-meal at a Café or sushi restaurant onboard! The TRUE Fourth Meal!! tinkerbellinmaine 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
melski94 Posted August 7, 2018 Report Share Posted August 7, 2018 We use MTD and love it. If you stick to the same time you should have the same wait staff every night and you could request that. We like a 6:15 time but we are dining with the family. If it was just us, I'd probably try to make reservations at 7 pm every night. That is late enough to eat for us but we still could make any 8:30 shows. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crabbycruiser Posted August 7, 2018 Report Share Posted August 7, 2018 With late seating, you always have time to catch the best show onboard....the sunsets! HeWhoWaits 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt Posted August 7, 2018 Report Share Posted August 7, 2018 3 hours ago, Crabbycruiser said: With late seating, you always have time to catch the best show onboard....the sunsets! They usually have two showtimes, one for each seating. In the case of late dinner, the shows are usually before dinner Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crabbycruiser Posted August 7, 2018 Report Share Posted August 7, 2018 I am not the sharpest tool in the shed, but I'm pretty sure the sun only sets once a day.... Mljstr, tinkerbellinmaine and bcarney 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JLMoran Posted August 8, 2018 Report Share Posted August 8, 2018 I had the 8:30 dining time on Freedom last April and I thought it was great. Never went in feeling ravenous, almost always enjoyed the sunset and a margarita beforehand, and often stopped at Vintages beforehand to get a glass of red and people watch before meeting the rest of my family. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KWofPerth Posted August 8, 2018 Report Share Posted August 8, 2018 20 minutes ago, Crabbycruiser said: I am not the sharpest tool in the shed, but I'm pretty sure the sun only sets once a day.... Haha, I think Matt might've missed the point. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twangster Posted August 8, 2018 Report Share Posted August 8, 2018 25 minutes ago, Crabbycruiser said: I am not the sharpest tool in the shed, but I'm pretty sure the sun only sets once a day.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Balsam Posted August 8, 2018 Report Share Posted August 8, 2018 This is an interesting question for us as well. At home, we normally have dinner at about 7:30, so at this point have chosen MTD for our first cruise. We also don't like being "rushed" when eating out if the restaurant is trying to get us out so they can seat someone else for a later booking. People in this thread have suggested the shows have two times, designed for people with both the early and late dinner times... if we had a 7:30 reservation, and didn't want to be in and out in under an hour (dining out for us is normally at least a two hour thing) how would that place us for the shows? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
monctonguy Posted August 8, 2018 Report Share Posted August 8, 2018 I would never do a 8:30 dining.....it can be after 10 before your done..often could be close to 10:30 as it is not unheard of to take 2 hrs for a meal in the dining room. That's great if your plans are just to go to bed after...by the time you get out of there you have missed alot of the evening activities(or they have started already) or will have a problem, getting a good seat or any seat at most bars that have any type of entertainment going on. As well.....I find that from the sun going down at 5 or 6ish and having to kill 2-3 hrs waiting for supper can be a bit of a downer as well(or you will start having such a fun time that you don't want to leave to have to go and spend 2 hrs in the dining room).....so for my enjoyment and what I like to do on a cruise..I would never do 8:30. But then again I am usually up till 2am or so...which many aren't and are ok going to be at 11pm....to each their own..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
melski94 Posted August 8, 2018 Report Share Posted August 8, 2018 1 hour ago, Balsam said: People in this thread have suggested the shows have two times, designed for people with both the early and late dinner times... if we had a 7:30 reservation, and didn't want to be in and out in under an hour (dining out for us is normally at least a two hour thing) how would that place us for the shows? You would probably miss the shows. If there are 2 shows in a night and there may not be, the 1st show is about 6:30 or 7 and 2nd show would be at 8:30 or 9. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
melski94 Posted August 8, 2018 Report Share Posted August 8, 2018 I think one of the main advantages of the late seating is the extra time to get ready. However, if you want to see any shows then you need to get ready early anyways. I would eat too much if I waited until 8:30 as I'd need an early "snack" and I really don't want to eat that much food. Getting a 7 pm MTD reservation gives you the best of both worlds. No worries to rush to get ready but you still can go to shows. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jason.H. Posted August 8, 2018 Report Share Posted August 8, 2018 I love the late seating at 830 but hate that I can never seem to get myself to not eat too much! My wife and I always say we are going to do stuff after dinner but it never happens. We end up eating and feeling stuffed go back to the room and go to bed lol. I've been thinking maybe on our cruise next month I will have a pre dinner meal in the windjammer then in the MDR just get an appetizer and dessert. But that probably would never actually happen...Two dinners it is! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phillip Diamond Plus Posted August 10, 2018 Report Share Posted August 10, 2018 We do My Time dining and schedule it about 15 to 30 minutes after the late dining time. We do not like the early dining time because it doesn't allow you to rest from your on shore adventures and get ready for your going-out time. And we enjoy pre dinner entertainment and social times in all of the great lounges and in the Diamond or Concierge Clubs! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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