Change in Traditional Dining Times?

[palolake]

And what about the Platinum/Elite Lounge?  I'll be really ticked off if they don't change that to opening at 4:00.

[satxdiver]

We had 6:00 TD confirmed on all our future cruises.  Looking at the cruise personalizer for each of the cruises coming up the time has been changed to either 5:00 or 5:30 depending on the cruise.  We just changed all of them to 7:15 and will just have to juggle our evening activities around the new time.  Eating dinner at 5:00 is like eating a late lunch.  What is Princess trying to do here.

[floridalover5623]

1 minute ago, satxdiver said:

 What is Princess trying to do here.

Looks like they're trying to satisfy people who think the late schedule is a little to late. 

[floridalover5623]

17 minutes ago, Diver2014 said:

Princess is trying to phase out traditional dining.

It could be although there are still many who love traditional. 

[mevs904]

We are a couple who love late traditional dining.  We were scheduled or 8:15 for our next two cruises and have been changed to 7:15. That's a little earlier than we like, but much better than the other two options.  We're glad that we had late traditional already scheduled because it looks like a lot of people are trying to move to 7:15. 

[suzyed]

2 hours ago, floridalover5623 said:

That's close to our regular eating time here in Florida. 

A little late perhaps. 

LOL!  Very funny....we live in Florida but we don't eat that early.....that's Happy Hour time!  Dinner after!  

[travellingnana]

We have also been bumped from our 6PM time to 5PM on our 2019 cruise to Alaska.  While 5PM is too early, I'm hesitant to change to 7:15 yet.  IF I get the table for 2 that I requested, how late can I reasonably show up?  5:15?  5:30?  We don't dawdle at dinner (unless service is slow) so would still be out before 7:15.

[satxdiver]

33 minutes ago, suzyed said:

LOL!  Very funny....we live in Florida but we don't eat that early.....that's Happy Hour time!  Dinner after!  

 

Totally agree that 5:00 is happy hour time and definitely not dinner time. 

[metairiegal]

Our Traditional 6:00 dining time has been changed to 5:00. 

We will miss every 5:00 sail-away by being at dinner!

What about the Platinum/Elite lounge times?  We liked to go there pre-dinner to check out the offerings and the view. 

Maybe we should switch to Any Time dining?

[Hlitner]

We have often heard fellow cruisers whining about their traditional dining times...and this happens on every cruise line.  For some its too early, for others its too late, for some its just right but service is too slow and for others the service is too fast :).  Bottom line is that no matter what a cruise line does with traditional scheduling they are going to be wrong with some folks.  But the answer to the problem is quite simple and already exists.  Just book Open Sitting and dine when you please :).   Ohhhh I  understand.  There are some who still prefer traditional dining but only when it exactly fits their personal needs/wants etc.  Whine on!

For the record I certainly have no problem in criticizing a cruise line and have done it many times.  But in this case they are likely doing their best to accommodate a majority of cruisers.  I can point the finger to my DW's ex who loves to cruise and is unhappy if he cannot have dinner by 4pm :).  Perhaps that is one of the reasons why he is the "ex."

Hank 

[shippmates]

We were also changed to 5PM dining from 5:30.  It also is showing waitlisted #1.  Does anyone know what this means.  5PM is a little early but then 7:15 is too late for me to eat.  Will just wait and see how it works once we get on the ship.  

 

[PoohUnderstands]

40 minutes ago, Hlitner said:

We have often heard fellow cruisers whining about their traditional dining times...and this happens on every cruise line.  For some its too early, for others its too late, for some its just right but service is too slow and for others the service is too fast :).  Bottom line is that no matter what a cruise line does with traditional scheduling they are going to be wrong with some folks.  But the answer to the problem is quite simple and already exists.  Just book Open Sitting and dine when you please :).   Ohhhh I  understand.  There are some who still prefer traditional dining but only when it exactly fits their personal needs/wants etc.  Whine on!

For the record I certainly have no problem in criticizing a cruise line and have done it many times.  But in this case they are likely doing their best to accommodate a majority of cruisers.  I can point the finger to my DW's ex who loves to cruise and is unhappy if he cannot have dinner by 4pm :).  Perhaps that is one of the reasons why he is the "ex."

Hank 

 This is why I have CC dining for 3 of my next 4 cruises.  Traditional feeling and eat when I want!

Due to the price differences being really really higher am doing one traditional dining cruise that is 29 days long.  I am so glad for this thread as I, too, was changed from 6PM confirmed to 5PM confirmed!!!! No way!  So went in and changed to 7:15pm confirmed.  I just hope that that is an accurate time.  If I get on board and it is later, I will be one unhappy camper.  Now if were changed to earlier, would be a happy camper! Grin.  But the choices are really bad in traditional dining now - I mean, my choices like most others was 4:45, 5:00 and 7:15!  I will go with the flow, but really what is the thinking behind these times, Princess?!

 

Pooh

[voljeep]

might as well be labeled early bird dining at the golden corral

do you get a discount for going at 4:30?

[metairiegal]

What are they doing?  Pushing everyone into Any Time Dining?

[Ombud]

1 hour ago, travellingnana said:

We have also been bumped from our 6PM time to 5PM on our 2019 cruise to Alaska.  While 5PM is too early, I'm hesitant to change to 7:15 yet.  IF I get the table for 2 that I requested, how late can I reasonably show up?  5:15?  5:30?  We don't dawdle at dinner (unless service is slow) so would still be out before 7:15.

On the Royal in June my 6pm was changed to 5:30 & we were ALL sent a letter that our chair would be released to ATD if 15 minutes late. I told the waiter that I (a single diner) would be 15 minutes late and was accommodated as I had special meals, (no pepper). But don't know what would have happened if 2+ pax or no food restrictions

Changed all mine to 7:15. 

Edited October 17, 2018 by Ombud
Typo

[famski740]

Just went in to check my Sky Princess cruise.  Saw I was changed from 6:00 PM confirmed to 5:00 PM waitlisted #5.  That is ridiculous so I changed to 7:15 PM and it is straight confirmed.  We normally eat at 6:30 at home so this is a better time for us.  Would hate to miss sail away from both the embarkation port and most of the islands with the earlier time.  Also, it would mean rushing back rom the islands and getting dressed for dinner.  Also seems like you would have to skip lunch in order to be hungry.

[jennybenny]

3 hours ago, Mary loves to travel said:

My concern is if I change our dining to 7:15, then Princess were to change it again, we would end up with dinner at 8:15.    First world problems, I know, but ..... any guesses on how permanent this change is?   We'll be on the Grand to Mexico, if that makes a difference.

 

Mary

Mary, I have the same concern. We will be on the Grand and I did change TD from 5 to 7:15. I’m hoping worst case it’s 7:30 but only time will tell. 

This feels like a solid push from Princess to make people use ATD or book Club Class. 

On the cruise where we had club class we ate around 7 every night. So if this late TD at 7:15 is real, it’s perfect for us!

Fingers crossed!! It will be a holiday cruise so if I screw it up my family will kill me! Lol

[Anubi]

I noticed that in my Personalizer this morning.  I guess its fleetwide; glad to see the change.  

[Bollycats]

I always do Anytime Dining. My concern is people will find out on the ship that they are now at 4:45 and not want it and show up at Anytime Dining making it even longer to get a table. I don't recall them ever asking me for my cruise card to verify I signed up for Anytime. They just ask "how many" and give me a pager. Anyone can now show up and get in line.

[Doug R.]

51 minutes ago, metairiegal said:

What are they doing?  Pushing everyone into Any Time Dining?

 

It appears that may be the case. NCL did it with great success and Princess may be wanting to go in that direction. Yes many Floridians eat early because they would not want dinner to interfere with Jeopardy or Wheel of Fortune. 😁 

Edited October 17, 2018 by Doug R.

[geocruiser]

4 hours ago, minniem said:

I see mine was changed as well to 4:45. I live in FL and we eat early but definitely not that early.  I wondered if they are trying to eliminate the second early traditional dinning by making it so early no one will book it.  Then they have more room for Anytime. I don't like it but am not sure what we will do.

I had thought the same ting.

[Ombud]

2 hours ago, Hlitner said:

We have often heard fellow cruisers whining about their traditional dining times... But the answer to the problem is quite simple and already exists.  Just book Open Sitting and dine when you please :).   Ohhhh I  understand.  There are some who still prefer traditional dining but only when it exactly fits their personal needs/wants etc.  Whine on!

Hank 

Sorry, Hank, but ATD doesn't work well for those with a food allergy.  Its really problematic to repeat it to every waiter. I could stick with Kai Sushi (not on all ships) or just have plain steamed veggies (NO black pepper).

Besides my issue isn't with the time change but with lack of notification.  Change whatever you want, just give me the option of modifying it to meet me needs. Like when they changed coffee card & soda policy but we were forewarned ... or the publicity around limiting alcohol to "just" 15 drinks a day 🙂

[Diver2014]

31 minutes ago, Doug R. said:

 

It appears that may be the case. NCL did it with great success and Princess may be wanting to go in that direction. Yes many Floridians eat early because they would not want dinner to interfere with Jeopardy or Wheel of Fortune. 😁 

Ha haha!  How did you know????  Okay, we normally ate at 5pm the whole time we lived in Florida and, oh wait, we still eat at 5pm now that we live in South Carolina. I have to admit that we've given up Jeopardy and Wheel of Fortune nowadays.  I'm now waitlisted #8 for 5:15pm since 5p or 5:30p are not even offered.  Whatever.  Most people seem to prefer to eat later so that's fine with us.

[RDC1]

1 hour ago, metairiegal said:

What are they doing?  Pushing everyone into Any Time Dining?

What it appears is trying to make dining more efficient when they consider their capabilities and their customers.

Early traditional has always been packed, often both dining rooms have been wait listed prior to many cruises forcing early diners into Anytime. Late traditional has often been lightly used with many empty tables. Anytime is also packed with many people wanting to eat as soon as they open or closely afterward.  Have seen many long lines prior to opening, waiting for anytime.

By doing the changes they are accomplishing 3 things.  1. As demonstrated by comments here it is getting people to shift to late traditional at 7:15.  This frees up spots in early traditional which will be taken by those that want them, reducing the load on early Anytime. 2. Anytime is also opening earlier. Together with the mid ship dining room finishing up the early traditional seating by 7 means more Anytime dining during peak dining times.  3. If they find enough people move to late traditional, they might find that they can eliminate the second early traditional dining time and make that room fully anytime.  If not it still may reduce early traditional enough that some tables in that dining room can be used for Anytime, even if part of the room remains early traditional, as well as part for CC dining.

 

People on these boards have complained about the problems with getting into Anytime dining  before 7-7:30pm.  This should go a long way to fix that problem, as well as balancing out dining room use, maximizing the capacity that they have.

 

Note on European Med cruises they have shifted but by a smaller amount.

[spyro1952]

1 hour ago, Doug R. said:

 

It appears that may be the case. NCL did it with great success and Princess may be wanting to go in that direction. Yes many Floridians eat early because they would not want dinner to interfere with Jeopardy or Wheel of Fortune. 😁 

Not sure Princess can make big changes like this with great success.  Look at Share - not a great success.  Look how long it’s going to take to get the medallion fleet wide - not a great success.  My opinion is that NCL has a different dining product all together.  They have a limited amount of “free” dining slots and those reservations are now booked on line far in advance.  The rest of the passengers are forced to eat at pay restaurants.  I do think it is to get more people into a later sitting or ATD.  I will be happy with an earlier late sitting if I’m traveling solo.  Traveling with my friend, although we always book separate cabins, gets harder as she wants to eat before 6 pm.  I just can’t eat at 4:45 or 5 pm and dinner time is one thing I am adamant about.  My biggest complaint about ATD is the service.  I’ve always found it “less than” in comparison to service in the TD rooms.  I’ll see what happens in 2 wks when I’m on the Crown solo.