Anytime dining on Tahitian Princess

[keep on cruising]

From looking at the deck plans, it looks like the TP has only one regular dining room. According to the ship description, the ship has Any Time Dining. Is that correct? How does it work with one dining room?

 

We are planning on booking a 14 Day Alaska cruise for 2008 as soon as the bookings open next week and I'm trying to get prepared.

 

We've never been on this small of ship and we're really looking forward to the experience.

 

Thanks

[BigGuy25]

We're on the 7-19-07 Tahiti to Hawaii sailing of the TP and, and least at this time, because if its size the ship does not have anytime dining.

[chrysalis]

We're on the 7-19-07 Tahiti to Hawaii sailing of the TP and, and least at this time, because if its size the ship does not have anytime dining.

 

 

not really correct....you can dine anytime, but not in the Dining Room for dinner.....you eat at dinner time in other venues, and food is available 24 hours per day.

[Coral]

No anytime dinining in the dining room - just Traditional dining.

[BigGuy25]

not really correct....you can dine anytime, but not in the Dining Room for dinner.....you eat at dinner time in other venues, and food is available 24 hours per day.

 

Let's not "split hairs!" The OP was talking about the dining room for dinner. Obviously, on just about any ship in the world, you can enjoy the buffet type offerings whenever you'd like. "Anytime" dining really refers to dinner in the dining rooms.

[chrysalis]

Let's not "split hairs!" The OP was talking about the dining room for dinner. Obviously, on just about any ship in the world, you can enjoy the buffet type offerings whenever you'd like. "Anytime" dining really refers to dinner in the dining rooms.

 

they asked "how does it work with only one dining room".....my answer was that you can eat in other places "at any time", but not in the dining room for dinner. That is hardly splitting hairs.

[Toto2Kansas]

The dining on the TP is the one thing we weren't fond of. Although it does offer food at any time in some form, there is only assigned dining in the dining room. Also, there was only a buffet in the evening (in Tahiti) the first and last nights to accomodate the arriving and disembarking passengers. Something I don't think will take place when she goes to Alaska.

In the evening, the buffet area turns into a 'sit down' pizza style restaurant (with no carry outs of any kind). Also there is a limited room service menu as on other Princess ships with salads and sandwich type items.

 

So, with the TP, be ready to go to assigned seating if you want a full regular meal in the evening, as there is no buffet to grab a meal.

 

There is a buffet type offering during the morning and afternoon though, just not in the evening.

 

Since the TP has not done Alaska yet, that I know of, they may do something different with the buffet in the evening, but I would not count on it.

[Coral]

 

Since the TP has not done Alaska yet, that I know of, they may do something different with the buffet in the evening, but I would not count on it.

 

Toto - the Pacific Princess did Alaska its first year Princess acquired the ship and is doing it again this year - so hopefully we will have some insight from those experiences. My guess is that it is identical to how the Tahitian and Pacific Princess currently operate.

[Pia1913]

 

So, with the TP, be ready to go to assigned seating if you want a full regular meal in the evening, as there is no buffet to grab a meal.

 

.

 

Which is why we sometimes would forego the diningroom for dinner and go to the Bistro (Pacific Princess) instead. Does Tahitian do the Bistro like the Pacific?

[Toto2Kansas]

Which is why we sometimes would forego the diningroom for dinner and go to the Bistro (Pacific Princess) instead. Does Tahitian do the Bistro like the Pacific?

 

If remembering correctly, the Bistro begins around 11:00 PM on the Tahitian Princess. Up until then, it is pizza style sit down restaurant.

[Pia1913]

If remembering correctly, the Bistro begins around 11:00 PM on the Tahitian Princess. Up until then, it is pizza style sit down restaurant.

 

Hmmmmm....that's different. Unless the Pacific changed, Bistro was every night, alternating every 3 nights between Italian and Continental (American) menu.

[chrysalis]

click on this link for the various hours......

 

http://www.princess.com/onboard/dining/ta_dining.html

[Toto2Kansas]

We never made it up late enough on the Tahiti itenerary to see the exact time for the Bistro, but I remember some talking about it.

I do know that in the evening, there was Sabatini's open certain nights, then Sterlings open certain nights (never both open on the same evenings as they would alternate), the pizza restaurant open every evening except the first and last where the buffet was open for passengers coming and going.

For us, on nights we were tired and didn't feel like going to the dining room and making small talk for a couple of hours, it made it a bit difficult. Some nights we ended up just ordering sandwiches from room service. :(

[Toto2Kansas]

click on this link for the various hours......

 

http://www.princess.com/onboard/dining/ta_dining.html

 

Now that helped a bunch. Thanks for posting the link. At least I know the old memory didn't fail me again. lol

[donna5]

also in the buffet late afternoon they scale it down to some sandwich fare, light snack items.

 

We have been on the Tahitian 3 times and never once was Sabatinis open for lunch on Sea Days(except for the Captains luncheon)

 

Sterlings and Sabatinis were not open on the same nights.

 

Bistro was open at 11:00 PM in the Sterlings location.

 

As Toto has pointed out only on embarkation/debarkation days is the buffet open all day through late evening with full lunch/dinner foods.

[Carol_Hill]

Really surprised that there still are so few choices for dinner on the Tahitian Princess. We were on her in her inaugural season in Tahiti in 2003 and while we loved the ship and the size of the ship, the choices for dinner are pretty meager..

[land lover]

OP you are correct, they need to update that description..I have read it in more than one place....and I was on the TP over a year ago.......under the new Royal they have the same Generic description as well...confusing but not correct...no anytime dinner dining.

[AlaskaGolden]

Really surprised that there still are so few choices for dinner on the Tahitian Princess. We were on her in her inaugural season in Tahiti in 2003 and while we loved the ship and the size of the ship, the choices for dinner are pretty meager..

 

This makes we wonder why the ship is so popular, or is it the destination? With the special 14 day round-trip Vancouver/Alaska coming up in 2008, we may never know since the TA will be the only ship doing this route (again the destination).

[Coral]

This makes we wonder why the ship is so popular, or is it the destination? With the special 14 day round-trip Vancouver/Alaska coming up in 2008, we may never know since the TA will be the only ship doing this route (again the destination).

 

The Pacific Princess (sister to the Tahitian) is doing Alaska this summer - half the routes are unusual (3 glacier days) - you should be able to ask them about their options.

 

It is popular because the route and the small ship experience. Service is usually so much better when there are fewer passengers. If you look at elite cruises/cruise lines, they are all smaller ships. They are avoiding the megaships. People usually pay a premium for a small ship experience. They don't pay a premium to go on ships where food is available all the time/anytime. All big ships offer this.

[Dorinda]

When these little ships were owned by Renaissance there was ONLY any time/open seating dining in the dining room. It worked well, too. One big difference: the 2 small cover charge restaurants were free so there were actually 3 places to dine each night.

 

Can someone explain why the Bistro opens at 11pm? I always figure it's just there for the convenience of the entertainers and the crew. I wish it opened at 8pm.

 

We are planning a long cruise on the Royal and the lack of choice when dining is a concern.

 

Cheers!

Dee

[keep on cruising]

Thanks for all your replies. I was referring to full service dining but it is interesting to know how limited the evening dining options are. (Not that I think we will go hungry) Now I know to have my TA request late dining as soon as she completes our booking this week.

 

On a 14 day cruise, I know we will not want to do traditional dining every night so it looks like it will be the pizzeria or room service for us once or twice.

 

It will be interesting to see what happens with the Pacific Princess does this year in Alaska.

[Teresa Price]

Hi,

we are thinking of doing this next summer, only just spotted it. Have you [or anybody out there] ever done a 14 night Alaska? Our son who works for a travel company [no we don't get anyhting cheap] is putting us off the 14 nights saying we would get bored as 7 nights is enough in that area - his arguement is if it is such a good idea why does no one do it? We are seasoned cruisers [going to china next easter] and love longer on ships.

 

Any advice anyone?

thanks Teresa

[Coral]

Hi,

we are thinking of doing this next summer, only just spotted it. Have you [or anybody out there] ever done a 14 night Alaska? Our son who works for a travel company [no we don't get anyhting cheap] is putting us off the 14 nights saying we would get bored as 7 nights is enough in that area - his arguement is if it is such a good idea why does no one do it? We are seasoned cruisers [going to china next easter] and love longer on ships.

 

Any advice anyone?

thanks Teresa

 

I have done 2 B2Bs in Alaska (14 days) and on my last trip, there were approx 120 people on our sailing doing the same exact thing. I know 3 people who have already booked b2b to Alaska next summer.

 

I did book the 14 night but it is pretty pricey so I will probably cancel. I can cruise 14 nights with a B2B on other ships for much cheaper.

 

I totally disagree with your son. If the weather is right - 14 days is not long enough.

[keep on cruising]

Teresa, we have never done a 14 day Alaskan cruise before - in fact the longest cruise we've done to date is 10 days. We're doing a 12 day port intensive cruise this summer.

 

I can't imagine being bored with such interesting ports plus a few sea day well spaced out to relax and rejuvenate between ports. We thought this was such a unique itinerary on a smaller ship that we booked it for May 29th.

[margord]

The dining on the TP is the one thing we weren't fond of. Although it does offer food at any time in some form, there is only assigned dining in the dining room. Also, there was only a buffet in the evening (in Tahiti) the first and last nights to accomodate the arriving and disembarking passengers. Something I don't think will take place when she goes to Alaska.

In the evening, the buffet area turns into a 'sit down' pizza style restaurant (with no carry outs of any kind). Also there is a limited room service menu as on other Princess ships with salads and sandwich type items.

 

So, with the TP, be ready to go to assigned seating if you want a full regular meal in the evening, as there is no buffet to grab a meal.

 

There is a buffet type offering during the morning and afternoon though, just not in the evening.

 

Since the TP has not done Alaska yet, that I know of, they may do something different with the buffet in the evening, but I would not count on it.

 

Hey Toto,

 

Any chance you are planning on the TP for Alaska? We booked her for June 2008.

Marilee