Anytime vs Traditional Dining

Thanks to all the information on this board I have almost all the details of our family's first cruise on the CB nailed down. However I am still uncertain which option of dining we should choose.

My husband and I are cruising with our three kids 8-13. When I booked, I felt on the spot so I choose the traditional 6pm seating. My thinking being that it's sometimes hard to get a table for 5 in a land restaurant so if we did TD we would always have a table available. But now I'm second guessing that choice for a couple of reasons:

1. We chose this cruise for the itinerary. There are 4 port days and we plan on using them fully so I'm not sure we'll make the early seating especially now that some posters are saying a 6pm seating can actually mean 5:30 or 5:45.

2. Even if we can make the seating after a long port day we may not want to deal with sit down eating at all and just hit the buffet, but again, posters have commented that if you choose TD you have some sort of obligation to eat in the MDR or it's quite rude. (By the way when I was discussing this with my TA she said it was completely our option to eat there that night or not so I was surprised by posts to the opposite.)

Not ever being on a cruise before I'm just not sure what would make the most sense for our family. Would we have to wait for AD with a party of 5, can you truly be seated anytime for AD or only non peak times? What's the best dining time if you want to see the nightly entertainment? Is there any difference in serving times between TD and AD - with kids a long wait can sometimes be challenging.

Can anyone clear up what is fact or fiction out there and give this newbie some direction. It would be awfully appreciated. Thanks.

You very well might be happier with anytime seating. There's not usually a wait if you want larger tables. It's the tables for 2 that backlog at peak times.

I wouldn't worry about being "rude" if you don't show up for TD. If you are at a table with just your family, you won't be holding up any other diners. However, I do think you'd like ATD better. It's the smaller table where there is a wait, as I understand it. You are going to have so much fun!

You have no obligation to eat in the dining room, no matter which form of dining you choose. You need not inform anyone in advance of your plans, either!

Since most of the shows revolve around the 2 traditional times, the guesswork is gone, as far as making the shows.

As far as port days, you have to be ON the ship 30 mins. prior to sail away, and most folks are on the ship earlier than that...you won't have a problem making your early seating! If your younger child is wanting to do the evening kid's activities, early seating is best for that.

Based on the ages of your children, I think you might be happier with the anytime dining. In my experience (traveling with my nieces and nephews) the children preferred the buffet, so that they could go to the kids center earlier and play with their new friends. Traditional dining can take up to two hours. It's a lot to ask a child to sit for that long. My sisters often take the children to the buffet, sign them into the kids center, then come to the main dining room themselves for an "adult time" dinner

As far as the entertainment goes, the shows are repeated two or three times each evening. With anytime dining, one has the option of seeing the show before or after dinner. Sometimes we go to two different shows in one evening or take in a movie. Anytime dining will give you more flexibly.

You may have to wait for a table sometimes, but on my last few cruises, it seems that Princess is doing a better job of seating people in a timely manner.

Thanks to all the information on this board I have almost all the details of our family's first cruise on the CB nailed down. However I am still uncertain which option of dining we should choose.

 

My husband and I are cruising with our three kids 8-13. When I booked, I felt on the spot so I choose the traditional 6pm seating. My thinking being that it's sometimes hard to get a table for 5 in a land restaurant so if we did TD we would always have a table available. But now I'm second guessing that choice for a couple of reasons:

 

1. We chose this cruise for the itinerary. There are 4 port days and we plan on using them fully so I'm not sure we'll make the early seating especially now that some posters are saying a 6pm seating can actually mean 5:30 or 5:45.

 

2. Even if we can make the seating after a long port day we may not want to deal with sit down eating at all and just hit the buffet, but again, posters have commented that if you choose TD you have some sort of obligation to eat in the MDR or it's quite rude. (By the way when I was discussing this with my TA she said it was completely our option to eat there that night or not so I was surprised by posts to the opposite.)

 

Not ever being on a cruise before I'm just not sure what would make the most sense for our family. Would we have to wait for AD with a party of 5, can you truly be seated anytime for AD or only non peak times? What's the best dining time if you want to see the nightly entertainment? Is there any difference in serving times between TD and AD - with kids a long wait can sometimes be challenging.

 

Can anyone clear up what is fact or fiction out there and give this newbie some direction. It would be awfully appreciated. Thanks.

On embarkation day there will be a time/place listed in the daily Patter to meet with the Maitre D to discuss any issues with your dining arrangements.

He can get you set up with a table for all of you. Its usually in one of the dining rooms between 2pm and 3pm. He has the power. ;)

There is no obligation to let them know, but it is courteous to let the Maitre d' know if you won't be there (that is what the MD's have told me). I agree with most that anytime dining might fit you best. We did find that around 7 PM was a bit of a wait on one of our cruises. We have done both, and neither is better on the whole. It's just a matter of preference and your situation.

Thanks to all the information on this board I have almost all the details of our family's first cruise on the CB nailed down. However I am still uncertain which option of dining we should choose.

 

My husband and I are cruising with our three kids 8-13. When I booked, I felt on the spot so I choose the traditional 6pm seating. My thinking being that it's sometimes hard to get a table for 5 in a land restaurant so if we did TD we would always have a table available. But now I'm second guessing that choice for a couple of reasons:

 

1. We chose this cruise for the itinerary. There are 4 port days and we plan on using them fully so I'm not sure we'll make the early seating especially now that some posters are saying a 6pm seating can actually mean 5:30 or 5:45.

 

2. Even if we can make the seating after a long port day we may not want to deal with sit down eating at all and just hit the buffet, but again, posters have commented that if you choose TD you have some sort of obligation to eat in the MDR or it's quite rude. (By the way when I was discussing this with my TA she said it was completely our option to eat there that night or not so I was surprised by posts to the opposite.)

 

Not ever being on a cruise before I'm just not sure what would make the most sense for our family. Would we have to wait for AD with a party of 5, can you truly be seated anytime for AD or only non peak times? What's the best dining time if you want to see the nightly entertainment? Is there any difference in serving times between TD and AD - with kids a long wait can sometimes be challenging.

 

Can anyone clear up what is fact or fiction out there and give this newbie some direction. It would be awfully appreciated. Thanks.

Some with traditional dining might not make it to their sitting each night. Some will want to try out one of the specialty restaurants. If you do have a later port (say later than the your dinner time), you aren't obligated to be back on board for your assigned time (you may want to try a local eatery, for example). As pointed out above, if your sailaway time is 5pm, you need to be on board by 4:30 at the latest. If you know ahead of time that you might not make it to your assigned time, you can always let your waitstaff know that. If you didn't know ahead, and realize you're not eating there, no worries.

There's been a couple of cruises that my daughter (she was 8 and 13 on those cruises) didn't want to eat in the main dining room. That was fine with us as long as she ate. We've taken her to the Horizon Court or the pizzeria for dinner and then take up to the kid's room for the evening activities, before heading to the MDR ourselves.

For a party of five including kids, the odds are you would be assigned a table by yourself. The maitre'd and his staff aren't going to put a couple with a adult couple (unless they have their bookings linked). The only other situation would be to put a family of three with yours.

As compared to land restaurants there are many tables of six and eight in Princess dining rooms and availability should be good but you will probably have some wait between 6:00 and 7:30. I would suggest not sharing with others at a table for eight. If you dine just as a family you can control the number if courses and the time required to eat your dinner.

The issue with TD occurs if you are sharing a table with others. Waitstaff will typically wait until all are seated to start service. If someone doesn't show you will be delaying others. If you have a table for six for the five of you then no issue. It would still be nice to let your waitstaff know the day before if you don't plan to be there the next night.

If you want the most options to see evening entertainment I would suggest eating earlier. You should have no problem seeing the production shows because there are several performances each night. However there are other options such as game shows, trivia, themed music parties and such which are offered only once a night. Also there may be a production show and a solo performer the same night. We like eating by 5:30 at a table for two. We don't eat all courses so we are done by 7:00 and can see almost all entertainment options if we have the energy.

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Here are some random thoughts *There are normally 2 different times for TD, 6pm and maybe as early as 5:30. On some sailings there is no 6pm just 5:45. You have to discuss this with the DR staff on boarding day. *Youth may have difficulty with a 2 hour dinning routine every evening. On some nights they may be more comfortable with the buffet, grill or just some pizza. *Each evening there will be a movie on deck on Movies Under the Stars (MUTS). The family can actually go to the movie and eat your way through it with burgers, pizza, popcorn, cookies, and the entire selection from the buffet. *The youth center is open from 6pm to 10pm each evening. One night you may wish to have them eat, and when they are in the youth center you could be dining in the DR or the Crown Grill or Sabatini's, child free. *With ATD you are able to call the DINE line in the morning and make an evening reservation for 5. You can do this whenever you wish. It makes your planning for the day a little simpler.

Hope these thought are useful.

Anytime Dining works best for us because it allows us to have dinner at various times each evening. :)

LuLu

We are new to Princess line but not new to cruising. Doing Oct. cruise Quebec to Houston. We are signed up for ATD, I am a bit confused after reading the responses to the OP question. I know you will have the answer for me...

We will be on the Caribbean Princess, are there separate dining rooms for TD vs ATD. On HAL the difference is only the level... upper or lower but the same dining room.

A mention is made for a buffet eating on ATD, is that how one would have to eat or is there a menu?

Is one able to make a reservation for ATD? or is it first come first served.

Thanks for helping me out,

In theory you can make a "reservation" for ATD. In reality I've never experienced that! You're supposed to be able to reserve the morning of the dinner and not any farther in advance but my experience has been being unable to get any decent time even if I called as soon as dine line opened up.

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We are new to Princess line but not new to cruising. Doing Oct. cruise Quebec to Houston. We are signed up for ATD, I am a bit confused after reading the responses to the OP question. I know you will have the answer for me...

 

We will be on the Caribbean Princess, are there separate dining rooms for TD vs ATD. On HAL the difference is only the level... upper or lower but the same dining room.

 

A mention is made for a buffet eating on ATD, is that how one would have to eat or is there a menu?

 

Is one able to make a reservation for ATD? or is it first come first served.

Thanks for helping me out,

Every ship every cruise is different as far as making a res. You will have to check it out once onboard.

No menu at the buffet.

Anytime is for the DR's only.

We are new to Princess line but not new to cruising. Doing Oct. cruise Quebec to Houston. We are signed up for ATD, I am a bit confused after reading the responses to the OP question. I know you will have the answer for me...

 

We will be on the Caribbean Princess, are there separate dining rooms for TD vs ATD. On HAL the difference is only the level... upper or lower but the same dining room.

 

A mention is made for a buffet eating on ATD, is that how one would have to eat or is there a menu?

 

Is one able to make a reservation for ATD? or is it first come first served.

 

Thanks for helping me out,

There's generally a traditional dining room (for those who've requested assigned seating...usually early and late seatings) and a couple of anytime dining rooms (for those who are on anytime dining). One of those AD rooms may be used for a early/early traditional dining room (around 5:30 am) when there's many requesting t.d. (usually there are). All of the MDRs are one story only.

The Horizon Court is the buffet on Princess ships (on some, it may be called Cafe Caribe during dinner). Anyone, no matter what type of dining you have, can eat there. It opens early in the morning and closes around 11pm/midnight, and is open even between standard meal times. Most of the time there isn't a posted menu, so you would have to go in to see what is offered at the time.

The menu for the MDRs will be displayed every day by the door of all of the MDRs...lunch menu is displayed up til lunch is over and then that night's menu replaces it.

If you want to learn more about the dining options on your ship, go here: http://www.princess.com/learn/onboard/food_dining/

Look for the link to the Dining Options and Hours PDF.

We are new to Princess line but not new to cruising. Doing Oct. cruise Quebec to Houston. We are signed up for ATD, I am a bit confused after reading the responses to the OP question. I know you will have the answer for me...

 

 

 

We will be on the Caribbean Princess, are there separate dining rooms for TD vs ATD. On HAL the difference is only the level... upper or lower but the same dining room.

 

 

 

A mention is made for a buffet eating on ATD, is that how one would have to eat or is there a menu?

 

 

 

Is one able to make a reservation for ATD? or is it first come first served.

 

 

 

Thanks for helping me out,

The buffet is a separate venue on Lido deck. The Caribbean has the Horizon Court and was the first ship to have Cafe Caribe added at the aft if the HC area. One or both areas are open throughout the day depending upon demand. The HC has two identical areas on either side of the ship. One or both sides may be open.

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... give this newbie some direction. It would be awfully appreciated. Thanks.

If we were you ... we'd book late TD.

If we were you ... we'd book late TD.

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Thanks to all the information on this board I have almost all the details of our family's first cruise on the CB nailed down. However I am still uncertain which option of dining we should choose.

 

My husband and I are cruising with our three kids 8-13. When I booked, I felt on the spot so I choose the traditional 6pm seating. My thinking being that it's sometimes hard to get a table for 5 in a land restaurant so if we did TD we would always have a table available. But now I'm second guessing that choice for a couple of reasons:

 

1. We chose this cruise for the itinerary. There are 4 port days and we plan on using them fully so I'm not sure we'll make the early seating especially now that some posters are saying a 6pm seating can actually mean 5:30 or 5:45.

 

2. Even if we can make the seating after a long port day we may not want to deal with sit down eating at all and just hit the buffet, but again, posters have commented that if you choose TD you have some sort of obligation to eat in the MDR or it's quite rude. (By the way when I was discussing this with my TA she said it was completely our option to eat there that night or not so I was surprised by posts to the opposite.)

 

Not ever being on a cruise before I'm just not sure what would make the most sense for our family. Would we have to wait for AD with a party of 5, can you truly be seated anytime for AD or only non peak times? What's the best dining time if you want to see the nightly entertainment? Is there any difference in serving times between TD and AD - with kids a long wait can sometimes be challenging.

 

Can anyone clear up what is fact or fiction out there and give this newbie some direction. It would be awfully appreciated. Thanks.

I would stay with traditional dinning. Here is why from experience having our children and grandchildren. We were a group of five and ATD would not give us table during regular hours. We either had to be there by 5:30 or come after 7:30. We did not ask for ATD, but it was assigned. The only way this was resolved was through the Matre D' and being in a two BR suite. The gladly found us a regular reservation at the same table in ATD.

The other things really do not matter. It is your vacation and it depends on what size table they assigned you too. if you request a six top there probably will not be anyone else at the table. It it is a larger table there will proably be another family with children about the same age. So they will understand and know of the same problems.

I hope you have a wonderful cruise.

I would stay with traditional dinning. Here is why from experience having our children and grandchildren. We were a group of five and ATD would not give us table during regular hours. We either had to be there by 5:30 or come after 7:30.

Surely that's wrong? You mean you couldn't get an advance reservation for prime time, correct? Or a standing reservation for the entire cruise? (Both standard operating procedure on most ships, regardless of party size or their relation to one another, BTW.) Or do you mean that if the five of you showed up at the door at 6:00, the HW turned you away and told you to come back at 7:30? Really?

The DINE line only makes reservations during specific hours. But since TD seatings are around 5:30 and 7:30 (aka "regular hours"), I don't see how that would have changed your situation, anyway.

Surely that's wrong? You mean you couldn't get an advance reservation for prime time, correct? Or a standing reservation for the entire cruise? (Both standard operating procedure on most ships, regardless of party size or their relation to one another, BTW.) Or do you mean that if the five of you showed up at the door at 6:00, the HW turned you away and told you to come back at 7:30? Really?

 

The DINE line only makes reservations during specific hours. But since TD seatings are around 5:30 and 7:30 (aka "regular hours"), I don't see how that would have changed your situation, anyway.

We had asked for TD but could not get it. Your statement that we did show up at 6 and the HW turned us away and told us to come back because our party was too big. The second DR was so full after we ent there they were willing to take us but by that time it was so busy it would have been the same time. It was later that night that in the second ATD dinning room that the Matre D' gave us a permanet reservation after that. But there was not a lot of sweet talk in between, just very frustrating. It was good after that.

Thanks everyone for all the input, I feel like giggling with glee from all the info contained in this thread. After reading everyone's thoughts and experiences I think I'm leaning toward anytime dining. I think not having the stress of trying to get everyone ready to make a set dining time outweighs the risk of a long table wait. I will definitely report back our experience.

On embarkation day there will be a time/place listed in the daily Patter to meet with the Maitre D to discuss any issues with your dining arrangements.

He can get you set up with a table for all of you. Its usually in one of the dining rooms between 2pm and 3pm. He has the power. ;)

I had no idea this was an option thank you so much for the info :)

If you want the most options to see evening entertainment I would suggest eating earlier. You should have no problem seeing the production shows because there are several performances each night. However there are other options such as game shows, trivia, themed music parties and such which are offered only once a night. Also there may be a production show and a solo performer the same night. We like eating by 5:30 at a table for two. We don't eat all courses so we are done by 7:00 and can see almost all entertainment options if we have the energy.

This is what I was thinking also...

*Each evening there will be a movie on deck on Movies Under the Stars (MUTS). The family can actually go to the movie and eat your way through it with burgers, pizza, popcorn, cookies, and the entire selection from the buffet.

What a fabulous idea. We will definitely be doing this! Sounds like the perfect plan after a long port day :D.

I would stay with traditional dinning. Here is why from experience having our children and grandchildren. We were a group of five and ATD would not give us table during regular hours. We either had to be there by 5:30 or come after 7:30. We did not ask for ATD, but it was assigned. The only way this was resolved was through the Matre D' and being in a two BR suite. The gladly found us a regular reservation at the same table in ATD.

Yikes! This is my fear. Now I'm back to thinking TD. Rotten indecision :o.

I think not having the stress of trying to get everyone ready to make a set dining time outweighs the risk of a long table wait.

Just keep in mind that you will likely be eating at either 5:30-6:00 or after 7:30

I really don't know how you can others to decide what dining is best for you. It is your decision.:)