Fix Anytime Dining

Tradional dining was instituted when the MDR was the ONLY place to dine onboard. Now there are many alternative dining rooms and of course TD passengers often dine in those other locations but that doesn't free up seats for others. There isn't space to enlarge the MDR because of the alternate dining rooms. Princess execs look at the available seats all over the ship and think that there is adequate space for everyone but in reality there isnt. I challenge them to come onboard ship and stand outside the dining rooms at dinner time. Passengers are VERY angry and things are getting nasty. It is going to lead to fights and the type of problems the airlines are experiencing. Princess needs to fix this problem NOW!!!

Wow! When I'm on a cruise I don't have any time for being "very angry" or "getting nasty". When I have had to wait for ATD I was given a beeper and I went and sat and had a nice, relaxing drink. While I am in the camp of "enforce the type of dining you are signed up for" I really don't understand why people have to get angry and freak out if they have to wait.

I agree Princess really should check cards and turn away those who don't belong in ATD but, since that isn't really likely to happen with any regularity, I'm not going to get angry or nasty if I have to wait. Personally, I think that anybody starting "fights" should be kicked off at the next port. Period.

Note: We also try to let the wait staff know if we aren't going to be able to make it to our assigned TD time. While we can't always know (sometimes we simply get back to the ship later than planned) it helps if they are aware we won't be there so nobody is left waiting and wondering and the rest of our table mates can be served in a timely manner. The staff works hard enough without the extra hassle of trying to figure out if we are coming or not.

We were just off the Ruby (4 night LA r/t cruise). We were able to get our preferred 7:30pm dining reservation each night. I don't know what the availability was like for earlier dining. When we would arrive at the dining room and queue in the 'reservations' line, we typically saw maybe 10-15 people without reservations waiting, but they seemed to be moving along quickly. The last evening there was no line at all around 7:30pm.

I am not sure that filling out tables in TD will work. The TD people will have been sitting for 15 minutes or so already. Then they will have to wait while people in the AD line are selected, sent to the other dining room, brought to a table, given menus and time to make choices. Finally they can order. I think the TD people will be put out by then.

 

It would work much better to fill an empty TD table.

Good reasoning...let's suggest it to the powers that be????? Maybe they'll read this thread!

Tradional dining was instituted when the MDR was the ONLY place to dine onboard. Now there are many alternative dining rooms and of course TD passengers often dine in those other locations but that doesn't free up seats for others. There isn't space to enlarge the MDR because of the alternate dining rooms. Princess execs look at the available seats all over the ship and think that there is adequate space for everyone but in reality there isnt. I challenge them to come onboard ship and stand outside the dining rooms at dinner time. Passengers are VERY angry and things are getting nasty. It is going to lead to fights and the type of problems the airlines are experiencing. Princess needs to fix this problem NOW!!!

If cards were checked to turn away any (and I still think there's not too many) traditional diners from the ADRs (along with TAs and Princess booking agents making sure to explain the difference of the two different dining systems to people selecting their meal preference -- of course, there's many who book with online companies, so this wouldn't help with them; along with notices in the Patters about where you can dine according to your preference; along with signs outside the dining room and not at the door, but maybe alongside the menu display)...then maybe people can stop posting that it's us darn traditional diners crashing their dining room. My hubby and I have never ever done this and I'm sure many other traditional-loving diners haven't, either. If, for some reason we can't make our seating, which is very rare, we gladly go to the Horizon or get hubby's favorite grilled chicken sandwiches at the poolside grill.

but angry? Nasty? I haven't heard people complaining on board, but I try to avoid negative types on cruises anyway.

A few years ago the ''transitional' dining room was partly TD and partly ATD but Princess changed it to an all TD early sitting when they saw requests for early TD that they were unable to fill. To my mind the problem is that the TD group is a more easily identifiable group, Princess can just look at the request list and attach a number to it; ATD diners are just the anonymous left-overs of no known number, and thus will only get what ever is left over in terms of seating availability.

To my mind the problem is that the TD group is a more easily identifiable group, Princess can just look at the request list and attach a number to it; ATD diners are just the anonymous left-overs of no known number, and thus will only get what ever is left over in terms of seating availability.

How can this be? ATD = (Total Passengers-Known Number of TD)

If cards were checked to turn away any (and I still think there's not too many) traditional diners from the ADRs (along with TAs and Princess booking agents making sure to explain the difference of the two different dining systems to people selecting their meal preference -- of course' date=' there's many who book with online companies, so this wouldn't help with them; along with notices in the Patters about where you can dine according to your preference; along with signs outside the dining room and not at the door, but maybe alongside the menu display)...then maybe people can stop posting that it's us darn traditional diners crashing their dining room. My hubby and I have never ever done this and I'm sure many other traditional-loving diners haven't, either. If, for some reason we can't make our seating, which is very rare, we gladly go to the Horizon or get hubby's favorite grilled chicken sandwiches at the poolside grill.

 

but angry? Nasty? I haven't heard people complaining on board, but I try to avoid negative types on cruises anyway.[/quote']

 

And how are you so sure of that?

How can this be? ATD = (Total Passengers-Known Number of TD)

If Traditional diners are the root of all evil, I guess even silly math works.

then maybe people can stop posting that it's us darn traditional diners crashing their dining room. My hubby and I have never ever done this and I'm sure many other traditional-loving diners haven't' date=' either. ...[/quote']

We TDs are getting tired of being blamed for ATD problems. The way some people carry on here, you'd think there is a conspiracy in the TD every night where we all get together and storm, en masse, the ATD gates just to watch the ATDers yell and throw punches. :rolleyes:

but angry? Nasty? I haven't heard people complaining on board, but I try to avoid negative types on cruises anyway.

 

If there is anger and nastiness going on down in the ATD line, I don't see it because I am minding my own business in TD. :p

We TDs are getting tired of being blamed for ATD problems.

A Traditional Diner...

• Deep-Sixed Jimmy Hoffa
  
• Was the Second Gunman on the grassy knoll
  
• Knows what is hidden at Area 51
  
• Threw Amelia Earhart off course
  
• Was Jack the Ripper
  

So why should it surprise you that they are the cause of the wait time for seating at the MDR at 6:00? The fact that there are 2,000 Anytime Diners competing for 400 seats in the sole ATD MDR open at that time has nothing to do with it.

...So why should it surprise you that they are the cause of the wait time for seating at the MDR at 6:00? The fact that there are 2,000 Anytime Diners competing for 400 seats in the sole ATD MDR open at that time has nothing to do with it.

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We did ATD for 34 nights last year, not by choice late Trad was full when we booked.

Never had a wait longer than maybe 5 or 6 people in line before us.

We went at all different times.

There were four different restaurants.

We tried them all, but found we enjoyed one set of waiters so mainly went to the one.

We mostly had table for two, but a few times shared with people we had met during the cruise.

Every time we went to any restaurant for the first couple of times we were asked for our card.

If you are not a TD diner causing the problem then why worry about it and get upset. You are not causing the problem abd most likely have no idea who is. Yet TD diners are showing up un the AT dinng rooms. Just because you do nt do something does nt mean it s not being done. Thete is more than enough data to show it is. All Princess would have to do to verify it s to tell all who are on charge of seating people in the AR dining room to not allow anyone that requested and was granted TD dining to not be allowed to eat inthe AT dining rooms. Prblem solved. Also stop allowing reservations in AT dining rooms for any reason and that solves that problem. Now all they have to do is figure out how to handle all he complaints that will result. Not sosimple

If you are not a TD diner causing the problem then why worry about it and get upset. You are not causing the problem abd most likely have no idea who is. Yet TD diners are showing up un the AT dinng rooms. Just because you do nt do something does nt mean it s not being done. Thete is more than enough data to show it is. All Princess would have to do to verify it s to tell all who are on charge of seating people in the AR dining room to not allow anyone that requested and was granted TD dining to not be allowed to eat inthe AT dining rooms. Prblem solved. Also stop allowing reservations in AT dining rooms for any reason and that solves that problem. Now all they have to do is figure out how to handle all he complaints that will result. Not sosimple

Huh?

Huh?

Didn't figure some would understand.

If you are not a TD diner causing the problem then why worry about it and get upset. You are not causing the problem abd most likely have no idea who is. Yet TD diners are showing up un the AT dinng rooms. Just because you do nt do something does nt mean it s not being done. Thete is more than enough data to show it is. All Princess would have to do to verify it s to tell all who are on charge of seating people in the AR dining room to not allow anyone that requested and was granted TD dining to not be allowed to eat inthe AT dining rooms. Prblem solved. Also stop allowing reservations in AT dining rooms for any reason and that solves that problem. Now all they have to do is figure out how to handle all he complaints that will result. Not sosimple

Huh also,

Theo

Thete is more than enough data to show it is.

Where is this 'data'? All I have seen are the baseless claims of posters here.

Regardless, Princess is in the business of making people happy.

In dining, they are driven to get good ratings on the passenger

survey. This won't be achieved by posting armed guards outside

the dining room checking cards.

And the fact is that some people come back late from a shore excursion, missing their regularly scheduled traditional dining if they are dining early. This has happened to us more than once. It's nice having the anytime dining available to us.

If you come back late, eat in the buffet. If I can't eat in traditional dining whenever I want to, you should not be allowed to eat in anytime dining and mess it up for those of us who have chosen anytime.

DON

Where is this 'data'? All I have seen are the baseless claims of posters here.

 

Regardless, Princess is in the business of making people happy.

In dining, they are driven to get good ratings on the passenger

survey. This won't be achieved by posting armed guards outside

the dining room checking cards.

Getting a bit melodramatic aren't we? Celebrity has a normal policy of checking your dining assignment when you ask to be seated in Select (Anytime) Dining. They simply ask your cabin number and quickly enter it in their computer (at the door). If you are supposed to be in Traditional Dining, the door person will quickly point that out and politely tell you where to find your assigned table. No armed guards necessary :). When folks know the rules and the rules are politely (but firmly enforced) there are few complaints.

Hank

While I have already made my view regarding not "crashing" ATD pretty clear I agree with those who say that isn't the only problem. There are certain times that the ATD folks seem to all want and it just isn't possible to accommodate all of them at the one popular time. In the case of the OP it was a 3 day cruise and it's likely that the majority of passengers signed up for ATD which would greatly exacerbate the problem.

I will continue to sometimes use TD and sometimes use ATD. If I have to wait then I have to wait. I'm lucky enough to be able to cruise. I have no time to be angry or upset. It just isn't worth it to me as it will just get me upset, upset my wife, upset other people, and have absolutely zero effect on the fact that I will still have to wait.

Getting a bit melodramatic aren't we?... When folks know the rules and the rules are politely (but firmly enforced) there are few complaints.

I think pablo is pretty close to correct here. There is a faction on this board who would welcome guards and if armed, so much the better. This faction is convinced that the only problem with ATD is sneaky TDers. This faction refuses to see that math is the answer: twice as many ATDers showing up at the same time for the available seats.

Where is this 'data'? All I have seen are the baseless claims of posters here.

 

Regardless, Princess is in the business of making people happy.

In dining, they are driven to get good ratings on the passenger

survey. This won't be achieved by posting armed guards outside

the dining room checking cards.

After enough TD diners have done it and enough have had them sit next to them in the AT dining room then the data is there. Why would someone make a statement about doing it when they have not? Who ever mentioned "armed guards"?

I think pablo is pretty close to correct here. There is a faction on this board who would welcome guards and if armed, so much the better. This faction is convinced that the only problem with ATD is sneaky TDers. This faction refuses to see that math is the answer: twice as many ATDers showing up at the same time for the available seats.

Where is this "faction that would welcome guards a if armed, so much the better?" Would love to see your proof of this faction you keep referring too. Talk about no data and making unproven statements this is getting down to the bottom.

There is a faction on this board who would welcome guards and if armed, so much the better.

Don't tase me, bro!

After enough TD diners have done it and enough have had them sit next to them in the AT dining room then the data is there.

You have confused anecdote with data.

No matter how many TDs are going to ATD or not... the bottom line is that if you sign up for TD, you are OCCUPYING A RESERVATION AND A DINING SPACE, ALREADY. PERIOD.

You do not deserve to attend ATD- you should pretend that it's the old days, when you missed dinnertime, you went alternative dining- buffet or premium restaurant.

Kudos to the cruise lines that enforce & bounce TD cards at ATD, and to the Princess staff that actually does it, as well. Even if the number of ATD "crashers" is absurdly low as to not even be the cause of the lines, TDers already HAVE THEIR RESERVATION, and if you bust it, oh well, too bad.