anytime dining possible with traditional dining?

[MaryPoppinz]

Traditional dining is for those who know they want to dine at the same time in the same dining room with the same tablemates and waiter for the duration of the cruise.

 

If the PC dining rooms are slowed down by Traditional diners visiting PC, and the Traditional dining rooms are vacant because of the same, it causes problems for both types of diners. This is the very thing that makes it hard for the PC dining rooms to work.

[bdjam]

Early reports were coming back telling of the necessity of reservations for the anytime dining rooms, that way you can have the same table and wait staff each night and you won't have a wait. Excuse me. isn't that traditional dining?

Yes…and it’s probably the one way the passenger can have his Love Boat Dream and eat it too. If there is a desire for the same dining time, wait staff and tablemates each night, but not a desire to eat at the Traditional Dining room times, one can make that reservation in the Anytime Dining room and have their own version of traditional. Different than what the original poster asked, but about the only way Anytime and Traditional should be combined.

[donna5]

Thankfully on one of our cruises when the traditional dinners went to their diningroom late and were sent away and turned up at anytime--the maitre'd was checking cruise cards and also turning the Traditional's away since there were anytimers waiting to be seated.

 

Last Dec. on the Golden we were on late seating and had been on a waiting list and got a table when we got on ship. It was sad to see so many empty and half empty tables in the diningroom, and I wondered if anytime dinners were having long waits. They started bringing down people that were waiting for anytime,down to fill up the tables.

[RPhCruiser]

I'll be honest, the reason we chose anytime dining was to dine "anytime" we wanted, not at a set schedule. I've heard horror stories of waiting 30-45 minutes during peak times, but am assuming those were for large groups. I really hope the four of us won't regret our anytime choice:o

 

Oh well, I guess we shall find out in 2 weeks:D

[Dreamer333]

If you have traditional dining, you MAY use the Anytime dining rooms, but only after 8pm.

 

From what I've been told by a Princess "higher-up" is that Princess encourages this, and likes for their traditional diners to try anytime dining (because often times, people will book "anytime dining" on their next cruise, after they've tried it).

 

Of course, the diners should be polite and let their table (or waiter) know that they will not be at dinner that evening.

[bdjam]

I'll be honest, the reason we chose anytime dining was to dine "anytime" we wanted, not at a set schedule. I've heard horror stories of waiting 30-45 minutes during peak times, but am assuming those were for large groups. I really hope the four of us won't regret our anytime choice:o

 

Oh well, I guess we shall find out in 2 weeks:D

I think what everyone has to realize is that “Anytime” doesn’t mean “any old time.” Just like any land-based restaurant, if it’s full, you have to wait to get in. The only way to avoid this is to build a dining room (or restaurant) that is big enough to handle all of the passengers on board at once – like they used to do in the good old days. Without that capacity in the dining room, more than likely there will be some wait time, especially for larger groups and especially at peak times.

 

What Anytime dining does mean is that you don’t have a set time to dine as you would with Traditional – whether or not you are successful at sitting down any old time depends on your fellow passengers and how many of them want to dine at the same any old time you do.

[RPhCruiser]

I think what everyone has to realize is that “Anytime” doesn’t mean “any old time.” Just like any land-based restaurant, if it’s full, you have to wait to get in. The only way to avoid this is to build a dining room (or restaurant) that is big enough to handle all of the passengers on board at once – like they used to do in the good old days. Without that capacity in the dining room, more than likely there will be some wait time, especially for larger groups and especially at peak times.

 

What Anytime dining does mean is that you don’t have a set time to dine as you would with Traditional – whether or not you are successful at sitting down any old time depends on your fellow passengers and how many of them want to dine at the same any old time you do.

 

Oh I agree 100%...I just get nervous hearing 30 to 40 minutes of waiting, but alas, if we have to "reserve" a sitting between 6:30pm and 8pm (peak times), that is what we will do. I'm really not complaining, as I'd rather "cruise" and wait then be "land-based" and wait any ol' day!!!!:D

[calikak]

I agree with Ron. The system isn’t set up so that people can come and go from Traditional to Anytime as they wish. If Traditional diners drift over to Anytime a couple of nights a week – especially without warning – the Anytime dining room is stressed. Moreover, there seems to be wait lists for Traditional Dining often. If one is not apt to use Traditional Dining for the entire cruise, there are others who would be more than happy to take your place.

 

 

I agree with Ron and bdjam, you can do one or the other but not both, or else the system doesn't work right. On our cruise on the Golden, I was part of a group of 6, and we were at a table for 8 where the other 2 people never once showed up to dinner. After the first night they didn't show up, the Maitre'D asked our cabin numbers so he could figure out who was missing and see if they were switching to Anytime Dining, so he could let in some folks on the wait list. They told him no, they weren't switching, and yet they never ate in the dining room. It was nice having a table for just our group, and we were able to invite a couple of friends who had Anytime dining to eat with us one night, but I feel bad for the folks on the waitlist for traditional dining who didn't get in because someone refused to give up their spot in traditional that they weren't even using.

[bdjam]

From what I've been told by a Princess "higher-up" is that Princess encourages this, and likes for their traditional diners to try anytime dining (because often times, people will book "anytime dining" on their next cruise, after they've tried it).

It would be interesting to know if Princess is encouraging the Anytime Dining practice in order to rid their fleet of Traditional Dining or in order to take some of the pressure off the Traditional wait list. If it’s the former, those who are wait listed for Traditional won’t be any longer…they’ll be sailing somewhere else. Personally, I tried Anytime Dining and haven't booked it since.

[Dreamer333]

It would be interesting to know if Princess is encouraging the Anytime Dining practice in order to rid their fleet of Traditional Dining or in order to take some of the pressure off the Traditional wait list.

 

From what I understand, there are those out there who "anytime dining" is still such a foriegn concept that they are "afraid" to try it...

However, once they do try it, many of them realize that they still get excellent service, the food is the same, etc... and actually enjoy the Anytime Dining, which then opens up more space in the traditional dining room.

So, I think it works out well for everyone.

[bdjam]

However, once they do try it, many of them realize that they still get excellent service, the food is the same, etc... and actually enjoy the Anytime Dining, which then opens up more space in the traditional dining room.

Well, I don’t agree that the service and food are the same or excellent. The service I got in Anytime Dining was fine, but it wasn’t the same as having a wait staff that knew my preferences and that had made a personal connection - that type of service is usually excellent. I also found that the table side preparation available in Traditional Dining was not available in Anytime Dining. So I believe the two experiences are far from “the same.”

[Dreamer333]

Well, I don’t agree that the service and food are the same or excellent. The service I got in Anytime Dining was fine, but it wasn’t the same as having a wait staff that knew my preferences and that had made a personal connection - that type of service is usually excellent. I also found that the table side preparation available in Traditional Dining was not available in Anytime Dining. So I believe the two experiences are far from “the same.”

 

Hey, if you keep posting things like this, more people are going to chose traditional dining instead of anytime, which will make the waiting lists even longer! ;)

[bdjam]

Hey, if you keep posting things like this, more people are going to chose traditional dining instead of anytime, which will make the waiting lists even longer! ;)

Sorry – sometimes my blatant honesty gets me in trouble. I guess I'd hope that if Princess consistently had wait lists for Traditional Dining on its ships, the cruise line would make an effort to accomodate those on the wait list as well as an effort to sell the product the passengers don't seem to want...:confused:

[negc]

From what I understand, there are those out there who "anytime dining" is still such a foriegn concept that they are "afraid" to try it...

However, once they do try it, many of them realize that they still get excellent service, the food is the same, etc... and actually enjoy the Anytime Dining, which then opens up more space in the traditional dining room.

So, I think it works out well for everyone.

 

I think that characterizing those who opt for traditional dining as being "afraid" to try anytime dining is unfair. Most everyone has some experience with the 'anytime dining' concept at land-based restaurants so it shouldn't be too "foreign" an experience for them. Most of those who complain about being unable to book traditional dining on Princess are veteran cruisers, some of whom have experimented with anytime and found it wanting. If it would help clear space in the traditional dining room (note the singular) I might agree with you, but it appears from the posts on these boards, that each week hundreds of Princess passengers are denied their preference and are forced to experience anytime dining without a resultant rise in its popularity. All that most reasonable posters on this board are asking of Princess is some flexibility in how many dining rooms are designated as "anytime" and how many, "traditional", when there is a large imbalance in demand.

[Dreamer333]

I think that characterizing those who opt for traditional dining as being "afraid" to try anytime dining is unfair.

 

I think its pretty clear by my post that I didn't characterize all those who opt for traditional dining to be afraid.

However, there are SOME who never having tried it before are hesitant to do so, and once they DO try it out, some of them really enjoy the convenience of it... therefore leaving more room available in the traditional dining rooms.

 

I think this is a good idea of Princess to allow traditional diners to try anytime dining after 8pm... If enough people do this, and enough people like anytime dining, then the waitlist for traditional dining will get much shorter.

[bdjam]

I think its pretty clear by my post that I didn't characterize all those who opt for traditional dining to be afraid.

However, there are SOME who never having tried it before are hesitant to do so, and once they DO try it out, some of them really enjoy the convenience of it... therefore leaving more room available in the traditional dining rooms.

 

I think this is a good idea of Princess to allow traditional diners to try anytime dining after 8pm... If enough people do this, and enough people like anytime dining, then the waitlist for traditional dining will get much shorter.

If Princess is trying to eliminate wait lists in Traditional Dining by having its passengers try Anytime and then hoping that they’ll like it enough to switch, then I wonder if Princess is understanding the basic rules of supply and demand, let alone the fact that passengers recognize quality. The fact is that a lot of people who try Anytime Dining – I’m an example – do not like it because of what it lacks. Princess has been in business for 40 years – I would think they’d understand that if they don’t offer the dining option their passengers prefer, there is a majority of cruise lines out there that do. And Princess might lose the past customers that they publicly state they so highly value because other lines will accomodate them more to their liking.

It would make sense that Princess would address the wait list issue by accommodating those who’s Personal Choice is Traditional Dining – and not by gambling they will like something else. They already have the capacity to do it and they’ve done it on Sapphire Princess with one of the Anytime Dining rooms for Early Traditional Seating. They need to follow suit with the rest of the fleet.

[ugogirl]

I am new to Princess and just booked a cruise for 11/06. We picked Traditional Dining because we are a large group of 12. Is the menu the same for Traditional as in the Anytime dining rooms? If they are serving the same food why would you want to "try the anytime dining rooms"? If the menu is not the same, how is it different? Thanks!

[catmand]

Yes the menu is the same. Why someone may want to "try" the anytime is to find out what it is like.................................do I have to wait? How will the service be? Is it better to eat at 7? Can we get a table for two? Things like that, maybe.

Bdjam, My brother is a solo cruiser and has been doing holiday (X-mas/new years) cruises for about 10 years now. I convinced him to try Princess last year and suggested anytime, thinking it may work better for him. He hated it after two nights and was able to switch. I don't think it is very good for a solo now, after talking with him. He said it was often difficult enough to fit in with a traditional table but it usually always worked out, having to sit with different people every night just would have been lots of small talk.

[bdjam]

Bdjam, My brother is a solo cruiser and has been doing holiday (X-mas/new years) cruises for about 10 years now. I convinced him to try Princess last year and suggested anytime, thinking it may work better for him. He hated it after two nights and was able to switch. I don't think it is very good for a solo now, after talking with him. He said it was often difficult enough to fit in with a traditional table but it usually always worked out, having to sit with different people every night just would have been lots of small talk.

 

And that’s another reason I prefer Traditional…

[nomie]

Does anybody know what the time is for early and late traditional dining? Thanks.

[Seal]

We had anytime dining on the Coral Princess on the Panama Canal--Just the two of us--we never waited--they always asked if you wanted to join others or eat by yourselves. Maybe because we were only 2 people, we never waited at all.

 

Still wish the Diamond had all the separate restaurants for dining, that was available in the past. Although reservations were necessary during busy dining times, it ws nice going from restaurant to restaurant--At that time the only one that charged was Sabatinis. Sterling Steakhouse did not charge.

 

Nancy:) :)

[Cruisin' Chick]

Like Bill, Bdjam, and many others, I have wondered why Princess seems so intent on limiting traditional dinner -- are they trying to switch completely over to 100% Anytime? We like having our waiters get to know us (in fact our ass't waiter on our first cruise was our head waiter on the last one, and she even remembered my hubby brings his own coffee, made in the cabin, with him; and quickly remembered I like lemon slices, and not dressing, on my salad). To us, forcing us into Anytime would not constitute "Personal Choice."

 

If we didn't make it to the main dining room, we would just eat in the Horizon Court. Fortunately, much of the entertainment shows are repeated -- at least, the ones we wanted to see.

[Opinions]

The Carnival Corporation is not going to let NCL have a monopoly on Anytime Dining in the mass market cruise lines...Since Princess already has their version of it they are going to do everything they can to make it work...It seems obvious they feel they will gain more market share than they lose...

[JohnLauben]

This may be slightly off the mark here, but I'll throw in my 2 cents worth.

 

The dining room facilities (on any ship) take up a lot of space given that they are being used 4-5 hours (2 dinner meals) a day. With Personal Choice dining, it is possible to get 3 sittings into a slightly longer meal time, and with the same personnel requirement. This would equate to needing less dining room space, therefore more space available for revenue (i.e. passenger cabins) within the same sized ship.

 

I firmly believe in, and use, traditional dining. But, I'm sure that the bean counters back at HQ look at this unused space, and drool over the possibilities. There is absolutely no reason that they cannot accomodate (today) the passengers requesting traditional dining ... just set aside an appropriately sized section of one of the "Personal Choice" dining rooms. It could be done; I just feel that there is some ulterior motive for not doing so. (All the maitre d' has to do is reserve a certain number of tables at traditional dining times, assign these tables to those waitlisted diners, and the problem is solved!)

[bdjam]

The Carnival Corporation is not going to let NCL have a monopoly on Anytime Dining in the mass market cruise lines...Since Princess already has their version of it they are going to do everything they can to make it work...It seems obvious they feel they will gain more market share than they lose...

Anytime Dining isn’t a Carnival Corporation idea. It was part of Princess Cruises before the Carnival buy out – Colin Vetich, who is now running NCL was in a high position at Princess when “Personal Choice” and anytime dining was brought into the fleet. There are other lines that are playing with dining times – HAL has four seatings on some ships and is also piloting a version of Anytime Dining on one of their Vista Class ships.

If Princess is going to offer Personal Choice, then the cruise line needs to accommodate its passenger’s personal choice. If the cruise line wants to do away with Traditional Dining, they need to just do it – the current mix of Princess passengers obviously doesn’t want that to happen. Of course the cruise line takes its chances that their loyal passengers will defect if they do so.