Anytime dining choices?

[chrismch]

We chose "anytime" for our May cruise and have some questions...Other than decor is there any difference in the 3 choices for anytime dining (not including Sabatini or Sterling) llike any specialties? Is is possible to book a standing time at one of them for the week at 7:30 pm? Is there any advantage in booking one room rather than the other? On embarkation day is the dining room open for lunch or is the only choice the buffet or pizza and burgers?

[obnurse]

The "anytime" dining rooms are exactly the same as the traditional dining rooms, including decor and menu. The only difference is the time you dine. Traditional is the same fixed time for your entire cruise, anytime means restaurant-style; you go when you want between 5:30 pm and 10 pm. There is no advantage to one room over the other and you will be assigned a dining room in which you'll dine for the entire cruise, unless you choose not to use the dining room on a particular evening. But if you go to the dining room you will go to the same dining room for your entire cruise. We preferred not having a standing time because we didn't always want to dine at the same time. Although others have reported a different experience, we only waited 2 nights (10 day cruise). One night we waited less than 5 minutes and on the first formal night we waited about 15. No big deal, and the flexibility was a great advantage to the 4 of us. I don't think the dining room is open prior to dinner seating on embarkation day and probably not for breakfast on disembarkation day. Horizon Court is probably your only choice at those times. All other days it's open for all 3 meals every day.

[dsfitz]

When we had anytime dining on CB in December, there were 2 anytime dining rooms, and our cruise card did not specify which one we had to use. We could use either, but normally picked the one down the stairs because it was harder to get to and therefore less crowded.

[SuzCruise]

I have been told that the menus are the same - but I have also been told that in the Anytime dining rooms they don't do "special pastas" or bananas fosters or anything that requires the attention of the head waiter - but that they do these things in the Traditional dining room. No personal experience with this and haven't heard definitively from anyone who has personal experience - so who knows?

[Pam in CA]

You will have much better success and fewer waits if you go to the dining room before 6:30PM. Almost everyone who has raved about Anytime and how it works so well for them got there early. Many who like to eat later have experienced long waits. 7:30PM is pretty much "prime time" so you should expect a wait and consider yourself lucky if you don't.

 

I've done Anytime dining twice, including having a reservation at 8PM for the same table and waitstaff for the entire cruise and had waits from 10 - 45 minutes. While we were waiting, the line and wait for those who had just walked up was much longer. They were not pleased. There was no place to sit or wait -- just a hallway to stand in or shops to go into. If we wanted to go to a lounge, we would have had to go up or down a deck. Not sure the buzzers would have worked that far.

[Pam in CA]

I have been told that the menus are the same - but I have also been told that in the Anytime dining rooms they don't do "special pastas" or bananas fosters or anything that requires the attention of the head waiter - but that they do these things in the Traditional dining room. No personal experience with this and haven't heard definitively from anyone who has personal experience - so who knows?

I do know that they will do special requests in Traditional dining. We've had special entrees and desserts that we've requested. I don't know about Anytime but having done it twice, I noticed that the Maitre D and Head Waiters were very, very busy checking in and seating people; not much time for personal attention that you would get in Tradtional. But perhaps someone has experience with special requests in Anytime dining.

[SuzCruise]

My understanding is that these flaming deserts and special pastas were not special requests - they were just part of what was being served in the Traditional dining room but not the Anytime dining rooms.

[pegleg00]

We chose the anytine dining and were pleased, for the most part, with the arrangement. We met really nice people every night and had a good time. If you didn't mind 'sharing' a table, you got seated right away. Those that wanted a table for their party, for 2 or more, had to wait. I did miss having the same waiter and staff every night. It just seemed more personable to have an assigned head waiter. Still, I'd do it again.

:p

Didn't see any flaming desserts. The food was very good and presented very weel, but not as much varity as other cruise lines. Princess Love Boat is available every night and my wife it and other desserts nightly.

 

PS. The Alaskan King Crab on one night was really good and a decent portion! We didn't even get that on the Alaska trip! The "jumbo" shring night was disappointing.

[cruzinchris]

My understanding is that these flaming deserts and special pastas were not special requests - they were just part of what was being served in the Traditional dining room but not the Anytime dining rooms.

 

When DH and I were on the Dawn in January, there's was a Chef's station in the "anytime" dining each night. While it wasn't exactly tableside, special dishes were being prepared in view of diners. During the cruise there were various pasta/risotto dishes and desserts offered in addition to standard menu items. DH and I shared a delicious mushroom risotto one evening and "Cherries Jubilee" on another.

 

We've always done "anytime" dining and haven't experienced "tableside" food preparation on Princess so this feature on the Dawn added a touch of class to our cruise. Does anyone know if this is ever offered in "anytime" venues on "grand" class ships? We hadn't ever seen this special service on any of our previous Princess cruises.

 

Bon Appetit!

Chris

[SuzCruise]

That is what I want to know? Do they do the special dishes like risotto or special pasta or bananas foster in the anytime dining room on the grand class of ships? Well put - I keep asking - but I am not asking the question correctly.

 

Anyone have experience with this?

[cruzinchris]

SuzCruise,

I wish I could help you but DH and I were never aware of this special dining room service on "grand" class ships. You would think that if it was offered we would have know about it as we'd been on seven Princess cruises (all "grand" ships) before sailing on the Dawn in January.

 

I wonder if this is something that is only done on "sun" class or smaller vessels. The Chef's (amost) tableside preparation of these dishes was definitely a touch of class on the Dawn :) .

Chris

[tONYpAL85]

The Baked Alaska is a flaming dessert. All the waiters parade it around the dining room. They DO NOT do this in the anytime dining room. As far as the other entrees and desserts you're mentioning...I have never had banana's foster on the CB (been twice) nor have a ever had risotto. I have had a fixed late seating time (8pm) on both cruises, but on one of them we had a fixed time in an anytime dining room. We only made a request for something special when we sat in the regular dining room, so I don't know whether or not you can make requests in the anytime dining room. Hope this helps!

[Tina G]

The only flaming dessert I have ever seen on Princess is Cherries Jubilee. This is available at both diningrooms, but it is not flamed at the table for anytime dining, but in the food prep area. Baked Alaska is not served flaming in either diningroom, but they have a parade in which burners are inserted in the center for effect in the traditional diningroom. The same Baked Alaska is served in both diningrooms. Unless your heart is set on watching the waiters parade around, there is no advantage to traditional dining, other than you will get to know your tablemates (That could be good or bad!:p ).

[Julia’s Journey’s]

I do know that they will do special requests in Traditional dining. We've had special entrees and desserts that we've requested. I don't know about Anytime but having done it twice, I noticed that the Maitre D and Head Waiters were very, very busy checking in and seating people; not much time for personal attention that you would get in Tradtional. But perhaps someone has experience with special requests in Anytime dining.

 

We requested a special dessert for us on our Alaska cruise in the anytime dining room, the Maitre D was happy to take our request for the following night and we all enjoyed our special dessert:D

[SuzCruise]

So I guess the net here is that you can order a special dessert in the Anytime dining room. No idea if they will be doing risotto or other special dishes they are doing in the Traditional dining room in the Anytime dining room. I am hoping that we can ask our waiter if they have risotto in the Traditional Dining room if we can order some in the Anytime dining room. I'll report back with any and all info after our cruise since there doesn't seem to be much knowledge on this subject on this board. I am just assuming I am the only person who both fears early dining and also is addicted to risotto. :)