New Traditional Dining Time coming out

[Cruisin' Grandma]

Princess has announced a new Traditional Dining time, it will be at 5:30 for the big ships, 5:15 for the Coral and Island, not offered on the small ships and the Aus. ships. It is being tried out on the Golden right now and they decided to roll it out fleetwide. So now they have Early, Traditional 1st and 2nd and Anytime. They realized that many people wanted the earlier times in the traditional setting. Check with your TA if this is of interest to you or if you booked directly, call Princess.

 

Late Traditional Dining was at 7:45pm on the Island Princess last month. It was a perfect time for us.

 

Lola in Hamilton

[houch]

I got that email this morning too for our British Isles cruise this August. We always do the early (6-6:15) traditional dining even though some of the longer tours interfere with that time. The later time is just too late for us. If we miss our time we just go to the buffet. Although my DH has dinner ready for me when I get home from work at 5:30 that is just too early for me when I am traveling. It is nice that Princess has given more options for those who want that earlier time.

[Colo Cruiser]

I agree that 5:15 time is ridiculous too.

 

It reminds me of the Seinfeld episode when Jerry went to Florida to visit his parents and they had to eat at the buffet at 4:00 in the afternoon so they could get the $1 discount. :eek:

[seamanfs]

I have recieved the exact email as stated above for our Golden 7/17 Alaska sailing. Our large group has 6PM traditional and we will keep it that way.

 

Just received the same message concerning our Alaskan Saphire cruise in August. We have anytime dining and will keep that time.

[houch]

I agree that 5:15 time is ridiculous too.

 

It reminds me of the Seinfeld episode when Jerry went to Florida to visit his parents and they had to eat at the buffet at 4:00 in the afternoon so they could get the $1 discount. :eek:

 

Reminds me of my folks. As they got older their dining time got earlier and earlier. Mom used to say she wanted to get it over with.

[SeaTheWorldBySea]

Now, all they need to do is check Sea Passes at the anytime room to make sure that those who chose traditional dining do NOT eat in the anytime room at their whim, to avoid lines and problems for those who actually chose anytime.

 

I do think it's unfair for those who sign up for anytime dining to have a wait because those who sign up for traditional want to dine 'anytime'. I won't complain too loundly tho. I'm happy I don't have to plan, cook, serve, clean up that dinner!

[cindep]

My in-laws are also of the "eat early" mindset, so they would love having a 5:30 option as well. I think we're going to stick with our 6 traditional. It will be interesting, though, to see how many others "switch". I am guessing on our TA the 5:30 may be very popular as we don't have a terribly port-intensive trip.

[pms4104]

I do think it's unfair for those who sign up for anytime dining to have a wait because those who sign up for traditional want to dine 'anytime'. I won't complain too loundly tho. I'm happy I don't have to plan, cook, serve, clean up that dinner!

Unfair ... and somewhat inconsiderate of those who either chose were assigned anytime.

 

So, if there's a waiting line for anytime, think Princess would check room cards and send the traditional-wanna-do-anytime people to the back of the line, and further back in line when more confirmed anytimers arrive?:D

[WestCoastCruzinator]

I find it very hard to believe that a lot of people want 5:30pm fixed dining. I think I know only 1 person who would like that.

 

I wish they would've added a 7:00pm traditional dining time!!!!!

 

60% of the population in Florida eats dinner @ 5! :p

[Globaliser]

Who the heck wants to eat at 5:15?

I do!

 

Over here, we call "a late lunch". :D

[pms4104]

This may cause some issues for those of us who like Anytime Dining and usually like to eat early (5:30 to 6:30 PM) IF Princess uses one of the Anytime Dining Rooms for the new 5:15/5:30 Traditional Seatings. Less tables available for those of us eating early! :eek:

 

Perhaps they'll only use a portion of one of the Anytime Dining Rooms and just have two separate lines (one for Anytime Diners and one for Traditional Diners)?

 

Would be great if we knew exactly how they plan to implement this!

The notifying email, which I also received, indicated that space is limited, so I would surmise that perhaps only a section of an anytime dining room, rather than the entire venue, will be allocated for 5:30 fixed dining.

[Colo Cruiser]

60% of the population in Florida eats dinner @ 5! :p

 

Yes but 60% are not on a cruise.

[LARGIN]

I will be on the Golden starting next weekend for a b2b and will check it out..

[AlaskaGolden]

:eek: Which of our upcoming three cruises do you think the email from Princess this applies to:

 

SUBJECT: A new dining option for your upcoming cruise

 

BODY: We’re pleased to announce that an additional Traditional Dining seating is now available on your upcoming voyage. The new seating time at 5:30 pm is in response to the high demand we’ve received for our 6:00 pm seating, and will be offered in a separate dining room. If you wish to change your current dining selection to the new 5:30 pm Traditional seating time, please contact your travel agent to book, as space is limited.

Thank you and we look forward to welcoming you aboard soon!

 

This is getting more confusing! :eek:

[Lynda90]

I agree that 5:15 time is ridiculous too.

 

It reminds me of the Seinfeld episode when Jerry went to Florida to visit his parents and they had to eat at the buffet at 4:00 in the afternoon so they could get the $1 discount. :eek:

Ha, ha, the good old "early bird special." I just saw that one for the 3rd or 4th time. It's hilarious! Love those old Seinfeld episodes.

 

5:15 is like a late lunch to me on a cruise. Really cuts into cocktail time at Skywalker's! :eek:

[velvetred]

We got the same email and I switched to the 5:30 traditional seating without running it by dh as it will suit him to a t. He will be absolutely thrilled about the 5:30 dinner time. He likes to eat at home between 5 and 5:30. He is at work by 6:45 am everyday, eats lunch at 11:30 and is ready for dinner by 5 or so after showering after work. He really likes to keep the same schedule on vacation - he is up with the roosters (or is it crows? - lol). When we have had to take a flexible dining option on a cruise we have always been at the door when they opened for seating.

 

One thing I can say about the 6 pm dining time and Princess is that in my experience sometimes dining ran over and I ended up being too late to get a seat at the early show. 6 pm dining knocks out the 7 pm MUTs, too, and if one does the 8 pm main show then one can't do the 9 pm MUTS either. The 5:30 dining option should help with this issue. I think there will be plenty of people who will like the earlier dining option. On days we don't want to go early because of a conflict in port, we will just book a specialty restaurant for a later time or eat in the Horizon Court.

[Coral]

This may cause some issues for those of us who like Anytime Dining and usually like to eat early (5:30 to 6:30 PM) IF Princess uses one of the Anytime Dining Rooms for the new 5:15/5:30 Traditional Seatings. Less tables available for those of us eating early! :eek:

 

Perhaps they'll only use a portion of one of the Anytime Dining Rooms and just have two separate lines (one for Anytime Diners and one for Traditional Diners)?

 

Would be great if we knew exactly how they plan to implement this!

 

Right now, they often have (1) of the anytime dining rooms open early. My guess is that they will have (1) be the early Traditional and the other dining room will open early for anytime. So this won't inconvenience early anytime diners.

 

While I am not for eating at 5:30, it is frustrating on the newer (more crowded) ships when I have first Traditional at 6 or 6:30 and then when I try to make a show, it is already filled unless I skip dessert or speed up the meal and miss dessert. I also don't like eating at 8 and then going to sleep at 11 with a full stomach.

 

So given the right itinerary (not port intensive or in ports late), I would probably go with early if first was filled up just so I could see the shows. I hate waiting for the 10 pm shows when I eat at 6.

[Coral]

We got the same email and I switched to the 5:30 traditional seating without running it by dh as it will suit him to a t. He will be absolutely thrilled about the 5:30 dinner time. He likes to eat at home between 5 and 5:30. He is at work by 6:45 am everyday, eats lunch at 11:30 and is ready for dinner by 5 or so after showering after work. He really likes to keep the same schedule on vacation - he is up with the roosters (or is it crows? - lol). When we have had to take a flexible dining option on a cruise we have always been at the door when they opened for seating.

 

One thing I can say about the 6 pm dining time and Princess is that in my experience sometimes dining ran over and I ended up being too late to get a seat at the early show. 6 pm dining knocks out the 7 pm MUTs, too, and if one does the 8 pm main show then one can't do the 9 pm MUTS either. The 5:30 dining option should help with this issue. I think there will be plenty of people who will like the earlier dining option. On days we don't want to go early because of a conflict in port, we will just book a specialty restaurant for a later time or eat in the Horizon Court.

 

Exactly! This will allow you to see the shows!

 

For those of us who are awake early (I leave for work by 6:30 am many times) - eating at 5:30 - 6:30 is not a big deal. I can't seem to sleep in on days I don't work.

[Pam in CA]

I do think it's unfair for those who sign up for anytime dining to have a wait because those who sign up for traditional want to dine 'anytime'. I won't complain too loundly tho. I'm happy I don't have to plan, cook, serve, clean up that dinner!

How is it unfair? They will most likely set aside a portion of the Anytime dining room for those who want Traditional at 5:30pm. They walk in and go to their tables; those who want Anytime walk up and are seated in the rest of the dining room. As soon as the early Traditional diners are done, the table is re-set for Anytime, which would probably be at about 7pm. What's unfair about that? The biggest lines for Anytime are from 7pm and later.

 

On HAL, that's the way they do it, i.e., they seat those with Traditional dining in one section of the dining room, those with Open seating in the rest of the dining room. It works very well.

[SeaTheWorldBySea]

How is it unfair? They will most likely set aside a portion of the Anytime dining room for those who want Traditional at 5:30pm. They walk in and go to their tables; those who want Anytime walk up and are seated in the rest of the dining room. As soon as the early Traditional diners are done, the table is re-set for Anytime, which would probably be at about 7pm. What's unfair about that? The biggest lines for Anytime are from 7pm and later.

 

On HAL, that's the way they do it, i.e., they seat those with Traditional dining in one section of the dining room, those with Open seating in the rest of the dining room. It works very well.

 

Evidentally I did not state my opinion so that you would know what I was saying. People who sign up for traditional dining and then for whatever reason, do not go to the assigned dining room at the assigned time, but instead go to one of the anytime dining rooms. Their traditional seats are empty and others who wanted traditional seating, but couldn't get it because it was full, would like to have had those seats. These people really have freedom of choice for dining. On any night, they can go traditional, anytime, buffet, or specialty restaurant. I don't think it's fair for them to go to the anytime dining rooms at a busy dinner time.

 

If there are not any cruisers who book traditional and then often go for anytime dining, I guess I need to apologize for my opinion.

[bhopal21]

If there are not any cruisers who book traditional and then often go for anytime dining, I guess I need to apologize for my opinion.

 

Oh, there are plenty.

 

On the Island they were coming to the line waiting to be seated at the anytime dining room and taking people to the traditional dining room where about a third of the assigned diners had failed to show.

 

Mike:)

[AlaskaGolden]

...As soon as the early Traditional diners are done, the table is re-set for Anytime, which would probably be at about 7pm. What's unfair about that? The biggest lines for Anytime are from 7pm and later...

 

I agree the lines can be long from 7 PM to 8 PM. The lines are also sometimes long (especially on sea days) from 5:15 PM (before the Anytime dining room even opens! :eek:) to about 6 PM as people who are bored, hungry or whatever show-up for dinner. We've gone to the Anytime dining room around 5:45 PM on a sea day. We had to wait in line about 15 minutes until the people ahead of us were seated.

 

To me, a sea day is the perfect time to partake in Afternoon Tea, and then have a later dinner. Not everyone (including people I travel with) shares this schedule as Tea can be fairly empty even on sea days, and the dining room fairly busy at 6 PM.

[captainron]

Ha, ha, the good old "early bird special." I just saw that one for the 3rd or 4th time. It's hilarious! Love those old Seinfeld episodes.

 

5:15 is like a late lunch to me on a cruise. Really cuts into cocktail time at Skywalker's! :eek:

 

Atta girl Lynda, gotta love those 5-7pm appies and drink specials up top!!! That's why our group has always chosen Anytime Dining.

 

Ciao for now!!!

[spongerob]

What a mess. :eek:

Why is it a mess? On ships with three dining rooms, one of the Anytime dining rooms can be used for Early Fixed seating. There's almost always a huge line anyway when Anytime starts, filled with people who want to eat early. Now they'll be able to do just that, without the need to be escorted to whichever table is available. I see it as a win-win.

[caribill]

Doing Diamond from Whittier in Sep. Dining Options mention hours for the Patisserie, wine bar and ice cream bar, but nowhere on the deckplans can I locate where these are. Does anyone have an idea where we go for these 3 dining options?

 

I would not call any of these locations a dining option.

 

Patisserie - usually has pastry in the AM and cookies in the PM. Really a bar and coffee place. Shown on the map as the "Lobby Bar"

 

Wine bar - No idea where this is located, but unless you like wine as your meal, I would not expect much true dinner food here.

 

Ice cream bar - Listed as "Sundaes" on the Lido deck. If fine dining is free softserve ice cream, this is the place to go.