anytime dining vs. fixed cruise like dining?

[sonomaphil]

That's our experience too. No big problem getting a table for 2 in AD, just a short wait during peak times.

 

Totally our experience also.

[caribill]

Our first Princess Cruise will be to British Isles in 2016. Our ship is Caribbean Princess. We will be cruising with one other couple. On previous cruises (NCL, Holland America) we used anytime dining and went to the main dining room whenever we were ready. For this cruise we selected traditional, table for 4, 6 pm. Two questions for experienced Princess cruisers:

• Will we get a table for 4 or be seated at larger tables?
  
• If we return late from an excursion, can we go to the main dining room or do we have to go to the buffet?
  

 

Thanks for helping me figure this out!

 

If your bookings are linked (your booking agent should have linked them) and you both requested a table size for four, that is most likely what you will get. However, if that request cannot be filled due to demand for that size table, check with the Matre d' during the "consulting hour" (listed in the Patter) on embarkation day to verify the size of the table and, if not a table for just four, ask if such a table can be arranged.

 

If you know you cannot make the start of your assigned traditional dining time, speak with your headwaiter the night before and see what is suggested. It could be:

 

o Come anyway if it will not be too long after normal start time;

o Come to the late seating;

o Permission to use anytime that night;

o other

[margeg]

This is why you don't hear grumbling cruisers on X ships. Room cards are checked. And unless you come very early or very late, traditional diners aren't allowed for the anytime seating. You are directed to other venues. It is an easy solution that helps back ups.. Not sure why Princess doesn't get it.

 

I guess for the same reason they don't check for chair hogs, or let children use hot tubs, etc., avoid confrontation.

 

But we always use anytime dining and have rarely had a problem. We like it.

marge

[skf]

Is the AT Dining Room that is used for early Traditional exclusively used for TD during those hours or is part of it still left for AT?

We book the early dining as Traditional, & it is (usually) at 5:30. It has been in one Anytime DR, which also seats Anytime pax. You see the same people at some of the tables and your next-table neighbors may change, or you could have an empty table there.

[MicCanberra]

When anytime dining was first introduced, we enjoyed it but not the past couple years. We book suites and one of the perks is suppose to be priority dinner reservations. I don't know how many times we have called and been on hold over an hour and finally gave up. We have not been able to get a window table for three years. Seems too many people either offer bribes to the head waiter and manage to snag those tables or they are elite people who demand a certain table. The suite guests receive a free first night specialty restaurant dinner and thus aren't in the MDR the first night and by the second night, all the good tables are gone. We have turned to ordering dinner in our cabin most nights.

 

On a recent cruise the head waiter tried to kick a couple out of their window table right after they sat down. The night before, the waiter told them they could have the table the entire cruise. Seems a couple made such a deal about wanting their table and they pulled the we are elite so the head waiter was going to grant them their wish - not sure if a bribe was also involved.

 

I think anytime dining should be just that. And I think they should stop allowing people to make reservations for the entire cruise. If people want a reservation for the week, then they should do traditional dining.

I believe the reason the waiters ask if people want the table the entire cruise is because of the tips. They may get a tip if the same people are at their table the entire cruise. But most don't get any tips when the people change every night.

So, the crew gets screwed if they work anytime dining.

 

I disagree, they get the auto tips still.

[Colo Cruiser]

So, the crew gets screwed if they work anytime dining.

 

 

So what happened to the fact that they are part of the tip pool?

[MicCanberra]

Our first Princess Cruise will be to British Isles in 2016. Our ship is Caribbean Princess. We will be cruising with one other couple. On previous cruises (NCL, Holland America) we used anytime dining and went to the main dining room whenever we were ready. For this cruise we selected traditional, table for 4, 6 pm. Two questions for experienced Princess cruisers:

• Will we get a table for 4 or be seated at larger tables?
  
• If we return late from an excursion, can we go to the main dining room or do we have to go to the buffet?
  

 

Thanks for helping me figure this out!

 

In addition to CARIBILl, To answer as best I can,

[*]Will we get a table for 4 or be seated at larger tables? Possibly either otption, your paperwork (E-docs) will show what you ended up with but it is subject to change anyway.

[*]If we return late from an excursion, can we go to the main dining room or do we have to go to the buffet? Again, it really depends on how late and what table setting you end up with, if it is the table for 4 then it is likely to be no issue unless you are more than 1 hour late. I suggest you speak to the maître de once on board and discuss the options and if you cannot perhaps book a specialty restaurant for that night instead of the buffet.

Edited May 28, 2015 by MicCanberra

[mysaddlebred000]

I disagree, they get the auto tips still.

 

Yes, they are part of the auto tips. I guess I should have worded it differently.

Many of the waiters in the MDR receive extra tips from the people that are at their tables every night of the cruise but the way it is designed, the waiters in anytime dining would have different people at the tables every night and many of them will not tip waiters for just one or two nights.

 

We have become good friends with many of the crew over the years and the waiters hate being assigned anytime mainly because of not receiving as many tips.

 

And there are more and more cruisers that are taking the tips off the last evening.

[Colo Cruiser]

We have become good friends with many of the crew over the years and the waiters hate being assigned anytime mainly because of not receiving as many tips.

 

 

We have too and have never heard that before.

[MicCanberra]

Yes, they are part of the auto tips. I guess I should have worded it differently.

Many of the waiters in the MDR receive extra tips from the people that are at their tables every night of the cruise but the way it is designed, the waiters in anytime dining would have different people at the tables every night and many of them will not tip waiters for just one or two nights.

 

We have become good friends with many of the crew over the years and the waiters hate being assigned anytime mainly because of not receiving as many tips.

 

And there are more and more cruisers that are taking the tips off the last evening.

 

Interesting, I suppose it is the possible extra tips that encourage waiters to avoid AD and stay in TD. In my experience, if we find some waiters that we really enjoy, we just ask for that area. We tend to want to eat around 7.30 -8pm which is when a lot of the tables start to clear. If there is a wait for a table in the area we want then we either decide to wait or not depending on our appetites and what we have planned for later.:D

[Nebr.cruiser]

We much prefer Anytime dining and rarely have a wait of more than a minute or two--15 minutes one time on formal night.

 

The key is probably timing--I think earlier times are busier, but we don't care to eat until around 8, or later, so we usually just walk right in.

 

It's so relaxing to get ready for dinner when we want to, not at a set time.

[Putterdude]

 

We have become good friends with many of the crew over the years and the waiters hate being assigned anytime mainly because of not receiving as many tips.

 

 

I think that is very logical. Because Dudette is in a wheelchair we can't always make it down to the MDR for TD on some ships without being late and a lot of frustration so we will see the maître-d who gives us a fixed time and table in the ATD venue and we always give an extra tip to the waiter and the junior waiter....but from what I have observed we are some of the very few in ATD to do so unless they have a fixed time and table.

[Miss Pat]

Yes, they are part of the auto tips. I guess I should have worded it differently.

Many of the waiters in the MDR receive extra tips from the people that are at their tables every night of the cruise but the way it is designed, the waiters in anytime dining would have different people at the tables every night and many of them will not tip waiters for just one or two nights.

 

We have become good friends with many of the crew over the years and the waiters hate being assigned anytime mainly because of not receiving as many tips.

 

And there are more and more cruisers that are taking the tips off the last evening.

What you say is very true but at the same time the waiters & assistants don't remain in the AT DT cruise after cruise. They're shifted to traditional & then back again to give them all an equal chance at gratuities.

Same is true to those assigned closer to the galley door. They're also shifted around the DR to give them all a chance for a better work location. Most work locations on the ships follow this rotation rule.

[PrincessLuver]

 

We have become good friends with many of the crew over the years and the waiters hate being assigned anytime mainly because of not receiving as many tips.

 

We have never heard that..... we often hear that the crew likes to be assigned ATD because it is more challenging and mentally stimulating then TD.....for real!!

[eandj]

Dh has specifically asked our traditional dining servers on our three 10 plus day Princess cruises ...

 

"have you served anytime diners and which do you prefer". ALL of them have answered, and a couple with rolling of the eyes, that they much rather be in traditional. Altho they have mentioned too, they hate nights when their section is emptier due to many "flip floppers" and that the assistant waiters can be pulled to help in the other rooms. Leaving the staff in the traditional room covering more tables in different sections.

 

Wouldn't it be so much easier to have two types of dining and not adding the third kind ("I'll go where I want when I want"). Would be a plan that works for everyone.

Edited May 29, 2015 by eandj

[bdjam]

When anytime dining was first introduced, we enjoyed it but not the past couple years. We book suites and one of the perks is suppose to be priority dinner reservations. I don't know how many times we have called and been on hold over an hour and finally gave up. We have not been able to get a window table for three years. Seems too many people either offer bribes to the head waiter and manage to snag those tables or they are elite people who demand a certain table. The suite guests receive a free first night specialty restaurant dinner and thus aren't in the MDR the first night and by the second night, all the good tables are gone. We have turned to ordering dinner in our cabin most nights.

While I don't book suites, I question why one would remain on hold for over an hour? I have asked for window tables in Anytime Dining and if one is available, it's been granted...no bribes and while I am Elite, the black card doesn't carry that much weight. I haven't noticed the "good" tables being reserved after the first night - in fact it seems the people sitting at all the tables are different every night.

On a recent cruise the head waiter tried to kick a couple out of their window table right after they sat down. The night before, the waiter told them they could have the table the entire cruise. Seems a couple made such a deal about wanting their table and they pulled the we are elite so the head waiter was going to grant them their wish - not sure if a bribe was also involved.

Why would a head waiter try to kick someone out of their table after he seated them there? I'm still not sure that waving a black card makes any difference when it comes to table location. And 'bribe' is such an ugly word...nobody is trying to get out of a traffic ticket.

 

I think anytime dining should be just that. And I think they should stop allowing people to make reservations for the entire cruise. If people want a reservation for the week, then they should do traditional dining.

I believe the reason the waiters ask if people want the table the entire cruise is because of the tips. They may get a tip if the same people are at their table the entire cruise. But most don't get any tips when the people change every night.

So, the crew gets screwed if they work anytime dining.

I have never had one of the wait staff ask me if I wanted a specific table for the entire cruise and have always been directed to the Head Waiter for any reservation requests. The Head Waiters in turn have directed me toward the reservation line (which has limits on what you can reserve...for me that didn't work). I've had Head Waiters ensure that I sit in the section I desire without pre-tipping or waving of a black card.

 

Wait staff in Anytime Dining do share in the auto tip pool and many people tip the wait staff when they are at the table. Wait staffs rotate through Traditional and Anytime Dining so if Traditional is more lucrative, everyone gets a cut of that pie.

 

Finally I will still maintain that Anytime Dining will - no matter the conspiracy theories - require a wait if the majority of people on ship goes to dinner at the same time...

We have become good friends with many of the crew over the years and the waiters hate being assigned anytime mainly because of not receiving as many tips.

Kind of ruins the whole experience...knowing that my wait staff hates providing service when I'm sitting in Anytime Dining because they're not making as much money...especially when Princess instituted the auto-tip to ensure that these kinds of situations were addressed. Personally, I think this is a misconception about the wait staff, but I'll leave the opinions to you...

Edited May 29, 2015 by bdjam

[MicCanberra]

Great post, well said.:D

[PrincessLuver]

Dh has specifically asked our traditional dining servers on our three 10 plus day Princess cruises ...

 

"have you served anytime diners and which do you prefer". ALL of them have answered, and a couple with rolling of the eyes, that they much rather be in traditional. Altho they have mentioned too, they hate nights when their section is emptier due to many "flip floppers" and that the assistant waiters can be pulled to help in the other rooms. Leaving the staff in the traditional room covering more tables in different sections.

 

Wouldn't it be so much easier to have two types of dining and not adding the third kind ("I'll go where I want when I want"). Would be a plan that works for everyone.

 

It is not a matter of what the staff prefers that is important but what the paying passengers prefer and ATD on Princess needs to be tightened up and if people book TD then they need to stay there period......:cool:

[sir-magoo]

It is not a matter of what the staff prefers that is important but what the paying passengers prefer and ATD on Princess needs to be tightened up and if people book TD then they need to stay there period......:cool:

 

Hi, perhaps a rookie question. We have always gone with ATD, but end up booking the same 2 person table, at the same time every night. So for the upcoming cruise we have booked TD and requested a 2 person table. Are there any other differences between the two options? They don't serve the entire dining room on the same schedule/pace or anything like that do they? We usually like to just go in, eat and leave reasonably quickly.

[Putterdude]

We have never heard that..... we often hear that the crew likes to be assigned ATD because it is more challenging and mentally stimulating then TD.....for real!!

 

That surprises me, it's been my experience over the years that most people in this business strive to work where they can earn the most money. Tips are a huge part of their income.

[Lucky TGO]

I was on the Royal Princess in Jan. We went to Anytime Dining at 6 pm the service was HORRIBLE!!! and on the first day I give $50.00 for good service.

We cruised with Princess 24 times and my main DISAPPOINTMENT on the Royal was the Anytime Dining service.

 

Tony

[Iamcruzin]

One thing that I have learned is that the waitstaff likes to chat you up telling you what they think you want to hear. This rapport building skill usually leads to better tips. You think you are getting good service but it's just lip service.

Edited May 30, 2015 by Iamcruzin

[MicCanberra]

Hi, perhaps a rookie question. We have always gone with ATD, but end up booking the same 2 person table, at the same time every night. So for the upcoming cruise we have booked TD and requested a 2 person table. Are there any other differences between the two options? They don't serve the entire dining room on the same schedule/pace or anything like that do they? We usually like to just go in, eat and leave reasonably quickly.

 

You should be fine, you may have a few other tables in your area that are on a similar schedule as yours but that happens in ATD anyway.:D

[Trvlkids]

I do agree that Princess should be checking cards at the door of the Anytime Dining rooms and turning away Traditional guests. You picked Traditional so you must eat at your time in your dining room not creating longer waits for the people following the rules. I'd be turned away at the Traditional dining room door, same should happen in reverse.

 

 

I totally agree. If you choose traditional than you need to stick with it. Those of us who choose anytime should not have to wait on those who choose TD and jump ahead of us.

[donaldsc]

I totally agree. If you choose traditional than you need to stick with it. Those of us who choose anytime should not have to wait on those who choose TD and jump ahead of us.

 

They should take the TD diners who try to poach on our any time dining and sentence them to buffet or maybe even the poolside hot dog bar for the rest of the cruise.

 

LOL but I sort of mean it.

 

DON