Wait listed for assigned seating...

[Dawgncal]

for the early dining on the Star. We are currently #62 and sail in 37 days. Do we get in or will it be anytime dining?

[Colo Cruiser]

It is possible but highly unlikely. On the Crown within 3 months of the sailing I went from #110th to #8 and stayed that way. :(

[btrojanoski]

Hi Dawgncal:

 

I would say your chances are slim to none. Now that you're past final payment there won't be a lot of changes in the pax, except for the odd medical issue. And the pax that book the early sitting, in my experience, don't usually change their minds and go to late seating. However you could have a number of pax booked for Early who will decide to opt for Anytime after they board. You're best bet is to go to see the maitre D as soon as you can and see if he can help you out.

 

Barry

[Dawgncal]

thanks for the input. I probably will see matri er mate er head guy and see what we can do. Who knows, if this smell thingy keeps being an issue we might be the only ones on the ship.

[Pam in CA]

We just passed final payment date and I went from #119 to #85 for late seating. I'm crossing my fingers that I get it since Anytime is not an option. Been there, done that 2x, won't do it again.

[chasetf]

We just passed final payment date and I went from #119 to #85 for late seating. I'm crossing my fingers that I get it since Anytime is not an option. Been there, done that 2x, won't do it again.

We are late traditional diners and have been fortunate to always getting it except twice. One time on another line we met the matre'd once on board and got it changed. Everyone wanted to switch from late to early. We were the only going early to late.

 

But the other time we were given Anytime. We just turned it into "Late Traditional" by making a standing reservation for the entire trip (12 days) at 8pm in the Anytime dining room. We met a wait staff we enjoyed and made the standing reservation leaving the dining room after the first night.

[Julia’s Journey’s]

We enjoy the anytime dining, hate to eat so early for early seating and much prefer to take each day as it comes!!

[geoherb]

I booked our upcoming Sun Princess cruise a few days after final payment date. We were on the waiting list for late traditional dining. I saw small shifts on the Cruise Personalizer during the week as we moved up the list. Within a week, we had our dining preference confirmed.

 

We tried "anytime" dining once and did not like it. I know it works for others, but it seems like to me that when Princess knows there's a greater demand for traditional than the ships can accomodate, they'd increase the number of dining rooms assigned as traditional ones.

[Pam in CA]

But the other time we were given Anytime. We just turned it into "Late Traditional" by making a standing reservation for the entire trip (12 days) at 8pm in the Anytime dining room. We met a wait staff we enjoyed and made the standing reservation leaving the dining room after the first night.

I've done the standing reservation at 8PM in Anytime on a cruise (the 2nd time I've done Anytime and I wanted to give it another chance) and we had waits of between 5 - 30+ minutes for "our" table. There was no such thing as walk up and be seated as there was always a line for those with reservations checking in. The waitstaff was good but they were rushed with every table on a different time schedule, and every night, we sat with our dirty salad plates for 15 - 20 minutes as they seated the table for 9 next to us who had a reservation for half an hour after us. No matter what anyone says, it's not the same. I'm just going to continue to keep my fingers crossed.

[richnorto]

Just a heads up - quirk in the reservation system for Princess. The # given seems to be for the number of people, not reservations ahead of you. We booked together, but my husband and son were 8 #s back. I called and the agent told me, the numbers are not 1 by 1, but skip 2, 3 or more #s between bookings. You might have a table by embarktion. If not, you might get a table by the 2cd or 3rd night when some decide to use anytime.

[nbevins]

hopefully you will get what you need.

we also did not want anytime dining

the first night we went at 7ish for anytime dining-of course it was a zoo with all the people waiting outside the door.We finally were seated and had a waiter we liked very much.We taled to maitre d (tipping of course)asking for this waiter /table at 7 each night..Every night we walked through the crowd and wre escorted by maitre d to our table

[Lynda90]

I was very surprised at how much I enjoyed "anytime" dining the first time I tried it. If you enjoy sitting with others, just tell the them that you would like to be seated with others.

[Pam in CA]

I was very surprised at how much I enjoyed "anytime" dining the first time I tried it. If you enjoy sitting with others, just tell the them that you would like to be seated with others.

I really, really tried to like Anytime dining but both cruises, there were sometimes very long waits (even with a reservation for the week) and the service and atmosphere just wasn't the same, even with a good waitstaff. Since we usually eat in the dining room for breakfast and lunch, being seated with others for dinner loses it's appeal although we do like it for traditional dining where we get to know the others at the table.

[chasetf]

I've done the standing reservation at 8PM in Anytime on a cruise (the 2nd time I've done Anytime and I wanted to give it another chance) and we had waits of between 5 - 30+ minutes for "our" table. There was no such thing as walk up and be seated as there was always a line for those with reservations checking in. The waitstaff was good but they were rushed with every table on a different time schedule, and every night, we sat with our dirty salad plates for 15 - 20 minutes as they seated the table for 9 next to us who had a reservation for half an hour after us. No matter what anyone says, it's not the same. I'm just going to continue to keep my fingers crossed.

Guess we must have lucked out. We were on a 12 day and walked in every night with the table and waiters waiting for us. Maybe in our case the table was booked first thing in the evening so there was a lull the waiters had to be ready for us.

 

But I would agree.... Late Traditional is our preferrence... except I can pass on the Baked Alaska parade..... seen it so many times...;)

[Lynda90]

I really, really tried to like Anytime dining but both cruises, there were sometimes very long waits (even with a reservation for the week) and the service and atmosphere just wasn't the same, even with a good waitstaff. Since we usually eat in the dining room for breakfast and lunch, being seated with others for dinner loses it's appeal although we do like it for traditional dining where we get to know the others at the table.

Pam, to add a little to this let me say that we had several people in our group the three times I tried "anytime." This was really like "traditional," since we sat with the same people every night. I don't believe we ever had a wait of more than 5 minutes. Our reservations were for 8 or 8:15 each night.

[Julia’s Journey’s]

Pam, to add a little to this let me say that we had several people in our group the three times I tried "anytime." This was really like "traditional," since we sat with the same people every night. I don't believe we ever had a wait of more than 5 minutes. Our reservations were for 8 or 8:15 each night.

 

Lynda, from what I have read on the boards we have really lucked out with the anytime, Aubrey and I also tried it on our first 2 Princess cruises where it was just us and never had a problem and loved it then.

Guess with our group next year and the kids probably eating early we will have have a good time in anytime and I think the SUN also has a pizza restaurant (which DH will hate but the kids will love)

Are you doing anytime in January, let us know how that is.

[Shogun]

Hi There,

 

We always ask for late seating but have never had it and have done a lot of Princess cruises.

 

As for anythime dining some love it others hate it, I think it takes a few cruises to work out how to use the system.

 

Formal night avoid anytime ques are just to long unless you eat very late we normaly book the steak house that night.

 

When reserving a table pick an odd time avoid 8.00pm go at 7.45 or 8.30pm.

 

If you like to meet people ask for an open table do not take a big one as it will take longer to fill up 6 or 8 is fine. Plus you will get a table a lot quicker.

 

If you want a table for two then book it.

 

Pick the right que one will be for those just turning up the other will be for folk that have booked.

 

Anytime can work but I have seen some very unhappy people, have seen a lot that thought wait listed was there table number, there was a seen on one cruise were an old couple had gone to fixed dinning took the table with there wait listed number on it and refused to move saying that they had ordered tradional dinning so thats what they wanted, can not say how this ended as it all got out of hand I think staff captain had been called all very unpleasent.

 

On a ten night cruise I would go to steak house or similar twice, room service once, buffet but eat out side watching muts. one day eat ashore so no evening meal. Buffet two times and dinning room three times.

 

Again I like to eat as the weather and ports decide, if a late sailing and nice views of islands stay on deck till dark then buffet, if early sailing then get dressed up etc.

 

My most important thing is I go on a cruise to have a holiday a bit of fun but most of all relax and be happy, if it is formal night and I have had a great day out and I am tired then you may well find me sitting in a pool a ten o clock with a beer in one hand watching the stars go by.

 

I like fixed dinning and have always had it on other cruises but do not always attend. But I do make a point of letting others on my table know that I will not be joining them that evening.

 

My advice is to do what you want. Make the cruise fit your needs.

 

Be happy.

 

 

yours Shogun

[rishatay]

Hi There,

 

We are booked on the Caribbean Princess on March 11, 2007. This is our first time cruising with Princess. We tried to get signed up with Traditional Dining but we're waitlisted for both the early and late seating. Our only alternative is Anytime Dining.

 

Does anyone know how hard it is to get a table for 4 in the dining room with Anytime Dining or are we pretty much stuck being seated in a large table?

Also, has anyone had luck switching from Anytime Dining to Traditional once you got on the ship? Thanks for your help!

[sunshine3360]

We were on a wait list for only a few weeks in June for our Jan. trip. We have early sitting. It's not that we really don't like anytime, it's more we like trational more. I find that as the week goes on they loose some people to the anytime, so keep trying.We were on anytime on Norwegien and had a table to our self most nights with little waiting. Have fun.

[Shogun]

Hi There rishatay,

 

Getting a table for 4 should be no problem, if you want you could book the same table for the same time for the whole oif your cruise.

 

 

yours Shogun

[gretch]

We just returned from the Star transatlantic from Copenhagen in September. We were traditional late seating, table for 6. We were 2 at our table for 6. Half the dining room had empty seats at tables. The Head Waiters Antonio and Roberto both told us to invite friends to join us - which we did. Princess needs to change it's policy on Fixed Seating. People get their assigned fixed seating, then decide they don't like their table mates or table, so they leave for Anytime dining. This leaves empty spaces at a table, and EMPTY TABLES that CAN NOT be given away - they remain empty the entire cruise. After the first night on the cruise, if you don't get your seating, take a walk down there and try to talk to a Head Waiter - not the Mait're de. There usually are empty tables or at least empty seats. Hope this helps.