Early, Late or Anytime?

I like to eat as we all do, but my working schedule means I don’t eat at the same regular time every day. Today, for example, I am on a split shift so will eat my main meal around 3.30pm, tomorrow I am on a normal shift finishing at 6 pm so will eat my dinner around 7 pm. Therefore when I cruise I generally prefer to go anytime dining or freedom dining (there are so many names for it) so I can eat when I want and when I am ready rather than be rushed too early or I will start snacking if I have to wait too late.

More cruise lines offer the options of early sitting, late sitting or anytime dining.  There are some cruise lines that do not have set times and are completely ‘open’ dining. And there are still some cruise lines that only offer traditional style dining first or second sitting and no other option.

MSC has always had the traditional dining and never offered an anytime dining policy (unless you are a suite guest). So with the launch of their new mega-ships recently and with more to come, I had thought they would introduce anytime dining. I was also led to believe this with information I had read and the offer of Flexi Dining when booking for my guests on the newer ships. However, I was wrong. They do not and are still only offering traditional dining. The information I had read, from their website, was very misleading. They do offer two flexi dining options – the first being 5:30pm/7:30pm and the second being 7:45pm/9:45pm. I believed this to be guests can choose to dine between these two times or subject to the ‘experience’ they had booked can choose and guarantee a set time.

Today I was informed no, they can pick the flexitime early or late options but will not actually be allocated the dining until on board, if given 5.30pm when they want 7.30pm, they can ask the restaurant manager and subject to dining availability he may be able to change it for them but there is no guarantee. The information on their website is very misleading regarding the dining options and I feel that MSC are very outdated with the way most cruisers want to dine. I do not understand why they have not introduced an anytime dining option plus still have the choice of 3 x set sittings such as early, mid and late? That would make more sense to me and give guests the choice they want. I do hope they re-look into this as for one of the fastest growing cruise lines they really do need to keep up with the other major cruise lines whom already successfully have these options in place.

How would you prefer the cruise lines offer dining options? Do you prefer the ‘open’ dining policy or a more traditional style of set dining?

Dawn

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