Is early traditional dining 5:30 or 6:00?

[metairiegal]

Is early traditional dining on the Caribbean Princess 5:30 or 6:00?

 

(We just booked our cruise and picked 5:30. But, I am not sure if that is correct for early traditional seating. Should I change it to 6:00?)

Edited May 31, 2016 by metairiegal

[donswife]

Is early traditional dining on the Caribbean Princess 5:30 or 6:00?

 

When we booked it said 6:00 but our cruise card said 5:45, I guess to be sure we were all seated by 6:00.

[fishywood]

Is early traditional dining on the Caribbean Princess 5:30 or 6:00?

 

Yes. (Except when it is 5:45).

 

 

OK straight answer: the best way to find out is to do a mock booking for the cruise you are interested in and see what the options are. Because it can vary by region and time of year.

 

Though if the date you are interested in is a ways off the selections will likely be the default options of 5:15, 6:00 and 8:15. We always book late traditional and the large majority of the time when 8:15 is shown on the booking or in the personalizer the actual time turns out to be 8:00--which means the main early seating was moved up from 6:00 to 5:45, presumably with no notice to those pax as well.

Edited May 31, 2016 by fishywood

[metairiegal]

I'm confused! We just booked our cruise and picked 5:30. But, I am not sure if that is correct for early traditional seating. :confused:

[Sea Hag]

When we've booked early traditional at 5:30 that's what it was - 5:30.

[Lucky TGO]

I was on the Royal Princess in January and it was 5:45 pm. When we were let into the Dining room.

Tony

Edited May 31, 2016 by Lucky TGO

[fishywood]

I'm confused! We just booked our cruise and picked 5:30. But, I am not sure if that is correct for early traditional seating. :confused:

 

Log into your personalizer and go to 'change dining times'. Don't actually make a change, just see what the options are. In your case 5:30 could be the extra-early seating (with the main early trad at 5:45 or 6:00) or it could be the main, with the extra-early at 5:15. Just a case of varying by date or region.

 

ETA: just remembered that CB will be sailing Panama Canal starting next year; the current times on Coral and Island in the Canal are usually 5:30 main & 7:45 late. Mystery solved?

Edited May 31, 2016 by fishywood

[Pam in CA]

It depends on the ship and Maitre D'. On some ships, there's one early Traditional dining. I've seen a variety of times on different cruises: 5:30, 5:45 and 6pm. On some ships, there are two early Traditional dining times at 5:30pm and 6pm. Your Personalizer should show your dining time options and confirmed dining times. However, that can change once you board. Your cruise card will have your dining time and dining room assignment. Check your card and double check with any traveling companions to make sure you all have the same dining time, dining room and table.

Edited May 31, 2016 by Pam in CA

[Steelers0854]

It depends on the ship and Maitre D'. On some ships, there's one early Traditional dining. I've seen a variety of times on different cruises: 5:30, 5:45 and 6pm. On some ships, there are two early Traditional dining times at 5:30pm and 6pm. Your Personalizer should show your dining time options and confirmed dining times. However, that can change once you board. Your cruise card will have your dining time and dining room assignment. Check your card and double check with any traveling companions to make sure you all have the same dining time, dining room and table.

 

Sorry Pam, just re-read your post and saw u mentioned this....

 

Not only that but on the Royal a couple of months ago one traditional dining room was 5:30 and another was 5:45, so even the dining rooms on board can be different.

Edited June 1, 2016 by Steelers0854

[riclop]

Is early traditional dining on the Caribbean Princess 5:30 or 6:00?

 

(We just booked our cruise and picked 5:30. But, I am not sure if that is correct for early traditional seating. Should I change it to 6:00?)

 

It's 530 and 600.

[scienceteacher]

Last year on the Ruby in the Panama Canal, we were given the choice of early 5:45 but when we got there we were told we needed to start at 5:15. We were not happy with this. It was a little too early.

[KenCruiseHappy]

When we booked it said 6:00 but our cruise card said 5:45, I guess to be sure we were all seated by 6:00.

 

On that class of ship the 6PM dining is usually in the aft dining room on deck 6 and is traditional. The 5:30PM dining is usually in an anytime dining room but is used as traditional for 1st sitting. Then when you get your dining assignment in your cabin, invariably we have found it will 15 minutes earlier. They told us we could come as late as the original Time I/e 6PM.

[Pam in CA]

Not only that but on the Royal a couple of months ago one traditional dining room was 5:30 and another was 5:45, so even the dining rooms on board can be different.

Heck, I've seen the times be different embarkation day vs. the rest of the cruise. Confused the heck out of passengers.

[pmCruiser]

From my perspective, the difference between the 5:30 and 6:00 dining time is the dining room location. If you are confirmed to the 5:30 seating you will be in one of the Anytime dining rooms. If you are confirmed to the 6:00 seating you will be in the Traditional dining room.

 

Paul

[metairiegal]

From my perspective, the difference between the 5:30 and 6:00 dining time is the dining room location. If you are confirmed to the 5:30 seating you will be in one of the Anytime dining rooms. If you are confirmed to the 6:00 seating you will be in the Traditional dining room.

 

Paul

 

Based on this, I think I will change it to 6:00 because we prefer to be in the Traditional dining room.

 

Thanks to all who responded.

[FritzG]

A MAJOR pet peeve for us.

 

We were on the Ruby 5/15 sailing. We were wait listed for 6pm TD, but never cleared the wait list. They also offered an early 5:30 TD in DaVinci, and then DaVinci became Anytime Dining at 7:30.

 

Once we boarded we intended to see the maitre d' to see if we could be moved to the 6pm TD. It turns out that both Botticelli and DaVinci had a 5:30 first seating. There was no 6pm seating. We were told that it was because "everyone" wanted the 5:30 time. However, it seems that if there was a wait list for 6pm that we never cleared there must have been a large number requesting 6pm.

 

In the last 6 cruises before this one we had been confirmed for 6pm first seating, and only once was it actually at 6pm.

 

Also, for the first time there was a letter in our cabin from the maitre d stating that if you are more than 15 min. late for your reservation your table may be given to another passenger. Interesting…for td first or second seating how can they give your table away?

Edited June 1, 2016 by FritzG

[Thrak]

On our last cruise we chose 5:45 but they changed it when we were onboard and it was suddenly 5:30. Our booking showed a confirmed time of 5:45 but...

[metairiegal]

This IS really confusing!

 

I just changed our request to 6:00 on the cruise personalizer. But, I am going to call later to see what they say on the phone.

[Astro Flyer]

This IS really confusing!

 

I just changed our request to 6:00 on the cruise personalizer. But, I am going to call later to see what they say on the phone.

It's doubtful that you'll get a definitive answer by calling because the maître d' decides the exact times for each cruise & you won't know for sure the time until boarding the ship.

 

On the Crown in April the 6:00 became 5:30 and the 5:30 became 5:15 and such changes have been routine on many of my cruises.

[pmCruiser]

A MAJOR pet peeve for us.

 

We were on the Ruby 5/15 sailing. We were wait listed for 6pm TD, but never cleared the wait list. They also offered an early 5:30 TD in DaVinci, and then DaVinci became Anytime Dining at 7:30.

 

Once we boarded we intended to see the maitre d' to see if we could be moved to the 6pm TD. It turns out that both Botticelli and DaVinci had a 5:30 first seating. There was no 6pm seating. We were told that it was because "everyone" wanted the 5:30 time. However, it seems that if there was a wait list for 6pm that we never cleared there must have been a large number requesting 6pm.

 

In the last 6 cruises before this one we had been confirmed for 6pm first seating, and only once was it actually at 6pm.

 

Also, for the first time there was a letter in our cabin from the maitre d stating that if you are more than 15 min. late for your reservation your table may be given to another passenger. Interesting…for td first or second seating how can they give your table away?

 

For Early Traditional, the actual time for dinner is set by the maître d'. The 2 different booking options -- 5:30 and 6:00 -- are the Princess way of indicating which dining room you will be in -- not the actual time of your dinner. That you get from your cruise card once you are checked in.

 

Paul

[peety3]

Based on this, I think I will change it to 6:00 because we prefer to be in the Traditional dining room.

I think you misunderstood. On the ships with 3 MDRs, 1 is Traditional early and late, one is Traditional early and Anytime thereafter, and one is Anytime all night long. Therefore, whether you pick 5:30 or 6:00, both are Traditional.

 

On the ships with 2 MDRs (Coral, Island, are there others?), one MDR is TD early and late, the other MDR is AT (minus an area set aside for additional TD folks, where you'll get all of the service normally associated with TD) early then transitioning to 100% AT thereafter.

 

Back when Diamond/Sapphire were in the US market, their "four half-size MDRs" (the midship MDRs had a dividing wall breaking each into two) were AT all night long.

[waltd]

I think you misunderstood. On the ships with 3 MDRs, 1 is Traditional early and late, one is Traditional early and Anytime thereafter, and one is Anytime all night long. Therefore, whether you pick 5:30 or 6:00, both are Traditional.

 

On the ships with 2 MDRs (Coral, Island, are there others?), one MDR is TD early and late, the other MDR is AT (minus an area set aside for additional TD folks, where you'll get all of the service normally associated with TD) early then transitioning to 100% AT thereafter.

 

Back when Diamond/Sapphire were in the US market, their "four half-size MDRs" (the midship MDRs had a dividing wall breaking each into two) were AT all night long.

 

Lets make this even more confusing. On our last Island Princess cruise we had Traditional but we were assigned a AT dining room and it was not in an area set aside for TD. They were mixed in our section. It was ok but I did not like the flow having a mix. I would have preferred the true Traditional dining room. Others were fine with it but I felt the service was a bit off.

[FritzG]

For Early Traditional, the actual time for dinner is set by the maître d'. The 2 different booking options -- 5:30 and 6:00 -- are the Princess way of indicating which dining room you will be in -- not the actual time of your dinner. That you get from your cruise card once you are checked in.

 

Paul

 

Not so. When you book you choose either 6pm or early 5:30 pm first seating. The early first seating is in one of the anytime dining rooms. The 6pm seating is in the traditional dining room which holds two seatings only. We have been guaranteed for 6 pm dining in the traditional dining room numerous times only to receive our cruise card which indicates a 5:30 or 5:45 time in the traditional dining room.

I'd love to know who really determines the time for the traditional dining room. Generoso and other maitre d's plus Passengers Services have assured us that it comes from corporate, but I don't believe that.

[Astro Flyer]

Also, for the first time there was a letter in our cabin from the maitre d stating that if you are more than 15 min. late for your reservation your table may be given to another passenger. Interesting…for td first or second seating how can they give your table away?

Apparently they do it because once when waiting to be seated in an AT dining room they escorted a group of us to the traditional dining room to be seated at an empty table.

[masterty]

On the Grand in March, they changed the time from 6:00pm to 5:30 on us. Of course the change happened without any notification to us other than the time listed on our cruise cards. No one in our group bothered to look at the time listed on our card. We all assumed it was the time marked "dinning confirmed" on the cruise planner that would be our dinning time. Luckily we arrived 30 seconds before our table was to be given away. We barely had time to stop the Maitre'd from seating another small group of wait list hopeful's.