anytime vs traditional dining

[shredie]

My MAJOR pet peeve! More often than not we see the same empty tables night after night, and then in conversation meet a passenger who wants TD and can't get it. We always book TD, and if we're going to Crown Grill or Sabatini's for dinner we let our waiter and table mates know that we won't be there. We've also sat alone for a day or two at a table for 8 when no one else showed up. Luckily, the headwaiter noticed it and moved us to a table with people who showed up every night.

 

Yes to all the above. We once had a four-top where the people did not show up for the first two days. Next table was a ten-top with one couple those same days. We invited them to sit with us. The HW cleared it with the MD, and that turned out to be one of the best dinner experiences we've had. Great people! (That ten-top remained empty for the entire cruise, then.)

Edited February 13, 2016 by shredie

[wishfulone]

Quote:

Originally Posted by geoherb View Post

The right way to do this is not to do it at all. If you want anytime dining, sign up for it. If you sign up for traditional dining, stick with it. One of my pet peeves is people who sign up for traditional dining and then don't show up. Tablemates on one of our cruises weren't there more than half the time, missing four nights out of seven. That means two people who actually wanted traditional dining did not get it because of their selfishness.

 

I'm not saying that people who have traditional dining aren't allowed to miss a meal in the dining room. Obviously Princess wants people to try the specialty dining options. And when you have reservations for one of the specialty dining options, it's polite to let your waiters and tablemates know the night before. It's just that if you know you're not going to be eating in the traditional dining room many nights, then don't sign up for traditional dining.

 

My MAJOR pet peeve! More often than not we see the same empty tables night after night, and then in conversation meet a passenger who wants TD and can't get it. We always book TD, and if we're going to Crown Grill or Sabatini's for dinner we let our waiter and table mates know that we won't be there. We've also sat alone for a day or two at a table for 8 when no one else showed up. Luckily, the headwaiter noticed it and moved us to a table with people who showed up every night.

 

This also works in reverse. More often than you realise. We much prefer anytime dining and at times have been saddled with traditional eg on ships with no anytime. We do not feel obligated to show up at 7.45pm every night just for the entertainment of 8 other people at a table for 10 when it was not what we requested. As you've all agreed the tables at traditional dining are almost always half full except on formal night. Maybe it doesn't work for most people?

Edited February 15, 2016 by wishfulone

[shredie]

This also works in reverse. More often than you realise. We much prefer anytime dining and at times have been saddled with traditional eg on ships with no anytime. We do not feel obligated to show up at 7.45pm every night just for the entertainment of 8 other people at a table for 10 when it was not what we requested. As you've all agreed the tables at traditional dining are almost always half full except on formal night. Maybe it doesn't work for most people?

 

If I'm at one of those table you didn't ask for and resent, don't worry about entertaining me. I think I'll be happy conversing with the others who do show up on time. Perhaps you should avoid cruises where you must use traditional seating if you dislike it so much. I'm curious about one thing, though. Do you think dining times are established only so you can entertain people? Do you think possibly it might have something to do with the staff and their duties?

[jwd140447]

we have only done anytime dining and enjoyed! is there a difference? I would appreciate feedback. cheers jwd

[wishfulone]

If I'm at one of those table you didn't ask for and resent, don't worry about entertaining me. I think I'll be happy conversing with the others who do show up on time. Perhaps you should avoid cruises where you must use traditional seating if you dislike it so much. I'm curious about one thing, though. Do you think dining times are established only so you can entertain people? Do you think possibly it might have something to do with the staff and their duties?

 

What a disappointing response Shredie. I thought we were discussing anytime v's traditional dining?

[shredie]

we have only done anytime dining and enjoyed! is there a difference? I would appreciate feedback. cheers jwd

 

The difference is that traditional (fixed seating) dining means you eat at the same time in the same place with the same table mates (if you have some) and you have the same wait staff for course of the cruise. There is no standing in lines and deciding at what time you want to eat each evening. We like it, and we intend to keep doing it. If you are happy with Anytime dining, then you might want to stay with it. The menus are the same for both.

[shredie]

What a disappointing response Shredie. I thought we were discussing anytime v's traditional dining?

 

I thought we were discussing your being "saddled" with traditional dining and resenting it.

[wishfulone]

I thought we were discussing your being "saddled" with traditional dining and resenting it.

 

No, we're discussing our opinions and experiences of anytime versus traditional dining.

[shredie]

No, we're discussing our opinions and experiences of anytime versus traditional dining.

 

Okie dokie. :rolleyes:

[RocketMan275]

This also works in reverse. More often than you realise. We much prefer anytime dining and at times have been saddled with traditional eg on ships with no anytime. We do not feel obligated to show up at 7.45pm every night just for the entertainment of 8 other people at a table for 10 when it was not what we requested. As you've all agreed the tables at traditional dining are almost always half full except on formal night. Maybe it doesn't work for most people?

 

We only rarely dine in the MDR much preferring the buffet. We have always been assigned ATD. However, if we were assigned TD, we would inform the Matre'd early in the cruise that we would not be dining in the MDR.

[jennymaxgirl]

If I stick with my traditional dining for 6 pm, how does it work when I want to dine at other venues. We will be onboard for 14 nights and we will want to dine at Crab shack on two evenings, fondue one evening, buffet a couple of evenings, crown grill one evening, and sabatinis one evening. That's about 7 nights of the 14 at the alternative venues. How does one work this with traditional dining?

 

Thanks for the advice.

Jennifer

[Steelers0854]

If I stick with my traditional dining for 6 pm, how does it work when I want to dine at other venues. We will be onboard for 14 nights and we will want to dine at Crab shack on two evenings, fondue one evening, buffet a couple of evenings, crown grill one evening, and sabatinis one evening. That's about 7 nights of the 14 at the alternative venues. How does one work this with traditional dining?

 

 

 

Thanks for the advice.

 

Jennifer

 

 

To be thoughtful I would let your waitstaff know what nights you won't be at dinner on specific days, that way they don't wait for you. Other then that just go to any dinner you would like. Reservations are recommended for sabatinis and crown grill. Also I would recommend the crab shack but we had no issues walking in when we went.

[RocketMan275]

If I stick with my traditional dining for 6 pm, how does it work when I want to dine at other venues. We will be onboard for 14 nights and we will want to dine at Crab shack on two evenings, fondue one evening, buffet a couple of evenings, crown grill one evening, and sabatinis one evening. That's about 7 nights of the 14 at the alternative venues. How does one work this with traditional dining?

 

Thanks for the advice.

Jennifer

 

We had booked ATD on a cruise. Some friends were also booked. They linked our reservations and changed us to early traditional. We simply told them that we had other plans and that it was highly unlikely that we would ever show up. Don't wait on us.

[paul929207]

If I stick with my traditional dining for 6 pm, how does it work when I want to dine at other venues. We will be onboard for 14 nights and we will want to dine at Crab shack on two evenings, fondue one evening, buffet a couple of evenings, crown grill one evening, and sabatinis one evening. That's about 7 nights of the 14 at the alternative venues. How does one work this with traditional dining?

 

Thanks for the advice.

Jennifer

We tell the wait staff or our table companions that we will not be at dinner.

[spiceyxi]

I always go for ATD with a two top. I like the flexibility and even more so if it is a port intensive cruise. Plus, I am there to spend time with my wife and not force a conversation with several other people. Not to mention you are stuck at the pace of the slowest person. It isn't the same, but we left breakfast one day as they were trying to fill a 10 top. We were in a bit more of a rush do to an excursion and didn't want to wait for people to be seated and review the menu.

 

Reading about traditional dinig here sounds like more of a responsibility and choir than I want on a cruise.

[shredie]

Reading about traditional dinig here sounds like more of a responsibility and choir than I want on a cruise.

 

It's a trade off. ATD diners often complain of long lines and having to wait for the tables they want. There doesn't seem to be a perfect system.

[mali06]

This is what our group has done on other cruiselines: as soon as we board, we visit the Maitre D' for anytime dining and reserve a table for every night at 6:30 for our group. It has always worked. Can we do this on Princess? The 5:30 traditional on the Caribbean Princess seems so early! Having asked that, what are the show times on the Caribbean Princess?

[Potstech]

This is what our group has done on other cruiselines: as soon as we board, we visit the Maitre D' for anytime dining and reserve a table for every night at 6:30 for our group. It has always worked. Can we do this on Princess? The 5:30 traditional on the Caribbean Princess seems so early! Having asked that, what are the show times on the Caribbean Princess?

 

So basically you are getting your version of Traditional Dining in the Anytime Dining Room. So that means a large table is not availabel from the time the dining room opens until you arrive at about 6:30. Why not just ask to see if one is available in the Traditional Dinig Romm. Oh wait that does not cnform to those dining times.

[AKman2495]

This is what our group has done on other cruiselines: as soon as we board, we visit the Maitre D' for anytime dining and reserve a table for every night at 6:30 for our group. It has always worked. Can we do this on Princess? The 5:30 traditional on the Caribbean Princess seems so early! Having asked that, what are the show times on the Caribbean Princess?

 

I do not know about 6:30 exactly, but when we were on the Royal for our 15 day TA, we ate between 5:30 and 6 and every night a table for 10 was blocked out for a group. One evening while we were waiting (only a few minutes) the group just walked in and I asked what was going on. They said they had a standing reservation for that table...

 

If you get in on the first day, I don't see why they couldn't accommodate you at 6:30. It's worth a shot....

[MrMan]

Done both, prefer, anytime, especially if it is a port intensive cruise. Like the flexibility of dining when you want depending on shore excursions, if your eating on land, specialty restaurant, how lame the production show is that night, how many pre dinner cocktails one has had and what group you meet at the bar. You don't feel guilty not telling someone your eating on shore or in specialty. Can be more last minute flexible. Not forced to wait on that slow eater(usually the big talker). Not forced to talk to same people every night and look at Grandchildrens pictures you don't care about. Thats why anytime rocks IMHO

[cruzsnooze]

Last week I had traditional 6 PM which became 5:30 when we boarded, standard deception with Princess. I asked if I could get a 6 or 6:30 anytime reservation for every night and was told no. After 7 you could make a reservation but not before. We just showed up at 6 PM as per our confirmed reservation for early traditional. Our table mates followed suit because the other 6 (table of 8) didn't like 5 :30 either.

[bananawindnj]

Done both, prefer, anytime, especially if it is a port intensive cruise. Like the flexibility of dining when you want depending on shore excursions, if your eating on land, specialty restaurant, how lame the production show is that night, how many pre dinner cocktails one has had and what group you meet at the bar. You don't feel guilty not telling someone your eating on shore or in specialty. Can be more last minute flexible. Not forced to wait on that slow eater(usually the big talker). Not forced to talk to same people every night and look at Grandchildrens pictures you don't care about. Thats why anytime rocks IMHO

 

 

You nailed it!

[Cruisin' Chick]

we have only done anytime dining and enjoyed! is there a difference? I would appreciate feedback. cheers jwd

 

We started cruising when it was all traditional dining. We continued to have late traditional until a couple of cruise ago when we had booked about a month before the sailing date and never cleared the waitlist for late traditional. It was a 14-day cruise and half of the time we just shrugged and went to the Horizon for dinner. We wouldn't normally do that with traditional.

 

Of the three formal nights, we did go to the a.t. dining room. A couple of times we were seated with others who had already ordered their meal. It may for an awkward experience. Another time we were seated with another couple who lectured us about our plans for one of our ports. (If we had been assigned to a large table as we usually are...we would have others to talk to).

 

A few weeks after that cruise, my hubby and I were talking about the experience and he said that anytime dining just didn't seem special to him...and couldn't wait to have traditional on our next cruise.

[Maddle]

I think there are pluses and minuses to both Traditional and Anytime. I've done both, and enjoy both for different reasons.

 

I think the important thing is to choose your poison and stick with it:

1. Don't block off seats for Traditional that someone else would really like to have.

2. Don't fill up the line over at Anytime while your TD seat sits empty.

3. Don't leave your tablemates hanging wondering when they can start ordering their dinner.

 

What I like about Traditional is getting to know my tablemates, and knowing there's a seat for me every night. I don't have to wait around. The dining times are coordinated with show times, although it doesn't always work out.

 

What I like about Anytime is that I can go early tonight, and late tomorrow - or just skip the whole thing and go have a burger at the grill or a salad from the buffet without feeling I need to let anyone know.

 

Maddle

Edited February 16, 2016 by Maddle

[wowzz]

Why do ATD and than book a table for the entire cruise at the ungodly early time of 18:30? As others have said, cruising is all about 'me' time, so surely the last thing you want to do is to be tied into the same dining time ever night. Some nights I like a beer before dinner, other nights a bottle of chablis. ATD gives me and SHMBO the choice to decide when we will grace the MDR with our wit and repartee.