Questions re: dining
 

My husband and I are taking a mediterean cruise in October. I'm a little confused with regard to the dining - On this particular cruise I understand you need to pick a dinner time - in our case 6:15 or 8:30.

Does this mean this is our time for every dinner - in any restaurant in the ship -whether casual or in the dining room?

What happens if you are late for dinner?

In the main dining room do you have the same table with the same people every night?

Can you request a table for two?

I just assumed the main dining room had set hours and casual type restaurant was more of a open seating - any time sort of thing.


We are down for the late seating but are thinking of changing it to the early seating. We are concerned about not making it back in time for the early seating.

We've never cruised before (can you tell?)


thanks very much!

first of all, alot of info may be gleaned if you register(free)at
cruisecritic.com.

You do not mention WHICH ship you will be on which would enable me to
give you a definitive answer.

Most ships these days have other options: any time or free style dining which means you may enter during the dining hours at any time you wish & be seated asking the maitre d' for a table for 2 OR a larger table if you wish to meet other cruisers.

Aside from the formal dining room there is another option: the leisure dining area(s) which folks frequent if A) they do not wish to dress correctly for formal night or
B) Are late getting back from their day's outing or C) just because they wish to try an alternative restaurant.
Give us the ship & we can inform you in more depth.

You pick your dinner time - 1st or 2nd seating. Upon boarding you'll recieve your card (the size of a credit card) that will be your cabin key and a charge card at the same time. On this card you will see the time and the name of the restaurant.

You can eat only in that restaurant at the time on the card. Sure, you can change when on the ship, if they have space or switch with somebody. You cannot go to another restaurant for a sit-down dinner.

If you are late for dinner, depends how late, there are always other options. Buffet is always opened for dinner. You can order room service. There may be other options available (like pizza) check in the daily schedule that will be left on your bed every night.

Yes, you are assigned to one table, so you will have to sit with the same people. You can request to be moved to another table, if they can (seats available?) they will move you.

It doesn't hurt to ask for a table for 2, but it's not guaranteed.

You will not be hungry on a cruise, don't worry about that. At home - do you dine early or late? This would be my main reason to pick a seating.

And you don't tip at every meal, you do it on the last day.

Since there is always food available on a cruise, we always pick the later seating since it fits our schedule better. On port days you then have plenty of time to get back, shower, have a drink.

On sea days we would sometimes sleep later, so all the meals got moved later - such as breakfast at 10, lunch at 3. Or head to the buffet for a snack. Or take a nap before dinner. It is always surprising to me how quickly we adjust to a dinner time 90 minutes later than we eat at home.

As far as eating every dinner with the same strangers, we have been very lucky on the 3 cruises we have taken in that we got great dining table companions. The one cruise we took with open seating when our family ate with just ourselves - that was not so great. We were a little bored with just each other 24 hours/day.

Thanks so much for your replies.

We will be on the Galaxy cruising the greek isles and Turkey.

So it seems we do have other options...if we wanted to eat at the buffet or have sushi at 7:15 that is possible. Are reservations needed or just show up?

If I understand correctly, the assigned times is just for the main dining room?

I really appreciate your help

from,

a novice cruiser

yes assigned is for the main dining room.
Have you done a Google search or
gone to cruisecritic.com where there is a plethora of cruisers
who love Galaxy as I suggested?

She is an older ship & is being sold in May 2009.

Sorry---no BUFFET on Galaxy for the evening meal.
There is an alternative dining area in the evening up where the noon buffet is held.
You won't go hungry~~many options.
My favorite is a large table in the dining room for the late time. Great way to meet people and share your day!
Happy cruising! I think you will LOVE Celebrity and its reputation for great food! :-)