Anytime Dining on Princess
 

We are sailing to the North Cape this month on Crown Princess, first time with Princess. Does Anytime really mean ANYTIME or do you need to book in advance. The reason I am asking is that on P & O you just turn up to the restaurant and if there is no table available and there usually is if you don't mind sharing otherwise they give you a bleeper. Now on RCL we were advised to book a time and it turned out to be the same table for each day and the same people around us. Not exactly anytime and not much of a choice for times either. So what I would like to know is do I need to dash to the restaurant to book a time or is it turn up and take a chance :-)

With Princess, we never made a reservation and usually had no more than a five or ten minute wait, if that.

We've had anytime dining on Princess and Holland America. Usually we would be seated immediately, occasionally we would be asked to wait ten minutes or come back in 30 minutes with a table being held for us at that time.

If you want to eat at a popular time, and not have to share a huge table, I would make reservations.

good advice above

((I))

We've done Anytime Dining on Princess and you just show up at the dining room--just as you would a restaurant on land. It's easy and convenient, and there's little wait. And we've always been able to get a table for two. - Musing About Cruising

Just home from a Princess Baltic cruise (Regal). Several nights there was a wait for a table for 2, but sharing a table was readily available. Just depends on what your preference is

We just got back from our first Princess cruise (probably the same one the OP mentioned to Norway). We booked Anytime Dining and found out the hard way this does not function as we were led to believe (i.e. you can go for meals as/when it suits you and have your own table for your party just like in a restaurant)

Our ship (Crown Princess) was full to capacity and the main dining rooms could not handle the Traditional Dining crows and the Anytime diners at the same time. Result: long waits (up to 1 hour) for a table, or being forced to either share with others (which is exactly what we'd booked the Anytime Dining to avoid) OR phone the reservations line at exactly 8am every day to reserve a table in advance.

Just a huge mess and a serious impact on our cruise. Would not travel with Princess again based on our experience.

Sorry you had that experience, but I think there was a misunderstanding about anytime dining, and how it works. I can see your frustration and wonder how you were informed about how it works.

Anytime dining is not to have your own table! If you absolutely must have your own table, at a specific time you want, then yes, you really must reserve. A good restaurant works the same. If they are full and busy, and you want a specific table, you reserve.

Anytime dining is never to insure your own table exactly when you want it.

It is so you are not tied to a particular seating time. You do not have to rush and be in the dining room when you are not hungry or ready to eat. Maybe you get back from an excursion or the pool and just do not feel like getting dressed yet. Anytime dining accommodates that. However, to have it work efficiently, you might have to share a table.


We have been on four Princess cruises, requested anytime dining each time, and had no issues, but we had different expectations. If you want a certain size table, request that and choose one of the set dining times when you book.

Too bad you did not see my note up above!

My experience, like yours is that Princess has a shortage of 2-tops, and a general shortage of seating at popular times. If you wanted a 2-top, you better have a reservation or not care what time you ate (usually easier to get if it meant you'd miss a show).

Anytime Dining just means you aren't locked into a set seating time (early or late). Not that you can have it your way. For a large cruise line, if you want to sit at a two-top and have restaurant-style service, I'd recommend NCL. The downside is that the food gets repetitive and isn't as good as Princess. The upside is that I lost weight.