Traditional dining questions

[cruise2relax]

We usually book anytime dining and are considering a change.  I have two questions.  Online you can choose the table size but they say it is not guaranteed.  How likely are you to secure a 2 person table?  Online when it says second seating 7:15pm, is that accurate or does it change once on board.

 

Ok - 3 questions - if it is not a 2 top and we are not happy, can we switch to anytime once on board?

[fishywood]

1. A lot depends on how early you book. I am a fairly late booker and when I do elect Traditional Dining the option to select 2 for table size is usually not there anymore--just 4, 6, or 8.
2. Princess only recently changed the 'default' times for traditional dining to 5:00 (early) and 7:15 (late). Until late last year most ships at time of booking listed either 5:45/8:00 or 6:00/8:15 (with an 'extra early' seating at 5:15 on those ships with three MDRs). But as so many people found after boarding the actual times were earlier Princess moved the default times to their earliest possible hours. So some ships still could be 7:30 or even 7:45 for late sitting once you board. But for Alaska and Panama Canal the first sitting usually stays at 5:00, thus 7:15 for late will be correct. Other parts of the world do vary. 
3. If you do not care for one or more of your table's size, location, service team or fellow occupants you can either request a different table at the same time, or to switch to Anytime. But you may only once change between Traditional and Anytime--no going back and forth.

As table size is important to you it is essential for you to head to the dining room right after boarding to verify what you have been assigned (while table number is listed on your cruise card [or a card in your cabin if on a Medallion ship] table size is not). If unsatisfied at first glance you should go see the Maitre d' during his open availability (time and location listed in the Patter) before dinner that first night to see if he can better accommodate you. 

Edited June 24, 2019 by fishywood

[Pam in CA]

The dining time(s) are still up to the Maitre ‘d so it can vary. On the Royal last month, late dining was confirmed at 7:15pm and that’s what it was in the Patter. However, since the Royal is Medallion, there was a card in my cabin that said dining was at 7:30pm. Even though our dining was confirmed for 7:15, my friends insisted on going to the dining room at 7:30pm and we wound up being the last to arrive in our waitstaff’s section every night. We had our own table but we wound up having long dinners every night. 

[JF - retired RRT]

40 minutes ago, fishywood said:

As table size is important to you it is essential for you to head to the dining room right after boarding to verify what you have been assigned (while table number is listed on your cruise card [or a card in your cabin if on a Medallion ship] table size is not). If unsatisfied at first glance you should go see the Maitre d' during his open availability (time and location listed in the Patter) before dinner that first night to see if he can better accommodate you. 

I wanted to check table location/size, but the door to the MDR was closed on our last cruise. Is it OK to open the door?

[paul929207]

As long as it is not barricaded.   🙂

[Steelers36]

5 hours ago, JF - retired RRT said:

I wanted to check table location/size, but the door to the MDR was closed on our last cruise. Is it OK to open the door?

Even if you do go in (and not likely locked), you may not find anything out as the small table number metal bracket thingies may well not be in place and you will be left guessing.  Best to find a DR with a DR employee in there who has access to the computer layout.  Even better, is to check in with the MD according to the posted hours on Embarkation afternoon.  Otherwise, the MD will most likely (99%) be in the aft DR where it is Traditional all night long.  On ships with two central DR's, I would look for him prior to when early dining time begins at the DR which is TD all night long.  The Patter will tell you what the DR schedules are if you are not very familiar with the DR usage and allocations.

 

 

Edited June 24, 2019 by steelers36

[pris993]

Yes you can open the door and go into the dining room...often you will find wait staff who can show you were your table is located.   It not what you want go see the Mater'd during his time for changes which is posted in the patter on the first day.  

 

 

 

[karatemom2]

You can request a table for 2 - we always have when traveling just as a couple and had no problem getting our request. However, be forewarned, the two tops in most instances are crammed together in rows where you are pretty much on top of the people dining next to you. So don't go in with the expectation that you will have any privacy. You basically are sitting as close the people on either side as you would be at a shared table. It's not exactly a romantic table for two!

[cruise2relax]

Thanks everyone, very helpful information.

[dcruisers]

We are are group of 8 and have anytime dining on the Regal in January.      Are we allowed to book a reservation at 6:30 for the week?

On our last cruise - on Celebrity-the first night  we walked in at 6:15/6:30 and had a great table with a fantastic wait staff.  So we booked it for the rest of the week. 

We haven’t sailed on Princess in over 6 years.....will Princess allow us to do this?

TIA

[fishywood]

5 minutes ago, dcruisers said:

We are are group of 8 and have anytime dining on the Regal in January.      Are we allowed to book a reservation at 6:30 for the week?

On our last cruise - on Celebrity-the first night  we walked in at 6:15/6:30 and had a great table with a fantastic wait staff.  So we booked it for the rest of the week. 

We haven’t sailed on Princess in over 6 years.....will Princess allow us to do this?

TIA

It is up to each individual ship's Maitre d' as to what the ATD reservations policy is.

They tend to only take reservations for either early or late in the ATD hours (ie before 6 or after 7:45/8:00).

Since you are a group asking for a single large table they may be a bit more accommodating. But likely will want you to show closer to the ATD opening time rather than have a table for eight go unused for an hour+ each evening.

 

The difference between ATD on Princess and MTD on RCI/X is that the latter have a cap on the number of passengers who can elect MTD; the rest default to fixed seating. Which is why they encourage reservations, vs. Princess who uses ATD as the default (as they do not have enough seats at Traditional Dining to meet demand on many sailings) so they more or less discourage reservations for ATD--they want it to be strictly turn-up-and-go, but of course it is not quite that simple.

[skynight]

57 minutes ago, dcruisers said:

We are are group of 8 and have anytime dining on the Regal in January.      Are we allowed to book a reservation at 6:30 for the week?

On our last cruise - on Celebrity-the first night  we walked in at 6:15/6:30 and had a great table with a fantastic wait staff.  So we booked it for the rest of the week. 

We haven’t sailed on Princess in over 6 years.....will Princess allow us to do this?

TIA

What fishywood says. Plus, the maitre'd will be available for questions on the afternoon of boarding day. Look in the Princess Patter for time and location. Arrive early there will most likely be a crowd.