Why doesn't Princess...

[PescadoAmarillo]

assign just ONE dining room for Anytime Dining passengers and two dining rooms for Traditional Dining passengers and absolutely refuse to take reservations for AD any longer? This seems to me to be such a simple solution to the following problems:

-People waitlisted for TD who end up in AD

-People who truly want AD but who end up waiting longer while tables sit empty waiting for those with reservations

-People who are frustrated because they can't get reservations between certain times or with certain waitstaff or at certain tables in AD. They would simply know going in that on EVERY Princess ship that offers AD, you can't make reservations, period.

 

What am I not seeing here?

[Colo Cruiser]

assign just ONE dining room for Anytime Dining passengers and two dining rooms for Traditional Dining passengers and absolutely refuse to take reservations for AD any longer? This seems to me to be such a simple solution to the following problems:

-People waitlisted for TD who end up in AD

-People who truly want AD but who end up waiting longer while tables sit empty waiting for those with reservations

-People who are frustrated because they can't get reservations between certain times or with certain waitstaff or at certain tables in AD. They would simply know going in that on EVERY Princess ship that offers AD, you can't make reservations, period.

 

What am I not seeing here?

 

 

Why don't they leave it the way it is and don't take res anymore for AD. :rolleyes:

[DonnaK]

I totally agree! The wait list for early traditional dining is over 600 for our upcoming cruise. We feel "stuck" with late traditional, but feel that's better than being stuck with anytime.

 

They definitely should not accept reservations, and they should check to make sure that people utilizing anytime are not jumping over from traditional on days it is convenient for them. I think a lot of people sign up for early traditional, and then decide to become anytimers on certain nights. That's not fair to those on the early seating waitlist.

[Julia’s Journey’s]

I think they should leave it like it is but NOT allow traditional diners to use the anytime DR's at there whim:D If they chose traditinal and miss there dinner time or decide not to go they should have to go to the buffet or room service:)

[Clutterlady]

STOP taking reservations......perfect solution:D

[DanJ]

It mystifies me. They bring the whole Anytime Dining in because they say that's what people want. Great. I can accept that. So we book our cruise, and select first seating traditional. We are waitlisted well into the 300's. I'm not sure how their waitlist works, if there is another waitlist for second seating as well, or if the waitlist is for both seatings together. But it sure seems like a lot of people still like traditional.

 

If they have half the people wanting traditional, and only a third can get it, I don't know why they can't use one side of a dining room for traditional and the other for anytime. They have doors on both sides.

[bhopal21]

Why don't they leave it the way it is and don't take res anymore for AD. :rolleyes:

 

I couldn't agree more.;)

 

Mike:)

[Kurbanfan]

Why don't they leave it the way it is and don't take res anymore for AD. :rolleyes:

 

Exactly!

[ssbeagle]

It would be nice if they checked to see how many people wanted traditional and make one of the two anytime dining rooms be traditional for that cruise. If all the people want 1st sitting and they have lots of openings for 2nd, then they should make that dining room 1st sitting only and leave it open for anytime after the 1st sitting is done. How does that sound? Of course, some ships either don't have anytime dining (Tahitian, Royal, Pacific), or have only one of each dining room (Island, Coral). But then the cruise line could go back to all traditional dining and that wouldn't bother me any.

[Griff4AU]

I think they should leave it like it is but NOT allow traditional diners to use the anytime DR's at there whim:D

There is my winner!

 

I've seen them check cruise cards to see the dining choice in the Anytime DR's, yet last week on the CB they didn't.

[sunsetbeachgal]

I second all of the proposals! Each time we cruise I am more and more disenchanted with Anytime...it started off as such a perfect concept, but now you either have to go early, go late or wait! And those of us who do not make reservations get noticeably less attentive service than those who have "standing reservations".

[Pam in CA]

Why don't they leave it the way it is and don't take res anymore for AD. :rolleyes:

 

I think they should leave it like it is but NOT allow traditional diners to use the anytime DR's at there whim:D If they chose traditinal and miss there dinner time or decide not to go they should have to go to the buffet or room service:)

I agree with both of these and see if that helps. I think it would make a big difference. I've got "As You Wish" on my HAL cruise in October and it'll be interesting to see how HAL handles this.

[Woobstr112G]

It shouldn't be called anytime dining as long as they take reservations.....Get rid of reservations and it will be anytime dining....

 

Bob

 

Future: Diamond Princess Aus/Nz 01/09

Future: Emerald Princess Med/Trans Atlantic 10/08

Constellation Europe 07/06

Summit Alaska Repositioning 05/05

Summit Panama Canal 10/02

Rhapsody Of The Seas Alaska 09/01

Spledour Of The Seas Baltic 09/99

Veendam Eastern Caribbean 07/96

Holiday Western Carribean 07/93

[Colo Cruiser]

It would be nice if they checked to see how many people wanted traditional and make one of the two anytime dining rooms be traditional for that cruise. If all the people want 1st sitting and they have lots of openings for 2nd, then they should make that dining room 1st sitting only and leave it open for anytime after the 1st sitting is done. How does that sound? Of course, some ships either don't have anytime dining (Tahitian, Royal, Pacific), or have only one of each dining room (Island, Coral). But then the cruise line could go back to all traditional dining and that wouldn't bother me any.

 

I would tend to think that they have these numbers down to a science already and know pretty close on each cruise who will pick what. ;)

[Murphey]

We have to have AD on the larger ships because they do not have tables for two in the Traditional Dining rooms. Every once in a while we can get a table for 4 set for 2 (late), but only if it isn't filled. This only happens on 7 day cruises where you have more newbies that prefer the Anytime. Therefore, the MD always sets us up with an 8:15 table for 2 in the Anytime dining room. I know we've gotten our fair share of dirty looks when we bypass the line and go to our table.

[Woobstr112G]

We have to have AD on the larger ships because they do not have tables for two in the Traditional Dining rooms. Every once in a while we can get a table for 4 set for 2 (late), but only if it isn't filled. This only happens on 7 day cruises where you have more newbies that prefer the Anytime. Therefore, the MD always sets us up with an 8:15 table for 2 in the Anytime dining room. I know we've gotten our fair share of dirty looks when we bypass the line and go to our table.

 

You should be getting dirty looks. Reservations totally defeat the concept of anytime dining....

 

Bob

 

Future: Diamond Princess Aus/Nz 01/09

Future: Emerald Princess Med/Trans Atlantic 10/08

Constellation Europe 07/06

Summit Alaska Repositioning 05/05

Summit Panama Canal 10/02

Rhapsody Of The Seas Alaska 09/01

Spledour Of The Seas Baltic 09/99

Veendam Eastern Caribbean 07/96

Holiday Western Carribean 07/93

[marinearchit]

I think it'd be a much easier system if they had 1 dedicated Traditional dining room and 1 dedicated Anytime dining room.

The third dining room, which could be easily split in two and modified, would be able to be adjusted to the specific number of pax who want Anytime and Traditional dining.

Also, I think it'd work in that third dining room if Princess could provide three different "walk-in" times...

5:00PM-6:00PM is the first walk in period.

6:30PM-7:30PM is the second walk in period.

8:00PM-9:00PM is the third.

Since Traditional would also be provided, the sections would always be changing size, depending on the number of people in each category.

[LoraJ]

I haven't tried AD yet. We signed up for it because we want a table for two and feel we'd have a better chance. I don't think reservations would bother me if made the day of. But say if someone makes a standing reservation for the week, but does UDB or Sabatini's on a couple of those nights and their table is just sitting there. Then I don't think that's very fair.

[Colo Cruiser]

I think it'd be a much easier system if they had 1 dedicated Traditional dining room and 1 dedicated Anytime dining room.

The third dining room, which could be easily split in two and modified, would be able to be adjusted to the specific number of pax who want Anytime and Traditional dining.

 

 

Wow a blast from the past, where ya been?? :p

[marinearchit]

Colo Cruiser,

You mean they already do that? Eh, well, I didn't know that!:eek: :D

Alright well here's a modification to the system...

Princess could provide three different "walk-in" times for Anytime...

5:00PM-6:00PM is the first walk in period.

6:30PM-7:30PM is the second walk in period.

8:00PM-9:00PM is the third.

It could help to integrate both preferences since the sections would always be changing size, depending on the number of people in each category. For example, Port would be Anytime and Stbd. would be Traditional and it'd be split down the middle. Depending on the amount of people in each, one section could use tables on the other side. I think it'd be a little smoother since people would begin to finish dinner before certain walk in times or traditional's second seating, which would free up tables.

[Woobstr112G]

Colo Cruiser,

You mean they already do that? Eh, well, I didn't know that!:eek: :D

Alright well here's a modification to the system...

Princess could provide three different "walk-in" times for Anytime...

5:00PM-6:00PM is the first walk in period.

6:30PM-7:30PM is the second walk in period.

8:00PM-9:00PM is the third.

It could help to integrate both preferences since the sections would always be changing size, depending on the number of people in each category. For example, Port would be Anytime and Stbd. would be Traditional and it'd be split down the middle. Depending on the amount of people in each, one section could use tables on the other side. I think it'd be a little smoother since people would begin to finish dinner before certain walk in times or traditional's second seating, which would free up tables.

 

Your idea is very good as are the others I have heard. I guess you could say as long as reservations are outlawed, any idea would be the bomb...

 

Bob

 

Future: Diamond Princess Aus/Nz 01/09

Future: Emerald Princess Med/Trans Atlantic 10/08

Constellation Europe 07/06

Summit Alaska Repositioning 05/05

Summit Panama Canal 10/02

Rhapsody Of The Seas Alaska 09/01

Spledour Of The Seas Baltic 09/99

Veendam Eastern Caribbean 07/96

Holiday Western Carribean 07/93

[goody1]

I know we've gotten our fair share of dirty looks when we bypass the line and go to our table.

 

 

You do surprise me!!

[Colo Cruiser]

Colo Cruiser,

You mean they already do that? Eh, well, I didn't know that!:eek: :D

 

No I meant where ya been????? :cool:

[marinearchit]

Oh! haha:D

I haven't posted on the Princess board in a while, but I've been around.:cool:

 

Glad my idea about the dining system is actually a sort of new one!

[domdombus]

How about a mandatory 1 hour wait for any traditional diner trying to be an anytime diner? and no reservations for AD.

 

Course that would anger the TD's but that is their penalty for breaking tradition! :p