Star Princess - Best food? Anytime dining or traditional?

[Snowchik013]

I'm getting ready for my 1st Cruise to Alaska on Princess on July 5th. (Was on Carnival twice and had great experience with traditional late dining, but I thought it was too late some nights.) We chose the anytime dining because I didn't want to be tied down to eating at the same time every day and late dining was the only choice available by the time that I booked. I am on the "waiting list" (whatever that means) for the traditional early seating, but I don't know how far to push the issue.

 

I was concerned that the food might not be as grand as the traditional dining. Does anyone know if they serve similar food in the other dining rooms if you pick the time that you want to eat? Or will I be missing out if we don't sit in the dining room and have them serve us the traditional cruise dinner? I don't want to miss the fancy baked Alaskan, crab legs and Alaska salmon, since I'm a pescitarian. (Mostly veggie and eat seafood but no other meat.) I also don't want to miss the Captain's dinner. Do they have a Captain's dinner for people who don't choose the traditional dinner? If anyone has ever done this Star Princess or any Princess cruise with the same dining options, please fill me in.

 

Either way, I'm so excited to go see Alaska!

[Sea Hag]

We were on the Star to Mexico last fall and had anytime dining. I'd read a really good review here about a waiter named Adriano in the Capri dining room (anytime). So, the first night we asked for him. We liked him so well that we got a standing reservation for one of his tables at a specific time (go see the maitre d about this if you're interested). The food was well above average of what we've had on ships, and Adriano was great. He knew more about the food than any other waiter we've ever had.

[denmarks]

Princess uses the same menus and kitchen for all of the main dining rooms. All you miss in the anytime dining are the shows put on by the waiters.

[PhoneGoddess]

Princess uses the same menus and kitchen for all of the main dining rooms. All you miss in the anytime dining are the shows put on by the waiters.

 

The waiters on Princess do not put on shows. They do that on Carnival. The only "show" in Princess dining rooms is the Baked Alaska Parade and they only do that in the traditional dining room. If you have Anytime Dining, you will still be able to get the Baked Alaska but you will not see the parade.