Annoyed by Anytime Dining taking reservations and wait times once seated

[srpilo]

I think the biggest problem arising in the OP's post stems from the fact that his entire negative experience was revolving around the first night at ATD, and as we all know ATD is notoriously BAD on all Princess ships on the first night, fleet wide on any Princess ship.

 

 

I've had HORRIBLE dining experiences the first night only to find the second night onward near perfect service and minimum wait times.

Srpilo

[PrincessLuver]

Princess often compares Anytime Dining to going to a fine restaurant at home. I don't know about you, but we have to make reservations at nice restaurants at home.

 

Then they should allow everyone who is signed up for ATD to make reservations which they do not.....I think Anytime Dining give most people the impression that is is first come first serve.....we have been on plenty of Princess cruises and know that many people request the same table and same time every night in the ATD room....we could do that too but we choose not to because if we did then we should choose TDR.....:)

[PrincessLuver]

Carnival people have no class, eat quick & get back to the fun. That's why there never lining up to eat at the DR door. :D

 

We have done a few Carnival cruises and other cruise lines too....FYI....Carnival does not allow anyone into the ATD unless they are signed up for it....we have done plenty of Princess cruises too and I do not think that Princess passengers are the epitome of class and I include myself in that group too....;p

[JimmyVWine]

New to Princess - can you explain the transiional MDR please.

On most ships there are three Traditional Seating times--two early and one late. But since there is only one Traditional Dining Room, traditional dining has to "borrow" one of the Anytime Dining Rooms for an early seating, usually around 5:15 or so. Once that seating is finished, that Dining Room transitions over to being an Anytime Dining Room. So it works like this.

 

Dining Room A = Early Traditional Dining seating (around 6:00) and Late Traditional Dining seating (around 8:30)

 

Dining Room B = Early Traditional Dining seating (around 5:15 or 5:30) and then converts to Anytime Dining at 7:30 (which, in reality, is closer to 7:15).

 

Dining Room C = Always Anytime Dining.

 

At Dining Room C, people are constantly coming and going in staggered fashion and you can never be sure when a table will open up. But at Dining Room B, everyone who dined there early arrived at around the same time (because it was a Traditional Seating and they want everyone to be on time), and as long as their pace of eating is rather consistent, they will all finish around the same time. As they leave (around 7:00), the entire dining room is re-set and every table is empty at the same time (more or less, but mostly more), and a whole wave of people can then be seated in the now-vacant dining room.

 

When being critical of reservations, it is important to note that one cannot make a reservation at any time they want. (At least, mere mortals cannot). They give you very limited options based on when tables will naturally open up. For example, on land, you can make a reservation for 6:15. Now, assume that the restaurant opens at 5:00. They aren't going to seat anyone at your reserved table at 5:00 because that group would never finish in time to vacate the table in time for your arrival at 6:15. So the table sits unused for 45 minutes. That does not happen on a ship. If a dining room opens at 5:15, they will only allow you to reserve the table at 5:15-5:30 when the restaurant opens or at 7:30 (or later) when the table will naturally be vacated and re-set.. So the table never sits unused. Let's say that you make a 5:15 reservation at a dining room that opens at 5:15. The table that you get seated at is currently empty and it is going to be filled by someone immediately upon the restaurant's opening. What difference does it make if that table goes to someone who took time out of their day to make a reservation versus going to someone who took time out of their day to line up at the locked doors of the restaurant at 5:00? Either way that table is going to get occupied and never go to waste. From an efficiency standpoint, there is no difference. As long as tables do not sit unoccupied, the restaurant is operating at maximum efficiency and no one is being harmed or inconvenienced. Reservations are only a bad thing if they result in the restaurant running at less than maximum efficiency which does not happen given how few choices one has for reservation times. It is always "Which would you prefer, 5:30 or 7:30".

[stoneharborlady]

Sounds like you need to stick with Carnival and be seated in a timely manner.

 

Why on earth would you say that?

The OP was sailing Princess, and should have been seated in a timely manner regardless of what line he was sailing.

[jnc411]

We have been cruising with Princess for some time. When Anytime dinning was introduced, it was really anytime, first come first seated, I do not remember any reservations. At times there we short waits , but not anything like now. It worked so much better then. And you showed your room card , now they really don' t check and some time the traditional dinning room passangers come as well, I don't think that is appropriate either. Anytime and reservations are two different concepts. I know many here on CC boards use the reservations in anytime , but personally I wish they would go back to anytime dinning as it use to be. But I don't see that happening. So it is what it is.

[casofilia]

There are so many complaints here about Anytime Dining I wish that people would put those complaints in writing to both the Hotel Director and also Princess Cruise Lines.

[GlamorousGirl]

Thanks for the warning! I'm going to ask how to make reservations as soon as I board! I did not want to sit with a group of strangers for traditional dining. I am already planning on attempting to book specialty restaurants the second we board since I heard those disappear fast. I don't understand how people are making reservations for either type of dining before the cruise??? 30% booked pre-cruise for specialty dining? You can't reserve it on their website, and I called and asked and was told it could not be reserved until I boarded the ship. How are people doing this???

[casofilia]

Thanks for the warning! I'm going to ask how to make reservations as soon as I board! I did not want to sit with a group of strangers for traditional dining. I am already planning on attempting to book specialty restaurants the second we board since I heard those disappear fast. I don't understand how people are making reservations for either type of dining before the cruise??? 30% booked pre-cruise for specialty dining? You can't reserve it on their website, and I called and asked and was told it could not be reserved until I boarded the ship. How are people doing this???

 

My comparison was with NCL where that is possible; I did not say that occurred with Princess.

[stoneharborlady]

Thanks for the warning! I'm going to ask how to make reservations as soon as I board! I did not want to sit with a group of strangers for traditional dining. I am already planning on attempting to book specialty restaurants the second we board since I heard those disappear fast. I don't understand how people are making reservations for either type of dining before the cruise??? 30% booked pre-cruise for specialty dining? You can't reserve it on their website, and I called and asked and was told it could not be reserved until I boarded the ship. How are people doing this???

 

You do know that you can book traditional dining just for your own table. You do not have to share with strangers. You can get a table for 2, 4, 6, or whatever you need.

[Habs_Fan]

Thanks for the warning! I'm going to ask how to make reservations as soon as I board! I did not want to sit with a group of strangers for traditional dining. I am already planning on attempting to book specialty restaurants the second we board since I heard those disappear fast. I don't understand how people are making reservations for either type of dining before the cruise??? 30% booked pre-cruise for specialty dining? You can't reserve it on their website, and I called and asked and was told it could not be reserved until I boarded the ship. How are people doing this???

 

Check your cruise booking on Princess. I'm able to book specialty restaurants for specific dates/times for my upcoming cruise (Star Princess at the end of the month). The only caveat is you have to pay in advance. That being said, I never had a problem booking the Crown Grill onboard.

[tonit964]

It was brought up because 10 of his past 12 cruises were on Carnival.

 

So, what does that have to do with anything? The poster never mentioned Carnival.

[dtb55]

So agree there should be NO reservations for Anytime Dining.

Also, people booking Traditional Dining shouldn't be allowed to go to Anytime.

 

 

 

Agree with both points. We always book Traditional and would never go to Anytime if we couldn't make our Traditional time slot.

 

 

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[toescat]

I think the biggest problem arising in the OP's post stems from the fact that his entire negative experience was revolving around the first night at ATD, and as we all know ATD is notoriously BAD on all Princess ships on the first night, fleet wide on any Princess ship.

 

 

I've had HORRIBLE dining experiences the first night only to find the second night onward near perfect service and minimum wait times.

Srpilo

My service was bad all 28 days.

[frugaltravel]

So, what does that have to do with anything? The poster never mentioned Carnival.

 

I think their signature shows the cruise history (I have signatures suppressed since people go so overboard with them and they take up way too much room on my computer screen). So it was apparently obvious that the poster likes Carnival anyway.

[SadieN]

Agree with both points. We always book Traditional and would never go to Anytime if we couldn't make our Traditional time slot.

 

 

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Unfortunately, there are those Assigned diners who go to ATD.

[floridalover5623]

We have done a few Carnival cruises and other cruise lines too....FYI....Carnival does not allow anyone into the ATD unless they are signed up for it....we have done plenty of Princess cruises too and I do not think that Princess passengers are the epitome of class and I include myself in that group too....;p

I was talking to a waiter who once worked for Carnival & they a saying on their ship "feed em, water em, and get em out the door" :D

[sippican]

On most ships there are three Traditional Seating times--two early and one late. But since there is only one Traditional Dining Room, traditional dining has to "borrow" one of the Anytime Dining Rooms for an early seating, usually around 5:15 or so. Once that seating is finished, that Dining Room transitions over to being an Anytime Dining Room. So it works like this.

 

Dining Room A = Early Traditional Dining seating (around 6:00) and Late Traditional Dining seating (around 8:30)

 

Dining Room B = Early Traditional Dining seating (around 5:15 or 5:30) and then converts to Anytime Dining at 7:30 (which, in reality, is closer to 7:15).

 

Dining Room C = Always Anytime Dining.

 

At Dining Room C, people are constantly coming and going in staggered fashion and you can never be sure when a table will open up. But at Dining Room B, everyone who dined there early arrived at around the same time (because it was a Traditional Seating and they want everyone to be on time), and as long as their pace of eating is rather consistent, they will all finish around the same time. As they leave (around 7:00), the entire dining room is re-set and every table is empty at the same time (more or less, but mostly more), and a whole wave of people can then be seated in the now-vacant dining room.

 

That makes perfect sense.

Thank you for your clear explanation!

[sunsetbeachgal]

Going to "Dining room B" in above explanation on the Regal at 7:30 to 7:45 Pm yielded minimal to no wait! Also same wait staff most evenings.

 

 

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[ridge4]

As a first time Princess cruiser, how does one identify "dining room B"?

[jackieo]

Going to "Dining room B" in above explanation on the Regal at 7:30 to 7:45 Pm yielded minimal to no wait! Also same wait staff most evenings.

 

 

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Yes I agree dining room B has been great for us. We go along at 7:45 no wait at all. This has worked for us on a number of the ships over the last few years.

 

 

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[jackieo]

As a first time Princess cruiser, how does one identify "dining room B"?

 

 

It will show clearly in the Patter (daily newsletter) which dining room has Early Dining then Any time.

 

From experience it is usually the dining room mid ships deck 6.

 

 

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[tv24]

We will be on Princess for the first time in April. I must say that I find this thread discouraging. Hope for the best...

[JimmyVWine]

We will be on Princess for the first time in April. I must say that I find this thread discouraging. Hope for the best...

We typically sit down for dinner at home around 7:00-7:15. On every cruise we have been on, we have arrived at the transitional MDR at 7:15 (when we don't have a reservation) or at 7:30 if we do have a reservation. Hand to God, we have never, ever been handed a buzzer and never waited more than a minute to be seated. The only time that we waited longer was a 5 minute wait when we were asked if we would like to wait for a window table. Don't get discouraged.

[donaldsc]

We were on the Royal a few weeks ago. Our group of 6 selected Anytime Dining. The first night that we decided to go, there was a long line. It was around 7:10. We expected a line. No biggie. Then we saw people walking away from the front of the line with restaurant pagers. Struck us as odd but okay. Got our pager and waited .. and waited and waited. After an hour, someone from our group went to the hostess stand to inquire how much longer it would be. We were told that they had no idea. That there were people with reservations who were to be sat first. Reservations? Really? Apparently we raised enough of a stink and were sat immediately. Once we were say, we waited 15 minutes for menus, then another 20 minutes for someone to take our order. The rest of the meal went downhill. We found the food to be bland. The staff to be unattantive. Sadly, all of this tainted our dining experience and we never went back.

 

What is the deal with reservations being taken for Anytime Dining? If you want an assigned time for dinner, pick one of the established times in the other dining room. Otherwise, when do you think people are going to want reservations, most likely between 6:00 and 7:30pm. Just as everyone else who signed up for Anytime Dining is trying to go! Found this to be a ridiculous practice. Tried to make contact with a Maitre-de to express our frustration. We were told he would be right over to speak to us. Never came by. Looked our way several times as he talked to staff who walked up to him but never made the time to come see us.

 

Anytime dining is like eating at a restaurant on land. Some people make reservations and are seated promptly and some people do not make reservations and have to wait until a non-reserved table is available. Seems very simple and obvious to me. Stop complaining.

 

DON