Anytime Dining Has Gone Downhill - opinions?

[Julia’s Journey’s]

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

 

EEK, I hope it's not bad on the Ruby:eek:

We have enjoyed it on all our previous Princess cruises but tend to eat later, after 8pm.

 

Are you doing traditional on the Ruby??

[Colo Cruiser]

EEK, I hope it's not bad on the Ruby:eek:

We have enjoyed it on all our previous Princess cruises but tend to eat later, after 8pm.

 

Are you doing traditional on the Ruby??

 

 

Yes late trad.

Should not be a problem eating anytime after 8. :)

[senior lady]

We love anytime dining, and that's one of the many reasons we stay with Princess.

 

I have to admit on our coastal cruise in May on the Golden, it wasn't as good as other cruises. I've never seen line-ups to the dining room like they had on this cruise. We finally decided to sent one of our group earlier to put our name down and take a "pager" and then we met at a designated time. I did find the wait staff on this cruise not up to the usual standard as other cruises. The last couple of nights we changed to the Bernini dining room and had great service. should have tried it sooner.

 

Didn't ruin my cruise, or keep us from booking anytime dining on our next cruise.

[MichTraveler]

What we love about Princess is "having it our way". We want a table for 2 only, and getting that with traditional dining is near impossible. We also want a reservation. So we do early dining and get a table to 2 only everynight. We meet enough people thruout the day and spend dinner with just the 2 of us, discussing our day and planning the next. We have no problems with anything dining, the service, or the food.

[Julia’s Journey’s]

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.

 

Totally agree with you:D

We never have a problem with anytime as we tend to eat later and we have booked a table with a specific waitstaff when it has been for a table of 8 or more but would never do it for just the 2 or us or even when we have the kids, then we just show up.

[Julia’s Journey’s]

 

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.

 

I think that is the key even in Traditional:D

[OuiOnboard]

We love AD and always go about 5:45 so we don't go to bed with food on the stomach. There's always light snacks available when necessary. We usually have a table for two except four when our two youngins in tow.

We have done Traditional Dining and found that it works well too.

The most important thing is to get excellent food and service.

[DeepWaterMariner]

We've never had a problem with AD. It is now our preference after years of traditional dinning before AD was available. In our case we usually hit the dinning room by 6:30 and always try to join a large table. It always works for us.

[NeurosurgeryNP]

We have done anytime dining on our last 2 CB cruises and have had good experiences.

 

We choose AD as we do shore excursions and wish to vary our dinner time - we like to get back to the boat on shore days, relax by the pool and not feel rushed in order to get to the first seating (if we choose to eat early), but the second seating is a little late for us and we want to make the early shows.

 

We do try to eat early however, and in doing this have NEVER waitied for a table more than it took for the party in line in front of us to get seated.

 

Al other posters have said, we do like to meet various different people as we do with AD. It makes for interesting conversations every night.

[rdsqrl]

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.

 

People always say this, and yet, if we could get Traditional Dining, we would -- the fact is, unless you book really far in advance, T.D. is usually waitlisted. So saying we should do T.D. if we want a certain time is all very well, but if it's impossible, it's hardly my fault and I think it's not unreasonable for me then to turn to the reservation option in A.D.

[sunsetbeachgal]

Agree with Toto-when it was first introduced we loved Anytime for the reasons listed, and we still go that route for the flexibility it affords. However on our last cruise on Emerald we experienced very uneven service levels-some servers were excellent and very attentive, and some quite frankly were not up tp Princess standards-and by the end of the 10 day cruise it was noticeable that those with a standing reservation seemed to get much more attentive service than those who did not.

[karatemom2]

We've been on three Princess cruises in the last year, all on different ships and honestly could not be happier with Anytime Dining. It is one of the aspects of cruising with Princess that has made us loyal converts. It has worked flawlessly for us on each and every cruise.

[rdsqrl]

Agree with Toto-when it was first introduced we loved Anytime for the reasons listed, and we still go that route for the flexibility it affords. However on our last cruise on Emerald we experienced very uneven service levels-some servers were excellent and very attentive, and some quite frankly were not up tp Princess standards-and by the end of the 10 day cruise it was noticeable that those with a standing reservation seemed to get much more attentive service than those who did not.

I agree with you -- I really think that having the same waiter night after night makes a tremendous difference in the quality of the service. I don't know if they're better because they like seeing the same faces just as we like seeing the familiar waiter, or if they're hoping for extra tips at the end, but it really does seem to make a difference. And that, to me, is the bottom-line dilemma with Anytime Dining: how to sustain that kind of relationship-based service in a one-night-stand kind of dining experience.

[Pam in CA]

I've done Anytime dining twice -- once on the Grand where we walked up every night and once on the CB where we made a reservation for the same table every night with the same waitstaff. Long lines/waits no matter which way we did it so I don't think it's gone downhill. Even with a reservation we had a couple of nights where we waited for 40 - 45 minutes. IMHO, it wasn't "uphill" from the beginning.

 

That said, I'm giving Anytime another chance and have booked it for my 32-day Diamond cruise in 2010. Until then, I'm sticking with Traditional.

[ginagirl]

Our first experience with Anytime Dining was on the Diamond this past February. We dined around 8:15 or later and had a wonderful experience. Never had to wait and our waiters were the best. In fact, because their table was always empty by the time we walked in, the Head Waiter granted us a standing reservation for them.

 

HOWEVER, last month while sailing the Island on a 19 day cruise, we had the absolute worse service we have ever, ever had in 30 years of cruising. Each evening the service was as bad as, or worse than the evening before. By the 6th or 7th night, we finally hit the jackpot and had a waiter that knew how to perform his job. I then sung his praises to the Head Waiter, who advised we could have him every evening. Not so. The next evening when we showed up and relayed what we were told, a very surly Head Waiter advised us, without even checking, that the table was taken. We told him we would be back later, however, my husband immediately walked in and saw that the table was empty and all set up. We then looked for the first Head Waiter who said we could have that table, and told him what happened. He immediately brought us to the table and apologized for unexplained lapse in good customer service on the part of the other Head Waiter. For the remainder of the cruise, he did take care of us. But I have to say, for the most part, I think Anytime Dining does NOT encourage good service from waiters. I am quite reluctant to do it again.

[choochella]

I totally agree with Toto and ColoCruiser. If Princess advertises as "anytime dining", then that is what it should be. No allowing to make reservations for the same time, same table each night. If you want to do that, then opt for traditional. I understand that people are waitlisted for traditional, but if unable to get it, then you still should not be allowed to make reservations in anytime. We enjoy anytime for the same reasons as most. We normally travel with just the two of us. We enjoy meeting different people each night. If we do happen to meet someone that we spend the remainder of the cruise, then we just plan on meeting at the dining room entrance and "wait" until a table is available, just like everyone else. Just my two cents.

 

We have met great people on our cruises, and are planning on cruising with them again. Since we more than likely would all want to sit together for dinner, then we would probably pick traditional and be guaranteed our same table each night. If traditional is not available, then I am assuming we would all meet at a specified time and wait for a table.

[Sunviking]

We had late traditional dining for 20+ cruises and then sailed on the Island Princess in late traditional dining a few years ago. We always asked for a large table. We were seated at a table for 6 on that cruise with just one other couple. They were friendly with a member of the cruise staff and between the alternative dining venues and their friendship (mind you I find no fault with that) we spent most nights that we ate in the dining room sitting at a table for 6 with just 2 of us. Since then we have opted for anytime dining and have thoroughly enjoyed it. We enjoy each other's company and we have never had to wait long for a table. We like to eat late and find that anytime dining perfectly suits us.

[caribill]

People always say this, and yet, if we could get Traditional Dining, we would -- the fact is, unless you book really far in advance, T.D. is usually waitlisted. So saying we should do T.D. if we want a certain time is all very well, but if it's impossible, it's hardly my fault and I think it's not unreasonable for me then to turn to the reservation option in A.D.

 

 

I agree. We were once number 410 on the wait list for early traditional. At two to a cabin, that meant 820 people wanted early traditional seating but were forced to go to anytime.

[B40 Tha Cruisa]

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.

 

I understand that alot of people enjoy doing so and one day I will likely share the same opinion. For now though, I like it with just the two of us. Traditional dining is great for people that share your opinion, no doubt about it.

[Moondance30]

Has anytime dining gone downhill - No, in fact we think it has gotten better.

We always make RESERVATIONs the first day, then if we have a connection with waiter - we RESERVE a table with the same waiter for the rest of cruise. We will even RESERVE a table with the same waiter for breakfast.

Our first night of dining starts with the two of us but usually ends up with other couples joining us. We will always (and genuinely) befriend the wait staff during the cruise and we get the best tables, great service, great food, lots of laughs, pictures... and more desert than I can handle!!

I read all of the time about bad service, bad food, long lines... we have only had AD on 6 cruises so don't have much experience...and never a bad one!

 

If anyone runs into a waiter named Marlon form Philippines who always says 'Hi.....ghly Recommended" tell him we said hey!! Last seen on CB

[AlinaMaria]

Our first Princess cruise was on the Grand. This was also our first experience with "Personal Choice Dining"; the experience was so wonderful that it had been difficult to cruise with lines that do not allow such freedom of choice. At the Grand, we never waited more than 10 minutes and were able to get a table for 2 anytime we requested it.

 

We just returned from the Dawn Princess and will tell you that there is NO such thing as "Personal Choice Dining" or "Anytime Dining"... It was a disaster. It was so bad that we chose Horizon Court (2) , La Scala Pizzeria (2), and Room Service (2) and only went to the restaurant 4 evenings! The only evening that we were able to get a table for 2 was the one evening that all dining venus were empty because it was a "bad weather" night and the ship was rocking and rolling pretty bad. We were fine, sea bands do work!!!

 

If you wanted a reservation, you had to call "the same day" after 8am to make a reservation for that evening. Needless to say that it was difficult to get through, the line was very busy early morning, and by noon, reservations were all taken!!!! On boarding day, they refused to take reservations for a table for 2 for the entire 10 day cruise.

 

It was a true hassle every night to have dinner at the Florentine dinning room, an obnoxious french head waiter (Antoine) made it very difficult. There were also an italian and a portuguese head waiters, much nicer and professional in their service behavior, still they always refused to provide us with a table for 2!

 

I'm not sure what is happening, but I was truly dissapointed about this Personal Choice Dinning. Next time, I will probably choose Traditional Seating which gives me the option of not showing up and dining in any of the other dining venues. Uhm, this is truly beginning to sound more "personal choice"...

 

Otherwise, our Alaska cruise was perfect!

 

AlinaMaria

[chisto]

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.

We sailed CB May 26 and had no problems with anytime dining. I was disappointed in the dining room dress. Jeans, flip flops and tee shirts on many older teens/ young adults. It was our first Princess cruise and had heard it was a higher level line.

[Cruisin Rick]

We've always had traditional first seating but this time we're going to try Anytime dining. We've had tables where we didn't mesh with others but didn't feel right about changing tables. We also sometimes feel rushed to make first seating because we'd like to be on deck for Sail-Away.

 

I can see how service would slip downhill on AD though. There's less incentive to please the customer. It should be interesting.

[Northender]

We have never done Traditional Dining. Always choose Anytime for reasons stated by other posters. Don't want to be tied to a schedule. We have enough schedules in our lives the other 357 days:D

 

Never had to wait too long. We put in our name, got a drink at the bar outside the dining room and before a few sips of my wine, the buzzer was going off. We usually eat at what would be considered Prime Time for Anytime but have been accomodated either for a table for two or four or six with no problems.

 

I agree with Toto, Colo, etc. that Anytime Dining is what it is. One should not be able to make ressies (unless large table - 8 or more) and if you want a specific server, you need to be willing to wait until one of their tables open up. We have done this and there was no probalem.

I agree that formal nights can be a hassle, but that is a good time for the Alternative Dining. I think Traditional Diners should stick to Traditional Dining. I have read stories here that there are times when a table has only two people sitting at it because the others did not show up and went to Anytime.:rolleyes: JMHO

 

Now about the dress code - if Princess is not going to enforce it, what can we do...nada. Just grin and bear it.:(

[Cruzman]

After our recent cruise experience on the STAR, I have concluded that "Personal Choice" dining means that only those who book very early, or who opt for anytime dining, are given a choice. The rest of us who request traditional dining are forced to accept anytime! That is NOT a choice! As a result, we only dined in the main dining room 3 nights and found the service prompt, but very impersonal. Oh yeah, I did have a choice; one that we have always had; we chose Sabatini's one evening, and Horizon Court the other three evenings. If you are listening Princess, guarantee me traditional dining, or I go to a line that will!