Anytime Dining Reservations

[Richard]

Can you make Anytime Dining reservations before you board and if you can, how do you do it? I know you can on Celebrity.

Richard

[Pam in CA]

Can you make Anytime Dining reservations before you board and if you can, how do you do it? I know you can on Celebrity.

No. After boarding, call the DINE line.

 

Princess ships are inconsistent when it comes to accepting reservations. It's up to the Maitre d' and some do, some don't, some allow reservations before 6 and after 8pm, some for any time during the evening, etc. Some allow you to reserve the same table at the same time for the whole cruise, some for just that night. And every combination of these. :(

[Stevesan]

No. After boarding, call the DINE line.

 

Princess ships are inconsistent when it comes to accepting reservations. It's up to the Maitre d' and some do, some don't, some allow reservations before 6 and after 8pm, some for any time during the evening, etc. Some allow you to reserve the same table at the same time for the whole cruise, some for just that night. And every combination of these. :(

 

That was the case with Caribbean Princess last month.

I say: good on him!!!

[Bogof1]

We were on the crown last year doing anytime dining. We loved our location and wait staff so when we left the first evening asked the maitre'd if e could sit there the following night, yes was the reply and by the 4 th night our "table" was ready for us every night... You give them respect and they will accommodate your wishes

[Pam in CA]

We were on the crown last year doing anytime dining. We loved our location and wait staff so when we left the first evening asked the maitre'd if e could sit there the following night, yes was the reply and by the 4 th night our "table" was ready for us every night... You give them respect and they will accommodate your wishes

Great experience but not the case or possible on every ship as the policy is up to the Maitre d'. In both January and March on the Sapphire, they were refusing all reservations, even when calling at 7:30am for that evening or asking the Maitre d' politely for one as we left the dining room. Maybe I should have bribed him but I feel that shouldn't be necessary or make a difference. I'm not more important than someone else.

[Colo Cruiser]

Can you make Anytime Dining reservations before you board and if you can, how do you do it? I know you can on Celebrity.

Richard

 

If you have any special requests its best to talk with the MD on embarkation day at the time/place listed in the Patter.

[PrincessLuver]

Great experience but not the case or possible on every ship as the policy is up to the Maitre d'. In both January and March on the Sapphire, they were refusing all reservations, even when calling at 7:30am for that evening or asking the Maitre d' politely for one as we left the dining room. Maybe I should have bribed him but I feel that shouldn't be necessary or make a difference. I'm not more important than someone else.

 

We have found that when the Maitre d's allow reservations for anytime dinning that it really makes others have to wait and seems to create long lines because the tables they planned on being available when the signed people up are no longer there.

 

Heck, if people need a set table at a set time then it would seem that Assigned Dinning would do just fine. We see this all the time on Princess ships and it seems to become very abusive when the reservation line is quite a bit longer then the Anytime Dinning line, which IMHO defeats the whole concept of Anytime Dining.

 

I highly support Maitre d's who do not allow reservations for the same people, at the same table at the same time during Anytime Dinning. :)

[Stevesan]

We were on the crown last year doing anytime dining. We loved our location and wait staff so when we left the first evening asked the maitre'd if e could sit there the following night, yes was the reply and by the 4 th night our "table" was ready for us every night... You give them respect and they will accommodate your wishes

 

$espect has priority!:p

[akeasley]

From my own experience, this was something I really liked on HAL that I have not found on Princess. On my HAL cruise, the dining staff let us use the same table every night if we wanted. On Princess, I call the DINE line every morning at 8 am to ask for a table for 2, and end up with a different table every night with different wait staff.

 

I don't want to switch to Traditional Dining, but it would be nice if you could ask for the same table as you're leaving the dining room each evening.

[Seafoam Green]

We had anytime dining on the Emerald in February. Two dining rooms are used, but one is also for first seating traditional.

 

It seemed that almost everyone showed up at the main anytime dining room at 7:30 nightly. I started making reservations. Then one of the hosts recommended the other room, where there was never a crowd. We had dinner there in a room that was never even close to full capacity. Reservations were never needed, and the other room always had a long line and a wait...:confused:

 

:D

[Loonbeam]

You can usually request a specific server when you call if you can be a tad flexible. For example, we really liked on server on the Island, so when I called in the morning to make that day's res, I asked what times were available for one of her tables. Usually there was something within 15 mins either way of my original plan. Tables for 2 might be a bit more scarce, we always share.

 

From my own experience, this was something I really liked on HAL that I have not found on Princess. On my HAL cruise, the dining staff let us use the same table every night if we wanted. On Princess, I call the DINE line every morning at 8 am to ask for a table for 2, and end up with a different table every night with different wait staff.

 

I don't want to switch to Traditional Dining, but it would be nice if you could ask for the same table as you're leaving the dining room each evening.

[akeasley]

You can usually request a specific server when you call if you can be a tad flexible. For example, we really liked on server on the Island, so when I called in the morning to make that day's res, I asked what times were available for one of her tables. Usually there was something within 15 mins either way of my original plan. Tables for 2 might be a bit more scarce, we always share.

 

 

That's true...I'll have to try it next time. Sometimes it can be hard to find a good table for two. I prefer the ones that aren't two inches from another table for two.

[Colo Cruiser]

I don't want to switch to Traditional Dining, but it would be nice if you could ask for the same table as you're leaving the dining room each evening.

 

 

Kinda defeats the purpose doesn't it?

[pusywillow]

Kinda defeats the purpose doesn't it?

 

Exactly! IMO if you are anytime, reservations should not be taken. First come, first served, should be the policy.

[lexdisic]

We are assigned ATD on the Golden South America itinerary as we find traditional either too early or too late. We are not worried about reserving a table, but when is the best time to arrive ? We prefer around 7.30 but that depends on the pre-dinner drinks & conversation, so are flexible to avoid waiting in lines

[fishywood]

We are assigned ATD on the Golden South America itinerary as we find traditional either too early or too late. We are not worried about reserving a table, but when is the best time to arrive ? We prefer around 7.30 but that depends on the pre-dinner drinks & conversation, so are flexible to avoid waiting in lines

 

Your best bet is to get to ATD before any early show lets out, which would be around 7:30 to 7:45. Similar to the Med, on South America cruises passengers tend to dine later; second sitting tradtional will very likely be sold out. I learned this the hard way on my SA cruise (not on Princess) where every night from 8 to 8:30 there would be easily 50 to 60 parties queued up at the door.

[akeasley]

Exactly! IMO if you are anytime, reservations should not be taken. First come, first served, should be the policy.

 

 

 

Well, I disagree and we're all allowed our own opinions.

[marjosagb]

Princess compares Anytime dining to dining in a restaurant.

 

Some land based restaurants do take reservations, some don't.

 

Taking a limited number of reservations each day is IMO an ideal situation.

[StickInsect]

We had anytime dining on the Emerald in February. Two dining rooms are used, but one is also for first seating traditional.

 

It seemed that almost everyone showed up at the main anytime dining room at 7:30 nightly. I started making reservations. Then one of the hosts recommended the other room, where there was never a crowd. We had dinner there in a room that was never even close to full capacity. Reservations were never needed, and the other room always had a long line and a wait...:confused:

 

:D

 

So which one is the less popular? - would be useful to know. Thanks

[caribill]

We are assigned ATD on the Golden South America itinerary as we find traditional either too early or too late. We are not worried about reserving a table, but when is the best time to arrive ? We prefer around 7.30 but that depends on the pre-dinner drinks & conversation, so are flexible to avoid waiting in lines

 

Anytime means you show up when you wish to dine. Over 1500 of your new best friends will do the same. It is hard to predict what time people on a future cruise will decide it is time to eat dinner. If many of them prefer the same time you do, there will be a line and a wait. If most prefer a different time, there will be little or no wait.

[lexdisic]

Anytime means you show up when you wish to dine. Over 1500 of your new best friends will do the same. It is hard to predict what time people on a future cruise will decide it is time to eat dinner. If many of them prefer the same time you do, there will be a line and a wait. If most prefer a different time, there will be little or no wait.

 

Thanks, but I did work that one out myself - was looking for some useful pointers as fishywood suggested - thanks fishywood

[PrincessLuver]

Exactly! IMO if you are anytime, reservations should not be taken. First come, first served, should be the policy.

 

I agree and when I see it becoming a problem on the ships we have been on I have no problem writing up the Maitre D' and deleting part of the tip. :cool:

[Woobstr112G]

We have found that when the Maitre d's allow reservations for anytime dinning that it really makes others have to wait and seems to create long lines because the tables they planned on being available when the signed people up are no longer there.

 

Heck, if people need a set table at a set time then it would seem that Assigned Dinning would do just fine. We see this all the time on Princess ships and it seems to become very abusive when the reservation line is quite a bit longer then the Anytime Dinning line, which IMHO defeats the whole concept of Anytime Dining.

 

I highly support Maitre d's who do not allow reservations for the same people, at the same table at the same time during Anytime Dinning. :)

 

 

I totally agree.....:):):)

 

Bob

[Woobstr112G]

Kinda defeats the purpose doesn't it?

 

Yup.....:):D:)

 

Bob

[Stevesan]

I agree and when I see it becoming a problem on the ships we have been on I have no problem writing up the Maitre D' and deleting part of the tip. :cool:

 

Tips are allocated equally to all eligible recipients. There's no provision for targeting a specific crew member.

At any rate, I seriously doubt the Maitre 'D shares in the auto tips.