Dining Poll - Do you like anytime dining?

[MaryPoppinz]

We have rarely, rarely waited for a table with Anytime Dining, but I really didn't mind it the few times we have. We spend a few minutes in the atrium -- in the shops, listening to a little music, enjoying the atmosphere, waiting for the page. If I was starved, it might be different, but it's practically impossible to show up for dinner on a cruise starved, isn't it??

[Guest scfjjb]

We prefer traditional for the company and the reliable dining times. We have ALWAYS had a wait with "anytime"....maybe just our bad luck.

 

editiorial moment: I don't understand why someone would put themself in a contained / non-escapable (not a real work I'm certain) environment with 3,000 + people and then want to "be left alone".:cool:

[we2cruze]

I prefer traditional because I love having our waiters get to know us and us getting to know them. Also my experience with anytime was that the service was good but not great. Choosing your dining time each evening is a definite plus for Anytime, but not for me.

[chasetf]

We have always been Late Traditional. We like being leisure after getting back from a tour, and being on deck during sailaway. We have only once not been able to get it (being assigned Anytime). We still ate late (8pm) and ended up making a standing reservation for the same table at the same time. We were lucky and able to walk in, with no waiting, every night.

[seacuracao]

Actually, it was on the CB. :) Two out of the 7-night cruise, we waited between 40 - 45 minutes for the table we'd reserved for the week. The tables around us had similar waits and there were long lines (maybe 50 people) with lots of angry people waiting to get in, both to reserved and walk-up.

 

 

Pam in Ma...what time did you usually go to dinner?? Maybe we just lucked out that week but we usually went after 8 p.m. each night.:rolleyes:

[Seal]

Anytime always--when given that choice--otherwise it's late dining

 

Go Anytime Dining---YEA YEA

 

Nancy:D

[cruisecrazylady]

If you eat at an any time dining area do they still have like crab legs or lobster or that? I know they don't offer that every night but on the formal night they ususally do and on other cruises I have heard if you do any time or free style then you don't get those "goodies".

 

Thanks!

Julie

[Seal]

On some ships you wouldn't even know which dining room you were in since the newer ships were built with identical dining rooms:D

 

Of course you get all the "goodies" why not--The difference is you get them when you want them--anytime between 5:30 and 10 pm--Not a poor idea

 

Nancy

[SaylorGirl]

On Coral last month had traditional first seating. But the night in college Fijord we were glacier watching .So we went to anytime dining room and had a superb meal at 6:30 or so.

 

FYI - if you have traditional dining you are not supposed to use the anytime dining rooms, that room is for those that choose anytime dining. Next time if you miss your seating find a different venue. As the anytime diners cannot go and use the traditional dining room when you take a table in the anytime you are taking someone elses table away!

[SaylorGirl]

If you eat at an any time dining area do they still have like crab legs or lobster or that? I know they don't offer that every night but on the formal night they ususally do and on other cruises I have heard if you do any time or free style then you don't get those "goodies".

 

Thanks!

Julie

 

Julie - the menus in both traditional and anytime are the same!

[indiaksue]

We love anytime dining! We choose Princess specifically for that. We do not want to go back to traditional dining. Wish the other lines would catch hold of this. We probably will try Norwegian sometime too.

[Waimea'sMom]

Okay, if all of you guys like the anytime, why am I stuck behind over a 100 people waiting for first seating traditional on my November Hawaii cruise? Grr, argh!!

 

I like traditional for a couple of reasons: 1) I like having a waiter who knows our preferences. For example, my Mom is half Korean and so she always requests steamed white rice with her dinner meals...much easier to do with a regular waiter. 2)If I'm forced into tipping a set amount (and therefore I can't help but feel staff have no incentive to provide good service since they have a guaranteed amount), I want someone I know to receive "my" tip. 3) I absolutely HATE forced socializing. Don't get me wrong, I'm actually quite polite and sociable, but I don't like the empty silences and forced socialization that comes with being put with different people at every different meal. I always request a table for my party number (2, 6, whatever I'm traveling with) and if I don't get it, at least I establish relationships with the people I am assigned to each meal with. 4) Finally, I don't like the lineup before each meal, I like knowing where I am going to be seated and not having to wait in line.

 

That being said, I completely understand the freedom you guys enjoy from anytime. Hey, whatever floats your boat...:D

[Seal]

Actually it's quite simple why you are on a wait list for traditional dining--On most of the newer large ships--traditional diners has one dining room--in many cases anytime dining has twice that amount of space

 

Anytime diners many enemy are the traditional diners who decide that they don't want to go to their particular dining rooom at the specific room--so, they get in our place--but, we can't sit at their table--maybe--the room cards should be checked like on some other liners

 

Nancy:D

[rdsqrl]

I liked Anytime Dining, but in thinking about this question, I'm wondering if perhaps Anytime Dining is preferred mostly by those who also prefer to dine alone with their traveling companions? I've only done the Anytime once, and this particular cruise was one where I intended solely to relax and recharge by myself (which can be done, even on a ship of 3,000, in case that previous poster was wondering). Therefore, I took a book in to dinner every night and requested to be seated alone (a request which was honored after about the second night without my even having to ask -- occasionally, those maitres d' do get something right!). But, if I were to feel more sociable, I could see that having to introduce myself anew every night to different tablemates might be somewhat wearing, and so I might prefer Traditional in that case.

[cruisemom42]

I liked Anytime Dining, but in thinking about this question, I'm wondering if perhaps Anytime Dining is preferred mostly by those who also prefer to dine alone with their traveling companions? I've only done the Anytime once, and this particular cruise was one where I intended solely to relax and recharge by myself (which can be done, even on a ship of 3,000, in case that previous poster was wondering). Therefore, I took a book in to dinner every night and requested to be seated alone (a request which was honored after about the second night without my even having to ask -- occasionally, those maitres d' do get something right!). But, if I were to feel more sociable, I could see that having to introduce myself anew every night to different tablemates might be somewhat wearing, and so I might prefer Traditional in that case.

 

 

That's not the case for me. I usually cruise with my 15-year-old son who often doesn't want to join me in the dining room for dinner. I choose Anytime dining for the flexibility. If he DOES join me, we can get a table for 2 (or more). If he doesn't, I enjoy going by myself and meeting people. It's a great way to meet a lot of different people during the course of a cruise.

 

It's also great due to the time flexibility. Several cruises I've been on recently were very port intensive and it was nice knowing that I could linger and enjoy the day while still being able to eat in the dining room at night (rather than the buffet, which is the only option if you are late and miss your traditional seating).

 

I understand HAL is thinking of trying out some sort of Anytime dining, at least on some of their ships.

 

I've never had to wait for a table, even when requesting a table for 2, on my last 3 Princess cruises, all of which were fully booked.

[Pam in CA]

Pam in Ma...what time did you usually go to dinner?? Maybe we just lucked out that week but we usually went after 8 p.m. each night.:rolleyes:

Our reservation for the week was at 8PM. And, our other experience with Anytime was on the Grand and we just walked up every night, usually at about 8:30 - 8:45PM. Even walking up at that time, we had waits every night from 15 - 30 minutes. I swore after the first experience on the Grand that I'd never do it again but decided to give it another try on the CB. Unfortunately, IMHO, it wasn't any better, even with the reservation.

 

Let me amend this by saying that all three tables in our section (all three had reservations for the week at the same table) had the same waits. It wasn't just us. The large table next to us, which seated 10, had a reservation for 8:30PM and every single night, we (and the table next to us) were left between courses for 15 - 20 minutes while the table was seated, orders taken, etc. Nothing like having limp salad in front of you for 20 minutes or so to whet your appetite. The waitstaff did what they could but the timing just didn't work.

[flooded01]

wife and I prefer anytime time for the wide varity of meal mates new stories every night. don't have problem with traditional but, prefer food lots of. Jay:p :p

[trvlcrzy]

I don't like the idea of "introducing" myself every night. When we have done anytime, it has been "just us" at our table. It is possible to use the same waiter each night, and they will learn your preferences just like in the traditional setting.

 

I have joked before that if I had to introduce myself repeatedly, I would change my profession each time... just to keep from boring MYSELF! I am a teacher, and most people launch into a conversation about the ills of public education. DH gets frustrated with "work talk" during vacation, and we have a tough time steering the conversation away from my job since everyone has experience with (and opinions about) education.

 

If I thought I couldn't get a table for "just us," I would prefer traditional, but I'm not sure DH would agree. He says he likes the time flexibility ...yet we generally eat at roughly the same time every evening!

[Id rather be diving]

I love traditional as I love getting to meet new people and having the same waiters. My husband, on the other hand, will only do anytime. He was opposed to cruising until he learned of anytime dining, now I can't keep him away. So, the comprise is we do anytime and we get to cruise more often. Works for me. We are doing our first over 7 day cruise this fall and I told him it will have to be a bit more of comprising as we can do anytime but some nights I told him that we will have to eat with others as well. I get to eat with him every night sometimes I want to meet new people. I am a bit more of the social butterfly than he, but he will do this and it will be great! Thanks for anytime this way he'll cruise with me now.

[seacuracao]

I don't like the idea of "introducing" myself every night. When we have done anytime, it has been "just us" at our table. It is possible to use the same waiter each night, and they will learn your preferences just like in the traditional setting.

 

I have joked before that if I had to introduce myself repeatedly, I would change my profession each time... just to keep from boring MYSELF! I am a teacher, and most people launch into a conversation about the ills of public education. DH gets frustrated with "work talk" during vacation, and we have a tough time steering the conversation away from my job since everyone has experience with (and opinions about) education.

 

If I thought I couldn't get a table for "just us," I would prefer traditional, but I'm not sure DH would agree. He says he likes the time flexibility ...yet we generally eat at roughly the same time every evening!

 

Thank you for putting it so succinctly in answer to why people do anytime and prefer not to have "forced sociablity" as the other post said.

I work in a popular all inclusive hotel chain in the Caribbean and either one of those items, because I am American, causes a lot of questions and curiosity. I like to choose time, place and people to share that with, not all the time. I came to get away from work...

That being said, we were in a three table conversation in Sabatini's, and at our back section with all the two top tables in the palm, had the same couple next or one table away. the conversations struck up, wine was shared , drinks were bought for the other's table, and it was absolutely lots of fun. You can be sociable with anytime....at your leisure.

[Tarkus]

anytime dining is one of the big reasons i went back to princess for our most recent cruise... i called for reservations as early as they would take them, and we never had more than a 2-3min wait on any night upon arriving to be seated.

 

wheneer i have a choice, i'll never again do traditional.

[tvaud]

We prefer tradtional late seating where we get to know our wait staff and they get to know us, we don't feel rushed out the door and of course, the Baked Alaska parade.:)

[Plant]

Thank you for putting it so succinctly in answer to why people do anytime and prefer not to have "forced sociablity" as the other post said.

I work in a popular all inclusive hotel chain in the Caribbean and either one of those items, because I am American, causes a lot of questions and curiosity. I like to choose time, place and people to share that with, not all the time. I came to get away from work...

That being said, we were in a three table conversation in Sabatini's, and at our back section with all the two top tables in the palm, had the same couple next or one table away. the conversations struck up, wine was shared , drinks were bought for the other's table, and it was absolutely lots of fun. You can be sociable with anytime....at your leisure.

 

You put this very well! We love Anytime Dining because we can get a table for two on nights that we're not feeling "social" and on other nights we ask to be seated at a large table. We've never waited more than 10 minutes for any table and we like to eat between 7:30 and 8:30.

 

BTW, do you know our friend Gigi? Ummm, maybe that question is "forced sociability" :D ?

[Cindy]

We don't care for it at all. I guess I'm a creature of habit...I like to know where & when I'm eating and who I'm eating with before I go to dinner.

[sonomaphil]

I would only do Anytime dining.