Island Princess Anytime Dining

Husband and I will be cruising on the Island Princess in August and will be doing Anytime Dining. In the past we have sailed with RC and were able to make reservations I advance for Anytime Dining, which we loved because we could get a table for 2 with the same waiter each night, but choose what time we wanted to eat. From what I’ve read, it sounds like Princess doesn’t take reservations. Any tips for us to help it go smoothly? We don’t mind waiting a bit for a table and can be flexible with sharing a table, but prefer to be at a table of 2, 4, or at max 6, and hope to not wait an hour for a table. This is all new to us so any advice is appreciated!

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

What you describe is Tradition Dining, same table, same waiter each evening. Princess normally has 3 TD dining times, very early, maybe 5:15, early, maybe 5:45 and late maybe 7:45. You can not pre-reserve ATD on Princess. The maitre'd may limited allow reservations by calling the dine line each morning. The times are also fixed similar to what are mentioned above. You can also visit the maitre'd on boarding day. Hours & location are shown on the Princess Patter. Arrive early. You may be able to arrange what you want.

What you describe is Tradition Dining, same table, same waiter each evening. Princess normally has 3 TD dining times, very early, maybe 5:15, early, maybe 5:45 and late maybe 7:45. You can not pre-reserve ATD on Princess. The maitre'd may limited allow reservations by calling the dine line each morning. The times are also fixed similar to what are mentioned above. You can also visit the maitre'd on boarding day. Hours & location are shown on the Princess Patter. Arrive early. You may be able to arrange what you want.

Thanks. I was just describing what we have done on Royal Caribbean for Anytime Dining. From what I’ve read it’s a little different on Princess. There are only 2 TD times on the Island Princess for our sailing, and neither are times we prefer so thought we would stick with AD. Thanks for the info regarding calling or visiting the maitre’d. We will try that. Any tips for what are the best times to eat without reservations?

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

Island Princess has only two MDRs rather than three, so fewer tables for Anytime Dining than most of the rest of the fleet.

Unless you wish to eat before 5:30 or after 7:30 expect a significant wait for a two top. Less so if willing to share. And there are a lot of eight- and ten-tops in both Traditional and Anytime dining on Island as its capacity was increased by more than 200 passengers in a retrofit a few years ago.

I was on Island in May and was extremely glad to have gotten Traditional dining, even though at a ten-top way in the back of the dining room. A few years earlier was on sister ship Coral Princess doing ATD and there were considerable waits until about 7:45 each night even without the 200+ extra passengers. In the future I would only do Traditional on Coral or Island (or any other Princess ship with fewer than three MDRs).

Note than on Alaska sailings you can disregard whatever the TD times say in the Cruise Personalizer--the actual times will be 5:15 and 7:30 once you board. So consider switching if no wait is more important than being seated either a bit earlier or later than you normally prefer.

Island Princess has only two MDRs rather than three, so fewer tables for Anytime Dining than most of the rest of the fleet.

Unless you wish to eat before 5:30 or after 7:30 expect a significant wait for a two top. Less so if willing to share. And there are a lot of eight- and ten-tops in both Traditional and Anytime dining on Island as its capacity was increased by more than 200 passengers in a retrofit a few years ago.

 

I was on Island in May and was extremely glad to have gotten Traditional dining, even though at a ten-top way in the back of the dining room. A few years earlier was on sister ship Coral Princess doing ATD and there were considerable waits until about 7:45 each night even without the 200+ extra passengers. In the future I would only do Traditional on Coral or Island (or any other Princess ship with fewer than three MDRs).

 

Note than on Alaska sailings you can disregard whatever the TD times say in the Cruise Personalizer--the actual times will be 5:15 and 7:30 once you board. So consider switching if no wait is more important than being seated either a bit earlier or later than you normally prefer.

Thank you. This is good to know. I think we signed up for anytime but will switch it :-)

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

On Island there are four lines into the Anytime dining room (lowest level of atrium) when they open. Traditional Early, Anytime without reservations, Anytime with reservations and Club Class. Generally you have to call at 8 AM exactly (DINE) each day to get a reservation but last two cruises we got reservations an hour later without problems. Always ate at the same two-top. Entry was a zoo with people getting off elevators and cutting into lines even 30 minutes before the dining room open. Lots of unhappy people on both cruises of B2B. Even figuring out which line you were in was tough.

If you don't want Traditional, then come after 7:30 and you really won't need a reservation. They will ask if you want to share a table when you enter, your choice.

We lust got off of Island last Wednesday and never had more than a five minute wait for Anytime Dining. Most of the time we got right in, mostly as a table for four, and a couple of nights with an adult family of four who we shared dinner with on our first night. Waiting or requesting a table for four was never a problem. We never called in for a specific time in the morning.

I had the same experience with Anytime dining on the Island in May. We had dinner at a range of different times between 5:30 and 8 pm, and we never had to wait to get a table for two.

As with any situation where one wants the anytime dining option, you might not like the table where you are seated initially. Go one time, ask for the 2-top and see where you end up. IF you like the servers and the location, THEN approach the reservations desk on your way out and see what you can do. You might be happier than getting a spot that just isn't right for you and you need to change. Try it the first night and see where you end up.

Jim

We lust got off of Island last Wednesday and never had more than a five minute wait for Anytime Dining. Most of the time we got right in, mostly as a table for four, and a couple of nights with an adult family of four who we shared dinner with on our first night. Waiting or requesting a table for four was never a problem. We never called in for a specific time in the morning.

Did you notice a line for Club Class Dining? We've never had it before and are curious as we will be on the Island soon. Also - not related to dining but do they have the 'afternoon tea' on the Island to Alaska?

Thanks for your assistance.

As with any situation where one wants the anytime dining option, you might not like the table where you are seated initially. Go one time, ask for the 2-top and see where you end up. IF you like the servers and the location, THEN approach the reservations desk on your way out and see what you can do. You might be happier than getting a spot that just isn't right for you and you need to change. Try it the first night and see where you end up.

 

Jim

Thank you! I think this is what we will try!

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

Did you notice a line for Club Class Dining? We've never had it before and are curious as we will be on the Island soon.

I also got off the Island Princess last Wednesday, and had Club Class dining.

The only line I ever had was standing behind someone who was on the wrong line and had to be explained several times why they were in the wrong line by several people before they would leave.

Steve

I also got off the Island Princess last Wednesday, and had Club Class dining.

 

The only line I ever had was standing behind someone who was on the wrong line and had to be explained several times why they were in the wrong line by several people before they would leave.

 

Steve

Thank you Steve. I'm cruising on the Island Princess in 4 days - so excited. Hope all goes smoothly and the weather stays nice for us.

I also got off the Island Princess last Wednesday, and had Club Class dining.

 

The only line I ever had was standing behind someone who was on the wrong line and had to be explained several times why they were in the wrong line by several people before they would leave.

 

Steve

What is Club Class?

What is Club Class?

Club Class is a special section of the dining room for suite and upgraded mini-suite guests. It is anytime dining with no wait, and has a nightly "off menu" specialty item.

Steve

We have a group of TWELVE - but we are late diners, so everyone voted to do ATD. Being the family that has cruised before (we've always done Disney, which is ONLY TD), it makes me nervous not to have a set table, even though I know it's probably best with our group's laid back arrival time to anything. I'm thinking that calling the MD each morning and requesting two tables next to each other at 8pm might be our best bet.....thoughts? TIA!

OK, I'm going to throw this out there...so flame on

with a 'family' of 12...I hope 'you are allowing' at least some of the family to choose their own dining times and venues for at least some nights???:confused: