Should we choose Anytime Dining or Traditional?

[mlhuangcruise]

We will be on Emerald Princess this summer to Western Caribbean. Should we choose Traditional dining or Anytime dining?

 

Are there any 'material difference' between the food quality they serve for each style?

 

Can we switch back and forth between these styles?

 

Thanks!

[kywildcatfanone]

We will be on Emerald Princess this summer to Western Caribbean. Should we choose Traditional dining or Anytime dining?

 

Are there any 'material difference' between the food quality they serve for each style?

 

Can we switch back and forth between these styles?

 

Thanks!

 

It really becomes a personal preference as to which one you choose. Traditional dining has two set times for dinner each evening, and anytime dining is open from 5:30-10pm, and you walk in when you are ready, much like a restaurant at home.

Both serve the same menu, so no difference there, but you are not supposed to switch between the two.

 

Mike

[chipmaster]

Welcome to CC,

 

Food menu is the same as is dress expectation.

 

You can't switch from what I understand.

 

The one advantage and why I do anytime is that you can choose when to go. My experience with set dining is mixed especially the late one where lines build outside and into the stairwells as hungry adults/kids just can't wait to get in.

 

The advantage of set dining is you get the same waiter crew and they get to know you, but I"ve not found the service lacking on my last anytime cruise versus much earlier set dining.

 

A downside if anytime is if you go during peak times of demand you could be sitting with strangers and/or find a line 5-10 couples deep. Generally have never found that a problem as I enjoy eating early and before 6pm there is rarely a line.

 

Enjoy!

 

We will be on Emerald Princess this summer to Western Caribbean. Should we choose Traditional dining or Anytime dining?

 

Are there any 'material difference' between the food quality they serve for each style?

 

Can we switch back and forth between these styles?

 

Thanks!

[Oi]

1. no difference in food quality. In fact, same menu in all dining rooms, except the anytime might offer one specialty that the Traditional does not.

 

2. no, you can not switch back and forth between.

 

3. Many love anytime, we always prefer traditional. We love having the same staff to develp a repor with and enjoy the company of. It makes it fun for us. We've tried anytime, but still prefer tradish. to each his own I guess.

 

I'm sure you'll enjoy whatever you end up choosing. Some will say the service is the same in both, some say better in traditional. I agree with the second group.

 

but that is just me. Happy cruising! Enjoy whatever you choose! :D

[ssbeagle]

If you do select traditional dining, that doesn't mean you can't decide to eat in one of the specialty restaurants like Sabatini's or the buffet if you don't want to eat at the regular time. It would be courtesy to let your wait staff know you won't be there so they don't make tablemates wait to be served.

 

The food is the exact same in traditional and anytime dining. It all comes from the same kitchen.

 

Now, if you get on board and find you don't like traditional dining they will usually let you change to anytime, but they won't let you change back if you don't like anytime and would prefer traditional.

[geoherb]

We also prefer traditional and have managed to get it for all but one cruise (Golden Princess to New England/Canada in 2002). The downside for us was that we prefer a large table and enjoy getting to know other people.

[mlhuangcruise]

Thanks! Thanks!!

[WestCoastCruzinator]

You can switch ONCE from Traditional to Anytime but since Traditional usually has a wait list you won't be able to switch back to Traditional if you don't like Anytime because your table will have been given to someone on the waitlist.....I would take Traditional and if you like it stay with it and if not then switch to Anytime.

[Emptynesternow]

We chose anytime dining and we liked it. We always were asked at the door if we would mind sharing a table...which we didn't....that way we could meet more people. I can only assume that if you wanted to dine privately you would be asked to wait. We never waited for a table on any night of our cruise. We had great tablemates for every meal except one and that couple chose to ignore the rest of us at the table. It didn't stop us from having a great time.

[westham]

We choose Traditional, it's great to get to know your table mates (we always request a large table of 8 or so) and waiters during the cruise. No difference in the service and food.

Enjoy your cruise whatever dining you choose.:)

 

Westham

[luvlake]

It definately comes down to personal choice. On our last 4 cruises we were Anytime twice and Traditional twice. I personally prefer Anytime since I do not like to eat at the very same time every day. If I choose to have a afternoon snack then I can eat a later evening meal. I also found the service on Anytime better than my two Traditional. Of course this was on 3 different cruise lines.

 

There is alot of different information on here that may help you make up your mind on which will appeal to you.:)

 

Happy Cruising!:)

[bbqbrad]

1. no difference in food quality. In fact, same menu in all dining rooms, except the anytime might offer one specialty that the Traditional does not.

 

2. no, you can not switch back and forth between.

 

3. Many love anytime, we always prefer traditional. We love having the same staff to develp a repor with and enjoy the company of. It makes it fun for us. We've tried anytime, but still prefer tradish. to each his own I guess.

 

I'm sure you'll enjoy whatever you end up choosing. Some will say the service is the same in both, some say better in traditional. I agree with the second group.

 

but that is just me. Happy cruising! Enjoy whatever you choose! :D

 

 

I've never seen this. Do you have an example?

[PhoneGoddess]

except the anytime might offer one specialty that the Traditional does not.

I've never seen this. Do you have an example?

 

I recall this from my cruise on the Sapphire Princess. There were 4 different anytime dining rooms and they each had one specialty dish.

[quincytoo]

except the anytime might offer one specialty that the Traditional does not.

 

 

 

I recall this from my cruise on the Sapphire Princess. There were 4 different anytime dining rooms and they each had one specialty dish.

 

I want to say

Savoy offers a pork chop

Pacific Moon (wrng name I think) has a noodle stir fry

Viavaldi does an Osso Bucco

Sante Fe does Fajitas

 

I thought I read you could order these dishes no matter what restaurant you were in and could also order them in trad dining as well???

 

Could be wrong

 

We usually do anytime dining but find a great serving team and usually request them each night. Sometimes we have had a bit of a wait but not much. Trad early dining we did on the CB and loved the wait staff but found that we didn't like eating so early.

[cb at sea]

Traditional is for folks who like to have tablemates and good conversation! Anytime is generally chosen by those who like to be alone and don't want to converse while eating.

[highheel girl]

The Sapphire/Diamond have the 4 seperate themed restaurants with a special dish in each.

 

You can order any of the themed dishes regardless of which of the 4 rooms you are in. ;)

[cherylandtk]

OP if you are going this summer I strongly suspect the 6 and 8 Traditional seatings are already filled by now. There is a new traditional seating at 5:30, if that time fits with your schedule. It is, as noted above, a personal choice.

[donaldsc]

We will be on Emerald Princess this summer to Western Caribbean. Should we choose Traditional dining or Anytime dining?

 

Are there any 'material difference' between the food quality they serve for each style?

 

Can we switch back and forth between these styles?

 

Thanks!

 

1) Personal taste - none of us know you or know your likes and dislikes so it is a meaningless question

 

2) no

 

3) no

[Mom33]

Traditional is for folks who like to have tablemates and good conversation! Anytime is generally chosen by those who like to be alone and don't want to converse while eating.

Anytime is generally chosen by people who wish to eat when they want to. The majority of passengers enjoy conversations with others and always sit with others. Some passengers do prefer tables for two, but they are in the minority.

 

We enjoy meeting different people each night. We also don't have to worry about getting back from a shore excursion and rushing to dinner.

 

It isn't fair for someone to comment that we are anti-social just because we don't choose traditional.

[lilacbirman]

Traditional is for folks who like to have tablemates and good conversation! Anytime is generally chosen by those who like to be alone and don't want to converse while eating.

 

Huh?! I disagree. We have enjoyed traditional dining in the past as we like meeting new people and making new friends. We have chosen anytime on our upcoming cruise for the following reasons.

First seating is too early especially on shore days. We don't like having to rush back from shore, we like going back to our cabin, shower, refresh ourselves before dinner.

We have chosen second seating in the past but is too late for my elderly mom. So anytime seating will allow us to aim for around 7-ish.

We are still hoping to have some table mates!

[FolsomMike]

Traditional is for folks who like to have tablemates and good conversation! Anytime is generally chosen by those who like to be alone and don't want to converse while eating.

 

Yikes! That's a bit judgmental. Actually, some of us who prefer Anytime are just particular about who we share a meal with and don't want to get stuck for 7 days with someone who's, you know, judgmental. :rolleyes:

[pjs9876]

We are on Emerald in July and picked traditional. Our cabin is aft and traveling with 2 seniors. We can take 1 elevator down to go to dinner or use that same elevator early and have drinks at Adagio. We have a table for 4.

 

In April '11 on Emerald we picked anytime. Cabins are HC Caribe forward for a different set of Seniors. Easy to take the elevators to the other dining rooms.

 

Hubby and I like anytimewhen it is just us for most cruises because we do whatever is the opposite of the majority. I like never having to give up an activity I am enjoying just because of a clock. However, I love lobster and 2nd formal night is always a bit of a squeeze even with making a reservation. One time I ended up right outside the doors to the galley. I'm surprised I did not end up with food in my lap!

[PhoneGoddess]

Traditional is for folks who like to have tablemates and good conversation! Anytime is generally chosen by those who like to be alone and don't want to converse while eating.

Yikes! That's a bit judgmental. Actually, some of us who prefer Anytime are just particular about who we share a meal with and don't want to get stuck for 7 days with someone who's, you know, judgmental. :rolleyes:

 

This person posts this type of thing all of the time. They seem obsessed with the notion that anyone who does not wish to share a table with complete strangers must be anti-social. I for one love to meet new people and have plenty of opportunities during a cruise other than while eating dinner. I have also have had some really judgmental, pompous people for tablemates in the past and have just been turned off to the whole thing.

 

And some people, like myself, would prefer to have a table for two because it is a rare opportunity to spend quality time with their significant other. Their lives/jobs/schedules may be so busy that they don't have this opportunity on a daily basis. For us, a cruise/vacation is time for us to reconnect, relax and enjoy each others company.

 

I don't think that this makes us anti-social or horrible people. If you enjoy sitting with others, great! Enjoy! But don't judge others for not wanting the same thing. We're all different. The world would be a pretty boring place if we were all the same. ;)

[cruisemom42]

Traditional is for folks who like to have tablemates and good conversation! Anytime is generally chosen by those who like to be alone and don't want to converse while eating.

 

 

This person posts this type of thing all of the time. They seem obsessed with the notion that anyone who does not wish to share a table with complete strangers must be anti-social. I for one love to meet new people and have plenty of opportunities during a cruise other than while eating dinner. I have also have had some really judgmental, pompous people for tablemates in the past and have just been turned off to the whole thing.

 

And some people, like myself, would prefer to have a table for two because it is a rare opportunity to spend quality time with their significant other. Their lives/jobs/schedules may be so busy that they don't have this opportunity on a daily basis. For us, a cruise/vacation is time for us to reconnect, relax and enjoy each others company.

 

I don't think that this makes us anti-social or horrible people. If you enjoy sitting with others, great! Enjoy! But don't judge others for not wanting the same thing. We're all different. The world would be a pretty boring place if we were all the same. ;)

 

The poster also believes all solo travelers are sad and pathetic. :rolleyes: I have learned to mostly ignore her comments as they are usually antithetical to mine.

 

(P.S. I choose Anytime Dining for its flexibility since my main reason for cruising is the ports and I like to stay ashore as long as possible; don't want to worry about rushing back to the ship for dinner. And yes, I almost always share a table with others.....)

[boating girl]

There are a lot of reasons people like anytime and yes, want a table for 2.

I sometimes travel with my mother and want to spend more time conversing with her since we don't see each other but a couple of times a

year. I have also cruised with a friend who due to a neurological condition, has difficulty following and participating in a large table conversation. Live and let live.......