Clarification on some issues with PC Dining

[espmass]

We will be on the Star 2/27 and have some questions (yes more) about the personal choice dining. I would prefer to use it as intended, going when we feel the urge to eat, but my husband prefers to make reservations as alot of people on the boards seem to advise. So...are we best making a standing reservation for the week for 8PM or call each morning to make a reservation? Also, do people run to the dining room when they first get onboard to make reservations thus creating a long line? Also, If we have a standing reservation for the week, can it be changed as need be? Finally, is it customary to offer a tip to the Maitre De when requesting the reservations the first day? Thanks for all information!

[boco5]

I would suggest making a standing reservation even though you might not use it ever night. That is what I did a couple of weeks ago. I never had to wait for a table. Call the concierge from your cabin when you get on the ship and make all of your dining reservations.

[Nitemare]

I guess I'm the naive one here, but I thought Anytime Dining meant you showed up anytime and got seated then (or about then). At least that's how we did it on our Princess cruises in 2001, 2002, and 2003. Traditional Dining was when you had a reserved table and time.

 

Is it just me or are all these reservations going to be the death of Anytime Dining on Princess? Will I be able to just walk in and sit down on the Golden this fall?

[Pam in CA]

Nitemare... "Anytime dining" doesn't really mean "any time." You pretty much have to make a reservation for the week as soon as you board. Otherwise, if you just show up, chances are you'll have a wait.

 

Personally, after having used Anytime dining last week on the Caribbean Princess, I think Princess would be better served to make it truly "any time." You show up and get a table in the order in which you appeared. At any one time, it looked as though 1/3 of the tables were empty, waiting for people to show up for their reservations. Plus, some people made reservations for 8:30PM which doesn't make sense -- why dont' they just do Traditional? Every single night, the Maitre D's were being harrassed and yelled at by people who thought they could just walk up and be seated. They really took a lot of abuse.

[Nitemare]

Personally, after having used Anytime dining last week on the Caribbean Princess, I think Princess would be better served to make it truly "any time." You show up and get a table in the order in which you appeared.

That's how it was on our previous 3 Princess cruises. Some nights we ate early, some nights we ate late.

 

I don't mind a 5-10 minute wait, although on the Coral in March of 2003, we did have a couple 25-35 minute waits. At least on Golden, we've got 2 PC dining rooms, so if we just show up, hopefully the wait won't be that long.

[isujim]

When I was on the Caribbean Princess in November, the only times you could make reservations was 6pm or 8:30pm...........seems to me to defeat the purpose of anytime dinning........sounded like traditional dinning times to me. We ended up just showing up and had anywhere from a 5 minute to 25 minute wait.

[cruzfool]

I think that each ship has different reservation policies for the "anytime dining" so be sure to check as soon as you get onboard as also things may be altered each week to accommodate passenger needs, or simply in response (one can hope) to passenger comment cards. On our Xmas sailing of the Star Princess we were able to (on the first day) make reservations for 2 days in advance, so theoretically, every day you could call to add an additional day. What happened however was (I believe) that recognizing the unique nature of large family groups travelling together for the sold out Holiday sailing, they opened up the dining for the whole week on the 2nd day. The actual making of the reservations was easy, you dialed DINE on your phone and the pleasant concierge took your request. My hope is that Princess continually evaluates their anytime dining and adopts a more passenger friendly option, perhaps one similar to what NCL applies on its Freestyle option. Obviously they have to take staffing, entertainment and galley capability into consideration and space in each DR, but ultimately, I forsee the passengers who think they can show up at anytime will suffer if the existing plan continues, especially on those fuller sailings.

[CruiseFever]

We were also given choices of around 6 or 8 if we wanted to make a standing reservation. I think they are NOW trying to get as many people as possible to do this WHO WANT TO so that people like yourself (and others) can indeed dine with whom they want, when they want in the true spirit of it Anytime Dining.

 

Still if DH wants a fixed time and you want to go whenever you feel like it your worlds will collide. Is he really up on all this? If not just tell him that whatever you've decided is the way it's done, he'll never know.

 

As far as the lines to make reservations on embarkation day, yeah I've seen those. And I can't for the life of me figure out why people want to stand in them. Upon boarding we head to our cabin, pick up the phone, and make any appropriate reservations we want.

 

As far as making those reservations goes the "standing" reservation is just that, same time every night. You can even request the same table and waiter if you want to. No need to tip the Maitre d'....unless he's going to have to do back flips to accomodate your requests.

 

You can call for "same day" reservations too. The availability will be limited and I'd bet they want you anytime except between 6:30 and 8:00, the busy time. Again, if this is something you've just got to do maybe a trip to the Matire d' to watch some more gymnastics is a good idea. Bring a twenty.

[maryevelyn]

I believe you are correct, that all this reservation making is defeating the purpose of anytime dining. On our last cruise in December, there were very long lines for the reservations. We just came back later the first night and we were seated right away. I think if you like to eat at the same time every night then you should just go down when you are ready. The wait is never longer than a few minutes. If you like to dine at the same table and same time then traditional dining is the answer.

 

Mary

[DeniceRG]

I sailed on the Diamond Princess this past December, and we did the PC dining, though, I don't think I'd do it again. Now granted we had a group of 14, but we were willing to split up at tables. The only times we could get was either 6:20 or 8:00 on. On embarcation, I called to make reservations, and was told I could only make reservations for that night and the next. I'd have to call back the next day to complete the week.

 

Overall, I thought the menus for the PC dining rooms were not real great. There wasn't much of a choice. The food was fine, but toward the end of the week, almost everyone in my group was choosing from the regular dining menu. I think I will stay with the regular dining from now on ... you get the menu from each PC dining room there (one restaurant per night, and the DP had 4 PC restaurants.) The times that we could reserve were not all that different than first or second seating times. And in the regular dining room, you have the same waiter, which I missed.

 

Just my opinion.

 

Host Cruise DRG (Denice)

[jennymcc]

Overall, I thought the menus for the PC dining rooms were not real great. There wasn't much of a choice. The food was fine, but toward the end of the week, almost everyone in my group was choosing from the regular dining menu.

I thought the menus for PC and Traditional were exactly the same. Has this changed?

[jimbug]

I need to make a comment here--Anytime or PC dining does NOT mean that you can simply waltz into the restaurant at any time that you would like and expect to be immediately seated. What it DOES mean is that reservations are recommended, and you can make them at just about any time you'd like, so you can dine "anytime". If you do walk up to the PC dining venues without a reservation, expect to have a wait, but nothing more than a busy popular shoreside restaurant.

[PrincessMelody]

Overall, I thought the menus for the PC dining rooms were not real great. There wasn't much of a choice. The food was fine, but toward the end of the week, almost everyone in my group was choosing from the regular dining menu. I think I will stay with the regular dining from now on ... you get the menu from each PC dining room there (one restaurant per night, and the DP had 4 PC restaurants.) The times that we could reserve were not all that different than first or second seating times. And in the regular dining room, you have the same waiter, which I missed.Host Cruise DRG (Denice)

We are first time Princess cruisers, and chose PC. So there is a whole different menu for that??:confused: Is it more limited? Now I don't know if we made the right choice. The TA said everything else is the same, you just go and eat when you want. I don't mind a bit of a wait, but having a whole different menu???

 

Thanks

[mafig]

We are first time Princess cruisers, and chose PC. So there is a whole different menu for that??:confused: Is it more limited? Now I don't know if we made the right choice. The TA said everything else is the same, you just go and eat when you want. I don't mind a bit of a wait, but having a whole different menu???

 

Thanks

 

Denise was on the Diamond Princess, which is different in that there are four personal choice dining rooms, each with different themes. I see that you are on the Caribbean Princess. Your TA was correct. The menus in PC are the same as traditional, don't worry.:)

[espmass]

As most of you said, making reservations DOES defeat the purpose of anytime dining. I would have gladly taken traditional dining but it was full so we didn't get a choice. I don't mind a short wait but many people have warned that without reservations we could have a long wait or even be turned away. I'd prefer to know we at least have a reservation even if it does have to be at 8PM. I'm just afraid that without a reservation we will have a problem so I'd just as soon make the reservations. At least now, thanks to all the responses, I know how to do it. Thanks everyone. Yes to LifeisCruising2, my husband is very "up" on all of this.

[PrincessMelody]

Thanks mafig!!! I'm so glad that's not the case...:p

[mafig]

What we did in the past on Coral Princess was to go to the dining room without reservations until we found a wait team that we especially liked. Then we made reservations for the rest of the cruise.

 

Is the concensus now that we should dial DINE when we first arrive in our cabin? For the first evening? Even if we probably would be getting to the dining room between 6:00 and 6:15? Geesh!

[Nitemare]

Anytime or PC dining does NOT mean that you can simply waltz into the restaurant at any time that you would like and expect to be immediately seated. What it DOES mean is that reservations are recommended, and you can make them at just about any time you'd like, so you can dine "anytime".

Maybe that's how it is now, but that's not how it started. 3 years ago on the Golden no one with PC dining had reservations, and we always got seated within 5 minutes of showing up, whether it was 6PM, 7PM, 7:30, or 8:30.

[srpilo]

Ok half of the posts say "Nope you don't have to make reservations" and the other half say "Yep you better make those reservation the minute get on board"...

 

Is anybody else still cofussed ?? :confused:

 

 

Srpilo

[Amy1118]

I'll add to the confusion. We were on the Island Princess last May with PC dining. We like to eat around 8:15-8:30 and we just showed up then each night with no reservation. Never had a wait. We were willing to be seated at a large table with other guests so I think that helped. We loved PC dining.

[Rustynail]

We are on the CP in two weeks time (yippee) and have a question about attire in the Palm or the Cafe Carribe. On formal nights do people still get dressed up in either of these two non-traditional dining rooms?

 

Is it a good idea to book Sterlings on a formal night if your going with the Anytime Dining?

 

Thanks,

 

DAn

[Northender]

Ok guys, I don't understand all the fuss. Anytime Dining is just that. Go to the dining room and eat your dinner "anytime".:) Last cruise on the Grand there were two Anytime Dining restaurants. We wanted to eat at a table for two. We went when we wanted to eat - around 7-8, never a problem and usually got the same waiter by request. Did not get him once or twice, but the service was very good, so who cares. The most time we waited was 15 minutes on formal nights. The food is just as good, no matter who serves it. :)

I think making reservations defeats the purpose :rolleyes:- JMHO :)

 

This coming April we are going on the Star and expect that it will be the same as last year. :)

[terry55]

I'm also a first time Princess cruiser wondering if we made the right decision going with "Anytime Dining" and have a few questions...are those passengers who chose Traditional Dining allowed to eat in the "Anytime" dining rooms? How long are reservations held for the "Anytime" dining room passengers who do make a reservation but choose not to use it? Our 2 teenagers will be on this cruise (spring vacation week in April) so we thought the idea of Anytime dining might work better for us this time around. We wouldn't mind waiting a few minutes, which I'm sure we will have to on a busy cruising week like school vacation week probably will be!!

[jean s]

We cruised on Grand with PC dining and loved it. We ate at a variety of times and never waited more than 10 minutes. Each night we sat a large table and met some wonderful people. If you like to meet lots of new people PC is the way to go. We signed up for PC for our Star cruise on 2/20.:)

[cjh]

There are 2 anytime dining restaurants on the Star. The ship was sold out and We only waited in line once and that was for less then 5 minutes on the 2nd formal night.

 

We are going again on the Star a month from today and the only way I will make a reservation is if I get a waiter I really like then I will reserve a table with him one or two nights.