Did I make a mistake??

[KruzeKrazy!]

My thinking is the larger the group the more convenient TD is. On your later return nights you could do the buffet, room service, or make a later res in one of the specialty restaurants.

 

Others may have a different perspective and I'd love to hear if there are better thoughts on the subject than mine.

[chefjrp]

We tried anytime dining on the Emerald last year. We had to wait to get seated quite often when we went between 6:30 and 7:30. This year we went back to traditional, not crazy about anytime dining.

[Anubi]

We found a way around the crowds for AT dining. After the first night it was obvious that there would be a line. So, I would get a table at Crooners, DH would get the buzzer and we would enjoy a pre-dinner drink. Rarely did we finish our drink before we were buzzed to the dining room. Its all about making something work for you personally, at least that's how we look at it. When others would complain of the wait we would tell them our strategy. Some embraced it as a great solution to the wait, others just wanted to complain. :rolleyes::rolleyes: We did try TD but decided that it wasn't for us.

[scienceteacher]

I prefer fixed time dining. If I can't make it to dinner at that time, I know I won't go hungry. I can always go to the buffet or poolside grill.

[redtogo]

We always have an assigned dining time, except for one cruise which was anytime dining. Never again! Waiting 1 1/4 hours to be seated is ridiculous. The original poster said that 5:30, or so was too early and 8:00 was too late for them. If 6:30 to 7:30 is peak time, and they went down at 7:30 to be seated, what time would they actually eat? Imo, it would be close to 8:00 before they ate.

 

I have experienced anytime diners showing up requesting to be seated in the traditional dining room, but we're turned away. Maybe the buffet would be a better option for these diners. Either that, or I would choose the 5:30 seating if 8:00 is too late to eat or you fear missing the show. By the way, most ships have two how's to accommodate the different dining groups. Maybe there in lies the problem. They want to eat a little later, but catch the show that is on the Patter for the early diners.

[Travlin grrl]

We found a way around the crowds for AT dining. After the first night it was obvious that there would be a line. So, I would get a table at Crooners, DH would get the buzzer and we would enjoy a pre-dinner drink. Rarely did we finish our drink before we were buzzed to the dining room. Its all about making something work for you personally, at least that's how we look at it. When others would complain of the wait we would tell them our strategy. Some embraced it as a great solution to the wait, others just wanted to complain. :rolleyes::rolleyes: We did try TD but decided that it wasn't for us.

 

That's a great idea Anubi.

I have done anytime on two cruises. One Alaska and one British Isles. I don't want to feel like I have to be back at the ship at a certain time and my mood changes every day when I want to eat. Maybe I had a late lunch so I want to eat dinner really late and by then there wasn't hardly anyone in the dining room.

 

My experience has always been great and only had to wait on the first cruise because we didn't do shared dining. I've never even had a buzzer.

The second cruise we ask for shared dining and never had to wait. Loved meeting all the people at dinner especially the Brits who were always so nice and funny. One time there was a line but because we were shared we got in right away and bypassed the line.

I was nervous at first about shared but it turned out to be the fun part of the cruise because of all the wonderful people we met.

 

I'm a fan of ATD but I guess I'm more spontaneous and I've always had amazing service. Now , if I ever do get a buzzer I think I'll go get a drink at Crooners like Anubi.

[mel8kri]

I was on two cruises last year. My wife and I went to see the maitre d on the first day and made reservations for a table for 2 at 7:15 each night. It's like having TD but with a seating when you want it. This way we had the same waiter every night and got to know the head waiters. We have done this for a few years and it always works.

 

 

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[ride4806]

We had no problem at all with our anytime dining and we did not chose to dine with others-we prefer to dine alone. We arrived between 5:30 and 6:00 most evening, some times we just walked right in and never had to wait any longer than 10 minutes. We loved it, we found a waiter that we loved after the first night and were able to ask for that table and were given it most every night also, it was a great cruise!!!! :D

[newparks]

Anytime means anytime, kind of defeats the purpose making a reservation and not all ships allow this. Peak times around 6p-7:30p.

Just relax and go when you are ready. ;)

 

 

Last week on the Ruby, it seemed a lot of passengers had reserved seating in the Anytime Dining Room. There were two signs posted, the one to the right of the entrance said reservations and the one on the left said no reservations. I have to agree, it defeats the purpose of being able to go at any time!!

[monicakm]

I don't see making reservations in the ATD dining room as defeating the purpose of ATD. I can eat "anytime" by making reservations for "anytime" I like. Just like land restaurants.

[jak378]

I'm totally shocked to see how people are dressed for dinner at the main dining rooms :o Even if it's not formal night (which obviously it's not) I'm still shocked to see how WAY casual everyone is. We're going to be over dressed!

 

Oh, the horror, the horror.

[shastatroy]

We tend to book TD on longer cruises and AT on 3-4 day cruises. It's fun building a bond with your wait staff during traditional dining, they make the experience that much more special when they greet you each evening by name and they know your likes and dislikes pretty quickly. 3-4 day cruises we tend to eat in specialty restaurants anyway.

[2pbears]

This is a bit tautological. Anytime Dining simply means that you are not committed to going at the same time every day. It has nothing whatsoever to do with making reservations. If you prefer to dine at 5:30 one day and 7:30 the next, you can [try]. And there is nothing to suggest that you shouldn't make a reservation on each of those nights. Indeed, I think it is highly advisable to do so. Whether the dining room can or will accept those reservations is another matter. But if one goes in with the attitude: "Anytime means any time and I will just saunter in whenever I please", that person could be in for long waits and huge disappointment.

 

I totally agree!