Traditional Dining: What if we miss our dining time?

[satxdiver]

I don't really think anyone knows if this is a problem or not.

 

Which poster stands at the anytime dining room and confronts diners, making sure they are not traditional?

 

Additionally, as Coral mentioned, if one describes the situation to the head waiter at the door,

and they allow admission, should this be second guessed by cruise critic police?

 

And, finally, if the cruise critic police did prevail with their strict enforcement, people

simply wouldn't sign up for traditional at all, making the anytime sitiation worse.

 

People here are all about rules.

Head waiters/Maitre d' are about making people happy.

 

The maitre'd job depends on keeping pax happy within reason. They really don't give a hoot about what the cc MDR police have to say about it.

 

We're taking one tour that might get back after our Traditional Dining time. What are our options if that happens? Will we be able to go to the dining room late if we're willing to wait for a table? Or will we be forced to eat at the buffet that night? (It's Christmas night so we're expecting it to be a really nice dinner in the MDR and would prefer not to miss out.) Thank you for any help.

 

Yes we have missed our early TD time due to an extended excursion or other reasons and have gone to ATD without any problem. If you miss your TD tme simply go to ATD and wait for a table.

[jsglow]

I don't really think anyone knows if this is a problem or not.

 

Which poster stands at the anytime dining room and confronts diners, making sure they are not traditional?

 

Additionally, as Coral mentioned, if one describes the situation to the head waiter at the door,

and they allow admission, should this be second guessed by cruise critic police?

 

And, finally, if the cruise critic police did prevail with their strict enforcement, people

simply wouldn't sign up for traditional at all, making the anytime sitiation worse.

 

People here are all about rules.

Head waiters/Maitre d' are about making people happy.

 

And that's all well and good so long as I'm not asked to wait 45 minutes for a table as an AT diner while 'interlopers' from fixed slots are allowed to 'cut' at will. I trust the Maitre d' handles it as necessary. I've never had a problem so apparently it's not a very big deal.

[geoherb]

It irritates me when we have tablemates who treat traditional dining as a whim. We sat with one family on a cruise who did that--showing up for less than half the nights. Anytime dining would have been a better choice for them.

 

On our British isles cruise last year, we had a few nights of open seating in the traditional dining room when the ship was in port until later in the evening. It did not make sense to me how the maître d' decided which nights to do it and which ones not to do it. We were in port later on some nights that still had traditional dining than on some of the nights they had open seating.

[Mary loves to travel]

It irritates me when we have tablemates who treat traditional dining as a whim. We sat with one family on a cruise who did that--showing up for less than half the nights. Anytime dining would have been a better choice for them.

 

as long as there are specialty restaurants available, it's a safe bet that people will miss some nights in TD. I get it if you're looking forward to talking to others at a large table; it can be disappointing if the other folks don't show up. But, that's part of the package.

[Pierlesscruisers]

It irritates me when we have tablemates who treat traditional dining as a whim. We sat with one family on a cruise who did that--showing up for less than half the nights. Anytime dining would have been a better choice for them.

 

On our British isles cruise last year, we had a few nights of open seating in the traditional dining room when the ship was in port until later in the evening. It did not make sense to me how the maître d' decided which nights to do it and which ones not to do it. We were in port later on some nights that still had traditional dining than on some of the nights they had open seating.

 

If those tablemates did not have the courtesy to inform the staff that they would not be using their seats on the nights they were not there, thereby delaying the serving of their tablemates, then you certainly had the right to be upset. However, if they did provide that notice to the staff then their absence should have had no effect on you as they were certainly within their rights to eat where they pleased.

 

At least that is the way it seems to me.

 

Tom

[jsglow]

It irritates me when we have tablemates who treat traditional dining as a whim. We sat with one family on a cruise who did that--showing up for less than half the nights. Anytime dining would have been a better choice for them.

 

On our British isles cruise last year, we had a few nights of open seating in the traditional dining room when the ship was in port until later in the evening. It did not make sense to me how the maître d' decided which nights to do it and which ones not to do it. We were in port later on some nights that still had traditional dining than on some of the nights they had open seating.

 

Really? Is this a Princess issue? Because on Carnival one very quickly gets an appreciation for the set time diners who rarely come, perhaps only on elegant night, for example. I think, but am not certain that after a certain amount of time (say, 30 minutes) a set time table might be 'released' for AT dining assuming the two dining options are available in the same venue, and then only if there is a sufficient gap prior to the late set seating.

 

Which leads to another common problem: those folks that don't show up to fixed dining times ON TIME. I'd say the maximum delay before being considered late ought be about 10 minutes. After that, I'd trust the waiter to begin his service.

[Mary loves to travel]

 

Which leads to another common problem: those folks that don't show up to fixed dining times ON TIME. I'd say the maximum delay before being considered late ought be about 10 minutes. After that, I'd trust the waiter to begin his service.

 

Yes! 10 minutes after the start of the seating is long enough to wait for latecomers.

[junglejane]

When I have had this situation (ship in port late and missed Traditional dining), I have approached the Anytime dining room and said "I have Traditional dining but was in port late, do you have room for me in Anytime dining?". They have always said yes. Usually in these cases, many of the dining rooms are empty as people often eat in port.

 

This has been our experience also. Even if there is no explicit announcement of open seating, when the ship is in port late the dining rooms become much less busy -- sometimes downright empty. Just go to the Anytime Dining room and ask politely, just as Coral said. We did this for example when we were in San Francisco and back late from a night time tour of Alcatraz. We also ordered quickly and skipped dessert so as not to detain our waiters as the dining room emptied. This is not the same as the situation where people just want to randomly change their minds and show up at Anytime Dining thereby increasing the wait time for others. In this situation there typically is no wait, you're seated immediately.

[Musky Ike]

 

Which leads to another common problem: those folks that don't show up to fixed dining times ON TIME. I'd say the maximum delay before being considered late ought be about 10 minutes. After that, I'd trust the waiter to begin his service.

 

 

One of the main reasons we have switched to AD.

[Mike45LC]

Except for one cruise, I have always been Traditional, Second Seating. Often at a table for 8.

 

 

If I plan to miss a dinner (specialty restaurant or late on-shore plans), I always inform my wait-staff and tablemates the evening before. That is just good manners. But if I have an unplanned change, I trust that they will all proceed without me!

 

 

Once in all my nights at sea, some new friends asked us to join them for dinner. I was concerned about the fuss this create for the staff, but the maître d' at Anytime Dining assured us that it not be a problem. He called our dining room and explained, and we were seated in Anytime Dining without any wait or fuss. There was no line, and I am sure that we did not, by switching for that one evening, cause any of the Anytime Dining customers any delay or wait.

 

 

The dinner was delightful (we are still in touch with those new friends) but I still prefer our Traditional Dining, with the same waitstaff every night.

 

 

To the OP: whoever suggested the Specialty Restaurant that night was brilliant. But you can always ask your Dining Room staff, and they will be happy to make it work out for you, by giving you Second Seating or Anytime, for that one night. Just raise the issue in advance, so that they can check to see what works best. Their goal is to make you happy!

[Homosassa]

As someone who always has early traditional dining and has also had ship excursions which returned after the start of our assigned dining, we have always talked to our waiter the night before who always brings over the maitre d'.

 

Unless all dining rooms are being changed to anytime dining due to a late port departures, we have been told to report to our dining room when we returned. If service was not too far advanced, we were sat at our regular table. Otherwise we were shown to a table in the anytime dining section.

[donaldsc]

It is very unlikely you will be turned away from Anytime Dinig.

While TD should not be allowed to do AD whenever they wish, they actually are. :rolleyes:

 

If TD can eat AT dining room just because they want to, why can't I walk into the TD dining room and expect to be seated at a table.

 

DON

[Mary loves to travel]

If TD can eat AT dining room just because they want to, why can't I walk into the TD dining room and expect to be seated at a table.

 

DON

 

Don,

 

I suspect that in most cases, if you tried that at the late seating (8 pm-ish), they'd have a spot open and would be happy to accommodate you.

 

best regards,

Mary

[WAMarathoner]

We're taking one tour that might get back after our Traditional Dining time. What are our options if that happens? Will we be able to go to the dining room late if we're willing to wait for a table? Or will we be forced to eat at the buffet that night? (It's Christmas night so we're expecting it to be a really nice dinner in the MDR and would prefer not to miss out.) Thank you for any help.

Not sure about Christmas, but we recently skipped our scheduled meal time a couple of times on the last cruise and were easily accommodated in the dining room, no questions asked. The line was insignificant.

 

As far as waiting for other folks at the table to arrive at TD, our waiter asked those of us at the table if we would like to wait or be served.

[floridalover5623]

Not sure about Christmas, but we recently skipped our scheduled meal time a couple of times on the last cruise and were easily accommodated in the dining room, no questions asked. The line was insignificant.

 

As far as waiting for other folks at the table to arrive at TD, our waiter asked those of us at the table if we would like to wait or be served.

The only problem with being served early is if & when the late people do arrive the whole table is then forced into their eating time schedule.

The nights dining time turns into a 2 + hour affair. :(

They should close the doors after 15 minutes to be fair to those that arrived on time.

This is why we switched to AT & table for two.

[pablo222]

As far as rules go, the head waiter is the one who decides who can enter, not the people on Cruise Critic.

 

Thank god.

[majortom10]

Sorry this might offend some but we have always booked Anytime dining when we have cruised with Princess and think it is totally wrong that those that have booked Fixed dining thing that if it doesnt suit them on any night they can just turn up at Anytime. I know this happens but is totally unfair on those booked on Anytime and I wouldnt be very happy waiting in a queue at the restaurant for a table or be given a pager if I wanted a table for 2 when people from Fixed dining are occupying the tables.

[ukdeblarz]

Hi Misha227

I am on the same cruise, and I have exactly the same dilemma. Our excursion says that it doesn't know exactly when it gets back due to what time the ship gets through the locks or something. I was hoping too to just show up for anytime dining, even though we have early traditional. It makes me think there will be lots of others doing the same thing that day. Surely, they must have experienced this before with the Panama Canal day???? I'm not a fan of the specialty restaurant choices for this ship. Gosh, buffet on Christmas night or room service. Oh well. Maybe the night before, Christmas Eve, will be special.

[Coral]

Sorry this might offend some but we have always booked Anytime dining when we have cruised with Princess and think it is totally wrong that those that have booked Fixed dining thing that if it doesnt suit them on any night they can just turn up at Anytime. I know this happens but is totally unfair on those booked on Anytime and I wouldnt be very happy waiting in a queue at the restaurant for a table or be given a pager if I wanted a table for 2 when people from Fixed dining are occupying the tables.

 

Believe me, when I have done this, we have been in port during dining time. The dining rooms are empty. I doubt anyone is given pagers that night for dining.

[Homosassa]

Hi Misha227

I am on the same cruise, and I have exactly the same dilemma. Our excursion says that it doesn't know exactly when it gets back due to what time the ship gets through the locks or something. I was hoping too to just show up for anytime dining, even though we have early traditional. It makes me think there will be lots of others doing the same thing that day. Surely, they must have experienced this before with the Panama Canal day???? I'm not a fan of the specialty restaurant choices for this ship. Gosh, buffet on Christmas night or room service. Oh well. Maybe the night before, Christmas Eve, will be special.

 

My experience with the Panama Canal day on Princess is that they turn all the dining rooms into anytime dining for that night.

[majortom10]

Believe me, when I have done this, we have been in port during dining time. The dining rooms are empty. I doubt anyone is given pagers that night for dining.

 

Doesnt make any difference if the person is booked in Fixed dining restaurant they should not be allowed to use Anytime. If you wanted the flexibility for days when you are in port then you should have booked Anytime dining for the duration of the cruise.

[capriccio]

Doesnt make any difference if the person is booked in Fixed dining restaurant they should not be allowed to use Anytime. If you wanted the flexibility for days when you are in port then you should have booked Anytime dining for the duration of the cruise.

Even if Princess turns all dining rooms into anytime dining?

 

My experience with the Panama Canal day on Princess is that they turn all the dining rooms into anytime dining for that night.

[misha227]

Hi Misha227

I am on the same cruise, and I have exactly the same dilemma. Our excursion says that it doesn't know exactly when it gets back due to what time the ship gets through the locks or something. I was hoping too to just show up for anytime dining, even though we have early traditional. It makes me think there will be lots of others doing the same thing that day. Surely, they must have experienced this before with the Panama Canal day???? I'm not a fan of the specialty restaurant choices for this ship. Gosh, buffet on Christmas night or room service. Oh well. Maybe the night before, Christmas Eve, will be special.

I agree about the specialty restaurants not being that special (based on reviews here and our previous experience on other cruise lines). This is especially true on formal nights when the MDR steps things up a bit.

 

I've talked to my mother (traveling companion) and we're going to switch to anytime dining. She's afraid of being stuck with the same people at dinner for ten nights (what if we dive like them?) and she likes the variety of meeting new people each day.

 

Maybe we'll run into you on the ship!

 

 

Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk

[junglejane]

If TD can eat AT dining room just because they want to, why can't I walk into the TD dining room and expect to be seated at a table.

The last time we had AD (2017 Alaska on the Ruby), on two separate occasions we were seated in the TD dining room by the AD maitre d'. They do what works and know where the empty tables are. I can see why AD cruisers get upset at the prospect of TD cruisers causing them to wait longer. But as has been pointed out repeatedly now, when the ship is in port late the dining rooms are usually very empty. It boggles my mind that some people are crying "no fair" about a situation where there is no impact on them and the staff is happy to accommodate.

[Coral]

Doesnt make any difference if the person is booked in Fixed dining restaurant they should not be allowed to use Anytime. If you wanted the flexibility for days when you are in port then you should have booked Anytime dining for the duration of the cruise.

 

Let's see - I asked permission and was told I was welcome. So your comments really don't matter to me. The Matride who said yes is the one I care about.

 

If he had said no, I would have respected that also.