I can tell you when you have early dinner, you do not have much time between sail away party (starts at 4:30) and dinner (5:45). It seemed to me that they did the sail away party and then decided to go down the slides. That's why they were late for dinner.
Ideally, especially when you are in concierge, pearl or platinum and get to board earlier than everyone else, you eat lunch and immediately go to the slides, so you don't have to wait. Then you go to the lifeboat drill, sail away and get ready for dinner. But, they're the travel experts, don't you know.
The drink was a virgin Miami Vice. Starting him early on the mocktails.