Matre d on embarkation day

Saw this in another thread:

There is no longer information in the Patter of where to meet in the afternoon to speak with the Matre d', because the new policy is he meets you at the entrance at 5:30 pm at the dining room.

Is this correct? The MD no longer sets up one of the dining rooms on embarkation day?

My wife and I always pop in to "verify" our Traditional late seating table for two. Some times it is correct other times the MD made adjustments. I can see a big problem if everyone is at the dining room at 5:30 to check on table assignments.

Someone, if possible, please confirm that this is a new policy fleet wide.

Saw this in another thread:

 

 

 

Is this correct? The MD no longer sets up one of the dining rooms on embarkation day?

 

My wife and I always pop in to "verify" our Traditional late seating table for two. Some times it is correct other times the MD made adjustments. I can see a big problem if everyone is at the dining room at 5:30 to check on table assignments.

 

Someone, if possible, please confirm that this is a new policy fleet wide.

Can't be possible.....there is only one maître 'd on the ship and some ships have 3 or 4 dining rooms.

Maybe I need to clarify.

Does the Matre D still provide an opportunity on embarkation day in one of the dining rooms to check, verify or change table assignments?

According to another post in another thread, the Golden has done away with this.

There is no longer information in the Patter of where to meet in the afternoon to speak with the Matre d', because the new policy is he meets you at the entrance at 5:30 pm at the dining room.

Sorry for any confusion in my original post. Any knowledge would be helpful.

Normally I just phone the Dining Line and find out which DR he will be in on embarkation afternoon and at what time.

The way the OP explains it, it sounds as if any adjustments must be made prior to the early-early TD of 5:30 held in the dining room which will be ATD after 7 pm. The other ATD dining room should be open as usual, and the early TD of 6 pm will be, as usual, in the aft dining room. That sounds waaaayyy too complicated. If someone wants to change a table in late TD, he has to show up along with all the others in line, some of them wanting to switch from TD to ATD or early-early TD to late TD or any possible combination of things. I hope this idea does not fly.

The way the OP explains it, it sounds as if any adjustments must be made prior to the early-early TD of 5:30 held in the dining room which will be ATD after 7 pm. The other ATD dining room should be open as usual, and the early TD of 6 pm will be, as usual, in the aft dining room. That sounds waaaayyy too complicated. If someone wants to change a table in late TD, he has to show up along with all the others in line, some of them wanting to switch from TD to ATD or early-early TD to late TD or any possible combination of things. I hope this idea does not fly.

Me too & hopefully it's only a test on the 4 day Golden's cruise that will fail miserably which was the situation on their cruise. :eek:

Hey Putterdude!

Normally I just phone the Dining Line and find out which DR he will be in on embarkation afternoon and at what time.

That's what the problem was on the Golden. No MD in any DR until dinner. Said it was a new policy. So even a phone call to dining wouldn't have helped. Hope its not a fleet wide policy.

I think all of us with concerns about this should let Princess know right away

I think all of us with concerns about this should let Princess know right away

Hopefully at least those who are directly affected on this cruise will voice their opinions. I've never had to visit the maître d' so I don't know what percentage of passengers need to meet him concerning their table assignment.

I don't know about 4-day cruises, but on our last cruise (which was a 14 day one), we wanted to see about switching from early dining to late. I checked the Patter which stated where you to go. It wasn't the maitre'd or maybe not even the head waiter, but the person there took down our cabin number and said to go to our assigned table that night and we would be contacted if we'll get changed for the rest of the cruise. And that's what happened, we got a note in our cabin where our new table would be from night #2 onward.

In short, check the Patter when you board.

I checked out the Patter from our cruise last month on the Caribbean Princess. I found the notice printed on the back in the "Dining Guide" section. On our cruise, the "dining room inquiry desk" was open from 2 until 3 in the Island Dining Room. I could see how people would overlook this in the Patter, especially if they're happy with their assignment.

I just found out that we have moved from the waiting list to confirmed early TD at 6 pm. I was not looking forward to standing in line to talk to the MD on the Golden. I really hope that new policy was a one-time thing.

Just back from the Emerald and the M'd was able to be contacted in one of the dinning rooms for table change from about 2pm to about 3pm. If as the OP says this is going to be changed then Princess have just lost our 3 future cruises already booked. Why's that you say, well DW is wheelchair bound and we need a table for 2 accessible for her. Although you can request a table for 2 at booking time, it's only a maybe request with no guarantee. Now if special requests could be confirmed at booking stage then all would be well. Why change the old system? Princess take note if you read this as The Consummate Host will be not so consummate and people will vote with their feet.:mad:

the M'd was able to be contacted in one of the dinning rooms for table change from about 2pm to about 3pm

That's right. We always check the patter and almost like a ritual go visit the MD in whatever dining room he's at on Embarkation day. There's usually a number or name system and they call you up and discuss your needs with him. Lately it has just been verification because our request was accommodated prior to boarding But some times changes were needed.

We always request a table for two as we tend to choose multiple items per course and don't want the table to have to wait for us to finish our course before the next one is served. Works well.

If they make it more difficult to meet or discuss dining arrangements (especially the first day) it could put a damper on first day experience and sour us on dinner as well.

Well, I complained to the Captain's Circle Host and he wrote down my complaints. Because we didn't want to deal with the Anytime dining, we went to Horizon's which was very dissapointing. No more table cloths for dinner as was on our 25 day Transpacific to Osaka. The food selection was disappointing, no carved meats, just a poached salmon. Everything was lukewarm, except for the mashed potatoes.

We are in a suite, so earlier, I requested the dinner menu, but it arrived in the evening while we were at the buffet. Evidently, we missed the Chocolate gold bar dessert special from the new Chocolate promotion. Not sure whether we will try the Anytime tonight.

As I understand it, and I could be wrong, you should have preferential dining reservations if you are in a suite. In the past I have had them, where if I called the Dine Line on the morning of the day I wanted the reservation, I always got it. You might want to try it. I have called the minute they opened, but also at 10 Am when I forgot to do so.

M.

As I understand it, and I could be wrong, you should have preferential dining reservations if you are in a suite. In the past I have had them, where if I called the Dine Line on the morning of the day I wanted the reservation, I always got it. You might want to try it. I have called the minute they opened, but also at 10 Am when I forgot to do so.

 

M.

Preferential reservations are only for the Specialty dining. I just returned from the Pursor's desk and the new policy is that on 3 and 4 day Coastal cruises, the Matre d' will be outside Canaletto at 5:30 pm.

My biggest gripe is that the Matre D's list, as shown to me by him, stated that I requested any number of people at the table, not 2. Also, that there is never seating for 2 in the Canaletto dining room, according to the Matre d', so why was I able to even request it.

I was able to meet with the Matre D and change my dining on my April 2014 CB cruise and my August 2014 Ruby cruise. I found the time and location listed in the patter after embarkation. I had booked any time dining on both and switched to a table for 2 in the traditional dining room once on board. No problem at all.

On our 4 and 5 day cruises in January and March the maitre d' had hours in the dining room on embarkation day. This new policy, if that is what it is, is awful!