Reservation for anytime dining?

[Stacycee]

We are sailing on the Regal this weekend and currently have confirmed 2nd seating for dining.  After learning the time onboard for dinner is actually 7:45pm, that is too late.  Is it possible to reserve a table in the anytime dining room?  I like the idea of the same waiters every night, but we usually eat sometime between the 2 main seating times.

 

I know a LONG time ago, when we last sailed on Princess this was an option as long as we went to the Maître D first thing onboard.  I wasn't sure if this option still existed.

 

Thanks,.

Stacy

[MissP22]

You can alway let them know that you want to switch out of traditional dining & switch to anytime dining.

As far as reserving a particular seating time it's not available to reserve after around 6 PM and before 7:30 PM so it limites your choices somewhat. 

 

[denmarks]

You would first have to officially switch from Traditional to Anytime dining. Anytime dining does take reservations through the Dine line. There are only a limited number for each time period. I believe you must phone each day. The earlier, the better. I have heard that some people get it set for every day. Ask the Mairtre d'.

[skynight]

Visit the maitre'd on boarding day afternoon. There will be posted hours. Ask there. You should be able to switch to ATD without difficulty, but may not be able to get the same table each evening.

[Stacycee]

Thanks everyone!

 

[paul929207]

You can call the DINE line each morning starting at 8am to request a reservation.

[Colo Cruiser]

Usually during prime DR hours you cannot make a reservation.

IE: 6:30-8:00pm. 

Every ship and Maitre d handle this differently.

As noted the MD will meet with passengers on embarkation day in one of the DR's between 2pm and 3:30pm to sort out any dining issues that passengers have. 

Get there early as they will hand out numbers first come first served.

This info will be listed in the embarkation day Patter or in the Medallion/Patter app.

[Denmal]

We have anytime dining on all cruises.  We decide each morning depending on port or sea day activities , what time we want to dine.  We call the dine line right at 8:00 AM or little after and normally can get a reservation for a table for 2 with out a problem for 7 or 7:30.  No, you do not get the same waiter BUT if you walk up and there is a line and you made a reservation, go around the line and tell me person at the front you have a reservation.  They normally take you right away to your table .  We like it and it works for us

 

[MissP22]

1 hour ago, paul929207 said:

You can call the DINE line each morning starting at 8am to request a reservation.

The only problem with having to call each day is that at some ports they arrive early & if you want to get off the ship early they don't start taking calls until 8 AM. 

They're ALWAYS seem to be busy and so it might take a while to get through.

[Colo Cruiser]

Having to call every day is a PITA.

We just go with the flow. 

If there is a table when we walk up great! 

If not we grab a drink and wait.

After all we are on a cruise.

There are so many options.

[grouchomarx]

We never found a line at the MDR on our Sky Christmas cruise.  We dined around 7:30. Never made a reservation, never had to wait. The only line we ever found for the MDR was for a wine tasting.

[antsp]

We have in the past reserved a table every night in the anytime dining, even in peak hours, but and a it’s a big but, it’s down to the Maitre D 

[MissP22]

6 minutes ago, antsp said:

We have in the past reserved a table every night in the anytime dining, even in peak hours, but and a it’s a big but, it’s down to the Maitre D 

 

6 minutes ago, antsp said:

We have in the past reserved a table every night in the anytime dining, even in peak hours, but and a it’s a big but, it’s down to the Maitre D 

That totally defeats the purpose of anytime dining. 

What if everyone else did likewise? The service in the DR would slow down to a crawl holding tables for people to arrive leaving empty tables for a long time. 

They should get rid of all reservations completely & assign tables to those people who queue up outside the door. 

[leck57]

39 minutes ago, MissP22 said:

 

That totally defeats the purpose of anytime dining. 

What if everyone else did likewise? The service in the DR would slow down to a crawl holding tables for people to arrive leaving empty tables for a long time. 

They should get rid of all reservations completely & assign tables to those people who queue up outside the door. 

 

Yes, most definitely. Being able to book tables in anytime dining rooms is ridiculous. 

[paul929207]

Princess describes AT as being like eating at a fine restaurant at home. I don't know about you, but I always make a reservation when going to a fine restaurant.

[bemis12]

15 minutes ago, paul929207 said:

Princess describes AT as being like eating at a fine restaurant at home. I don't know about you, but I always make a reservation when going to a fine restaurant.

 

I always pay for the meal at the end of each meal, as well.  Just ANOTHER thing that isn't the same.

[PrincessLuver]

15 hours ago, leck57 said:

 

Yes, most definitely. Being able to book tables in anytime dining rooms is ridiculous. 

 

Totally agree.....passengers who need reservations need to go to the Assigned Seat Dining Room.....Princess needs to stop allowing reservations in ATD.....every time I see it happening I complain to passenger services and note in in end of cruise survey.....some people just need to feel special and entitled!!!!

[MissP22]

3 hours ago, bemis12 said:

 

I always pay for the meal at the end of each meal, as well.  Just ANOTHER thing that isn't the same.

Same holds true with the tip. 

3 hours ago, PrincessLuver said:

 

Totally agree.....passengers who need reservations need to go to the Assigned Seat Dining Room.....Princess needs to stop allowing reservations in ATD.....every time I see it happening I complain to passenger services and note in in end of cruise survey.....some people just need to feel special and entitled!!!!

Maybe they let us reserve seats in the traditional dining room some day. 

I'd like to see how the other half lives....but only for a night or two. I'm sure they have room somewhere where they can seat me. 😄

Edited January 4, 2020 by MissP22

[GUT2407]

19 hours ago, MissP22 said:

 

That totally defeats the purpose of anytime dining. 

What if everyone else did likewise? The service in the DR would slow down to a crawl holding tables for people to arrive leaving empty tables for a long time. 

They should get rid of all reservations completely & assign tables to those people who queue up outside the door. 

Totally agree, last cruise we saw table sit vacant for about half an hour because someone had booked and there wasn’t enough time to squeeze in another sitting. It is defeating the whole benefit and purpose of ATD.

[MissP22]

5 minutes ago, GUT2407 said:

Totally agree, last cruise we saw table sit vacant for about half an hour because someone had booked and there wasn’t enough time to squeeze in another sitting. It is defeating the whole benefit and purpose of ATD.

And they still let people reserve tables just to make a few people happy. 

 

It's just about a dumb as having 2 sets of elevator banks right next to each other with individual call button banks. People just press each bank & only forces an elevator to stop at that floor for no reason with no one standing there.

Talk about wasting money & yet they never change it. 

Rant over.

Wait- I've got more.....They're so conscious about saving the environment & yet they continue to bombard each cabin with numerous ad's that most people put directly in the garbage. 

I'm done... for now. 

[Tedferg]

3 hours ago, PrincessLuver said:

 

Totally agree.....passengers who need reservations need to go to the Assigned Seat Dining Room.....Princess needs to stop allowing reservations in ATD.....every time I see it happening I complain to passenger services and note in in end of cruise survey.....some people just need to feel special and entitled!!!!

I agree, you should complain to Maitre'D he is the one allowing this. I have previously thought people walking around the line had a buzzer from earlier. I would be ticked off if I found they had a reservation and that their table was available when I got my buzzer. Reservations at 7:30 are moot because there are always tables free at that time.

[bookmama22]

We have never had a problem being seated with ATD but we tend to go to dinner around 8 or so. When we did Norwegian out of NY to Bermuda a few years ago they encouraged reservations in either of the two main dining rooms as well as the one that is styled as a NY supper club with dancing and big band playing. So I did book a few nights and figured after that we would see how it went as they had many dining options.

[antsp]

If it's booked at a set time it can make more efficient use of the table. We had the standing time of 7:00 for 14 nights, on the odd day when we never went the Dining room I would let them know about 10mins before. There as about 5 tables of 2 in a row with the same pax every night 

[Tedferg]

14 minutes ago, antsp said:

If it's booked at a set time it can make more efficient use of the table. We had the standing time of 7:00 for 14 nights, on the odd day when we never went the Dining room I would let them know about 10 mins before. There as about 5 tables of 2 in a row with the same pax every night 

Perhaps the time 7:00 is significant, if demand is low at that time then reservations can be accomodated. Especially for people who prefer a two top. In that case I would not object as an anytime diner. 

[MissP22]

18 minutes ago, antsp said:

If it's booked at a set time it can make more efficient use of the table. We had the standing time of 7:00 for 14 nights, on the odd day when we never went the Dining room I would let them know about 10mins before. There as about 5 tables of 2 in a row with the same pax every night 

So what do they do with that table before you arrive at 7 PM? 

It's go to remain vacant for a period of time waiting for your arrival- maybe 30 minutes or so? .....and that slows down the seating process for those waiting at the door with a beeper. 

First to arrive should be the first seated even if it means getting a beeper for a while.