New Princess Cruiser - Anytime Dining Question

[Tarm]

Hubby and I are excited to cruise with Princess for the first time. We're experienced cruisers with a different line, but have never done anytime dining before. I've looked at the time choices on the app, but I have a question. The one thing we always like to do is catch whatever show is on in the evening. How do I choose a dining time in order to make it to the show on time? I have no idea what time the show is, or if there happens to be more than one showing on an evening. Help me out! We generally like to eat 5:30/6:00 at home, but it's hard to know how the day will go with getting back on board at some of the ports. Appreciate some advice, thank you!

[robbinsca]

Most shows are 730 and 930. Allow for 90 minutes for dinner at 530 and you could go to either one.
 

One thing on Princess is that the theatre doesn’t seem to have as much available seating as other lines we have been on, and some of it is reserved for Elites/Suites. Plan on arriving at least 15-20 minutes before the show to get a seat.

[son3cruisers]

Hi Tarm.  We are sailing on the same cruise! (Noticed your name in the roll call as we are new to Princess as well, and just celebrated our 30th! ) 
The  showtimes are in the  app! Take a look and you can plan your dining around what you want to see.

There are 3 restaurants you can book for MTD.

We booked 7 pm and were able to book a table for 2 in the same restaurant every night. 7 works well for us, usually coming back from an excursion and back on board at 5pm ( in most of our ports) , gives us time for a shower and a bevie before sitting down to eat as well as enough time to catch an 8:30/ 9 pm show

 

Edited May 26 by son3cruisers

[ecs66]

Speaking for ourselves, we always get early seating -- 5:00 or 5:30 -- then catch the show after that.  But we don't do Anytime or Specialty dining.  So far have lucked out getting set up for Traditional in one of the MDRs.

[NavyVeteran]

9 hours ago, robbinsca said:

One thing on Princess is that the theatre doesn’t seem to have as much available seating as other lines we have been on, and some of it is reserved for Elites/Suites. Plan on arriving at least 15-20 minutes before the show to get a seat.

Princess does NOT reserve any seating for Elites or suites. They reserve seating for production shows for passengers with the Premier fare package only.

[HotRoot]

On the ships we have been on this year shows were at 7:30 and 9:30.  For the 7:30 show you needed to be there before 7 pm to get a seat.  Never went to the 9:30 show so have no idea about it.

[JF - retired RRT]

I'm confused...the topic title is for "anytime" dining and the answers have been about "traditional".

If OP wants anytime, it isn't necessary to do anything ahead of time. Just show up without a reservation or make reservations as needed once on the ship. There may be days when OP doesn't want to go to a show...or days when a late seating is preferable for some reason.

[memoak]

3 hours ago, JF - retired RRT said:

I'm confused...the topic title is for "anytime" dining and the answers have been about "traditional".

If OP wants anytime, it isn't necessary to do anything ahead of time. Just show up without a reservation or make reservations as needed once on the ship. There may be days when OP doesn't want to go to a show...or days when a late seating is preferable for some reason.

For us late dining is always preferred. I don’t think we have ever eaten prior to 7:30

[Kay S]

OP, when is your cruise?  The entire dining system will be revamped in Sept 2024.  LOng thread on this at the top of this forum.

[Shaver John]

Last cruise we were on, in March, on the majestic princess you really needed to be in the showroom at least 30 minutes early if you planned to get a good seat, and even at that time many seats were already taken. We are getting Premiere now for our next cruises since at least we will be able to get a seat until 10 minutes before the show and not have to get there so early.

[alwalaska]

On 5/25/2024 at 10:52 PM, robbinsca said:

Most shows are 730 and 930. Allow for 90 minutes for dinner at 530 and you could go to either one.
 

One thing on Princess is that the theatre doesn’t seem to have as much available seating as other lines we have been on, and some of it is reserved for Elites/Suites. Plan on arriving at least 15-20 minutes before the show to get a seat.

I was wondering about that, especially when I saw that the Premium Package also includes reserved seats now.  Is it like other cruise lines where the doors open 30 minutes before the show? We haven't cruise Princess since 2018 and I can't remember how it worked.

[nwcruiselover]

On the Majestic Princess the doors were opened at least an hour before the shows.  People started arriving an hour ahead of time to get good seats.  By 30 minutes before showtime most of the seats were taken.