Traditional dinners able to use Anytime dining?

When I first read it quickly, I thought it said "childish." Luckily, I looked closer.

That was my word of choice, but I thought the post would be deleted.

The first couple of evenings cruise cards are checked at the entrance to AT dining rooms to make sure passengers are at the correct dining room. On those evenings, a traditional diner trying to enter an anytime dining room will be directed to the assigned traditional dining room.

 

After the first two evenings Princess assumes that adult passengers will act maturely and go to their assigned dining room.

 

Maybe with the Medallion system the employees at the entrance to the anytime dining rooms will be notified anytime a TD passenger tries to enter.

You are correct - maybe with the medallion system they will have an electronic detection that will activate a robot to grab and throw TDs out automatically

Luckily it isn't highly publicized other wise there would be dozens of them each night.

They still don't irk me as much as the "reservation people".:mad:

"reservation system for AT dining" - It has been my experience that you cannot make reservations for anytime - when you call in the morning they give you a choice of 5 or 5:30 and 7 or 7:30 which may vary by ship - in other words you cannot make reservations for 6:30 or 6:45 or any odd time.

"reservation system for AT dining" - It has been my experience that you cannot make reservations for anytime - when you call in the morning they give you a choice of 5 or 5:30 and 7 or 7:30 which may vary by ship - in other words you cannot make reservations for 6:30 or 6:45 or any odd time.

I haven't made reservations in years but it used to be around 6 PM for the latest time the last time we did.

If traditional diners miss their assigned time, let the starve or go to the buffet. ;p

I'm just pointing out that reservations in the AT dining room is inconsiderate to everyone waiting at the door. They'll take reservations for 6 PM which means the table is out of action for up to 45 minutes waiting for you to arrive. I understand that you cancelled but does holding a table for any amount of time seem fair? There's nothing they can do with that table until you arrive while others are waiting to be seated.

 

 

Seems simple enough for everyone who doesn't make reservations.

Why would I arrive if I cancelled?

Why would the table be held, especially for 45 minutes?

The few times, and I mean very few, that we have cancelled a reservation, we were told, "THANK YOU" from the Dining Line, or the Maitre D when canceled in person approx. an hour prior to the reservation by my DH when I was going through severe health issues. That way, the supposed "reserved" table was not "held".

If you do not care for the set-up, don't sign on for the game. If you don't like ATD as it it is, call PCL and (as we say in NJ) "pitch a **tch". See if they listen.

Why would I arrive if I cancelled?

Obviously they wouldn't if you cancelled.

Why would the table be held, especially for 45 minutes?

 

If a table is reserved for a 6 PM arrival and assuming the DR opens around 5:15 PM it simply means holding it for 45 minutes. If there are people waiting at the door someone could have used it. That's not an efficient way to run a DR.

Since Princess does allow reservations for these types of passengers then please take advantage of it & enjoy your reserved table.

If a table is reserved for a 6 PM arrival and assuming the DR opens around 5:15 PM it simply means holding it for 45 minutes. If there are people waiting at the door someone could have used it. That's not an efficient way to run a DR.

Exactly! It has nothing to do with whether you cancel or not. Any time that a table is reserved, it is sitting empty for some period of time when it could be in use. This is why a lot of ships only allow reservations very early or very late. They cannot have many tables sitting empty during prime dining times.

I don't think traditional diners should be allowed to use the anytime rooms, and I don't think Princess should allow reservations. It decreases the overall efficiency of Anytime dining. Princess may "accommodate" people choosing to do these things, but just because you can doesn't mean you should do them.

Exactly! It has nothing to do with whether you cancel or not. Any time that a table is reserved, it is sitting empty for some period of time when it could be in use. This is why a lot of ships only allow reservations very early or very late. They cannot have many tables sitting empty during prime dining times.

 

I don't think traditional diners should be allowed to use the anytime rooms, and I don't think Princess should allow reservations. It decreases the overall efficiency of Anytime dining. Princess may "accommodate" people choosing to do these things, but just because you can doesn't mean you should do them.

I believe this portion is the moat pertinent part of your post.

If only the select few could understand it we all could the ships equally.

So true it's getting ridiculous , if u book TD and want to do AD go to customer services and see what they can do . Don't need to go on & on about it geeeeeeeeez

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If a table is reserved for a 6 PM arrival and assuming the DR opens around 5:15 PM it simply means holding it for 45 minutes. If there are people waiting at the door someone could have used it. That's not an efficient way to run a DR.

Since Princess does allow reservations for these types of passengers then please take advantage of it & enjoy your reserved table.

If I go out locally or in NYC with a reservation, why would the restaurant hold the table for 45 minutes prior to the reservation, especially if it is for 2? They know how to manage their reservations. As for ATD on PCL, I would not even expect them to hold the table up to 15 minutes after, God forbid, that I may actually show up late.

Regardless, and typically being on time for ATD, then I still don't mind a 5 to 15 minute wait given the attendance for the evening. Crooners is there for a reason. Where am I going? I'm on a cruise. If I miss Trivia, a Game or a Show . . . oh well. Given the recent PCL downgrades, we actually have been in and out of the MDR in less than 45 minutes, so this concept would not be a concern to us at all.

Also, by canceling, whether over the phone or in person, the people at the door would not have to wait. That's why we tried to be polite the few times that it happened. Anytime works in that regard. Again, we get a table for 2 and don't clog up the works for people who want to share. We would never think of delaying a table for 6 or 8.

Although, I do not want to be delayed because of TD party crashers. My reservations in ATD, if I can get them, should not be delayed by the uninvited.

If a table is reserved for a 6 PM arrival and assuming the DR opens around 5:15 PM it simply means holding it for 45 minutes.

I think up until 6pm, any line at the door is simply caused by how fast people can be seated,

not by a lack of empty tables.

If I go out locally or in NYC with a reservation, why would the restaurant hold the table for 45 minutes prior to the reservation, especially if it is for 2? They know how to manage their reservations. As for ATD on PCL, I would not even expect them to hold the table up to 15 minutes after, God forbid, that I may actually show up late.

 

Regardless, and typically being on time for ATD, then I still don't mind a 5 to 15 minute wait given the attendance for the evening. Crooners is there for a reason. Where am I going? I'm on a cruise. If I miss Trivia, a Game or a Show . . . oh well. Given the recent PCL downgrades, we actually have been in and out of the MDR in less than 45 minutes, so this concept would not be a concern to us at all.

 

Also, by canceling, whether over the phone or in person, the people at the door would not have to wait. That's why we tried to be polite the few times that it happened. Anytime works in that regard. Again, we get a table for 2 and don't clog up the works for people who want to share. We would never think of delaying a table for 6 or 8.

 

Although, I do not want to be delayed because of TD party crashers. My reservations in ATD, if I can get them, should not be delayed by the uninvited.

Why not? It's allowed. :D

Why not? It's allowed. :D

The entitled who think that they have it to themselves, well, simply stink.

The entitled who think that they have it to themselves, well, simply stink.

Good luck with your reservations. ;)

How does the Club Class fit into all of this? Do they have both TD and ATD in that section? Can we request to be seated at a large table with others? First time on Princess. Had no idea it was so complicated!

How does the Club Class fit into all of this? Do they have both TD and ATD in that section? Can we request to be seated at a large table with others? First time on Princess. Had no idea it was so complicated!

Club Class is a small reserved section in TD. It has nothing to do with the ATD folks. CC folks can just walk into their section of the dining room and be seated.

There are different sizes of tables in CC so, if you want to share, let the staff know. If there are others there at the time that like to share you can be seated with them. If you feel like you want to dine alone ask for a table for two. This also applies to ATD. If you have TD you will be at a table for a set number of people depending on what you requested. If you find that you are not at all compatible with your table mates the staff can help you with moving to another assigned table.

The problem I have run into the past few years with TD is that we are assigned a large table as requested but then people go elsewhere for dining and we sometimes sit in solitary splendor at an 8 man table by ourselves. There are so many alternative places to eat now than in the past that people just aren't "committed" to coming to TD anymore. Used to be if you didn't come, then your choices were the buffet or room service--no longer (lol).

The problem I have run into the past few years with TD is that we are assigned a large table as requested but then people go elsewhere for dining and we sometimes sit in solitary splendor at an 8 man table by ourselves. There are so many alternative places to eat now than in the past that people just aren't "committed" to coming to TD anymore. Used to be if you didn't come, then your choices were the buffet or room service--no longer (lol).

Exactly why we don't choose TD after our first. We want to experience the different dining venue options and not hold TD space allocation for those preferring them.

I would not bother with PCL for M1. . It is a joke that we would not even bother with. PCL is dead.

How does the Club Class fit into all of this? Do they have both TD and ATD in that section? Can we request to be seated at a large table with others? First time on Princess. Had no idea it was so complicated!

I would not bother with PCL for M1. . It is a joke that we would not even bother with. PCL is dead.

:confused: Don't understand.

We just disembarked today from the Emerald, where we chose Anytime Dining. At each dinner, we saw that all the passengers waiting for a table had their cruise cards checked to make sure they were Anytime Diners. They did this every night in the Michelangelo Dining Room, which is the Anytime Dining room. - EBC

Exactly why we don't choose TD after our first. We want to experience the different dining venue options and not hold TD space allocation for those preferring them.

When we are cruising with our friends (another couple), we select TD (I prefer the mid-ship DR section setup for early TD). We will advise our waiter the night before if we are going to be absent for a specialty restaurant, or other dining situation. That way we know they can use the table for AT diners that evening. I recall once making a "last minute" change of mind one afternoon and I went into the DR just at opening and advised our waiter we were not coming.

It's only common courtesy to the wait staff and fellow cruisers who can use the table and not needlessly be waiting extra time until someone assumes we are no shows.

So no need to hold space up when TD folks do something different.

We just disembarked today from the Emerald, where we chose Anytime Dining. At each dinner, we saw that all the passengers waiting for a table had their cruise cards checked to make sure they were Anytime Diners. They did this every night in the Michelangelo Dining Room, which is the Anytime Dining room. - EBC

This is a great approach. My only modification would be if I were the MD, I would seat the TD folks when and if I had open tables with no more AT's waiting to be seated. It should be possible to be accommodated by late dinner seating as there is less demand.

We just disembarked today from the Emerald, where we chose Anytime Dining. At each dinner, we saw that all the passengers waiting for a table had their cruise cards checked to make sure they were Anytime Diners. They did this every night in the Michelangelo Dining Room, which is the Anytime Dining room. - EBC

But did they turn TD diners away to go to another venue or just note them somewhere and let them into the AT dining room? We will never truly know.

This is a great approach. My only modification would be if I were the MD, I would seat the TD folks when and if I had open tables with no more AT's waiting to be seated. It should be possible to be accommodated by late dinner seating as there is less demand.

That might be a good approach. :) Let the TD diners wait at the end of the queue until there are no more AT diners arriving and only then seat them.

They'll quickly learn to keep to their assigned DR or other dining options.