No Reservations Anytime for tables for Two

[wizard-of-roz]

As PaPa puts it.....I'm a "social butterfly" and, I seem to gather a crowd of other butterflies wherever I go.....

So, when we dine he likes us to have a table for two so that he can get a word in sideways just to me!!!!

You should see me with my stretched-out neck saying "hi" and "what's up" to the folks across the way; behind or next to us.....can't help it!

Cruising puts all of us in a very close environment. I totally get the couple who wants to share each other's time and space without getting indigestion from strangers.

We, too, have NEVER had a problem with getting a table for two, if we insisted on it!!!!

[nicknack]

I have to say that I agree with this. It kinds of defeats the purpose of anytime to "reserve" tables. I think that it can contribute to lines when not really necessary. I'm sure that Princess is still offering 2-tops (they wouldn't change out all of their tables!), just not RESERVING them. I can understand why a big group would need to call ahead though.

 

This makes no sense. Many of the people who want to reserve a table for two in anytime do it only because tables for two are not guaranteed in traditional, where reservations are the rule and where tables for four or more are always available. These issues would disappear if guests could be assured of tables for two in traditional.

[fathercop]

Related to the "Anytime Dining", someone can correct me if I am wrong, but doesn't Princess refer to this as "Personal Choice Dining"? From what I have seen the phrase "Anytime Dining" is so charged on these boards and it leads to plenty of heated debate, e.g. if it is "Anytime" then I should be able to eat at anytime and not have to wait, etc., etc. I don't believe Princess markets "Anytime Dining". This may have been what it was previously called or marketed as, but even the Princess website refers to Personal Choice Dining and I was unable to find "Anytime Dining". I am just saying, you know? :) Personal Choice Dining does imply "anytime" is equated with "immediately". It just means that there is a choice the passenger(s) can make. And by golly, isn't that what this great country, er, eh, cruising is all about, choice? *shakes peoples hands* Don't for get to vote for me on Tuesday. A vote for me is a vote for choice. Ok, I got a little carried away there.

 

As for the table for 2 we have never had problems with getting a table for 2 when we wanted it, but then again, we prefer to eat dinner around 5:30. Yet, even for those times when DW and I wanted a table for 2 at a later hour, we only encountered a minimal wait of 10 minutes or so.

 

We take Personal Choice Dininng because we like the flexibility in setting our own dining time, due to wanting to see a show, meet friends at the bar, coming back late from shore, and/or meet friends for dinner. Sometimes we do take a larger table and roll the dice to see who we might meet at dinner, but that is usally rare.

 

At any rate, good luck to you and enjoy your cruise, no matter what your Personal Choice for dinner is.:)

[Wormy53]

This makes no sense. Many of the people who want to reserve a table for two in anytime do it only because tables for two are not guaranteed in traditional, where reservations are the rule and where tables for four or more are always available. These issues would disappear if guests could be assured of tables for two in traditional.

 

You are right - there are no tables for 2 in traditional. So why not just show up to the anytime dining venue and ask for a table for 2? I have found that they are ALWAYS available. If people are reserving tables and not showing up, then you are more likely to have a wait. Maybe you are wanting the same waiters every night? That's the only reason I can see for ressys.

[envy4u]

If this is true, this is good news. There's a reason it's called "Anytime Dining".

 

 

It is called anytime dining because one can go when one chooses.

[fathercop]

Related to the "Anytime Dining", someone can correct me if I am wrong, but doesn't Princess refer to this as "Personal Choice Dining"? From what I have seen the phrase "Anytime Dining" is so charged on these boards and it leads to plenty of heated debate, e.g. if it is "Anytime" then I should be able to eat at anytime and not have to wait, etc., etc. I don't believe Princess markets "Anytime Dining". This may have been what it was previously called or marketed as, but even the Princess website refers to Personal Choice Dining and I was unable to find "Anytime Dining". I am just saying, you know? :) Personal Choice Dining does imply "anytime" is equated with "immediately". It just means that there is a choice the passenger(s) can make. And by golly, isn't that what this great country, er, eh, cruising is all about, choice? *shakes peoples hands* Don't for get to vote for me on Tuesday. A vote for me is a vote for choice. Ok, I got a little carried away there.

 

As for the table for 2 we have never had problems with getting a table for 2 when we wanted it, but then again, we prefer to eat dinner around 5:30. Yet, even for those times when DW and I wanted a table for 2 at a later hour, we only encountered a minimal wait of 10 minutes or so.

 

We take Personal Choice Dininng because we like the flexibility in setting our own dining time, due to wanting to see a show, meet friends at the bar, coming back late from shore, and/or meet friends for dinner. Sometimes we do take a larger table and roll the dice to see who we might meet at dinner, but that is usally rare.

 

At any rate, good luck to you and enjoy your cruise, no matter what your Personal Choice for dinner is.:)

 

 

Oops, the edit time elapsed, so I could not change my post. I meant to say in the above:

 

Personal Choice Dining does NOT imply "anytime" is equated with "immediately".

Also, I standed corrected that they do use the phrase "Anytime Dining" but under the umbrella of Personal Choice Dining.

Sorry for the mistake. My gray hair is finally signfying my brain is leaking out of my head.

 

"...this admistration intends to be candid about its errors." John F. Kennedy

[TomCruises]

Tables for 2 are limited!If everybody starts "RESERVING" a table for 2 it will ruin the "ANYTIME" dining preference.Think about it,if most or all of the 2 top folks make a reservation for 7:00pm for example,well,figure it out!:rolleyes:

[jefa]

Isn't it strange how different people interpret the words Anytime Dining!! As a naive, about to be, first time cruiser, we picked traditional second seating. I had no idea that there was no tables for two in this section, but that won't worry us! I took it, that if you wanted a reservation, then trad was the way to go!!! Anytime dining, to me, means you go to eat at any time you choose, but if lots of other people want to eat at that time, then you stay in a queue, just like you would at any restaurant, and take your turn. I had no idea that you could make a reservation for a specific time!!! Making reservations surely defeats the idea of Anytime Dining:confused:

[Sox Fan Cruiser]

Wishing on a Star, relax a little (no offense).

 

Your posts are very angry. We're just having a "friendly" debate. That's one of the points of this board.

 

I personally have agreed with about 10 different post on this thread and each one was debating against the post that I had just agreed with moments before!! :D

[Colo Cruiser]

You are right - there are no tables for 2 in traditional. So why not just show up to the anytime dining venue and ask for a table for 2? I have found that they are ALWAYS available. If people are reserving tables and not showing up, then you are more likely to have a wait. Maybe you are wanting the same waiters every night? That's the only reason I can see for ressys.

 

 

Simply not true. :(

 

Although there are no tables with exactly 2 seats we have had a 4 top table set up many times in Traditional for the 2 of us. Ask the MD he can make the proper arrangements. ;)

[Colo Cruiser]

Well, if Princess is holding an empty available table for any amount of time AFTER a reservation has been missed, then that is a problem with how they are handling reservations... It is not an inherent problem with having reservations available.

 

It is an inherant problem, hence the long waits for tables. :rolleyes:

 

It is not a factor which should be used to judge or discourage those of us who wish to dine at a smaller table in AnyTime dining....

 

I never said anything about any size of a table, it is a problem with all size tables.

 

If I am forward thinking enough to make a reservation for ANYTIME that we wish to dine on that particular day (according to shore excursion schedules, show schedules, or just my preference...) I still don't see how it is anybody else's business to complain.

 

Then your reservation is what defeats the purpose of anytime dining.

 

The whole debate is just incredible and ridiculous.

 

Sometimes the truth hurts.

 

There are a lot of other things worth complaining about or debating...

Another cruiser's dining preferences ain't it.....

 

So is it your job to pick and choose what we discuss on Cruise Critic????

 

You won't see the AnyTime table for two cruisers over judging every poster who asks about Traditional dining.

 

Now that statement makes absolutley no sense.

 

IMHO. :cool:

[boating girl]

Anytime dining is not my first choice but since traditional first seating fills up quickly, anytime is better than late seating for us. I have never made a reservation at anytime because I have not found it necessary. We do enjoy having a table for two but it is not why we choose anytime instead of late seating. Would still like to have first seating traditional seating.

[Pam in CA]

You are right - there are no tables for 2 in traditional. So why not just show up to the anytime dining venue and ask for a table for 2?

You are wrong -- there are tables for two in Traditional dining. Not sure where you heard or saw that there weren't. Not only that, but according to James Deering, Hotel Manager on the Crown, if you're in Traditional and want to go to Anytime some time, you can. That's straight from the horse's mouth when asked a very specific, direct question, i.e., "Can passengers with Traditional dining go to the Anytime dining room?" The answer was, "Yes."

[kywildcatfanone]

I have always felt that reservations were encouraged. However, what my personal experience has been, is that no matter when I call, I get the same answer..."we are only taking reservations before 6pm and after 8:30". Maybe I am doing something wrong. I usually try 1-2 times each cruise and have never been successful in getting anything even close to 7 or 7:30.

 

For those of you who have been successful in getting reservations, what is the secret? When do you call? Or are you just getting reservations at 5:30 or 9?

 

Janet

 

Janet,

 

Not sure about everyone else, but we have gotten the same responses as you when I have asked. We have been successful making reservations, in fact, on our last cruise one of the Head Waiter's came to our table the first night, asked if we wanted to reserve it, and went and made the reservation for us. However, we usually eat right around 5:30, so maybe that's why. I haven't tried to make a reservation between 7-8 because when I asked I got the same response as you.

 

Mike

[Mimi39]

"We used only the Island dining room because they have many available tables for 2. We had no trouble whatsoever being seated each night."

 

We'll be on the Emerald next week -- which of the two anytime dining rooms have the most tables for two?

[PescadoAmarillo]

You are wrong -- there are tables for two in Traditional dining. Not sure where you heard or saw that there weren't. Not only that, but according to James Deering, Hotel Manager on the Crown, if you're in Traditional and want to go to Anytime some time, you can. That's straight from the horse's mouth when asked a very specific, direct question, i.e., "Can passengers with Traditional dining go to the Anytime dining room?" The answer was, "Yes."

 

 

Pam, not to pick on you, but this issue is so huge on this board I'm trying to understand where Princess stands on this. Here's when you first mentioned this after the return from your cruise:

FYI, I asked James a very direct question at our Cruise Critic meeting whether Traditional diners could go back and forth to the Anytime dining, eating one night in the Traditional and another in Anytime, and his response was, "Yes. We try to accommodate them." That's verbatim. He acknowledged that it presented problems and said there was nothing they could do about that. So, according to him, you CAN go back and forth. Looks like Traditional is still the way to go as you can have the best of both worlds.

But then JungleJane added this:

 

Pam, my recollection is that when you posed the question you gave the example of people coming back late from a tour who miss their seating. I took Mr. Deering's answer to be in that context. I didn't think he was endorsing the idea of traditional diners going back and forth to the Anytime dining rooms whenever they feel like it. At least that's what I hope he was saying. Of course, I suppose as a practical matter they try to avoid confrontations.

 

I guess I would be reluctant to lead people to believe that it is ALWAYS ok from Traditional diners to switch back and forth with Anytime Dining if, in fact, it only should be done when circumstances (i.e. a late return to the ship) dictate that, without utilizing Anytime Dining, the Traditional diners would be relegated to the buffet or a specialty restaurant.

[Wormy53]

You are wrong -- there are tables for two in Traditional dining. Not sure where you heard or saw that there weren't. Not only that, but according to James Deering, Hotel Manager on the Crown, if you're in Traditional and want to go to Anytime some time, you can. That's straight from the horse's mouth when asked a very specific, direct question, i.e., "Can passengers with Traditional dining go to the Anytime dining room?" The answer was, "Yes."

 

There are few if any 2-tops in traditional dining. On the Star they told us none. We had previously done late dining, so switched to anytime so we would be able to a table for two when we wanted.

[dawnprincess]

 

For those of you who have been successful in getting reservations, what is the secret? When do you call? Or are you just getting reservations at 5:30 or 9?

 

Janet

 

Sorry for this off-topic post -- Janet, I saw your post on a thread about Star Princess balconies and you posted some great photos of the covered Emerald deck forward balconies on your webshots page (particularly #4 and #5 as we booked E-202). Is there any way you can email those 2 photos to me (I see that I can't print them out from Webshots). My email address is nbinder AT yahoo DOT com. If not, no worries, but thought I'd give it a shot. Thanks in advance.

[Lobez]

My wife and I were on the CB for the May repo cruise. I called the dining line to make a reservation for 2 at either anytime dining room and was told that it is the ships policy not to give reservations for 2. I went to the Pursers desk to inquire about this and was told that there must be a misunderstanding. They called the dining line and were also told that it is the ships policy not to make these reservations. The Pursers officer was surprised and did write a complaint about the policy for me.

 

I was on the ship again in July with a group of 22, but we had traditional dining so I can't say if the policy has changed.

 

I do feel it is an individual decision whether you dine alone as a couple or with a mixed group, but tables for 2 are available and it makes no sense not to give a reservation if available.

[envy4u]

I really don't understand what the big deal is :confused: If reservations are no longer allowed go to the dining room when you are ready to have dinner. You then can get a pager if no tables are available at that time. Kinda of what you would do at any restaurant on land. :eek:

[kooljamming]

I have to say that I agree with this. It kinds of defeats the purpose of anytime to "reserve" tables. I think that it can contribute to lines when not really necessary. I'm sure that Princess is still offering 2-tops (they wouldn't change out all of their tables!), just not RESERVING them. I can understand why a big group would need to call ahead though.

 

Slow inconsistent service might be another. We sat down around 5:45 and the main course was served until after 7 pm. Usually by 7 pm I am finished with dinner, the kids are excused to the kids program, and we are ready for coffee. For the first time in 10 cruises I decided to opt for the buffet, without looking in the MDR. Good, well managed restaurants can handle customer flow with reservation, which makes for better allocation of staff. I have never eaten at a nice land restaurant (which I think Princess is selling) without a reservation when it's allowed.

[Wishing on a star]

M

I do feel it is an individual decision whether you dine alone as a couple or with a mixed group, but tables for 2 are available and it makes no sense not to give a reservation if available.

 

ITA!!!

I just do not see why anyone could really complain about Anytime Dining, Individual tables (for 2 or 4 or whatever) or about reservations...

 

I suppose I don 't see why it is worth anybody elses time to complain about another parties dining choices. ??????

 

If reservations are available on the Ruby.... I will be making reservations... If not, I will take a pager, and possibly a nice drink... I see absolutely no valid reason whatsoever why they should not have some reservations available... But, either way.

 

I am happy. I am glad that Princess has chosen to have two Anytime dining rooms, with numerous small tables available!!!! : )

[YWW]

In the Princess website, you can look up the table setup for the dining rooms on your ship and it shows clearly how many tables for 2 they have. For instance on the Diamond Princess where it has 4 Anytime Dining rooms (Pacific Moon and Sante Fe on Deck 6, Savoy and Vivaldi on Deck 5), there are a whopping 147 tables for 2 of which Savoy has 45 tables whereas Vivaldi has 32 tables. With that many tables for 2, I really don't anticipate too much of a problem of finding a table with no or minimal wait even if they don't accept reservations. If one dining room is full with lines, just try another one. The dinners served as far I know are identical in the Traditional and Anytime dining rooms except for the signature dish unique to each dining room.

[Sandytoes]

To confirm,

On the Caribbean Princess they will not take reservations for tables of two.

Larger parties ~ Yes!

Maitre D' told us that they no longer reserve because they do not want to hold up a table for a 1\2 hr or longer.

Island does have more tables of two.

We found a way around this "no reservations"

simple request the waiter or table number area. ;)

The Maitre D' sat us in Jose's section each night. :D

 

Each night we had no problems getting a table.

Only one night were we given a "beeper" (first time)

Maitre D' said there was a 1\2 hr wait.

We were seated in less than 5 minutes at our usual section table. :)

[TuxedoMan]

You are most definitely not alone! I also have no desire to be subjected to forced socialization. :D

One of the really great things about cruising is the ability to make it anything you want. That includes the dining options. (Horizon Court...Pizza bar...Hamburger bar...International cafe...etc) Princess does not require you to socialize. You are always welcome to eat "alone". DW and I aren't fond of the "forced socializing" either...but that being said, we have some really great friends that we would not have met if not for that.