Making "Any Time" dining reservations via DINE-LINE

[Pier Pressure 53]

When you call the DINE-LINE to make dinner reservations, can you only make reservations for that day, or can you reserve multiple days during the 1 call?

 

Thanks.

John

[dplusd]

I've experienced both. Unpredictable. Princess seems to change their reservation policy by cruise and by ship.

[MayasWay]

On the Caribbean Princess last week (5 day) we were told there were to be NO reservations at all for anytime dining. I was shocked. They said it was because it was "a short" cruise. So, less service???

 

And even if that was to be a new policy for short cruises (wasn't on our last 5-day cruise) this same cruise was sold as part of a 9-day (4-day plus 5-day B2B) and those folks weren't given reservation privileges either. Met a young honeymooning couple and a 50th anniversary couple both taking the 9 day cruise and equally disappointed in the reservation policy.

[HUNKY]

Another reason to have online dining reservations available before boarding, with "some" times held back for onboard.

[Pam in CA]

Another reason to have online dining reservations available before boarding, with "some" times held back for onboard.

That's why there's Traditional dining. :) I'm of the opinion that there should be no reservations in Anytime and no one from Traditional can go to Anytime dining. I think it's the latter that causes the biggest backlogs and wait times.

[waltd]

Ok so no matter how early we book our cruises, and ask for Traditional Dining, we get put into Any Time with the same staff and time. I'm not crazy about the Anytime Dining Room. Service is not as good. So it seems to me Traditional is still the favorite. Is Anytime not as popular any longer?

[dplusd]

Ok so no matter how early we book our cruises, and ask for Traditional Dining, we get put into Any Time with the same staff and time. I'm not crazy about the Anytime Dining Room. Service is not as good. So it seems to me Traditional is still the favorite. Is Anytime not as popular any longer?

 

Anytime Dining is popular and growing in popularity across the cruise industry. Traditional dining is going the way of the dinosaur. Princess is very out of touch with respect to their dining (IMHO). They need to get the Traditional dining crossover to Anytime under control and open up Anytime Dining to reservations.

[PunkiC]

We have always had to make reservations on the day of the meal. That's fine with us. We just call early and make an anytime dining reservation for two at a table for 8 and go down at the prescribed time. We really don't like being bound to a set time for dinner every night. Especially on port-intensive cruises.

[IECalCruiser]

It varies with the Maître d'. Most only allow for one day at a time but on the Sapphire they used to allow at least three days at a time. We typically only eat in the DR about 2/3rds of the time but like the same waitstaff because of dietary issues. Why should we tie up a TD spot when we will be there no more than 2/3rds of the nights? They have worked with us in ATD if we reserved within 15 minutes of opening. If you aren't there within 15 minutes of your reservation time you lose your table. We let them know the nights we will not be in the DR. We appreciate the accommodation.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums mobile app

[caribill]

Another reason to have online dining reservations available before boarding, with "some" times held back for onboard.

 

If the ship does not allow Anytime reservations when you are onboard, I do not see how pre-board online reservations that would not be allowed would help.

[4cats4me]

The anytime DINE reservation lineis the most sporadic, unpredictable, inconsistent thing about Princess. For 11 years now we've been trying different strategies, To no avail. On the last cruise we could only reserve that morning for the same evening. Choices to dine were either 5:15 or 8:30 on most days, 7:30 on some other days. On other cruises we used to be able to call and reserve for three days, call on day 4 and reserve for remainder of cruise

On some cruises we could have either 6:20 or 8:30. That's it.

On some cruises, no DINE line reservations

We finally gave up on dine line and just showed up to the dinng room and had little trouble being seated

Also, if you like to dine after 8:00 pm, it usually isn't a problem if you decide to just show up sans reservation

Edited November 3, 2014 by 4cats4me

[Lovetocruiseprincess]

Reservations are the main cause of slow dining in the AT dining room and shouldn't be allowed.

Sure, your seat is reassigned after 15 minutes after your expected arrival and probably held for 15 minutes ahead of your assigned time also. Multiply that by the number of reservations given out and it could add up to a considerable amount of down time in total. In theory the concept is a nice idea but practically it should be abandoned like on the CB.

The people who arrive at the door when ready should take preference over anyone.