Set for Trad. Dining, but what if we want Anytime Dining one night?

[Thrak]

Hey, keep in mind I'm NEW TO PRINCESS, and I ASKED. I didn't do it, I wanted to know what ALL my options are should the situation come up (not that I expect it to) .

 

You're absolutely right it's unfair, but I didn't know the deal when I asked the question-- and that is exactly why I asked. Now I know. I assure you I will either be at my scheduled LTD, one of the specialty restaurants, the buffet or room service.

 

I guess I'd better get some armor for the hot can of worms I innocently opened here. I thought someone had to mention smoking to get this kind of anger out of the CCers! :eek:

 

 

Sorry. I was actually not peeved with you but with the people who say "sure, it's fine". I appreciate that you bothered to ask the question and regret my hasty (and snippy) answer.

 

Welcome to CC and to Princess and don't let one "crabby old man moment" make give you the impression this isn't a helpful place.

[cr8tiv1]

I've solved this problem with friends of mine who have either had AD or TD and would like to dine with me. I am usually on an early TD on a table of 6. Several times, my table mates would prefer a speciality restaurant, etc. Most (not all) have the common courtesy to let the table mates and wait staff know that they will not be there on a certain night. I have asked the appropriate people if I may invite another couple to join our table. It has always worked out (if you can do it in a kindly manner).

 

So go out and make some new friends. Who knows, they may ask you to join them for an early dinner.

[SheriffJoe]

regardless of what the curmudgeons here say and keep in mind only about 5% of cruisers are on CC if you want to try alternative and its not during the rush then go for it! Since you have late TD I would assume you would want an early dinner so if you go right when Alternative opens you will get immediately seated and wont be making anyone wait. Oh and feel free to smuggle as much booze on board as well! Smoke em if ya got em! :eek: :D

[shredie]

I am never doing Anytime dining. ;) The grief is not worth it! :D

[meinkeb]

Ask the Matre' D or Headwaiter. We met friends that were signed up for Anytime and our Headwaiter had no problems with our friends joining us at late seating or vice versa and joining them at Anytime...

 

You also have the alternative of eating in Horizon Court. Unless it's lobster night, you can generally get the same food in the buffet as in the Dining Room. We do this maybe once a cruise. Lot's the the entertainers eat dinner at the buffet and are usually very personable and approachable.

[CI66774]

I loved AD. Never had to wait once!

[CurlyGold]

Thanks everyone.

 

Went on my first cruise last April. CCers were fantastic answering my questions (even the ones I didn't personally ask, and the ones I didn't know to ask!). How cool to have everything unfold just like all the CCers said it would!!! No stress, no worries!

 

Went on my second cruise last May, and thanks to CCers, I was more informed on what to do and when and where on our ship than many of the much more experienced cruisers in our group were (I knew where the "secret" doors were!!! :D).

 

Now preparing for my third cruise next month (first on Princess), and I truly do appreciate what I've learned from the wonderful people on the CC forums.

 

To those that got a little upset with this topic-- I completely understand. You weren't upset with me, it was the topic. That's totally cool, and I appreciate your input very much.

 

I just want to thank ALL of you for taking your time to help me with this information and your personal experiences.

 

Rhonda

[LeeW]

Didn't see any comment on this by others, but on Princess ships the buffets do serve roughly the same menu as in the main dining rooms in the evening, and sometimes it is even table service rather than a buffet.

 

So if you liked a particular offering at dinner and wanted a second helping (like one of the souffle's) you can usually head for the buffet.

[AtlantaCruiser72]

The problem here is not the passengers themselves but rather Princess. Every other cruise line I have sailed that offers both traditional fixed dining and open seating dining does one simple thing....... When you arrive at the host stand they ask your cabin number and input it into the computer. They can quickly see if you are on an assigned seating and will gently remind passengers of such. If Princess could follow this simple procedure (which they are equipped to do) then it would benefit those of us who choose ATD and wish to eat at peak times.

 

I have seen staff on other cruise lines offer passengers requesting to eat at the open seating the chance to dine after a certain time, usually 8:30 or later (subject to availability) to allow all of those who are assigned to the open seating a chance of a table at a peak period. This way early traditional diners who arrive back late from shore, or other factors, can still eat in the MDR without inconveniencing other passengers. Royal, Carnival, Celebrity and HAL all handle this very well. There is no reason Princess cannot do the same.

[sonnenschein]

I am never doing Anytime dining. ;) The grief is not worth it! :D

 

good for you, enjoy your TD dining experience, I on the other hand love ATD, hate to be told when to eat by a scheduled time. We usually eat after 7:30 and have never waited longer than a few minutes to be seated.

[shredie]

good for you, enjoy your TD dining experience, I on the other hand love ATD, hate to be told when to eat by a scheduled time. We usually eat after 7:30 and have never waited longer than a few minutes to be seated.

 

I have heard that ATD works for some people, but you wouldn't know it reading this board!;);):D

[caribill]

The problem here is not the passengers themselves but rather Princess. Every other cruise line I have sailed that offers both traditional fixed dining and open seating dining does one simple thing....... When you arrive at the host stand they ask your cabin number and input it into the computer. They can quickly see if you are on an assigned seating and will gently remind passengers of such. If Princess could follow this simple procedure (which they are equipped to do) then it would benefit those of us who choose ATD and wish to eat at peak times.

 

 

No need to use a computer. Just look at the cruise card. It will indicate if a passenger has traditional or anytime.

[caribill]

Didn't see any comment on this by others, but on Princess ships the buffets do serve roughly the same menu as in the main dining rooms in the evening, and sometimes it is even table service rather than a buffet.

 

So if you liked a particular offering at dinner and wanted a second helping (like one of the souffle's) you can usually head for the buffet.

 

Never table service in the buffet. They may have tablecloths and cloth napkins, but you still go through the buffet line to get your food. (This does not include specialty restaurants in the buffet area such as the Crab Shack which does have table service.)

 

Also, if you want a second helping of anything in the dining room, just ask. They will bring you as many souffles (or anything else) as you can eat.

[erber]

We have always chosen anytime dining on Princess cruises and enjoy the flexibility. On some cruises our cruise card has been checked to insure we have anytime dining. We have found, however, that it is not a consistent practice. I am not sure why it is not done routinely as it would address the problem of traditional diners switching to anytime and causing additional congestion in the anytime dining room.

[AKman2495]

We've also done anytime dining exclusively. But on two specific occasions, the dining room was so crowded that when a group three couples all showed up there wanting to share, they actually took us upstairs to the alternate TD dining room in the middle of the TD service. Seems that had a coupe of empty tables up there....I wonder where those people could have been?????

[caribill]

they actually took us upstairs to the alternate TD dining room in the middle of the TD service. Seems that had a coupe of empty tables up there....I wonder where those people could have been?????

 

a) It could be that that seating had never been fully booked

b) Even in traditional dining, passengers will some nights go to the buffet or a specialty restaurant

c) Some who book TD only go on formal evenings, so their tables are available other evenings.

d) Some who book TD only go on smart casual evenings, so their tables are available on formal evenings

e) Some new to cruising are put into TD by their travel agent, but think they have to pay extra to dine there and never show up.

[fishywood]

Had to respond to this in particular-- I am really shocked that there are long waits at ATD for someone who signed up for ATD. That is so not fair! I had no idea.

 

I've only cruised twice before. First on NCL, it's all ATD, and as long as we didn't show up 6:30-8pm, we didn't have a wait time at all. The wait time at 7pm was about 20 minutes. Second cruise on Carnival, but we were part of a huge group and wanted our assigned time to be able to see our friends. I've had absolutely no experience with TD vs ATD.

 

Thank you very much! Glad now I signed up for LTD and have been confirmed (and hope that stays confirmed!!!).

 

First, welcome to Princess and I'm sure your selection of late traditional dining will work out fine.

 

But I would like to respond by saying that on the Princess cruises that we chose ATD we never had to wait as long as most nights on the NCL Norwegian Star last year. The first night of the cruise we decided to go to the 7 PM show and have dinner afterwards--and at 8:15 were quoted a 45 minute wait at Aqua and a 60 minute wait at Versailles. Ended up eating much earlier than we preferred the rest of that cruise (other than the nights we did specialty restaurants). As per the other posts we have never waited more than 10-15 minutes for a table for two--and only once or twice not seated immediately if willing to share--even during peak times with Princess ATD.

[Cruisin' Chick]

We have signed up for Late Traditional Dining on our upcoming 11-day Coral Princess cruise. I am sure this timing will be best for us, but what if one night we're hungry early and still want the MDR experience? Can we go to the Anytime Dining room (and wait for a table to be available)? Would we need to make a reservation earlier in the day? Or would our only option for waiter service be Sabatini's and Cafe Bayou-- if they have a table available (I realize they might be full with reservations)?

 

I know the Early dining times are far more popular and it would likely not be easy for us to get in for even one night. But is it even possible?

 

First time Princess cruiser-- I haven't seen this addressed on the CC board.

 

TIA,

Rhonda

 

What we have often done is to go to the buffet (that's the Horizon Court on Princess ships) and have a quick little nosh in the mid-afternoon...and holds us over to our late dining seating. My hubby needs to have snacks occasionally (he brings granola bars and the soup fixings I prepare at night to work to keep the hunger pangs away) so this works for him. You can also go to the International Cafe (an open eatery of display cases which is now on most Princess ships and is usually located in the Piazza on Plaza deck with a whole array of light dishes and yummy desserts) to do the same. The Horizon is open from early morning to maybe about 11pm. The IC is open 24/7.

 

If we do miss our seating (only once I can think of in the last five cruises and that was when our daughter was feeling iffy), it's not a big deal for us to eat in the buffet. A couple of cruises ago we had to take Anytime as we never cleared the waitlist and we didn't care for it at all. It was a 14-day cruise and we ended up eating half of that time in the Horizon.

 

As for the specialty restaurants, it's very easy to get in as far as I know. Often the head waiter will ask early on in the cruise if you're interested, and he'll be happy to make a ressie. We have never considered going, but on our last cruise, we got a complimentary dinner (I had done someone a favor and apparently it made an impact) so the head waiter got us in the very next night (and there was just one other table in use). So if this is someplace you want to try, unless you are trying for a special occasion such as Valentines Day, or when several others are celebrating a special night...it's not a problem. We're not foodies so I doubt if we'll want to pay for it in the future.

[waltd]

Thanks so much for the quick responses, especially the link from Chrysalis to the earlier discussion on the topic. I'd searched the forum, but everything I saw was off the mark-- poor keyword search choice on my part.

 

I truly expect for every evening the LD to be perfect timing for us, but wondered what my options were if one night it was not, and we preferred not to do the buffet, as I've never been on a Princess cruise.

 

Thanks to all who responded.

 

Rhonda

 

I know that you would prefer not to eat in the buffet but I hope you give it a try one night. If you are able to go when the dinner buffet first opens we have found the food to be quite good. Always have some choice meats that they cut to order, some nights freshly made up pastas and lately Indian food that I really enjoy. Always a fish dish and so much more. Of course you would not want to go at 11 PM. By then not very good. This can change from ship to ship and chef to chef but we have been there many a formal night and were happy. Amazing how many people show up on formal night. I know everyone has different tastes and this is just my opinion. :)

[pablo222]

We have signed up for Late Traditional Dining on our upcoming 11-day Coral Princess cruise. I am sure this timing will be best for us, but what if one night we're hungry early and still want the MDR experience? Can we go to the Anytime Dining room (and wait for a table to be available)?

 

Just ask the head waiter at the door to be seated.

 

Keep in mind that if you arrive between 6:00 and 8:00, that is

prime time, and you might have a significant wait.

 

And, cruise critic is not the real world. If the issue of traditional

diners going to the anytime dining room were 1/100 as important

as some of the posters here make it out to be, Princess would

change it.

 

They way some of the people here act, you should probably

skip dessert and coffee, so you don't delay them in the anytime

line.

[Princess Patches]

Just ask the head waiter at the door to be seated.

 

Keep in mind that if you arrive between 6:00 and 8:00, that is

prime time, and you might have a significant wait.

 

And, cruise critic is not the real world. If the issue of traditional

diners going to the anytime dining room were 1/100 as important

as some of the posters here make it out to be, Princess would

change it.

 

They way some of the people here act, you should probably

skip dessert and coffee, so you don't delay them in the anytime

line.

 

This is the first sensible post on this thread and I think the first to actually answer than OP's question rather telling her what they want her to do. Yes, the Princess policy is that traditional diners may use the anytime dining room. Here is why. One of the primary reasons to cruise for quite a few passengers is the fine dining experience. If traditional diners cannot on occasion make their assigned dining time, generally due to a late shore excursion, they have no other complimentary option for a fine dining experience. You cannot enter the traditional dining room an hour late. Anytime diners do not have this problem. They can have the fine dining experience even after a late shore excursion.

 

The primary reason for wait times at anytime dining is most of the anytime diners wish to dine at the same peak time of about 6:30-8:00 and it is not due to a crush of traditional diners using the anytime dining on any given night. I never see large sections of the traditional dining room empty on any given night. Most traditional diners avoid anytime dining. They request traditional dining because they don't want to wait. Traditional diners are not eager to use the anytime dining rooms.

 

I am sure traditional diners would welcome any overflow from anytime diners. This does happen on occasion, because I know of a few anytime diners who have been seated in traditional dining due to the waits. However, this does not happen often due to logistics. At the time of the first and second seatings around 5:30 and at 8:00, there is no wait at anytime and therefore no reason to move anytime diners into empty seats in traditional. During the peak wait hour, the traditional dining room is in the middle of the first seating service and it is difficult to add people to empty seats during the middle of the meal.

 

There is no traditional dining on NCL ships and yet there are still long waits for the dining rooms during the peak hours, which certainly refutes the theory that traditional diners are the cause of the waits. The theory that the primary cause of wait times for anytime dining is traditional diners is theory ascribed to by a few CC posters and not by Princess. Since the implementation of anytime dining, Princess has allowed traditional diners this option.

 

If you wish to pursue this option, let your waiter know you will not be there at dinner and see the maitre d' before or after dinner and tell him you wish to use anytime dining the following night. The last time we did this about three years ago, he gave us a temporary anytime sticker to put on our cruise card for the following night.

[rpcv77]

These dining threads, like cabin choice threads, are always amusing. Regardless of the original question, people may jump on the op, regale us with stories of how good/bad their dining time choices have been etc. The reality is that this is a highly personal and subjective choice. It also can vary from cruise to cruise and we will clearly be colored by previous experiences. I have only cruised Princess 2x. I had traditional dining once and anytime once. Both were good experiences. I have chosen anytime for my next cruise. Will it be a good experience again? I sure hope so, but if not, I might try traditional again. Either way, I'm going to enjoy my cruise and I know I won't go hungry.

[caribill]

 

The primary reason for wait times at anytime dining is most of the anytime diners wish to dine at the same peak time of about 6:30-8:00 and it is not due to a crush of traditional diners using the anytime dining on any given night.

 

 

I agree there are not hordes of traditional diners on line at the anytime room, but if there is a line and even just two people from Traditional are eating the the anytime dining room, that means two people who signed up for anytime are waiting longer and they should not have to do so.

 

If those in traditional want to eat in anytime after 8 PM, it should not affect anyone who has signed up for anytime.

 

For the OP, traditional was at the late seating and they wanted to eat earlier, when anytime is most likely to have a waiting time. This is not a case of someone coming back from a late shore excursion and missing their assigned time.

 

OP was just asking the question and I am sure if hungry early will either eat a snack to tide them over or just eat at a different venue.

[pablo222]

I agree there are not hordes of traditional diners on line at the anytime room, but if there is a line and even just two people from Traditional are eating the the anytime dining room, that means two people who signed up for anytime are waiting longer and they should not have to do so.

 

After reading cruise critic for a while, what you describe is

an enjoyable part of my meal. Maybe I'll have another cup

of coffee...

[Lovetocruiseprincess]

Just ask the head waiter at the door to be seated.

 

Keep in mind that if you arrive between 6:00 and 8:00, that is

prime time, and you might have a significant wait.

 

And, cruise critic is not the real world. If the issue of traditional

diners going to the anytime dining room were 1/100 as important

as some of the posters here make it out to be, Princess would

change it.

 

They way some of the people here act, you should probably

skip dessert and coffee, so you don't delay them in the anytime

line.

 

This is very true. There's not a head waiter around that would deny a traditional diner eating in the anytime dining room. All the controversy comes from people on this board who feel their being made to wait additional time.

I'd still like to know what becomes of the empty seats in the traditional dining room when people switch out for anytime seating. I'd almost bet they empty for the remainder of the cruise.