Just off the Golden - Anytime dining

[jefa]

Sorry to double post, but I've just read through all those sample menues, thanks MichCook!!!:D Wow, I will now have to rethink my wardrobe, to include elastic waisted clothes - we are on board for 30 days!!!!

[R&MTHETRAVELERS]

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

When we had traditional dining we did the breakfast & lunch in the same dining room & also went to the Buffet & had a Continental Breakfast sent to our Cabin; as well as in the other dinning rooms. If you have late Traditional Dining you have that slot for one dining room only & that is for Dinner only. Your Breakfast & lunch is a different matter, at least that is what I found on one of our cruises. We have had Anytime Dining since then. I have found that anytime to be the best for us because of what Timetraveler said about time alotment. You can go to an early or late show or stay ashore longer or what ever & not worry about missing your dinner time. Think about what you are going to do on the cruise & then decide about your dining choice. Good Cruiseing, Ron

[JohnR49er]

Last month on the Golden cruise to Hawaii the anytime dining in Donatello dining room was a ghost town at 8PM. No problem walking in with any size group.

The only thing I noticed was that if you went in towards the end.....Bernini closed at 930 and Donetello was 10 PM you got the "bums rush" They just wanted to get you out so they could close up. They served the dessert then they were gone without even asking if you wanted coffee.

Not sure how it will be on future cruises because we were on a cruise which had a large group from Germany. Seemed the shows were at weird times because they had their own shows and performers and they actually closed off half of the Lido casual dining for an Octoberfest celebration one night.

Overall the anytime worked for us, just a little slow even with it being empty most of the time.

[jefa]

Thanks for the clarification Ron:) Another bit of my confusion unravelled:D

[skf]

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.

We advise people in Traditional Dining who are going to specialty restaurants, & this should apply to those who try the Anytime Dining, to advise your tablemates & waiters the previous evening. Then they can start their dinners & not wait for the no-shows.

Steve

[R&MTHETRAVELERS]

Steve,

 

I agree with what you said about it's up to the person going to another dining option to let his dining mates know he will not be there for that night but that comes with having good manners. Good Cruiseing, Ron