Princess Traditional dining - late arrival

[MicCanberra]

I think the issue with Sun/Sea/Dawn Princess is dining room availability/capacity, the Grand Class ships, Golden, Diamond, Emerald have more MDRS.

 

The 4 MDRs (Diamond) were so much better a few years ago when there was a variance in the menus, now they are all the same.:(

[lyndarra]

When on Sea Princess Nov 2014, we had 7 table mates at our 10 seat table. One couple were consistently late every night, usually 15 -30 minutes. They were quite convivial table mates and we, as well as the waiters, just accepted it. No problem, we didn't worry about waiting for them and the waiters took it all in their stride.

The couple were retired Italian/Australian and, as the MD was also Italian, they became favourites of his to the extent that he virtually ignored the rest of us in his nightly rush around the tables.

There was no door closing as far as we could tell.

[MicCanberra]

When on Sea Princess Nov 2014, we had 7 table mates at our 10 seat table. One couple were consistently late every night, usually 15 -30 minutes. They were quite convivial table mates and we, as well as the waiters, just accepted it. No problem, we didn't worry about waiting for them and the waiters took it all in their stride.

The couple were retired Italian/Australian and, as the MD was also Italian, they became favourites of his to the extent that he virtually ignored the rest of us in his nightly rush around the tables.

There was no door closing as far as we could tell.

 

I'm sorry, but that is just plain rude of that couple to be continually late. I would have said something to them.:(

[Aus Traveller]

When on Sea Princess Nov 2014, we had 7 table mates at our 10 seat table. One couple were consistently late every night, usually 15 -30 minutes. They were quite convivial table mates and we, as well as the waiters, just accepted it. No problem, we didn't worry about waiting for them and the waiters took it all in their stride.

The couple were retired Italian/Australian and, as the MD was also Italian, they became favourites of his to the extent that he virtually ignored the rest of us in his nightly rush around the tables.

There was no door closing as far as we could tell.

I would find it awkward if another couple was consistently late. I think it is inconsiderate because usually the waiters will wait until everyone is there before orders are put in. They are then at the back of the line in the kitchen making the meal very drawn out for the whole table. It can mean that someone who wanted to go to a show after dinner can't because there are no seats available when they get to the theatre.

 

Maybe I would have asked the couple who was always late if they minded if we went ahead and ordered. :D

[lyndarra]

I would find it awkward if another couple was consistently late. I think it is inconsiderate because usually the waiters will wait until everyone is there before orders are put in. They are then at the back of the line in the kitchen making the meal very drawn out for the whole table. It can mean that someone who wanted to go to a show after dinner can't because there are no seats available when they get to the theatre.

 

Maybe I would have asked the couple who was always late if they minded if we went ahead and ordered. :D

We didn't wait for them. It was not a problem for the waiters, if it was they certainly didn't show it, they were great. We, including the late starters, were always finished in plenty of time for the next sitting. And we still had time to make it to the theatre.

[sherri3802]

We were on a cruise on Dawn Princess last year & our experience was that doors were not shut but waiters did become stressed at delays.

 

We were booked into first dinner sitting and it was the first night of the cruise. We were there on time. Our travel companions had a cabin on a different floor but had arranged to meet us in the dining room as tables had already been allocated.

The husband is disabled though, on a scooter, and so the couple had to wait for lifts. If you've ever been on Princess ships, you'll know what a trial that can be, especially as all the able bodied rush to any lifts that arrive. It can take him 10-25 minutes to catch a lift as he has to wait till an empty one opens right next to him.

 

Anyway, our companions were delayed and we thought that must be the reason. After 15 minutes, our waiter was keen for us to go ahead and order but we didn't as it seemed rude. The waiter was pretty frantic at the 30 minute mark and we didn't know what to do, but then another waiter came over to tell us our friends had been put on another table by accident.

 

It turns out we were at the correct table & our friends were right on the other side at a large table for 10, where obviously half the diners had not arrived. They had started their meal as the waiter there had said they could not afford to wait as there was another sitting.

Of course we had not eaten. We were allowed to move to their table and order but the courses came out bang, bang, bang.:p Never been served so quickly in my life. My husband loved it.

We were told sternly that we were being allowed to eat there that night but would all have to sit at the correct table in the future, which I thought was a bit ironic as they were the ones who made the mistake in the first place.

 

So I guess our experience was that staff will wait for about 15 minutes for all diners to arrive but after that, really prefer those present to just go ahead and order. I can understand why.

[NSWP]

When on Sea Princess Nov 2014, we had 7 table mates at our 10 seat table. One couple were consistently late every night, usually 15 -30 minutes. They were quite convivial table mates and we, as well as the waiters, just accepted it. No problem, we didn't worry about waiting for them and the waiters took it all in their stride.

The couple were retired Italian/Australian and, as the MD was also Italian, they became favourites of his to the extent that he virtually ignored the rest of us in his nightly rush around the tables.

There was no door closing as far as we could tell.

I would not have copped it, I would just order our meals or ask to be moved to a table with punctual people, I hate 'late people.'