Dining room pagers

[pcee1548]

A question.  We will be on the Caribbean Princess in January choosing Anytime Dining.  Do they have Pagers for those waiting for a table?

[rkacruiser]

3 minutes ago, pcee1548 said:

A question.  We will be on the Caribbean Princess in January choosing Anytime Dining.  Do they have Pagers for those waiting for a table?

 

They probably do, at least they did on Royal Princess.  And, having to use such is another reason why I will never, ever do anytime dining again!  Land-based restaurants, I understand the need for pagers as I do when there are more bookings for anytime dining on nights when there are insufficient Anytime dining spaces available.  I waited for my pager to "ping" for 90 minutes!  That type of service does not fit my definition of the kind of dining experience that I expect to receive when I cruise.

[skynight]

Yes when no tables are available. Each cruise is a little different. Here are some rules of thumb to minimize waiting.

Arrive between 5:00 and 5:30 or after 7:00. A 2nd DR, deck 6 mid ship, opens for ATD, I think 7:15.

Tables to share are normally easier to get than tables for two.

Tables for large groups, like any land based restaurant, are more difficult. If this is your case see the maitre'd on boarding day.

Boarding day evening can be hectic.

Edited October 25, 2019 by skynight

[jeromep]

Pagers?  Yes.  But I've only received one when attempting to dine during "high time" in anytime dining.  Anytime dining clears up after 7pm, or if you are an early bird and show up before 5:30, you can usually avoid the pager.

[rkacruiser]

28 minutes ago, skynight said:

Tables to share are normally easier to get than tables for two.

 

I was a solo dinner.  I specifically  told   the assistant DRM (whatever her title may have been) that I preferred to be seated at a table for 6 or 8.  When I finally was seated, I was placed at a table for two--place settings just for me--and a chair opposite mine missing.  I could have been insulted by such service.  But, as a "half glass is full" person, I felt that I learned another lesson in my cruising life, but my review of that cruise--which had other disappointments in addition to my poor Anytime Dining experiences--reflected what this Princess guest thought.

[jeromep]

5 minutes ago, rkacruiser said:

but my review of that cruise--which had other disappointments in addition to my poor Anytime Dining experiences--reflected what this Princess guest thought.

I'd be interested in reading that review.  Do you have a link to it?

[Lucky TGO]

I was on the Caribbean Princess in January and they did give out pagers. Most of the time it was around 6:30 p.m. 

Tony

 

[rkacruiser]

1 minute ago, jeromep said:

I'd be interested in reading that review.  Do you have a link to it?

 

No, I don't. My opinions were posted on this Princess web site and not as a specific review.

 

Since you are interested, a brief summary of my Royal Princess experience during my New Year's Cruise in December/January recently.

 

Entertainment/music was great.  The ship's decor is beautiful.  Crew's service and attitude in the lounges and my cabin were wonderful.  Anytime DR crew left much to be desired, however.  MDR cuisine was nothing more than OK.  For the first time in my cruising experience, I rejected the Celebrity's Chef's Specialty offering one evening of a Braised Pork Belly.  Unappetizing to view and, after two bites, I knew my digestive system would rebel if I consumed this greasy dish.  I then ordered the standard Fettuccine Alfredo and it was poorly prepared.  I found the Horizon Court/Bistro at prime meal time to be total chaos that was, as a first time guest with such a large facility,  not guest friendly for someone like me.  Seating within the interior of the venue at such times?  Good luck!  Mornings were impossible.  The aft deck of the Horizon Bistro always had tables for available with juice/coffee--once I found it--and Steward service available.

 

Crown Grill and Sabatino's both provided excellent cuisine and service.  Alfredo's was a winner as well.  

 

The Royal Princess High Tea was worth the cost both from the entertainment value that it provided as well as the experience.  

 

There were 3 New Year's Eve parties on Royal Princess.  I chose the one in the Atrium for the balloon drop at Midnight.  What a mistake!  No idea what the attendance was for the other two events, but, this was chaotic.  I have experienced such New Year Eve events on HAL ships in their atriums/showrooms.  So very disappointed about what I experienced on Royal Princess!  If you found a seat in a lounge around the Atrium:  good for you.  If you left it:  it would be gone when you returned.  On past HAL New Year's Eve cruises, I have not returned to my stateroom much before 2:00 A. M. because of how much I was enjoying the evening.  On Royal Princess, I returned to my stateroom before 12:30 A.M.     

[jennybenny]

4 hours ago, rkacruiser said:

 

They probably do, at least they did on Royal Princess.  And, having to use such is another reason why I will never, ever do anytime dining again!  Land-based restaurants, I understand the need for pagers as I do when there are more bookings for anytime dining on nights when there are insufficient Anytime dining spaces available.  I waited for my pager to "ping" for 90 minutes!  That type of service does not fit my definition of the kind of dining experience that I expect to receive when I cruise.

Loved the idea of AD when it came out, however, the wait annoyed us enough to only do TD now. With the new dinner times we do late seating. 

[pcee1548]

Thanks to,everyone who took the time to give me the answer to my question.  See you on Jan. 12.

[EllieinNJ]

On the Crown in August we went to the MDR every night after the show,around 8pm and always got a pager.  But never waited more than 15 minutes for a 2 top