Majestic princess quick review...sept ...sydney to fiji....

[GUT2407]

We resisted anytime for ages, I really like having the same waitstaff. But have done anytime for a few years now, never had to wait longer than about 10 minutes, though I do wish they wouldn’t take bookings, seems to defeat the whole purpose.

[possum52]

1 minute ago, GUT2407 said:

We resisted anytime for ages, I really like having the same waitstaff. But have done anytime for a few years now, never had to wait longer than about 10 minutes, though I do wish they wouldn’t take bookings, seems to defeat the whole purpose.

I agree re bookings. None of the cruises we have been on took bookings thank goodness. We have had anytime or equivalent on both Princess and Royal and never had to wait more than a few minutes to be seated. We usually head to the MDR between 7.15 and 7.45 pm. On Voyage of the Seas, we were always taken to the same group of tables so it was almost like having traditional but we could go when we wanted. Always the same waiters. On Golden Princess last year, we ended up having the same table and waiters so once again similar to having traditional without having to eat at a set time each night. Is it only the mega ships that have bookings and pagers?

 

Leigh

[Aus Traveller]

29 minutes ago, possum52 said:

I agree re bookings. None of the cruises we have been on took bookings thank goodness. We have had anytime or equivalent on both Princess and Royal and never had to wait more than a few minutes to be seated. We usually head to the MDR between 7.15 and 7.45 pm. On Voyage of the Seas, we were always taken to the same group of tables so it was almost like having traditional but we could go when we wanted. Always the same waiters. On Golden Princess last year, we ended up having the same table and waiters so once again similar to having traditional without having to eat at a set time each night. Is it only the mega ships that have bookings and pagers?

 

Leigh

I have seen bookings and pagers on the Sea Princess, not a mega ship by any means. We started having anytime dining when it was introduced on the Aussie ships. That is only a couple of years ago. So far, we haven't had to wait. We would usually go to the dining room around 5.45 before all the tables fill for the first 'round'. We would often be seated in the same area with the same waiters.

[possum52]

2 minutes ago, Aus Traveller said:

I have seen bookings and pagers on the Sea Princess, not a mega ship by any means. We started having anytime dining when it was introduced on the Aussie ships. That is only a couple of years ago. So far, we haven't had to wait. We would usually go to the dining room around 5.45 before all the tables fill for the first 'round'. We would often be seated in the same area with the same waiters.

Is there only one anytime dining room on Sea Princess? If so that may be a reason why they have bookings and pagers. Our first time using anytime dining was in the Diamond Princess in 2015 Sydney to Singapore and we just turned up when we wanted to eat and didn't have a problem being seated almost immediately.

 

Leigh

[Aus Traveller]

18 minutes ago, possum52 said:

Is there only one anytime dining room on Sea Princess? If so that may be a reason why they have bookings and pagers. Our first time using anytime dining was in the Diamond Princess in 2015 Sydney to Singapore and we just turned up when we wanted to eat and didn't have a problem being seated almost immediately.

 

Leigh

Yes, there is only one anytime dining room on Sea Princess. The ship has two large dining rooms and only 1900 passengers maximum so it would probably work out the same as on the larger ships where there are four smaller dining rooms.

 

We turn up whenever we want (usually 5.45) and have never had to wait. A couple of times there has been a line-up that moves fairly quickly. Obviously it isn't like Traditional dining where everyone just heads to their table (after the first night).

[OzKiwiJJ]

We had to wait on three nights out of the 35 on Sea, but only for a few minutes.

[OzKiwiJJ]

A lot of people were booking specific tables, sometimes because there was a group, but often just couples.

 

One couple was very annoying one night. They barged past the queue then demanded to be seated at a specific table right then. This was around 7pm. They weren't happy when they were told that the table wasn't available right then and they would have to take a pager to get any table for two. We were next up and made it quite clear that we weren't happy about them jumping the queue. We also had to take a pager as we wanted a table for two that night, When our pager went off and we went back to the dining room the couple were there arguing with the head waiter about the table they wanted. Very rude people!

[possum52]

17 minutes ago, OzKiwiJJ said:

We had to wait on three nights out of the 35 on Sea, but only for a few minutes.

On Golden, one of the two anytime MDRs is used for traditional first sitting, so usually the earliest we could get in there was around  7.15 pm.

 

Leigh

 

[possum52]

12 minutes ago, OzKiwiJJ said:

A lot of people were booking specific tables, sometimes because there was a group, but often just couples.

 

One couple was very annoying one night. They barged past the queue then demanded to be seated at a specific table right then. This was around 7pm. They weren't happy when they were told that the table wasn't available right then and they would have to take a pager to get any table for two. We were next up and made it quite clear that we weren't happy about them jumping the queue. We also had to take a pager as we wanted a table for two that night, When our pager went off and we went back to the dining room the couple were there arguing with the head waiter about the table they wanted. Very rude people!

If travelling by ourselves, we always ask for a table for 2 for dinner. Lunch we don't really mind if we sit with others.

It hasn't been a problem for us to be given a table for 2 but we are always polite and never demanding and smile at the staff. We have seen instances of other couples walking up and demanding a certain table and been refused I would assume because of their rudeness. 

 

Leigh

[OzKiwiJJ]

We had great difficulty with Anytime Dining on Majestic when we did the short cruise last year. We tended to head to the MDR around 7:30pm, when Anytime started in the dining room that had been used for early Traditional. Despite this we could only get a table in that MDR on the last night, the rest of the time we were told (quite rudely) to go to the other MDR. That was one of the reasons I didn't like Majestic.

[OzKiwiJJ]

3 minutes ago, possum52 said:

If travelling by ourselves, we always ask for a table for 2 for dinner. Lunch we don't really mind if we sit with others.

It hasn't been a problem for us to be given a table for 2 but we are always polite and never demanding and smile at the staff. We have seen instances of other couples walking up and demanding a certain table and been refused I would assume because of their rudeness. 

 

Leigh

We like a table for two only for breakfast (I'm not civilised until I have had a whole, large pot of tea!), and also at lunch but are more flexible at dinner. We enjoy shared tables, as long as they aren't too big, and conversing with other people at dinner but some nights, especially when DH was unwell, we preferred to have a table for two.

 

The Table Allocator, Marcellina, on the Sea Princess cruise was absolutely brilliant. She always found good tables for us after the first few nights.

[MicCanberra]

2 hours ago, possum52 said:

If travelling by ourselves, we always ask for a table for 2 for dinner. Lunch we don't really mind if we sit with others.

It hasn't been a problem for us to be given a table for 2 but we are always polite and never demanding and smile at the staff. We have seen instances of other couples walking up and demanding a certain table and been refused I would assume because of their rudeness. 

 

Leigh

We are similar, we don't mind sharing for lunch but breakfast and dinner we prefer to dine at a two top.

[GUT2407]

Whereas we are more likely to share at breakfast.

[MicCanberra]

13 hours ago, GUT2407 said:

Whereas we are more likely to share at breakfast.

We have shared but prefer to do the two top for breakfast and dinner.

[GUT2407]

11 hours ago, MicCanberra said:

We have shared but prefer to do the two top for breakfast and dinner.

I think the MDR on every cruise we have been on discouraged two tops at breakfast. In the buffet we take what we get prefer just us, but then I am a well known hermit.

 

[MicCanberra]

They always ask people if they want to share, as they like to fill the larger tables, we just politely say no thankyou and ask for a two top . Most times they accommodate our wishes, sometimes they say there will be a wait, so we share.

[possum52]

We rarely eat breakfast in the MDR, we tend to go to the buffet and eat outside (if the weather is suitable).  Or we might have room service breakfast and sit on our balcony. Lunch can be in MDR, buffet or something quick from the International cafe (if one or similar) or very occasionally the pizza or burger places. We find that by going to the buffet, we can just have something simple like soup and salad and enjoy it outside. 

 

Leigh

[NSWP]

We always go for traditional dining on Princess, table of 6 or 8, 2nd sitting.  We like the social atmosphere, never, ever had a table for two. Even brekkie and lunch, no issues with sharing. After all I am at a table for two every night at home !!

 

On board, breakfast is buffet if on a shorex or MDR if sea day. Lunch is normally Buffet, but sometimes MDR. Dinner always MDR.

 

Re Majestic, on her for first time on Feb 12, Sydney-Singapore, but I know the class of ship, having been on her sister - Royal Princess last year in Europe, OK but not great, miss that walk around prom deck and  too many pax.

Edited October 26, 2019 by NSWP

[Creekside89]

We also don’t mind sharing for breakfast and lunch as half the time there isn’t enough room for everyone.

On the Sun in 2017, by the 5th night in the MDR,  we were getting the “eye roll” and on the 10th night we given a pager with a 10 minute wait, unless you want to share. No thanks, we’ll wait. That was then met with the pursing of the lips. Next night we were being begged to share a table. 

 

 

[Bpos]

 

The unhappiest couple I have ever seen in my life were two oldies sitting at  the same table two each night on an Alaskan cruise and had to put up with a table of 10 noisy Aussies nearby.  Indeed I believe they would not have passed more that two words between them at Dinner each night and the only time they smiled was when the passed wind. 

 

So not wishing end up like them we always like to share a table with others, even though occasionaly you get seated with someone who you would rather not.

[possum52]

We have had to share with some doozies, which is why unless we have friends with us we will ask for a table for two if possible. We do talk to each other but also like to people watch. One cruise we had a large table of passengers sitting close by almost every night and they were loud, almost shouting over each other. It was not pleasant or a nice way to enjoy our meals at all, other diners were talking about them and how rude they were. 

 

Leigh

[summernz]

We are sailing on the majestic in November and was wondering what time do they usually start the movie under the stars?  Does the harmony restaurant have dim sim at lunchtime and if they do what is the cost?

 

[MicCanberra]

1 hour ago, possum52 said:

We have had to share with some doozies, which is why unless we have friends with us we will ask for a table for two if possible. We do talk to each other but also like to people watch. One cruise we had a large table of passengers sitting close by almost every night and they were loud, almost shouting over each other. It was not pleasant or a nice way to enjoy our meals at all, other diners were talking about them and how rude they were. 

 

Leigh

Have been in the MDR having a nice dinner and a large table has become too loud, have usually found a Maitre de will come and have a quiet word and drink service is suspended on that table for the remainder of their meal.

[Tranquility Base]

Can someone who has been on Majestic this season tell us what the two fixed dining times actually are please.

IE: If they differ from that shown on the personaliser.

[boeckli]

15 hours ago, Tranquility Base said:

Can someone who has been on Majestic this season tell us what the two fixed dining times actually are please.

IE: If they differ from that shown on the personaliser.

 

From Princess Patter on embarkation day (17 Sep 2019)

Allegro DR: First Sitting 5.15pm, Second Sitting 7.30pm

Concerto DR: First Sitting 5.15pm-7.30pm - Anytime Dining 7.30pm-9.30pm

Symphony DR: Anytime Dining 5pm-9pm