LIVE ABOARD THE CB 8/24/08 sailing

[DonnaK]

Hi! It's Tuesday afternoon, and we're docked in Halifax! I wanted to check into CC and report that we're having a great time! The ship is lovely, the air conditioning is working very well. James, the hotel manager who attended our Meet and Greet said that since the ship uses sea water for its cooling system, and we are not having the same issues with the air conditioning that plagued Caribbean cruises because the sea water is a lot cooler here in NE/Canada. The weather is in the 70's, partly sunny.

 

We are loyal Royal Caribbean fans on our first Princess cruise, and it's only natural to make comparisons. However, we can honestly say that our experience here is on par with what we love about RCI. Service is outstanding, the crew is friendly and personable. The ship is in excellent condition, especially considering the delayed dry dock. Food is delicious. Entertainment is outstanding! There are things we like better about Princess, and things we like better about RCI, but it's quite balanced.

 

We are having an issue with dining times, though. Early traditional is full, so we wanted to make a standing reservation in the anytime dining room for 6pm, at the same table with the same wait team, as we've been told on Cruise Critic that we'd be able to do. However, the maitre-d and the head waiters have told us that this is not allowed. We've been told that they only take reservations on a daily basis, and when I call first thing in the morning, I am told that they are booked solid. Yet, we've met passengers who say they have reservations for the next 3 days, or even for the week, and when I mention it to the maitre-d, I am told that this is not true. We've also met lots of disillusioned passengers in the same situation as us - several had confirmed traditional dining until they received their sea passes which said "open dining" and then were told ""sorry". Then, we've met people who have traditional dining and want to eat in the anytime room for just the one night being accomodated immediately. (When I confronted the head waiter about that, I was told that they were a party of two who could be squeezed in, but we are a party of 5 and there is "no room" for us.)

 

We are suite passengers who are supposed to have priority reservations, yet this has had no effect on the outcome. It's very frustrating, as we feel we've been forced into anytime dining. When we've shown up at the door when the dining room opens, we've been told that there's a 20-30 minute wait, and we are offered a beeper.

 

This is really unacceptable, and although we are going with the flow and not allowing it to ruin our cruise, as much as we love everything else about the ship and the cruise, not being able to secure traditional dining, with a waiting table, dedicated wait team and set time is a make-or-break issue for us.

 

I wanted to share this so that other CCers know that it is NOT true that you can make reservations for the same table every night on the CB. No matter whom I speak to, they are very inflexible, and unsympathetic about our request.

 

Otherwise, like I said, we are having a great cruise!! I'll try to post again, but sometimes the internet is just too slow to log on.

[Cinerama]

Its only the two of us when we cruise so maybe thats why we have no problems with anytime dinning. We just call in the morning a make a reservation.

[Colo Cruiser]

Thanks for the live from. :)

 

 

Why don't you bring the dining issues up to James??

[D&N LUV 2 TRAVEL]

Thanks for your update. We cruised on the Diamond Princess last August in Alaska and had no issue with reserving 2 days in advance and we were a table of 4. We were early diners at between 6 and 7. They even told us that for a 6pm reservation they would hold the table for 20 minutes which gave us until 6:20. We could not reserve the same table but could ask for the same waiters. As it turned out we got the same table all 4 nights we ate in the Pacific Moon.

Hopefully things get better for you in the dining room. Keep us posted as we are sailing the same ship next February.

 

Dave

[cruisercathy]

We were on the CB last week. (party of 3) I called at 11AM on our second day to make a reservation and told there are no reservations left....just show up.........PS we had to wait for over a half hour............So from there on in we went at 6-6:30 every night thereafter and only had to wait one night for about 10 minutes. We were basically sat in the same areas and saw 2 tables of 8 that had the same table every night at 6.................so I don;t understand how some people get reservations and some don't.

[BruceMuzz]

Princess, Holland America, NCL, (and now Carnival) all have developed very complex formulas for assigning tables and taking reservations for their "open dining" rooms.

 

They realized long ago that the balance of passengers who want fixed dining vs. open dining varies slightly from cruise to cruise. Surprisingly, the average numbers for all the mass market lines is nearly the same. Approximately 35% of mass market cruisers tell the mass market lines throughout the year that they prefer fixed dining. Approximately 65% of mass market cruisers tell the mass market lines throughout the year that they prefer open dining. Most of the time the numbers do not change very much. That's why if you have a close look at a HAL, NCL, Princess, or a few of the Carnival Ships with this concept in place, you will find that they have dedicated or assigned about one third of their dining capacity for traditional dining, and two thirds of their capacity to open dining. That's the way it works best - most of the time.

 

But then you find certain cruises - at certain times of the year - when the system doesn't work very well. Suddenly you find a very large group of families, children, and oldsters who all want to eat early and go to bed early.

Or you find yourself on an adult or Latin cruise where everyone wants to eat late.

 

No mass market ship in the world can accommodate most of it's passengers eating early, nor most of it's passengers eating late. The total restaurant seating capacity of most large ships is just over 50% of it's passengers at any one time.

 

This problem generally occurs at American Thanksgiving, Christmas, Hannukah, and Easter. But it sometimes happens during peak holiday seasons, like this week.

 

First, fixed early dining fills up very quickly. There are simply no more tables or chairs left to give away. The children, families, and oldsters refuse to wait for late dining.

 

Then those who cannot get into early fixed seating come for early dinner in the open dining rooms. But for most of the cruise ships on planet earth, total dining capacity at any given time is about 50% of the passengers on the ship.

 

On most cruises, they save a certain percentage of open dining tables for reservations and a certain percentage of open dinnig tables for walk-ins. This works just great most of the time. But on cruises with high demand for early or late seating - like this week for example - it doesn't work very well. Too many tables sit unused (waiting for reservations who show up late - or not at all), while irate passengers wait at the door, demanding to have the empty reserved tables for themselves.

 

Now this seems like a very strange way to run the operation, but the mass market lines discovered long ago that they can serve more people faster, and receive far fewer complaints, when they stop taking reservations and just seat everyone "first come first served" in their open dining rooms.

 

There are two very good solutions that cruisers can use to get around this situation:

1. Book a cruise that is not on a family holiday.

 

2. If you can't avoid the holiday time, there is a very simple trick that diners can use to get around this challenge. If you want to have dinner at 7pm and the wait for dinner seating has been one hour the night before, you need to send someone to the dining room at 6pm today to get his name on the list or pick up a beeper, or whatever system they use on your ship. Then you go and have a drink. listen to the band, dance a bit, and wait to be called for the time you originally wanted anyway.

[DonnaK]

Tonight, people started lining up outside the Palm Restaurant at 5pm, so they can be the first in for non-reserved seating. By the time the restaurant opened at 5:45, the line wrapped around the entire lobby and down the staircase.

 

I suppose my point is that "Open Dining" isn't so convenient when it's not a choice (you have "confirmed" traditional that is changed to open seating once you get your Sea Pass), have an hour's wait, or when reservations are too difficult to get. This is not a relaxing cruise, and it is no longer "Anytime" becuase you are at their mercy. They shouldn't allow reservations at all, and they shouldn't allow traditional diners into the Anytime Restaurant. There are actual fights outside the restaurant - an older lady left in tears because she had been waiting over 45 minutes beginning at around 6pm. Princess really needs to re-evaluate the way they handle this, because there are many more diners wanting to eat at traditional early times than want anytime dining.

 

ColoCruiser: We would bring it up to James if we could find him or get an appt to speak with him, but alas...that request was denied too.

 

Anyway, like I said, this is my ONLY complaint about the ship/cruise. Everything else is truly lovely.

[Toto2Kansas]

I suppose my point is that "Open Dining" isn't so convenient when it's not a choice (you have "confirmed" traditional that is changed to open seating once you get your Sea Pass), have an hour's wait, or when reservations are too difficult to get. This is not a relaxing cruise, and it is no longer "Anytime" becuase you are at their mercy. They shouldn't allow reservations at all, and they shouldn't allow traditional diners into the Anytime Restaurant. There are actual fights outside the restaurant - an older lady left in tears because she had been waiting over 45 minutes beginning at around 6pm. Princess really needs to re-evaluate the way they handle this, because there are many more diners wanting to eat at traditional early times than want anytime dining.

 

.

 

Donna, I couldn't agree with you more. Anytime dining should be first come first serve for anytime diners ONLY. If passengers want traditional dining, they should be held to that reservation time or dine at the HC. I have no idea what Princess was thinking when they switched this all around allowing some reservation in the anytime diningroom and those that booked traditional to choose between the two depending on their mood that evening.

 

Sorry the dining is giving you such a hard time, but I feel your pain.

 

Glad the rest of the cruise is going well though.

[Colo Cruiser]

I have said that too, no reservations for anytime, period. :mad:

[Nanatravel]

Donna, I wonder if "greasing the Maitre' de's Palm" would help in any way? I did read a thread about that very controvertial issue. Sorry to learn about your dining issues. What about going to the "other" anytime dining room?

 

Enjoy your visits in New England. So far its been a beautiful week.

 

Bon Voyage

Nanatravel

[Colo Cruiser]

Donna, I wonder if "greasing the Maitre' de's Palm" would help in any way? I did read a thread about that very controvertial issue.

 

Should not have to!! :(

[Solara]

I would speak to James Deering. He is the most visable Passenger Services Director I have ever seen. We have cruised with him a few times and I'm sure if you addressed your issues to him he would take care of them.

We are always confirmed for traditional late dining. On our Crown cruise last year when we got our cards it said anytime. I had my paperwork ready for the Maitre d' and yes we did get a table in traditional dining. The interesting fact was the 3 other couples at our table also had the same situation we had.

Princess has to take care of the fact that if people are confirmed for traditional they have to get it.

[mav2]

Boy does this thread hit home. We were on the CB last week and have to say the Maitre'd was very matter of fact and unsympathetic to our needs. We had 1st traditional but our table siz was wrong. We even presented a few options we would be happy with and he would not commit to anything. Caused for a very stressfull first day. We met people that had were forced into anytime and some that chose anytime and they all had very legitimate complaints. From start to finish I thought the overall dining room experience left a lot to be desired.

[Sandytoes]

Donna

the air conditioning is working very well.

I told you!!!! :D

 

We just got off 8\6-15\08.

We had reservations the whole week!!!!

 

On our very first night.

As I told you in my review

we were given a form stating

we had reservations for the entire week.

 

 

 

[lilly707]

Sandytoes,

 

How did you receive this form and to whom did you speak to get it? Did you know about this form ahead of time? We are leaving on Sept. 14th and have anytime dining for the first time and would love to have your positive experience. Thanks.

[coiran]

Talk to the Captains Circle rep - they can usually correct problems very swiftly.

 

Ron

[Sandytoes]

lilly707

 

How did you receive this form and to whom did you speak to get it?

While requesting reservations on Embarkment day The Maitre' d filled it out and handed it to us.

The next night I spoke with the Maitre' d requesting a table change.

No problem!!!!

We were than assigned a different table\waiter and kept it for the entire cruise. After that the Head Maitre' d, each night, greeted us and asked how everything was.

I kept the form because it was a new procedure.

 

 

Did you know about this form ahead of time?

No, this is the first time we ever received one.

On all our other cruises, we were just told that a table would be reserved and it was. Never had a problem.

 

We are leaving on Sept. 14th and have anytime dining for the first time and would love to have your positive experience.

Enjoy your cruise.

 

Our experience has only been positive.

I can't understand why others have issues.

[lianaks]

DonnaK,

Which anytime dinning room you have problem with? I will be on this cruise the coming Sunday, I want to make sure I avoid this maitre'D.

 

Did you try other anytime dinning room, I think there are more than one on CB?

 

Liana.

[lilly707]

Thanks Sandytoes! I appreciate your reply and help.

[espo56]

Boy does this thread hit home. We were on the CB last week and have to say the Maitre'd was very matter of fact and unsympathetic to our needs. We had 1st traditional but our table siz was wrong. We even presented a few options we would be happy with and he would not commit to anything. Caused for a very stressfull first day. We met people that had were forced into anytime and some that chose anytime and they all had very legitimate complaints. From start to finish I thought the overall dining room experience left a lot to be desired.

 

We were on the CB in June and found the same problems. The Maitre'ds in both of the anytime dining rooms were rude to us on several occasions. One night we went to the dining room at 9:30 pm. The room was empty and we waited more than an hour for our meal. When we complained to the MD he made a rude comment. Not what you would call customer service. I loved the cruise but this aspect of it turned me off. We preferred the anytime because we wanted a table for 2 each night which we did get and we also wanted the flexibility of choosing what time to dine based on what we had planned for the day. What annoys me the most is that traditional diners should not be allowed in the anytime rooms if they miss their seating. They should be forced to eat in the buffet. It's not fair to those of us to opted for anytime and those who had to settle for anytime because they were all booked up in traditional.

[Natasha708]

So sorry to hear about the Anytime dining problems. We also have it, and get on the ship this Sunday.

 

What I would like to know is, what movies have they been showing? Also is the dining room menu a new one, as that is what we have heard?

 

Thanks so much. Enjoy the cruise!

 

How's the ports?

[lj1231]

I'm getting conflicting reports as to whether there will still be a basketball court after drydock. Can you confirm with anyone on the ship?

[sun_and_fun]

Pleased to hear that the entertainment is still outstanding. We were onboard last week and other than the apalling Kamika it was very good, but I know that Sarge left the ship and I believe that we dropped the others off in the Carribean. Who is replacing them?

 

Do not miss the production shows.

[DonnaK]

So sorry to hear about the Anytime dining problems. We also have it, and get on the ship this Sunday.

 

What I would like to know is, what movies have they been showing? Also is the dining room menu a new one, as that is what we have heard?

 

Thanks so much. Enjoy the cruise!

 

How's the ports?

 

 

As this is my first Princess cruise, I don't really know if the menu is new or not. I'll try to confirm with another cruiser.

 

Some of the movies are:

Kung-fu panda

Charlie and the chocolate factory

The Queen

Made to Order

Leather Heads

 

there are more, but I don't have the Patter in front of me, and these are all I can recall. It was 50 degrees on deck last night for MUTS, so bring warm things to wear, esp a hooded sweatshirt or something to cover your head.

[Natasha708]

As this is my first Princess cruise, I don't really know if the menu is new or not. I'll try to confirm with another cruiser.

 

Some of the movies are:

Kung-fu panda

Charlie and the chocolate factory

The Queen

Made to Order

Leather Heads

 

there are more, but I don't have the Patter in front of me, and these are all I can recall. It was 50 degrees on deck last night for MUTS, so bring warm things to wear, esp a hooded sweatshirt or something to cover your head.

 

Thank you Donna so much! Great info! I really appreciate it. Re packing now...

How were the shore excursions that you have done so far?