Traditional dining on Golden Princess?

[Chase's Dad]

We sail southbound from Whittier, Alaska in late May and selected a table for four family members in the Canaletto Dining Room. From prior helpful posts, I learned that cruisers reach the dining room only by elevator or stairs from other floors, rather than walking by or through the Donatello. (We're glad to know that in advance.)

 

Have fellow cruisers enjoyed Canaletto recently?  Also, how are the views and service in this dining room?   Thanks!

[JF - retired RRT]

14 minutes ago, Chase's Dad said:

Have fellow cruisers enjoyed Canaletto recently?  Also, how are the views and service in this dining room?   Thanks!

Service is generally good in all the MDRs on all Princess ships. There are occasional complaints, but most waiters try to make it a great experience for you.

There are now view in any MDR unless you're next to or close to a window. You won't see anything except for a sea of table if you're in the middle of the MDR.

Edited April 26, 2019 by JF - retired RRT

[fishywood]

Did you select early or late traditional dining? For early (5 PM) two of the three MDRs are used for TD and there is no way to know if you will be assigned Canaletto or Donatello. 

 

I was on Golden Princess southbound Alaska last May. Service in all MDRs was equally fine (I ended up switching from late TD to ATD after the first two nights for reasons of my own). There are large windows on both sides of Canaletto. Open seating MDR breakfast and sea day lunch is in Donatello with not quite as many. As it is Alaska the shades are open allowing some natural light even as late as second sitting dinner; views are in the eye of the beholder. Note that if you are on a northbound Alaska sailing any late port nights will not have traditional dining, just anytime for all. They did not do so on the one late port night southbound at least on Golden last year, but every Maitre d' decides this for themselves.

 

There is one galley, and essentially one pool of waiters, for all three MDRs. Yes the service is often better with TD as you see the same waiter each night, subject to any schedule changes due to port times. But I've done both TD and ATD on Princess often enough, including two Alaska sailings last year,  to report that dining is remarkably consistent.

[Chase's Dad]

Thank you so much, JF and fishywood!

[getting older slowly]

Canaletto Dining Room is aft deck 6... to get there go to aft lift bank,,on the deck 7 promenade

,

and either use stairs down one deck  or the outside two elevators.....

 

The elevators are always packed around the start of TD

 

Cheers Don

[CRUZBUDS]

2 hours ago, getting older slowly said:

Canaletto Dining Room is aft deck 6... to get there go to aft lift bank,,on the deck 7 promenade

,

and either use stairs down one deck  or the outside two elevators.....

 

The elevators are always packed around the start of TD

 

Cheers Don

We were on the Golden last September and had traditional 6 aft.  There are only two elevators that serve that deck - it is an unbelievably bad design,.  One of the two was out of service for the entire 12 day cruise.  Since the dining room was for traditional, the many folks with canes, walkers and wheelchairs did not have an easy time. I have no cartilage in my knees, but I didn't even try to get an elevator.  I struggled to and from the 7th floor on the stairs.   

[CRUZBUDS]

2 hours ago, getting older slowly said:

Canaletto Dining Room is aft deck 6... to get there go to aft lift bank,,on the deck 7 promenade

,

and either use stairs down one deck  or the outside two elevators.....

 

The elevators are always packed around the start of TD

 

Cheers Don

PS - is that the correct name for the aft dinning room?  We just got back from the Rudy, I go irritated with the dinning room names with our travel companions.  I tried very hard to get them to use three easy names for the dinning rooms.  5, 6 or Aft.  😀

[getting older slowly]

I agree it would so much better if all aft elevators went the extra deck down to 6....

 

Since we have the other problem getting up to deck 17 for canapés before dinner as only two go past deck 14....

 

then  afterwards 10 decks down for dinner...

 

With knee issues, down is ok, but up is not, one deck is ok  

 

Cheers Don

[satxdiver]

On deck 6 one cannot walk through any MDR to another MDR as the galley is in the middle.  There are windows on both the port and starboard side on all three MDRs but only a few tables are near them with all the rest being in the middle of the room.  Since all three get their food from the same galley, the quality of food and the service is near the same.  For whatever reason we have been assigned to the deck 6 aft MDR for early TD.   I take the stairs due to the crowded elevator but DW uses the elevator due to bad knees like many on here.  

[Thrak]

On 4/26/2019 at 8:51 AM, Chase's Dad said:

We sail southbound from Whittier, Alaska in late May

 

How late in May? If you are on the May 25th sailing there is a small roll call HERE

 

 

[caribill]

On 4/26/2019 at 8:31 PM, CRUZBUDS said:

PS - is that the correct name for the aft dinning room? 

 

Different ships have different names for the dining rooms.

[CRUZBUDS]

Great case for my theory of not using the names, but  -  5, 6 and Aft  😀