Emerald princess,early or flexible dining??

[BEGINNERSCRUISE]

This is our first cruise,myself,hubby and 18 and 17 yr old.We have booked early dining as we wanted to reserve a table for 4 people for each evening,but are concerned as friends who have cruised before have said its too early and advised us to change.Any advise from anyone who has cruised on the Emerald would be great.Can you change? If we did change to flexible dining would we still be able to get a table for 4 each evening?Do they paige you if there is a wait? Also previous reviewers have suggested that after youve boarded early dining turns out to be 5.30 not 6!?Sooo much to think about:confused:

[Clarea]

This is our first cruise,myself,hubby and 18 and 17 yr old.We have booked early dining as we wanted to reserve a table for 4 people for each evening,but are concerned as friends who have cruised before have said its too early and advised us to change.Any advise from anyone who has cruised on the Emerald would be great.Can you change? If we did change to flexible dining would we still be able to get a table for 4 each evening?Do they paige you if there is a wait? Also previous reviewers have suggested that after youve boarded early dining turns out to be 5.30 not 6!?Sooo much to think about:confused:

Welcome to Cruise Critic.

 

You might also want to post this on the Princess forum to get more folks with Princess experience to see it:

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/forumdisplay.php?f=197

Edited March 31, 2016 by clarea

[Keith1010]

I too would post on the Princess Board.

 

Just my experience when you are on vacation if you like to eat early then I would go with early dining. If you prefer dining at different times then flexible dining is good but remember that when you show up with flexible dining you might not be seated right away and might have to wait for awhile. This will vary by overall occupancy rates and the dining patters of others on your voyage.

 

Keith

[Essiesmom]

What time do you like to dine at home? Keep in mind, it's not like eating at home, where the food is ready, on the table when you sit down. If your dining time is 5:50/6p on the ship, it's like going to a restaurant. You are seated, given a menu. They come back to take your order. After a short wait, they bring appetizer. Then soup. then salad, and finally main course. Dessert optional. It's a leisurely meal. You might not be out for an hour, maybe hour and a half. If that's too early for you, ir think you might not want to eat at the same time every night, flexible dining might suit you. However, the pace of the meal is the same. And there are very popular times, just like Friday night at your favorite restaurant and you might have to wait for a table. We prefer early fixed seating, but our last Princess cruise was booked late, so only option was flexible. It worked fine for us, as we always ask to be seated with others, there wasno wait. The only problem came the night the Pop Choir sang (we were part of it) and it didn't end until 7:30, and by then the wait for the dining room was 45 min. We ate in the buffet that night. (We are diabetic and can't eat that late.). EM

[flamomo]

Personal preference, but I much prefer Anytime Dining. At home, I'm not always hungry enough for dinner by the same time every day, or I may have been out shopping and had a late lunch, so want to delay dinner. On cruises, sometimes long tours get me back to the ship later in the afternoon, and getting freshened up and to the dining room for early fixed dining is just not convenient. When one has fixed dining, one is not supposed to go to an Anytime dining room because they are running too late for their fixed time, so the alternative is the buffet or room service.

I have found that usually if I get to one of the Anytime dining rooms between 6 and 6:30, I can usually get seated pretty quickly. Once it gets to the 7-8pm timeframe, things get busier and I may end up being given a pager so I can be notified when a table is available.

[geoherb]

Dining times vary by ship and even by itinerary. Sometimes Princess will have two early traditional dining times. On ships with three main dining rooms, they'll designate one of the anytime dining rooms for an early traditional one. In that case, the time will usually be 5:30. That way they can start letting in anytime dinners around 7:30. It depends on how much demand there is for early traditional as to whether they do this. If the regular traditional dining room can accommodate all the passengers wanting early dining, they don't have to do it.

[Harry and Lucille]

We are Princess regulars. Anytime dining for us allows more flexability for shows, etc.

 

We are early diners, usually when the resturant opens at 5:30. Always a table available. Formal nights are usually packed. You can call the ships Dine Line for reservations also. Reservation line is separate from others and is usually much shorter. ;)

[jackalope12]

Late dining, fixed table is the way to go. You eat so much during the day that early dinner isn't enjoyed. With anytime dining you lose the fun of having the same waiters every time. I'd suggest a table for eight, where you can meet and socialize with new people. It would be good for the teenagers too. We have cruised ten times with Princess and after much trial and error have settled on this. Whatever you choose you will love Princess.

[Langley Cruisers]

Well, ask a question on these boards and get a dozen different opinions and answers! :D Having said that, Main (early) dining is fine - nothing wrong with it. I can pretty much guarantee your boys will be hungry again later in the evening and Princess has the best pizza at sea! Go to your assigned dining, enjoy your evening meal, and know that the kids (and both of you!) can all get something a little later if you so desire.

[GUT2407]

We tend to eat early ish at home.

 

On a cruise tend towards later.

 

Though we do have Any Time booked on Emerald later this year. On our five week cruise it worked great, but happy to have late trad on shorter cruises.