Our experience with Anytime Dining

[Thrak]

Going on the Star Nov 5th. Only cruised once before and we had traditional dining that time. There were 3 of us and we were always seated at the same table with the same people (table for 6). We actually enjoyed it.

 

This time when we booked the traditional seating was listed on the Princess site as "wait". I have no idea what that means. I looked one day and the early seating had "wait" listed but the later seating didn't. The next day when I actually booked the cruise both seatings showed "wait" as the status. As I said, I have no idea what this means so we just booked anytime dining and figured we'd give that a try.

 

If I end up with a wait some nights I'll wait. I've certainly had to wait in a number of land restaurants. I don't have to have a table for 2 and my wife would actually prefer to meet other people. My son is booked separately (also anytime dining) so we don't really have to eat at the same time if we don't feel like doing so.

 

I'm going on vacation. I won't have to go to work, cook, clean, etc. I plan to go with the flow...

[Teris50]

I personally feel that they SHOULD NOT let passengers in the anytime dining if they chose to have a set time to dine prior to embarakation.

THIS WILL PROBABLY NOT SET RIGHT WITH OTHERS, BUT IT IS MY OPINION. Anytime diners are NOT allowed in the other dining rooms, so why allow those passengers that have a table waiting for them to go elsewhere.

[OuiOnboard]

By the by... we had Anytime dining on our last cruise on the Sapphire Princess and never had to wait... granted, we had arranged a table for two for the entire voyage, but there were empty tables around us every night...

 

When we have done Anytime, we have found that depending on the Maitre'D in charge, reserving a particular two-top table for the whole cruise might be easy or seemingly impossible.

Another case of luck of the draw I guess.

[rcacace]

When we have done Anytime, we have found that depending on the Maitre'D in charge, reserving a particular two-top table for the whole cruise might be easy or seemingly impossible.

Another case of luck of the draw I guess.

 

We've been on some cruises where the Maitre D was giving out standing reservations on the first day & there were so many requests that he just stopped altogether and made almost everyone wait in line. (except those that gave him a bribe for special service) ;)

Those "special people" walked past the line up of people waiting each night to their assigned table. If you questioned the head waiter about them he would reply that they were part of a group. :D

[JimmyVWine]

When you go in for anytime dining, do they sit you with others who are entering the dining room at the same time? Princess did this when we cruised to Alaska and it was a great way to meet new people every night. On Island Princess- do they seat people this way?

 

I don't know about the Island in particular, but I know of no reason why that ship should be different from the norm. From my experience and observations, the Maître d’s are highly attuned to both the fact that some people find communal dining to be a hallmark of cruising not to be missed, as well as the fact that some people prefer to dine alone and do not care for idle chatter during dinner. You will be asked your preference upon checking in, and they will do whatever they can to accomodate you.

[Gail & Marty sailing away]

What the OP describes is exactly what I experienced on the Celebrity Summit last week. It was awful. But instead of a silent light up device that Princess issues, we got a ticket with a number....when our table was ready they ran around shouting your number looking for you. Sounded worse than the deli counter at my grocery store. Tacky!

That sounds bad ..

[AKman2495]

I just finished a repositioning cruise on the Coral Princess. We never had a problem with anytime dining. For the first few days they checked cruise cards to make sure you were in the right spot. One night a confused woman was redirected to the traditional dining room.

 

After a few days, the hostess and headwaiter were familiar with the anytime diners and stopped looking at cruise cards. I have no idea of some traditional diners suck in, but we never had a wait for anytime. :)

[caribill]

How is ATD on Ruby Princess? We eat early 5:45 and hope its not crowded at that time.

 

Anytime dining means that upwards of 1000 passengers decide when they want to go to eat each evening.

 

If many of them decide to eat at the same time, there will be a line and a wait.

 

So whether or not you will have a problem at 5:45 will depend on how many of your fellow cruisers decide to eat at the same time as you do.

 

But if you like to eat at that time, the early traditional seating is probably at 6:00, not that different from 5:45.

[love2cruisegal]

We were just on the Caribbean Princess last week and had anytime dining. We had no problem waiting for a table and had a table for 2 every night except one (last formal night) and we shared and met some lovely people. We usually have a drink at Vines before and wait until the line goes down or have a pager, but never had to wait more than 10 min. Haven't had much trouble on other cruises either. Guess we just go at the right time or we make reservation in the a.m.

[Cruisin' Chick]

Going on the Star Nov 5th. Only cruised once before and we had traditional dining that time. There were 3 of us and we were always seated at the same table with the same people (table for 6). We actually enjoyed it.

 

This time when we booked the traditional seating was listed on the Princess site as "wait". I have no idea what that means. I looked one day and the early seating had "wait" listed but the later seating didn't. The next day when I actually booked the cruise both seatings showed "wait" as the status. As I said, I have no idea what this means so we just booked anytime dining and figured we'd give that a try.

 

If I end up with a wait some nights I'll wait. I've certainly had to wait in a number of land restaurants. I don't have to have a table for 2 and my wife would actually prefer to meet other people. My son is booked separately (also anytime dining) so we don't really have to eat at the same time if we don't feel like doing so.

 

I'm going on vacation. I won't have to go to work, cook, clean, etc. I plan to go with the flow...

 

I've never been able to find out ahead of time if a specific seating was available or "waitlisted" until I talked to Princess about booking that cruise. Then I can find out what's available and what number on the waitlist would i be. After booking the cruise, that info is in your booking info on My Princess (at least whether you have a specific dining time, anytime dining, or are waitlisted). Maybe the "wait" you're seeing means that a specific time has a waitlist, not that you have to wait for dinner. Two different things.

[Thrak]

I've never been able to find out ahead of time if a specific seating was available or "waitlisted" until I talked to Princess about booking that cruise. Then I can find out what's available and what number on the waitlist would i be. After booking the cruise' date=' that info is in your booking info on My Princess (at least whether you have a specific dining time, anytime dining, or are waitlisted). Maybe the "wait" you're seeing means that a specific time has a waitlist, not that you have to wait for dinner. Two different things.[/quote']

 

Thanks for the explanation. Since my son is booked separately I guess it's probably a good thing we have any time dining. It could be a bummer if we had selected TD and one of us got it and the other didn't.

[caribill]

It could be a bummer if we had selected TD and one of us got it and the other didn't.

 

In a situation like that, the Matre d' holds court (think of the original Godfather movie) on embarkation day to resolve situations like that.

 

Also, in the future, if you book seperately and want traditional dining, have your TA (or Princess if you booked directly) link your reservations together.

[Rottweiler Puppy]

Anytime dining means that upwards of 1000 passengers decide when they want to go to eat each evening.

 

If many of them decide to eat at the same time, there will be a line and a wait.

 

So whether or not you will have a problem at 5:45 will depend on how many of your fellow cruisers decide to eat at the same time as you do.

 

But if you like to eat at that time, the early traditional seating is probably at 6:00, not that different from 5:45.

 

I almost changed it to early but its probably too late. BEsides we want flexibility and not be locked into the same dining time everynight. I guess they split the dining up 1000 pax for early. 1000 for late. and 1000 for atd?

 

We will just take our chances I guess as wont ruin my cruise.

[caribill]

I almost changed it to early but its probably too late. BEsides we want flexibility and not be locked into the same dining time everynight. I guess they split the dining up 1000 pax for early. 1000 for late. and 1000 for atd?

 

 

One dining room, usually the one aft on deck 6, is assigned to early and late traditional dining.

 

The other two dining rooms, located on decks 5 and 6 near the atrium, are assigned to anytime.

 

Except, if there is a huge demand for early seating, one of the two anytime rooms will be used for a second traditional early seating, usually starting 30 minutes earlier than the one in the deck 6 aft restaurant. Once people finish that meal, it becomes anytime for the rest of the evening. Some people think this increases the lines at the only anytime dining room opening around 5:30, but those people who were assigned to the 2nd early seating would have been on line anyway if there were two anytime restaurants at that time.

 

The three dining rooms are relatively similar in size and decor.

[OuiOnboard]

We've been on some cruises where the Maitre D was giving out standing reservations on the first day & there were so many requests that he just stopped altogether and made almost everyone wait in line. (except those that gave him a bribe for special service) ;)

Those "special people" walked past the line up of people waiting each night to their assigned table. If you questioned the head waiter about them he would reply that they were part of a group. :D

 

LOL...Yes, that is why it is "seemingly impossible".

[catmand]

Eleven Princess cruises with anytime dining. Every dining time and number of people up to 8. Had to wait with a beeper thing once. Must be us?

[Sailingpeace]

Just off the Island Princess. We chose Anytime Dining given our great experience with it on Celebrity last spring. On Princess, Anytime Dining is so OVERBOOKED that most nights you have to show up, put in your name, take a buzzer and hang around for 45 minutes waiting to be buzzed. On the formal photo nights, when standing around you are jockeying for space with all those backdrops and folks waiting for photos. I think some people were able to make reservations if they called between certain hours... we never did figure that one out. Anyway, after the third night we BEGGED to be switched to Traditional Dining and got late sitting and were so much happier.

 

Celebrity only sells so many Anytime slots and you have to pre-pay the gratutities as an added way of limiting those opting for Anytime. After the slots are sold, the remaining guests must take traditional seating. That meant that we NEVER waited longer than it took the maitre d' to walk back to the desk and pick up the next set of diners. It was just so civilized!!

 

At least you will have no second guessing about choosing Celebrity next time. hope you have a great cruise while so many of us will still choose the uncivilized option with Princess.

[caribill]

Eleven Princess cruises with anytime dining. Every dining time and number of people up to 8. Had to wait with a beeper thing once. Must be us?

 

It means you chose to go to dinner at times most others did not.

[PeteC22]

We just returned from a 14 day to Hawaii on the Golden, and at most had to wait five minutes once or twice. The Donatelli dining room converts to anytime at 7:30pm, and we had no waiting at all there.

 

What times did your normally eat dinner?

[it's5o'clocksomewhere]

We are signed up for AD on our upcoming Golden to Hawaii in November. We usually buy a bottle of wine but only drink 2 glasses so we can have it again the next night. Anyone have any problems with the dining attendants finding your wine if you are at a different table or even in a different dining room? Thanks!

[swedish weave]

What times did your normally eat dinner?

 

We went at 7:30 and requested Gilen's station. Were seated immediately. Before we decided to dine in Gilen's station, we went at various times. Shared tables and enjoyed that.

 

I chuckle at the posts from those who "must eat at 6:30" because of various reasons. What do they do when the cruise goes to the next time zone ?? Their body doesn't miraculously adjust to the new zone !!!

[swedish weave]

We are signed up for AD on our upcoming Golden to Hawaii in November. We usually buy a bottle of wine but only drink 2 glasses so we can have it again the next night. Anyone have any problems with the dining attendants finding your wine if you are at a different table or even in a different dining room? Thanks!

 

They will find it regardless of which dining room you are in. I think they store it by cabin number, so when you give them your claim slip, they go get it.

[PeteC22]

We went at 7:30 and requested Gilen's station. Were seated immediately. Before we decided to dine in Gilen's station, we went at various times. Shared tables and enjoyed that.

 

I chuckle at the posts from those who "must eat at 6:30" because of various reasons. What do they do when the cruise goes to the next time zone ?? Their body doesn't miraculously adjust to the new zone !!!

 

Uh Oh ...You must mean me & the wife. We can adjust to a time schedule on a minutes notice. :D:D

If the wife doesn't eat at the first seating she's climbing the walls.

[traveling psych nurse]

We get Tradional Early dining. If an excursion is long we eat in the buffet. I have seen people show up 15 or more minutes late. I do not know if that effects anytime dining or not.

[whw]

I have done anytime dining when I can. Have never had more than a minute or two wait and that was usually due to the people in front of me. I have not had the experience of the people from traditional dining being allowed into anytime dining. I have seen them refused. I think the key is to go at 6:55 and not 7:00. Also sharing helps. If you want a table for two or four every night, then traditional is likely a better option for you.