Grand Princess ? Anytime vs 5:30 Traditional

[4275princess]

Anyone been on the Grand lately & can tell me what the Anytime dining might be like at 5:30-6:00ish? I've read a lot of chaos on other ships for Anytime diners due to the new 5:30/early Traditional causing confusion, chaos and long waits. Would like to hear comments for the GRAND Princess ship...

 

We are cruising in 2 wks & 4 of us have 6p Traditional confirmed with 4 of us @ 5:30 confirmed. We would really like to keep the 6p and thought about waiting to talk to the matr'd on ship to see if all 8 can be changed to the 6p traditional. Our 2nd choice would be the ANYTIME but certainly don't want to end up in chaos, long lines....Princess said we can call up to 2 wks prior to sailing and have ALL changed to 5:30 but "who" knows with it being this late; we may not all be assigned the same table.

 

What would you do?

[ONT-CA]

Just back from the Grand and we would suggest that you speak to the maitre d' with regards to obtaining a reserved table for eight, Anytime Dinning, which can be yours each evening at 6:00 pm. They will grant you this if the fixed reservation in the Anytime Dinning room is set before 6:30 pm or then again after 8:00 pm.

[dotheyes]

Just back from the Grand and we would suggest that you speak to the maitre d' with regards to obtaining a reserved table for eight, Anytime Dinning, which can be yours each evening at 6:00 pm. They will grant you this if the fixed reservation in the Anytime Dinning room is set before 6:30 pm or then again after 8:00 pm.

 

sorry but that is confusing to me. We have anytime dining (there are 4 of us) and would like to eat at 6pm. Is this going to be a problem or should we try to get traditional thru the Matra d

[DesertDaisy]

You should have no trouble with 4 at 6pm, in anytime. 8 is a different story. When our group in large which it often is, we do talk to the matre de and set up a table for every night in anytime. I still really enjoy anytime, but large groups are difficult, and often are seated at separate tables, close together.

[oskidunker]

No empty seats at all all cruise. everyone showed up.People are bailing from this anytime fiasco since the 5:30 was started.Personally if I could not get 6pm fixed, I would take 8pm fixed instead of the anytime and I hate to eat that late.

[ONT-CA]

sorry but that is confusing to me. We have anytime dining (there are 4 of us) and would like to eat at 6pm. Is this going to be a problem or should we try to get traditional thru the Matra d

 

The OP refers to a party of four set at traditional 5:30pm and a second party of four at 6:00pm. He could either approach the maitre d' and attempt to consolidate the two reservations or, as I suggest, he could opt for Anytime Dinning. In the case of the latter, my suggestion was, as long as the party of eight wanted to stay together each night, and as long as they don't mind dinning before 6:30pm, the maitre d' can (and would probably appreciate doing so) grant a standing daily reservation for the same table of eight.

 

Standing reservations were not being granted between the hours of 6:30pm and 8:00pm.

[dotheyes]

I will write back when we return on the 22nd and let you know how we make out with anytime dining

[Arlened236]

We tried Anytime dining last Feb on the Grand because the Botticelli Dining Room

was on Deck 6 with access only by 2 of 6 aft elevators and that there was NO bathroom on that level (as I use an electric scooter, this was not practical for me).

 

We enjoyed Anytime dining very much in Michelangelo dining room we had the same table, and wait staff every night (table for 8) and many of the same people dined with us each night. By the end of the cruise we could have used a table for 20...everyone enjoyed being together.

Just one question...if there is now 2 traditional seatings...which dining rooms do they use?

Thanks...we liked the cruise so much that we are doing it again in Feb.

[ONT-CA]

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Just one question...if there is now 2 traditional seatings...which dining rooms do they use?

Thanks...we liked the cruise so much that we are doing it again in Feb.

 

The Botticelli dining room is for traditional.

[CrusinAgain]

We tried Anytime dining last Feb on the Grand because the Botticelli Dining Room

was on Deck 6 with access only by 2 of 6 aft elevators and that there was NO bathroom on that level (as I use an electric scooter, this was not practical for me).

 

We enjoyed Anytime dining very much in Michelangelo dining room we had the same table, and wait staff every night (table for 8) and many of the same people dined with us each night. By the end of the cruise we could have used a table for 20...everyone enjoyed being together.

Just one question...if there is now 2 traditional seatings...which dining rooms do they use?

Thanks...we liked the cruise so much that we are doing it again in Feb.

 

There are 3 traditional seatings - 2 in the aft and 1 taking over the anytime dining room at 5:15 or 5:30 depending on which ship.

[4275princess]

We prefer to dine before 6p and your suggestion was "promising" for all 8 of us to dine @ the same table...we will see the mtr'd within the scheduled hours on the 1st day. Reservations are "as is til then":)

 

YOUR ANSWER:

as long as they don't mind dining before 6:30pm, the maitre d' can (and would probably appreciate doing so) grant a standing daily reservation for the same table of eight.

[montgomeryfamily]

Oskidunker, I understand you were on the 11 Oct Grand cruise. We are on the 22 Nov sailing. By any chance do you have the Princess Patters? We are very interested in the nights they have the various theme shows and other activities.