Anytime dining reservations

[Cruisinmimi321]

Can you make reservations for a different time everyday. If so, can these times be reserved on line before your cruise or do you make the reservations after boarding?

[paul929207]

Reservations can only be made on board.

 

The rules for what they will accept and not accept vary by Maitre 'd, so best just to give it a shot once onboard.

[Potstech]

Of course you know that defeats the purpose of Anytime Dining. Set dining is the reason for having the Traditional dining area.

Edited June 24, 2016 by Potstech

[MTdreaming]

Of course you know that defeats the purpose of Anytime Dining. Set dining is the reason for having the Traditional dining area.

 

In the past we could arrange anytime dining reservations for the next day..based on what we were planning to do. This last cruise on the Ruby, 10 day Mexican Riveria.. you had to call the morning of.. and there never were any available until after 7:30 pm..and that was dialing them as soon as they stated they would take reservations. It left a bit of a sour taste frankly.. I know some folks don't show up.. so don't let them make future reservations. I have medical/medicine issues and can't eat after about 7 to 7:30 due to medications.. so it is always a bit tricky even at home. The traditional times are so early or too late. Not a huge deal, but it certainly has been a slight irritant. We do the uncharge restaurants a couple of times on each cruise.. but don't really want to have to buffet it the rest of the time. I will say that the lines weren't too long, we didn't have to wait too often. There were 4 of us and being it was trip to spend time together we did request tables for just the four of us.. that wasn't always possible, but frequently it worked out.

:rolleyes:

[Pam in CA]

Anytime dining reservations depend on the Maitre D'. Princess has no set policy. Some Maitre D's allow you to make a reservation at the same table at the same time for the entire cruise. Some allow only before 6pm and after 8pm, some for just that night, some for any time during the evening. There's no consistency.

[kirenne]

Everyone above has covered your question, but I just wanted to add that on my cruise last week, we had Anytime Dining and found that we actually did not need reservations even once. Granted, we ate sporadically and not at a set time each night, but even on the evenings we went during dinner rush (6-730pm), we did not have to wait more than 5 minutes.

[floridalover5623]

Everyone above has covered your question, but I just wanted to add that on my cruise last week, we had Anytime Dining and found that we actually did not need reservations even once. Granted, we ate sporadically and not at a set time each night, but even on the evenings we went during dinner rush (6-730pm), we did not have to wait more than 5 minutes.

 

I'd bet you sat at a large table most evenings. Tables for 2 between 6-7:30 PM usually require a long wait.

[traveling1969]

Of course you know that defeats the purpose of Anytime Dining. Set dining is the reason for having the Traditional dining area.

Not true. Some folks like to eat around 7 pm and cannot do so in Traditional Dining venues. Why do you think they call it Anytime Dining?

 

Harry

[kirenne]

I'd bet you sat at a large table most evenings. Tables for 2 between 6-7:30 PM usually require a long wait.

 

Surprisingly, we didn't. With the exception of one evening when we were placed with one other couple (four of us at the table total), we had tables for 2 every evening.

[JF - retired RRT]

of course you know that defeats the purpose of anytime dining. Set dining is the reason for having the traditional dining area.

 

like!!!

Edited June 24, 2016 by JF - retired RRT

[floridalover5623]

Not true. Some folks like to eat around 7 pm and cannot do so in Traditional Dining venues. Why do you think they call it Anytime Dining?

 

Harry

 

Of course you do realize that they have to hold you a table open for probably 30 or 45 minutes until you arrive while others at the door are standing there with a beeper in their hands waiting to sit down. It puts the table out of service for quite a while that it could have been used. Multiply that by numerous people with reservations and the AT dining room backs up for the entire evening.

But of course it seems OK with the people who have reservations since they don't see anything wrong with it.

[njb59]

Isn't that what Traditional dining is for same time Anytime means anytime why should others have to wait while a reserved table sits empty.

[paul929207]

I feel they should accept reservations for a time or a table, but not both. With reserving a time, when you show up they will find you a table. If you want to reserve a table, you would then wait for it to become empty. If necessary, you would be given a beeper.

[floridalover5623]

Isn't that what Traditional dining is for same time Anytime means anytime why should others have to wait while a reserved table sits empty.

 

It seems that the Maitre D's on some of the ships are trying to satisfy people who were to late to get traditional dining seating so they bend their general rules a bit & make a traditional seat in the AT dining room at the expense of all the others that have to wait at the door longer.

 

I've been on some ships where there were no standing reservations and you had to call in every day. When entering the DR there were about 10 or 12 of the same couples seated at the same tables each evening. I got to know one of the couples & they were told to enter through the other sets of door on the other side of the ship so no one would see them.

[traveling1969]

Not true. Some folks like to eat around 7 pm and cannot do so in Traditional Dining venues. Why do you think they call it Anytime Dining?

 

Harry

I'm quoting my own answer as I believe it has been misconstrued. If Maitre'ds make it a policy to accept reservations, then the OP's question makes perfect sense i.e. how to optimize the reservation process so as to accommodate their desired dining times.

 

Dining when one wishes to dine should be the aim of anytime dining, not anytime waiting as is often the case.

 

How can everyone be accommodated? Perhaps a fixed seating at, say, 7pm, in one of the "Anytime" venues would help.

 

I'm sure many Maitre'ds use reservations to placate those can't bear to wait a few minutes for flexibility's sake.

 

If reservations interfere with the timely seating of a significant number of guests, then they should be abandoned.

 

The point I was trying to make is that Anytime Dining should be just that and a good Maitre'd should be able to balance reservations and walk-ins to offer a timely dining experience to everyone.

 

Harry

[Woobstr112G]

Of course you know that defeats the purpose of Anytime Dining. Set dining is the reason for having the Traditional dining area.

 

Of course you do realize that they have to hold you a table open for probably 30 or 45 minutes until you arrive while others at the door are standing there with a beeper in their hands waiting to sit down. It puts the table out of service for quite a while that it could have been used. Multiply that by numerous people with reservations and the AT dining room backs up for the entire evening.

But of course it seems OK with the people who have reservations since they don't see anything wrong with it.

 

What they said.....:):):)

 

Bob

Edited June 25, 2016 by Woobstr112G

[Pam in CA]

The point I was trying to make is that Anytime Dining should be just that and a good Maitre'd should be able to balance reservations and walk-ins to offer a timely dining experience to everyone.

IMHO, Princess doesn't do a good job managing open seating/Anytime seating. It's been a couple of years since my last HAL cruise but they don't allow anyone from Traditional dining to go to open seating unless it's a one-way move. As long as Princess allows Traditional diners to go to Anytime and takes reservations, it'll be the same. That said, I've found that on the Royal, for instance, with it's awsome buffet and variety of alternative/specialty dining, the Anytime dining room was practically empty every night, even at 7-7:30pm.

[traveling1969]

IMHO, Princess doesn't do a good job managing open seating/Anytime seating. It's been a couple of years since my last HAL cruise but they don't allow anyone from Traditional dining to go to open seating unless it's a one-way move. As long as Princess allows Traditional diners to go to Anytime and takes reservations, it'll be the same. That said, I've found that on the Royal, for instance, with it's awsome buffet and variety of alternative/specialty dining, the Anytime dining room was practically empty every night, even at 7-7:30pm.

 

I was unaware that Princess allows those who have opted for Tradition-Fixed Seating to use anytime dining. IMHO THAT defeats the purpose of Anytime Dining.

 

Harry

[nanabananna]

I was unaware that Princess allows those who have opted for Tradition-Fixed Seating to use anytime dining. IMHO THAT defeats the purpose of Anytime Dining.

 

Harry

 

 

I totally agree 100% with you.

 

[caribill]

I was unaware that Princess allows those who have opted for Tradition-Fixed Seating to use anytime dining. IMHO THAT defeats the purpose of Anytime Dining.

 

Harry

 

The first couple of evenings the cruise cards are checked and anybody trying to go into an Anytime dining room who has traditional seating on the cruise card will be sent to the proper dining room.

 

After the first couple of evenings, the cruise cards are no longer checked under the assumption passengers know where they are assigned to dine. Thus some people assigned to traditional "sneak" into anytime that way.

 

It is not that Princess "allows" switching at will, it is just that they do not check the cruise cards every evening and some passengers take advantage of that.

[floridalover5623]

Funny thing is that on our trip on the Royal last year the girl at the AT dining room still wanted to check our card each night even after 30 days of greeting her each evening.

[andio2of5]

What really, really irks me is when I stand and wait and wait and wait in the non-reservation line of the Anytime Dining room while the Maitre'd spends all his time handling the people in the reservations line. Then when I finally do get seated, look around and see all these empty tables that are supposedly reserved. Well, they are still empty during my entire meal while people continue to wait in the non-reservations line. That has been my biggest complaint on every Princess satisfaction survey...terrible management of Anytime Dining.

Edited June 25, 2016 by andio2of5

[Daniel1313]

anytime dining reservations depend on the maitre d'. Princess has no set policy. Some maitre d's allow you to make a reservation at the same table at the same time for the entire cruise. Some allow only before 6pm and after 8pm, some for just that night, some for any time during the evening. There's no consistency.

 

amen !!!!

[villager13]

What really, really irks me is when I stand and wait and wait and wait in the non-reservation line of the Anytime Dining room while the Maitre'd spends all his time handling the people in the reservations line. Then when I finally do get seated, look around and see all these empty tables that are supposedly reserved. Well, they are still empty during my entire meal while people continue to wait in the non-reservations line. That has been my biggest complaint on every Princess satisfaction survey...terrible management of Anytime Dining.

Seems like that could be resolved by giving the reserved table to someone else if the party doesn't show up within 15 minutes of their reservation time. That's what regular restaurants do.

[floridalover5623]

Seems like that could be resolved by giving the reserved table to someone else if the party doesn't show up within 15 minutes of their reservation time. That's what regular restaurants do.

 

The do release the table but I don't know if they abide by the 15 minutes or not.