Anytime Dining

[lmentzer]

I've found conflicting info in various reviews here on Cruise Critic concerning reservations for anytime dining. I'll copy three such comments, and can anyone tell me exactly how this might work? Is it just up to the maitre-d?

 

1st comment: "We had anytime dining and after waiting in line for an hour to see the Maitr'd we were assigned a specific table every night by 5:30, no lines, or waiting for us."

 

2nd comment: "The Maitre-D' absolutely refused to make reservations and/or honor table requests. He insisted that we had to call each day to make reservations. We tried that several times and were always told there were no reservations available until 7:30 pm unless we were willing to share a table."

 

3rd comment: "I would recommend calling the restaurant EARLY in the morning to book a table (you can only book ON THE DAY)."

 

It would be great if we could just establish a set time and set table with the same waiters. We booked our cruise late and were put on a wait list for the early formal dining. Anytime dining sounds great, but not if you have to wait in line for a half hour to an hour to get seated.

[Pam in CA]

All the comments are correct. Each Maitre d' manages the dining rooms differently. There's no one policy on all ships. It's up to the Maitre d' so that on some ships, you can make a reservation for any time, any day or even a set time every day for the whole cruise. On other ships, you can only reserve a table before 6pm and after 8pm. On some ships, you can reserve for the entire cruise, on others, just for that evening. The only consistency is that it's inconsistent.

[toberman]

We've always been able to make a reservation for ATD.. either through the phone "Dine Line", or at the door first day. But... have never been guaranteed the same table, or wait staff even for the Speciality restaurants. Wait staff are moved around from venue to venue depending on requirements other than in the Traditional Dining venues where you should get the same staff every night.

[OCruisers]

Over all we have been very well pleased with ATD! :)

 

LuLu

[Colo Cruiser]

Every ship/MD have their own system.

It could be any of them you listed.

Best thing to do if you don't have/want traditional is to see the MD on embarkation day. Let him know what your dining wishes are.

The time/place will be listed in the embarkation day Patter.

It is usually held in one of the DR's between 2pm-3:30pm. ;)

[caribill]

1st comment: "We had anytime dining and after waiting in line for an hour to see the Maitr'd we were assigned a specific table every night by 5:30, no lines, or waiting for us."

 

 

That hour wait may have been on embarkation day when the Maitre d' meets with passengers wanting to make changes to dining arrangements. The time and location for this is in the embarkation day Patter.

 

There can be a long line.

 

Sort of reminds me of the scene early in "The Godfather" where the don was granting favors to those who were waiting to see him.

Edited July 16, 2015 by caribill

[shredie]

Depending on how far out the cruise is, you might clear the waiting list for early dining.

[Pam in CA]

That hour wait may have been on embarkation day when the Maitre d' meets with passengers wanting to make changes to dining arrangements. The time and location for this is in the embarkation day Patter.

 

There can be a long line.

I've done Anytime several times, all with waits no matter what time we got there, sometimes long (60-minutes +) waits and even with a set reservation. The best experience was on a Mexican Riviera cruise with just 10-15 minute waits; the worst was 15-60 minute waits every single night, even with an approved reservation for the same table every night. It had nothing to do with embarkation day. I've also had Anytime when absolutely no reservations were accepted at any time.

 

I MUCH prefer late Traditional dining. On some ships, it's been at 7:30pm; others at 8pm. I like being able to just walk in and go to "my" table, greeted by "my" waitstaff. :)

[lmentzer]

Thanks for the replies. The cruise is 5 months out, 15 days over the xmas holidays. We're wait listed at #76, so I suppose maybe there's still a chance. I was afraid the policy on ATD reservations was just up to the maître-d. We have had a couple of poor experiences dealing with maître-d's on other cruises.

 

Another question is we are two couples booked separately. If we are lucky enough to get moved up to the traditional early dining, do we have to do anything special to be sure we are in the same dining room and at a table for four together?

[Colo Cruiser]

Thanks for the replies. The cruise is 5 months out, 15 days over the xmas holidays. We're wait listed at #76, so I suppose maybe there's still a chance. I was afraid the policy on ATD reservations was just up to the maître-d. We have had a couple of poor experiences dealing with maître-d's on other cruises.

 

Another question is we are two couples booked separately. If we are lucky enough to get moved up to the traditional early dining, do we have to do anything special to be sure we are in the same dining room and at a table for four together?

 

 

Princess needs to be notified so the bookings can be linked either through your TA if you used one or direct by calling Princess.

You will probably still find once onboard that you are not together anyway. Even more of a reason to go see the MD.

[Belle]

We're never had wait/trouble but we

eat late after 7:30-8 pm. Have a better

chance to get a table for two if you want one.

 

Remember the first night usually the worst, (no matter where you eat)

we go even later that night.

[tserface]

We've had good luck with ATD for the most part. There was one night when the air conditioning was bad and everyone wanted to eat early. I think it gets more crowded around 7:30p and we typically eat around 6:15 so we never had to wait more than a couple of minutes.

 

Tom

[villager13]

We have always used anytime dining and love it. We did have trouble when we would call each morning to get reservations at the prime times and were always offered either 5:00 or after 8:00 neither of which we wanted. So we just showed up each night about a half hour before we intended to eat in the first place , put our name in, had a drink, and ended up getting in at the time we really wanted to eat anyway.

Edited July 16, 2015 by fox

[Belle]

We never make reservations..just show up. Done this for years.

In the morning never know where we're going to eat

or what time.

(Unless it's Crown or Sab's then reserve or sometime just walk up there too)

 

That's why it's called..AnyTime Dining. Like others, like it won't go back to

Traditional.

[Cruisin' Chick]

I've done Anytime several times, all with waits no matter what time we got there, sometimes long (60-minutes +) waits and even with a set reservation. The best experience was on a Mexican Riviera cruise with just 10-15 minute waits; the worst was 15-60 minute waits every single night, even with an approved reservation for the same table every night. It had nothing to do with embarkation day. I've also had Anytime when absolutely no reservations were accepted at any time.

 

I MUCH prefer late Traditional dining. On some ships, it's been at 7:30pm; others at 8pm. I like being able to just walk in and go to "my" table, greeted by "my" waitstaff. :)

 

Hubby and I feel the same way. We know when and where we're eating and can adjust our afternoon snack to fit that time. The last thing I want to do while on vacation is to be on the phone making a reservation to eat.

[SadieN]

Only times we've had horrendous waits for ATD is when the MD allows traditional diners into the ATD dining rooms.

[lalasea]

Just off the Coral. Never made a reservation, so I can't comment on that. Never had a wait for anytime dining beyond a couple of minutes. Ate 4 of the 7 nights in the dining room. Last night was the only night they asked to see my card to make sure we had anytime dining. Always got a table for 2 no problem.

[caribill]

Princess needs to be notified so the bookings can be linked either through your TA if you used one or direct by calling Princess.

 

Do this now. Do not wait until you are confirmed into traditional.

 

Then if you are both confirmed, you should be at the same table when they make the table assignments a few days before you embark.

[shredie]

I MUCH prefer late Traditional dining. On some ships, it's been at 7:30pm; others at 8pm. I like being able to just walk in and go to "my" table, greeted by "my" waitstaff. :)

 

Hubby and I feel the same way. We know when and where we're eating and can adjust our afternoon snack to fit that time. The last thing I want to do while on vacation is to be on the phone making a reservation to eat.

 

My thoughts exactly! DH is allergic to lines, so waiting in one would never do. (No, he never goes to Disneyland and barely to Walmart.) :)

[paradiselivin1]

On the Regal last holiday season and first few days were a nightmare. We did end up seated at a table in the MDR for folks who were scheduled for late dining and were able to score that table for the rest of our trip which was a blessing. Otherwise, have had no problem but traveling during the holidays often presents its own little challenges...Hopefully it will all work out without too much fuss.

[Matcodixon]

We have done both on different cruises. Never had much of a wait for ATD but never requested a table of two. We always joined others at a 6 top most of the time. Not a problem for us. Met some interesting people. Out last trip we had late MDR but my DW was not thrilled with table mates, :rolleyes: so it was not as good for us. Next cruise we are ATD again. :cool:

Dixon

[satxdiver]

We did TD back in the days before ATD. We do ATD all the time now. What we have noticed is that the time between 5:30 and about 7:00, most pax want to eat dinner so there are lines for ATD. The second MDR opens at 7:30 so there are two ATD MDR available on most ships making it even easier to get a table right away. Agreeing to share a table (two of us) also gets us seated quickly but never the same table or waiter. Moral is to go later to dinner and avoid the rush.

 

We have found also that the early TD MDR crowd will fill the MDR while the late TD group will have vacant tables. Back in days before ATD we have several times been at a 6 top table late night group by ourselves. We always did late night seating and almost always the table was not full.

 

Today with ATD we go around 7:30 to the MDR that is changing from TD to ATD and get seated almost immediately at a 6 top. It is fun to talk to the other pax and we have never had a problem so far.

[SteerageJack]

I might be a rube, but I thought the point of ATD was to allow you the flexibility to show up when you feel like it. Not to set you up with your own private table, at a time of your choosing. The notion of a standing reservation strikes me as a bit over the top.

 

I like ATD because I'm not that organized. Who knows when an unanticipated snack might push dinner back an hour?

 

Also, I find that people are best enjoyed in moderate doses. I don't want to be stuck at a table with "the world's foremost expert" for the duration. It is bad enough that I am forced to eat every meal with me.

[paul929207]

We have 150 nights or so with ATD. We always show up about 7:30pm and ask to share a table for 6. We have either been seated immediately or had a wait of 5 minutes or less. We have never been given a beeper.

[Steelers36]

Sort of reminds me of the scene early in "The Godfather" where the don was granting favors to those who were waiting to see him.

 

Love the analogy. Very good.