First evening meal

[Itchy&Scratchy]

4 hours ago, Scottdalfonso said:

so you're saying it shouldn't be that hectic since we set a time in advance, correct? I assumed the lines and craziness are people who just show up and wait for tables? 

really, there is no craziness. And yes, we always make MDR reservations for the same time. Never waited more than a couple of minutes, if that.

[arizonaperson]

4 hours ago, Scottdalfonso said:

I'm cruising Princess for the first time and all these "MDR is a madhouse on night one" posts are confusing me- on RC with a set dining time, we show up and get seated on night one, no problems, not hectic.... we already reserved our times for MDR on Enchanted for every night (6pm..every night) so you're saying it shouldn't be that hectic since we set a time in advance, correct? I assumed the lines and craziness are people who just show up and wait for tables? 

Are you cruising before September 14, 2024? If you are then your 6 PM ( check your app to double check) every night reservation in the main dining room should be fine ,but there is a new dining program starting in September.

Sometimes the first night ,it’s a little hectic just because. there is usually a line for Reservations and a line for walk ups ( every night),but it can get confusing for some and I find the later that you dine the better ,but of course not everyone wants to dine later -so yes, you may have to wait in a line even if you have a reservation.

 

Lots of people will be checking in for a reservation, so there will be a line or potentially a line . Sometimes the lines really aren’t marked and that’s where the hectic part may come in to play. But that doesn’t mean you need to avoid the main dining room .

I also find the dining room that may be located on deck 5 or 6 in the aft/back part of the ship sometimes it’s not as crowded as a dining room right near the Piazza. Of course, this varies ship to ship.

 

Because there’s all kinds of choices, even with a reservation. One for example may have reserved 7 PM for a table for two and perhaps somebody showed up at 5:30pm for a reservation and all the tables for two are not available ,because the diners are still there eating when you show up for your reservation at 7 PM , so there always has to be a little bit of patience .

[rjack22]

I have had no problem with the MD on the first night.  We had a reservation.

[Scottdalfonso]

1 hour ago, arizonaperson said:

Are you cruising before September 14, 2024? If you are then your 6 PM ( check your app to double check) every night reservation in the main dining room should be fine ,but there is a new dining program starting in September.

Sometimes the first night ,it’s a little hectic just because. there is usually a line for Reservations and a line for walk ups ( every night),but it can get confusing for some and I find the later that you dine the better ,but of course not everyone wants to dine later -so yes, you may have to wait in a line even if you have a reservation.

 

Lots of people will be checking in for a reservation, so there will be a line or potentially a line . Sometimes the lines really aren’t marked and that’s where the hectic part may come in to play. But that doesn’t mean you need to avoid the main dining room .

I also find the dining room that may be located on deck 5 or 6 in the aft/back part of the ship sometimes it’s not as crowded as a dining room right near the Piazza. Of course, this varies ship to ship.

 

Because there’s all kinds of choices, even with a reservation. One for example may have reserved 7 PM for a table for two and perhaps somebody showed up at 5:30pm for a reservation and all the tables for two are not available ,because the diners are still there eating when you show up for your reservation at 7 PM , so there always has to be a little bit of patience .

Thank you for this info! We actually sail just before the dining changes, Aug 31- Sept 7, but I may push the time back a little... I feel like 6 is still a little early for us, so maybe 630-7.  We were originally worried about evening shows and activities, but I was able to see a few posts with activities listed and looks like they do shows 2-3 times a night, so that's covered!  We will definitely do MDR, but now I'll at least know to look or ask to make sure I'm in the correct line. 

[AllHandsAstern]

This isn't 100% on topic but I feel like the "anytime dining" concept has really hamstrung cruise dining rooms. I've done banquets and restaurant service, and everything is may easier when you know what time everything has to happen.

[memoak]

19 hours ago, No Sea Legs! said:

Thank you for all of your help. Really useful. We just need to decide if we want to queue with everyone else or book a speciality restaurant!

 

Remember a certain amount of tables are set aside on embarkation night for full suites who get a complimentary dinner that night and can book when they get on board

[memoak]

10 hours ago, AllHandsAstern said:

We do MDR the first night if only so we don't have to think very hard about dinner.

My wife and I book a fixed dining time in MDR for the whole cruise and then adjust as needed. if we're not going to make the reservation we'll let the host know ahead of time.

I think the MDR gets a bad rap, but a lot of people forget it's just a restaurant. If you show up as the same time as 1000 other people you're gonna have a bad time.

 

We try to avoid the buffet until day 2 or 3, once the novelty has started to wear off for some people

We avoid the buffet for the entire cruise if possible

[AllHandsAstern]

3 minutes ago, memoak said:

We avoid the buffet for the entire cruise if possible

When we were on Reflection last year we did pretty much every breakfast in the buffet, late night drunchies, sometimes lunch. Food was 7/10 and even when it was busy it wasn't overwhelming.

 

When we did Viva in March this year we did the buffet once for breakfast and once for lunch and that was it, food was mid to bad, always felt way too crowded, not sure who decided the food area pathway should be exactly two people wide, but that was not a good move.

 

All that to say not all buffets are created equal

Edited May 8 by AllHandsAstern

[memoak]

Just now, AllHandsAstern said:

When we were on Reflection last year we did pretty much every breakfast in the buffet, late night drunchies, sometimes lunch. Food was 7/10 and even when it was busy it wasn't overwhelming.

 

When we did Viva in March this year we did the buffet once for breakfast and once for lunch and that was it, food was mid to bad, always felt way too crowded, not sure who decided the food area pathway should be exactly two people wide, but that was not a good move.

 

All that to say not all buffets are created equal

It is more the people who refuse to wash hand and refuse to use tongs. We had someone right in front of us grab some premade sandwiches with his hands and when we objected relied so what I’m not sick. Last time ever at any buffet 

 

[AllHandsAstern]

1 minute ago, memoak said:

It is more the people who refuse to wash hand and refuse to use tongs. We had someone right in front of us grab some premade sandwiches with his hands and when we objected relied so what I’m not sick. Last time ever at any buffet 

 

Viva had the worst hand washing / sanitizing I've ever seen, ever. Hope it's not like that on Crown!

[memoak]

9 minutes ago, AllHandsAstern said:

Viva had the worst hand washing / sanitizing I've ever seen, ever. Hope it's not like that on Crown!

You can watch people just walk on past those stations without even looking at them

[No Sea Legs!]

1 hour ago, Scottdalfonso said:

Thank you for this info! We actually sail just before the dining changes, Aug 31- Sept 7, but I may push the time back a little... I feel like 6 is still a little early for us, so maybe 630-7.  We were originally worried about evening shows and activities, but I was able to see a few posts with activities listed and looks like they do shows 2-3 times a night, so that's covered!  We will definitely do MDR, but now I'll at least know to look or ask to make sure I'm in the correct line. 

Glad you have a plan -  it can get a bit crazy when there are so many combinations and choices!

[AllHandsAstern]

I feel like thats the root of the problem, the vast majority of people don't want to commit to a plan so it's impossible to anticipate accordingly 

[takevtr1]

16 hours ago, rjack22 said:

I have had no problem with the MD on the first night.  We had a reservation.

I will be sailing on Enchanted Princess for the first time shortly, but sailed many other cruise lines before.

I have reservations in the MDR for each night.

My question is is there a line for people with reservations and a separate line for walk-ups? 

I just watched some videos on youtube, and from what I can tell, looks like there is only one line which kind of defeats the purpose for having a reservation. 

Thanks very much!!

[HotRoot]

7 hours ago, takevtr1 said:

I will be sailing on Enchanted Princess for the first time shortly, but sailed many other cruise lines before.

I have reservations in the MDR for each night.

My question is is there a line for people with reservations and a separate line for walk-ups? 

I just watched some videos on youtube, and from what I can tell, looks like there is only one line which kind of defeats the purpose for having a reservation. 

Thanks very much!!

Separate lines on all ships we have been on but never been on Enchanted.

[memoak]

9 hours ago, takevtr1 said:

I will be sailing on Enchanted Princess for the first time shortly, but sailed many other cruise lines before.

I have reservations in the MDR for each night.

My question is is there a line for people with reservations and a separate line for walk-ups? 

I just watched some videos on youtube, and from what I can tell, looks like there is only one line which kind of defeats the purpose for having a reservation. 

Thanks very much!!

On the Ruby last month there were 2 lines at each dining room