Ruby Princess Anytime Dining
 

We are booked on Ruby Princess with anytime dining. This includes 2 restaurants (Michelangelo and Da Vinci) on the Ruby Princess. Can you tell me what we might expect on the menu because the only menu I could find was for the Traditional dining which looked great - are they all the same? With the anytime dining can we also book into their premium restaurants if we feel like it (I know there is a cover charge) or eat at the more casual venues (i.e. the buffet or cafe) if we don't feel like a 3 course dinner? Obviously we won't be able to dine in the restaurants that are booked Traditionally for same time dining that other passengers will be using. Also with anytime dining is it really any time (i.e. we turn up and get a table, or just a short wait) or do we really need to make some sort of booking on the day?

Thanks.

I don't know about your ship, but on two trips on HAL, we just showed up whenever and we were seated fairly promptly. There was no choice of tables, but then there never really is. There is the possibility of making a specific reservation, but there never any reservations left when we called. They usually opened at 8 AM for reservations, but were filled by 8:15. But reservations didn't help. Over all we were happy with the arrangement.

If I am not mistaken the menu for the Traditional dining rooms and the anytime dining rooms are the same. The difference is they way the guests are received and seated.

You can make a reservation for any of the speciality restuarants for whatever day you want to eat there. If you want to eat at the buffet or other casual eating area instead of the dining room you can do that also. Actually, I feel they would prefer that people do that anyway so the dining rooms don't get so conjested.

If you have anytime dining there is no need to be in a Traditional dining room. That's why the two are seperated. With anytime dining just show up when you are ready to eat during the desginated dining times. If a table is available they will seat you if not they will give you one of those electronic reservation things that light up when your table is ready. We had anytime dining on the Star Princess and always wanted a table for 2. We experienced the Maitre D always trying to convince us to eat with other passengers at a group table. We told them no we will wait and then they would tell us the wait could be up to 45 minutes. Fine, we hung out at the bar, but the wait was only about 10-20 minutes. On the first formal night we were told to eat with a group or find somewhere else to eat as there would be no tables for two that night. We ended up eating at a group table and found he was exaggerating. We learned to be just as firm as he was to get the table we wanted. If you go early or late and not during the most popular dining times, there was really no wait.

The menus for the traditional and anytime dining are the same (except for the Diamond Princess where they have themed any time dining restaurants)

The difference between the two is that you are not tied down to a fix dinner time, and same dinner companion the whole cruise.

You can ask for a small table for any time dining, or join another group. They typical don't take reservation on the first night but they will after that.

If youdo not make reservation, you may have to wait a bit for a table at the peak dining time (between 5:30 to 7 pm)

There are also specialty restaurants (for a fee) and the ones we tried were very good (or we were very lucky). Reservations are needed for specialty restaurants.