Anytime dining reservations

[JudithLynne]

I have a question about reservations for anytime dining. We are not new to Princess, we are well into Elite but almost always travel alone and prefer a table for two. We will be traveling with another couple on our next cruise and wish to dine with them. (We are not interested in fixed dining.) I understand that, unlike tables for two, tables for 4 or more can be reserved in advance. Can I make a reservation for a table that seats ONLY 4, no more than that? We do not want to be added to a larger table. When is the best time to make a reservation? Thanks for any input….

 

Judith

[Nan_Sea]

Whenever I have made reservations for anytime I had to call every morning. Making reservations for the entire cruise was not possible.

[JudithLynne]

Maybe I didn't word that well enough. I am not asking about making one call for reservations for the entire cruise. I know one must call daily. What I want to know, as I have never made an Anytime reservation is....will they take a reservation for a table that will seat only 4? We would like to dine alone with our friends.

[shanecindy21403]

Yes just call the dine line and they'll let you make the reservation for however many you want. Lots of times we don't know what time we'll feel like dinner so we wait until afternoon and call to make our reservation. That works most days except formal night.

[Thrak]

I have made reservations for 3 people and we dined with just the 3 of us. You shouldn't have a problem.

 

However, nobody can really answer your question as it will be up to the staff on the ship at that time.

Edited November 5, 2015 by Thrak

[Loonbeam]

In my experience they will be happy to accommodate reasonable requests, however if a number of parties of 3-4 have already requested that time they may have to offer alternatives or a shared table.

[sanmarcosman]

I understand that, unlike tables for two, tables for 4 or more can be reserved in advance. Judith

 

So a reservation for a table for two, say at 730 PM, cannot be made the morning of? Is this true fleet-wide on Princess?

[Husky61]

Whenever I have made reservations for anytime I had to call every morning. Making reservations for the entire cruise was not possible.

 

You can make reservations for the entire cruise if you are in a full suite.:)

[raider23]

We are new to Princess and were wondering if reservations had to be made by a certain time. We will be a party of three (myself, wife and mother) and would also prefer to dine alone.

Thanks in advance for the help.

[fishywood]

We are new to Princess and were wondering if reservations had to be made by a certain time. We will be a party of three (myself, wife and mother) and would also prefer to dine alone.

Thanks in advance for the help.

 

The Patter will list the hours that the dine line is open to take reservations each day. On Ruby Princess last year most days it was 8 AM to 5 PM.

 

But the important thing to consider is that each Maitre d' on each ship sets their own reservation policies. On some ships you can make a reservation for 5:30 but after that time not until 7:30 or later. On some ships you can make the next night's reservation when leaving the dining room, on some not. Some will let you make the next several days with one phone call, some not. (And as noted in earlier posts, some ships will not take reservations at all, or only 8:00 or later, for tables of two).

[sjmbruce]

on our cruise, they allowed reservations but only for the 5:30 pm time slot or a much later dinner time. the popular dinner times were not able to be reserved in the anytime MDR. we reserved a table for two on a few nights and were granted our request.

[PrincessLuver]

The Patter will list the hours that the dine line is open to take reservations each day. On Ruby Princess last year most days it was 8 AM to 5 PM.

 

But the important thing to consider is that each Maitre d' on each ship sets their own reservation policies. (And as noted in earlier posts, some ships will not take reservations at all, or only 8:00 or later, for tables of two).

 

I think this is what makes Princess' Anytime Dining such a mess. We never make reservations and assume we can eat at "anytime". Wrong!

 

On many nights the reservation line will be longer then the people who just line up for "anytime dining." We have to wait while all of the reservations are seated. To me it really throws a kink in what should be a simple system.

 

Princess needs to call it what it is which seems to be "Anything Goes Dining." Other cruise lines we cruise with allow no reservations for "Anytime Dining", check you sign and sail card to make sure you belong in AD and it is always way more pleasant then Princess' way of doing things as far as dining times.

 

Princess needs to set the policy not the Maitre d's and if people need a certain table at a certain time then I believe the need to be assigned to traditional dining....:cool:

[JudithLynne]

We just got off the Crown and one thing that irritated us was the number of people from traditional seating who showed up Anytime. One couple said they didn’t like their table for two at traditional. On Celebrity Anytime (they call it Select,) is capacity controlled and fixed diners cannot access that venue. This seems to be getting worst with Princess and it is irritating.

[sonomaphil]

My wife and I are Anytime dining fans so take anything I say with that in mind and this is directed at no one in particular.

 

We've never had an issue with anytime dining, we always get a table for 2 and yes we have the occasional wait just like in any restaurant on land would. We are also very easy going and have no trouble heading to Vines to grab a glass of wine while we wait.

 

What I don't understand about the Anytime haters is how privileged they sound. They say, "Anytime means anytime "I" want. Princess should always have a table for ME because I am special!" Do you expect Princess to have 3000-5000 tables always available and open in case everyone at once wants to eat? Get over yourselves.

 

I will say Princess must start checking cards at the door. Way too many "Traditionals" think Anytime means they can go there too. Your excursion ran late and you have early traditional? Head to the buffet.

 

We have in the past made standing reservations for a table in Anytime when we find waiters we liked and there was no issues. But we also wanted to eat at 7:30.

[SadieN]

We just got off the Crown and one thing that irritated us was the number of people from traditional seating who showed up Anytime. One couple said they didn’t like their table for two at traditional. On Celebrity Anytime (they call it Select,) is capacity controlled and fixed diners cannot access that venue. This seems to be getting worst with Princess and it is irritating.

 

 

Carnival actually checks you in, either by folio or cabin number.

[OCruisers]

On recent Princess cruises for Anytime Dining when we know what time and how many will be with us that evening, I call the DINE line in the morning and have never had a problem. :)

 

LuLu

[cafelovercanada]

We will be cruising on the Coral Princess next June and have signed up for Anytime Dining. We are a family of 7 and our TA indicated we'd have no trouble finding a table of 7 whenever we want to eat. He said there's usually a wait for tables of 2. I initially wanted to go Traditional dining so we'd be guaranteed a table of 7 every night. Going on the advice of our TA we switched to Anytime Dining. Has anyone had experiences trying to get seating in the MDR for anytime dining with a small group?

[caribill]

We will be cruising on the Coral Princess next June and have signed up for Anytime Dining. We are a family of 7 and our TA indicated we'd have no trouble finding a table of 7 whenever we want to eat. He said there's usually a wait for tables of 2. I initially wanted to go Traditional dining so we'd be guaranteed a table of 7 every night. Going on the advice of our TA we switched to Anytime Dining. Has anyone had experiences trying to get seating in the MDR for anytime dining with a small group?

 

Unless you did not want to eat at around 6PM or around 8:15 PM each evening, then you should have stayed with traditional dining with your cruise reservations linked so you would be assigned to the same table.

 

With anytime you can still eat together, but when you show up at the time you would like to eat, you may have to wait until a table that size (really a table for 8) becomes available. On some ships you might be able to arrange a reservation in anytime at the time you would like each day.

[skynight]

" I understand that, unlike tables for two, tables for 4 or more can be reserved in advance. Can I make a reservation for a table that seats ONLY 4, no more than that? We do not want to be added to a larger table. When is the best time to make a reservation?"

 

Yes, call in the morning around 8/9am. The phone staff will take your reservation, BUT, when you show up you may or may not be able to get a table for only 4. Each ship and each matire'd works a little different. Also, in the North American market early dining is in high demand. Dining after 7:30 will make it much easier as two DR's for ATD are open at that time. Also note that I have been on a one cruise where the matire'd did not allow reservations.

[PrincessLuver]

My wife and I are Anytime dining fans so take anything I say with that in mind and this is directed at no one in particular.

 

We've never had an issue with anytime dining, we always get a table for 2 and yes we have the occasional wait just like in any restaurant on land would. We are also very easy going and have no trouble heading to Vines to grab a glass of wine while we wait.

 

What I don't understand about the Anytime haters is how privileged they sound. They say, "Anytime means anytime "I" want. Princess should always have a table for ME because I am special!" Do you expect Princess to have 3000-5000 tables always available and open in case everyone at once wants to eat? Get over yourselves.

 

I will say Princess must start checking cards at the door. Way too many "Traditionals" think Anytime means they can go there too. Your excursion ran late and you have early traditional? Head to the buffet.

 

We have in the past made standing reservations for a table in Anytime when we find waiters we liked and there was no issues. But we also wanted to eat at 7:30.

 

We love "Anytime Dining" too but I think it would be less congested if Princess seated people first come first serve then allowing reservations and also allowing people from TD to use AD on a regular basis....I think Princess needs to do a better job of explaining how it really works then as they advertise it....I do like how other cruise lines monitor their form of AD and you do not get in if you did not sign up for it which seems to really cut down on the hassle of waiting in line or having a pager.....:)

[sonomaphil]

We love "Anytime Dining" too but I think it would be less congested if Princess seated people first come first serve then allowing reservations and also allowing people from TD to use AD on a regular basis....I think Princess needs to do a better job of explaining how it really works then as they advertise it....I do like how other cruise lines monitor their form of AD and you do not get in if you did not sign up for it which seems to really cut down on the hassle of waiting in line or having a pager.....:)

 

Totally agree. And it's so simple to fix. Just check the cards and turn away traditionals sneaking in.

[IECalCruiser]

We have had no problems calling in the morning to reserve a table for two when traveling alone or a table for four when traveling with another couple. This was both when we were Platinum and now that we are Elite. As others have said, reservations will typically only be taken within a half hour of when the DR opens or after about 7:30. The Sapphire allowed booking three days in a row. On one cruise on the Sapphire they told us on the third day that our reservation had be extended for the entire cruise. We don't book TD because we only eat in the DR 4 to 5 times a week. On the other nights we cancel our ATD reservation. If we were in TD that table would be empty 2-3 nights a week while it is filled every night in ATD.

[IECalCruiser]

We love "Anytime Dining" too but I think it would be less congested if Princess seated people first come first serve then allowing reservations and also allowing people from TD to use AD on a regular basis....I think Princess needs to do a better job of explaining how it really works then as they advertise it....I do like how other cruise lines monitor their form of AD and you do not get in if you did not sign up for it which seems to really cut down on the hassle of waiting in line or having a pager.....:)

I really doubt the problem is TD diners eating in ATD. The problem is that on many cruises with a predominance of American cruisers there are more people wanting to eat early than there are tables. This is evidenced by the fact that two of the three DRs on most ships are reserved for early TD. I would suggest that only one DR should be reserved for TD and let everyone else use ATD. On our Baltic cruise a couple of years ago and our Mediterranean cruise last year there was no wait at 5:30, 6:00, 6:30 or 7:00 and we were able to walk in to the ATD DR at any time on the Emerald and the Regal. Edited November 7, 2015 by IECalCruiser

[caribill]

Two of the three DRs on most ships are reserved for early TD. I would suggest that only one DR should be reserved for TD and let everyone else use ATD.

 

If there was only one early TD, then all those passengers who would have been at a second early TD will just line up for AT when it first opens.

 

Same result, but it takes longer to get everyone seated as they will not have the same table each evening.

[Potstech]

So if there are three dining rooms available make one TD, another Td and available for reservations part time and have the last one for those whose cruise card says Anytime Dining. See where the problem really is. Let the Dining room with open seats handle the overflow if needed.