Golden Princess Anytime Dining NOT!

[RickEk]

We were 29 on the waitlist for traditional early dining.

I did at one point ask them if they knew we were coming.

I did also tell them it was very poor planning.

 

Also, If you can make reservations with ATD, NO ONE TOLD US.

If no one told us and you can make reservations, This is neglectful and incompetence or deliberately deceptive. I think they need to rethink their policies.

 

FYI. I'm looking at a "Welcome Aboard!" sheet that was in our stateroom upon boarding. Under Anytime Dining, it specifically states, "To make reservations, please call extension 3463." So you were notified...

 

Personally, I think that ATD is a problem on the shorter cruises as too many people want to do it... there are no waitlists for ATD.

[STEVENJAN]

FYI. I'm looking at a "Welcome Aboard!" sheet that was in our stateroom upon boarding. Under Anytime Dining, it specifically states, "To make reservations, please call extension 3463." So you were notified...

 

Personally, I think that ATD is a problem on the shorter cruises as too many people want to do it... there are no waitlists for ATD.

 

They specifically said "We Don't Take Names".

If they in fact do take names (reservations) why would they say that???

 

We have been on ships that do take reservations, but will not take reservations between 6 and 7.

I don't know if that is the case in this situation or they just neglected to say "we take reservations"

 

By the way, we were not the only ones upset about the situation and many were Princess cruisers. I just happen to be one of the more vocal/proactive ones.

Edited December 5, 2014 by STEVENJAN

[Colo Cruiser]

It stands for "my time dining" on Royal Caribbean, comparable to anytime dining on Princess. It's easy for people to confuse the various programs.

 

Gotcha, thanks. :)

[STEVENJAN]

FYI. I'm looking at a "Welcome Aboard!" sheet that was in our stateroom upon boarding. Under Anytime Dining, it specifically states, "To make reservations, please call extension 3463." So you were notified...

 

Personally, I think that ATD is a problem on the shorter cruises as too many people want to do it... there are no waitlists for ATD.

 

Were you on the Golden for that cruise?

[shredie]

If I want to have a second cup of coffee with desert in the dining room,

 

is that ok, or should I just move along?

 

 

What does this question have to do with anything I said?

[jbobst]

My last couple of cruises, it has been completely useless to call the reservation line. I dont think they even have anyone answer the phone most of the day.

 

Princess needs to just get rid of anytime dining and go with traditional all the way unless they can figure out how to accommodate more early seating folks. Seems like after 7:30 there is no problem, but not before unless you are there right when they open (usually).

[RickEk]

Were you on the Golden for that cruise?

 

No, I was on the October 24th sailing. But they pass out the same flyers every voyage... I know that with the flurry of paper that's in the cabin on embarkation day, it's easy to overlook one. :)

[karena1]

Absolutely nothing new. Anytime has been like this since it was first implemented on the Grand Princess years ago. Princess allows Traditional diners to go to Anytime and as long as they allow this, Anytime will be poorly managed when compared to other cruise lines.

 

EXACTLY!!! They need to get with the program and quit letting traditional diners to go to ATD, then the issues would go away!:(

[sawtooth]

We were on the 11/30 sailing. The last evening we decided to eat in the MDR (specialty restaurants first 2 nights). There was a long line at 6. I went back at 6:30 and was told the dining room was full and should come back at @ 7:15. I asked for a pager and was told they don't use them anymore. This was a big surprise to me.

I said what if I come back and there is another long line.

Came back @ 7:20, at least 30 people in line. I was not happy. I approached the dining room captain and told him the situation. He asked me to wait a moment and then seated my husband and I at a table for two.

This was very poorly handled in the beginning. I don't understand why they are not using pagers. That worked very well, just went to the near by bar and enjoyed a cocktail.

This was the only problem. The ship was decorated for Christmas and we upgraded to a full suite and it was really sweet. Just made Platinum for our next cruise in January.

[PrincessLuver]

EXACTLY!!! They need to get with the program and quit letting traditional diners to go to ATD, then the issues would go away!:(

 

I agree.....we never have a problem with ATD....however I do see people who have Traditional Dining that eat some nights with ATD.....it does not make sense to me how some people are able to move between the two different dining programs....it seems that ATD is the one that suffers from this....Princess needs to strictly enforce what dining program cruisers have chosen or let ATD's have priority for ATD....:confused:

[SoCal Cruiser78]

Next time try calling for a reservation. They will take reservations for before 6:00 and after 7:30. (They forget to tell you about that option.)

 

We just got off the Golden on Nov. 17th. We had ATD. I was able to get a table for 5:45 on just about every night that I wanted to eat at that time by calling the Dine line and making a reservation first thing in the morning. Once I forgot to call in the morning and they said they were full. So I just arrived at 5:30 and was escorted right in. I think they reserve a certain percent for reservations and the rest are first come first serve.

 

It takes about an hour and half to eat at ATD. So if you arrive after ATD is filled around 6:00 you will have a bit of a wait, probably to about 7:00 or 7:30 when the people who arrived at the opening have finished.

 

We never waited even a minute for ATD after 7:45. They open up a second ATD at that time.

 

The ATD reservation policy on the Golden seems to vary, like many things on Princess, from ship to ship and cruise to cruise. I was on the Golden on the 9/28 cruise. There was never an answer on the Dine line and, when I went down to the dining room directly, I was told by the maître d' that no ATD reservations were being taken, period, for the entire cruise.

 

That was my first (and last, unless things improve) experience with ATD on Princess. TD only from now on.

Edited December 6, 2014 by Ryndam2002

[SadieN]

I agree.....we never have a problem with ATD....however I do see people who have Traditional Dining that eat some nights with ATD.....it does not make sense to me how some people are able to move between the two different dining programs....it seems that ATD is the one that suffers from this....Princess needs to strictly enforce what dining program cruisers have chosen or let ATD's have priority for ATD....:confused:

 

Carnival is really strict on this. They request your folio number. If you are traditional dining you cannot eat ATD. The hostess also gives a print out of your names and dietary restrictions to your waiters.

Also, no reservations are allowed. (But on occasion that has been waived on a case-by-case basis.)

[Woobstr112G]

I will also send a kudos to customer relations for not allowing traditional seating passengers to enter MTD and make MTD passengers wait unnecessarily. If you have traditional seating and don't want to go then use the buffet or room service but don't disrespect MTD passengers by taking away their seat.

 

Don't forget that those "Anytime Diners" who request/are granted standing reservations in ATD also slow things down.....:):):)

 

Bob

Edited December 6, 2014 by Woobstr112G

[suzieb25]

I was on this sailing. I was surprised to hear from a number of Elite members who waited an hour or longer to be seated in AD.

[STEVENJAN]

I was on this sailing. I was surprised to hear from a number of Elite members who waited an hour or longer to be seated in AD.

 

Thank you for verifying the reactions of many veteran cruisers.

I know that there are comments on here that indicate the poster never had any problems and they have what seems like very sound advice. Maybe they just don't know.

This is not a knock on cruising it is an occasion of very poor communication at best and possibly incompetence at the worst.

 

I would think that Princess would want to take these concerns to heart and improve their service.

[shredie]

I was on this sailing. I was surprised to hear from a number of Elite members who waited an hour or longer to be seated in AD.

 

I don't think Captain's Circle status figures in much when trying to get a table. I don't think they would try harder to seat a Ruby member ahead of a Blue one. Maybe I'm wrong, bit that's the impression I have.

[caribill]

Princess restricts the number of passengers in traditional dining and any overflow are assigned to anytime.

 

RCCL restricts the number of passengers in their version of anytime and assigns the overflow to traditional.

[pablo222]

Anytime dining means to me that a person or group can show up at anytime, be told that there will be a certain wait and then be given a pager or the name be put on a list.

 

Everything I have read here has said that anytime dining

is a mess on short cruises.

 

I did two short cruises on carribbean, and based on the

posts I had read, booked traditional on both.

 

Through some miracle, we were assigned a table for two.

I spoke with the maitre d' about changing, and he told me

to keep what I had, as there were 42 couples in line

for a 2-top.

Edited December 6, 2014 by pablo222

[BruceMuzz]

On our recent Thanksgiving cruise we ended up with the so called Anytime Dining.

 

Anytime dining means to me that a person or group can show up at anytime, be told that there will be a certain wait and then be given a pager or the name be put on a list.

To me this is a very poor way to run a restaurant. Either it is traditional dining or it is anytime dining. If it is anytime dining it means ANYTIME!

 

I give Princess a C- on there ability to accommodate their clients for dining.

That said, we have sailed Princess 4 times and we did enjoy our cruise. We actually like the Golden and I don't want this to reflect on Princess overall. We also ended up with some excellent "wait staff". We also tipped them accordingly, not just the daily gratuity suggested. We just have a problem with their poor management of the "Anytime Dining".

 

Did you know that over at NCL, there is a surprising number of passengers who claim that their understanding of "Freestyle" Cruising means that they do not have to pay for it? It should be "Free".

 

Your understanding of Anytime Dining has similar flaws.

The people who own the ship get to make the rules - not you.

If you don't like those rules, you get to vote with your wallet and your feet.

I helped set up the Anytime Dining program at Princess when I worked there.

The Anytime Dining concept meant that you could either make reservations in advance - just like in a nice restaurant on land - or arrive unannounced and wait for the next available table ("Anytime" it is available) - just like in a nice restaurant on land.

At that time we had opted not to go for those tacky pagers that are used in those awful chain restaurants on land. I hope Princess has not sunk to that level today.

[silverelf]

It seems like one of the huge complaints is the lack of pagers / need to come back and wait again.

 

I get Princess not wanting to hand things out and spread Noro/etc. I actually applaud them for that.

 

But why don't they utilize the Princess messenger? Almost everyone has a smartphone now.

 

When I go to ATD and its full, take my number. Send me a text with a 10 minute window to boogie over to the dining room and just sit right down. Then people can wait for their meal on their balcony / in the casino / in the bar, etc.

[PrincessLuver]

Carnival is really strict on this. They request your folio number. If you are traditional dining you cannot eat ATD. The hostess also gives a print out of your names and dietary restrictions to your waiters.

Also, no reservations are allowed. (But on occasion that has been waived on a case-by-case basis.)

 

Thanks for reminding me.....we sail Carnival sometimes too and I do remember them always asking for the folio number at ATD.....it seems very orderly and fast seating.....maybe Princess can learn a thing or two from Carnival.....yes I said it!! :D:);)

[DonnasMom&Dad]

It stands for "my time dining" on Royal Caribbean, comparable to anytime dining on Princess. It's easy for people to confuse the various programs.

 

When on a Princess site, you should use "Princess terminology" :confused:

 

Cato :)

[shredie]

I helped set up the Anytime Dining program at Princess when I worked there.

 

When on a Princess site, you should use "Princess terminology" :confused:

 

Probably a good idea. Possibly Bruce could weigh in on that since he invented ATD.

[caribill]

At that time we had opted not to go for those tacky pagers that are used in those awful chain restaurants on land. I hope Princess has not sunk to that level today.

 

The tacky pagers serve a purpose. You do not have to stand in a line for up to an hour or even more. Instead you can relax somewhere in the atrium area, possibly giving Princess more income by purchasing a cocktail or two.

[caribill]

But why don't they utilize the Princess messenger? Almost everyone has a smartphone now.

 

When I go to ATD and its full, take my number. Send me a text with a 10 minute window to boogie over to the dining room and just sit right down. Then people can wait for their meal on their balcony / in the casino / in the bar, etc.

 

Almost everyone may have one, but I do not. And I will not purchase one just to get a message that it is my turn to eat.

 

By the way, the Princess messenger does not give an alert when there is a message. You need to constantly check your smart phone to see if you have received a message.