Grand Princess-Traditional Dining?

On my next Princess cruise sailing on the Grand, they have 5:30, 6:00 and 8:15 dining times to pick from. My question is why do they have 2 Early times? Are they in different rooms? Like 5:30 in the aft and 6:00 in the middle or vise versa?

 

Also is the aft dining room bigger and more open with the big windows looking out back? It's been awhile since I was on her and just can't remember.

 

Thanks in advance.

 

Cheers!!!

Edited June 26, 2016 by PekingeseLady

On my next Princess cruise sailing on the Grand, they have 5:30, 6:00 and 8:15 dining times to pick from. My question is why do they have 2 Early times? Are they in different rooms? Like 5:30 in the aft and 6:00 in the middle or vise versa?

 

Also is the aft dining room bigger and more open with the big windows looking out back? It's been awhile since I was on her and just can't remember.

 

Thanks in advance.

 

Cheers!!!

The 5:30 is an extra traditional dining time in one of the anytime dining rooms located off the atrium. This is routine on any Princess cruise I've sailed because so many passengers want early traditional dining & at about 7:30 it reverts back to anytime dining.

 

The 6:00 time will be in the traditional dining room (deck 6 aft) and also for the 8:15 seating.

 

My recent experiences have been that the 6:00 time becomes 5:30 and the 5:30 becomes either 5:15 or 5:00. The explanation I've received is that each ship's maître d' and executive chef make the final decision & that itinerary is one factor considered. I'm not happy when 6:00 becomes 5:30 but that's out of my control.

 

The aft dining room has windows on 3 sides but the midship dining rooms have them on only 2 sides.

Edited June 26, 2016 by Astro Flyer

The 5:30 is an extra traditional dining time in one of the anytime dining rooms located off the atrium. This is routine on any Princess cruise I've sailed because so many passengers want early traditional dining & at about 7:30 it reverts back to anytime dining.

 

The 6:00 time will be in the traditional dining room (deck 6 aft) and also for the 8:15 seating.

 

My recent experiences have been that the 6:00 time becomes 5:30 and the 5:30 becomes either 5:15 or 5:00. The explanation I've received is that each ship's maître d' and executive chef make the final decision & that itinerary is one factor considered. I'm not happy when 6:00 becomes 5:30 but that's out of my control.

 

The aft dining room has windows on 3 sides but the midship dining rooms have them on only 2 sides.

 

Thank you so much for your quick reply. Do you know if the 5:30 Traditional is on deck 5 Michaelangelo or on Deck 6 Di Vianci? From the pics I find the Michaelangelo is lighter inside (like the aft dining room), and darker in the DiVianci. We have a forward balcony, but like the light and open feeling of the Aft diningrooms.

Thank you so much for your quick reply. Do you know if the 5:30 Traditional is on deck 5 Michaelangelo or on Deck 6 Di Vianci? From the pics I find the Michaelangelo is lighter inside (like the aft dining room), and darker in the DiVianci. We have a forward balcony, but like the light and open feeling of the Aft diningrooms.

You're welcome.

 

I haven't sailed the Grand since 2000 but all of my recent Princess cruises used the deck 6 restaurant to have an early (5:30-ish) traditional seating before becoming anytime at about 7:30.

 

I forgot to mention that the 8:15 traditional dining room (deck 6 aft) seating has also varied & is sometimes at 7:45 or 8:00.

Edited June 26, 2016 by Astro Flyer

:D Thanks again, really appreciate it. I will choose the 6:00 Traditional in Aft, not quite as early and in the larger more windowed room. DH has a scooter so he won't mind the commute, LOL

 

Happy Crusing!!!

:D Thanks again, really appreciate it. I will choose the 6:00 Traditional in Aft, not quite as early and in the larger more windowed room. DH has a scooter so he won't mind the commute, LOL

 

 

 

Happy Crusing!!!

 

Buon Viaggio! :)

On my next Princess cruise sailing on the Grand, they have 5:30, 6:00 and 8:15 dining times to pick from. My question is why do they have 2 Early times? Are they in different rooms? Like 5:30 in the aft and 6:00 in the middle or vise versa?

 

Also is the aft dining room bigger and more open with the big windows looking out back? It's been awhile since I was on her and just can't remember.

 

 

Note that the listed times may not be what actually occurs on the ship. As someone else pointed out, the ship management at the time you cruise will select the start times they think are best.

 

Also note that the deck 6 aft dining room can only be accessed by the aft elevators (and only by two of the four aft elevators) and the aft stairway.

Note that the listed times may not be what actually occurs on the ship. As someone else pointed out, the ship management at the time you cruise will select the start times they think are best.

 

Also note that the deck 6 aft dining room can only be accessed by the aft elevators (and only by two of the four aft elevators) and the aft stairway.

 

Thank you caribill! That might make a difference only 2 elevators. Being our cabin is in the forward part of the ship, DH would use his scooter to get to the MDR, so deck 6 aft may not be our best choice. Maybe we'll just stick to anytime dining, LOL

I have sailed on the Grand Princess twice in the last year and had 5:30 traditional dining on both cruises. 5:30 traditional dining is in the Botticelli dining room, deck 6 aft. There are windows along the right and left sides of this dining room but no windows on the back wall of this dining room. We were seated against the back wall on both cruises, so I'm absolutely sure of this. And 5:30 dining really was at 5:30. They did not do a bait-and-switch on the dining time on either cruise for 5:30 traditional dining. Can't speak to what happened to the 6:00 group.

 

Hope you have a wonderful time on your cruise!

 

 

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Looking at our cruise cards from the last two cruises on the Grand Princess where we had traditional dining.

 

For both April 2016 and October 2015 we had 5:30 first seating in the Da Vinci (deck 6 center) dining room right by the window (tables 176 and 118). Don't know if it was a coincidence or the fact that we were sailing in penthouse suites (C415 and C422) that we were assigned a table for 6 (our preference) by the windows.

 

I prefer the center dining room to the one in the aft.

The aft dining room has windows on 3 sides but the midship dining rooms have them on only 2 sides.

Only on the later Grand class ships are there windows on three sides of the aft Fiesta deck DR's. When the Riviera deck was added on the Caribbean the aft DR was enlarged and extended all of the way aft. This is the same on the Crown, Emerald and Ruby. On the Grand and the Golden, Star, Diamond and Sapphire the aft DR only has Windows on the sides. There are 8 or more windows on each side.

Only on the later Grand class ships are there windows on three sides of the aft Fiesta deck DR's. When the Riviera deck was added on the Caribbean the aft DR was enlarged and extended all of the way aft. This is the same on the Crown, Emerald and Ruby. On the Grand and the Golden, Star, Diamond and Sapphire the aft DR only has Windows on the sides. There are 8 or more windows on each side.

Thanks Brian & I'll remember that difference...guess it's been too long since I've sailed on those older Grand-class ships. :o

Edited June 28, 2016 by Astro Flyer

Thank you, Thank you, Thank you!!! You have all been fantastic. I now have a clear picture of the dining on the Grand. :D