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@BetteDavisEyes -- On RCL, do passengers commit to any certain dining rooms, restaurants? Do they do that as part of booking, pre-cruise? Or commit to 'seatings' like waaaay back when?
Or is it - 'free range'? Eat anywhere, whatever is open? TiA.
Thanks to you and our other veteran cruisers.
IIRC, the incident took place in late afternoon on embarkation day. More than likely, it was not yet dinner time, and most passengers would have gravitated toward the buffet for light meals or snacks.
Dining options have changed a lot since DH and I started cruising in the mid-80s. All dining was fixed seating: You went to breakfast, lunch, and dinner at the same time every day, sat at the same table with the same passengers, and had the same waitstaff. Shipboard dining is much different now. You can still book "traditional" fixed-seating dining, but it is generally only for dinner. Breakfast and lunch in main dining venues are generally "open seating" which means that you will be seated with other guests (or a table for your party) when you arrive at the dining room. There is now also "anytime" or "my time" dining which means you don't have a nightly table assignment but can dine when you like and with whom, with or without prior reservations.
Most ships now offer "up scale" dining in an assortment of restaurants: Steak, seafood, Italian, French dining venues are common on many ships for an upcharge over and above food cost that is included in your cruise booking. There might also be casual dining options that include pizza, burgers, tacos, etc. While buffets are no longer open 24/7 and don't have a spectacular "Midnight Buffet", the buffet remains a very popular dining venue for many passengers who like self-service and quicker meals for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. Most ships offer room service, as well.
DH and I haven't done "traditional" dining for years and prefer to wing it when it comes to onboard dining. We usually do a couple of specialty dinners (upcharge) each cruise and also like casual options like a sit-down pizzeria. When we're in port, we generally have lunch or dinner off the ship so we can savor local cuisines. If we've had a busy day in port, we will order room service on the ship - something light like sandwiches. Bon Appetit!