Anytime Dining Has Gone Downhill - opinions?

[bburns]

My DH and I were on a recent May repositioning cruise. We've been on many many Princess cruises and this one definitely had customer service issues. It was kind of like the customers were an afterthought. The crew was focused on their next itinerary. It was more like being on a bus (getting from point a to point b) than a cruise customer.

 

No matter what you wanted to do....lines & more lines. Anytime dining was the worst. It was anything but anytime. You could be waiting in line when the dining room opened and still be turned away until 8pm. Unless you were a big group which seemed to get preferential treatment on making reservations. Small groups were told they couldn't make reservations.

[Colo Cruiser]

My DH and I were on a recent May repositioning cruise. We've been on many many Princess cruises and this one definitely had customer service issues. It was kind of like the customers were an afterthought. The crew was focused on their next itinerary. It was more like being on a bus (getting from point a to point b) than a cruise customer.

 

No matter what you wanted to do....lines & more lines. Anytime dining was the worst. It was anything but anytime. You could be waiting in line when the dining room opened and still be turned away until 8pm. Unless you were a big group which seemed to get preferential treatment on making reservations. Small groups were told they couldn't make reservations.

 

 

For all the reasons noted lately about anytime (waitimes/inconsistant service) we have gone back to traditional now. :)

[janetz]

We never had a problem on our recent CB cruise Service was great. We never had to wait at all. Ship was full and we were a party of 8. :)

[jonikal]

This may be somewhat off topic, but on our last cruise, (on which we opted for personal choice dining as we normally do) another couple was able to reserve the same window seating for two, for the entire 15-day cruise. We checked with the Maitre d' and were told the pax had a firm 8:15 booking and unless we wanted to eat at least one hour early so they could serve us and clear the table in time, we could not be seated at that particular table. If you're going to eat at the same time at the same table I wonder why you wouldn't want traditional? I wonder if anyone else has come across something like this?

[CrystalWater]

I absolutely did not like the anytime dining at all and we switched to a table we liked for 4 in the main dining room and turned it into fixed seating at 8:15 for the rest of the cruise. I like to know I have the same wait staff, a table waiting, and can just walk into dinner. I don't care for any of this anytime dining on any of the lines.

[califgary]

My first choice remains traditional for the reasons stated about (same wait staff, table, etc) although last Christmas we had no choice but to do anytime dining - We had no problems, very little wait time, and once we found a table we liked, asking for that table when we made the reservation each morning worked out well.

With that said, for our next 3 cruises, its tradional dining for us on all 3 - I learned to book as early as possible so you can assure getting the dining style you want!

[Putterdude]

We tried AD for the first time last month on a Pacific Coastal and were pretty happy with it. We had some waits the first few evenings but got that sorted out and everything went fine thereafter.

[Colo Cruiser]

This may be somewhat off topic, but on our last cruise, (on which we opted for personal choice dining as we normally do) another couple was able to reserve the same window seating for two, for the entire 15-day cruise. We checked with the Maitre d' and were told the pax had a firm 8:15 booking and unless we wanted to eat at least one hour early so they could serve us and clear the table in time, we could not be seated at that particular table. If you're going to eat at the same time at the same table I wonder why you wouldn't want traditional? I wonder if anyone else has come across something like this?

 

 

You are correct, it defeats the purpose of anytime and makes it even more difficult for others to obtain a table without a wait. :rolleyes:

 

Should be first come first served no matter what.

[Ephraim]

Sorry, but we live Anytime Dining and we have little or no problems with it. The only night we have ever experienced a wait-time was formal night, since so many people go to the dining rooms.

 

The number one suggestion that I can make is to go to the downstairs dining room.

[B40 Tha Cruisa]

This may be somewhat off topic, but on our last cruise, (on which we opted for personal choice dining as we normally do) another couple was able to reserve the same window seating for two, for the entire 15-day cruise. We checked with the Maitre d' and were told the pax had a firm 8:15 booking and unless we wanted to eat at least one hour early so they could serve us and clear the table in time, we could not be seated at that particular table. If you're going to eat at the same time at the same table I wonder why you wouldn't want traditional? I wonder if anyone else has come across something like this?

 

I tend to do this only because the formal dining rooms do not have many tables for 2 available. Generally I book traditional dining and try to get a table for 2, almost every time I am told they have none availabe. The formal dining room then calls the anytime dining room for me and sets up a standing reservation at a table for 2 for the entire cruise.

[Toto2Kansas]

When anytime dining began, it sounded like a great concept to us. Those that did not have assigned traditional had anytime dining. Then those that were scheduled for traditional started going back and forth from traditional to anytime which really hampered the anytime dining concept. Then they began taking reservations for the same table, same server, each night in anytime, and that made it even worse. If Princess would stick to the reason anytime dining was created in the first place, I think it would be eaiser on the servers and the passengers. Those that choose traditional, should not be allowed to go to anytime dining, it would cut down on the lines and the wait. It is everyones choice what they choose for dining, if they don't want traditional, then they should not be assigned seats in traditional diningrooms that sit empty half the nights to bog down anytime dining. IMHO of coarse.

[paul929207]

We recently did a b2b2b on the Star Princess, which included two repositioning cruises. We had anytime dining for the first time. Most nights we were seated immediately, We never waited more than 10 minutes

[ccrain]

We are now hooked on Anytime. On the other hand, we tend to eat very early or very late, make prompt reservations for a particular table when we find staff that we like and move on when we find wait staff that is not particularly good. Peak dining times are hectic. We watch the service slow to a crawl during peak times as we are finishing dessert.

 

In anytime we have had stiff service, slow service, distracted service, forgetful service and busy service, but we have yet to have bad service. The wait staff positions are too highly competitive and take years to get into a waiter position for someone to be consistently bad.

 

Engagement, engagement, engagement...I can't say enough about it. Interact with your wait staff. Talk to them, kid with them. I can't tell you how many times I've seen people engaging with their wait staff having a great time and others sitting there impatiently, quietly keeping to themselves and probably having a miserable time.

 

I also really enjoy engaging with the matre de or the area's head waiter right away. Its gotten us a bottle of wine and a much more attentive wait staff on more than one occasion.

[OuiOnboard]

You are correct, it defeats the purpose of anytime and makes it even more difficult for others to obtain a table without a wait. :rolleyes:

Should be first come first served no matter what.

...Or provide enough capacity for all who desire traditional dining.

[Putterdude]

I tend to do this only because the formal dining rooms do not have many tables for 2 available. Generally I book traditional dining and try to get a table for 2, almost every time I am told they have none availabe. The formal dining room then calls the anytime dining room for me and sets up a standing reservation at a table for 2 for the entire cruise.

 

And this is probably the one thing that we don't care for in AD. We really enjoy the stimulation of meeting new people over dinner and learning about them and where they are from; so would much prefer being at a larger table. But that is just us.

[jean s]

We love anytime dining and the fun of meeting new people every day. By the end of the cruise you actually have met lots of new people. something that we really enjoy. We will never go back to traditional dining.

[cruisingalaska]

I just came back from the Diamond Princess Alaska Cruise southbound

and the Anytime dining was great. We varied our dinner at 6pm/7pm/8pm

and only made reservations the first night (Welcome Night) and

the last night. The other times we just went to whatever restaurant

we wanted and out of the 5 nights (of walking in) we waited only

once for 10 minutes for the Savoy. The only reason the Savoy was

busy was because the other two of the other dining rooms (Vivaldi and Santa Fe) was facing the sun and

it was really really really bright and sunny

at 7:30 pm and no one seem to want to eat in those rooms with sunglasses.

So we waited for the Savoy that evening (we were the only ones with a beeper) and we just listened to music in the Atrium. Very pleasant 10 minutes. I was wondering where everyone else was eating throughout the cruise... We never saw the room very busy at all. It might have been the last formal night. I think people make reservations and don't show up. Now we were only a party of two and always had a table to ourselves. They gave us a table for 4 sometimes and they said they won't sit anyone else at our table while we were dining. Other times they just gave us a table for two, which

was OK to us!

 

The food was excellent. I think the Welcome dinner (first dinner) Nebraska Prime Rib was the best, as well as the rack of lamb. The last

dinner Texas Prime Rib was a bit chewy. I thought the food was great

and the desserts were fine, especially the amaretti cookies and ice cream.

Overall the food was excellent.

 

We never ate at the Horizon food court for dinner, but walked through

it to view the glacier and it looked fine.

 

We didn't eat at the traditional dining, only Anytime dining.

I think it is well done, and eating anytime I want is a big big plus. Also

we didn't have to eat with the same group of people and at the same time.

 

I would only do Traditional Dining if I went with a group of friends or family which could take up most of the table. If it's just two people like

the trip we just did, I think dining for two anytime works best.

 

Service was excellent every night also. Some nights just a bit better (such as asking for wine or really listening to my order), but nothing at all bad.

I liked some waiters better than others, but only because they were really

nice to me. I think some gave me great service, but all gave good service.

[teachermandoug]

In my experience, a repositioning cruise is not the same as

a coastal cruise. We've been on several long repositioning cruises but their tone changed when we got to SanDiego

for example and the "coastal cruisers" boarded. They are on

the last 3 or 4 days of a cruise from Florida to Vancouver.

Most are trying out cruising, have no idea about cruise

etiquette, and the whole tone of the ship changes right

away. So for anytime dining, I'd expect the same result.

The staff knows these are not experienced cruisers, are on

a very cheap cruise, the ship is packed, and the experience

is not nearly as pleasant. Traditional dining is far superior.

[cruzinchris]

...Unless you were a big group which seemed to get preferential treatment on making reservations. Small groups were told they couldn't make reservations.

 

My husband and I encountered a similar experience during our February cruise on the Emerald. On sailaway night, we were told that there would be a 75-90 minute wait for a table for two in one of the anytime dining rooms and, unless you were with one of the two large groups onboard, you could not be seated in the other anytime dining room until after 8:00. That night, we went to Crown Grill and enjoyed a fabulous dinner - great food, exceptional service.

 

We found ourselves in similar circumstances the following night (formal), after which we we took matters into our own hands and contacted the Maitre d'. We were assigned a permanent table for two at 7:30 for the remainder of the cruise. We were extremely pleased with the waitstaff, and, of course, we tipped the Maitre d' for his efforts in assuring that we were absolutely pleased with our anytime dining room experience.

 

But for this situation that was resolved to our complete satisfaction, we haven't had any other issues with anytime dining.

 

Bon Appetit!

Chris

[ladysheri]

Anytime Dining is probably one of the top 3 reasons we became hooked on cruising. When we are on a cruise, we are on vacation and love to get away from schedules so it is GREAT to go to dinner in the dining room when we want and not have to arrange our day around a fixed time. Even my DD loved going to the dining room on our mother/daughter cruise because we could go anytime we felt like it. She tried lobster for the first time and learned dining room manners that way. One of the biggest benefits, in my opinion, is the chance to meet many folks from so many different parts of the country. On our 10-day cruise on the Emerald, we ate dinner in the dining room probably 7 times and met people from 15 different states and a few countries. It sure broadens your horizons!

[usha]

We had anytime dining on Caribbean Princess last month, and were quite pleasantly surprised how well it worked out for us. We had no problem getting tables for 2 with no wait at all, and good/to/very good service.

We had had anytime dining on Golden when the ship was new and they were first rolling out the new dining option, and we absolutely hated the long waits, and being seated at tables for 10, at which people were in various stages of dinner. The service was impersonal and almost dismissive. It was a total mess! It seems like Princess has worked out the bugs from the anytime dining.

[Duane T]

The Crown Princess Anytime dining was wonderful. Perhaps we just lucky getting seated immediately with no wait times during the entire cruise.

 

We did eat dinner early several nights and ate in Da Vinci dining room and then went later after a show to Horizon Buffet for an additional round of desert.

[Colo Cruiser]

...Or provide enough capacity for all who desire traditional dining.

 

 

I agree. :)

[yaletown605]

We love Anytime Dining and never ever had nay problem with it. We are always party of 2. When we showed up, the Matre'D always tried to get us to a bigger table. We stood our ground and was always given a table for 2. Sometimes we have to wait but no more than 20 min (that is the longest). After a few days, she knows what we wanted. If the bit of waiting time is unacceptable, then I am not sure what else to say.

 

We love AD. The staff ahs always been great and we love the flexibilty.

[prarie cruiser]

I have cruised several times and have never really had problems with Anytime Dining. I had one time that on the very first night of the cruise there was a long wait for a table, and another time that I was redirected to another dining room for faster service. Otherwise, usually no more than a few minutes wait.

 

However, I do not like the idea of being able to make reservations for a certain time. I wish it was all first come, first served. If you want a certain time then traditional dining should be done.

 

I have had some great experiences with Anytime Dining, some very funny experiences, and have met some interesting people by being randomly seated with a large table. I enjoy the option, and choose Princess over RCL, just for that reason.