How much leeway do they give you on timing of traditional dining reservations ?

[peety3]

Why not do the 6 PM Traditional Dining so you won't be late?

Princess normally offers both a 5:30 and a 6:00 Early seating TD.

Because the 6:00 TD is often a misnomer. Princess does it to manage capacity in such a way that they have options. The 6:00 TD is frequently "TD in the MDR that does TD both early and late", whereas 5:30 TD is frequently "overflow TD in an MDR that switches to AT after the early seating". Expanded further, my theory is that this becomes (for the Grand and Grand-like ships):

 

MDR 6/aft: TD early (5:30) and late (7:30)

MDR 6/mid: TD early (5:30) transitioning to AT thereafter, open until 10:00

MDR 5/mid: AT 5:30 to 9:00

[metairiegal]

Your table for 2 may very well be the kind with 1 chair and 1 side on a long bench seat. These are all in a row and are very close to the other "tables for 2." Waiters still serve these tables the same courses at the same time.

[IECalCruiser]

I'm assuming they'll honor my request for a table for 2 if I chose TD. Is this not the case ?

There are only so many tables for 2 and you have a request, not a confirmed reservation. Although a special case, on the 50th Anniversary all of the tables for 2 were reserved for VIP's and we were were initially assigned to a table for 10 [emoji33] The second night we were moved to a table for 6. That worked out well because we got along together and everyone wanted to leave by 7:00 to get a good seat for the early show [emoji5]

[IECalCruiser]

Because the 6:00 TD is often a misnomer. Princess does it to manage capacity in such a way that they have options. The 6:00 TD is frequently "TD in the MDR that does TD both early and late", whereas 5:30 TD is frequently "overflow TD in an MDR that switches to AT after the early seating". Expanded further, my theory is that this becomes (for the Grand and Grand-like ships):

 

MDR 6/aft: TD early (5:30) and late (7:30)

MDR 6/mid: TD early (5:30) transitioning to AT thereafter, open until 10:00

MDR 5/mid: AT 5:30 to 9:00

It depends upon the itinerary.

 

On the Regal in the Med:

Symphony (Anytime) 5:30-9:30

Allegro (Traditional) 5:45 and 8:15

Concerto (Anytime) 7:30-9:30 - that's correct, no early TD

 

On the Emerald in the Baltic:

Michelangelo (Anytime) 5:00-9:30

Da Vinci (Traditional) 5:30 (Anytime) 7:30-10:00

Botticelli (Traditional) 6:00 and 8:15

 

Some other recent West Coast cruises.

On the Pacific on the 50th Anniversary cruise TD was at 5:30 and 7:45

On the Crown on a coastal TD was at 5:30, 5:45 and 8:00

On the Grand on a Mexico cruise TD was 5:30, 5:30 and 7:45

On the Sapphire on a coastal TD was also 5:30, 5:30 and 7:45

 

Although there are typical times, on a given voyage you won't know the actual times until you board.

Edited August 9, 2016 by IECalCruiser

[TracieABD]

Nobody is ridiculing you. However, the dining rooms operate a finely tuned machines. Too many snafus, no matter how small or justified, can upset the flow for many tables. It is my policy to be on time. If I am over 5 minutes late, because stuff happens, I find an alternate plan.

 

 

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[The Other Tom]

Nobody is ridiculing you. However, the dining rooms operate a finely tuned machines. Too many snafus, no matter how small or justified, can upset the flow for many tables. It is my policy to be on time. If I am over 5 minutes late, because stuff happens, I find an alternate plan.

Thanks for the reply. If you're over 5 min late do you inform the people you're eating with so they won't wait ?

[kruisey]

We've booked anytime dining on our upcoming cruise but I'm having second thoughts. Let's say I book traditional dining at 5:30 but don't show up until 5:45. Will they still seat me right away or will I have to wait ? In other words, how long will they hold the table ?

If being late was unavoidable on a certain night you could apologise and I am certain you would be accommodated.

Princess does mention' Traditional Dining at a fixed time'.Otherwise passengers have the choice of 'Anytime' dining. No fixed time.:)

Edited August 9, 2016 by kruisey

[Colo Cruiser]

Thanks for the reply. If you're over 5 min late do you inform the people you're eating with so they won't wait ?

 

 

Not 5 minutes. There is a large crowd usually waiting for the doors to open. It takes at least 5-10 minutes for everyone to file in.

Edited August 9, 2016 by Colo Cruiser

[TracieABD]

Thanks for the reply. If you're over 5 min late do you inform the people you're eating with so they won't wait ?

 

 

I typically dine alone at a table for two or with the person I am traveling with. I typically do not dine with people I don't know (yet). If I am going to be late, I look at the larger mechanism. My lateness can impact the service flow for others. I am very regimented in that way.

 

If I know I am going to be late or absent, I tell the head waiter or MD so they can free up the table.

 

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Edited August 10, 2016 by TracieABD

[easyboy]

Thanks for the reply. If you're over 5 min late do you inform the people you're eating with so they won't wait ?

As much is possible.

[Cruise Raider]

Thanks for the reply. If you're over 5 min late do you inform the people you're eating with so they won't wait ?

 

I am sure if you believe you are not going to be on time or make it to dinner at all, it is nice to let your table mates but more so, the maitre'd know ahead of time.

 

We always opt for anytime dining but you know, you are allowed to make a standing reservation if you wish or otherwise, call in every day to make a reservation for that evening.

 

We were actually given seats for a few people that didn't show up to their traditional dining. They may have arranged this ahead of time with the head waiter ... just not sure. But, we were seated about 20 minutes after the traditional dining time started so seems like maybe seats are offered to others if you are more than 15 minutes late and there are huge crowds in the anytime dining lines.

[Lucky TGO]

I was on the Sun Princess and got to the MDR 10 mins late and they gave my table away.

Tony

Edited August 10, 2016 by Lucky TGO

[OzKiwiJJ]

I was on the Sun Princess and got to the MDR 10 mins late and they gave my table away.

Tony

 

:confused:

 

How long ago was that?

 

Sun Princess only has Traditional Dining these days, so it must have been before she came down our part of the world.

[cclvr]

I'm assuming they'll honor my request for a table for 2 if I chose TD. Is this not the case ?

 

 

 

 

NO...not necessarily..I am sure they try their best to honor requests but they only have so many tables for two thus cannot always satisfy everyone

[Sandy R]

On our upcoming cruise, booked awhile ago, we decided to do traditional dining. We usually do Anytime Dining but wanted to try Traditional again because of the Club Class dining coming in December.

 

Our TA requested a table for 2. On the Princess site under our booking it says "6pm dining confirmed". I would hate to think they would ignore our "confirmed" 6pm dining? I think I'll make a copy of our "confirmation" on the Princess website... it might come in handy!

Edited August 10, 2016 by Sandy R

[Lucky TGO]

:confused:

 

How long ago was that?

 

Sun Princess only has Traditional Dining these days, so it must have been before she came down our part of the world.

 

So sorry my wife said it was on the Sea Princess. Sorry I am getting old I can't rember what I did yesterday. :eek: :eek:

Tony

[500adverbs]

Our TA requested a table for 2. On the Princess site under our booking it says "6pm dining confirmed". I would hate to think they would ignore our "confirmed" 6pm dining? I think I'll make a copy of our "confirmation" on the Princess website... it might come in handy!

 

It's tricky, though. Your time is confirmed but you won't know what size table you're at until you arrive on the ship (although I wonder if you can call Princess and find out before embarkation). My wife and I also requested a table for two (late seating, though), for our 7-day California Coastal cruise this spring. The time was confirmed as well, but we discovered on board we were at a table for eight. (We tried it that way on our first cruise, a 10-day Alaska cruise, and enjoyed it, but we wanted to try something different the second time. Also, we were in the midst of family health issues at the time and were not really equipped for that much social contact.)

 

The best advice that I've received on this matter on Cruise Critic, and followed, was this: after you arrive on the ship, go to the MDR to confirm your reservation and see what size table you've been assigned to. If it's not what you wanted, ask for it. They will put you down on a big list with your dining time and request. When you come back at dinner time, or better yet a little bit early, check in again and ask about your table request. If you have the same experience we had, the maitre d' will look through the list of requests, look at the big map of tables, and reassign you to a table that is what you requested. In this way my wife and I got to have the table for two that we wanted and it was lovely.

 

I'm guessing you can't always count on it, but obviously it doesn't hurt to ask.

Edited August 10, 2016 by 500adverbs

[caribill]

 

Our TA requested a table for 2. On the Princess site under our booking it says "6pm dining confirmed". I would hate to think they would ignore our "confirmed" 6pm dining? I think I'll make a copy of our "confirmation" on the Princess website... it might come in handy!

 

Basically they confirm you will be in the early traditional seating. The 6 PM is a place holder. It could be 6 PM or earlier or later.

[OzKiwiJJ]

So sorry my wife said it was on the Sea Princess. Sorry I am getting old I can't rember what I did yesterday. :eek: :eek:

Tony

 

Sea is the same as Sun, also Dawn. Only traditional dining these days. ;)

[easyboy]

Our TA requested a table for 2. On the Princess site under our booking it says "6pm dining confirmed". I would hate to think they would ignore our "confirmed" 6pm dining? I think I'll make a copy of our "confirmation" on the Princess website... it might come in handy!

You can also use your phone camera for another copy.

[Elitein85days]

On our upcoming cruise, booked awhile ago, we decided to do traditional dining. We usually do Anytime Dining but wanted to try Traditional again because of the Club Class dining coming in December.

 

Our TA requested a table for 2. On the Princess site under our booking it says "6pm dining confirmed". I would hate to think they would ignore our "confirmed" 6pm dining? I think I'll make a copy of our "confirmation" on the Princess website... it might come in handy!

 

I always choose 6pm dining and it's never ended up actually being 6pm. Almost always gets changed to 5:30 or 5:45. Out of 19 cruises 6pm has never been the time printed on my cruise card.

 

It won't matter if you have a printout, they'll schedule the dining times to best fit their kitchen needs.

[cruzsnooze]

I always take 6 PM traditional and have in confirmed on my personalizer. I take that page in print with me. I have always found out upon boarding that they really meant 5:30 which is a consistent / deliberation misrepresentation by Princess. I am always on time at 6 PM which is what i booked, got confirmed and paid for. If Princess were honest about their real dinner time for 6 PM I wouldn't be late by their standards.

I like to go to the elite lounge for a drink at 5 PM and can't possibly make it to dinner by 5:30.

The waiter seems to understand and on several cruises my tablemates stated they want 6 PM as 5:30 is to early and they come at 6 PM also. Princess seems to forget that cruising is about the passenger not what is convenient for them when it comes to honesty in booking . If they only have 5:30 traditional then make that known in the booking process.

Edited August 10, 2016 by cruzsnooze

[spyro1952]

I have always opted for traditional dining (53 Princess cruises), late TD in my younger days and now early TD. I have seen MDR operations differ significantly from ship to ship. So some ships arriving up to 15 mins late may not be an issue but it could be on other ships, depending on the on site management.

 

My friend and I have recently changed our dining preferences from larger table to a table for two. We've experienced long wait times between courses and a lack of responsiveness from wait staff at large tables resulting in sitting there for up to 2 1/2 hrs for dinner. We've also experienced the tardiness of table mates forcing us to just go ahead and order our meals without the entire table being seated. To us all of these potential issues are just not worth it and now we just book a table for two, early TD, when we book the cruise. We always arrive on time so that we can eat and leave - we don't need a huge production.

 

Just from a respect for the dining staff and fellow passengers perspective, if you don't think you can meet expectations of a set time every night then book ATD.

[Murphey]

We were on the Royal in June for 28 days. We had 6:00 traditional. Yep, it was actually 6:00. When we arrived at 6, there was always a crowd to get in. We had a table for 2. We then started arriving at 6:10-6:15, which was at the end of the masses heading in. If you have a table for 2 or if all of your tablemates are cocktailing together and arrive together it is no problem. When everyone sits down, it takes a bit of time for everyone to get settled, and get the menus passed. Nor,, does all of the food come out at the exact same time. What causes far more of a problem are people who linger and leave little time for the wait staff to reset for the next seating....

[FritzG]

I always choose 6pm dining and it's never ended up actually being 6pm. Almost always gets changed to 5:30 or 5:45. Out of 19 cruises 6pm has never been the time printed on my cruise card.

 

It won't matter if you have a printout, they'll schedule the dining times to best fit their kitchen needs.

 

This is a major pet peeve for us. Over the last few years we've only had a "real" 6pm first seating once, and that was part of a b2b where it changed to 5:45 on the second segment. When we've questioned the maitre d' about the change we've been told it comes from corporate. When we've asked at Passenger Services they've told us it's the maitre d'. Others have said it's Princess policy, it depends on the itinerary, or that the captain makes the decision. We've never received a straight answer.