New dining times on Princess

[mcc]

I went online this weekend to download and print my travel documents for my forthcoming cruise on Crown Princess on December 27th. I then re-checked my confirmed dining (Traditional) which I booked as early dining st 5.30p.m. only to find that recently (without informing me) that my dining time had been changed to 4.45 p.m. When I looked what options  were on offer, the alternative times are 5 p.m. for first sitting and 7.15 p.m. for second sitting. How ridiculous is this? The early sitting is almost afternoon tea time. It will impinge on shore excursions and entertainment choices too. This is not a one off as I found the same scenario on my bookings for February, 2020.

I am debating whether to change to Anytime Dining but I am not sure if on chosing this, there is still the opportunity to pre book a table by phone on that morning or on leaving the Dining room the evening before. What do other cruisers think?

[shof515]

this seems to be a new changes,  lots of topics about this issue when you search the forums.

 

this is why i always pick any time dinning

[GeeDunk]

39 minutes ago, mcc said:

I went online this weekend to download and print my travel documents for my forthcoming cruise on Crown Princess on December 27th. I then re-checked my confirmed dining (Traditional) which I booked as early dining st 5.30p.m. only to find that recently (without informing me) that my dining time had been changed to 4.45 p.m. When I looked what options  were on offer, the alternative times are 5 p.m. for first sitting and 7.15 p.m. for second sitting. How ridiculous is this? The early sitting is almost afternoon tea time. It will impinge on shore excursions and entertainment choices too. This is not a one off as I found the same scenario on my bookings for February, 2020.

I am debating whether to change to Anytime Dining but I am not sure if on chosing this, there is still the opportunity to pre book a table by phone on that morning or on leaving the Dining room the evening before. What do other cruisers think?

 

Check this Link out.

 

 

 

Edited October 22, 2018 by GeeDunk

[prboylan]

I also just noticed this change on our upcoming cruise on 12/22.  We had reservations for 8:15 which are now 7:15.  Unfortunately, we are sailing on Pacific Princess so we don't have the option of Anytime Dining.  I'd prefer 8:15, but can live with the 7:15 time, but to be honest, we'll probably eat at the buffet or specialty dining more anyhow.  However, I have to agree with those that have been moved to a 4:30 or 4:45 time.  That just seems way too early for dinner!!  I think Princess should have sent out something letting people know and not having to find out when you print your documents.

[johnatsis]

Can someone tell me the Traditional dining times on the Royal on the October 26, 2018 Canada and Colonial America sailings

 

[caribill]

9 hours ago, johnatsis said:

Can someone tell me the Traditional dining times on the Royal on the October 26, 2018 Canada and Colonial America sailings

 

 

Nobody on this board knows the answer as the answer will not be known until passengers embark on October 26.

[Cruise Raider]

We experienced this on our last sailing, although were assigned to anytime dining per our request.  The anytime dining lines were crazy because some of those that had their traditional times changed without notice showed up in the anytime dining lines.  Very disappointed in Princess for doing this! 

 

[ar1950]

We noticed this link on another forum:

https://cruiseradio.net/princess-cruise-line-makes-unexpected-dining-changes/

 

[tlovesdis]

We went on an Alaskan cruise in July and our docs said we had 6pm dining, but when we got on board they told us it was now 5pm.  They had just changed it the cruise before ours, or so we were told.  5pm is too early!!! 

[GottaLuvCruising]

36 minutes ago, tlovesdis said:

We went on an Alaskan cruise in July and our docs said we had 6pm dining, but when we got on board they told us it was now 5pm.  They had just changed it the cruise before ours, or so we were told.  5pm is too early!!! 

Imagine how delighted we were to learn that our confirmed 5:30 main dining time is now 4:45.  Arrggghhhh!  Princess rep told me that part of the reason is the long lines for early seating at anytime dining...then suggested anytime dining as an option. 

[mcrcruiser]

We changed our dining  times on 2 cruises to late dining at 7:15 PM  & they both have been confirmed

[VacTimeAllways]

I had been reading threads about this change in time last week when I checked mine was still saying 6pm. Someone on my roll call said they had just seen theirs had been switched. I went and checked mine sure enough said 5.... to early. Was able to push it back to 7:15pm. I get they are changing things but should at least give people a heads but about it. What about the people who aren’t on top of their bookings, or not on cruise critic ? 

[donh1]

Like most people I believe 4:45 pm is too early and 5:30 /6:00 is perfect.  Probably too perfect because the demand likely exceeded the supply.  We are looking at a 14 day on the Caribbean Princess and that would mean with early dining we are in the dining room for 6 of the sail  always.   Not going to happen for us.  The new 7:15 late dining will be  the best option for us. A little late but much better than after 8.  The new dining times will reduce the demand for early dining and increase the demand for late dining.  Just maybe it will be a little more balanced. Also the buffet might become busier which has to be a very good thing for the cruiseline .....

[panoramaofthepast]

My Princess vacation planner confirmed that dining changes are taking place across the fleet, with early dining at 5pm and late at 7:15. We were able to change ours for a December cruise, but there doesn't seem to be any up front notification. It's been strictly word-of-mouth!

[Ombud]

I think this is in a state of flux. I just booked a 3FF repositioning cruise from Fort Lauderdale to Quebec next July. Normally I would ask the 6 pm dining. But with all of these changes I had put into my profile for the late dining. My PCC did the booking for me and I went to review the forms and make the payment. Well on my ship the 3 dining times are 5, 6:30, and 8:15. Needless to say I'm not eating at 5 or 8:15. So once again I changed it. 6:30 or 7 is perfect. ATD is looking good!

Edited October 26, 2018 by Ombud

[Woobstr112G]

37 minutes ago, Ombud said:

I think this is in a state of flux. I just booked a 3FF repositioning cruise from Fort Lauderdale to Quebec next July. Normally I would ask the 6 pm dining. But with all of these changes I had put into my profile for the late dining. My PCC did the booking for me and I went to review the forms and make the payment. Well on my ship the 3 dining times are 5, 6:30, and 8:15. Needless to say I'm not eating at 5 or 8:15. So once again I changed it. 6:30 or 7 is perfect. ATD is looking good!

I just looked at our Nov 4th cruise on the Star.  Late Seating TD is now 1915 hours.  I know we have ATD (CC), but this is just too early for us to eat dinner.  Hope it changes in the future so we won't be forced to always to choose ATD.....

 

Bob

 

[vmom]

I think Princess had to make some sort of changes in dining times for longer Caribbean cruises (not the European or other cruises).

 

I was on the 15 day Panama canal cruise in Dec and the 10 day Caribbean cruise in Feb and the lines to get into the dining room between 5 and 5:30 were unbelievable. People were lining up at 4:45.  By 5:15 the lines were way out into the atrium area often close to the IC.  

 

I found the long lines to be very frustrating.  My theory is that the longer Caribbean cruises tend to have more retired older cruisers who like to eat early, go to the show early and then  go to their cabins.  

 

I didn't find this to be an issue on the British Isles cruise or other European cruises.  A lot of Europeans often eat later anyway so there was more of a consistent stream of people throughout the evening for dinner.

 

 

[4cats4me]

On 10/25/2018 at 2:47 PM, tlovesdis said:

We went on an Alaskan cruise in July and our docs said we had 6pm dining, but when we got on board they told us it was now 5pm.  They had just changed it the cruise before ours, or so we were told.  5pm is too early!!! 

Hey, fellow Pinole/ El Sob Girl here. 

[cruzsnooze]

I started a thread about coming off the Ruby this week. The dining was 4:45 and 5 pm for early. Anytime started at 4:30 so you could just stay afternoon tea for early dining! Early seating does not allow for a trip to Skywalkers for a P/E/Suite cocktail anymore. 

[Ombud]

On another thread, poster stated TD diners were lining up before 5 and blocking IC. So apparently there's a need for afternoon dinner --- I'm glad I'm on cruise critic so I can correct before I board

[riclop]

Or you can go to the buffet.

[Thrak]

It's quite possible that the Princess response to this question is "somewhat" accurate. People got tired of waiting in line for ATD and they started showing up earlier and earlier to "beat the line". This resulted an a line forming earlier. Someone at Princess decided that this translated into passengers "wanting to eat earlier" and the new policy was born. Remember: Most of the decision makers don't cruise and don't really "get" what is going on. They look at "numbers" and such and make decisions they thing are correct but don't really have any correlation to the actual facts. I'm not trying to say they are right - I'm just attempting to understand their assertion that this is "what passengers seem to be asking for". (Of course they don't use the word "seem". They assert that they "know" what passengers are asking for.)

 

I"m not "on their side". I'm merely hypothesizing in regard to their stated response when asked about the (bizarre) changes. I really don't know anybody who "wants" to eat dinner at 4:15 or even 4:45. Well.... Okay. Let me amend that. When my wife's mother was in the "facility" (a really freaking nice facility that cost a fortune every month) she could have had dinner at 3:00 in the afternoon and been happy because she had not freaking clue. (Don't get me wrong.... I won the Mother In Law Lottery and had the freaking best Mother In Law imaginable. She just "lost it" later on.) In her circumstance a very early meal was fine and probably ideal for both her and the staff. For those of us who still maintain (at least some of) our faculties that is simply not a time frame in which we want to have our evening meal.

[Warrior Princess]

My husband got an email to inform him of new dining times, we normally eat at 8.15  the change to 7.15 is worrying us as we now think everyone will try to change ang late sitting will be chaos. We do not like the buffet our enjoyment of our cruise is enhanced by our dining experience. This may now make us rethink our dining preferences to anytime dining in the future

[Cruise Raider]

1 hour ago, Warrior Princess said:

My husband got an email to inform him of new dining times, we normally eat at 8.15  the change to 7.15 is worrying us as we now think everyone will try to change ang late sitting will be chaos. We do not like the buffet our enjoyment of our cruise is enhanced by our dining experience. This may now make us rethink our dining preferences to anytime dining in the future

 

I believe that the anytime dining is open to all after 7:30 PM so if you want to eat at 8:15, you will probably not have any problems in doing so.  If you speak with the maitre'd, he may even be able to set you up at the same table every night with the same waiters if you wish to eat that late but still want the consistency of traditional dining (same table, same waiters).  

 

[san diego sue]

Just got off the Royal Princess. Dining times were the old times (just did 2 cruises). MaitreD said he wasn't changing times.

So before anyone starts changing their times, maybe they should wait till they are on the ship. Our late fixed dining was at 7:45PM.Or ask people that are just coming off a cruise about their ship. (wait a week or two to see if anything changes.)