New to Princess - Questions About Differences (longish)

[geoherb]

#5. I believe you can switch from traditional to anytime dining, but not the reverse. Traditional is usually pretty well booked up long before the sailing.

We've successfully switched to traditional after being assigned to anytime dining. You have to wait in a long line to see the maitre d' the first afternoon. It's more difficult if you're picky about your table.

[caribill]

We've successfully switched to traditional after being assigned to anytime dining. You have to wait in a long line to see the maitre d' the first afternoon. It's more difficult if you're picky about your table.

 

When you cannot switch to traditional is if you have it and officially switch to anytime once on board.

[LGD]

Many thanks for the insight. DH will be happy. Also enjoyed reading the Diamond review from last year. Very helpful.

[Iamcruzin]

Cold tap water and cold milk is also included and always available.

I forgot about the tap water. Next time I think I will bring some Mio (liquid flavoring for water) with me. I am trying to get away from carbonated drinks.

[Mississippian]

1) My wife and I like to go out and dance. I think we are 'tweeners (mid-40s) in that we still enjoy current dace music and would rather do the Wobble dance then the chicken dance. Will the nightclub have current dance music?

I hate dancing, but on those occasions when my wife has forced me to go to a Princess disco it really hasn't been a "hopping" place. I'm not trying to say bad things about Princess, just my observation. Perhaps there are times when there is more dancing. Since I hate dancing so much I've been relieved there wasn't much going on.

 

2) Does the Lido have ice tea and lemonade dispensers where you serve your self or is it like RCC that they serve it for you. I drink a lot of the ice tea and lemonade on Carnival to stay hydrated and I bring along 12-16oz insulated cup.

I know there's iced tea, not sure about lemonade.

 

3) We have used ATD on Carnival , from reading the posts on this board I get the impression it is a bit more chaotic and more waiting on Princess. When you present yourself at one of the ATD dining rooms, do you get the first available at either dining room or just the one you checked in at . Is it wise to check both if it looks like there is a wait? This is not an issue on Carnival as there is only one dining room that has ATD.

I really didn't find ATD chaotic at all. If you go at the very busiest time you will have to wait longer. Just enjoy a cocktail. Likewise if you want a table for two you will wait longer. But really you just pick a dining room and show up. It's not a problem.

 

4) Is the pace different with ATD then it would be with traditional? I find that on Carnival , we get out sooner than we would if we had traditional. It is not a race mind you and you do not feel rushed , but they do turn tables faster.

I think the service might be faster (and better) with ATD, but that's just my view.

 

5) How similar is the food in the buffet to what is served in the dining room? On Carnival , what is in the buffet is very similar if not exact with the exception of Elegant Night (no lobster or prime rib at the buffet). This question is in case we decide to switch back to traditional, I want to know what to expect if we miss our assigned time on port days.

The people I know who have sailed both say the Princess buffet is far better than the Carnival buffet, but that said the food on the buffet is often quite different from the dining room. On one night the Princess buffet consists of German night, with nothing but a bunch of sausages. Very disappointing unless you are German, in which case I think it must be heaven.

6) Do passengers wear lanyards with their sign and sale cards or clip them to their cloths. We do this because it is convenient , but I get the impression this would be a protocol faux paux.

I've rarely seen this. I keep my card in my wallet.

 

I think you will enjoy Princess as long as the disco isn't too important to you, and it may rock sometimes, even on Princess.

[PescadoAmarillo]

I wore a lanyard on very cruise I've taken except the first one and our cruises last winter. On our first cruise I lost my card twice in 7 nights. On our last cruises I began wearing a little macrame shoulder pouch, because reading glasses became a necessity. :( Lanyards may be so Princess, but they're also so NCL, Celebrity, RC and HAL. YMMV

[RickEk]

As for the disco, it really depends on the crowd. My son (early 20's) accompanied us on a couple of cruises and he'd get in almost every night around 2am after an evening of dancing the night away.

 

As for the lanyard thing, I see them on every cruise. Mostly blue cards, but I do see a few platinum and black cards too on lanyards too. Since I never carry a wallet onboard, I just toss my card in a pocket and away I go.

[mysweetness]

LGD,

 

if you really want to wear jeans at night, the buffet will be your best bet.

no dining room is set us as more casual than any other .

 

Princess is great...you'll love it !:)

[caribill]

LGD,

 

if you really want to wear jeans at night, the buffet will be your best bet.

no dining room is set us as more casual than any other .

 

 

On smart casual evenings, the dining rooms wecome those in neat jeans without fashionable holes.

[bdjam]

1) My wife and I like to go out and dance. I think we are 'tweeners (mid-40s) in that we still enjoy current dace music and would rather do the Wobble dance then the chicken dance. Will the nightclub have current dance music?

 

I consider myself in the same group as you. I like a lot of current stuff and would prefer "Born this Way" to "Old Fashioned Rock and Roll." In the Princess dance clubs you can find both. On Grand Princess the nightclub is the One5 on deck 15. They do have a lot of contemporary music as well as all the wedding reception standards and if you get a personable DJ, requests should be accepted (especially if you buy him or her a drink). As stated, sometimes the dance clubs are a little quiet, but I've found on the seven day Mexico cruises, they are fairly busy. A 10 day cruise will probably be less lively, but you can still dance.

[srpilo]

LGD,

 

if you really want to wear jeans at night, the buffet will be your best bet.

no dining room is set us as more casual than any other .

 

Princess is great...you'll love it !:)

 

 

And why is that exactly ????

 

 

 

Just curious why you would tell that to someone

Srpilo

[RickEk]

I consider myself in the same group as you. I like a lot of current stuff and would prefer "Born this Way" to "Old Fashioned Rock and Roll." In the Princess dance clubs you can find both. On Grand Princess the nightclub is the One5 on deck 15. They do have a lot of contemporary music as well as all the wedding reception standards and if you get a personable DJ, requests should be accepted (especially if you buy him or her a drink). As stated, sometimes the dance clubs are a little quiet, but I've found on the seven day Mexico cruises, they are fairly busy. A 10 day cruise will probably be less lively, but you can still dance.

 

Me too... it's interesting. My son let the DJ borrow his iPod (or suggested he use it...one of those :p ) to get the dance music he and his friends wanted.

[rdsqrl]

Me too... it's interesting. My son let the DJ borrow his iPod (or suggested he use it...one of those :p ) to get the dance music he and his friends wanted.

Did he use his Don Corleone voice?

[RickEk]

Did he use his Don Corleone voice?

 

I do believe he did.... made him an offer he couldn't refuse, no wait, that sounds bad... LOL. :D

 

But really, they didn't really like the mix of music the DJ was playing and when he didn't have many of their suggestions, the offer of the iPod was made. I guess by then only my son and his posse (there was over 20 of 'em!) were in Skywalkers, so it was cool with the DJ.