Reservation for anytime dining?

[frugaltravel]

4 hours ago, PrincessLuver said:

 

Wow....aren't you special....if you need a set time to eat like you indicated than do Traditional Dining and quit gumming up ATD for those who play by the rules and do not feel entitled that they come before everyone else......I am sure you probably freak out too when people do not follow Princess' suggested dress code on formal nights too!!!!!  

Ouch!

 

The poster is playing by the rules - Princess' rules that allow pre-booking of some tables in ATD.

Edited January 10, 2020 by frugaltravel

[Iamcruzin]

23 hours ago, GUT2407 said:

Windjammer on Princess? How do you get there?

You board a Royal Caribbean ship if it's in port  at the same time as a Princess ship. Just don't eat the burgers they are awful.

[Iamcruzin]

On 1/9/2020 at 5:27 PM, RMMariner said:

Having reservations defeats the whole idea of anytime dining. We pick ATD and just show up and dine when we want to. If there is a wait, we go have a drink and wait to be paged. Normally, we never have to wait because we are willing to share a table.

 

I have never done traditional dining, but we have talked to people who have had table mates that only showed up every fourth or fifth day for their traditional dining spot. That doesn't seem right. If you book traditional, go to your table. If you book anytime, show up and wait your turn. 

 

Both skipping TD and making reservations at ATD make the system far more inefficient and are probably contributing to ATD wait times. 

 

 

The Princess dining experience is a mess. On Celebrity and Royal Caribbean you can make reservations before you board through the cruise planner. The difference is that they don't allow traditional diners to eat in My time dining like Princess does so the reservations work and you are seated when you arrive. On Princess we know that we will be eating at 8:00 when we want a table for 2 in anytime dining. I have made reservations twice and both times we were seated an hour past the time of the reservation.  I just gave up and accept it.  If you want the same table same waitstaff than traditional is the way to go on Princess.

[leck57]

6 minutes ago, Iamcruzin said:

The Princess dining experience is a mess. On Celebrity and Royal Caribbean you can make reservations before you board through the cruise planner. The difference is that they don't allow traditional diners to eat in My time dining like Princess does so the reservations work and you are seated when you arrive. On Princess we know that we will be eating at 8:00 when we want a table for 2 in anytime dining. I have made reservations twice and both times we were seated an hour past the time of the reservation.  I just gave up and accept it.  If you want the same table same waitstaff than traditional is the way to go on Princess.

 

It's interesting how we have have different experiences. Six cruises with Princess for us and we have done anytime dining the last 5 (as the times for Traditional don't suit us). We would mostly go to dinner around the peak times of 6.30 -7pm and not once have we ever waited more than 15 minutes for a table for 2 or 4. The large majority of the time the wait is less than 5 minutes.

[Aus Traveller]

5 minutes ago, leck57 said:

It's interesting how we have have different experiences. Six cruises with Princess for us and we have done anytime dining the last 5 (as the times for Traditional don't suit us). We would mostly go to dinner around the peak times of 6.30 -7pm and not once have we ever waited more than 15 minutes for a table for 2 or 4. The large majority of the time the wait is less than 5 minutes.

We go a little earlier than you. We always ask to share, but not nominating a particular sized table. The most we have had to wait is the few minutes it takes to reach the head of the queue at the door. This is on numerous Princess cruises.

[Iamcruzin]

8 hours ago, leck57 said:

 

It's interesting how we have have different experiences. Six cruises with Princess for us and we have done anytime dining the last 5 (as the times for Traditional don't suit us). We would mostly go to dinner around the peak times of 6.30 -7pm and not once have we ever waited more than 15 minutes for a table for 2 or 4. The large majority of the time the wait is less than 5 minutes.

 

8 hours ago, Aus Traveller said:

We go a little earlier than you. We always ask to share, but not nominating a particular sized table. The most we have had to wait is the few minutes it takes to reach the head of the queue at the door. This is on numerous Princess cruises.

The issue is that the OP wants the same time and same waitstaff each night which probably won't happen during prime time. They may as well stay in traditional because they most likely will be eating at the same time even with an arrangement in AT dining. If you are willing to share and be at any given table then there isn't much of a wait.

[Ombud]

Confused as to how you get on Royal Caribbean to eat when you aren't sailing on her. Security there must suck (which I don't believe is true). Could you be confused?

 

9 hours ago, Iamcruzin said:

The Princess dining experience is a mess. On Celebrity and Royal Caribbean you can make reservations before you board through the cruise planner. The difference is that they don't allow traditional diners to eat in My time dining like Princess does

As ATDer I've never been sat in a TD dining room when it was under TD guidelines. One of the dining rooms does flip to ATD at 7:30. And TD that have 7:15 seating are seated in the restaurant on Deck 6 rear only. Could you be confused again? 

 

However you do have one thing right:

9 hours ago, Iamcruzin said:

If you want the same table same waitstaff than traditional is the way to go on Princess.

 

[Iamcruzin]

18 minutes ago, Ombud said:

Confused as to how you get on Royal Caribbean to eat when you aren't sailing on her. Security there must suck (which I don't believe is true). Could you be confused?   

 

As ATDer I've never been sat in a TD dining room when it was under TD guidelines. One of the dining rooms does flip to ATD at 7:30. And TD that have 7:15 seating are seated in the restaurant on Deck 6 rear only. Could you be confused again?  No you are confused. I stated that they allow Traditional diners to eat in Any Time. Not the other way around. This takes up space for Anytime diners. The only reason I know this is because several times when sharing a table in AT someone has mentioned that they switch between anytime and traditional during the cruise. They had no idea that they shouldn't be doing that. Most were new cruisers.

 

However you do have one thing right:

 

Another poster stated that they eat in WindJammer instead of the MDR and different poster asked how do you get there knowing that Windjammer is on Royal Caribbean and not Princess. That was my reply.  It was a joke. I have been on Royal Caribbean and the burgers are horrible and that's not a joke.

Edited January 11, 2020 by Iamcruzin

[dreaminofcruisin]

20 hours ago, frugaltravel said:

Ouch!

 

The poster is playing by the rules - Princess' rules that allow pre-booking of some tables in ATD.

We never used to make reservations in Anytime, until one cruise on the Crown. The people at the door were BEGGING people to make reservations. They claimed it worked better for them when people made reservations. Why would I argue with the dining room staff? Since then, we check it out the first few nights. The last few cruises have been with a lot of Europeans who tend to eat later and we eat slightly earlier, so we never had a wait in Anytime and no need for a reservation. If there are long lines, then we will again make reservations.

[MissP22]

21 hours ago, dreaminofcruisin said:

We never used to make reservations in Anytime, until one cruise on the Crown. The people at the door were BEGGING people to make reservations. They claimed it worked better for them when people made reservations. Why would I argue with the dining room staff? Since then, we check it out the first few nights. The last few cruises have been with a lot of Europeans who tend to eat later and we eat slightly earlier, so we never had a wait in Anytime and no need for a reservation. If there are long lines, then we will again make reservations.

I've always though that reservations slowed down the DR seating process since they have to hold tables aside for a while waiting for people to arrive.

But if what is true we'll go that route for our next Crown cruise. 

[frugaltravel]

39 minutes ago, MissP22 said:

I've always though that reservations slowed down the DR seating process since they have to hold tables aside for a while waiting for people to arrive.

But if what is true we'll go that route for our next Crown cruise. 

That is what we speculators get for second guessing the on board experts 😀😀

[MissP22]

2 minutes ago, frugaltravel said:

That is what we speculators get for second guessing the on board experts 😀😀

I really don't see how making a reservation for 6:15 PM would speed thing up but if they believe it helps, we'll do so. 

[PrincessLuver]

22 hours ago, dreaminofcruisin said:

We never used to make reservations in Anytime, until one cruise on the Crown. The people at the door were BEGGING people to make reservations. They claimed it worked better for them when people made reservations. Why would I argue with the dining room staff?.

 

We have never heard ATD staff promoting reservations.....if anything it creates two different problems for them to deal with....we are usually always there when ATD opens and of course you have the reservation line where they people seem to think they have outwitted the system....on some cruises ATD did not allow reservations for the whole cruise and that experience seemed to work best for everyone involved...Princess should not allow reservations period for ATD....we all know what is really going on!!!! 

[MissP22]

My feeling is that they'll tell the passenger anything they want to hear & if someone is upset about having to wait 45 minutes to eat at 7 PM, they'll just tell them to make a reservation.

Of course there are no reservations at that time but it defuses the situation for the moment and passes the buck to the person on the phone. 😄

[pablo222]

34 minutes ago, PrincessLuver said:

 

We have never heard ATD staff promoting reservations.....if anything it creates two different problems for them to deal with....we are usually always there when ATD opens and of course you have the reservation line where they people seem to think they have outwitted the system

 

Yeah, those horrible people outwitted the system,:

...by calling the DINE line provided by Princess,

...and asking for a reservation, again provided by Princess.

 

How clever of these folks!!!

 

If you don't like that folks can make reservations, you should take it up with the maitre d', or the food and beverage director,

because most people follow real-life rules, not cruise-critic rules...

 

[frugaltravel]

1 hour ago, pablo222 said:

 

Yeah, those horrible people outwitted the system,:

...by calling the DINE line provided by Princess,

...and asking for a reservation, again provided by Princess.

 

How clever of these folks!!!

 

If you don't like that folks can make reservations, you should take it up with the maitre d', or the food and beverage director,

because most people follow real-life rules, not cruise-critic rules...

 

I find it entertaining to read all the armchair quarterbacks who think they know better than the cruise line about how to run their operations 😀.

[PrincessLuver]

2 hours ago, pablo222 said:

 

Yeah, those horrible people outwitted the system,:

...by calling the DINE line provided by Princess,

...and asking for a reservation, again provided by Princess.

 

How clever of these folks!!!

 

If you don't like that folks can make reservations, you should take it up with the maitre d', or the food and beverage director,

because most people follow real-life rules, not cruise-critic rules...

 

 

We are usually on Princess ships 30+ days and always do ATD.....we have met many people who do not even call for reservations but bribe the maitre d' for a permanent table the first day.....many ATD'ers feel the system is abused by the "I am special crowd!"  Many of the good tables end up reserved on the first night for the whole cruise thanks to  maitre d's who give into everyone.

 

I do always report it to maitre d', the food and beverage director, and put it on the survey.   Have no problem cutting tips too if the ATD experience becomes a joke!!!

 

Like I said, I love the maitre d's who do not allow reservations in ATD because they know it creates problems and goes against the spirit of the ATD concept!!

Edited January 12, 2020 by PrincessLuver

[Colo Cruiser]

1 hour ago, PrincessLuver said:

Have no problem cutting tips too if the ATD experience becomes a joke!!!

So tell me please.....how does screwing the housekeeping and other service staff around the ship help??  🤔

[pablo222]

3 hours ago, PrincessLuver said:

Like I said, I love the maitre d's who do not allow reservations in ATD because they know it creates problems and goes against the spirit of the ATD concept!!

 

I think most people will continue to follow princess' rules, not yours.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[MissP22]

I think I'm going to make standing reservations & then just show up early.

Let them figure it out. 

 

[paul929207]

2 hours ago, Colo Cruiser said:

So tell me please.....how does screwing the housekeeping and other service staff around the ship help??  🤔

I have the same question

[PrincessLuver]

3 hours ago, Colo Cruiser said:

So tell me please.....how does screwing the housekeeping and other service staff around the ship help??  🤔

 

It is not a screwing.....it is called a cruise and if Princess does not want to deliver the product that they promise then it is Princess' morale problem not mine.....and save your moralizing because it will not be effective!!!! 

 

In my world a gratuity is something given voluntarily or beyond obligation usually for exemplary service....not a "have too" for mediocre, basic or annoying service..... :-)

[bemis12]

14 minutes ago, PrincessLuver said:

 

It is not a screwing.....it is called a cruise and if Princess does not want to deliver the product that they promise then it is Princess' morale problem not mine.....and save your moralizing because it will not be effective!!!! 

 

It already was, given that you felt the need to attempt to defend your position.

[pablo222]

10 hours ago, PrincessLuver said:

 

We have never heard ATD staff promoting reservations.....if anything it creates two different problems for them to deal with....we are usually always there when ATD opens 

 

My observation:  when the anytime dining room opens, the 30-50 people waiting are seated as fast as they can be escorted to their tables.

Often there is a line of waiter/juniors who the head waiter directs where to escort the parties to specific tables...

 

The people waiting when the doors open are seated just as fast as possible.

 

As you are 'always there when ATD opens', how do people with reservations even affect you?

 

 

 

 

[MissP22]

38 minutes ago, pablo222 said:

 

My observation:  when the anytime dining room opens, the 30-50 people waiting are seated as fast as they can be escorted to their tables.

Often there is a line of waiter/juniors who the head waiter directs where to escort the parties to specific tables...

 

The people waiting when the doors open are seated just as fast as possible.

 

As you are 'always there when ATD opens', how do people with reservations even affect you?

 

 

 

 

And as soon as that crowd is seated the next crown of people are soon to begin getting beepers. 

Of course there has to be some tables which will be vacant for those people requesting reservations that could be used immediately.