Anytime dining on the Pride

[BeachyLisa]

Anyone have any experience with this lately? We leave on Friday and was thinking of switching from early seating to anytime if available. Any pros and cons?

Thanks!!!

[Akchica8616]

I had 8:00 dinning on the Pride (May 23rd-30th) I noticed people still waiting for a table for anytime dining at 8:00

[bluehenfan]

We did anytime dining on the Pride a couple weeks ago. The 1st night we had a very long wait, but for some reason they thought there were 6 of us (there were 3). You are given a little square with lights, like the ones they hand out when waiting in chain restaurants on land. After mix up was straightened out we never waited more then 5 or 10 mins. On the Pride all the anytime diners had to check in for a table on deck 3 section of Normandie restaurant. We had a mix up in dining times for 1st night and had to do early dining. We had same wait staff 4 of the remaining 6 nights. The other 2 nights we had different staff, but had them both nights. We actually ended up a table for just the 3 of us 5 of the 6 nights. One night the hostess said all she had was a shared table open at that moment and if we wanted to we could wait or join the 3 already at the table. We were more then happy to join the 3 already seated and we dined with a group from Virginia who really were nice and who really knew their wines. They even insisted on my trying a glass of what I later found out was a very expensive bottle of wine. We loved anytime dining. We found best time was around 7:45 p.m. or after 8:15.

[Willabee]

For the anytime dining on Pride, if there are two of you do you get a table for 2 or do they place you at a larger table?

 

Thanks

[bluehenfan]

There were 3 of us, and except for the one night when hostess told us the only thing she had open was sharing a table with 3 others or we'd have to wait a few mins., we had our own table. We really didn't mind sharing a table, just didn't want a set dining time. I noticed other any time diners who seemed to be there the same time as us also had their own tables.

[Weeziblu]

We just got back from our Pride sailing and we loved anytime dining. Yes, we did wait a couple of times - they give you a pager just a restaurant would - but we just settled in at the bar outside of the dining room and waited to be "buzzed" - never more than 15 minutes. And like I said, we only had to wait 2 - maybe 3 - times. For us, the benefit outweighed the negative.. we prefer not to be rushed to dinner. Choosing to arrive whenever we choose and having to wait a few minutes was no big deal.

 

We were seated in the same section and with the same staff on all but 2 nights. We didn't realize until later that we could have requested teh same section all week. Next time, we will (if we like our wait staff as much as we did this time).

 

We would definately do it again.

 

(Oh, and fwiw, we were a party of 4 - 2 parents and 2 children - we didn't all make it to the dining room every night. My husband and I did, but one or both of the kids were with their respective clubs on some occassions).

[zqvol]

For the anytime dining on Pride, if there are two of you do you get a table for 2 or do they place you at a larger table?

 

Thanks

 

It is your choice. They never make you eat with others.

 

I had 8:00 dinning on the Pride (May 23rd-30th) I noticed people still waiting for a table for anytime dining at 8:00

 

 

Do you know when they arrived? How long they had been waiting? the size of their party? Whether or not they had a reservation, or had requested a special waiter? Too many variables to say that they were waiting at 8:00 for it to have any meaning.

[BeachyLisa]

We are a party of six-will that make much of a difference with wait times?

Don't mind waiting 10-15 mins just don't want to be eating at 9pm!

 

Thanks for all your responses!!

[bluehenfan]

I don't think it'll make a big difference. When we had the anytime dining it was just starting to be offered on the Pride. It seemed like it got more organized as the week went on. As earlier poster said, you could sit at the very comfortable bar area and enjoy the piano player right outside the dining room door. It was a good spot for people watching and the 5 or 10 min. wait flew by. I saw parties of 6 or more on several occasions. Their wait did seem a little longer, but no much longer. If possible ask for Orlando. He has been a waiter for Carnival longer then any other waiter on the Pride. He was great. We had him 4 out of 6 nights. His section was in the area where anytime diners were seated.

[BeachyLisa]

Thanks for all the info-we sail in 2 days !!!!!:)