Diamond Princess

[peggy1]

We are thinking about doing Anytime Dining since we are waitlisted for Early seating. We like the ambiance of the formal dining rooms, so if we don't get early seating which restaurants would you recommend we try? We aren't familiar with the others on the DP. We loved Impressions on Nor. Dawn. Thanks for any help.

[Colo Cruiser]

We are thinking about doing Anytime Dining since we are waitlisted for Early seating. We like the ambiance of the formal dining rooms, so if we don't get early seating which restaurants would you recommend we try? We aren't familiar with the others on the DP. We loved Impressions on Nor. Dawn. Thanks for any help.

 

 

Just remember on these 2 ships Sapphire/Diamond have the 4 seperate dining rooms Savoy/Vivaldi/Pacific Moon/Sterling. They take up the same space as the larger anytime rooms on the other Grand Class ships on 2 decks. Vivaldi is used until 8pm to take the overflow from Traditional.

 

This is the one thing I don't like about anytime on these 2 ships. It sometimes is a debacle to get into the anytime rooms during peak times.

 

I leave on the Sapphire tomorrow and I am going back to traditional. :)

[232271]

We are on the diamond in July and switched to Anytime dining. My MIL likes the idea of a smaller dining room = less people = quieter more intimate dinner.

We dont mind waiting for this.

 

Plus they have one "exclusive" item on the menu in each of the four rooms and we wanted to try them.

 

goodluck in your decision!:)

[morriscats]

Our first experience with anytime was on Diamond and we loved it. The food is the same (plus 1 entree unique to each of the 4 dining rooms) and the dress is the same. We are doing anytime again on Star.

[MichTraveler]

Does the unique menu item change each night? Does this mean we would have to make a choice everynight and review the menus?

[232271]

Does the unique menu item change each night? Does this mean we would have to make a choice everynight and review the menus?

 

I dont think so, the item is the same each night and the menu is the same for all dining rooms, minus the unique item.

[morriscats]

No, the 1 item did not change. In Savoy it was pork chops (and they were good). In Sante Fe it was fajitas which were also good. Didn't go to the other 2 so don't know what they had.

[jlp20]

As far as ambiance, I think the Savoy would be closest to the main room.

 

All four rooms share the same menu except for one dish, as stated above. That one dish can change week to week. On one trip, I was given a wrong menu by mistake and tried to order the Pork Chops that weren’t offered that cruise.

 

Even with the anytime or PC, you can always set up a set time for all seven nights in one of the rooms. Try to do this as soon as you board, since there are only a fewer tables since the rooms are smaller. If you do this, be sure to let them know head of time if you’re going somewhere else, like sterling or Lido.

[Putterdude]

We quite enjoyed the anytime dining on the Diamond Princess in December but it proved to be a little more challanging on the Golden Princess last week. But yes I think we are pretty much confirmed AD's.

[Commodore Suzy]

I've sailed now four times on the Diamond since I love the four PC dining rooms so much. Just hopped off on the coastal last week.

 

The signature dish in the Pacific Moon is a rice noodle dish with shrimp and scallops. Quite good. I like to get one order and share it with others I'm dining with.

 

I'm not sure abou Vivaldi, as I like to eat early and hardly ever go there because of that one being open only late for PC people.

 

Try all four if you can. I love the different decor in them. And it's not a problem with crowds. I don't know what everyone is talking about. They must try to eat at 7pm or something, which NEVER works on any PC dining ship. Even though PC dining is 'walk up when you want' or 'make a reservation' they still have to 'turn' every table for twice per night. That means that you show up early, the dining room slowly fills, when it's full (about 7pm) you'd wait until the first diners are done as there are no tables. Then everyone who started early is done later, and you get another wave of diners. It's just logical.

 

Just note that Savoy (the steak house DECOR) tends to be more popular because people envision it to be the pay-extra Sterling Steakhouse menu for free, which it's not. It's just the same menu as the other ones with the pork chop dish as an option. Just go somewhere else if there is a line! The Pacific Moon tends to have the least amount of crowds.

 

I honestly had no crowds and no waiting on my coastal eating at 6 - 6:30pm all three nights. I did Savoy twice and Pacific Moon once this time, as that's what those I was dining with had picked.

 

Cheers!

[WALLYSWIFE]

We were on the Diamond in March and loved every minute, we were celebrating our 56th anniversary and loved having a table for two each night. We ate in the Pacific Moon all 15 nights and had the same table and wait staff. We were told in advance that room had the most tables for two, so if you are interested in dining alone thats the room. Have a lovely time.

[kendon]

If I were to cruise on the Sapphire or Diamond again, I wouldn't choose anytime dining. Our experience was absolutely awful at any hour. I didn't care for the ambiance in the smaller dining rooms as they felt claustrophobic to me. Also, it was a problem getting to meet others at those tables for 10 or 12 that we do on the other Princess ships. The big tables were reserved for large families. The high points of our cruises include meeting new people at the dinner table. Well, anyway, the idea bombed and Princess went back to the two larger anytime dining rooms after that.

[Colo Cruiser]

If I were to cruise on the Sapphire or Diamond again, I wouldn't choose anytime dining. Our experience was absolutely awful at any hour. I didn't care for the ambiance in the smaller dining rooms as they felt claustrophobic to me. Also, it was a problem getting to meet others at those tables for 10 or 12 that we do on the other Princess ships. The big tables were reserved for large families. The high points of our cruises include meeting new people at the dinner table. Well, anyway, the idea bombed and Princess went back to the two larger anytime dining rooms after that.

 

 

Totally agree. ;)

[pekachryn]

We tried AD on the Diamond, and thoroughly liked it. The two of us prefer to eat alone, unless traveling with others. With AD, we had no trouble getting a table. We usually eat about 8:30. We would go to the adjacent dining room, if it had a shorter wait (if there was one).

 

We are going with about 10 other people in 2009, so will go with TD. I think it's easier with a large group that likes to stay together.

[Colo Cruiser]

We tried AD on the Diamond, and thoroughly liked it. The two of us prefer to eat alone, unless traveling with others. With AD, we had no trouble getting a table. We usually eat about 8:30. We would go to the adjacent dining room, if it had a shorter wait (if there was one).

 

We are going with about 10 other people in 2009, so will go with TD. I think it's easier with a large group that likes to stay together.

 

 

That is why you did not have any problems because you ate at 8:30. :)

[Mr. Bubble]

We are thinking about doing Anytime Dining since we are waitlisted for Early seating. We like the ambiance of the formal dining rooms, so if we don't get early seating which restaurants would you recommend we try? We aren't familiar with the others on the DP. We loved Impressions on Nor. Dawn. Thanks for any help.

 

Our experience with AD on the Diamond (Hawaii/Dec 07-Jan 08) was excellent. On our first night we tried the Savoy, service was so-so. The next night we tried the Santa Fe, service was so-so. The third night we tried the Pacific Moon and found a wonderful waiter (Yordan). We made a standing reservation for the rest of the cruise at his table.

 

Have fun on your cruise.

 

MJ

[spingal]

I went to Hawaii on the Diamond and here is the best kept secret aboard.....

 

The Vivaldi dining room is used for traditional first seating and then opens at 8pm for anytime dining. EVERY night we were onboard the dining room was almost empty and you could walk right in and sit down. Some nights we were the only table in our waiter Ronald's section!!! We had a standing reservation for 8pm.

 

Ronald is on board until 6/7 so if you go then please ask for him and tell him that Jamie said "hi"!!!

 

I hope this strategy works for you in Alaska! :D

[pekachryn]

That is why you did not have any problems because you ate at 8:30. :)

 

True enough. But, when we were on the Sea Princess, we had to wait not to go to dinner before 10pm for us to get a table for two. Even that's too late for us.

[ginagirl]

We did AD on the Diamond to Hawaii in February and absolutely loved it. We preferred the smaller venue which is quieter. We loved the ambience of the Savoy and had no problem dining every evening at 8PM. Service and cuisine was wonderful. We just came off the Island to Panama Canal with AD and found it absolutely awful. The service every evening in the AD room was the worst we have had in 30 years of sailing the seas. Each night's cuisine and waiter was worse than the night before. And even though the menus were identical to the Diamond's only 3 months ago, the food on the Island was the complete opposite in quality and preparation. If this 19 day sailing on the Island was our first on Princess, I guarantee it would have been our last. How the Diamond could be 100% better than the Island is totally beyond my comprehension. You will love the Diamond - guaranteed!!!!

[ECCruise]

Did Anytime on the Sapphire for 31 days last year, longest wait was around 15 minutes (once) and I think twice 5-10 minutes. Table for 2 every night at 7:30. Doing 32 days on the Diamond in September and planning on the same thing.