Anytime dining

[md1jw]

I am due to travel on the Sea Princess on the 20th August, and note that I have been waitlisted on late traditional dining. If we do not get our choice of late dining, how easy is it to change to personal choice dining - would it be better to try and change now to anytime dining or is it worth our while to wait to see if we are accommodated - all depends on how easy it is to change when we are on board. Your replies would be appreciated.

thanks

Joan

[CruiseFever]

I am due to travel on the Sea Princess on the 20th August, and note that I have been waitlisted on late traditional dining. If we do not get our choice of late dining, how easy is it to change to personal choice dining - would it be better to try and change now to anytime dining or is it worth our while to wait to see if we are accommodated - all depends on how easy it is to change when we are on board. Your replies would be appreciated.

thanks

Joan

 

Hang in there

 

You can always change to Anytime Dining, going the other way is near impossible.

 

You might get lucky

 

But if you don't, it's not the end of the world. I was waitlisted at #85 before our Golden Princess sailing and thought I had "lost out" when we didn't get traditional dining. Turns out that it was possible to have a near-traditional dining experience by going early and requesting the same waiters and table every night via the Maitre d'.

 

On subsequent cruises we didn't even worry about it and have done it the near-traditional way and the way it is intended, going whenever and eating with whoever we wish, with equally pleasing results.

 

Still, I think it's a good idea to try for Traditional if you have any doubts at all as you can always switch. Just yesterday though I talked to some nice people who liked Anytime Dining but signed up for Traditional anyway with the idea that they could trade with someone that might not have been as "fortunate" as them on their Cruise Critic roll call. I think the intention is noble but I worry about that in the long run if there were a bunch that did it.

 

Have a fabulous cruise....just a few more days!

[Grumm]

We're also sailing on the 20th and have signed up for early sitting. We'll probably just use the Horizon Court, so there will be at least two spaces for you at 6.30, if you want.

 

 

Alan

[cruzinchris]

On subsequent cruises we didn't even worry about it and have done it the near-traditional way and the way it is intended, going whenever and eating with whoever we wish, with equally pleasing results.

 

I like that, Chris: "near-traditional." This is what DH and I have done on all but one of our Princess cruises (Golden did not accept reservations - January, 2003). We never had to wait for a table for two on that ship, though, as we almost always arrived at the dining room by 6:30.

 

Making standing reservations for "anytime" dining is the best of both worlds.

Chris

[md1jw]

Thanks for your responses. They are appreciated. I think we will go along with Cruisefever's suggestion and see what happens. In the past we have always dined early on traditional, but with a 14 year old daughter who seems to take longer doing her hair than I think most people spend having a complete makeover, I thought that it would be better to allow as much time as possible - that way, I might be in with a slim chance of using the shower!! We are waitlisted as no 74, so you never know. Can't believe how quickly the time is going now - can't wait!! Hopefully the actual cruise won't be passing by as fast!

Thanks again

Joan

[donna5]

I am due to travel on the Sea Princess on the 20th August, and note that I have been waitlisted on late traditional dining. If we do not get our choice of late dining, how easy is it to change to personal choice dining - would it be better to try and change now to anytime dining or is it worth our while to wait to see if we are accommodated - all depends on how easy it is to change when we are on board. Your replies would be appreciated.

thanks

Joan

You don't have to change. If you don't get off the waiting list, the default is Anytime.

[md1jw]

Thanks donna5. That is very useful to know.

Regards

Joan

[montgomeryfamily]

Anyone who has been assigned traditional seating but has decided to in the Horizon Court, Caribe Cafe, or anytime dining while on the ship instead of using the traditional seating should either change now with your TA to anytime dining or go to the Maitre D and have your seating changed from traditional seating to anytime dining. Otherwise those chairs will sit empty in the dining room the entire week and people who want traditional seating won't be able to use those empty chairs as they are "saved" for whoever is assigned them, regardless of whether those passengers ever show up. :(

 

So please be kind to the other passengers and go ahead and change now or change when you get onboard if you have decided to go the non-traditional dining route for the cruise :)

[md1jw]

Well said. We always advise our waiter if we intend eating elsewhere (like if we have a late shore excursion), so that he can advise our other tablemates (if we haven't been able to do so), so that we do not disrupt his routine. Seems only polite to me.

Regards

Joan

[Starbright]

Just because someone who has Traditional Dining decides to go to Horizon Court every night doesn't mean that someone else will be able to use their table. Everyone has to show their cruise card at the entrance to the dining room, and if they're not allocated to Traditional Dining then they aren't allowed in.

[vmom]

Starbright

 

There are many on the waiting list for traditional dining. By officially switching to personal dining, it allows those people on the waiting list to be able to switch to trad. dining which was their first perference.

 

On the first day or two a number of people on the waiting list do ask to be switched to trad dining. If those with trad. dining officially switch over to PC it allows the people on the waiting list to be placed at those tables. Therefore...those tables will not be sitting empty...they will be used by those who were on the waiting list for trad. dining.

[shonandsuzie]

Doesn't it seem like they should automatically cancel the traditional seat for people who "no-show" for the first couple nights? I think that is extremely selfish! I can see missing 1 night but after that, it seems obvious that they have found something they like better.:mad:

[calikak]

On our last cruise, I was part of a group of 6 (DH, two friends, and my parents) and we were put at a table for 8. The other two people at the table never showed up. The second night, the Maitre'D came by and asked for all our cabin numbers, so he could figure out who it was that wasn't showing up to traditional dining and ask if they wanted to switch to Anytime, so folks on the waitlist could join us. But I guess they decided they didn't want to give up their traditional spot, because they never came to dinner, and nobody replaced them. Seems kind of selfish to me to save a place in traditional that you never once use.

 

One night, we invited a couple of friends who had PC dining to join us, since by then, we knew the other people at our table wouldn't show up (this was like 6 nights into a 10-night sailing). It happened to be cherries jubilee night, so we were very glad we invited our friends from PC that night, because they didn't do cherries jubilee in anytime dining (or so our other friends told us).

[Starbright]

Starbright

 

There are many on the waiting list for traditional dining. By officially switching to personal dining, it allows those people on the waiting list to be able to switch to trad. dining which was their first perference.

 

On the first day or two a number of people on the waiting list do ask to be switched to trad dining. If those with trad. dining officially switch over to PC it allows the people on the waiting list to be placed at those tables. Therefore...those tables will not be sitting empty...they will be used by those who were on the waiting list for trad. dining.

 

I appreciate that, but the previous poster seemed to imply that they were booked on traditional dining, but intended to dine in the Horizon Court most nights, therefore they wouldn't actually be freeing up their table to allow someone else to have it. They would just not be turning up on certain nights in the dining room because they felt like eating at the buffet.

 

If they don't want to use their traditional dining reservation, then they should say so right from the start and allow someone from the waitlist to have it.

[middy]

Tried open dining last cruise, no option only thing they did. Much prefer late sitting. Currently no 8 on wait list for Sun november cruise. Fingers crossed.:)

I have to admit that If I don't make it past the waiting list, then I would not be amused to see empty seats in the dining room.

[middy]

Hi :)

Improved to No 6 on list. Theres hope as not sailing till november.:)

[Laurab23]

After reading all the posts,I am still confused about personal choice. If I do PC,can I still eat later in the evening,say around 8.Do I make reservations ahead of time.Can I just show up every night and request the same table waiter and table if I really like them the first night.Can I request different size tables.I've always had traditional late seating and I would like to try PC but "I just don't get it". HELP!

 

Laura

[CruiseFever]

We do have a way of complicating things...

 

Basically you CAN eat whenever you want to and with whoever you want to....you just might have to wait if your request does not match what's available at the time.

 

If you want a 2 top and they are all occupied you'll have to wait

If you want a specific waiter and he's all full, you'll have to wait

 

This works much the same way as a land based restaurant works

 

Does that make sense?

[Laurab23]

Yes,I understand it better now.Thank you so much. You are a wealth of information,no matter what name you go under. I know you were a true-blue Carnival person (like me) and did Princess. How do you conpare the two? I am very anxious to try Princess and I'm sure I'll love it. I just love to cruise,doesn't matter what cruise line,but I've only known Carnival.

 

Laura

[CruiseFever]

Yes,I understand it better now.Thank you so much. You are a wealth of information,no matter what name you go under. I know you were a true-blue Carnival person (like me) and did Princess. How do you conpare the two? I am very anxious to try Princess and I'm sure I'll love it. I just love to cruise,doesn't matter what cruise line,but I've only known Carnival.

 

Laura

 

I've tried to respond to this three times and this site keeps freezing up but here goes one more time

 

I think you'd like Princess, they do a good job. I just don't feel comfortable saying one is "better" than the other though. To say Princess is "nicer" or Carnival is "more fun" would be tough for me to do. I've had some of the best food ever on the Carnival Legend and some of the most fun ever at Skywalkers on Princess.

 

There are some easy to identify differences like Carnival has Funvision, a better kids program and a fleet of uniquely different ships. But Princess goes to a lot more places, rules the Embarkation process and does a better job of breaking up huge open spaces on deck.

 

But they're each worthy of your cruise dollars!

[margu1241]

Joan,

You mentioned you were cruising with a 14 yo-you might want to rethink late seating if she is planning on taking part in the teen activities. When we were on Diamond last spring, most activities started around 8:00. We had personal choice and ate early most nights so that my two teens wouldn't miss their activities.

Patty

[herb]

Joan, I would like to hear every little detail about the SEA PRINCESS. We've never sailed Princess before and we're so excited about our cruise, even though it's not till next summer. But that's ok,lots of planning to do.

 

We chose Personal Choice for dining. We're not interested whether or not the waiter gets to know our wishes and remembers that we like Cappuccino or tea etc. We want the flexibility of deciding what time we want to eat.

 

We booked a DD category..... cabin C 301..... Maybe you can peek into that cabin one day for me while they're cleaning and check it out ;)

 

Have a wonderful time on your cruise!!

herb

[md1jw]

Hello Herb,

Just found a way to look at all of my responses to threads! Sorry this is late. When we arrived, were still on early sitting, so we went down straight away to speak with the Maitre'd. He was great and changed us straight away to late sitting. No problem at all, but would recommend going as soon as you can, as I believe it was very busy later. Were on a table for 6, unfortunately our table mates only turned up a few times (must be us!), it would seem that they ate mostly in the Horizon as one of the party did not bring "posh" clothes and they felt out of place, shame really, as I don't think anyone would have said anything - we certainly wouldn't. They even didn't go to see the champagne fountain, as they thought they weren't "allowed". Sea Princess was good, although, I think the attention to detail wasn't as slick as some of the lines I have been on. Food was fantastic - couldn't fault it at all. Portions in the evening quite small, but with so many courses, and wonderful puddings, was plenty for me. There were some empty table at night, but these were filled after about 20 minutes by I suppose anytime diners. No one joined our table - shame really as we like speaking with different people. Daughter didn't join the teens club, couldn't get to the bottom of why, but we didn't make an issue of it. Shows reasonable - sorry to say, they were nothing spectacular, although we couldn't fault the enthusiasm of the performers. Didn't get a look at your cabin. We were in an inside one on Caribe Deck (deck 9), which was good, and very comparable to other cruise lines. Shower very good and powerful and very easy to control - I was really impressed with the shower!! Sad I know. Dining room steward Simon and Steward Jose were wonderful!! MUTS were great. We had little machines and earphones for daytime (be careful, not all of them work - we had to try a few first), but at night they are not needed. During the day though, they mostly played rubbish (Cricket and football matches were transmitted regularly through the day - what our American colleagues thought of this I don't know!). I thought they could have improved on this during the day, but it was not at all intrusive. I seemed to have gone on a bit, but if anyone has any questions, please let me know.

Regards

Joan