Late Change to Anytime Dining - What Happens?

[Chunder Worthy]

We are virtually new cruisers and just booked in May for a 2-week cruise next month. We liked the idea of traditional dining -- very civil and all that -- and selected 6pm as our set dining time, which I am fairly certain is now confirmed.

 

However, now that we've been making plans for some (non-ship) guided tours and car rentals, etc. etc., it's appearing more and more that we will have a hard time making it back to the ship to actually BE there or ready to eat at 6pm (we don't want the later 8:15 seating). Excluding our three sea days, we could potentially miss as many as six dining times.

 

IF we went to our Cruise Personalizer today/now, and switch gears for more flexibility and changed our election to Anytime Dining, would we be guaranteed getting it? Can BOTH Traditional and Anytime Dining be filled so that we're relegated to eating at the buffet for dinner every night? I just don't want to usurp our ability to eat in the MDR (or I guess, the "good" food) each night entirely! What would happen in this scenario? We sail in exactly three weeks.

Edited June 21, 2015 by Chunder Worthy

[paul929207]

The three dining choices (early, late and anytime) cannot all be filled.

[Dietemann]

Just call Princess and ask them to change your dining request, should not be a problem changing to Anytime Dining.

[oskidunker]

You can show up a half hour late to traditional. They dont care. Dont take any time

[Chunder Worthy]

The three dining choices (early, late and anytime) cannot all be filled.

 

Ah, THAT's what I needed to know (although I DID ask it with my usual verbosity :rolleyes:). Thanks.

 

 

P.S. - Not to split hairs but we actually have four dining choices (3 trad and anytime)

[Chunder Worthy]

You can show up a half hour late to traditional. They dont care. Dont take any time

 

Hmm, if that's true, that may be an adequate-enough buffer to allow us to retain our 6pm time. Thanks!

[GUT2407]

Usually you have to be back on board in plenty of time to make 6:00 pm diner.

[candycaramel]

What time does the ship leave port?

[triple7tahoe]

Hmm, if that's true, that may be an adequate-enough buffer to allow us to retain our 6pm time. Thanks!

Showing up late to SET time dining is not the right thing to do. Especially if it is 30 minutes. The rest of your table mates will normally have to sit and wait for you; even if they don't it makes it extremely hard on the serving folks as they would like to serve each course to the whole table at the same time. I would say the same is true for those folks that decided, for some reason, not to come to the dining room on a given evening. The courteous thing to do, if you decided to eat in an alternate area, is let the servers know, or at least some of your tablemates.

[Shelly97060]

you wont have any trouble switching to anytime dining if that is what you decide to do :)

[sh2738]

Showing up late to SET time dining is not the right thing to do. Especially if it is 30 minutes. The rest of your table mates will normally have to sit and wait for you; even if they don't it makes it extremely hard on the serving folks as they would like to serve each course to the whole table at the same time. I would say the same is true for those folks that decided, for some reason, not to come to the dining room on a given evening. The courteous thing to do, if you decided to eat in an alternate area, is let the servers know, or at least some of your tablemates.

 

 

You should of course never arrive late but also there might not be table mates. The OP might have the table to themselves. But still it is really inconsiderate to show up late to a reserved dinner time.

[Pierlesscruisers]

What time does the ship leave port?

 

Initial port or enroute ports? If initial then it probably depends on the port. At Seattle it's usually 5 pm. It can get very expensive to delay a departure time due to labor costs for the longshoremen.

 

Tom

[bigenna]

It is likely going to be easier to switch from traditional early to Anytime dining than the other way around.

We prefer early traditional and the several occasions that we have booked our cruise within a short time of sailing early traditional has always been filled. We have been put on wait list and had to end up with Anytime.

I also agree it is not the most polite thing to just show up late to fixed dining. Neither the servers nor your tablemates know whether to wait for you and it can throw off your tablemates evening plans.

You could make sure, the evening prior to an excursion, that you let everyone know to not wait for you.

Edited June 21, 2015 by bigenna

[caribill]

IF we went to our Cruise Personalizer today/now, and switch gears for more flexibility and changed our election to Anytime Dining, would we be guaranteed getting it? Can BOTH Traditional and Anytime Dining be filled so that we're relegated to eating at the buffet for dinner every night?

 

Anytime is never capacity controlled, only traditional fixed time.

 

If you want to switch to anytime, just do it on the personalizer soon. Or, if you prefer, call whomever you booked the cruise with.

 

I certainly do not know if it will be true for you cruise, but often if the ship will be in port past the normal start of traditional dining, then for those evenings the traditional dining room will be open seating. You come when you are able. If you want, you can keep your traditional seating reservation until you board and then check with the dining staff to see if this will be the case on your cruise.

 

On embarkation day you can meet with the Maitre d' (see Patter for time and place) to verify what will happen those evenings. If it is not open seating those evenings, then you can ask to transfer to anytime and you will be allowed to do so.

 

Of course if the ship sails before the traditional dining time, dinner will be as scheduled even if you have not prepared yourself after returning to the ship.

Edited June 21, 2015 by caribill

[Chunder Worthy]

From me the OP: I looked at our itinerary and in fact we're only in jeopardy of missing or being late for maybe two or three of out of our 14 set dining times at the very most, and if need be I can always pre-inform the maître'd. We're going to keep the 6pm seating. Thanks everybody for your responses. I'm unthreading myself here.

[Working 2 Cruise]

From me the OP: I looked at our itinerary and in fact we're only in jeopardy of missing or being late for maybe two or three of out of our 14 set dining times at the very most, and if need be I can always pre-inform the maître'd. We're going to keep the 6pm seating. Thanks everybody for your responses. I'm unthreading myself here.

 

Make sure NOT to be late more than ten minutes. It's really bad form and inconsiderate.

[Ethel5]

You can show up a half hour late to traditional. They dont care. Dont take any time

 

 

Ah, but NO! Showing up 30 minutes late causes your table mates to wait and messes up the flow of the service for the waiter. So, yes, we care.

[FritzG]

Showing up late to SET time dining is not the right thing to do. Especially if it is 30 minutes. The rest of your table mates will normally have to sit and wait for you; even if they don't it makes it extremely hard on the serving folks as they would like to serve each course to the whole table at the same time. I would say the same is true for those folks that decided, for some reason, not to come to the dining room on a given evening. The courteous thing to do, if you decided to eat in an alternate area, is let the servers know, or at least some of your tablemates.

 

Also if it's first seating you might be rushed through dinner so that they are ready for the second seating diners. I've seen people turned away at first seating when they arrive that late.

On some port days the dining rooms are sometimes all Anytime Dining. In the past we've had our waiter tell us that he would "save" our table if we told him what time we planned to dine which worked out well. Just don't show up very late and expect that they can accommodate you.

[AKman2495]

In my opinion. take anytime dining. You will be able to enjoy your tours and eat and not have anything to worry about.

[oskidunker]

We were all at the same table for 4. Since we were in the anytime dining room with the early fixed,the waiters did not have to worry about our table bring needed by 8:15.

 

They told us a half hour late was no problem. I would not do this in the fixed dining room

Or if you are sharing a table

[JimmyVWine]

In my opinion. take anytime dining. You will be able to enjoy your tours and eat and not have anything to worry about.

 

This is the right answer.

[caribill]

We are virtually new cruisers and just booked in May for a 2-week cruise next month. We liked the idea of traditional dining -- very civil and all that -- and selected 6pm as our set dining time.

 

By the way. The pre-cruise confirmation of dining time may not be the exact time that the actual time will be. Ships often have different set times than the ones that show up in the Personalizer.

 

The actual assigned time will be shown on your cruise card when you check in. It may be 6:00, but it could be a different time.

[san diego sue]

When a ship stays late in port (and people may be eating on shore), sometimes the dining venues become anytime that night. I know it has happened in Alaska.Also in San Francisco on Coastals.May not be the same on all ships.

Edited June 22, 2015 by san diego sue

[DougH]

If you do stay with traditional seating and know you are going to miss a night or two it is only simple courtesy to inform your waiter and tablemates that you won't be there the next night. Then they don't have to wait to see if you show up. Its not unusual to miss a night or two because you are eating at one of the specialty venues or have a late tour. Just give them a heads up in advance if possible

[siany_la]

It is easy to change from traditional to anytime, however if you wish to change back, you may encounter a few problems.

 

On my last cruise I had assigned myself to anytime dining, and had considered changing to a set dinner. There are only a set amount of available seats so according to cruise personaliser, there was a wait list of over 100 for the second dinner sitting!

 

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