No more Anytime Dining reservations???

[berlingo]

I have been reading the recent Emerald reviews. A number mention no longer being able to reserve a table in the Anytime MDRs. Attempts to make a reservation either via the Maitre de or calling the DINE line have proved unsuccessful.

 

Can anyone confirm or refute this?

 

We really appreciate being able to reserve a table at variable times according to our plans for the evening. It also helps to get my family to dinner for a reasonable time. My health condition makes standing around very difficult so we may have to change to fixed dining if reservations are no longer possible.

 

Many thanks for your thoughts xx

[JimmyVWine]

ATD Reservations have always been at the discretion of the maitre'd. And just like other crew members, they move around from ship to ship, and/or take breaks from time to time. So I don't think there will ever be a definitive answer to the question regarding whether a particular ship does or does not employ a reservation system. At best it is: "This time they did." Or, "This time they didn't." Sorry, but I don't know about what the Emerald is doing at this moment. And that could change by the time you sail. All I can say is that I have been on ships that didn't take them; been on ships that only took them very early or very late (before 6:00 and after 8:00); and been on ships that took them pretty much whenever I requested. It is not something that I would ever depend on, especially if I had a health issue that required more certainty in terms of dining times.

Edited June 3, 2016 by JimmyVWine

[floridalover5623]

Sorry about you disability but you have to realize that allowing reservations only slows the dining process for everyone. You do also realize that holding a table for reservations takes the table out of service for a much longer period of time. Seeing the amount of reservations each evening it's obvious that for the better of everyone seating people as they arrive is a much better solution.

I hope this movement spreads to other ships as well.

[karena1]

We are like that. I want flex dining so when I want to go eat I can. We rarely make reservations on any cruise line. We just go down when we are ready and if they cannot seat us right away we get a drink and just want. I love the flexibility.

 

We have not done set dining on any cruise line since they all went to flex dining and absolutely love it.

[crows nest club]

Just got off Emerald. As I have special dietary needs, we were able to make a reservation in the ATD possibly because we were prepared to eat after 8 p.m.

[paul929207]

I agree allowing people to reserve a table at a given time disrupts the service for many. I think if they are going to accept reservations, they should be for EITHER a specific table or a specific time. Yes, that means if you ask for a specific table you may have to wait a while. If you want a specific time, you take what ever table is available.

[Pam in CA]

ATD Reservations have always been at the discretion of the maitre'd.

True. There has never been a set policy when it comes to making reservations. From the beginning of AT dining in 2001, some Maitre D's have accepted reservations for the same table at the same time every night, some allowed reservations only before 6pm and after 8pm, others accepted reservations only for that night, and every combination. The only thing consistent was the inconsistency.

 

If medical issues mean you must eat at a specific time or can't wait in line, you can either go to the Maitre D after boarding and ask for his assistance or do Traditional dining.

[crows nest club]

Pam - that's exactly what we did. Explained the medical issue and dietary needs to Maitre D on Embarkation Day. Also said that we were prepared to eat at whatever time he could offer each night. He was only too pleased to assist and thanked us for our co-operation.

[TravelingEA]

We just got off the Ruby. They took reservations, except for 2 nights, where there was open dining. One night was when we were in Juneau until late and the other was when we were in Victoria.

[Thrak]

I have always been surprised that they allow reservations for ATD. I have ATD on my next cruise and, if there is a wait to be seated, we will just take a pager and go have a drink. No big deal. We don't have a problem with a table for 8 so it makes things easier.

[PrincessLuver]

I have always been surprised that they allow reservations for ATD. I have ATD on my next cruise and, if there is a wait to be seated, we will just take a pager and go have a drink. No big deal. We don't have a problem with a table for 8 so it makes things easier.

 

Agree....we never make reservations and never would because we like Anytime Dinning not Anything Goes Dining as Princess runs it.....if people need a set table and time that bad then I suggest Traditional Dining may be the way to go....:)

[Lucky TGO]

Sorry about you disability but you have to realize that allowing reservations only slows the dining process for everyone. You do also realize that holding a table for reservations takes the table out of service for a much longer period of time. Seeing the amount of reservations each evening it's obvious that for the better of everyone seating people as they arrive is a much better solution.

I hope this movement spreads to other ships as well.

 

I'm hitting the like button on this one.

Tony

[WISH84]

Count me in as one "against" reservations for ATD. Just my humble opinion.

[OCruisers]

Sorry about you disability but you have to realize that allowing reservations only slows the dining process for everyone. You do also realize that holding a table for reservations takes the table out of service for a much longer period of time. Seeing the amount of reservations each evening it's obvious that for the better of everyone seating people as they arrive is a much better solution.

I hope this movement spreads to other ships as well.

 

So agree with the above.

Also wish Princess would NOT allow those booked for Traditional Dining to go to Anytime Dining.

LuLu

[paul929207]

Absolutely. They should never allow TD passengers in AD

[IECalCruiser]

I really don't believe that reservations have much of an impact. We have only been able to make reservations within 1/2 hour after opening or after 7:30. On at least one ship they only held the reservation time for 10 minutes. We eat quickly as do most tables for two. When we were at a larger table we typically saw the two tops turn twice in the time it took to turn our table.

 

I have dietary issues and prefer the same waitstaff and in addition DW and I prefer to eat alone. We only eat in the DR 3-4 times a week and if we booked early TD our spots would be unused for half of the cruise.

[myfuzzy]

We had a situation last year on the Regal, which was puzzling to us. We always have AT dining and wander to the restaurant when we felt like eating. This one particular night we get there, tell them a table for two. They tell us they have no tables in this dining room (the actual AT dining dining room) and tell us we can be accommodated in another dining room. This has happened to us before and were lead to the upper dining room, no problem. This time however, we are being turned around and lead to the back of the ship, through the whole plaza deck---to the TRADITIONAL dining room. Now this was between seating's, we were escorted to a small table on the side of the dining room....all by ourselves...So we order, and now I am realizing how cold it was in there, I was so cold I had to leave my DH sitting while I returned to my cabin to retrieve my fleece jacket, which I had brought for the return home. A little while later, they opened the doors for the second seating and the restaurant filled up. NOW, my question is....WHY could we not be accommodated in the AT dining dining room? Was it because a lot of people had made reservations? There was no one waiting at the Matre D' desk. OR was it so cold in the TD room, that people from the first seating decided to dine there. Something to note next cruise.

[floridalover5623]

I'm hitting the like button on this one.

Tony

 

Initially when they began AT dining I was all for the reservations since it sounded logical. We usually arrive when the DR opens & it disheartening to see all the "reserved" tables waiting for people to arrive at 6:15 or 6:30 while they hand out beepers to those sanding in line. You can also see that a good number of beepers are missing from the charging when station when we leave. It sounds like some of the MaitreD's are changing their way of doing things after all.

[Tyskie]

There are pros and cons with AD & TD. We prefer TD but don't like the late seating anymore and early is just too early. This is what happened to us:

 

We chose AD for the Island in the Mediterranean. After some thought we decided to change once onboard. We met with the MD to change to TD or a standing reservation with AD. His response was how about 6:30 in the TD!!?? We said fine, great! He did say we needed to be out before the late TD. We were a 2-top and I think our waiter actually liked that we came later - he was able to serve the larger tables first and not have a big rush all at once.

 

Obviously, this won't happen again, it was at the discretion of the current MD on the Island. It worked great for us, perfect time. :D

[satxdiver]

We have been using ATD since they started it. I do believe that reservations for ATD is counter to the premise of ATD and it ties up tables that could be used for pax that are waiting at the MDR door. We have not been to TD in a long time and I would be curious how empty the TD MDR is on a given night.

 

One time a few years ago we appeared at the ATD door around 6:45 or so. They took us to the TD MDR that switches to ATD at 7:15 and gave us a table for two. At that point the room was definitely not full so it was a good use of empty tables. Perhaps they need to do more of filling in the empty TD tables with ATD pax.

[cafelovercanada]

We are relative rookies at cruising and first timers with Princess. Our TA chose AT dining for us when we booked because of our large group (7 of us travelling together). From what I've read, I'm expecting that we will not be able to go to the dining room to eat when we want to eat. We are on the Coral next week....any advice as to when you think our group should go to the AT dining room? I agree that reservations should only be made for the specialty restaurants! TD should not be permitted to wander down to the AT dining room if they miss their seating ..... Sorry

[dforeigner]

We are relative rookies at cruising and first timers with Princess. Our TA chose AT dining for us when we booked because of our large group (7 of us travelling together). From what I've read, I'm expecting that we will not be able to go to the dining room to eat when we want to eat. We are on the Coral next week....any advice as to when you think our group should go to the AT dining room? I agree that reservations should only be made for the specialty restaurants! TD should not be permitted to wander down to the AT dining room if they miss their seating ..... Sorry

 

It should not be a problem. We have cruised with an group of 8 and seldom had to wait for a table. Those that have to wait are usually the ones that want a table for two.

 

This year we had a group of four and no problem getting a table. Occasionally, we had to wait a few but no more than 10 minutes.

[kruisey]

I have been reading the recent Emerald reviews. A number mention no longer being able to reserve a table in the Anytime MDRs. Attempts to make a reservation either via the Maitre de or calling the DINE line have proved unsuccessful.

 

Can anyone confirm or refute this?

 

We really appreciate being able to reserve a table at variable times according to our plans for the evening. It also helps to get my family to dinner for a reasonable time. My health condition makes standing around very difficult so we may have to change to fixed dining if reservations are no longer possible.

 

Many thanks for your thoughts xx

I always book traditional otherwise fixed because have special dietary requirements.I think it is round 3000 passengers to feed each meal time on the Emerald..Can you imagine if everyone in 'Anytime' requesting sitting at different times each evening ?:eek::eek:

Could this be the reason these requested reservations are no longer accepted at times?

[paul929207]

You should be seated quickly. You will get a table for 8 with an empty spot.

[Happy2cruise]

Count me in as one "against" reservations for ATD. Just my humble opinion.

Agree with you!