What does early dining mean on a cruise?

Early seating The first seating in the Main Dining Room usually takes place around 5:30pm or 6:00pm; the exact time varies based on itinerary. With this seating, you will be able to free up your evenings for shows and other activities taking place around the ship, even if it is just listening to live music in the pub!



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Early dining typically begins anywhere from 5:30 to 6:30 pm. Early dining frees up your entire evening for shows, live music, deck parties, and other activities around the ship. It's also great for families with children, because kids are often used to eating a bit earlier.

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The most common My Time Dining hours are from 6 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. Those hours (particularly the start time) may vary depending on the ship and the itinerary, but you can always find the details in the Royal Caribbean app, on the dining room information in your cabin's interactive TV or in the daily Cruise Compass news ...

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Dinner or “smart casual” attire If you're having dinner in the main restaurant or any meal at one of the specialty restaurants, you'll follow a “smart casual” dress code on most nights. This means long pants, jeans, a dress or skirt, a stylish top, or a button-down.

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Yes, a few select bars and restaurants will be open on that first afternoon, and all will be in operation in the evening.

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There is no special dress code for My Time Dining – it has the same dress code as traditional dining. Aside from formal nights, there is no enforced dress code except that bare feet and tank tops are not allowed in the Main Dining Room.

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Most cruise lines permit wearing clean, nice jeans in the main dining room and specialty restaurant on “casual” and “smart casual” evenings. On cruise lines where there is a formal night, jeans are not permitted in the main dining room. However, you can always eat in the casual restaurants and the buffet.

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For consecutive sailings, guests of drinking age are allowed to bring one (1) 750 ml bottle of wine or champagne for each individual sailing. Additional bottles will be stored by the ship and delivered, one bottle at a time, to the stateroom on the first day of each new voyage.

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In general, plan on giving $16–$23 in gratuities per day for each passenger. Note that the amount should be tabulated for each individual in your party—don't try to tip once per couple or group. So if you're planning to go on a 7-day cruise, expect to give a total of between $112 and $161 per person in gratuities.

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Cruise line companies design ships to have various storage areas for different food items – fresh vegetables, dairy, different types of meat, canned items and even beverages. Each of these storage areas has different temperature settings linked to the food being kept within.

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While they might not host the excessive midnight buffets of yore, many cruise ships do still offer late-night snack stations in the buffet areas, featuring items like sandwiches, tacos or crepes.

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6 Night Cruises - Usually on Day 2 and 5. 7 Night Cruises - Usually on Day 2 and 6. 8 - 10 Night Cruises - 2 Formal Nights, Days vary by ship and sailing. 11 - 14 Night Cruises - 3 Formal Nights, Days vary by ship and sailing.

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Royal Caribbean International no longer offers the traditional midnight buffet where guests parade through the dining room, take pictures, then eat, on a regular fleet-wide basis.

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Priority embarkation is offered to suite guests (except Junior Suite) and Crown & Anchor Society members on the following tiers: Platinum, Emerald, Diamond, Diamond Plus and Pinnacle.

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The best time to board a cruise ship is obviously when there are few lines and short waits. The trick is knowing when that will be. Unfortunately, it can vary from port to port and ship to ship, but I prefer arriving in the early afternoon, usually around 1 or 2 p.m.

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By 1pm, your stateroom will be ready and that means you can check out your new home, drop off any carry on luggage you brought and start enjoying the benefits of your room.

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Many first-time cruisers don't realize that they won't be able to go directly to their staterooms upon boarding. Pass the time while you wait for your room to be ready and for the ship to set sail by enjoying lunch on the Lido Deck of the ship.

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Order as many entrees as you want Ordering food on a cruise ship is no time to be bashful. The quality of food can vary from average to superb and you don't want to miss out on any of the finer dishes. You can order several entrees if you want, or even several appetizers.

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Much of the food is included in your cruise fare, with the exception of the steakhouse, Cucina del Capitano, and chef's table that cost a little extra. You can eat as much as you want!

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