Anytime vs. Traditional Dining

[caribill]

Other than on cruise critic, there is no such rule.

 

 

On the Princess web site:

 

Once onboard and subject to availability, you may attempt to switch preferences with 24 hours notice to the Maitre D’. We will do our best to accommodate your preference.

[AKman2495]

On the Princess web site:

 

Once onboard and subject to availability, you may attempt to switch preferences with 24 hours notice to the Maitre D’. We will do our best to accommodate your preference.

 

Yes, but that is a one-time permanent change from TD to ATD or vice versa.

 

There is no "flexibility" between TD and ATD except that in the minds of the tD diners who believe privileged to do it and the head waiters who let them get away with it.

[AKman2495]

Other than on cruise critic, there is no such rule.

 

How about simply being honest.

 

Really? if that were true, then I, as am anytime diner should be able to go to the Traditional dining room when the lines in the ATD dining room are long and expect to be seated there! Obviously, that does not work.....it is only because the Head waiters do not check that the TD diners have access to the ATD dining room...

 

Hello head waiter at the door -- I was late getting back from

an excursion, and I missed my dining time. Can I eat here

tonight?

 

On cruise critic -- big problem.

Reality -- no problem.

 

If you show up at 8:30-9:00 that will most likely be true. If you show up at 6:15, I doubt if you would be seated.

 

I usually try an get a standing reservation in the anytime dining

room. It annoys the most people here. This is what I had

on my last two cruises.

 

I have no idea why that would annoy most people here. Personally I could care less.

[shredie]

My late traditional looks better and better. :)

[AKman2495]

"No doubt"???

 

How do you have any knowledge of why those tables were empty?

 

Perhaps the dinners had moved to other tables.

Maybe they had switched to a different seating.

Perhaps the party had gone to a speciality venue for the evening.

They might have even gone to the lido.

Maybe they died and left the ship.

 

On what basis can you say the missing people were in the anytime dining room?

 

Yes, I have no doubt that some of those people were most likely in the ATD room.

 

Why? Because I know on that particular night many people from a large group were taking up tables in the ATD and many of those people were TD diners that wanted to eat together. Their only option was ATD and they were permitted to do this.

[AKman2495]

When you know it's not acceptable, and do it anyway, what if everybody thought that way??? :confused:

 

Cato :)

 

Sadly, for some people, the only thing that is not acceptable is anything that limits their ability to do what they want where they want and to h**l with everyone else!

[skynight]

Unfortunately Princess seems to make little or no effort to limit AD to those who are assigned to it. As long as that is the case, people assigned to TD will go to AD when it better suits their needs.

While this is the situation, I personally can not believe that there could be so much of a nightly crossover of those assigned to traditional dining times into ATD venues that it would cause much or any delay for those passengers that selected ATD. I believe that the real problem across the entire fleet is that somewhere between 60% and 70% of the passengers wish to dine early, and the Princess ships are not designed to handle this dining peak. I did notice on the Royal Baltic and T.A. that ATD was easier, never had an issue obtaining a table. I don't know if it was more DR capacity on the Royal or passenger preferences. Also have noticed that on cruises in Europe and South America the demand for early tables in ATD was very slow and those wishing to dine early could just walk in. Demand for dining in these itineraries seems more even throughout the evening hours.

[pablo222]

Sadly, for some people, the only thing that is not acceptable is anything that limits their ability to do what they want where they want and to h**l with everyone else!

 

After reading cruise critic for a while, I believe this is the

correct level of courtesy to extend to people on ships.

[pablo222]

Yes, I have no doubt that some of those people were most likely in the ATD room.

 

-- sarcasm deleted ---

Edited December 4, 2014 by pablo222

[pablo222]

If you show up at 8:30-9:00 that will most likely be true. If you show up at 6:15, I doubt if you would be seated.

 

I don't see what the problem is. Be honest. Ask the head

waiter at the door. If he lets you in great. If not, then go

elsewhere.

 

This is such a problem for some of the posters here.

So many of them think they are the cruise-ship-police.

 

Whether one is allowed into the dining room is at the discretion of the head waiter at the door,

not some self-appointed forum poster...

Edited December 4, 2014 by pablo222

[AKman2495]

While this is the situation, I personally can not believe that there could be so much of a nightly crossover of those assigned to traditional dining times into ATD venues that it would cause much or any delay for those passengers that selected ATD. I believe that the real problem across the entire fleet is that somewhere between 60% and 70% of the passengers wish to dine early, and the Princess ships are not designed to handle this dining peak. I did notice on the Royal Baltic and T.A. that ATD was easier, never had an issue obtaining a table. I don't know if it was more DR capacity on the Royal or passenger preferences. Also have noticed that on cruises in Europe and South America the demand for early tables in ATD was very slow and those wishing to dine early could just walk in. Demand for dining in these itineraries seems more even throughout the evening hours.

 

We are early eaters and usually show up at the AT MDR between 5 and 5:30. On all cruises except 1 we were seated either immediately or within a couple of minutes.

 

On our last cruise, it was Superbowl week and there was large group of about 1,000 people who, obviously like to socialize together. For that week we had to wait with the pagers. One night, we decided to go to the show first and then eat, around 8:15. We got in with no wait at all.

 

I think you are right that from 6 to 7 pm is the crunch. The early diners, like us are already there so the middle group diners end up having to wait because of lack of overall capacity.

[sey12366]

So you are one of the people who causes the long lines for ATD by trying to have it both ways. It's very unfair to those of us who wanted to have TD but couldn't get it as all slots were already taken by the time I booked my cruise. While you are using an ATD table, your TD table goes unused. Maybe if you would let the dining room know you don't plan to show up at your TD table and time they could let someone from ATD have it if they can't get a table in ATD room at that same time.

 

 

They do get used. Anytime there is a wait in ATD the head waiter checks with the other dining rooms for open tables. We were seated this way on several occasions as we requested no sharing. It got to be quite a joke for us on the CB as we "toured" the boat at dinner time since the ATD was at one end and the Traditional at the other.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[DonnasMom&Dad]

-- sarcasm deleted ---

 

Why??? :confused:

Cato :)

[DonnasMom&Dad]

I don't see what the problem is. Be honest. Ask the head

waiter at the door. If he lets you in great. If not, then go

elsewhere.

 

This is such a problem for some of the posters here.

So many of them think they are the cruise-ship-police.

 

Whether one is allowed into the dining room is at the discretion of the head waiter at the door,

not some self-appointed forum poster...

 

Who does?? :confused: :eek:

 

Cato :)

[AKman2495]

They do get used. Anytime there is a wait in ATD the head waiter checks with the other dining rooms for open tables. We were seated this way on several occasions as we requested no sharing. It got to be quite a joke for us on the CB as we "toured" the boat at dinner time since the ATD was at one end and the Traditional at the other.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

 

I know! we've had that happen at least twice. My point is that a person or couple could not simply go to a Traditional dining room (when they are on anytime) and ask to be seated.

[Christine Frances]

I know! we've had that happen at least twice. My point is that a person or couple could not simply go to a Traditional dining room (when they are on anytime) and ask to be seated.

 

This is the problem in reverse though, isn't it? In TD all the tables are pretty much on the same dinner course. Someone gets seated from ATD and then the waiter is starting on apps again. This could detract from the service people in TD are expecting/receiving and pretty soon you have MTD in all dining rooms.

[Cruisin' Chick]

My late traditional looks better and better. :)

 

As a die-hard Late Traditioner:), I agree. I go to my seating at the time listed and I know I'll be eating soon.

 

I think it would help AT diners if passengers, especially those new to Princess, are asked at booking which type of dining they prefer, and then the little explanation that with t.d., you are assigned to a time and table, and with a.d. you're not. And the explanation given in the first day Patter where dining times are listed. And specifically traditional diners are told to please attend their seating or use to chose other venues OTHER than anytime dining.

 

Then the gatekeeper at the anytime doors are told to check cards. And if a traditional diner shows up, it is explained that this MDR is for anytime diners only.

[karena1]

This is one reason why Princess has the worst run Anytime Dining experiences of the mainstream cruise lines. Even if Princess is unwilling to control Traditional diners using Anytime dining, an experienced cruiser should know better and respect the spirit of the dining arrangements. You don't have a reserved table in Traditional AND an available table in Anytime...do the math...it doesn't work!

 

We absolutely love My Time Dining on Royal...so well run, predictable and consistent policies across all ships, always with the same wait staff and rarely a significant line or wait time. Yet on Princess we lock ourselves into late Traditional just to avoid the chaos of their Anytime dining.

 

With the general trend in cruising AWAY from traditional dining, Princess really needs to figure out how to do this better.

 

SOOOOOO agree with you. We have done MTD and Select Dining on Royal and Celebrity since it started. Princess needs to fix theirs. On Royal/Celebrity, you cannot go to flex dining if you signed up for Traditional. Or Princess you can, thus the issue. We ended up in the buffet 3 out of 5 nights in Jan b/c the line to get into ATD was insane! The nights we did get in, it was pretty much empty. Princess needs to fix this. We leave on Ruby again next weekend and I am really hoping it is much better otherwise I will have packed my formal clothes for nothing.

[AZbeachboy]

Only once did I have ATD and not by my choice. There were five of us. They would not let us in between certain hours with that many people. Luckly, I was in a suite and was able to get a reservation. But, the first night was horriable. ATD sounds good, but it can be a hassel. I will not do it again.

 

I also wonder how much switching up does go on. Most of the time the traditional dinning rooms are filled and when we miss people they say they just went upstairs to the HC. Maybe its a problems because everyone on ATD tries to eat at the same time.

Edited December 5, 2014 by AZbeachboy

[pablo222]

On the Princess web site:

 

Once onboard and subject to availability, you may attempt to switch preferences with 24 hours notice to the Maitre D’. We will do our best to accommodate your preference.

 

Yes, that is if you wish to change for the remainder of your cruise.

 

If you wish to change for one night, just ask the head waiter at

the door.

[richstowe]

I usually try an get a standing reservation in the anytime dining

room. It annoys the most people here. This is what I had

on my last two cruises.

 

SOOOOOO agree with you. We have done MTD and Select Dining on Royal and Celebrity since it started. Princess needs to fix theirs. On Royal/Celebrity, you cannot go to flex dining if you signed up for Traditional. Or Princess you can, thus the issue..

I am starting to get a little nervous about my AT dining choice. I realize that there

is always a crush for the flexible dining option on all cruise lines during "prime- time".

On Celebrity you can make reservations prior to boarding for the length of the cruise.

How does this work on Princess. I understand you can't do this but can you make a

"standing reservation" How is this done . (Sorry for veering off topic )

[AZbeachboy]

I think it would help AT diners if passengers, especially those new to Princess, are asked at booking which type of dining they prefer, and then the little explanation that with t.d., you are assigned to a time and table, and with a.d. you're not. And the explanation given in the first day Patter where dining times are listed. And specifically traditional diners are told to please attend their seating or use to chose other venues OTHER than anytime dining.

 

I thought something like that happened already. I know I was when ATD first started. Now it is part of my profiled and I get asked if I still want TD. So, I am sure if the option is there they ask new cruisers, if there is an option fo TD available.

[karena1]

We love flex dining and going to eat when we feel like it. Have done it since it started. Like I said, on Royal/Celebrity, it is so easy. Princess makes it so hard. I will post a review when we get back from Ruby 13-20th and let everyone know how ATD was this time. I so hope it is better than when we were on Ruby in Jan.

[Austcruiser84]

I have opted for ATD on my upcoming cruise on the Diamond. The last two times I was on board her I did TD and on the Dawn TD was the only option.

 

I'm trying ATD now due to consistently being put with table mates who lacked personality or had too much personality. Also, people showed up intermittently throughout the cruise, leading to a disjointed meal service as people expected others to arrive (and they didn't - not even having the decency to announce that they wouldn't be joining on a particular night).

 

Despite sailing solo, I'm going to try the steakhouse and will possibly even just order room service a couple of nights.

 

If I use the ATD I'll eat after the mad rush. Hate early meals anyway.

[paul929207]

I think Princess needs to do two things to improve AD.

 

First, check the cards. Anyone with TD is not admitted to AD.

 

Second, if reservations are accepted, it can be for a time or a table, but not both unless it is when the dining room opens.