Traditional Dining: What if we miss our dining time?

Let's see - I asked permission and was told I was welcome. So your comments really don't matter to me. The Matride who said yes is the one I care about.

 

If he had said no, I would have respected that also.

You've got that right. :D

Actually I have never heard anyone being denied being seated in the AT DR. They might prefer you to stick to what you signed up for but will never refuse anyone to be seated.

That pretty much settles it then - we will try to book a table for 2 for Traditional Dining to guarantee us a spot... we may be a few minutes late...depending on what else is going on the ship...;p

then, on the nights we don't want that time/table...we'll just go to anytime dining - that way we can take up 2 dinning spots...but, hey, who cares, right?:evilsmile:

certainly not the anytime people who show up after us waiting for our table / staff :rolleyes:

If you miss your assigned time for you Traditional Dining tme you should go there first and see if they will seat you. If not then maybe check at an Anytime Dining Room. This way you at least tried to eat in the designated dining room. But some just automatically go to ATD room and know they will be seated. At least make the effort.

A huge thanks for starting this thread Misha 227. Yes, maybe we will bump into each other. I am counting down the days already. Are you super excited too? The thought of waking up Christmas morning and being in the Panama Canal is so cool. We love to cruise at Christmas.

Thanks everyone for sharing your thoughts too. I totally respect what everyone says about sticking with what you signed up for. I am a die hard traditional early seating person, and this is the first time I have encountered this situation in many, many cruises. I always book excursions so that we are back on time. I am diabetic, so it's kinda important for me.

Thanks Homosassa for pointing out that Panana Canal cruises may be different and might all be anytime that night. I can totally see how it might be different given the nature of not being able to nail down exact times with the locks situation. I will hope this option is what happens.

I am interested to hear from anyone else who has done the Panama Canal to see if it is different with Princess for this itinerary.

I don't know why they don't have all hybrid dining rooms. We were on Royal recently and had an assigned table in Symphony at 5:45. It was also an AD dining room. If we didn't show up by 6, they gave our table away and then we had to get in line for AD dining. With a 5:45, we were done by 7:15 when they had the bulk of people wanting to eat. At 5:45 there was never a line and tables didn't fill up until 6:30 or later--so it was no issue to have a reserved table that released at 6pm. Each night that we didn't go, I went in advance and let the staff know as a courtesy, but I got the feeling that the front staff wasn't even letting the waiters know. I started popping over to tell them, as well, so they didn't wonder. Worked great for us.

You've got that right. :D

Actually I have never heard anyone being denied being seated in the AT DR. They might prefer you to stick to what you signed up for but will never refuse anyone to be seated.

Bit if I as an AT person went into the TD dining room and demanded to be seated, do you think that they would do it? I doubt it.

DON

Bit if I as an AT person went into the TD dining room and demanded to be seated, do you think that they would do it? I doubt it.

 

DON

Not that I really can answer for anyone but I have seen head waiters take a group of AT diners from the AT DR to be seated at a vacant table in the TD DR.

So they do move people around occasionally when it gets real crowded and the timing is right.

If for any reason you feel you will be late for dining one night, please let your table guest and wait staff know that you could be late and plan to eat elsewhere. It is better then showing up late. We did a full transit of the canal several years ago but am sure our dining didn't change. We had main dining.

Bit if I as an AT person went into the TD dining room and demanded to be seated, do you think that they would do it? I doubt it.

 

DON

It would be very rude to "demand" to be seated anywhere! No one is advocating that TD cruisers who miss their seating (due to a late port day) "demand" to be seated. We're saying that you ask politely and accept the Maitre D's answer yea or nay. It turns out that they're competent and experienced at getting people seated and that they know what's available and where (including the other dining rooms). They're problem solvers and when there's low occupancy -- like on a late port night -- they're very able to handle such a request.

As Floridalover pointed out and as I stated above, they routinely take AD diners and seat them in the TD dining room on any given night. Both times we experienced it, a staff member escorted us to the TD dining room to make sure we didn't get lost!

Tell your Headwaiter. He will suggest something.