Anytime dining question

[jrobinso]

We are going to give anytime dining a try on our 19 day cruise in April. I think we'll eat in the dining room on sea days and buffet on port days. My question is on making reservations. Should I go ahead and make reservations for dining as soon as we get on board? We'll probably eat around 6pm. What if we want to eat later one night. How difficult is it to get a reservation at 7 or 7:30 if you call the same day?

[willysgrandma]

If you want to eat around 6:00, you won't need reservations - the dining rooms are not crowded at that time.

 

If you are willing to sit with others at dinner, you probably won't have a long wait at 7 or 7:30 either, depending on how many of you there are.

[newmexicoNita]

for us, part of the reason we choose flex dining is that word: FLex, we don't want to even think about reservations except for the sur charge dining rooms. We always decide 1/2 through the day what time will work best for us. Some days we are tired, want to eat about 6pm, go to the casino or a show and off to bed by 10pm or so, other nights we don't want to think about dinner til 7 to 8pm.

 

Nita

[BJS]

We are going to give anytime dining a try on our 19 day cruise in April. I think we'll eat in the dining room on sea days and buffet on port days. My question is on making reservations. Should I go ahead and make reservations for dining as soon as we get on board? We'll probably eat around 6pm. What if we want to eat later one night. How difficult is it to get a reservation at 7 or 7:30 if you call the same day?

Reservations usually are not taken for the 7 or 7:30 times as the dining room needs to turn each table at least twice in the evening to accomodate all of the diners. If you want to eat at that time just walk up and if a table is available they will seat you or they will give you a pager. Our expericence has been that many tables for two are seated between 6 and 6:15 so they are finished eating prior to 7:30. Your chances of being seated increase if you are willing to join others.

 

Reservations can be made daily for 6:00 or 8:00 by calling the dining line. If you decide either of these times works for you it is usually possible to make a standing reservation for the entire cruise for these times at a certain table. Yes, this takes the flexibility out of "anytime" dining but for those wanting to choose their table, wait staff, and table companions -or not- it frequently works better. For those wanting tables for two which is often impossible to get with traditional dining it is the perfect solution.

 

 

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[jrobinso]

Thanks for the info. Actually we will be a party of 4 and we will be willing to join other diners. I wanted to avoid a long wait for a table, so that is why I was considering making reservations a day or so ahead. The flexibility I was looking for was to be able to skip the dining room on port days. A set time for dining on sea days would probably work out just fine for us. So should we just take a chance and show up at the dining room as a party of 4 ( willing to eat with other diners) or should we make reservations ahead.....again trying to avoid a long wait for a table. Thanks for your help.

[BJS]

Thanks for the info. Actually we will be a party of 4 and we will be willing to join other diners. I wanted to avoid a long wait for a table, so that is why I was considering making reservations a day or so ahead. The flexibility I was looking for was to be able to skip the dining room on port days. A set time for dining on sea days would probably work out just fine for us. So should we just take a chance and show up at the dining room as a party of 4 ( willing to eat with other diners) or should we make reservations ahead.....again trying to avoid a long wait for a table. Thanks for your help.

 

You will probably just be able to walk up and be seated. It will depend on the cruise but you shouldn't have a "long" wait if there is one. Formal nights tend to have the longest waits so I'd make a reservation that morning.

 

From one cruise to the next you find things different as far as what time the majority want to eat. Try just walking up and if you find long lines you will know what to do the following days.

 

 

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[jrobinso]

I think that's what we'll do. Just walk up and see what the wait is like, then take it from there. I'll try and call ahead on the formal nights. Thanks for the info.