Trad Dining - switchable?

[Kernel Fudge]

Hi, I know that there are plus and minus points for Traditional and Anytime dining options. My question is: My wife and I are booked on our 1st cruise, with Princess (Of course!) and have opted for Traditional, late, 8 seater. Does this mean we cannot change for odd evenings (or permanently :eek: ) should the need arise. What is the correct ettiquette? Your thoughts/experiences please. Cheers:D

[arlenemilt]

Hi, I know that there are plus and minus points for Traditional and Anytime dining options. My question is: My wife and I are booked on our 1st cruise, with Princess (Of course!) and have opted for Traditional, late, 8 seater. Does this mean we cannot change for odd evenings (or permanently :eek: ) should the need arise. What is the correct ettiquette? Your thoughts/experiences please. Cheers:D

 

You can experience the best of both worlds when you already have assighned traditional. No need to change; just go personal choice when the mood hits, or do late seating at traditional. I would however try to advise your assigned tablemate when you're not going to be there, so that they don't wait for your late non-arrival.

Enjoy!

Arlene

[Toto2Kansas]

You can permanently change over to anytime dining, but they will not allow you to go back and forth from the traditional dining room to anytime dining room. BUT, it is much easier to begin with traditional and then switch over to anytime then the other way around. Traditionally almost ALWAYS has a waitlist.

 

Edited to say: Arlene, that used to be the case, but on almost every sailing we have been on, they are now checking your cruise card for dining preference and turning away those that have assigned dining from the anytime dining rooms. :(

[dsfitz]

Hi, I know that there are plus and minus points for Traditional and Anytime dining options. My question is: My wife and I are booked on our 1st cruise, with Princess (Of course!) and have opted for Traditional, late, 8 seater. Does this mean we cannot change for odd evenings (or permanently :eek: ) should the need arise. What is the correct ettiquette? Your thoughts/experiences please. Cheers:D

 

You can always eat in the buffet, or make reservations for one of the specialty restaurants in lieu of your traditional seating.

 

You shouldn't go to the anytime dining room, because that is for the people doing anytime dining. As one of the other posters said, they may check your card and if it says traditional on it, they may turn you away. Essentially, you are taking a space from those who chose anytime dining while your "traditional" space is going unused.

 

If you find you don't like traditional, you can tell the maitre d' and switch to anytime. Then you are free to use the anytime dining rooms whenever, but you have lost your space at the traditional (which will go to someone who wanted traditional but was waitlisted).

 

Since traditional usually has a waitlist, it is difficult to switch to traditional from anytime while onboard.

 

All of this is only for dinner, lunch and breakfast are all "anytime."

[Pam in CA]

Hi, I know that there are plus and minus points for Traditional and Anytime dining options. My question is: My wife and I are booked on our 1st cruise, with Princess (Of course!) and have opted for Traditional, late, 8 seater. Does this mean we cannot change for odd evenings (or permanently :eek: ) should the need arise. What is the correct ettiquette? Your thoughts/experiences please. Cheers:D

Congrats on getting late traditional seating. I think you'll enjoy it -- that's my preference. As the others have said, if you want to go to the buffet or one of the specialty restaurants one (or more) evenings, you can go. Just let the Maitre D or your tablemates know so they don't wait for you to arrive before ordering. Also, as has been said, you can change permanently to Anytime dining but that means losing your traditional seating: it's a one-way change. Almost no one can go from Anytime to traditional since there are always long waiting lists. (For our upcoming Golden cruise, which we booked last September, we started out waitlisted at something like #225. We're now down to #23 and crossing our fingers.)

 

Relax and have a wonderful cruise.

[MaryPoppinz]

The OP asked for the etiquette on this, so I'm assuming he's interested in the correct social behavior.

 

In the case of traditional diners, the etiquette would be that you dine with those you are assigned at the time you have been assigned in the dining room you are assigned.

 

If you'd like to enjoy one of the specialty dining rooms or use the buffets that are available to everyone, it would be courteous to let your headwaiter and tablemates know of your absence, if at all possible.

 

But, traditional diners who visit the Anytime Dining Rooms are every bit as bold as Anytime Diners who approach the headwaiter at the Traditional Dining Room and insist on being seated there. In other words, there is nothing correct about doing this.

[arlenemilt]

The OP asked for the etiquette on this, so I'm assuming he's interested in the correct social behavior.

 

In the case of traditional diners, the etiquette would be that you dine with those you are assigned at the time you have been assigned in the dining room you are assigned.

 

 

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And if you hate them? Does that mean you suffer every night? I think not! Are you that fortunate that you've never "gotten stuck?"

[MaryPoppinz]

If people fear "being stuck" in a situation in which they are required to "suffer" with tablemates they "hate," Princess offers a graceful alternative. But, choosing Traditional Dining and then using the Anytime Dining rooms whenever you please has nothing to do with good cruise etiquette.

 

He asked for the etiquette. If people want to do whatever they please, they can, but that is something entirely different that the question asked by the OP.

[johnmik1]

If people fear "being stuck" in a situation in which they are required to "suffer" with tablemates they "hate," Princess offers a graceful alternative. But, choosing Traditional Dining and then using the Anytime Dining rooms whenever you please has nothing to do with good cruise etiquette.

 

He asked for the etiquette. If people want to do whatever they please, they can, but that is something entirely different that the question asked by the OP.

I totally agree! If I choose anytime dining(Personal Choice is the name for all the dining options)and must wait in line for someone who has an assigned table in Traditional,I would be very unhappy.One of the main reasons we sail Princess is anytime dining.

[Nancyquilts]

We're just the opposite - we love traditional and getting to know our tablemates. However, if it didn't work out, we would tell the maitre d' that we would like to go to anytime from then on, so that he could put people in our slot who really wanted traditional. Our next cruise, we're about 350 on the wait list for traditional, so I guess we'll see what anytime is about, but that wouldn't be our preference. Nancy

[donna5]

And if you hate them? Does that mean you suffer every night? I think not! Are you that fortunate that you've never "gotten stuck?"

 

 

Then you talk to the Maitre'd and ask if you can be seated elswhere or if you can be changed to anytime and leave someone else have your spot in Traditional. It is very rude to hold on to Traditional and also use Anytime. Just common sense.

[donna5]

And if you hate them? Does that mean you suffer every night? I think not! Are you that fortunate that you've never "gotten stuck?"

 

 

Then you talk to the Maitre'd and ask if you can be seated elswhere or if you can be changed to anytime and leave someone else have your spot in Traditional. It is very rude to hold on to Traditional and also use Anytime. Just common sense.

[Kernel Fudge]

Thanks very much for your thoughts on the matter. Certainly cleared that one up! - I didn't realise it would be quite so emotive! To clarify, We are quite happy to have selected Trad. As it is our first cruise I wanted to know the score regarding, for example, using the speciality restaurants, or if late back from an excursion, or indeed, what if sat with The Diners From Hell ! :eek: All of these questions have been amply answered - and more! Thank you all very much indeed.

[Pam in CA]

And if you hate them? Does that mean you suffer every night? I think not! Are you that fortunate that you've never "gotten stuck?"

Out of 13 completed Princess cruises, I've "gotten stuck" only once. So, we went to the Maitre D and got assigned to a different table. In addition, several times, when we've arrived at the table and looked at our tablemates, thinking, "Oh boy. This'll be an 'interesting' couple of weeks" these tables of strangers wound up being really the most interesting and fun of all. I try to never judge a book by it's cover and give people a chance. It has worked out very well every time except once.