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Cancelling our Traditional Time dining table?


lucywestie

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We don't want to eat in the main dining room on our forthcoming cruise as we prefer the buffet area and other restaurants in the evenings. [buffet always seemed so much quieter as everyone else was in the dining room].

As a courtesy to other diners, at what point can we cancel our table or notify the maitre'd that we won't be eating in there so they can either give our table away or let our waiters know?

On a previous cruise on embarkation day, before the ship sailed, you could go to the main dining room and speak to the maitre'd and either request a table change or whatever else you wished.

 

Does Princess do the same thing or do we have to attend for the first nights seating and let them know then?

 

Pete

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Sounds like you should switch to Anytime dining now if you don't plan to eat in the dining room any of the nights. This gives you the flexibility to eat where you want and you don't have to notify anyone. And, if you change your mind and want to eat in the dining room, you can just show up at the time you want. If you give up your Traditional dining, you won't be able to go to the Traditional dining room but the menu and dress code is the same for both the Traditional and Anytime dining rooms.

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I agree with Pam. Change from Traditional to Anytime now. Then your Traditional spot can be given to someone else.

 

If you wait until you board, although they will switch you out of Traditional, they might not be able to move someone from the onshore waitlist into your spot.

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Late as in scheduled to return past TD time or late as in came back 2 hours later than expected.

 

For #1, not really, but you could ask the MD for an exception, for #2 since its an unplanned event, they will usually accommodate.

 

I'll add a your mileage may vary because different MDs have different rules on TD diners in AD. Some check cards always, some only at peak times, etc. But as a matter of protocol its not really nice because you are effectively taking up 2 dining seats per person that may be in scarce demand.

 

If you cannot go to traditional dining because of a late excursion can you go to anytime dining that day?
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Yes please please tell the Maitre D whatever you decide to do There is nothing more annoying than having a table for 10 people and because some of the others assigned to that table do not intend to come the places remain empty and we are spoilt for the choice of having other companions

 

When we ask for a large table we want all the seats taken not half the table empty and the Maitre D unable to reassign them because "the people COULD come some days":mad:

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If you cannot go to traditional dining because of a late excursion can you go to anytime dining that day?

 

Since you know the day before that your excursion will not be back in time for your sitting, discuss this with the headwaiter in your traditional dining room. He will likely tell you that it is OK to go to anytime or that you can come to the late traditional sitting.

 

In either case, let your waitstaff know you will not be there the next evening so they do not hold up serving others waiting for you to show up.

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The differences between traditional & anytime dining have blurred over time so that it's impossible to tell the difference between the two except that in anytime people will be arriving at various times. On our last cruise they even took reservations for just about any hour in the anytime DR and we were assigned to what they called traditional but you would never have known it. There was only one DR that was setup for truly traditional at the rear of the ship.

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We don't want to eat in the main dining room on our forthcoming cruise as we prefer the buffet area and other restaurants in the evenings. [buffet always seemed so much quieter as everyone else was in the dining room].

As a courtesy to other diners, at what point can we cancel our table or notify the maitre'd that we won't be eating in there so they can either give our table away or let our waiters know?

On a previous cruise on embarkation day, before the ship sailed, you could go to the main dining room and speak to the maitre'd and either request a table change or whatever else you wished.

 

Does Princess do the same thing or do we have to attend for the first nights seating and let them know then?

 

Pete

 

 

You can change it in the cruise personalized now, before you leave.

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I agree to change it before you go to Anytime Dining to give someone on a wait list a chance for Traditional. If you board and it is not changed on your card please let the Maitre D know so they can give someone else that spot.

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I agree to change it before you go to Anytime Dining to give someone on a wait list a chance for Traditional. If you board and it is not changed on your card please let the Maitre D know so they can give someone else that spot.

 

Yes, those of us on the wait list for traditional dining would really appreciate it!

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On our recent trip our info told us we were scheduled to traditional & when we arrived on the ship it was a designated table in the anytime dining room so actually it not always possible to tell which DR you'll be in.
That would apply only if you had early Traditional dining. So far as I know, there's only one dining room for late Traditional dining, or has that changed?
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We don't want to eat in the main dining room on our forthcoming cruise as we prefer the buffet area and other restaurants in the evenings. [buffet always seemed so much quieter as everyone else was in the dining room].

As a courtesy to other diners, at what point can we cancel our table or notify the maitre'd that we won't be eating in there so they can either give our table away or let our waiters know?

On a previous cruise on embarkation day, before the ship sailed, you could go to the main dining room and speak to the maitre'd and either request a table change or whatever else you wished.

 

Does Princess do the same thing or do we have to attend for the first nights seating and let them know then?

 

Pete

 

Since it looks like your next cruise is in September, why not switch to Anytime dining now, so that way people who really want traditional dining can have it.:)

Don't wait until embarkation day.

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You can go to the dining room on boarding day and tell them you will not be using the dining room....not a big deal at all.

 

It is a big deal to the next people on the waiting list before the cruise begins.

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Thanks for the replies. We actually dont either traditional or anytime dining. Dont fancy eating in the main dining room at all, thats just us.

So I will look at my personaliser etc. or speak with my TA

 

Thanks

Pete

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Thanks for the replies. We actually dont either traditional or anytime dining. Dont fancy eating in the main dining room at all, thats just us.

So I will look at my personaliser etc. or speak with my TA

 

Thanks

Pete

You don't have to eat in the main dining room if you have Anytime; you decide when and where you want to eat. And you don't have to notify anyone about where you're eating. But since everyone on the ship has the option of eating in the MDR, you have to be either Traditional or Anytime; there's no other choice.

 

Switch to Anytime and you can eat at the buffet every meal.

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You don't have to eat in the main dining room if you have Anytime; you decide when and where you want to eat. And you don't have to notify anyone about where you're eating. But since everyone on the ship has the option of eating in the MDR, you have to be either Traditional or Anytime; there's no other choice.

 

Switch to Anytime and you can eat at the buffet every meal.

 

Or at least without taking two seats from others that want the more limited traditional dining.

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Pam I have been admiring your ziplining photos. Do you have to be in good physical shape to do this? I am overweight and out of shape so not sure it is good for others in my group if I'm holding them up.
As you can tell from the photos, I'm somewhat "fluffy" although I've lost 30-lb since October. I think my zipline experience was a bit different from most in that we were outfitted and then walked up a path (not a hill) about 100-ft to the start. As soon as I was hooked up to the line, I relaxed and was totally comfortable with the experience and thoroughly enjoyed it. If anything, it was way too short. We were so far away from the other end that I didn't really see or pay attention to where we were ending up: on a platform under the bridge. Imagine my surprise when I stopped and found I had to climb backwards over a railing and then climb up the side of the bridge. I held up the next person a little but I did it. Most zipline experiences, you climb up to a platform so do some research about what's required to get to the platform(s). The ziplining itself was great, though. :)
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On a more general note, depending on the rig, there will be a weight limit. As long as you are under that point, overweight is not a safety issue (it may be a comfort issue with some harnesses).

 

As far as shape goes, only one real issue. Very few places (sadly we hit one in Costa Rica) use something called a handbrake system. This is where you use a gloved hand to slow yourself down. This can be hard for some people, especially if you brake short, in which case you may have to pull yourself in a bit.

 

Do NOT be concerned about this. Just ask them what kind of brake system they used and be sure you are comfortable with it before going.

 

 

 

Pam I have been admiring your ziplining photos. Do you have to be in good physical shape to do this? I am overweight and out of shape so not sure it is good for others in my group if I'm holding them up.
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