Dining question on Diamond in Alaska

[perlgirlnj]

We're signed up for Anytime Dining on our upcoming Alaska cruise. We've never cruised Princess before but have done My Time Dining on RCI. Here are my questions:

 

1. Can you reserve a table for a certain time at Anytime Dining once we're on board like you can on RCI? On our last Royal Caribbean cruise, we were able to call down to make a specific time request, or reserve a table for the next night when we left the dining room each night. Is this possible or is it "show up and wait"?

 

2. Can you reserve the specialty dining rooms when you get on board?

 

3. Are the specialty dining rooms also formal dress on formal nights or do they have their own dress code?

 

4. If the answer to #3 is "yes", then I assume our options for formal night are to either dress formally or go to the buffet or order room service. There aren't any other options, are there? I'm a conformist and really like to follow dress codes but I'm debating whether to have my husband bring suit & dress-shoes for this trip. (My dress clothes don't take up that much space.)

 

Thanks for the advice!

[Pam in CA]

We're signed up for Anytime Dining on our upcoming Alaska cruise. We've never cruised Princess before but have done My Time Dining on RCI. Here are my questions:

 

1. Can you reserve a table for a certain time at Anytime Dining once we're on board like you can on RCI? On our last Royal Caribbean cruise, we were able to call down to make a specific time request, or reserve a table for the next night when we left the dining room each night. Is this possible or is it "show up and wait"? -- Yes, but it's inconsistent. Some Maitre d's don't accept reservations between 6 and 8; others will allow reservations at that time. Some Maitre d's will allow you to reserve the same table at the same time every night for the length of your voyage, others will allow you to make a reservation only one night in advance.

 

2. Can you reserve the specialty dining rooms when you get on board? -- Yes.

 

3. Are the specialty dining rooms also formal dress on formal nights or do they have their own dress code? -- They are "smart casual" although apparently, some Maitre d's are sending people away if they're not dressed up enough. The website says that it's smart casual.

 

4. If the answer to #3 is "yes", then I assume our options for formal night are to either dress formally or go to the buffet or order room service. There aren't any other options, are there? I'm a conformist and really like to follow dress codes but I'm debating whether to have my husband bring suit & dress-shoes for this trip. (My dress clothes don't take up that much space.)

You can try the "Ultimate Balcony Dinner" one night. :) There's an upcharge but it's a wonderful experience to be served in your own cabin.

 

FYI, unlike some cruiselines, Princess room service does not serve hot food at breakfast nor can you order from the dining room menu unless you are booked in a full suite. You can also go to the grill for hot dogs, hamburgers, etc. or to the pizzeria for what is known as the best pizza on the seas. Oh, and you can order pizza delivered to your cabin for a $3 fee.

[karatemom2]

The Diamond has three anytime dining rooms - Savoy, Santa Fe, Pacific Moon and a fourth,Vivaldi, becomes anytime after 8 p.m. You could choose to make a standing reservation in one of them, but in my opinion it would be a shame to choose just one and miss out on the variety of trying all of them.

 

The specialty dining rooms, Sabatinis and Sterling Steak House, can be reserved when you board. It has been reported here that the dress code for those venues remains smart casual even on formal nights.

[Pam in CA]

The Diamond has three anytime dining rooms - Savoy, Santa Fe, Pacific Moon and a fourth,Vivaldi, becomes anytime after 8 p.m. You could choose to make a standing reservation in one of them, but in my opinion it would be a shame to choose just one and miss out on the variety of trying all of them.

They have the exact same menu with the exception of one entree distinctive to each but you can order any of these four entrees in any of the dining rooms so it really doesn't matter which dining room you're in.

[karatemom2]

They have the exact same menu with the exception of one entree distinctive to each but you can order any of these four entrees in any of the dining rooms so it really doesn't matter which dining room you're in.

 

Yes that is true, they do have the same menu with the exception of the specialty dish which I am aware you can get in any of the rooms. But they each have their own special decor and vibe. I love going to the Santa Fe and seeing the Tex Mex decor while eating my chips and guacamole and enjoying my chicken fajitas. Somehow it just wouldn't be the same eating that in the Asian themed Pacific Moon, but the sizzling noodle dish tastes extra special when I'm there. So, at least for me, I like the variety of the different dining rooms despite the fact the menus are all standard across the rooms. I find it fun to dine in them all.

[Colo Cruiser]

We had no luck making anytime reservations in any of the 4 DR's on the Diamond.

[perlgirlnj]

We had no luck making anytime reservations in any of the 4 DR's on the Diamond.

 

Which itinerary and/or time of year was this? Has anybody had a different experience?

[Momma Mojito]

Yes that is true, they do have the same menu with the exception of the specialty dish which I am aware you can get in any of the rooms. But they each have their own special decor and vibe. I love going to the Santa Fe and seeing the Tex Mex decor while eating my chips and guacamole and enjoying my chicken fajitas. Somehow it just wouldn't be the same eating that in the Asian themed Pacific Moon, but the sizzling noodle dish tastes extra special when I'm there. So, at least for me, I like the variety of the different dining rooms despite the fact the menus are all standard across the rooms. I find it fun to dine in them all.

 

We were on the Diamond this year in May and I felt the same way you do about dining in the different restaurants. I too liked the Santa the best of all the three. One never knows what the weather is going to be like in Alaska so I'm not sure I would do the "Ultimate Balcony Dinner" considering what it costs.

[Whoo]

We had no luck making anytime reservations in any of the 4 DR's on the Diamond.

 

On the Sea Princess, the only times available to make Anytime reservations were 5:30 pm or 8:30 pm.

[Momma Mojito]

We had no luck making anytime reservations in any of the 4 DR's on the Diamond.

 

One night on the Diamond in May we were seated at a table for six with two couples who had reservations everynight for that table because of the service they had originally recieved from the waiter

[luvs2travl]

We've used "Anytime Dining" on Princess in the past and have not had problems in making reservations. We're leaving on the Diamond this Saturday, so maybe things have changed. We'll see. We request our reservations for the particular venue of our choice the day before we want to dine - seems to work out fine.

 

We are not bringing any "formal" for this trip. DH will bring long-sleeved shirts, ties and sweater - I'll bring a dressier top and long pants. We've done "Formal" on our previous Alaskan cruises and found we were in the minority. If we have to eat at the Horizon Court or one of the specialty restaurants, that's fine. On our last cruise, (Tahitian, now Ocean Princess) "Smart Casual" was OK in the specialty restaurants on Formal Nights. There should be just about enough venues on board that we can hit a different dining spot every night on our 7-day cruise! :)

[xpcdoojk]

Ok, I am a Princess virgin, but if they limit reservations in the Any Time Dining rooms to 5:30 or 8:30 how is that considered anytime dining? We did My Time Dining on the RCI Mariner of the Seas in March, and we ate at 6pm one night 7pm two night and 7:30pm the rest. While I enjoy traditional dining room because of Princess's higher level of formal night enforcement, I don't see the purpose of anytime dining, from reading this thread.

 

jc<----- confused:confused:

[lehb]

Ok, I am a Princess virgin, but if they limit reservations in the Any Time Dining rooms to 5:30 or 8:30 how is that considered anytime dining? We did My Time Dining on the RCI Mariner of the Seas in March, and we ate at 6pm one night 7pm two night and 7:30pm the rest. While I enjoy traditional dining room because of Princess's higher level of formal night enforcement, I don't see the purpose of anytime dining, from reading this thread.

 

jc<----- confused:confused:

You DO NOT have to make reservations for Anytime Dining. Just show up when you want to eat. If there isn't a table for you right then, they will give you a pager (just like in a real restaurant), and buzz you when they are ready to seat you. Check out the shops or have a drink while you are waiting. However, if you insist on having a certain table or to eat at the same time everyday, I guess you can make a reservation, but only for those 2 times. We never do that. If we go and it's busy, we wait. It's not a big deal. People seem way too impatient. Also don't go at the height of dinner time. Go a little later (eat a snack in the buffet or go to the tea in the late afternoon to tide you over until a later dinner.)

[Loonbeam]

From everything I have read, this also varies from ship to ship and possibly from cruise to cruise. I suspect it may have something to do with the number of people who select traditional dining vs anytime as well (I have no proof, only anecdotal evidence - for example, friends came back from a cruise on the Emerald (I think) and said that so many people were anytime that it was not uncommon that you were seated in the traditional venue - just called them, reservations were taken for any time, but anything between 6 and 7:30 filled up so fast as to be impossible to get).

 

 

 

 

Ok, I am a Princess virgin, but if they limit reservations in the Any Time Dining rooms to 5:30 or 8:30 how is that considered anytime dining? We did My Time Dining on the RCI Mariner of the Seas in March, and we ate at 6pm one night 7pm two night and 7:30pm the rest. While I enjoy traditional dining room because of Princess's higher level of formal night enforcement, I don't see the purpose of anytime dining, from reading this thread.

 

jc<----- confused:confused:

[Colo Cruiser]

Which itinerary and/or time of year was this? Has anybody had a different experience?

 

We have sailed the Diamond many times, you name it. ;)

[mike10546]

We just returned from an Alaska trip aboard the Diamond. We had anytime dining and had no problems making dining reservations each night. We generally made the reservation about mid-day and there was no problem getting what we wanted in any of the anytime dining rooms.

[joybook]

Only had one cruise and that was on Sapphire Princess (Sydney to Auckland - 12 nights I think). My wife and I had anytime dining and did not make any reservations - just turned up without any difficulty at all and the ship was full. We are doing Beijing to Singapore and Singapore to Sydney on the Diamond Princess in Nov and Dec. and have again arranged for anytime dining as it worked so well last time. We dressed casually on the non-formal nights and sort of formal on the formal nights. Even if you only enjoy it half as much as we did, you will have a great time.:)

[Feebarn]

I don't understand why you would want to make a reservation on anytime dining? Doesn't it defeat the point?

 

We just got off the Diamond and ate most nights in the anytime rooms - tried them all! Didn't have to wait for a table, and always requested to eat on our own. Went at various times of the night, anywhere from before 6 to after 8. Really simple no problems!

[perlgirlnj]

I don't understand why you would want to make a reservation on anytime dining? Doesn't it defeat the point?

 

We just got off the Diamond and ate most nights in the anytime rooms - tried them all! Didn't have to wait for a table, and always requested to eat on our own. Went at various times of the night, anywhere from before 6 to after 8. Really simple no problems!

 

I like the flexibility of eating earlier when we set sail earlier and later when we're out in port for a long time. But I'll know that ahead of time--I can already tell you when we'll likely want to eat based on our excursion schedule--and I'd love to lock it in ahead of time to avoid waiting. I don't love waiting, even if it is a relaxed vacation.

 

Some background to my question: my sister-in-law was on Diamond a number of years ago and her traveling companions made all their dinner reservations as soon as they boarded the ship. They ended up seeing people either waiting a long time or shut out of the dining room and eating in the buffet. I'm guessing from what other people's experiences have been that this might have been before they worked out all the wrinkles in the Anytime Dining system. That's why I'm thinking ahead about it now.

[Loonbeam]

The nice point is you have both options. Also, the wait times depend heavily on the balance of dining choices aboard the ship that cruise. On the Coral in Alaska, it was heavily weighted to the anytime side and there were times when the wait without a res was 45-60 minutes at time, especially when the ship left port before dinner time. The maitre'd said on his prior trip, it was the opposite, Traditional Dining was so packed they had to shift tables between the rooms and you could walk into anytime, well, anytime.

 

We made reservations most nights, after we knew what our plans were for the specific day. The longest we had to wait was about 3 mins, which helped when we were trying to make a show. They also are a good idea if you find a waiter or a table location that you like (with the caveat that no location or waiter is guaranteed).

 

 

 

I don't understand why you would want to make a reservation on anytime dining? Doesn't it defeat the point?

 

We just got off the Diamond and ate most nights in the anytime rooms - tried them all! Didn't have to wait for a table, and always requested to eat on our own. Went at various times of the night, anywhere from before 6 to after 8. Really simple no problems!

[caribill]

We are doing Beijing to Singapore and Singapore to Sydney on the Diamond Princess in Nov and Dec.

 

Come join the roll call for the Singapore to Sydney segment at http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1102986

[xpcdoojk]

I like the flexibility of eating earlier when we set sail earlier and later when we're out in port for a long time. But I'll know that ahead of time--I can already tell you when we'll likely want to eat based on our excursion schedule--and I'd love to lock it in ahead of time to avoid waiting. I don't love waiting, even if it is a relaxed vacation.

 

Some background to my question: my sister-in-law was on Diamond a number of years ago and her traveling companions made all their dinner reservations as soon as they boarded the ship. They ended up seeing people either waiting a long time or shut out of the dining room and eating in the buffet. I'm guessing from what other people's experiences have been that this might have been before they worked out all the wrinkles in the Anytime Dining system. That's why I'm thinking ahead about it now.

 

Your logic seem perfect to me. I am of a similar mindset.

 

jc