PC vs. Traditional Menus

[gonna go cruising]

If we are stuck with Personal Choice since Traditional is waitlisted, do we have the same menus? I do not want to not have the wonderful menus listed online available to us. I am hoping that what is served in Traditional is the same in PC but at different times. This is very confusing to me. I am waitlisted for first seating. However, there is no confirmation that I had second seating instead, so I called Princess and was told that no I am not in second seating, but will automatically go to PC if the waitlist did not open up.

 

Any clues or tips from previous cruisers?

[SeaDays]

They will be the same.

 

Passengers using PC on the Diamond and Saphire have the advantage of the expanded specialty menus associated with each themed restaurant on a nightly basis. (Traditional diners are offered rotating themed selections).

[trudzie]

We were on the Caribbean Princess and were waitlisted for tradional dining and so were forced into trying the Anytime dining. We found the three restaurants (Island which is for tradional, the Coral and the Palm (which are for anytime dining) all had the same menus. We also found the Horizon and Caribe which are the buffet restaurants also had many of the same items plus other things. We have always done tradional but actually liked the "anytime" dining as you had more flexibility with what time you went allowing for you to catch other events going on around the ship. We also did not find that we needed a reservation as we always got seated immediately upon entering the dining room. We were willing to "share" tables, as we like to meet others. The only time we saw any people waiting was because they had a large group who wanted to sit together. And they were given one of those things that lights up, so they didn't have to stand and wait. The 3 restaurants all looked the same. So the only difference for us, was not having the same tablemates for a whole week. We actually met more people as a result. We also like the buffet option as on one of the formal nights we didn't feel like getting dressed up, so we ate at the buffet restaurant. At the buffets, there were people dressed formally and casually. I think you'll find there's really no difference other than having MORE flexibiltiy with what time you go to dinner. Plus unlike tradional dining, we didn't have to wait on other tablemates who occasionally ran late, before the waiters could begin. So we found it leisurely like tradional but less time consuming than tradional as everyone got seated at the same time and the service could begin just like a regular restaurant. So don't feel bad, you're really not missing out on anything!

[Flyer]

Don't worry if you get PC instead of traditional.

 

The Personal Choice dining rooms have the same menu. About the only thing you will miss is the Baked Alaska parade and the introduction of the cooks and no table-side dishes prepared by the Head waiter.

 

In PC, if you choose to eat with others you can...if you want the same wait staff every night you can...(make reservations for the same table). Unless you gather your own group you will eat with different people every night unless you request a table for two.

 

There are advantages to both but don't worry if you have only Personal Choice. Just enjoy! :)

[gonna go cruising]

Thanks for the responses. I dont want to miss out on the Baked Alaska though. I can pass on the dance but it looks wonderful for dessert! I will rest easy now.

 

I really appreciate the willingness everyone has to answer what may seem like trivial questions for a Princess newbie.

[Flyer]

BTW, Baked Alaska IS available for desert in the other dining rooms. You just don't see the parade. :)

[WalkOnDeck]

I wrote this on another board a couple weeks ago, I thought I would just repost it: "

 

It's been a couple years since I've sailed on Princess, but I will be going again next month on the Grand! :)

Princess has two different ways of dining.....there is Traditional dining or Personal Choice dining. If it is like the Star or the Grand, which I have both been on previously....2 of the 3 dining rooms will be personal choice dining and the last dining room will be traditional dining.

 

To answer your question straight off, the food is the same in the other dining rooms, there should not be a difference.

 

Traditional dining: Every night you go to eat at a certain time, such as 6:15 or maybe 8:30, theres usually two dining times. You go there and eat with everyone at the same time in that dining room.

 

Pros about traditional dining:

- Your guaranteed a spot to sit and you don't have to wait in any line.

- You eat with the same people every night, so you get to know them.

- You eat at the same table with the same waiter and assisstent waiter; they'll get to know you (ie. they will probably notice that you like ice tea with your dinner and they will bring it first thing by the 2nd or third night without you having to ask)

- I believe that the waiter's can be faster with traditional because they don't have a bunch of random things to remember like the waiters working at personal choice dining because everyone is eating the same course at the same time. (i.e. They know they need 3 of this main course and 2 of this main course, rather than the guy at the personal choice dining who has to remember 2 of this main course, this desert, this appetiser, and this drink from the bar) But also there is the problem that if you only want a main course and desert you have to sit there and wait for the rest of the table to finish there salad and appetiser. This can also be a problem with personal choice though.

 

Cons about traditional dining:

- You have to eat at the same time every night....this may mean missing a show or event (But with the CP not having the Vista Lounge like it's older sisiter ships it should be fine)

- You sit and talk with the same people every night, so you don't get to meet many new people at your dinners.

- If you aren't there around the time you need to be, you miss that dinner (however you could probably get into a personal choice dining room with no problem, i don't remember them ever carding anyone to see their dining arrangements.)

- If you get back on board the ship at 6:00 and your dining is at 6:15....you probably won't make it unless your speedy gonzalas. (When I get back on the ship from a port, I usually go back to take a shower, relax for a bit, and change clothes, because the likely chance was that I was either in salt water or it was hot that day.)

 

 

Personal Choice dining: There is no certain time you need to be there.

 

Pros of Personal choice dining:

- You can choose when to go to the dining room.

- You get to eat with new people every night....so you always have something new to talk about.

- You can specifically request if you want a table for two or eat with a group. (tables are usually for 2 to 6 people)

 

Cons of Personal choice dining:

- You may have a different waiter every night.

- There may be a line to get into the dining room because everyone has to be seated.

- As stated in the cons of traditional dining the wait can be longer.

 

 

My personal choice is the "Personal Choice dining" because it's more fun meeting new people every night or if you just want to be alone you can request a table for two. Also I don't go to the dining rooms to much because it usually takes a long time sometimes up to 2 hours.....and then it makes me feel guilty during the traditional dining that the other 4 tablemates are there alone and my spot is empty. So if your used to being on time and having dinner at the same time.... hope that you get into traditional dining.....if your more relaxed and don't know what you want....don't worry about it, your going to enjoy personal choice dining. Princess is one of the first lines to introduce personal choice and I feel it was a great decision because it is so much more convienent.

 

But lets say you don't go to the dining room....you can go to the buffet or get pizza or even a hamburger. To tired for anything? Room service! Also the last Princess cruise I was on they turned the buffet into a bistro late, I think after 10:30ish at night, what it meant was always casual, but you get served and the menu was the same as the dining room that night and it was never crowded. So if they still have this.....if you like the desert you had for dinner in the dining room, go to the bistro later that night and order it again.

 

BTW: GREAT CHOICE ON SHIP, I tried to get on it on its second voyage in April of 2004, but no more teens were allowed, but I did see it leave Cozumel when I was aboard the Rhapsody of the Seas in April of 2004. The "Movies Under the Stars" screen is HUGE, and I can't wait till next month when I get to see the one they put on the Grand Princess!

"

 

Hope this helps!:D

[gonna go cruising]

Thanks for all of the information. Sounds like we will be very happy with PC after all.

[*oceanlvr*]

This will be my first Princess cruise (Grand, March 5), and I'm really looking forward to the experience (3 with Celebrity, 2 with RCCL).

 

Until I read these posts I was still confused over the PC/Traditional options but several of you kind people have really laid out the pros and cons, and I thank you! We are waitlisted for late dining, but frankly, I'm looking forward to meeting people, and dinner is often the best way to do that.

 

Anyone else going on 3/5?