Why we like Personal Choice dinning.

Can anyone tell me if there is an additional charge for Personal Choice dining?

[Karen Knowlton]

No, it's included in the cruise fare, just as traditional fixed-seating dining is. However, some alternate restaurants carry an extra charge.

I've read that as great as PC dining sounds, it's not really eat-when-you're-hungry because there are lines at the restaurants at the more popluar times (6PM-7PM?)...sometimes quite long. This has apparently upset some passengers. Again, this is what I've read on other forums. I signed up for second seating because I enjoy the traditional no-hassle sit down at the same table treatment. To me, it's what sets a cruising apart from a regular vacation where you go different places and make reservations, etc. Plus you get to choose from the other menus as well, a different one per night, from what I read. Hey whatever you choose, it will probably be great. So have fun!

[Lyn]

as a personal choice diner you also have the menus with about 5 entree's to chose from as well. And I know this because I've been there, not read about it. There were lines at times but you also have two resturants to chose from and the wait has never been too lenghty. You may request a certain table for the following night at a particular time and they will hold this table for you.

On our first Princess cruise (Grand in 2003) we waited 15 minutes for a table for 2 only twice. Yes, some passengers were upset. However, instead of hanging around the dining room doors stewing (or, worse, yelling at the headwaiter), we just grabbed a glass of wine and listened to the classical music in the Atrium. The time passed very quickly and peacefully. We knew the food wasn't going to run out before we were seated!

On our second Princess cruise (Golden 2004) we never waited for a table... and we ate in the Bernini dining room between 7:00-8:30 p.m. 5 nights out of 7. Our menus were exactly the same as the ones traditional diners had. We had no complaints about the service, either.

It all depends on what you want out of a cruise. We like to hang loose, which means (among other things) eating whatever we want, where we want, and with whom.

PC dining is the main reason my wife and I chose Princess