Anytime vs. Traditional Dining

[Whoo]

With all of the different dining options I wonder if there are nights where traditional tables don't fill up. I noticed that they checked cruise cards in anytime during peak hours. I guess if you have traditional they will let you eat in anytime as long as there isn't a crowd.

 

The traditional dining room never filled up on the Island Princess 2 weeks ago. 3 nights we were seated in the Traditional DR, since the Anytime DR was completely full. We did not have to wait at all for a table, and there were many empty tables around us. On our particular cruise, it appeared that more people had signed up for Anytime than Traditional.

[Iamcruzin]

The traditional dining room never filled up on the Island Princess 2 weeks ago. 3 nights we were seated in the Traditional DR, since the Anytime DR was completely full. We did not have to wait at all for a table, and there were many empty tables around us. On our particular cruise, it appeared that more people had signed up for Anytime than Traditional.

 

It appears to me that traditional dining is going to be phased out as a new generation of cruisers emerges. Caribbean Princess has two dining rooms allocated for anytime and only one for traditional. If they were trying to accommodate the traditional passengers it would be the other way around. There is also a waitlist for specialty restaurants. I wouldn’t be surprised if the ships of the future have larger specialty restaurants and no traditional seating. The new generation of cruisers are speaking loud and clear. I think it is a matter of economics. If people are willing to pay extra for a meal why stop them.

[paul929207]

It appears to me that traditional dining is going to be phased out as a new generation of cruisers emerges. Caribbean Princess has two dining rooms allocated for anytime and only one for traditional. If they were trying to accommodate the traditional passengers it would be the other way around. There is also a waitlist for specialty restaurants. I wouldn’t be surprised if the ships of the future have larger specialty restaurants and no traditional seating. The new generation of cruisers are speaking loud and clear. I think it is a matter of economics. If people are willing to pay extra for a meal why stop them.

Since both seatings of Traditional Dining are usually waitlisted, it seems it will be a while before Traditional goes away.

[mpk218]

Since both seatings of Traditional Dining are usually waitlisted, it seems it will be a while before Traditional goes away.

 

 

I too feel traditional will be around for a while. But I also feel the waitlist is do to the fact people understand they can book traditional and still go to Anytime . Best of both , at least until they consistantly check cards .

Until then waitlist's ;)

[Iamcruzin]

I too feel traditional will be around for a while. But I also feel the waitlist is do to the fact people understand they can book traditional and still go to Anytime . Best of both , at least until they consistantly check cards .

Until then waitlist's ;)

I don't get people. The whole point of traditional is to be seated with the same people and have the same wait staff and to eat at the same time. Why do they book traditional and then eat at anytime creating empty seats at traditional and taking up seats at anytime. I would be upset if I chose traditional and had to wait for people who never showed up or had to eat alone.

[paul929207]

I don't get people. The whole point of traditional is to be seated with the same people and have the same wait staff and to eat at the same time. Why do they book traditional and then eat at anytime creating empty seats at traditional and taking up seats at anytime. I would be upset if I chose traditional and had to wait for people who never showed up or had to eat alone.

I agree, but I would also be upset if I had Anytime and had to wait for a table because of all the Traditionals in there. They really should check cruise cards.

[Iamcruzin]

I too feel traditional will be around for a while. But I also feel the waitlist is do to the fact people understand they can book traditional and still go to Anytime . Best of both , at least until they consistantly check cards .

Until then waitlist's ;)

 

For the sake of the people who love traditional I hope I am wrong but think about this. Could the waitlist be getting longer because Princess is trying to wean people off traditional by cutting back on the amount of passengers who are allowed to book it? The Chefs Table is waitlisted only because they limit it. Are they being lenient letting tradional passengers eat at anytime hoping they like it and will book it for their next cruise? I hope 20yrs from now I am not posting complaining that I have to pay additonal for every meal.

[mkolbicka]

We have been on 20 cruises, all Traditional Dining because we were always with at least 6 people. We are going on our first Princess Cruise next month on the Sapphire Princess. My husband and I are traveling alone this trip. Since it's only the two of us, need some advice as to what to do about the dining.

[Iamcruzin]

We have been on 20 cruises, all Traditional Dining because we were always with at least 6 people. We are going on our first Princess Cruise next month on the Sapphire Princess. My husband and I are traveling alone this trip. Since it's only the two of us, need some advice as to what to do about the dining.

 

If you enjoy meeting new people or just want to eat alone than anytime is the way to go. Last week we traveled with 3 other couples who I met on line through our roll call. We ate together 4 out of the three nights in anytime dining. One night we even added at ninth person at the table. If you are willing to share a table you will not have to wait. If you want a table for 2 you may have a 20 min wait depending on what time you go to dinner. I have eaten at both anytime and traditional the service is no better or worse in either. I will say that I did find a difference in traditional service from when I first sailed Princess in 1991 to when I sailed 15yrs later in 2006. They were not as attentive. I really have no complaints because I am at the point where I don't feel the need to have a personal relationship with the waiters. Just keep my water glass filled and smile. That's all I need. I don't want to be entertained during dinner. I am to busy having fun with my new found cruise friends.

[AAAAmerican]

On seeing which Dining method.. Traditional or as you wait it..

These two could be easily checked with a Slip of the Room Cards...:D

 

Maybe that too simple to implement eh...;)

 

 

 

__ /7__/7__/7__

\:::::::::::::::::::::::::)~~Anchors away...

 

 

 

 

 

I too feel traditional will be around for a while. But I also feel the waitlist is do to the fact people understand they can book traditional and still go to Anytime . Best of both , at least until they consistantly check cards .

Until then waitlist's ;)

[Cruisin' Chick]

For the sake of the people who love traditional I hope I am wrong but think about this. Could the waitlist be getting longer because Princess is trying to wean people off traditional by cutting back on the amount of passengers who are allowed to book it? The Chefs Table is waitlisted only because they limit it. Are they being lenient letting tradional passengers eat at anytime hoping they like it and will book it for their next cruise? I hope 20yrs from now I am not posting complaining that I have to pay additonal for every meal.

 

I hope you're wrong, but I'm concerned about this as I want t.d. to continue as I mentioned before.

 

Since both seatings of Traditional Dining are usually waitlisted, it seems it will be a while before Traditional goes away.

 

I hope you're right.

 

It appears to me that traditional dining is going to be phased out as a new generation of cruisers emerges. Caribbean Princess has two dining rooms allocated for anytime and only one for traditional. If they were trying to accommodate the traditional passengers it would be the other way around. There is also a waitlist for specialty restaurants. I wouldn’t be surprised if the ships of the future have larger specialty restaurants and no traditional seating. The new generation of cruisers are speaking loud and clear. I think it is a matter of economics. If people are willing to pay extra for a meal why stop them.

 

I hope you're wrong.

 

We haven't had any meals in the specialty restaurants -- we don't see the need to, at least for us. If we somehow miss our seating in the t.d., we just go to the Horizon Court. Not a problem for us. We haven't had a problem eating on port days. Not even on our Alaskan cruise. The one time we thought we might miss our seating was in Victoria, but we decided to see if we can still walk in, and we were. If the door was closed, we would have just eaten in the buffet. If we are hungry before the late traditional seating, we just pop into the buffet for a nosh. One advantage to Princess is that the buffet is open all day and night.

[Pam in CA]

For the sake of the people who love traditional I hope I am wrong but think about this. Could the waitlist be getting longer because Princess is trying to wean people off traditional by cutting back on the amount of passengers who are allowed to book it? The Chefs Table is waitlisted only because they limit it. Are they being lenient letting tradional passengers eat at anytime hoping they like it and will book it for their next cruise? I hope 20yrs from now I am not posting complaining that I have to pay additonal for every meal.

One factor regarding the waitlist is TAs who don't explain to their clients the difference between Traditional and Anytime and book them for Traditional. Then, they board the ship and realize they'd rather have Anytime. Princess is lenient because when it comes to their "rules," the customer is always right and they avoid confrontations.

[nicknack]

One factor regarding the waitlist is TAs who don't explain to their clients the difference between Traditional and Anytime and book them for Traditional. Then, they board the ship and realize they'd rather have Anytime. Princess is lenient because when it comes to their "rules," the customer is always right and they avoid confrontations.

 

As I said in an earlier post, many people do not realize at first that the only assurance of getting a table for two is anytime timing. If Princess would confirm tables for two in traditional dining, many of the problems, including switching, would be solved immediately.

[paul929207]

As I said in an earlier post, many people do not realize at first that the only assurance of getting a table for two is anytime timing. If Princess would confirm tables for two in traditional dining, many of the problems, including switching, would be solved immediately.

Princess only takes requests for table size as a request. They will not guarentee they will fulfill and such request.

[nicknack]

Princess only takes requests for table size as a request. They will not guarentee they will fulfill and such request.

 

That was my point. Thanks for repeating it again?

[Sandytoes]

Princess only takes requests for table size as a request. They will not guarantee they will fulfill and such request.

This is not true!!

Since Anytime started, I have never had a problem getting the table or time I wanted.

[paul929207]

This is not true!!

Since Anytime started, I have never had a problem getting the table or time I wanted.

I was referring to table size requests for Traditional Dining that are made when you make your reservation.

[Iamcruzin]

This is not true!!

Since Anytime started, I have never had a problem getting the table or time I wanted.

 

I was wondering when did anytime actually start?

[Sandytoes]

I was wondering when did anytime actually start?

I think back in 2000 - 2001? :rolleyes:

[Iamcruzin]

I think back in 2000 - 2001? :rolleyes:

So when I booked the 2006 cruise it should have been offered to me. Actually, when I booked the Princess Rep asked me which dining option I prefered. Since I hadn't sailed in 15yrs I just thought she meant first or second seating. I didn't actually find out about anytime until 1/2 way through the cruise. I only remember this because I just book for 2010 and the booking rep asked me the same question. This time I knew what she was talking about. When I booked through a TA for 2008 and 2009 she asked if I wanted Traditional or Anytime. It is lack of communication that causes the problems.

[cruisedad521]

I have always had traditional dining with the exception of a cruise on NCL a few years ago where there was only "free-style." The convenience of going to dinner when we were ready was nice, but the trade-off seemed to be much poorer service than I had on other cruises. Since we had different servers each night there was no consistency and the little things a server at a traditional seating remembers about you were missing. This may be a functon of NCL, the staff on that particular cruise, or that my memory of other cruises is through rose-colored glasses.

We plan to have traditional on a med cruise next year because we have enjoyed that experience previously. If the industry moves away from traditional altogether but can keep up the level of service I would be fine, but so far from my admittedly limited experience, they did not.

[mpk218]

For the sake of the people who love traditional I hope I am wrong but think about this. Could the waitlist be getting longer because Princess is trying to wean people off traditional by cutting back on the amount of passengers who are allowed to book it? The Chefs Table is waitlisted only because they limit it. Are they being lenient letting tradional passengers eat at anytime hoping they like it and will book it for their next cruise? I hope 20yrs from now I am not posting complaining that I have to pay additonal for every meal.

 

Its possible but I hope not. We have been sailing NCL becuase we sail with our young children and its so much easier with the Freestyle and its a bit more family oriented( . When my wife and I go it alone we go with TD. Different lines..

This July we will be on the Star Princess and will be trying thier "Anytime" and if the lines are as bad as what I have been reading you can bet I will be going over to the MainTD and asking for a table...They know whats going on and I expect them to try and make it right.

Of course beeing in a suite always helps...Perhaps they should start to give a way tables if you are more than (15?) minutes late for TD.;)

 

Next

[AAAAmerican]

 

Sorry it is the lack of knowledge..not as you say communication..

 

If people do not know.. they have to ask ..

 

A perfect example would be a patient and a Medical Doctor ( MD ) .. a piet never asks questions ..how are we able to see what they want to know..but a near general referenced pool of DATA...(?)

 

Same as Booking for Cruises.. or even on Equities... Doing ones own Due Diligence is always the best method and way.

 

Seeing all/any available methods are vital for your own personal choices and if not knowing ASK! ;)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

So when I booked the 2006 cruise it should have been offered to me. Actually, when I booked the Princess Rep asked me which dining option I prefered. Since I hadn't sailed in 15yrs I just thought she meant first or second seating. I didn't actually find out about anytime until 1/2 way through the cruise. I only remember this because I just book for 2010 and the booking rep asked me the same question. This time I knew what she was talking about. When I booked through a TA for 2008 and 2009 she asked if I wanted Traditional or Anytime. It is lack of communication that causes the problems.

[shepp]

On shore I'm anything but a traditionalist, so it comes as a surprise to me, but so far (I've only spent about six weeks total cruising) I prefer traditional. There's just something about the experience of everyone going in to be seated at the same time, and us all eating together, that gives dinner a sense of occasion. (For the same reason, I'd thought dress codes were stupid before I first cruised, but now I love 'em.) On shore, I go to restaurants all the time. I WANT my onboard experience to be different.

 

Now, I eat late at home, so I choose late seating and almost never have to rush for dinner. And I understand so much depends on the luck of the draw. On the Dawn Princess, I was seated with great folks I probably wouldn't have otherwise met onboard, and every evening I looked forward to meeting up and comparing our days. But last summer on X, both our waiter and a couple of our tablemates (one of whom didn't speak English, the other of whom spoke English entirely too much) were so irritating that we chose to switch to a table for two - and ended up with the best waiters ever. And, honestly, when I've had breakfast or lunch in the dining room with groups of random strangers, I've rarely ended up with people I was dying to see again.

 

So, because of the one-way nature of switching, we're once again booked for late trad on the Crown. If I meet folks I want to eat with, there's always breakfast and lunch. And, should things get too weird, we can always bail.