Going between traditional and anytime dining

[1312helen]

I am cruising with my 11 year old daughter and the last time we cruised with Carnival the Maitre 'D took care in assigning us to a table with other families with children about the same age. My daughter got to meet other kids her age that way. I am curious if Princess does the same. If they do, I may ask the Travel Agent to switch us to Traditional Dining.

[travelbug2225]

We are on waiting list of 1st seating on Sapphire May 16. We are party of 7 book 3 cabins and the waiting list are # 3, 24 and 106. Princess cross reference my booking for table for 8. But I doubt that waiting list #106 will make it because the final payment were past, so,I don't think many passenger will cancel their booking.

 

What happen if only 1 or 2 cabin get the 1st seating but the other one didn't? Will it be difficult to get table at anytime dining for party of 7. I will not worry if it only me and my husband. I think it might be harder to get table for big party.

[Colo Cruiser]

What happen if only 1 or 2 cabin get the 1st seating but the other one didn't? Will it be difficult to get table at anytime dining for party of 7. I will not worry if it only me and my husband. I think it might be harder to get table for big party.

 

This is why it is important to talk with the MD upon boarding. ;)

[cacy6893076]

If you select AD how are you expected to tip your servers since they change every day?

That is what the auto tip is good for.

by the way, the phrasing on the answer would have been more accurate if the agent stated....you are expected to be at the traditional dining room every night, however, princess will not let you go hungry or make you eat at the buffet if, for some reason you cannot make the traditional time as expected,on a particular evening(late in port, met another couple or made some new friends and decided to have coctails and a different schedule that eveinng)... , the COURTEOUS thing to do would be to phone the dining room and let the head waiter know that you will not be attending traditional dining that particular evening, so that your tablemates and waiter are not waiting for you . AS far as abusing this, i believe it is done and it is a shame for those that would love to experience traditional dining, so if you really do not want traditional dining and only wnat to "try " it, then abandon it, why not start with personal choice, then see if maybe thee are cancellations on a particular evening and askt he matire de if you could try 1st or second seating. I believe that this agent was being a little too brief in not explaining the situation and the courtesies involved, and maybe (maybe)not entirely clueluess, but not able to explain it corectly for some reason, or had no desire to do so at the time, that is a shame.

[cacy6893076]

more simply put, Traditional Dining is like a dinner date with friends, if you could not make it would you just not show up at the restaurant, or would you phone them and let them know you couldn't make it?:)

[NoGvmnt]

Princess can't offer traditional dining for everyone because they allocate 2 of the 3 main dining rooms on most ships to anytime dining. There has been a lot of discussion here on these boards as to why Princess doesn't just change this ratio since it seems a lot of people request traditional but don't get it. I've never really seen a logical explanation, but that's the way it is.

 

Why? Because there are ALWAYS passengers that reserve Traditional dining then self switch to Anytime dining causing a longer wait time just to be seated for those who had the foresight to reserve Anytime to begin with.

 

You'll never have "Anytime" passengers invading the "Traditional" dining rooms.

 

If princess reversed the ratio you would have even more "Traditional" passengers invading the then 1 "Anytime" dining room causing an even greater wait time for the reserved "Anytime" passengers.

 

Princess needs to enforce the original dining preferences that passengers have chosen at booking. Check the Cruise Cards and send the "Traditional" interlopers back to the Traditional Dining Room, if they missed their reserved dining time send them to the buffet (It'll teach them to know to be on time next time). It is as simple as that.

 

Jim