Star Princess Dining

[tinybiny]

I have a 4 night cruise in a few months. Currently, we are booked for anytime dining. I chose that because we like to eat when we are hungry vs. eating when it is scheduled to do so. By some of the things I've read here, it sounds like anytime dining can have really long waits. I am wondering if I should change to eating at the same time. It does sound like Princess has plenty of other choices if I am not hungry at that time - such as buffet and counter service options. What do others do who like to eat when they are hungry vs. when they are scheduled to eat?

 

Also, for the special dining rooms with the extra charges, is it possible to book those the day of or even walk up or do you need to make reservations far in advance?

[reedprincess]

I have a 4 night cruise in a few months. Currently, we are booked for anytime dining. I chose that because we like to eat when we are hungry vs. eating when it is scheduled to do so. By some of the things I've read here, it sounds like anytime dining can have really long waits. I am wondering if I should change to eating at the same time. It does sound like Princess has plenty of other choices if I am not hungry at that time - such as buffet and counter service options. What do others do who like to eat when they are hungry vs. when they are scheduled to eat?

 

Also, for the special dining rooms with the extra charges, is it possible to book those the day of or even walk up or do you need to make reservations far in advance?

 

Specialty dining first - while it's certainly possible to reserve day of, or even walk-up, it's entirely dependent on the reservation level already booked for each restaurant, so no guarantee you'll get in. If you're flexible, ie willing to eat early or later, you'll stand a better chance but it's a chance you take of them being full...if you know you'll want to try them, best to plan ahead and book your dates and times as early as possible in the cruise.

 

Anytime dining is a good option for those who want flexibility - this means you need to be flexible also. There will be longer waits at peak times just like a land-based restaurant. We've never encountered waits longer than 15-20 minutes f enough time to go have a drink at nearby lounge and hear some music or such. If you go later, usually after 7:45/8, there's rarely a wait...

Tradition dining can be lovely - no waits, set table, wait staff get familiar with your preferences, etc. Yes, it's the same time every night, but it makes it quite easy to plan around, and most evening entertainment is scheduled around traditional dining times..

 

Both have pluses and minuses....if you want flexibility, go for the AnyTime dining and just be prepared if you go during peak times...

 

Other options include buffet - which can be great for dinner: no waiting, rotating themes etc. International Cafe for lighter bites. Trident Grill has BBQ items in the evening - this is outside and very casual. Room service (sandwiches, burgers, lasagna, salads and soups, etc. If in full suite - you can order from the main dining room menu.) lovely for a casual dining option, epically if you have a balcony. Ultimate Balcony Dinner. Specialty restaurants. You won't go hungry....

[skynight]

Anytime Dining

If you enjoy eating late you should have no problem. The deck 5 mid ship DR opens for ATD at 5pm. The Deck 6 mid ship DR opens at 7:30 for ATD. So after 7:30 the amount of available tables doubles. This could change if the demand for traditional dining is lower than normal, which may be the case on a 4 night cruise.

 

Tables to share are normally easier to get than tables for two.

 

On longer cruises you find a large amount of early diners and the 5:30 to 6:00pm time frame is crowded. On a 4 night cruise I think you may find more party people that tend to dine at various times. You just have to feel it out.

 

There are 3 specialty options

Crown Grill (steak, chops, seafood), Sabatinis (Italian). Just go to these restaurants on boarding day and make a reservation. It's the easiest way to scope it out.

Crab Shack - will be held some evening(s) in a closed off buffet seating area. This is casual dining. You will see a table in the buffet taking reservations.

[Colo Cruiser]

Just go and enjoy yourselves.

Eat when you want in AT dining.

Sure there might be a wait but you can always go grab a drink in the piazza etc.

[easyboy]

We do ATD around 7:30 - 8pm and rarely have to wait. If we do get hungry prior to that time, there are lots of options around with no upcharge.

 

 

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[Cruisin' Chick]

we prefer late traditional. One time we didn't clear the waitlist and had anytime dining -- neither one of us liked it for a variety of reasons. Usually we will go to the Horizon mid-afternoon for a little nosh to tie us over until 8. so we don't starve and we usually don't overeat at our regular dinner. My hubby eats like this anyway -- little meals and snacks over the course of a day and he's at his target weight (maybe even a little under).

[caribill]

I have a 4 night cruise in a few months. Currently, we are booked for anytime dining. I chose that because we like to eat when we are hungry vs. eating when it is scheduled to do so. By some of the things I've read here, it sounds like anytime dining can have really long waits. I am wondering if I should change to eating at the same time.

 

Anytime dining is much like dining in a restaurant on land. If you arrive at the same time many others like to eat, there will be a wait. If others spread their hunger evening throughout the evening you will likely not have a long wait.

 

It really just depends on when 1500 of your new friends want their "anytime" to be.

[tinybiny]

Thanks, everyone! I will stick with my anytime dining.

[DougandEric]

We'll be on the Star 11-20 and have Anytime dining. Our plan is to go to the restaurant that changes to Anytime dining at 7:30PM. We've done this on several trip and have had no issues getting seated immediately. If one of the entrances is busy, go to the other and it most like will not be. The only issue we had with getting a pager was on the Royal last November in the Anytime all the time restaurant. The next night we did the above method and it was easy. The line at the other restaurant was many people deep and we walked right in. We did not make reservations.

[CMM]

We were on the Star at the end of September and never waited for anytime dining. It was just the two of us and ate shared if offered or a table for two other nights. Various times (6:30 and later).

[expc]

We disembarked from the Star Princess on 10th November having completed a cruise from LA to Hawaii.

We were a party of 6 with Anytime Dining preferred.

The 5th Deck restaurant (Capri) was chosen each evening at 6pm so that we could enjoy the evening entertainment afterwards.

We dined in the Crown Grill one evening and it was faultless and the food was exquisite.

For breakfast we dined in the 6th Deck restaurant (Portofino)at 8am.

We only experienced a delay in the evening dining once and were issued with a pager for 15mins until a table for 6 was available.

We didn't dine in the buffet as it is a bun fight sometimes and you share with passengers coming straight from the sunbathing area scantily clad.

For lunch we chose to have a light snack or fresh salad in the Continental Cafe on the 5th Deck Piazza (Atrium).

The mattresses have been replaced and honestly they are the best sleep I have experienced on a cruise ship.

[Nhsaltshaker]

We disembarked from the Star Princess on 10th November having completed a cruise from LA to Hawaii.

We were a party of 6 with Anytime Dining preferred.

The 5th Deck restaurant (Capri) was chosen each evening at 6pm so that we could enjoy the evening entertainment afterwards.

We dined in the Crown Grill one evening and it was faultless and the food was exquisite.

For breakfast we dined in the 6th Deck restaurant (Portofino)at 8am.

We only experienced a delay in the evening dining once and were issued with a pager for 15mins until a table for 6 was available.

We didn't dine in the buffet as it is a bun fight sometimes and you share with passengers coming straight from the sunbathing area scantily clad.

For lunch we chose to have a light snack or fresh salad in the Continental Cafe on the 5th Deck Piazza (Atrium).

The mattresses have been replaced and honestly they are the best sleep I have experienced on a cruise ship.

 

Just curious...were you in a Suite?

[Ruben1]

Is anytime dinning VS traditional dinning the same restaurant?

 

In Royal Caribbean, they separate ATD and TD to different restaurants. And the restaurant for traditional dinning is always nicer than ATD restaurant.

[skynight]

Is anytime dinning VS traditional dinning the same restaurant?

 

In Royal Caribbean, they separate ATD and TD to different restaurants. And the restaurant for traditional dinning is always nicer than ATD restaurant.

 

In general it works this way. Grand and Royal Class ships have 3 main MDR's, all decorated in a similar fashion. One is not fancier than the other. On Grand and Royal Class ships traditional dining is in the DR on deck 6 aft. Also, very early traditional dining is in the DR on deck 6 mid ship. The deck 5 mid ship DR opens around 5:30 for ATD and the deck 6 mid ship DR opens for ATD at 7:30. All MDR's have the same menu and dress codes. Believe Club Class DIning is in the mid ship deck 6 DR.

On ships with 2 DR's Coral and Island and other Sun Class ships both DR's are the same with ATD in one of them. The Pacific Princess does not have ATD.