late TD waitlist

[suec12]

We will be on an upcoming sailing of the CP - I did not realize at the time I booked the cruise that late TD was 7:15 - perfect for us! so I just requested that over anytime dining and was given a note "waitlist #42" - well that doesn't seem like too many considering the size of the ship and we are about 4 1/2 months out, and I agreed to any sized table. Anyone had experience with this? Thanks!

[Steelers36]

With the TD time changes, now the Late TD times are waitlisted instead of the Early TD times.  Methinks Princess overshot the mark here.  In fact, I predicted exactly this result.  In any case, keep checking Personalizer.  Likely you will rise in the list, especially if your cruise is not sold out.  You are not at final payment date yet, so bookings are not all locked in.  If all else fails, the MD will be in one of the mid-ship DR's for a time period in the afternoon of embarkation day and you can go there and make a request.  Check the Embarkation Patter in your cabin for the exact place and time period.

 

[Coral]

23 minutes ago, steelers36 said:

With the TD time changes, now the Late TD times are waitlisted instead of the Early TD times.  Methinks Princess overshot the mark here.  In fact, I predicted exactly this result.  In any case, keep checking Personalizer.  

 

Don't most want to eat at 7? This is the time that most would show up at AT dining. I think Princess knew exactly what they were doing.

 

I am not surprised either. 6 was too early and 8:15 was too late for me.

Edited March 15, 2019 by Coral

[ksm77]

It has been our experience that the time of " late TD of 7:15" varies by ship.  It does not always mean 7:15.  On our cruise in November on the Crown it said late TD 7:15 on our travel Doc. but the MD changed the time to 8:00pm.  On our Regal cruise in Feb. our doc. said late 7:15,  MD charged it to 7:45.  If you want to eat at 7:15 you may be better off in Anytime.  We are fine with it being changed to a later time, but if you want to eat at 7:15 that may not be the case, it is totally in the hands of the MD.  On our cruise on the Crown we asked our waiter about the "new" dining times.  He said they had been told nothing about the changes.  I asked our Captain's Circle person.  She said many times these decisions are made by main office but there seems to be a disconnect between them and the ships staff.   She also said that many times when they try a new policy it doesn't always work on "ship" time.  She said it is almost impossible for the dining staff to turn around the TD dining room in 2 hours.  That is why it is left up to the MD, he knows his staff if they can make it work in real time.  We are leaving on the Star for a 28 day cruise 3/30.  It says on our Travel summary 7:15.  It will be interesting to see what the late TD will be.

Edited March 15, 2019 by ksm77

[RDC1]

1 hour ago, steelers36 said:

With the TD time changes, now the Late TD times are waitlisted instead of the Early TD times.  Methinks Princess overshot the mark here.  In fact, I predicted exactly this result.  In any case, keep checking Personalizer.  Likely you will rise in the list, especially if your cruise is not sold out.  You are not at final payment date yet, so bookings are not all locked in.  If all else fails, the MD will be in one of the mid-ship DR's for a time period in the afternoon of embarkation day and you can go there and make a request.  Check the Embarkation Patter in your cabin for the exact place and time period.

 

I don't think they overshot. I think that they are accomplishing exactly what the change was intended to do.

 

they have been successful in filling late TD. if early TD is under subscribed, the next change will be to convert the mid ship dining room that has been td early and AT late to AT all the time.

[Coral]

1 minute ago, RDC1 said:

I don't think they overshot. I think that they are accomplishing exactly what the change was intended to do.

 

they have been successful in filling late TD. if early TD is under subscribed, the next change will be to convert the mid ship dining room that has been td early and AT late to AT all the time.

The best thing to do is build larger dining rooms that would accommodate everyone when they want or with out a huge delay. While they are at it - build larger theaters!

[RDC1]

50 minutes ago, Coral said:

The best thing to do is build larger dining rooms that would accommodate everyone when they want or with out a huge delay. While they are at it - build larger theaters!

and what space do you propose they use to do that on the public decks.

[Coral]

27 minutes ago, RDC1 said:

and what space do you propose they use to do that on the public decks.

It would have to be a complete redesign of new ships.

 

The original Grand Class and Coral Class doesn't have the issues the Caribbean, Crown and later Grand Class models have.

 

Other lines don't have problems with theatre seating like Princess has. They add more people to the ship but not additional space in these areas.

 

I am following another line that switched from Traditional to Open dining. They took cabins out to do so as their dining room were not large enough to do Open Dining with out waits with the existing space.

 

Sometimes Princess makes stupid decisions. When they started adding more people, they didn't add additional dining and theatre spaces.

Edited March 15, 2019 by Coral

[capriccio]

2 hours ago, ksm77 said:

It has been our experience that the time of " late TD of 7:15" varies by ship.  It does not always mean 7:15.  On our cruise in November on the Crown it said late TD 7:15 on our travel Doc. but the MD changed the time to 8:00pm. 

By the time we were on our Christmas cruise on the Crown, the actual TD times were 5:15 and 7:15 so maybe it just took a few cruises to work out the new schedule.

[Colo Cruiser]

If you desire a different dining time see the MD after boarding at the time/place listed in the embarkation day Patter.

It is usually held in one of the DR's between 2pm and 3:30pm.

He can make the changes you need.

[floridalover5623]

1 hour ago, Coral said:

When they started adding more people, they didn't add additional dining and theatre spaces.

But it keep the prices low & for most people that's an important thing. Sure they could have designed the ship to allot more space to the DR & show lounge but lost a lot of perspective customers in the process.

[Kingofcool1947]

3 hours ago, Coral said:

The best thing to do is build larger dining rooms that would accommodate everyone when they want or with out a huge delay. While they are at it - build larger theaters!

 

And,  just how would you exactly do that?  

What alterations would you make to the existing ships to build larger dining rooms and to build a larger theater?

Edited March 15, 2019 by Kingofcool1947

[Colo Cruiser]

3 hours ago, Kingofcool1947 said:

 

And,  just how would you exactly do that?  

What alterations would you make to the existing ships to build larger dining rooms and to build a larger theater?

A new Excel?

[Coral]

3 hours ago, Kingofcool1947 said:

 

And,  just how would you exactly do that?  

What alterations would you make to the existing ships to build larger dining rooms and to build a larger theater?

I did mention a new design for newer ships as opposed to cooking cutting existing ships.

 

Though - let's see - if Princess can figure out a way to take out public spaces and viewing areas on the Island Princess to expand cabins, they can figure out a way to add more space if they wanted to.

 

I was eating with an Officer several years ago and he indicated Princess's big fault was adding more cabins to ships and not adding enough additional dining and entertainment venues or spaces (he was referring to theatre).

[Steelers36]

7 hours ago, RDC1 said:

I don't think they overshot. I think that they are accomplishing exactly what the change was intended to do.

 

they have been successful in filling late TD. if early TD is under subscribed, the next change will be to convert the mid ship dining room that has been td early and AT late to AT all the time.

Good point.  You may be onto something.

[RDC1]

1 hour ago, steelers36 said:

Good point.  You may be onto something.

One other thing that I have noticed on 4 Princess cruises since the new schedule was put in place, is that the early show in the theater has been less crowded with seats often being available right up to show time or just a few minutes before. 

[Steelers36]

14 minutes ago, RDC1 said:

One other thing that I have noticed on 4 Princess cruises since the new schedule was put in place, is that the early show in the theater has been less crowded with seats often being available right up to show time or just a few minutes before. 

I believe you but wasn't the case on our NZ cruise.

[RDC1]

14 minutes ago, steelers36 said:

I believe you but wasn't the case on our NZ cruise.

What times did they have for early and late dinner and what times were the shows? Our last 2 (a B2B) had dinner at 5 and 7:15 and the shows at 6:30 and 8:30

[Kingofcool1947]

4 hours ago, Coral said:

I did mention a new design for newer ships as opposed to cooking cutting existing ships.

 

Though - let's see - if Princess can figure out a way to take out public spaces and viewing areas on the Island Princess to expand cabins, they can figure out a way to add more space if they wanted to.

 

I was eating with an Officer several years ago and he indicated Princess's big fault was adding more cabins to ships and not adding enough additional dining and entertainment venues or spaces (he was referring to theatre).

 

Sounds doable.

I hope Princess can find a way to take your suggestions and make it a reality.

I wish you good luck.

 

Edited March 16, 2019 by Kingofcool1947

[Kingofcool1947]

4 hours ago, Colo Cruiser said:

A new Excel?

 

Yes.  Time for you to do another Excel spreadsheet.

Your excellent  Excel spreadsheet was eye opening in the results

compiled for the “missing chair from stateroom complaint”  thread. The number of complainers vs. non-complainers was surprising.

Time for you to compile a new Excel spreadsheet.  Please post results when you have a significant sample size.

Good luck.  I wish you well.

Edited March 16, 2019 by Kingofcool1947

[Steelers36]

1 hour ago, RDC1 said:

What times did they have for early and late dinner and what times were the shows? Our last 2 (a B2B) had dinner at 5 and 7:15 and the shows at 6:30 and 8:30

Like  before, the ship time can and often varies from the website standard.  We had 5:15 and 7:30.  Show times varied depending on length and number of times repeated.  I don't recall well enough to give you show times but it was certainly possible to eat and make early show and we usually went for dinner between 5:30 and 6:00.

[Colo Cruiser]

3 minutes ago, Kingofcool1947 said:

 

Right.

Didn’t you compile an Excell spreadsheet for the “missing chair from stateroom 

complaint”  thread?    Complainers vs. non-cmplaners?

Time for you to compile a new Excell? 

Negative....you have all the info, I don't.

[geoherb]

We've frequently been on the waitlist for late traditional dining. Only twice did we not clear it. We tried anytime dining once and decided it wasn't for us. The other time I waited in line the first afternoon to request it and was able to get assigned a table. Once we were shown as confirmed for traditional dining but received anytime at check-in. I waited in line the first afternoon to get a table assignment on that cruise as well.

[mevs904]

We signed up late for our upcoming CP cruise and were waitlisted #30 for late Traditional Dining.  We moved very quickly up the list and in a few weeks we were confirmed for Late Traditional Dining.  Although Late TD is listed at 7:15 reports from CB cruisers have indicated that the time is actually 7:45.  We’re fine with that, but I suspect that there will be a few people who get on the ship and feel that it’s too late for them.  In short, I think that you will get confirmed for Late TD.

[caribill]

3 hours ago, mevs904 said:

 Although Late TD is listed at 7:15 reports from CB cruisers have indicated that the time is actually 7:45.

 

On our December Emerald Princess cruise, the late seating was at 7:30. However etertainment and activity times were not changed and almost every night they did not end until 7:45.