Anytime dining

[momphoto]

Having a dilemma and hope someone can give insight.

 

We have 3 cabins booked for cruise in July on Emerald. 2 cabins are on early traditional guaranteed but the 3rd is on the waitlist at #65 and even though cabins are linked they won't add them. Who knows what the chances are of being able to get them moved to early and seated with the other 2 cabins on the 1st day of the cruise? If we can't the first night will we be able to use the anytime for that one night?

 

Also having never used anytime we are a bit worried about trying it. I read you can phone in the morning and reserve a time....is this true? We will be a table for 7. Can we request the same waiter/table each night in anytime? If you reserve do you still have to wait in line or can you walk right up to the front?

 

thanks in advance!

[caribill]

Having a dilemma and hope someone can give insight.

 

We have 3 cabins booked for cruise in July on Emerald. 2 cabins are on early traditional guaranteed but the 3rd is on the waitlist at #65 and even though cabins are linked they won't add them. Who knows what the chances are of being able to get them moved to early and seated with the other 2 cabins on the 1st day of the cruise? If we can't the first night will we be able to use the anytime for that one night?

 

Also having never used anytime we are a bit worried about trying it. I read you can phone in the morning and reserve a time....is this true? We will be a table for 7. Can we request the same waiter/table each night in anytime? If you reserve do you still have to wait in line or can you walk right up to the front?

 

When you board, check the Patter to see when and where the Matre d' will be having a session to work with people who have situations such as yours. If you can, get there a little early as there is likely to be a line. Chances are he will be able to take care of this although it may not be effective until the next evening.

 

If it is not effective the first evening, ask the Matre's about using anytime that night.

 

As far as reserving tables in anytime (and this is for people who are assigned to anytime either before the cruise or who switch out of traditional once on the cruise), the policy seems to vary from ship to ship. Some restrict which dinner hours reservations can be taken for; some allow reservation for the entire cruise while some require a new reservation to be made each day. Some allow the next day's reservations to be made at the dining room the eveing before and some require a phone call the morning the reservation is for. (And if you do need to phone in, be aware that the line may be busy for a long time as others are doing this also and that by the time you do get through, there may be no more reservation spots left.)

 

If you have a waitstaff you like in anytime, you can request the same waitstaff if you make a reservation, but the tables in that area may or may not be available at the time you request. Also, without a reservation you can show up and ask for a certain waitstaff, but may have to wait a while until a table is available in that area.

[snowskier]

If you use anytime the first night -- IS IT OK for those that are assigned anytime to decide they would like to sit in your seats at your reserved table in traditional on an evening when you are planning to sit there? Princess won't do that but it would certainly be one way to encourage folks use the dining they are assigned to!

 

I have to smile when someone writes -- but I will only do it one night. If only one family does it on one night no problem but there are several "I will only do it one night" folks.

 

It can be frustrating to wait for a table when you are assigned anytime only to discover that all the others at your table (and/or the tables next to you) are assigned traditional but decided to change for the evening. Their seats in traditional go empty while those assigned to anytime wait for them to finish their dinner in anytime -- just doesn't make sense to me.

 

Was just on the Emerald -- they checked assignments the first night but didn't care after that. The wait was always 15 - 45 minutes no matter what time we went, even around 9 one night. Actually saw folksstanding in line at 4:45 for a 5:30 opening. Several tables in anytime were reserved for a large group after 8:00 so that didn't help.

 

I still do anytime but know that there is the potential for a wait of 30+ minutes and have learned to accept that. It is all about expectations. If my waiting for a table enhances the cruise experience for those that reserve in traditional and actually use anytime -- then I'm happy to do it.

[HomelessBear]

Hi,

 

I have had various experiences of anytime dining and reservations. On a few cruises, we were not allowed to reserve a table at any time other than 6.30 or 8.30 and on another cruise we couldn't reserve a table for 2 at all! We have NEVER managed to reserve a table on ANY of the cruises we have been on yet around 7.00, 7.15 or 7.30 for either two or four people! Seems that it depends on the ship and the maitre'd what they will or won't do regarding reservations.

 

If you are unable to get into traditional early seating with your friends on the first night, you will have the choice of anytime, buffet, room service or speciality restuarant. I am one of those who don't consider it fair though for your whole party to do anytime dining on this first night, when there are already seats reserved for them in the main traditional dining room. There is a lot of "discussion" on these boards about traditional diners using the anytime dining room if and when they feel like it, but my personal experience has shown that waits have been longer when tarditional diners are allowed to go to anytime as and when they choose.

 

I wish you well in seeing the Maitre'd on the first day and getting your request so that you can all dine together, but if you do decide to ALL do anytime, I'd again speak to the maitre'd and ask for a table for all of you, as I have often seen larger parties seated at the same table at the same time in anytime dining, so it obviously can be arranged.

 

Enjoy your cruise.

[momphoto]

Thanks for the 2 pleasant responses. We are all family and its actually my dh who is in the 3rd cabin. We did all have early traditional but due to a change in reservation we ended up having to cancel one booking and then rebook within 5 minutes (while on phone with princess). But because we cancelled the booking holding the early traditional we lost the spot and they refused to give early and link us again. You know it would be nice if my daughter and I could eat dinner with my husband and my SIL could eat with her husband seeing as its the guys who lost the table time. Have argued with princess on this matter but I have discovered that customer service and satisfaction are not on their agenda at all.

[Woobstr112G]

Hi,

 

I have had various experiences of anytime dining and reservations. On a few cruises, we were not allowed to reserve a table at any time other than 6.30 or 8.30 and on another cruise we couldn't reserve a table for 2 at all! We have NEVER managed to reserve a table on ANY of the cruises we have been on yet around 7.00, 7.15 or 7.30 for either two or four people! Seems that it depends on the ship and the maitre'd what they will or won't do regarding reservations.

 

If you are unable to get into traditional early seating with your friends on the first night, you will have the choice of anytime, buffet, room service or speciality restuarant. I am one of those who don't consider it fair though for your whole party to do anytime dining on this first night, when there are already seats reserved for them in the main traditional dining room. There is a lot of "discussion" on these boards about traditional diners using the anytime dining room if and when they feel like it, but my personal experience has shown that waits have been longer when tarditional diners are allowed to go to anytime as and when they choose.

 

I wish you well in seeing the Maitre'd on the first day and getting your request so that you can all dine together, but if you do decide to ALL do anytime, I'd again speak to the maitre'd and ask for a table for all of you, as I have often seen larger parties seated at the same table at the same time in anytime dining, so it obviously can be arranged.

 

Enjoy your cruise.

 

Defets the whole purpose of anytime dining.....:):):)

 

Bob

[oskidunker]

If there are spaces at your table, ask to speak to the Maitre D at that time and say,"Look at all these empty seats.You would not approve are friends to eat with us.It sure looks like there is plenty of room." I have heard that many people switch to anytime without telling anyone. It is so long since I was able to get traditiona, I don't really know but will find out in October because we were finally able to get confirmed Early Dining.Have your frineds eat in any time if necesssary for the first night.Go again on the second night and confront the MAitre D again if there are many empty seats and ask, "How long are you going to make us wait?" You can probably do this tactfully.

 

What is maddening to me is that sometimes we have booked early traditional and then one of out cousins decideds to go at the last minute and since he can't get in, we switch to anytime. Not going to do that if that happens this time. Hopefully the new rules will open things up a bit.

[wg6530]

Thanks for the 2 pleasant responses. We are all family and its actually my dh who is in the 3rd cabin. We did all have early traditional but due to a change in reservation we ended up having to cancel one booking and then rebook within 5 minutes (while on phone with princess). But because we cancelled the booking holding the early traditional we lost the spot and they refused to give early and link us again. You know it would be nice if my daughter and I could eat dinner with my husband and my SIL could eat with her husband seeing as its the guys who lost the table time. Have argued with princess on this matter but I have discovered that customer service and satisfaction are not on their agenda at all.

 

I know you all want to sit together, and hopefully it will work out just as you wish. When is your cruise? 65th doesn't sound too bad if your cruise is some time off. If only 4 of you are assigned early traditional the first night, I doubt the staff will care which 4 bodies occupy those chairs that night. Surely somebody can "tough it out" at anytime, buffet or specialty that night.

 

I'm way down the waitlist for my cruise next month, but I know I won't go hungry just because I'm on anytime dining:).

[HomelessBear]

Defets the whole purpose of anytime dining.....:):):)

 

Bob

 

Not in my opinion, but there again this discussion has been flogged to death on these boards so I won't say anymore.

[caribill]

But because we cancelled the booking holding the early traditional we lost the spot and they refused to give early and link us again.

 

Your reservations should still be linked. If they are not, call to have them linked again.

 

Only if they are linked will your group be at the same table if the odd couple makes it past the waitlist.

[cherylandtk]

Momphoto,

The new 5:30 Traditional dining time is still open for booking on our cruise. If you all want to change into that time, it should be no problem. Please come back to the Roll Call, too. Lots of things have been planned since you last visited.....

Cheryl

[SassyK22]

Six of us just got off theEmerald on May 9th. We had anytime

and never had a wait...we went anywhere from 6:15 to 7:30 and always

was seated immedialtely. I would do it again in a heartbeat.

We never tried to reserve a table since we were being seated right

away but when I called to reserve Sabatini's I heard the option on

the phone for reserving "anytime". Hope that helps.