Just off the Golden - Anytime dining

[Cher7]

We are just off the Golden after our LA/Hawaii cruise and I have a couple of comments to make with regard to our dining.

 

We are anytime dining people who choose to eat very early so at no time was there a wait for a table. Having said that, I would like to mention that we never had our cruise cards checked to make sure that we were, in fact, anytime diners. We commented on that when we filled out the comment cards at the end of the cruise.

 

Next, I would like to say that we were lucky enough to be seated in a section with the most amazing waiter. His name is Antonio, he goes above and beyond all expectation. We were made to feel that we were the most important people in the dining room. His attention to detail was second to none. There was always a little something that other waiters just didn't offer. He is now off on holidays but will be back January 12th on the Island Princess doing 10 day cruises through the Panama Canal.

[Sandytoes]

Thank You!!!!

 

Glad that we're not the only ones who have no problems with Anytime.

 

No wait!

Same table - same waiter!

 

It always works out perfectly!!! :)

[Pam in CA]

I'm glad you had a good experience; just about everyone who goes that early has no problems. For me, that's waaaayyyy too early to eat but it really comes down to choices and it's a good thing we all have choices.

[mycruz]

Yes, Princess has tons of crew members that are absolutely wonderful and it's so nice to hear those comments. So many times we only hear about the negative experiences and there is not enough praise given to those that really do a remarkable job.

 

We are also Anytime diners and prefer to have the choice instead of traditional times. We have learned over the years what to expect and know when to arrive at the dining room and not have to wait and extroidinarily long time for a table. In all honesty I don't think we have ever waited more than 15-20 minutes for a table for two. We ususally have our cards checked on the first night that we arrive in the dining room. After that I reallly don't recall it being asked for.

[val23]

Just a question... if i'm a Traditional time diner... does that mean i can ONLY go to dinner at the time i'm given? Are we allowed to eat anytime too?

[cattolica]

Sorry, but you are stuck with traditional...................you chose it, so don't screw up the system and go to anytime..................you really mess things up for the passengers who have either chosen or been assigned anytime. You have an assigned table we don't.

You are welcome to go to the buffet, pizza or order room service...........try the specialty venues. Please don't go to anytime.

 

Just a question... if i'm a Traditional time diner... does that mean i can ONLY go to dinner at the time i'm given? Are we allowed to eat anytime too?

[Sandytoes]

Just a question... if i'm a Traditional time diner... does that mean i can ONLY go to dinner at the time i'm given? Are we allowed to eat anytime too?

With Traditional you choose the time - either early or late.

You can not change the time. Say, one night you want to dine early, the next night eat late. That would not be fair to your tablemates.

You are allowed to dine in Anytime. They do not discourage you from doing so.

[juggles]

If they didn't check the card, how did they take the additional charge for being in the restaurant

[cynbar]

If they didn't check the card, how did they take the additional charge for being in the restaurant

 

There is no charge to eat in the anytime DRs--- or traditional or the buffet, for that matter. There is a charge for Sabatini's and the Crown Grill/Sterling steakhouse, you usually need to make a reservation for those in advance, you are asked for your card at the table and a bill is brought for you to sign.

[R&MTHETRAVELERS]

We love anytime dinning because it allows us to go to the early show right after diner & then have the later evening to do whatever. Yes, by finding that great Wait staff & being able to stay with them is great. If you want to dine at say 7:30PM make a reservation by phone at DINE for the Dinning room you wish & then go from there. As far as having traditional dinning early or late; I know of several couples that switched to anytime after the first night & there was not a problem in doing so on the Golden cruise,we just got off of. As far as the reservations I think there may be a time that is the earliest you can get like 7PM or so I don't know for sure. I like the freedom of dining with my wife alone or with others if we so desire. The anytime dinning opens many doors for you go through to make new friends & to see how others live through out the world. I know some people may wish that I didn't tell you about being able to switch to anytime dinning but I was told about it on the cruise before this last one & really appreciated it. My theory is to be nice all the time, at least try. Good Cruiseing.

[MichCook]

With Traditional you choose the time - either early or late.

You can not change the time. Say, one night you want to dine early, the next night eat late. That would not be fair to your tablemates.

You are allowed to dine in Anytime. They do not discourage you from doing so.

 

Did I read your post correctly? Are you encouraging folks that choose either early or late Traditional dining to use the Anytime dining rooms if they wish?

[timetravler]

I also just got off the Golden on a Hawaiian cruise and had anytime dinning. We just found a table and waiter we liked and after dinner each night, reserved that particular table for the next night. If we wanted to eat later because of a shore excursion, we still reserved that table. Our waiter was named Ronald and he remembered us from a cruise on the Sapphire last year. Service was always perfect with our waiter Ronald. It was an exceptionally good cruise.

[Sandytoes]

Did I read your post correctly? Are you encouraging folks that choose either early or late Traditional dining to use the Anytime dining rooms if they wish?

 

I am not "encouraging" passengers. :rolleyes:

More like Princess is. :D

There's no rule that you can't.

[caribill]

I know some people may wish that I didn't tell you about being able to switch to anytime dinning but I was told about it on the cruise before this last one & really appreciated it. My theory is to be nice all the time, at least try. Good Cruiseing.

 

Switching to anytime is allowed, but you are not allowed to switch back to traditional.

 

What posters complain about is people who stay assigned to traditional but go to anytime if they feel like it some nights.

[katisdale]

We were behind a couple in line at the anytime dining room. This was last September on the Island. They were checking cards (not done every night) and were turned away as they were traditional (late) diners and were directed to their dining room. They left unhappy.

[TwoTrekkers]

I will be new to Pricess, going on the Emerald . I have a few questions to understand further the anytime dining...

 

-do you get the same menus as the traditional dining you just get to choose the time?

 

-do you choose which dining room and stay with that one all cruise or do you move around the different anytime dining, if there is such a thing?

 

-are these dining rooms with the nice linens ansd service etc., again just not at traditional times.

 

-can you choose to dine at a table for two, or do have to sit where they seat you, a luck of the draw?

 

If you had to choose a dning room, which would you choose on Emerald?

[rcacace]

Switching to anytime is allowed, but you are not allowed to switch back to traditional.

 

What posters complain about is people who stay assigned to traditional but go to anytime if they feel like it some nights.

 

What difference would it make if someone choose to change to anytime dinning 1/2 way through a 7 day cruise? It would be to late to reassign anyone to the traditional seat, so why bother even checking the cards at that point.

[Sandytoes]

TwoTrekkers

 

-do you get the same menus as the traditional dining you just get to choose the time?

Yes!!!

 

-do you choose which dining room and stay with that one all cruise or do you move around the different anytime dining, if there is such a thing?

 

You can either go to any dining you chose. No reservations necessary.

 

If you decide to book (reserve) a table at a specific time the Maitre D will assign you a dining room.

 

-are these dining rooms with the nice linens ansd service etc., again just not at traditional times.

 

Same look. Same feel. Same Menu!!! Nothing different.

Just that you decide the time you would like to eat.

 

 

-can you choose to dine at a table for two, or do have to sit where they seat you, a luck of the draw?

If you want a table for two, just ask. No problem requesting one.

 

 

If you had to choose a dning room, which would you choose on Emerald?

Not sure. Never been on the Emerald. We enjoyed dining in Da Vinci on the Crown. If that helps.

 

Enjoy your Cruise!

:)

[caribill]

What difference would it make if someone choose to change to anytime dinning 1/2 way through a 7 day cruise? It would be to late to reassign anyone to the traditional seat, so why bother even checking the cards at that point.

 

 

Sometimes there is still a waitlist of people who want to switch to traditional. Sometimes it may be from one traditional time to another. When you officially switch to anytime, it is possible for someone to be assigned where you used to be, even in the middle of a cruise.

[jefa]

Sorry, but you are stuck with traditional...................you chose it, so don't screw up the system and go to anytime..................you really mess things up for the passengers who have either chosen or been assigned anytime. You have an assigned table we don't.

You are welcome to go to the buffet, pizza or order room service...........try the specialty venues. Please don't go to anytime.

 

Help please:) For our first cruise we have chosen and been assigned late traditional dining. I have read on loads of threads about not being late for dinner, telling the maitre d' if we are not going to be there one night etc etc. Do these "rules" only apply to dinner in the evening?

 

Do we HAVE to take breakfast and lunch in the trad dining room too, or can we please ourselves where we eat these (apart from the anytime dining rooms:D)? Would we also have to inform the maitre d' every day, or is the daytime dining times more relaxed?

 

Thank you

[rcacace]

Sometimes there is still a waitlist of people who want to switch to traditional. Sometimes it may be from one traditional time to another. When you officially switch to anytime, it is possible for someone to be assigned where you used to be, even in the middle of a cruise.

 

It's a nice idea in theory but the Maitre D hardly ever seems to back fill the seats. On our last cruise, the first traditional in years, they was no replacement of any empty seats period. There were seats that were empty from the beginning of the cruise that were never filled & still others that became empty as the week progressed. It also could have been possible that no one wanted first seating anyway? :confused:

We were on the Island which is smaller than most ships & were assigned & requested a table for two & were given a table for four by ourselves. I suppose if the dinning room were filled the would never have wasted the larger table for only two of us.

[rcacace]

Help please:) For our first cruise we have chosen and been assigned late traditional dining. I have read on loads of threads about not being late for dinner, telling the maitre d' if we are not going to be there one night etc etc. Do these "rules" only apply to dinner in the evening?

 

 

I just wanted to mention that on the Island P (early traditional) they were two women at a table along side of ours who showed up for dinner one hour late at a table for 8 five times during the cruise. Our waiter (also theirs) just smiled at them & took their order as if nothing was wrong. :D I asked him why no one told them about their actions & he just shrugged it off as being part of the job.

It almost seems that people can now turn TD into PC dinning at their own digression. :rolleyes:

[Stevesan]

Help please:) For our first cruise we have chosen and been assigned late traditional dining. I have read on loads of threads about not being late for dinner, telling the maitre d' if we are not going to be there one night etc etc. Do these "rules" only apply to dinner in the evening?

 

Do we HAVE to take breakfast and lunch in the trad dining room too, or can we please ourselves where we eat these (apart from the anytime dining rooms:D)? Would we also have to inform the maitre d' every day, or is the daytime dining times more relaxed?

 

Thank you

 

Princess does not lock the doors. You can still arrive late, but it does upset service for your tablemates.

Your waiter delivers the courses in sequence for each table. If you arrive late your meal may be out of sync with the others at your table.

We experienced a family at an adjoining tabke that arrived ~45 minutes late each evening.

Since the same waiter served that table, our orders became deliquent when he started their service.

 

You don't need to notify anyone if you don't plan to show for dinner.

It is, however, simply good manners to notify your waiter, or a table mate, in advance if you can.

 

Dining assignments apply only to the evening meal. Only one of the main dining rooms is open for breakfast and lunch service.

Serving hours are in the daily news letter "Patters".

 

If you're unhappy with Traditional, it's easy to change permanently to Anytime. But, as others have said, please don't randomly use the Anytime dining room.

That upsets the balance of available seats in BOTH Tradional and Anytime.

[MichCook]

Just a question... if i'm a Traditional time diner... does that mean i can ONLY go to dinner at the time i'm given? Are we allowed to eat anytime too?

 

When you book your cruise, you are asked to choose Traditional dining (fixed time seating...either early or late) or Anytime Dining.

 

I agree it is confusing. I don't think Princess does a good job with their explanation of choices between Traditional vs. Anytime....but that's marketing! Also, people have their own interpretations of what they read. And, not every ship is as steadfast about how/when/if they hold to the "rule" or "guideline".

 

This might be helpful....

 

http://www.princess.com/learn/answer/during_cruise/dining.html

 

note the fine print "Note: Dining options vary by ship. Once onboard, you may switch from Traditional Dining to Anytime Dining (subject to availability) with 24 hours notice to the Maître d'hôtel."

 

Now, this shouldn't be confused with the Alternative Dining venues (Sabatinis, etc.) which are available to all diners for a fee.

 

Another helpful link is:

http://www.princess.com/learn/onboard/dining/dining_options/grand.html

you can choose the ship of interest.

[jefa]

Thanks very much for your answer, Stevesan:) I didn't realise we wouldn't be at the same dining table or room for breakfast and lunch!! I thought trad dining meant we spent each meal in the same place!

 

No, we're happy with what we have chosen, and as I said, have read all about the etiquette for evening meals and really do not intend to keep other table guests waiting etc!!!

 

Just wanted to know if it was necessary to inform anyone, should we decide to take lunch at the buffet, or breakfast in our cabin.