Anytime Dining on Island Princess?

[gingin410]

Has anyone tried the "Anytime Dining" option? We are sailing on the Island Princess and may prefer to try it out. However, we need to know what is meant by "upscale venues".

 

"*Anytime Dining offers a flexible dining experience – just like a restaurant would – and gives you the freedom to dine with whomever you wish, at your convenience between 5:30 p.m. and 10 p.m. in elegant, upscale venues."

[paul929207]

Has anyone tried the "Anytime Dining" option? We are sailing on the Island Princess and may prefer to try it out. However, we need to know what is meant by "upscale venues".

 

"*Anytime Dining offers a flexible dining experience – just like a restaurant would – and gives you the freedom to dine with whomever you wish, at your convenience between 5:30 p.m. and 10 p.m. in elegant, upscale venues."

"Upscale Venues" just means it is a fancy restaurant. The MDRs for Traditional and Anytime are essentially the same. We have not been on the Island yet (will be in March 2014), but we love AD on other ships.

[aquilegia]

'Upscale venues' in this context just means the main dining rooms (MDRs), as distinct from eg the buffet. I suppose that they are expressing it like this to indicate that Anytime Dining is a flexible option, not a casual one. You get the same food and formal nights as you do with Traditional Dining, the only difference is that you do not have to dine at a set time or at an allocated table.

[skynight]

Has anyone tried the "Anytime Dining" option? We are sailing on the Island Princess and may prefer to try it out. However, we need to know what is meant by "upscale venues".

 

"*Anytime Dining offers a flexible dining experience – just like a restaurant would – and gives you the freedom to dine with whomever you wish, at your convenience between 5:30 p.m. and 10 p.m. in elegant, upscale venues."

 

We have been on both the Island and her sister ship the Coral. The Island has two main DR’s, located mid ship, the Provence, deck 6, and the Bordeaux, deck 5. One of these will be for traditional dining, most likely the Provence, and the other for ATD. They are the same layout and the same menu. The passenger demographic will determine how smoothly ATD operates. When there is a large demand for early traditional seating, normally cruises with lots of older people, the staff usually places the overflow into the ATD room. This limits the amount of chairs available for those Anytime diners wishing to eat early. Our experience on both the Island and Coral is if you wish to dine late, no problems, but if you wish to dine early call the dine line (number in the Princess Patter) and make a reservation each day. Also, tables for 2 are more difficult to get than tables to share. We always request a table to share as we like to meet different people throughout the cruise.

 

 

Upscale has no special meaning as applied to ATD. I would think Princess believes all their dining is upscale.

 

Other options for dinner are the Horizon Ct. buffet, Trident Grill, Prego’s Pizza and the 2 surcharge restaurants Sabatini’s and The Bayou Steakhouse, $25pp surcharge.

[dorisis]

you will dine in a dining room similar to the traditional one. But you choose the time and with whom you will dine. It isn't really upscale from traditional. it will be the same menu and the same service. The special restaurants might be considered upscale. There is a charge for those.

[Pam in CA]

You have either Traditional (fixed seating) or Anytime (open seating) dining and are assigned either one or the other. They have the same menu and dress code. The primary difference is dining time. If you have Traditional dining, then you would go to the Traditional dining room at the time you are assigned. If you have Anytime, you can go whenever you want but just as with a popular restaurant at home, you may have to wait for a table.

[Holomoku]

Has anyone tried the "Anytime Dining" option? We are sailing on the Island Princess and may prefer to try it out. However, we need to know what is meant by "upscale venues".

 

"*Anytime Dining offers a flexible dining experience – just like a restaurant would – and gives you the freedom to dine with whomever you wish, at your convenience between 5:30 p.m. and 10 p.m. in elegant, upscale venues."

 

Since we tried AD several cruises ago we will not go back to TD. We love just walking up and saying "2 to share". Meeting new people each evening is fun and going when we are ready is even better!:D

[Cruisin' Chick]

Upscale just means the MDR. It's just a term.

 

Personally, as some others, I prefer traditional. Is there ever a Princess cruise on which there's not a waitlist for traditional?

[Pam in CA]

Personally' date=' as some others, I prefer traditional. Is there ever a Princess cruise on which there's not a waitlist for traditional?[/quote']As do I. I've tried Anytime several times and the long waits of up to 45-60 minutes isn't for me, nor was it really "any time." Much prefer Tradition where I can just walk in, go to my table without a wait and my servers have my iced tea waiting. :)

[paul929207]

Upscale just means the MDR. It's just a term.

 

Personally' date=' as some others, I prefer traditional. Is there ever a Princess cruise on which there's not a waitlist for traditional?[/quote']

Not sure if there is a waitlist on the little girls since they only have TD. :)

 

But other than that I have not heard of the ship sailing with space available in TD.

[yiew]

I cruised on island princess in early jun, did anytime dining at Bordeaux dining room on deck 5. Our experience was great! Always got a table for two. We did a mixture of calling dine lines on sea days n walk in on port days. We're seated almost immediately. Our usual dine times r between 6-645. The crowds came ard 7. So there were usually queues frm 7-8...hope it helps!

 

After 1+month, husband and i stil miss the food on island princess!!!

[Holomoku]

As do I. I've tried Anytime several times and the long waits of up to 45-60 minutes isn't for me, nor was it really "any time." Much prefer Tradition where I can just walk in, go to my table without a wait and my servers have my iced tea waiting. :)

 

On our last cruise on the first night there was a line just after they opened, but that is the only one we have ever seen. We always have just walked right up or been behind maybe six or seven others and get right in in 3 or 4 min. Then too we go to eat anywhere between 1815 hrs. and 1900 hrs. so maybe that is why we never hit a line. On that first night on the last cruise we were given a beeper, but then had only walked about 100' away when it went off. So even then it was only a 5 min. wait. :D

[caribill]

Not sure if there is a waitlist on the little girls since they only have TD. :)

 

 

Yes, there is a waitlist on the little girls.

 

Some who may want late (or early) may find their choice full and be assigned to the other time and placed on the waitlist for the one they want.

 

That has happened to us.

[rocknie1234]

If you selected Anytime Dining do the dress codes for Formal Nights apply? Our group selected the ATD so we wouldn't have to dress up beyond resort casual for dinner.

[1025cruise]

Yes, dress codes are the same in the MDRs, whether in traditional or ATD. If you wish to dress in resort casual, you can enjoy a nice dinner at the buffet.

[paul929207]

If you selected Anytime Dining do the dress codes for Formal Nights apply? Our group selected the ATD so we wouldn't have to dress up beyond resort casual for dinner.

Yes, the dress code and the menu is the same for TD and AD

[OCruisers]

We never had to wait or get a beeper ... but we are "Easy" ... will share and take any size table with any waiter. :)

 

LuLu

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[Husky61]

If you selected Anytime Dining do the dress codes for Formal Nights apply? Our group selected the ATD so we wouldn't have to dress up beyond resort casual for dinner.

 

I don't enjoy wearing a suit and tie or a tux, so I wear a sport coat with no tie. Never had a problem.:)

[Pam in CA]

If you selected Anytime Dining do the dress codes for Formal Nights apply? Our group selected the ATD so we wouldn't have to dress up beyond resort casual for dinner.

Your TA misinformed you. There's no difference in dress between Anytime and Traditional dining. You might be able to get away with smart casual but very few people dress less than "dressy." I almost never see gentlemen in anything less than a suit on formal nights. That might not be someone else's experience but that's mine. If I don't feel like getting dressed up, I either go to a specialty restaurant or the buffet. I never feel as though I'm "settling" for the buffet. It's my choice whether to dress up or not.

[OCruisers]

The dress codes for Traditional and Anytime Dining are exactly the same.

 

LuLu

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[ChiefBoats]

We always sign up for anytime dinning. On the Island/Coral Princess you will dine in the Bordeaux dinning room. We always make a reservation once we find a Waite staff we like, then we request their tables each night. You can make reservation after 8:00 AM each day. We have never had a problem on any of our cruises.

 

__________________________

Previous Cruises

Alaska 2008 – Island Princess

Alaska 2009 – Island Princess

Alaska 2010 – Royal Princess

Alaska 2011 – Golden Princess

Alaska 2012 – Star Princess

Panama Canal 2012 – Coral Princess

Western Caribbean – Crown Princess

Alaska 2013 – Island Princess

 

Future Cruises

Western Caribbean 2013 – Caribbean Princess

Southern Caribbean 2014 – Royal Princess

[Cruisin' Chick]

Our one (and hopefully only) time with anytime, we only had one real wait of about 20 minutes (getting the beeper) for a table. We did have some waits in line to get to the front. We only went to the MDR half of the two weeks on that cruise and went to the Horizon the other nights. We did go to the MDR for the three formal nights as it doesn't bother hubby to put on a suit and tie (he does for work anyway) and for me to wear a cocktail dress.

 

We just didn't feel a.d. is anything special as it just feels like going to a restaurant back home. To us, t.d. is something unique to cruising. And we don't have to fuss with making reservations to dine at a specific time as some are saying; as Pam said, you just go to the dining room and your table at dinner time. No decisions to make as to where and when to eat.