I've searched this forum & can't find an answer to my question!

[kathy1305]

I'm sure this has been answered in the past but I just can't find it:

We have chosen the late dining. We are assigned a dining time of 8:15 pm. My question is how late can we get away with arriving at our table? Is there a designated time that the dining rooms close for the evening? If anyone has had any experience, I'm all ears. We are sailing on the Golden in May.

[chrysalis]

You should be on time....if there are others assigned to your table with you, the waiter will generally wait until all are seated.

 

If you times are going to vary, you should probably switch to anytime dining.

Edited March 8, 2015 by chrysalis

[Pam in CA]

If your dining time is 8:00 or 8:15pm, that's the time you're expected to go to dinner, give or take a few minutes. Arriving later means that if you're at a table with others, they'll be kept waiting until you show up. If you have your own table, arriving later throws off the service for the other tables in your waitstaff's area. The reason is that your Assistant Waiter gets in line in the kitchen to pick up appetizers, then soup, then salad, etc. If you arrive late, they have to get back in line for courses already served to other tables. Timing is thrown off and those who arrived on time will find themselves waiting for their later courses.

 

If you don't think you can make the late fixed seating time, you should probably consider Anytime dining.

[Thrak]

I'm sure this has been answered in the past but I just can't find it:

We have chosen the late dining. We are assigned a dining time of 8:15 pm. My question is how late can we get away with arriving at our table? Is there a designated time that the dining rooms close for the evening? If anyone has had any experience, I'm all ears. We are sailing on the Golden in May.

 

Be on time! Your entire table can be hung up waiting for you to arrive as the waiters like to serve the entire table at once. Unless you were assigned to a table for two you could make a bunch of table mates (as well as your waiter) quite unhappy. If you wanted to have a variable dining time you should have chosen anytime dining and not traditional dining. You should be able to change this in your cruise personalizer. Otherwise it can be changed the first night onboard.

Edited March 8, 2015 by Thrak

[4x4bob]

And, to add to what Pam stated.

 

If you decide to switch to Anytime, notify Princess now or the Matrie D the first day on the ship. If you leave your reservation in place while you just go to anytime, people at your table will suffer while waiting for you to show up.

 

Bob

[paul929207]

As the other said, be on time.

[dmwnc1959]

As Pam has explained quite well, being late not only upsets the delicate balance of the ordering/delivery process of the food from the kitchen for the other guests at your table, but all of the other tables your waiter and asst waiter are responsible for as well.

 

And being late is just plain rude.

 

As others have said here, you are expected to be on time. Otherwise, chance your dining time, or eat at the buffet. But don't expect to show up late, and be greeted with all smiles and being served in a timely manner. It won't happen.

 

:cool:

Edited March 8, 2015 by dmwnc1959

[M4dC0w]

If you kmow yiu will be a little late or not show up, inform your waitstaff and tablemates beforehand too to be respectfull. Dont be more than a few minutes late though

[shredie]

Traditional dining is not like a restaurant. It's more like going to dinner at your friend's house. Your host has given you a time to arrive.

[Thrak]

I'm sure this has been answered in the past but I just can't find it:

We have chosen the late dining. We are assigned a dining time of 8:15 pm. My question is how late can we get away with arriving at our table? Is there a designated time that the dining rooms close for the evening? If anyone has had any experience, I'm all ears. We are sailing on the Golden in May.

 

If you kmow yiu will be a little late or not show up, inform your waitstaff and tablemates beforehand too to be respectfull. Dont be more than a few minutes late though

 

Once in a while when we are booked for traditional dining we decide we won't be eating in MDR for one reason or another. We stop by the dining room earlier in the day to let them know we won't be there. It's not difficult to be polite.

[Colo Cruiser]

If you are not going to make it to dinner in time then switch to AT. :)

[Cruisin' Chick]

The first night of the cruise, we will try to arrive at the dining room a few minutes (just that) as each party gets escorted to their table. Usually this means a line (I guess the staff doesn't want passengers to be wandering about the dining room looking for their table number and possibly cause a collusion).

 

But after that, we're on time as we don't want to hold anyone up.

 

The doors of some dining rooms will be closed by a certain number of minutes (maybe 15 minutes) after the start time, but some passengers will be coming and going (eg bathroom trips).

[CAZephyr]

Agree with other comments. We always get table for eight in Traditional dining. Our tablemates have always let one of us know in advance if they are eating elsewhere so the service is smooth. You just need to notify one of your other tablemates in advance, so they can pass on the info when they arrive for dinner.

[OCruisers]

Have you at least considered Anytime Dining?

It would give you so much more flexibility. :)

LuLu

[wrongwaywatson]

And, to add to what Pam stated.

 

If you decide to switch to Anytime, notify Princess now or the Matrie D the first day on the ship. If you leave your reservation in place while you just go to anytime, people at your table will suffer while waiting for you to show up.

 

Bob

 

 

And you shouldn't go to Anytime Dining unless you have signed up for it. It take the seat of someone who signed up for it, and then they may have to wait longer.

[GUT2407]

When we started cruising with Princess they shut the doors about 15 mins after dining time. They should still, If your not there have R/S or go to buffet.l

[dmwnc1959]

Since I've never used Anytime Dining, is there a certain "last call" before they will no longer seat you?

 

:confused:

[SoCal Cruiser78]

As Pam has explained quite well, being late not only upsets the delicate balance of the ordering/delivery process of the food from the kitchen for the other guests at your table, but all of the other tables your waiter and asst waiter are responsible for as well....

 

On the one occasion that we have been unexpectedly late to assigned dining (due to the delayed return of a shore excursion), we didn't want to delay other diners or inconvenience staff, so skipped whatever courses had already been served and ordered the next course with our tablemates. I believe apps and salad had already been served, so we just ordered extra sides with the entrée course to make up for the "lost" calories :).

 

As others have said, if you think you will have a problem making your assigned dining time for whatever reason, you are doing everyone a favor by switching to anytime dining in advance.

[cpcanuck]

For the very issues raised in this thread reinforces why I chose Anytime Dining from the day I booked my cruise. I have to be on time and on a schedule every day of my life. When I go on holidays I do not want to be held hostage to a pre-determined time schedule for meals. I want to eat when I want to eat.

 

I am really grateful that there is an option for those of us who prefer a more flexible meal schedule! I would agree with other posters - if you think having a set schedule for meals is going to be a challenge, then AD is definitely a good choice, and it then frees up space in the Traditional Dining Room for those who enjoy set times for eating meals. That way everyone is happy!

[GUT2407]

For the very issues raised in this thread reinforces why I chose Anytime Dining from the day I booked my cruise. I have to be on time and on a schedule every day of my life. When I go on holidays I do not want to be held hostage to a pre-determined time schedule for meals. I want to eat when I want to eat.

 

I am really grateful that there is an option for those of us who prefer a more flexible meal schedule! I would agree with other posters - if you think having a set schedule for meals is going to be a challenge, then AD is definitely a good choice, and it then frees up space in the Traditional Dining Room for those who enjoy set times for eating meals. That way everyone is happy!

 

 

And I make decisions [usually for other people] every day of my life so don't want to have to decide what time, where will I book or hope for the best. But to each their own. Also always seem to end up having to wait for ATD if I haven't booked sometimes even f I have.

[caribill]

Since I've never used Anytime Dining, is there a certain "last call" before they will no longer seat you?

 

:confused:

 

They will seat you in anytime up to the announced closing time.

[caribill]

We are assigned a dining time of 8:15 pm. My question is how late can we get away with arriving at our table?

 

You should plan to arrive no later than 8:30. As others have said it throws the rhythm of the service off it you arrive late.

 

Even if others at the table have already ordered and even served, service to the others will be slowed down until you catch up to them.

 

(Note: First evening getting seated will be very slow. I would not show up until about 8:25 to avoid most, but not all, of the entrance congestion that evening.)

[cr8tiv1]

Disclaimer: I am usually on time for dinner when booked for a Traditional Dining Table.

 

On two different cruises, I've had table mates who did not know the rules of the sea.

 

On one voyage, two ladies treated our table like it was any time dining. We never knew if they would show up. Once, they arrived 30 minutes late. We finally asked our waiter to start without them. It was an inconvenience to all.

 

On my last cruise (last week), I had one couple who was always at the dining room door 10 minutes before it opened. My other table mates were oblivious to my comment when I asked them if they would be kind enough to let us know if they were not coming so that I could invite (anytime dining) friends to join us at the table. She announced that they didn't know in advance if they were coming or not.

 

The first night's dinner, I made a special trip to the dining room to tell them that I would to be at the table because I was going to be dining at the Crown Grill. The next night, they were there but (both) left before the main entree arrived because she wasn't feeling well. Out of the 15 day cruise, they showed up 4 times. Never did they let us know that they would not be there.

 

To add insult to injury, when I said hello to her in the Piazza on the last sea day, her words were: "Who are you? I don't know you."

 

Outside of these two incidents, I have had wonderful table mates who were pleasant and enjoyable company.

 

Please be on time and let your table mates know if you have other plans for the evening.

[Potstech]

If you are not going to make it to dinner in time then switch to AT. :)

 

No go to the buffet or specialty dining venues. Hy should you take up seats in Anytimie dining when you did not sign up for them. Why be impolite to even more people.

[Homosassa]

To answer the OP's original question, the dining room doors will close 15 minutes after the set traditional dining time (8:30 for 8:15 seating).