anytime or traditional dining

[Hawka]

i have chosen traditional dining but i am wondering if i get back late from a shore excursion and it is after the time i am booked for my traditional dining can i eat at the anytime dining ? or will they let me still sit at the later sitting of the traditional dining time ??

[1025cruise]

Technically, if you miss your sitting, the buffet or other restaurants will accommodate you.

 

However, odds are they will let you into the anytime room.

[Cruisin' Chick]

We have always gotten late traditional (except the one time we were stuck with a.d, which we detested) and have usually been back on board for dinner. One time we had a late port and were planning to head to the Horizon Court for dinner after we returned to the ship. Not a problem for us. We stopped by our dining room to peek at the posted menu on our way but the head waiter saw us and gestured us in even though we were about ten minutes late.

 

I think the best thing to do is to talk to your waitstaff ahead of that day. If they say no to either, the buffet will have plenty of choices. But sometimes if the ship will be staying in a port past dinner, the dining rooms will be open for all.

[cb at sea]

No...you can't switch.....you won't be late for dinner..no worries!

[Hawka]

the ship is in port till 8 in Auckland , i do want to go up that tower if i can get to it [though maybe stuffed after a full day out ??]

my excursion gets back to the boat at 5.30 but if too far from the ship i will have to do that next time i guess or book a specialty restaurant for that night maybe

guess will see what will happen thank you :-)

 

i did think on late dinner time too i always have dinner around 6.30 so thought would stick to that time when i booked

 

thank you :-)

i think i need to do more then one cruise to NZ so much i want to do , been before did a bus tour last time in 1998

Edited November 16, 2015 by Hawka

[Hawka]

might have time before hand ?? boat gets in at 10am my trip isnt till 12.30 but then got to think on lunch mmmm after would be better me thinks

[AKman2495]

Sometimes if the ship is leaving later than usual say 5 pm, they will switch to "open seating" where you can eat in any of the dining venues at any time.

 

this will be announced in the newsletter for that day.

 

If not....please do not go to the anytime dining room. People who have anytime dining can be forced to wait if too many traditional guys shop up for one reason or another.

[fishywood]

I thought Princess ships in Australia only offered Traditional Dining.

[Hawka]

I thought Princess ships in Australia only offered Traditional Dining.

 

got both on golden

[Hawka]

Sometimes if the ship is leaving later than usual say 5 pm, they will switch to "open seating" where you can eat in any of the dining venues at any time.

 

this will be announced in the newsletter for that day.

 

If not....please do not go to the anytime dining room. People who have anytime dining can be forced to wait if too many traditional guys shop up for one reason or another.

if i did would be last resort but as lots of options to chose from as well and i dont want to do that to any that have that option if it was quiet in there thats probably when i would do it but if not i would choose something else i will do what you said check to see if open seating or book a sitting in a speciality restaurant, i don't want to do the wrong thing , that is why i asked here first :)

Edited November 16, 2015 by Hawka

[Krazy Kruizers]

It depends on the cruise line.

If you get back from an excursion late, some will let you do the Anytime Dining just for one time. You can't expect to eat at the later fixed dining as someone will already have been assigned your table.

Your options are to go to the buffet, order room service, or try to get into one of the specialty restaurants.

[Hawka]

It depends on the cruise line.

If you get back from an excursion late, some will let you do the Anytime Dining just for one time. You can't expect to eat at the later fixed dining as someone will already have been assigned your table.

Your options are to go to the buffet, order room service, or try to get into one of the specialty restaurants.

yes am thinking just in case i will make this a night i do something different even if i do get back in time better to be safe then sorry :) thanks

[zqvol]

i have chosen traditional dining but i am wondering if i get back late from a shore excursion and it is after the time i am booked for my traditional dining can i eat at the anytime dining ? or will they let me still sit at the later sitting of the traditional dining time ??

 

 

IF you miss your dining time you will have to eat at the buffet. They will NOT allow you to go to the anytime dining room or sit at a later seating.

[AKman2495]

IF you miss your dining time you will have to eat at the buffet. They will NOT allow you to go to the anytime dining room or sit at a later seating.

 

Sadly, it happens way too often that they do indeed seat traditional diners in anytime dining.

 

They will check cruise cards at the beginning of the cruise to get people straightened out, but after that, they do not look at cruise cards-meaning anyone can get into anytime dining venues.

[Hawka]

i wont go anytime if that would cause grief i will book a speciality restaurant or go the buffet or maybe even eat in Auckland before getting back on the boat will decide when i board or just grab a pizza maybe i was just wondering what the go was if you got back late in case i did and what i could do or could not do , thank you for the replies , all very helpful

Edited November 16, 2015 by Hawka
left some out

[marco]

Perhaps it depends on the matre d', the ship, the port etc, but we have missed our set dining on Princess and had no problem being accommodated at "anytime". However, we were not fussy as to a large table, a small table, a table only for 2....whatever they could accommodate us with was fine for us. I'd post on the Princess thread as well and see what answers you get.

Edited November 16, 2015 by marco

[Cruisin' Chick]

The Golden has a pizzeria and a grill by the outside pool on the Lido deck. Those are both open til about 11 pm as is the Horizon Court. You can also go to the Plaza deck where the International Cafe is (you'll want to go there for at least snacks at some point anyway).

[Hawka]

The Golden has a pizzeria and a grill by the outside pool on the Lido deck. Those are both open til about 11 pm as is the Horizon Court. You can also go to the Plaza deck where the International Cafe is (you'll want to go there for at least snacks at some point anyway).

 

cool thanks

[AKman2495]

Perhaps it depends on the matre d', the ship, the port etc, but we have missed our set dining on Princess and had no problem being accommodated at "anytime". However, we were not fussy as to a large table, a small table, a table only for 2....whatever they could accommodate us with was fine for us. I'd post on the Princess thread as well and see what answers you get.

 

I'm curious, did you tell them you were a traditional diner who missed his time, or did you just show up at the anytime dining room?

 

The difficulty I have is that you alone doing it is not a big deal, but when say 40 people doit, it gets to be a problem for the people who actually signed up for anytime.

 

I have seen one one cruise where a bunch of friends who are a mix of anytime and traditional want to eat together. They get into anytime dining, while we cool our heels in the bar with a pager.

 

That, to me is not right.

[Hawka]

if i was with 40 friends no way would i do that or let them even suggest that that is wrong , i am on my own on this trip i don't have 40 friends with me to worry on that sort of thing at least

[sgb]

If we are late getting back on ship because of an excursion, we will not attempt to go to the dining room, we either have buffet, pizza or whatever is available.