Thread: "Your Choice Dining"

From what I have read on this and other forums the feeling of most people is that the tip is part of the extra cost . Since I have not tried it yetI can not say if it is true. I'm sailing in October and if the service is good I most likely give them a seperate tip.

The first ship where I saw "Your Choice Dining" used the upper level of one of the main dining room. There were 2 dining rooms, and I think it was the aft dining room.

Recently returned from Fantasy on a 7-Night Thanksgiving cruise.

We had "Your Choice Dining" and were always seated at a table for 2 when we would not have minded sharing ... but, because there were so many families and many more tables for 2 available.

Also, "Your Choice" has apparently become quite popular because a few folks we met in with Traditional reservations tried to changed to Your Choice and was told it was filled.

We have always gone for traditional dining in 37 cruises except once. That was on the Holland America Eurodam during our 12-night Baltic cruise. We got on the list to late and traditional dining was already full, so we had to go with anytime dining. Like you, we were shown to a table for 2 on a few occasions, but most of the time we were ushered to a table for 8 or 10.

One night we showed up to the MDR and there was a short line to be seated. So they gave us one of those flashy vibrating disks along with two glasses of champagne, and apologized for the wait. We didn't mind and walked around to the piano bar and waited for about 5 minutes before our disk started flashing. We went back to the MDR and they again apologized for the wait and offered us two more glasses of champagne. It was very nice and not a problem to have to wait. But the next day in our cabin was a dish of chocolate covered strawberries and a hand-written note from the Matre'd offering his apologies for us having to wait. And all this for 5 minutes! We were very pleased with the thoughtfulness.

While we still prefer traditional dining, our first experience with anytime dining was good.

But to answer your question, anytime dining has become very popular and I think the cruise lines did the right thing to offer it on most of their ships. Gives everyone a choice they didn't use to have. I know more and more of my clients are requesting it where they didn't use to.

Pete

A group of my clients returned from their Thanksgiving cruise last month on the MSC Poesia and told me they will prefer an Anytime dining ship for their future cruises, so it is gaining in popularity. MSC does not offer Anytime dining,....as yet, anyway.