Traditional Dining in Anytime Dining Room

[DRPWDunIL]

We are booked for a 5:30 pm Traditional Dining time on our upcoming cruise. My Princess travel consultant indicated that we would be in one of the alternatives to the MDR with a portion of the Anytime Dining Rooms roped off and reserved for traditional dining. This seems fine to me, but I wonder if anyone has experience with this set up and how it worked for them.

[geocruiser]

We have had this too. It worked out fine.

[skynight]

Depends on what ship you are on.

On the Island and Coral Princess some traditional diners are seated in a portion of the deck 5 DR. I don't remember it being roped off. I remember tables being mixed around the room, I assume according to the sizes required.

 

On the Grand & Royal Class ships the deck 6 mid ship DR is used for very early TD and opens for ATD at 7:30.

On Grand & Royal Class ships Club Class dining is in a section of one of the DR's and is sectioned off. Believe it is normally deck 6, mid ship on these ships. Not certain where Club Class is located on the Coral & Island. Have no information of Sun & Sea if that is what you are booking.

[DRPWDunIL]

Depends on what ship you are on.

On the Island and Coral Princess some traditional diners are seated in a portion of the deck 5 DR. I don't remember it being roped off. I remember tables being mixed around the room, I assume according to the sizes required.

 

On the Grand & Royal Class ships the deck 6 mid ship DR is used for very early TD and opens for ATD at 7:30.

On Grand & Royal Class ships Club Class dining is in a section of one of the DR's and is sectioned off. Believe it is normally deck 6, mid ship on these ships. Not certain where Club Class is located on the Coral & Island. Have no information of Sun & Sea if that is what you are booking.

 

We will be on the Royal.

[casofilia]

I hope that Traditional diners are NOT allowed to take up space allocated for Anytime dining.

[msmoger]

Depends on what ship you are on.

On the Island and Coral Princess some traditional diners are seated in a portion of the deck 5 DR. I don't remember it being roped off. I remember tables being mixed around the room, I assume according to the sizes required.

 

On the Grand & Royal Class ships the deck 6 mid ship DR is used for very early TD and opens for ATD at 7:30.

On Grand & Royal Class ships Club Class dining is in a section of one of the DR's and is sectioned off. Believe it is normally deck 6, mid ship on these ships. Not certain where Club Class is located on the Coral & Island. Have no information of Sun & Sea if that is what you are booking.

 

On the Coral last April Club Class was part of the Deck 5 Anytime Dinning Room.

[shepp]

I hope that Traditional diners are NOT allowed to take up space allocated for Anytime dining.

 

The space allocated for Traditional diners in a mixed dining room is allocated for….Traditional diners.

[casofilia]

The space allocated for Traditional diners in a mixed dining room is allocated for….Traditional diners.

 

I'm sure it is and I would not expect that Anytime diners would not be allowed to take up spaces in the Traditional diners area. There have been a number of threads in which there has been concern shown that Traditional diners who have missed their 'slot' have been allowed to take spaces in the area intended for Anytime diners. I have booked Anytime dining and am prepared to wait if the Anytime dining area has filled with Anytime diners but not if it contains people who have booked Traditional dining and who have imposed themselves on the Anytime dining area.

[ccruzer123]

Quote: "Not certain where Club Class is located on the Coral & Island."

 

 

On the Island, the Club Class was on the front left hand side of the MDR on deck 5.

[Colo Cruiser]

Roped off???

The OP mentions nothing about Club Class.

[Lucky TGO]

I hope that Traditional diners are NOT allowed to take up space allocated for Anytime dining.

 

It looks like that's what's going to happen.

Tony

[swedish weave]

The space allocated for Traditional diners in a mixed dining room is allocated for….Traditional diners.

 

I'm sure it is and I would not expect that Anytime diners would not be allowed to take up spaces in the Traditional diners area. There have been a number of threads in which there has been concern shown that Traditional diners who have missed their 'slot' have been allowed to take spaces in the area intended for Anytime diners. I have booked Anytime dining and am prepared to wait if the Anytime dining area has filled with Anytime diners but not if it contains people who have booked Traditional dining and who have imposed themselves on the Anytime dining area.

 

My experience has been that guests do not impose themselves in the dining rooms.

They are assigned a table and escorted to it.

This is done by a crew member.

[caribill]

We are booked for a 5:30 pm Traditional Dining time on our upcoming cruise. My Princess travel consultant indicated that we would be in one of the alternatives to the MDR with a portion of the Anytime Dining Rooms roped off and reserved for traditional dining. This seems fine to me, but I wonder if anyone has experience with this set up and how it worked for them.

 

One of the Anytime dining rooms is used for the (very) early TD when the regular TD room is fully booked.

 

 

In most cases, the Anytime room used will be exclusively TD for that sitting. However, if there is not enough demand they could divide the room up into having TD and Anytime. If this is done, there will not be any ropes. Those with TD will have their assigned tables and Anytime diners will not be seated at the tables assigned to those with TD.

 

Please also note that the 5:30 time should be considered a place holder. Check your cruise card to see what the actual time and dining room name will be.

[OzKiwiJJ]

I hope that Traditional diners are NOT allowed to take up space allocated for Anytime dining.

 

It may actually be the other way around if it's the MDR that usually starts off with early Traditional Dining and changes Anytime Dining later on. If there is more demand for Anytime than for Traditional Princess may "rope off" part of that MDR to allow more early Anytime Dining.

[casofilia]

Let me enunciate a little more taking the Caribbean Princess as the example. Say I want to eat in the Anytime Dining restaurant; where I have booked my dining situation prior to the cruise; at 6.45 on a particular evening.

Dining rooms are as follows in the early evening:-

Coral: 5.45 Early Fixed (Traditional?) Sitting.

Palm: 6.00 Traditional

Island 5.15 Anytime.

Let us assume that there were 50 people who had booked for early Fixed or Traditional at 5.45 or 6, but who turned up between 6.25 and 6.40 and found that they couldn't get in to Coral or Palm as they were too late. So they go to Island, are seated and fill it up so that when I arrive at 6.45 there isn't room for me.

I say that is not fair; they, who have not booked Anytime but have booked Traditional, have taken paces which should go to those who have booked Anytime. If they have booked Traditional and miss their dining time they should NOT be allowed into the Anytime dining restaurant (Island), at any time, to take the places of those who have booked Anytime.

If you book Traditional go to Traditional, at the time you booked, or when you miss your 'slot' go to some other eating place on the ship but NOT to the Anytime restaurant at any time; leave that for us who have booked Anytime

[Aus Traveller]

Let me enunciate a little more taking the Caribbean Princess as the example. Say I want to eat in the Anytime Dining restaurant; where I have booked my dining situation prior to the cruise; at 6.45 on a particular evening.

Dining rooms are as follows in the early evening:-

Coral: 5.45 Early Fixed (Traditional?) Sitting.

Palm: 6.00 Traditional

Island 5.15 Anytime.

Let us assume that there were 50 people who had booked for early Fixed or Traditional at 5.45 or 6, but who turned up between 6.25 and 6.40 and found that they couldn't get in to Coral or Palm as they were too late. So they go to Island, are seated and fill it up so that when I arrive at 6.45 there isn't room for me.

I say that is not fair; they, who have not booked Anytime but have booked Traditional, have taken paces which should go to those who have booked Anytime. If they have booked Traditional and miss their dining time they should NOT be allowed into the Anytime dining restaurant (Island), at any time, to take the places of those who have booked Anytime.

If you book Traditional go to Traditional, at the time you booked, or when you miss your 'slot' go to some other eating place on the ship but NOT to the Anytime restaurant at any time; leave that for us who have booked Anytime

I am puzzled why you would assume that 50 people who had booked TD would turn up around three-quarters of an hour late. The Head Waiter on the door checks what people have booked. I am sure if people did as you suggest, he would have something to say about it and maybe not seat the passengers if they arrived so late. If they arrived a little bit late, they would probably proceed to their normal booked table. Maybe on a port day when the restaurant has a lot of empty seats, it might not matter if people who had booked TD arrived late.:)

 

On the Emerald Princess, we were on Anytime and were sometimes seated at a table with TD passengers. It didn't bother us and it didn't seem to bother them. :)

[OzKiwiJJ]

Let me enunciate a little more taking the Caribbean Princess as the example. Say I want to eat in the Anytime Dining restaurant; where I have booked my dining situation prior to the cruise; at 6.45 on a particular evening.

Dining rooms are as follows in the early evening:-

Coral: 5.45 Early Fixed (Traditional?) Sitting.

Palm: 6.00 Traditional

Island 5.15 Anytime.

Let us assume that there were 50 people who had booked for early Fixed or Traditional at 5.45 or 6, but who turned up between 6.25 and 6.40 and found that they couldn't get in to Coral or Palm as they were too late. So they go to Island, are seated and fill it up so that when I arrive at 6.45 there isn't room for me.

I say that is not fair; they, who have not booked Anytime but have booked Traditional, have taken paces which should go to those who have booked Anytime. If they have booked Traditional and miss their dining time they should NOT be allowed into the Anytime dining restaurant (Island), at any time, to take the places of those who have booked Anytime.

If you book Traditional go to Traditional, at the time you booked, or when you miss your 'slot' go to some other eating place on the ship but NOT to the Anytime restaurant at any time; leave that for us who have booked Anytime

 

Given the OP stated that their TA advised them that they would be "in one of the alternatives to the MDR with a portion of the Anytime Dining Rooms roped off and reserved for traditional dining" why are you assuming that these Traditional Diners are missing their dining time and therefore taking Anytime dining places.

 

Note that I merely offered an alternative scenario to the Traditional diners in an Anytime MDR, and suggested that it may actually be Anytime diners utilizing unused space in a Traditional (at that time) MDR. But perhaps you didn't bother to really read and understand my comment, nor did you bother to properly read and understand the OPs post. :rolleyes: Your rant was uncalled for and unnecessary!

Edited June 3, 2017 by OzKiwiJJ

[skynight]

Let me enunciate a little more taking the Caribbean Princess as the example. Say I want to eat in the Anytime Dining restaurant; where I have booked my dining situation prior to the cruise; at 6.45 on a particular evening.

Dining rooms are as follows in the early evening:-

Coral: 5.45 Early Fixed (Traditional?) Sitting.

Palm: 6.00 Traditional

Island 5.15 Anytime.

Let us assume that there were 50 people who had booked for early Fixed or Traditional at 5.45 or 6, but who turned up between 6.25 and 6.40 and found that they couldn't get in to Coral or Palm as they were too late. So they go to Island, are seated and fill it up so that when I arrive at 6.45 there isn't room for me.

I say that is not fair; they, who have not booked Anytime but have booked Traditional, have taken paces which should go to those who have booked Anytime. If they have booked Traditional and miss their dining time they should NOT be allowed into the Anytime dining restaurant (Island), at any time, to take the places of those who have booked Anytime.

If you book Traditional go to Traditional, at the time you booked, or when you miss your 'slot' go to some other eating place on the ship but NOT to the Anytime restaurant at any time; leave that for us who have booked Anytime

Those assigned to Traditional Dining are not supposed to dine in the ATD area. Some maitre'd's will allow it, or on request will change the passenger to ATD. I doubt the number would be as high as 50, probably much lower, and probably not a lot of impact. The decision to allow TD's into ATD is made by the maitre'd who I'm certain has plenty of customer relations experience in this area. Your example is purely speculation. We have been using ATD since it was first introduced back in the early 2000's. Each cruise is different. From experience we found that passenger demographics and itinerary, not fixed time diners, are the primary factors on how easy or difficult it is to be seated at various times throughout the evening. We have also found that if you wish to dine late you can usually just walk in and be seated. It doesn't really matter to us if a table or two are occupied by cross over traditional diners. Based on literally hundreds of times we have dined in ATD we believe the system works well.

[Homosassa]

There will also be ports where the departure time will be well after the time of the early traditional seating. In that case, all dining rooms will be changed to anytime dining.

 

This will usually only affect the hours that are covered by the early traditional seatings. The late traditional dining will not be affected.

[FritzG]

I hope that Traditional diners are NOT allowed to take up space allocated for Anytime dining.

 

This has been going on for several years. One of the dining rooms is a mixed dining room. It is TD for a certain amount of time starting at 5:30, and then it becomes regular ATD.

 

 

Also, on several of our recent cruises the TD dining room was closed after 15 minutes or so of the assigned time. The late comers shouldn't be going to the ATD; they should go to the buffet or another dining area. However, since Princess won't have someone at the ATD door check cruise cards they will still go to ATD. Some people don't even know that they can't use both dining rooms. Checking cruise cards could help.

[DRPWDunIL]

Thanks for all the feedback. I am in the odd position of contributing more information to my own question that might clarify some of the misunderstanding or misapprehension in the thread. I have cruised before and I have cruised with the same people I will be cruising with in December on the Royal Princess. We have never done the early seating, but have agreed that we still prefer traditional dining. I have used travel agents the last four cruises, but this one I did with a Princess Vacation Planner. I would have done it totally online myself, but I did have a few questions to get the booking right and make sure we got everything we were entitled to in the offers available at the time we booked. One of the questions I had was that when booking the early time for Traditional Dining they listed two choices: 5:30 pm and 6:00 pm. I asked the planner about this and here is the response I received: Traditional Dining early seating is way more popular than any other of the dining options and there would be insufficient space to all of the demand in the MDR at 6:00 pm. In addition, they have found that the 5:30 pm time is a particularly light demand time for Anytime Dining. So, for those willing to eat at 5:30 pm they provide Traditional Dining for an early seating at 5:30 pm in a portion of one of the ADRs. It is the same as Traditional Dining in the MDR in the sense that you have an assigned table and your servers are with you the entire cruise. Whether roped off or not, there are tables in the ADR that are designated and assigned for Traditional Dining. I was just asking about experiences as a Traditional diner in this setting. Thanks again and hope that my information helped to clarify some other questions.

[casofilia]

Also, on several of our recent cruises the TD dining room was closed after 15 minutes or so of the assigned time. The late comers shouldn't be going to the ATD; they should go to the buffet or another dining area. However, since Princess won't have someone at the ATD door check cruise cards they will still go to ATD. Some people don't even know that they can't use both dining rooms. Checking cruise cards could help.

 

Thank you, at last someone has realized that my original comment was NOT a response to the OP but was meant as an attempt to stop Traditional diners being allowed to take up space in the Anytime dining space that had been booked by Anytime dining cruisers. It had nothing to do with Traditional diners taking up space in areas allocated to Traditional dining which is where they should be.

[swedish weave]

I don't understand why anyone would choose anytime dining, then choose to reserve a specific time that is obviously between the normal assigned dining times.

 

It would seem that the available spaces could be taken up by anytIme diners, and that would negate the assumption that the diners were those who missed assigned dining times.

 

Can't have your cake and eat it too!!!

[john watson]

The last time I was allocated Extra Early Traditional Dining it was in a Traditional Main Dining Room but there was no second seating following us. When we finished the next diners were Anytime Diners and it seemed to work well. Have they changed this system to roping off an area? It seems a bit unsatisfactory.

 

Regards John

[floridalover5623]

Rich people stay rich by living like broke people

Broke people stay broke by living like rich people

Cute. It sounds like a few people I know. ;p