Anytime Dining for a large group

First of all, sorry if this is a common question that has already been answered somewhere. I did a quick search and didn't find a clear answer to put my mind at ease, so I thought I would ask away! :)

Would anytime dining be a good option for a group of 13? We planned on anytime dining, thinking it would be easier to not be tied to a strict schedule, but after reading about ATD waits, I am starting to think it may be pretty rough getting a table that big without a long wait. We will have several kids with us (including an impatient 4-year-old and a toddler) and I am imagining a long wait would not bode well with overstimulated, tired, hungry kiddos.

There is one suite in our group, so would that person be able to make reservations each evening for the entire party of 13? And if so, would that even be reliable?

Okay, I think that is it. Thanks in advance for your input! :)

First of all, sorry if this is a common question that has already been answered somewhere. I did a quick search and didn't find a clear answer to put my mind at ease, so I thought I would ask away! :)

 

Would anytime dining be a good option for a group of 13? We planned on anytime dining, thinking it would be easier to not be tied to a strict schedule, but after reading about ATD waits, I am starting to think it may be pretty rough getting a table that big without a long wait. We will have several kids with us (including an impatient 4-year-old and a toddler) and I am imagining a long wait would not bode well with overstimulated, tired, hungry kiddos.

 

There is one suite in our group, so would that person be able to make reservations each evening for the entire party of 13? And if so, would that even be reliable?

 

Okay, I think that is it. Thanks in advance for your input! :)

If you want to eat together, you should probably do traditional. If some evening you can't make the assigned time, you can take the crowd to the buffet or order room service for everyone. I've done cruises with the little ones, and they don't like to wait to eat, that's for sure. :) Since the tables only go up to ten-tops, you'll need more than one anyway.

If you want to eat together, you should probably do traditional. If some evening you can't make the assigned time, you can take the crowd to the buffet or order room service for everyone. I've done cruises with the little ones, and they don't like to wait to eat, that's for sure. Since the tables only go up to ten-tops, you'll need more than one anyway.

Thank you!! Hopefully traditional will still be available and we can make a switch!

Thank you!! Hopefully traditional will still be available and we can make a switch!

On one cruise a large group arranged for two tables in the anytime DR. At one were all the youth and the other had the adults. They were at the same tables most evenings. They probably arranged for this set up once on board.

I traveled with a family group of 13 also. We had two tables in traditional early dining - a table for 8 and a table of 6. The tables were next to each other with the same waiter.

We switched back and forth between the two tables each night - ignoring who was assigned to one and who was assigned to the other. Since we had the same waiter, there was no problem.

We found it worked very well for our group. We split in several different directions with different subgroups doing different things during the day. Dinner was the one time each night that we were all together.

There is usually no problem getting traditional late dining. Even with two dining rooms however, traditional early dining sometimes has a wait list.

Make sure all of your bookings are tied together so they will seat you together. Suites do have priority for assignment of tables for traditional dining, so that may help you get the two tables. If you don't get the assignment in advance, talk with the maître d' on board. I would recommend that one of the people in the suite be the person to talk with the maître d'.

If you have early dining and some of you miss it, the people in the suite can order anything from the MDR menu to be delivered to the suite. You can do this anytime that the MDR is open. You may have a problem trying to feed 13 people by room service in the suite, but there would be no problem ordering for four.

If you stay with anytime dining, the suite passengers should have no problem reserving one table for eight or fewer anytime they want. A table for ten may be more difficult. You may not be able to reserve two tables with suite priority, so the rest of your group would need to eat on their own.

I really recommend traditional dining with a table of eight and a table of six for a group of 13. It worked absolutely fantastic for us.

Thanks All for the tips! :) I called Princess and it looks like both early seatings for traditional are wait-listed. The customer service rep said that even if something opens up, we might not all be moved to traditional together (even though our reservations are all linked). Oh well! We will stick with anytime and hustle to make reservations as soon as we are on the ship!!

On one cruise a large group arranged for two tables in the anytime DR. At one were all the youth and the other had the adults. They were at the same tables most evenings. They probably arranged for this set up once on board.

Sknight: I like the idea of the kids at one table! I wonder how much I will have to pay an older kid to watch my little ones at the table each evening... :D

Sknight: I like the idea of the kids at one table! I wonder how much I will have to pay an older kid to watch my little ones at the table each evening... :D

After boarding, go to the Maitre d' and ask for his help. There'll be a notice in the Patter in your cabin with where he'll be and the times. Have everyone's names and cabin #'s. He will be able to help you.

I've experienced this several times in Traditional dining. It was great for the parents but unpleasant for people at nearby tables. The kids would have food fights, fighting/pushing/screaming/running around, bang silverware against glasses when they wanted the waitstaff's immediate attention, etc. I'm sure this wouldn't be the case with your kids but every time I've seen this, it wasn't a nice dining experience. :(

 

After boarding, go to the Maitre d' and ask for his help. There'll be a notice in the Patter in your cabin with where he'll be and the times. Have everyone's names and cabin #'s. He will be able to help you.

I was definitely kidding about my little ones at a kids' table. I know there are a lot of kids who can keep it together with good behavior, but it would be our luck to have the table of hooligans; and sadly it would likely be my 4-year-old who would be leading the shenanigans! :eek: When we go out, we usually try to have him seated nice and snug between mom and dad to help motivate him to be a little gentleman (or at least to act mostly human!). :D

And thanks for the tip to see the maitre d'. I will probably make that my first to-do once we board! I typically like to have things all settled as quickly as possible ~ makes for a much more relaxing vacation! :)

I agree, its a must to see the MD on embarkation day. The time and location will be listed in the Patter. Usually in one of the DR's between 2pm and 3:30pm.

I agree, its a must to see the MD on embarkation day. The time and location will be listed in the Patter. Usually in one of the DR's between 2pm and 3:30pm.

Agree.

First of all, there are no tables large enough for 13 people, so you will always be split up between two tables.

It just doing regular Anytime, it may be difficult to get those two tables near each other.

The Maitre d' might be able to either set you up in Traditional with two tables near each other or make a set reservation (same time each evening) with two tables near each other in Anytime. You would have to have a set time in Anytime as they cannot keep the tables vacant until your group shows up at different times on different evenings.

Excellent advice above. When traveling with grandchildren we always do traditional or in your case do the best to get a set table and same waitstaff.

And you should also give the dinner buffet in the HoriOn Court a try. If everyone wants to wear shorts and be comfy and have a quick dinner, this is a great option for a night here and there.m

The Maitre d' might be able to either set you up in Traditional with two tables near each other or make a set reservation (same time each evening) with two tables near each other in Anytime. You would have to have a set time in Anytime as they cannot keep the tables vacant until your group shows up at different times on different evenings.

Excellent advice above. When traveling with grandchildren we always do traditional or in your case do the best to get a set table and same waitstaff.

I definitely like the idea of a set time each night, and even better if we can get the same waitstaff! If we can't get actual traditional dining, it would be nice to be able to have an ATD experience that is somewhat similar. Out of our entire party of 13, only 3 of us have cruised before and I would love the newbies to have that great cruise dining experience in which the waitstaff gets to know you and builds rapport with the guests! :)

I sailed on Caribbean Princess out of New York and had a traditional table for two next to a group of twenty three people from Long Island. I am sure that they were on a single table made by moving things about although it might have been two with people switching seats. Very loud group with the oldest guy, in charge was just like Bilko. I thought he was hilarious, like the original but for some reason his wife kept apologising on his behalf even though I assured her nothing was wrong.

Regards John

I definitely like the idea of a set time each night, and even better if we can get the same waitstaff! If we can't get actual traditional dining, it would be nice to be able to have an ATD experience that is somewhat similar. Out of our entire party of 13, only 3 of us have cruised before and I would love the newbies to have that great cruise dining experience in which the waitstaff gets to know you and builds rapport with the guests! :)

I agree with others that TD would be the best option for your party and hopefully the MD can accommodate you. It has been our experience that in ATD that the wait staffs do not do the same service area every night.

I definitely like the idea of a set time each night, and even better if we can get the same waitstaff! If we can't get actual traditional dining, it would be nice to be able to have an ATD experience that is somewhat similar. Out of our entire party of 13, only 3 of us have cruised before and I would love the newbies to have that great cruise dining experience in which the waitstaff gets to know you and builds rapport with the guests! :)

I have found that many waiters in traditional dining are particular good at working with the kids - they spoil them. It think it helps with some kids to work with the same waiters each night.

I suspect you probably want early dining because of the kids. If you are willing to dine at 5:30 or 6:00 pm when the anytime dining room opens, you can probably get something close to the traditional dining experience with a reservation for the same table, the same time, and the same waiter each night. Although not quite as good as traditional, it would come close. It would also have the advantage that you could request some later reservations on the nights that you have late excursions.

Definitely let one of the suite passengers be the one to talk with the maître d'. I have found that they really go out of their way to give full suite passengers the tables and times you want.

Well, I decided to call Princess again to double check any possibility of switching to traditional ~ never hurts to try! The rep was very helpful and said it is worth going on the wait list and that our linked reservations should be kept together if enough space opens for traditional. Now we just have to wait and see! :)

Thanks again for all the input! :)

Well, I decided to call Princess again to double check any possibility of switching to traditional ~ never hurts to try! The rep was very helpful and said it is worth going on the wait list and that our linked reservations should be kept together if enough space opens for traditional. Now we just have to wait and see! :)

 

Thanks again for all the input! :)

If you don't make it off the waitlist go and see the MD. ;)

We feed our girls (5,6 & 8) in the buffet and send them to kids camp so we can enjoy our dinner in the dining room and relax. The last cruise, we brought them to the dining room on the last formal night and they did fairly well but were ready to go by the time we were served our main course to say the least.

We feed our girls (5,6 & 8) in the buffet and send them to kids camp so we can enjoy our dinner in the dining room and relax. The last cruise, we brought them to the dining room on the last formal night and they did fairly well but were ready to go by the time we were served our main course to say the least.

That's a thought. :)

We feed our girls (5,6 & 8) in the buffet and send them to kids camp so we can enjoy our dinner in the dining room and relax. The last cruise, we brought them to the dining room on the last formal night and they did fairly well but were ready to go by the time we were served our main course to say the least.

That would make dinner so much more relaxing!!! [emoji5]️ Don't think I can get away with it though, as this is a big family cruise for my mom's 75th birthday. We don't all get together often and I'm pretty sure she'll be wanting the whole fam-damily together!! [emoji5]️