Anytime Dining party of 6

[blum74]

Can you please tell me more about anytime dining. We are a party of 6. What is typical of a wait time once you arrive to the dining room. I would think we'd be there around 7:00. Having never cruised before it is hard to predict. Thank you.

[flamomo]

In March, on the Emerald, we were a party of 7, and were able to make a standing reservation in an Anytime Dining room for the same time, same table, same wait staff every night for a 10 day cruise. Consequently, we never had to wait to be seated.

[blum74]

In March, on the Emerald, we were a party of 7, and were able to make a standing reservation in an Anytime Dining room for the same time, same table, same wait staff every night for a 10 day cruise. Consequently, we never had to wait to be seated.

 

How do you make this reservation? So it is possible I could make a standing reservation for my family at 7:00?

 

Thanks.

[LARGIN]

How do you make this reservation? So it is possible I could make a standing reservation for my family at 7:00?

 

Thanks.

 

You can make a standing reservation by asking the Room Captain on the second night but probably not for 7:00. We make it for 8:00 but get there around 30 minutes earlier and have a drink in the bar. I will let the waiters & Room Captain know that we are ready when they are. By the 3rd-4th night we are usually in before 7:30..

[1 HappyCruiser]

How do you make this reservation? So it is possible I could make a standing reservation for my family at 7:00?

 

Thanks.

 

Most likely they won't take reservations for 7 PM for any size table since it's probably at the busiest time. If you can eat earlier (6:30 PM) or later (8 PM) you won't have any problems.

[Toto2Kansas]

How do you make this reservation? So it is possible I could make a standing reservation for my family at 7:00?

 

Thanks.

They rarely take reservations (if at all) during prime dinner times. Earlier or later yes, they will reserve a table for you but not during the busiest dining times.

[Pam in CA]

They rarely take reservations (if at all) during prime dinner times. Earlier or later yes, they will reserve a table for you but not during the busiest dining times.

Whether or not, and for what times, is up to the Maitre d' so there's no consistency. Some will take reservations for any time during the evening, some only at certain times (before 6 and after 8), some will take a standing reservation for the length of the cruise, some only for that night. It's best not to count on being able to make a standing reservation, particularly at 7pm. That's a very popular time and just like a restaurant at home, you could experience long waits. I've often seen waits of over 45 minutes and I've experienced waits, sometimes long waits, even with a standing reservation.

[Janet Foster]

Had a group of 10. Did anytime dining most days at 8pm. They were always ready to take us. The late hour worked the best!!

[flashdog_1]

I've puzzled about this on other lines that have the any time feature for dining. If you want a standing reservation, and the other posters are saying that you probably cannot get 7:00 but more like 6:30 or after 8, then I don't see the difference in chosing anytime dining versus traditional dining. For a party as large as yours you would have your own table with traditional dining. Was a traditional dining time not available when you booked? If that's the case I understand perfectly.

 

I personally want any time dining just so I don't have to be somewhere at a set time (say I'm taking a nap or coming back to the ship after an excursion). If I had a reservation for a set time I'd prefer to have the same waiter in order to get the benefits of the traditional dining wait staff getting to know you.

[Janet Foster]

I've puzzled about this on other lines that have the any time feature for dining. If you want a standing reservation, and the other posters are saying that you probably cannot get 7:00 but more like 6:30 or after 8, then I don't see the difference in chosing anytime dining versus traditional dining. For a party as large as yours you would have your own table with traditional dining. Was a traditional dining time not available when you booked? If that's the case I understand perfectly.

 

I personally want any time dining just so I don't have to be somewhere at a set time (say I'm taking a nap or coming back to the ship after an excursion). If I had a reservation for a set time I'd prefer to have the same waiter in order to get the benefits of the traditional dining wait staff getting to know you.

Took anytime dining over the traditional because, for our group, we really couldn't do a set dinner time especially with the port schedule. But with our cocktail parties and all any time dining worked best for us.

 

Also with our group we ended up with the same waiters every night!!

[Toto2Kansas]

I've puzzled about this on other lines that have the any time feature for dining. If you want a standing reservation, and the other posters are saying that you probably cannot get 7:00 but more like 6:30 or after 8, then I don't see the difference in chosing anytime dining versus traditional dining. For a party as large as yours you would have your own table with traditional dining. Was a traditional dining time not available when you booked? If that's the case I understand perfectly.

 

I personally want any time dining just so I don't have to be somewhere at a set time (say I'm taking a nap or coming back to the ship after an excursion). If I had a reservation for a set time I'd prefer to have the same waiter in order to get the benefits of the traditional dining wait staff getting to know you.

I remember they started this reservation thing in anytime dining as the traditional dining rooms were always maxed out long before the cruise with a very long waitlist. There is no way to increase the dining room size, so to keep those traditionalists happy (that couldn't get traditional dining), they began taking reservations in the anytime dining rooms for all but the busiest dining times. Therefore, set reservations in anytime dining for the same table, same server, each night. ;)