Tables For Two in Traditional Dining

[spyro1952]

You say they are already assigned, how and when is this done? You reference a pre-printed card, this tells me the TD seats are pre-assigned with no input by the passenger, which is not a good sign...[/quot

 

Yes this is exactly what I’m saying. It’s done by the MD two or three days before you get on. Then your dining room, dining time, and table number are printed on the lower left corner of your room key card. There is NO input from the passenger. If you don’t like your assigned table you can try and change it after embarkation dinner by speaking with the MD or assistant MD assigned to your dining room.

Also I will let you know right now that tables for two near a window are rare and usually assigned to Elites or most travelled passengers etc.

keep checking the web site to see if you clear the wait list.

[pcur]

:oI

 

How could you walk around the DR and pick a table when TD dining tables are already assigned? You can talk to the MD or whoever and ask for a table for two but I don’t believe you can just go and scout a table as they would have already been assigned and printed on someone’s card.

I surely would not be happy to go to the MDR and see somebody else in my assigned table!!!

 

We LOOK at the tables. Then, we ASK if they are assigned when we meet with the dining management later on embarkation day. Nowhere did I say we took assigned tables away from other passengers. However, if we know the table numbers we are interested in, it helps the dining manager to know.

[spyro1952]

We LOOK at the tables. Then, we ASK if they are assigned when we meet with the dining management later on embarkation day. Nowhere did I say we took assigned tables away from other passengers. However, if we know the table numbers we are interested in, it helps the dining manager to know.

 

Since TD dining s still very popular on Princess AND especially table for two at early sitting, why wouldn’t they already be assigned???? How do you think they clear a wait list?? Do you walk through all 3 DR’s? You can’t circumvent their system. And like the OP said, rarely are the tables

numbered until they begin setting up for dinner.

The correct info to be given is have the op meet with the MD at the time and place printed in the Patter after they embark.

[Colo Cruiser]

A good idea to save time is.......

The MD will tell you whats left/available if you meet with him.

Then you can look right on the table plan he has and see if its an agreeable location for you.

[spyro1952]

A good idea to save time is.......

The MD will tell you whats left/available if you meet with him.

Then you can look right on the table plan he has and see if its an agreeable location for you.

Exactly

[pcur]

OK, I'm going to try to explain one....more....time....

 

As I originally posted, we do this on all cruise lines. That means Princess, HAL, RCCL, Celebrity, NCL. My husband is picky about location, so we like to tour the dining room when no one is there and see what section we like, what tables we like, etc.

 

Then, when we go to talk to the dining manager we can tell him what we prefer, and then he looks at his table map, tells us if there's anything in that section available, and we go from there. Nicely, politely. No poaching, it works for us, and we've done it for, oh, about 40 of our 45 years of cruising.

 

If there's nothing available, then we eat in the buffet for a few nights, and then go back for another chat. By that time people have moved around, etc., and it's a different story.

[spyro1952]

OK, I'm going to try to explain one....more....time....

 

As I originally posted, we do this on all cruise lines. That means Princess, HAL, RCCL, Celebrity, NCL. My husband is picky about location, so we like to tour the dining room when no one is there and see what section we like, what tables we like, etc.

 

Then, when we go to talk to the dining manager we can tell him what we prefer, and then he looks at his table map, tells us if there's anything in that section available, and we go from there. Nicely, politely. No poaching, it works for us, and we've done it for, oh, about 40 of our 45 years of cruising.

 

If there's nothing available, then we eat in the buffet for a few nights, and then go back for another chat. By that time people have moved around, etc., and it's a different story.

 

And I will tell you one more time this would not be possible on Princess but maybe on other cruise lines. Dining rooms not being used for embarkation lunch and subsequent meeting with the MD are kept locked. No one can just walk thru and look around. My experience after 65 cruises on Princess.

[pcur]

And I will tell you one more time this would not be possible on Princess but maybe on other cruise lines. Dining rooms not being used for embarkation lunch and subsequent meeting with the MD are kept locked. No one can just walk thru and look around. My experience after 65 cruises on Princess.

 

Having not sailed on Princess for several years, I imagine we did our walk-abouts while waiting to talk to the MD. I do know that we did this because one of the conversations we had with an MD about the location of different types of tables for two. We asked for one that was against a railing near the entrance. It was very conveniently located.