Table for 2 - Anytime Dining

[campanet]

How do you arrange to get a table for two with anytime dining on Princess? I've always been made to wait (and wait and wait) with a beeper while tables for two sit there empty.

KC

[Woodmnky]

How do you arrange to get a table for two with anytime dining on Princess? I've always been made to wait (and wait and wait) with a beeper while tables for two sit there empty.

KC

I'm sorry that this has been your experience. DH and I had no problem getting a table for two without a wait. However, we also chose to dine early.

[raydon]

We have rarely waited and when we did, only a few minutes. Tables for 2 are very close to each other, so they are really not private.

[BalconyBumz]

We prefer fixed dining and requested a table for 2 on a few cruises ago and didn't even get it, but it worked out okay because our table mates were a hoot! <a href="http://plugin.******************/http%253A%252F%252Fwww.******************%252F%253Fpartner%253DZSzeb008%255FZNman000%2526i%253D7%252F7%255F13%255F16%2526feat%253Dprof/page.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://smileys.******************/cat/7/7_13_16.gif" alt="******************" border="0"><img border="0" src="http://plugin.******************/http%253A%252F%252Fimgfarm%252Ecom%252Fimages%252Fnocache%252Ftr%252Ffw%252Fsmiley%252Fsocial%252Egif%253Fi%253D7%252F7_13_16/image.gif"></a>

[Sandytoes]

In your stateroom on day of embarkation look at the front cover of your Patter.

Check out which dining room and hours the Maitre d's available to take reservations.

 

Do not call, it will take to long to get through.

They are very busy that day.

 

When you see the Maitre d all you have to do is request a Table for 2 in Anytime.

That's it!!!! :)

 

He will hand you a slip just like this.

 

[ericosmith]

The reason that tables for 2 sit there empty is because they take reservations. The net effect of that is that those who prefer to take advantage of "anytime dining" often can't because of those who are allowed to turn it into traditional dining. IMHO if they are going to take reservations on ships with two anytime dining rooms, those ought to be limited to one of the dining rooms or a certain percentage of each table type.

[mycruz]

The reason that tables for 2 sit there empty is because they take reservations. The net effect of that is that those who prefer to take advantage of "anytime dining" often can't because of those who are allowed to turn it into traditional dining. IMHO if they are going to take reservations on ships with two anytime dining rooms, those ought to be limited to one of the dining rooms or a certain percentage of each table type.

 

I agree wholeheartedly! We love Anytime but are finding we have to wait a while longer for our table for two for what appears to be just the reason you have stated. I really hate it when I've been waiting 15-20 minutes and finally seated, walking past several tables for two and watch the tables sit there empty the entire time I am dining. I wonder too if these passengers are calling and cancelling their standing reservations when they decide to dine elsewhere on that evening.

[twocats]

After checking the hours, do you then suggest going to the dining room to make the request in peron if the phones are busy? Are the dining rooms open on the first day? Or do you wait until dinner time to make the request?

[Cobra427SC]

We've always eaten at a table for two at "anytime" and never, ever had a problem. However, we always eat about 8:30 or so and things are beginning to slow down and the staff is more accommodating and relaxed. We also always thank (profusely) the host or hostess and the maitre d'. (Good manners and a show of appreciation are never out of style.) Our experience spans several years (probably since the inception of "antime dining") and at least 30 nites, or more. s

[nho9504]

After checking the hours, do you then suggest going to the dining room to make the request in peron if the phones are busy? Are the dining rooms open on the first day? Or do you wait until dinner time to make the request?

 

On embarkation day, on the platter (you will find it in your stateroom) there is information about WHEN the Maitre d' would be at the dining room to handle passengers requests on the dining arrangement. You go there and make your request.

 

One Caveat, you could end up with a table with wait staff that is not good.

 

On our recent 18 day Emerald Princess Venice to Ft.Lauderdale, we know what table we want because we have done the same cruise on opposite direction, just in April, we had a TRUE table for 2 (not the bench type, but one against the wall), and a great wait team.

 

Unfortunately, what happened was, many of the staff were transferred to Ruby, and the waiter of the same table was a different guy and not the type we like. After first dinner, we decided we did not want to reserve the same table, and just tried other areas of the dining room to see if we could find a wait team we like.

 

After 2 more nights, we felt the service level was simply not the same as the April cruise - most of the staff were new, thus like still in training. So we decided just went without reservation.

 

We rarely had to wait more than 10 minutes, most of the time just 5 minutes, we were seated table for 2. However, we usually went after 8. Though on a couple nights we went at 7:30 and still did not wait more than 10 minutes. On the few occasions we got the beeper, we wondered down the Piazza and only had to rush back as the beeper started to beep.

[kellanrevere]

We are a group of 3 adults currently wait listed for early dinner. We will take late traditional dinner if that is what we are given.

 

I really don't care for the Anytime dining. Tried it once and really didn't like it.

 

Here's the question... If only Anytime dining is all we can get , is it possible to make reservations for the same table at the same time each evening for a group of 3 ? We don't mind larger tables at Traditional dining but really don't want rotating table mates every night.

 

Thanks

[twocats]

nho9504: Thanks for the reply, we have not tried Anytime dining before but will give it a try, I just like knowing the procedures.

[nho9504]

nho9504: Thanks for the reply, we have not tried Anytime dining before but will give it a try, I just like knowing the procedures.

 

We LOVE Anytime dining, because the flexibility cannot be beat, especially on a port-intensive cruise. As long as you dont go at the peak time, say between 7 to 8, you should not have to wait any longer than 10 minutes. Also the dining room one floor down often is less crowded because either people are lazy to walk down one deck, or some dont even know a 2nd dining room exist - I kid you not!

 

The last thing we want is to share a table with others. The most annoying part of table sharing is Waste of time - even if you only order a salad and a main course, you would still have to wait for the WHOLE table as the waiter would wait for everyone to serve each course starting from the appetizer, then soup, then salad, then main course.... Also the inevitable chitchatting whether you are in the mood or not, is something we try to avoid. :)

[Sandytoes]

twocats

 

After checking the hours, do you then suggest going to the dining room to make the request in peron if the phones are busy?

Definitely! Never could get through on the phone. It's easier just going down to the dining room and make your request.

 

Are the dining rooms open on the first day?

Yes!

 

Or do you wait until dinner time to make the request?

You could, but then you might have to wait, depending on the time you go.

[rcacace]

 

The last thing we want is to share a table with others. The most annoying part of table sharing is Waste of time - even if you only order a salad and a main course, you would still have to wait for the WHOLE table as the waiter would wait for everyone to serve each course starting from the appetizer, then soup, then salad, then main course.... Also the inevitable chitchatting whether you are in the mood or not, is something we try to avoid. :)

 

I'm with you nho9504. The last we need on any trip is hearing more chit chat about someone's kids, pets, weather, etc. You know what I mean. ;)

On our last cruise we were thrown in with a table for 8 the first night (TD) and we quickly switched. It took over 2 hours to complete dinner while having to listen to meaningless conversation.

[cruzinchris]

After checking the hours, do you then suggest going to the dining room to make the request in person if the phones are busy? Are the dining rooms open on the first day? Or do you wait until dinner time to make the request?

 

For any special dining requests, it's best to speak to the Maitre d' or a Head Waiter in person. Staff who man the dine-line may not honor your request for a cruise-long reservation at a specific time; policies vary from ship-to-ship.

 

Bon Voyage!

Chris

[cynbar]

Have any of you had luck insisting on a table for 4 for just the 2 of you?? Those bench seat tables are just too close together in my opinion. I realize that most ships have at least a couple stand-alone tables for 2, but there are so few they are probably hard to snag. We usually eat on the late side, after 8:00, and would prefer to avoid reservations as they lock us in.

[twocats]

Thanks for the answers. New question, does anyone have a picture of the "bench" seats? I have seen comments about them before and jsut not sure what you all mean.

Carole

[sunshine426]

We never waited on our Emerald Princess cruise. Usually went between 6 and 7. We did usually sit on "the bench" seats, but we also had the table by the window and enjoyed it.

[mpk218]

We will be taking our first Princess cruise . Just so Im clear , what we want to do is pick a tradtional seating time , this way that table will always be available to us .

Then we can go to anytime seating when ever we choose.

This way we can have the best of both , correct ??

But , if we choose anytime only then we must compete with all of the people who did the above , right .

Well that sounds like a no brainer..

Doesnt seem right some how ... Oh well :rolleyes:

 

mpk

[jenphan]

On my first night, I became friends with the waiter and every night well 8/10 days we made a special request with the maitre d for the same waiter that mostly had tables for 2.

[Luxury For Less]

We are not long back from 16 nights on Diamond and were forced to default to anytime as traditional was full so we were very apprehensive about it.

 

Now we would not cruise on a ship that doesn't have anytime. We would just call up and book our table for 2 for the two nights ahead as our timing for dinner would depend on our activities planned for that day. Usually however, we eat around 8pm. Sometimes we had to wait to get through on the phone but never for more than a minute and never had a problem getting a table. We just loved the flexibility and variety of anytime. We did enjoy a couple of the waiters in Santa Fe (Teddy and Randy) so usually requested a table where they would be serving and never had a problem getting it.

 

Regarding bench seats, the only time we were allocated them was in Sabatinis which we would highly recommend -Happy cruising. :)

[Sandytoes]

Thanks for the answers. New question, does anyone have a picture of the "bench" seats? I have seen comments about them before and jsut not sure what you all mean.

Carole

 

 

[cynbar]

We will be taking our first Princess cruise . Just so Im clear , what we want to do is pick a tradtional seating time , this way that table will always be available to us .

Then we can go to anytime seating when ever we choose.

This way we can have the best of both , correct ??

But , if we choose anytime only then we must compete with all of the people who did the above , right .

Well that sounds like a no brainer..

Doesnt seem right some how ... Oh well :rolleyes:

 

mpk

 

The reason this doesn't sound right is that it's not the way dining is supposed to work. If you choose traditional, in theory you aren't allowed in anytime unless you plan to switch permanently. In practice, it seems that sometimes the maitre d' checks cruise cards and turns traditional diners away, but sometimes this doesn't happen. However, please consider how unfair this is to anytime diners who may have their wait times extended because additional traditional diners show up, thus effectively taking up 2 seats each for the evening. Anytime diners can't just crash traditional, can you imagine the chaos! However, traditional diners can always go to the buffet or one of the specialty restaurants if they don't make their assigned time or want to try something different.

[nho9504]

We will be taking our first Princess cruise . Just so Im clear , what we want to do is pick a tradtional seating time , this way that table will always be available to us .

Then we can go to anytime seating when ever we choose.

This way we can have the best of both , correct ??

But , if we choose anytime only then we must compete with all of the people who did the above , right .

Well that sounds like a no brainer..

Doesnt seem right some how ... Oh well :rolleyes:

 

mpk

 

NO. You cannot have both traditional and anytime dining. Because the Anytime dining rooms are for those who dont have a table waiting for them in the traditional dining room.

 

On our April Emerald transatlantic, they did not ask for cabin number. However, on our Oct Emerald transatlantic, they asked for cabin number almost every night. I asked the Head Waiter why the policy changed, he said because the abuse from the passengers who were assigned traditional, but went to anytime instead, especially after they realised the anytime was convenient and flexible, especially on a port day - so it made the tables at traditional stayed empty but there were ques in the anytime. The only way they could stop such would be to check passengers cabin numbers. Granted, they only ask for the cabin number after seating you. However, the waiter did write it down on some sort of form, and I suspect the form would be used by the Head Waiter to check thru the computer - if there was abuse, the passengers would be told politely so, and be advised to return to their traditional seating the following night.