How to make Anytime Dining work

[Woobstr112G]

I still contend that making reservations defeats the purpose of "anytime" dining! It also causes a problem for those of us who try to use "anytime" the way it is supposed to be used!! Whew....I feel better:)

 

I totally agree. The true original purpose of anytime dining is to dine when you want. "Standing" reservations defeat the purpose of anytime dining and force many to wait.

[nabby]

You will have a problem thinking like that. If you prefer HAL's method, why not stick with HAL? That is what I was told many times when I suggested years ago that HAL should follow Princess' AD. Try it first, then make a judgment. Remember, years ago people thought that electricity was bad, then TV, then Elvis, then the Internet. Live and try something different. You made your first move by trying Princess. Now go with an open mind.

HAL's Eurodam is now putting up Cabanas on the Lido deck and 14 more on another deck and charging for them. Many people are complaining about that. If you don't like it, move on and try something else. But until you tried it, don't pass judgment. Happy Cruising!!

 

Um, thank you for your "kind" reply. I don't cruise often enough to have loyalty to just one line. This just happens to be my first cruise with Princess. We probably will not have a problem since we are flexible and are willing to eat at a larger table. However, I will let my cruise mates know that there may be a potential problem with being seated. They rely on me for this kind of info. Hopefully it will not be an issue.

[Clutterlady]

Um, thank you for your "kind" reply. I don't cruise often enough to have loyalty to just one line. This just happens to be my first cruise with Princess. We probably will not have a problem since we are flexible and are willing to eat at a larger table. However, I will let my cruise mates know that there may be a potential problem with being seated. They rely on me for this kind of info. Hopefully it will not be an issue.

 

You can see why a lot of people are getting frustrated with anytime dining and the biggest catalyst is "reservations". On my first Princess cruise in 2005, there were 6 of us in our party, and except for the first formal night, we really had no wait at all and we usually dined between 7:00 pm and 7:30 pm. If I remember correctly, you could not make reservations until after 8:00 pm and there were very few of them.

 

Six of us cruised this past May and we were not able to eat until 8:00 pm (which was fine for us), because of all the people with "reservations" had take up a lot of the spaces. So, in my thinking, the original concept of "anytime" was so people were not locked into a traditional dining time and even though there may have been a short wait, could eat when they were ready......so why is Princess letting the original concpet go down the drain?????

[judyjbest]

4Cats, The suite guest got the same response as you did, and he asserted himself three or four times on the call, saying, Then what does Preferred ... mean? They then granted his request. So, he had to press to get the amenities promised suite guests.

[PGHPenguins Fan]

Hi. This is my first post. I sailed on my first cruise last August and had anytime dining. We liked it alot. There were 4 of us and never had to wait. The 1st night we made reservations and sat right down. The next night we tried to make reservations, but were told the time we wanted was filled. He told me they do 50% reservations for certain times and leave 50% open for walk up. We went down at the time we had wanted and got a table right away

[LoraJ]

4Cats, The suite guest got the same response as you did, and he asserted himself three or four times on the call, saying, Then what does Preferred ... mean? They then granted his request. So, he had to press to get the amenities promised suite guests.

 

 

 

I guess I'll bring a printout or the perks from the website if I have any issues, but I don't think we'll need the preferred reservations

[caribill]

DH and I have spoken with a number of waitstaff who have told us that many people who choose "traditional" dining don't ever show up at their assigned tables or come only on formal nights.

 

I would not assume that an empty chair in Traditional means the person has goes to anytime that night. Before anytime dining started there were often empty chairs (and even tables) on many nights.

 

Also, the empty chairs also appears many nights on the ships (Tahitian, etc.) that offer only Traditional.

[mycruz]

We were in a suite last December on the Emerald and I also got the brush off when trying to make a reservation one night. I didn't push it since my experience with the dining on that ship was probably the worse I've experienced on a Princess cruise. Like someone else mentioned, it feels horrible to be standing there and doing the right thing by following the Anytime Dining process and seeing other passengers waved on through while you wait. I really am not one to smooze, or even greasing some palms of the Head Waiter or Maitre'd, but it seems those are the ones that get preferred treatment. This is only my opinion based on my observations on my last couple of cruises.

 

As for suite perks, it's not just in the dining rooms, I strongly suggest that you know what you should expect as a suite passenger and take a printed list. I had to explain the free internet to a crew member at the passenger service desk on the last cruise as well.

[Woobstr112G]

Not so, if the persons make reservation are Anytime diners to begin with, AND they always show up on time to claim their table.

 

They are ENTITLED to a table at Anytime Dining room to begin with, and what is wrong that they choose to show up at a fixed time every night for their favorite table?

 

The only time it could be a problem or unfair to others, would be the table stays unoccupied while others cannot use it. However I believe even with a reservation, the Headwaiter gives your table away if you dont show up in 15 minutes of your reservation time.

 

What really hurts the Anytime Diners are those who are Traditional diners go to the Anytime Dining room and take up the tables at Anytime Dining, while their tables sit empty at the Traditional dining room. This is the case you should get mad at, not your fellow Anytime diners who happened to prefer a particular table at a particular time. They are entitled to a table at Anytime dining just as you are. On top of that, for cruisers who dont care to socialize at meal time and prefer Table for Two, reservation becomes mandatory because there are simply not enough Table for Two available when comparing to the Table for 6. In fact, on our recent 16day Emerald, one lady we bumped at the Lunch table, she said her biggest gripe is there is not enough Table for 2 and she would definitely put this on her questionnaire as her complaint.

 

 

Why bag on us traditional types. I choose to stay away from A/T dining because of you A/T types who make "Standing Reservations". This totally defeats the true intent of Anytime dining. For anytime dining to work, it should be first come first serve with no standing reservations whatsoever.

 

Bob

 

Future: Diamond Princess Aus/Nz 01/09

Future: Emerald Princess Med/Trans Atlantic 10/08

Constellation Europe 07/06

Summit Alaska Repositioning 05/05

Summit Panama Canal 10/02

Rhapsody Of The Seas Alaska 09/01

Spledour Of The Seas Baltic 09/99

Veendam Eastern Caribbean 07/96

Holiday Western Carribean 07/93

[karatemom2]

If you find a wait team you really enjoy in Anytime Dining, you really don't have to make a standing reservation. When we were on the Diamond over the Christmas holiday, we were fortunate to be seated with the greatest team on our very first evening. We pretty much decided then and there that we wanted them for the rest of our 15 day cruise, so I talked with the Maitre D' and he told me we could request them each evening. We didn't always need the same table and we really didn't want to be bound to dining at the same time each evening, so we simply asked to be seated in their station every time we showed up. On a couple of occasions we waited 10 to 15 minutes, but no big deal. The only evenings I called to make reservations for a specific table in their station was on the three formal evenings as I know from experience they tend to be busier. No problem making the reservation for just those evenings.

 

So I guess the moral is if you are flexible and patient, you can enjoy Anytime Dining, dine when you choose and still enjoy the personal touch of a wait team that gets to know you well.

 

Now on other cruises we have moved around among different wait teams and always had a good experience. Our team on the Diamond was extra special though, and worth the effort to be seated with them every night.

[ginagirl]

If you find a wait team you really enjoy in Anytime Dining, you really don't have to make a standing reservation. When we were on the Diamond over the Christmas holiday, we were fortunate to be seated with the greatest team on our very first evening. We pretty much decided then and there that we wanted them for the rest of our 15 day cruise, so I talked with the Maitre D' and he told me we could request them each evening. We didn't always need the same table and we really didn't want to be bound to dining at the same time each evening, so we simply asked to be seated in their station every time we showed up. On a couple of occasions we waited 10 to 15 minutes, but no big deal. The only evenings I called to make reservations for a specific table in their station was on the three formal evenings as I know from experience they tend to be busier. No problem making the reservation for just those evenings.

 

So I guess the moral is if you are flexible and patient, you can enjoy Anytime Dining, dine when you choose and still enjoy the personal touch of a wait team that gets to know you well.

 

Now on other cruises we have moved around among different wait teams and always had a good experience. Our team on the Diamond was extra special though, and worth the effort to be seated with them every night.

We also had a wonderful waiter team on the Diamond this past February. We had AD and fortunately were seated at their table the first night of a 15 day cruise. Since we never dine before 8PM, it was no problem getting their station for the entire cruise. It was our first experience with AD, and we loved it. Our next cruise on the Island, was a far different experience. Took a number of nights to find a decent wait staff, and now we never wish to have AD again. I guess it's the luck of the draw. But after decades of cruising, we have never seen such indifference in the Dining Room as we experienced on the Island this spring with AD.

[chipmaster]

I would not assume that an empty chair in Traditional means the person has goes to anytime that night. Before anytime dining started there were often empty chairs (and even tables) on many nights.

 

Also, the empty chairs also appears many nights on the ships (Tahitian, etc.) that offer only Traditional.

 

There are so many other eating options on the ship, why would anyone think that when a table or seats go empty its because people have gone to A/T?

 

There are the speciality resturants, there is the buffet, and of course the could be passed out from a busy day at the pool or shore? Maybe they didn't feel like dressing up or offending anyone coming in less then "formal" wear :D :D

[stanford's girl]

I have a large group sailing on the Ruby in Nov 2009. Some people like to eat early and some like to eat late. I am thinking that AD might be the way for us to go, as we could all eat together around 6:30. How difficult is it to get a couple of tables for 10 each night? And should we make a reservation every morning since we are a large group? :confused:

[caribill]

I have a large group sailing on the Ruby in Nov 2009. Some people like to eat early and some like to eat late. I am thinking that AD might be the way for us to go' date=' as we could all eat together around 6:30. How difficult is it to get a couple of tables for 10 each night? And should we make a reservation every morning since we are a large group? :confused:[/font']

 

All eating together at 6:30 is all eating early. Since some like to eat early and some like to eat late. why not just have traditional dining at the times people like to eat. You would be split into early and late groups, but the people would have ther preferred eating time.

 

And yes, in anytime it would be difficult to get two tables for ten at the same time without a reservation. May not be able to get the two tables near each other.

[Colo Cruiser]

I have a large group sailing on the Ruby in Nov 2009. Some people like to eat early and some like to eat late. I am thinking that AD might be the way for us to go' date=' as we could all eat together around 6:30. How difficult is it to get a couple of tables for 10 each night? And should we make a reservation every morning since we are a large group? :confused:[/font']

 

With 2 rables for at least 10.......

This is probably something that you should set up beforehand with the MD

[stanford's girl]

All eating together at 6:30 is all eating early. Since some like to eat early and some like to eat late. why not just have traditional dining at the times people like to eat. You would be split into early and late groups, but the people would have ther preferred eating time.

 

And yes, in anytime it would be difficult to get two tables for ten at the same time without a reservation. May not be able to get the two tables near each other.

Our group has sailed together before and we have always split the group between the early and late traditional.

Since we have the option this time, I was thinking that AD might be better for everyone. We will be eating in the specialty resaurants once, the seafood buffet in the Cafe Caribe twice, and possibly a balcony dinner one night. So 5 out of the 10 nights, our tables in the traditional dining room would be empty. I don't think that would be fair to those people who really wanted traditional and didn't get it. :)

 

With 2 rables for at least 10.......

This is probably something that you should set up beforehand with the MD

Thanks and I think we'll end up doing that. :)

[chet the jet]

On the Tahiti Princess we only have one dinning room. Does that mean I have early setting like I asked for or do they have some of it set off for anytime dinning, or do I have to use my PH suite for that.:rolleyes: We had anytime on the NCL on our one cruise and only at in the dinning room twice. I have always had great dinning at just the early seatings and hope for the best on this one. The food is always good as I aways seam to gain weight.LOL This will be the first Thankgiving in 19 years that I do not have to do the turkey:mad: . So the family will have to put up with the ships Thanksgiving at Bora Bora. Now that is living.

[caribill]

On the Tahiti Princess we only have one dinning room. Does that mean I have early setting like I asked for or do they have some of it set off for anytime dinning, or do I have to use my PH suite for that.

 

There is no anytime dining in the only dining room.

 

If you have asked for early and it is available, you will get it. If it is not available, you would be assigned to the later time. If that happens, speak to the matre'd and he may be able to get you switched to the one you want.

[lizzy77]

We have always liked traditional late dining. However on our last cruise we could not enjoy the company of our table mates. It made the dining experience quite uncomfortable. We dined at the specialty restaurant one evening, and at the end of the cruise we dined at one of the anytime restaurants to try the experience. We asked the maitre'd if it was ok and it was no problem as we ate later in the evening.

Next cruise if we had the choice, we would chose anytime as it is unpleasant if you have nothing in common with the other diners:cool:

[Web]

We must be the oddballs of the bunch because we prefer tradtional dining, early seating- I enjoy getting to know the group over the week . . . instead of starting from scratch each evening. I guess if you're with a differnt group- they haven't heard your jokes yet~ :D

 

We're waitlisted for our preferred choice.

On the Ocean Princess we went to the alternative Dining in Horizon Court one evening. ALthough I had no complaints, it was not as much fun as dining in the 'big room' with the gang.

[skt4cruise]

One could book Traditional and still go to Anytime Dining if they wanted?

Say one evening you just don't feel like eating right then and go on to Anytime Dining room later.