When should I Dine?

When it comes to cruising the dining is quite a big thing for lots of customers.  Most cruise lines now offer the flexibility of anytime dining as well as a fixed option.  Gone are the days of fixed two seating dinner times.  There is so much choice out there now as well as the normal buffet restaurants and speciality restaurants.  When I go cruising I much prefer to opt for the freedom dining.  Normally myself and my husband always opt for a table of 2 on freedom dining as I like to eat when we want and different times.  I have always found this works very well and if there are no tables for 2 available we are given a pager and then go for a drink before the table is ready.  This year is going to be a little different as when we cruise in October this year we will have our 14 month daughter with us.  I am still going for flexible dining on Mytime with Royal Caribbean.  Royal Caribbean give you the option to still reserve a time on the flexible dining which having a small child I have opted to do this.  I have booked in slots to suit her dinner time and we can still be flexible with this once on board.  We will also take her to the speciality restaurants with us when you eat in there.

A lot of passengers I speak to find it hard when having to pick early or late sitting on board the ship.  The early is too early if you have been out on a trip all day and the late can be too late by the time you have come out of the restaurant.  Also you need to consider if you are wanting to take in a show.  Sometimes on freedom dining you could miss out depending on the time you eat.  If on fixed dining normally the shows are performed more than once so everyone gets to see it.  It is really all personal choice with dining.  I will see how we get on this year with flexible dining with a small child.