Dining Rooms on The Sapphire?

[cruzhappy88]

Those of you that have been on the sapphire, is it better to have assigned dining or try out the other dining rooms? The way I understand it is that one dining room has set times and the other 3 or 4 are anytime. Which do you prefer?

[Cuizer2]

I prefer having a set dining time.

[Glaciers]

Those of you that have been on the sapphire, is it better to have assigned dining or try out the other dining rooms? The way I understand it is that one dining room has set times and the other 3 or 4 are anytime. Which do you prefer?

 

We like the variety of anytime dining but found that we enjoyed the Vivaldi dining room and ate there many evenings but were not able to be seated until after 8pm as it is a traditional dining room up until that time. It's also very easy to be seated at a table for two or with a group.

[Coral]

I prefer Traditional dining with a set time.

[ladyco4]

We prefer the Anytime Dining. Last year my DD sailed on the Sapphire, she always ate in the Vivaldi Dining Room, she didn't mind eating at 8:15 when they reopened for Anytime Diners. We sailed on her a couple of weeks ago and again ate in the Vivaldi Dining Room. We were able to make reservations for a specific table/waiter each night and had great service. There were only a couple of nights where most of the tables were filled. Most nights the room was practically empty.

[shepp]

The menu is the same wherever you eat. While I liked the decor of the Santa Fe and Pacific Moon, I prefer traditional dining, and the large International Dining Room (indeed, most all Princess MDRs) are designed to seem more intimate than grand. There are already plenty of threads here discussing the ins and outs of anytime vs. traditional - try the search function.

[Cruisin' Chick]

We have always had late traditional for every cruise. But last month we had anytime as we booked pretty late (and never cleared the waitlist). I thought hubby would prefer a.t., but it turned out, he decided he much prefers traditional. He thought it tended to be disorganized when it came to service, he liked the idea of the waiters getting to know us (we had different ones each time), and getting to know our tablemates, and not starting with the same questions every night (where are you from? Is this your first cruise?).

[Red Hat Cruise Cat]

Those of you that have been on the sapphire, is it better to have assigned dining or try out the other dining rooms? The way I understand it is that one dining room has set times and the other 3 or 4 are anytime. Which do you prefer?

 

I LOVE Anytime Dining. I wish it was available on the Princess ships sailing out of OZ and NZ

 

The Santa Fe is my favorite for the guacamole starter:D:D

[38anchor]

We are sailing on Sapphire next April to Hawaii. This is our first Princess cruise and we have booked late traditional dining. Does anyone know which dining room is assigned for this (presuming it is the same for all voyages)?

 

Thanks in advance.

[Coral]

We are sailing on Sapphire next April to Hawaii. This is our first Princess cruise and we have booked late traditional dining. Does anyone know which dining room is assigned for this (presuming it is the same for all voyages)?

 

Thanks in advance.

 

International Dining Room - Deck 6 aft.

[LoveThisCruisingThing]

I have done both. I prefer anytime when I go to Alaska...I don't know why but I do. Traditional when I go to Mexico. It might have something to do with the boarding times when in port. I find the times are a bit later in Alaska and I tend to board an hour before last call. Mexico I found I was on board way before last call.

[gertz]

Don't know this as a fact but it seems------------"Old timers",and use your own definition of old timers, prefer early seating while the majority of "the others" prefer anytime. :D

[RSF Cruiser]

If you do anytime at a table for two on the Sapphire (don't know if this is true for other Princess ships), the tables are very close together and one person faces the wall. We did not find the dining experience for two very enjoyable.

[IECalCruiser]

Food is the same at all MDRs, traditional or anytime.

 

When we travel with one or both of my DW's DSs and DBILs we do early traditional dining and request a table for 4/6 as we enjoy our time together. Early traditional dining gives us time to do several things after dinner and still go to bed early if we choose. On a port intensive cruise with many options on shore and late departures this may not be the best option.

 

When we cruise alone we choose anytime dining because we only eat in the MDR a couple of days in a week. We have dinner at the Horizon Court often and are more likely to eat at the specialty restaurants or possiblly try the Chef's Table or Ultimate Balcony Dining.

[RickEk]

If you do anytime at a table for two on the Sapphire (don't know if this is true for other Princess ships), the tables are very close together and one person faces the wall. We did not find the dining experience for two very enjoyable.

 

On our last cruise on the Sapphire Princess, we had traditional dining, but in the Vivaldi dining room. We were seated at a table for two, but you are correct, they are very close together. After a few nights, it was as if we were at a table for 6. We got to know our neighbors quite well.

[tmitchell82]

We sailed on the Sapphire 2 weeks ago and had anytime dinning. We had a group of 6 and found it very difficult to get a reservation for 6 anytime before 8pm. I felt the 3.5 anytime dinning rooms were small and could not readily accommodate larger parties. There were more tables for 2 than I have ever seen in a Princess dinning room. We ate as 2 one night and had no problem walking right in. As others have said, tables were very close. Interesting part was that the people at the tables for 2 seemed to be having conversations with those next to them. We always have enjoyed dinning with others. On other Princess ships that we have had anytime dinning we usually had the option of sitting with others. Never got ask that question in the Sapphire. I do like anytime dinning, but think I prefer the larger dinning rooms on some of the other ships.

 

Tim

[chipmaster]

Anytime for me, I have had mixed service and that is the risk, but also you might hit on an awesome crew too.

 

With standard they know they got you all cruise and well there are plus and minus with that.

 

I personally like the flexibility of time.

 

Those of you that have been on the sapphire, is it better to have assigned dining or try out the other dining rooms? The way I understand it is that one dining room has set times and the other 3 or 4 are anytime. Which do you prefer?

[Putterdude]

We prefer the earlier time in Traditional...it does make happy hour a bit early though.:D