Anytime Dining

With all due respect, for some of us reservations do not defeat the purpose of Anytime Dining. For us the main reason for choosing ATD is that we think 5:30-6:00 is too early for dinner and 8:15-8:30 is usually too late. If we can make a reservation for 7 to 7:30 and not have to wait for a table, that is "just right" for us.

Yes they do defeat the purpose.

See post #17.

We do traditional dining.

Last week on the Crown the ATD line for the DaVinci ran from the door of the Dining Room all the way out thru the Atrium. Lots of hungry folks in a line that was not at all attractive to me.

This is just the latest, similar experience that we have had on various Princess ships that offer dining options.

Of course if people did have reservations between 7 to 7:30 they wouldn't see the problem but what do you think would happen if they did allow it? Dozens of people would have to wait even longer to tables held out of service just waiting for people to arrive.

It a good thing they don't operate like that.

What is wrong with just showing up at the door when you're ready to eat?

Actually they DO operate like that, at least on some ships. I don't think the real cause of long ATD waits is legitimate ATD diners making reservations. How about our friends who have TD but find it inconvenient on certain evenings and show up at the ATD restaurant expecting to be seated, or the CC tables that sit empty all night?

Actually they DO operate like that, at least on some ships. I don't think the real cause of long ATD waits is legitimate ATD diners making reservations. How about our friends who have TD but find it inconvenient on certain evenings and show up at the ATD restaurant expecting to be seated, or the CC tables that sit empty all night?

First of all the CC tables are restricted to one DR which I can't comment on since we've always used the other one.

It could definitely increase the wait time.

The TD offenders going to the AT dining room can be stopped at the door IF they would check cards but sometimes don't.

This delay will be a thing of the past someday when the *****'s are in full effect since everyone will be automatically scanned each time they enter the DR.

Actually they DO operate like that, at least on some ships. I don't think the real cause of long ATD waits is legitimate ATD diners making reservations. How about our friends who have TD but find it inconvenient on certain evenings and show up at the ATD restaurant expecting to be seated, or the CC tables that sit empty all night?

Anything that deviates from the posted way it is supposed to be run adds to the long lines. Reservations and TD diners using the Anytime Dining room along with slow service creates the problems. The two things easy to fix are the reservation and the TD diners. The others are a little bit harder. I wonder what would happen if the Reservations group were put in the empty tables in the Traditional Dining rooms. There are many. And YES I have been to the TD area.

I have never had my Traditional Seating cancelled and the dining room converted into Anytime Dining due to late departures from a port.

...

Just because it hasn't happened to you doesn't mean it doesn't happen to anyone. I'm not making this up.

With all due respect, for some of us reservations do not defeat the purpose of Anytime Dining. For us the main reason for choosing ATD is that we think 5:30-6:00 is too early for dinner and 8:15-8:30 is usually too late. If we can make a reservation for 7 to 7:30 and not have to wait for a table, that is "just right" for us.

I am an advocate of no reservations in the Anytime Dining room. When you make reservations you displace people who understand that Anytime dining comes with a caveat. You may have to adjust your dinner this way or that way, just wait in line, or God Forbid! take a beeper and go get a cocktail or hit the casino. Remember you are part of a group who all have different expectations but are willing to play together. Do the same.

I wonder what would happen if the Reservations group were put in the empty tables in the Traditional Dining rooms.

Sounds like a pretty good Idea, but then additional wait staff may be required in the TD room which could result in slowdowns in ATD.

I am an advocate of no reservations in the Anytime Dining room. When you make reservations you displace people who understand that Anytime dining comes with a caveat. You may have to adjust your dinner this way or that way, just wait in line, or God Forbid! take a beeper and go get a cocktail or hit the casino. Remember you are part of a group who all have different expectations but are willing to play together. Do the same.

Rest assured that where dinner reservations are not accepted I won't make any, and will have no problem waiting my turn with a beeper and drink in hand.;)

My original point wasn't really about reservations at all, but about dining at reasonable hours as opposed to TD hours, which is the primary reason we prefer ATD. I believe the only way to really make ATD work well is to do away with TD, but then you'd be on NCL!

Sounds like a pretty good Idea, but then additional wait staff may be required in the TD room which could result in slowdowns in ATD.

 

 

Why would they be short staff?The DR was staffed to handle a full complement or people.

Why would they be short staff?The DR was staffed to handle a full complement or people.

Oh, I didn't have that information.

Are you saying that when you make a reservation in the morning that you can only reserve an early or late time, that it’s not possible to reserve a table for example at 6.45? I was under the impression from reading other posts on CC that there were no time restrictions when booking for that evening (obviously where slots were still available), providing you rang after 8am. Is this not the case?

That was exactly our experience on the Coral this past Fall. We tried calling the Dine Line promptly at 8:00 a.m., and could make reservations only at 5:15, 5:30, or 7:30 or later. So we didn't bother after the first evening. Just went to the ATD MDR around 6:30 or 6:45 and were seated fairly quickly.

That was exactly our experience on the Coral this past Fall. We tried calling the Dine Line promptly at 8:00 a.m., and could make reservations only at 5:15, 5:30, or 7:30 or later. So we didn't bother after the first evening. Just went to the ATD MDR around 6:30 or 6:45 and were seated fairly quickly.

Thanks for replying. We are used to sailing on X (Celebrity) where the system allows you to pre-book before your sailing online at your desired time. I’m concerned as there are 7 in our party and so thought the staff would prefer knowing our dining time beforehand and could accommodate more easily.

Do a lot of Traditional Diners go to Anytime Dining?

In all of our cruises (except for the one cruse we did as ATD), my wife and I went to Anytime Dining exactly once, when we wanted to eat with some friends we'd made on board, who were Anytime. The ATD maitre'd had no problem with seating us and with letting our dining room know that we would not be going to our table that night.

That was exactly our experience on the Coral this past Fall. We tried calling the Dine Line promptly at 8:00 a.m., and could make reservations only at 5:15, 5:30, or 7:30 or later. So we didn't bother after the first evening. Just went to the ATD MDR around 6:30 or 6:45 and were seated fairly quickly.

In my opinion, this is a perfectly reasonable restriction. The dining room normally fills up between 5:30 pm and 6:00 pm, so no more tables would be available until the first diners start to leave. Also the second dining room converts from traditional to anytime around 7:30 pm, so there's generally no problem after 7:30 pm.

If they took a reservation before 7:00 pm, they would need to leave that table empty for the one and one-half hours from 5:30 pm until 7:00 pm in order for it to be available at 7:00 pm. Leaving that table empty during the period when most people want to eat would cause delays.

Before the availability of Club Class dining, suite passengers could make dining reservations during that early period, but other passengers could not. Because of the small number of suite passengers, this probably did not have a large impact. I have not tried this since the availability of Club Class, because reservations are not needed in Club Class.

 

If they took a reservation before 7:00 pm, they would need to leave that table empty for the one and one-half hours from 5:30 pm until 7:00 pm in order for it to be available at 7:00 pm. Leaving that table empty during the period when most people want to eat would cause delays.

 

This a huge factor in not to accept reservations during those peak times.

Can you just imagine what the delays would be if it was an option. :eek:

.......and when we got buzzed,...... head over to the MDR.

By golly, I think that's the secret! "Anytime Dining" means whenever you get a buzz on. That way, we'll all be happy!:')

(Apologies to cruisingthomas for taking your words totally out of context.):halo:

Are you saying that when you make a reservation in the morning that you can only reserve an early or late time, that it’s not possible to reserve a table for example at 6.45? I was under the impression from reading other posts on CC that there were no time restrictions when booking for that evening (obviously where slots were still available), providing you rang after 8am. Is this not the case?

Yes, reservations on telephone at 8 AM have always given us 5:30 or 7:30. We tolerated the ATD lines just once & never again. Some people think ATD means just that, whenerever it suits them, including TD people going to ATD when they feel like it.

If you go later, you should do fine with ATD.

So, how is making a reservation for the ATD dining room (when allowed) any different from making a reservation at a restaurant on land, where all restaurants are ATD. I suppose that is also rude?:confused:

A land based restaurant does not have to feed several hundred people at one time. They do not normally set tables aside as they need to keep them filled. When you arrive for your time they take the next available table of that size for those who have the reservation. A ship can not do that so they must set a table aside which takes it out of any use by other people. Zeno that is not rude because that is he way that s expected. It is not expected at the Anytime Dining Room.

A land based restaurant does not have to feed several hundred people at one time. They do not normally set tables aside as they need to keep them filled. When you arrive for your time they take the next available table of that size for those who have the reservation. A ship can not do that so they must set a table aside which takes it out of any use by other people. Zeno that is not rude because that is he way that s expected. It is not expected at the Anytime Dining Room.

Your anger or disappointment should be with Princess not with those who make reservations like Princess allows.

Why don't you just make a reservation if it bothers you that others "jump the line"?

Your anger or disappointment should be with Princess not with those who make reservations like Princess allows.

 

Why don't you just make a reservation if it bothers you that others "jump the line"?

If you enjoy eating at a reserved time since it doesn't make you wait, then maybe Club Class would suite you better. This way you wouldn't need reservations at all & just show up as you like.

A land based restaurant does not have to feed several hundred people at one time. They do not normally set tables aside as they need to keep them filled. When you arrive for your time they take the next available table of that size for those who have the reservation. A ship can not do that so they must set a table aside which takes it out of any use by other people. Zeno that is not rude because that is he way that s expected. It is not expected at the Anytime Dining Room.

From the Princess website:

Anytime Dining

Just like a restaurant on land, dine when and with whom you wish anytime from 5:30pm to 10:00pm,in elegant, upscale venues

From the Princess website:

 

Anytime Dining

Just like a restaurant on land, dine when and with whom you wish anytime from 5:30pm to 10:00pm,in elegant, upscale venues

Just because they publicize that statement doesn't mean it's entirely true. They'll say what you want to hear but once on the ship, reality sets in. ;)

Your anger or disappointment should be with Princess not with those who make reservations like Princess allows.

 

Why don't you just make a reservation if it bothers you that others "jump the line"?

EXACTLY! If you believe Princess shouldn't allow reservations in ATD, then you have a valid point (although we may not agree). If you believe people who make dining reservations where they are available (whether on land or sea) are somehow being rude or selfish, that is something else altogether.

Anytime Dining = any time we have a table available and you will accept that table

nothing more, nothing less

and how many 'upscale and eloquent' restaurants on land can you just walk in and immediately be seated??

Your anger or disappointment should be with Princess not with those who make reservations like Princess allows.

 

Why don't you just make a reservation if it bothers you that others "jump the line"?

BEcause I do not let my meal times determine when and how I do things the rest of the evening. I am also not one of those who are so rigid they must eat at the same time each and every evening or it upsets me. My anger, which is minor, is at both Princess and those who think nothing of inconvenience others without a thought.