Kay S

I have seen that done in the past, but that was in the historical days of TD before DMW. I really don't know if they will be that flexible with this new scheme.

No. They use the wheelchairs only for embarking and disembarking. The FAQ specifically states a person needs to supply his or her own wheelchair for use on board. You might want to rent one.

I imagine "formal night" or whatever they call it now will apply to all three of the dining rooms.

There will be a Reserve staff person at the entrance, directing non-Reserve guests to the other entrance. I have always found them very polite, no "stink eye."

"Traditional" in this sense means "fixed seating." The traditional dining room has the same dress code as the other dining rooms and is NOT more formal. Yes, guests have the same table and wait staff every night. That means there is no standing around waiting to be seated and thus, no queue. It is possible to get a table for two for the duration of the cruise and that would mean no fellow passengers as tablemates every night. This is not some new-fangled idea dreamed up by Princess: this is the way dining has been for decades on nearly all cruise lines. (Hence the word "traditional.") This new dining scheme makes it possible for cruisers who like fixed dining (and there are more of us than you might think) to get what they want by allowing other diners to be more flexible in their dining choices. Princess is giving you a choice. For those of you who "disapprove" of the new approach, consider that all those people in traditional dining are not standing in the queue with you waiting for a table, nor are they grabbing all the desirable tables in the reservations dining room before you can get to them. Win win.

Discussed where and by whom?

That is crazyy.

He did come back briefly a day or so ago.

Too bad.

There seems to be Coral late trad seating for private tables available right now (according to arizonaperson's thread) so those really lovely tables near the back of the dining room (with windows) might be open. Those are the nicest two-tops in the fleet, IMO. Some lucky couples might strike while the iron is hot!

Yep. As it ever was. Can't please everyone.

Those desirable tables do exist, but they seem to get snapped up first. I didn't intend to give the impression that only the banquette row tables are the only option. However, there are a lot of them, and people now choosing private tables for two on the app should at least be aware of that. The Royal class ships' version is a little better than the Grand class. I remember a banquette row on The Caribbean Princess where the tables were even closer together. The server had to pull the table out from the bench to give the person room to move in and sit down. I don't know, but I wonder if they will modify things to work with the new dining scheme. More two-tops added. Who knows.

Baby sisters? 🙂 I agree that the big ships are good for kids. Most of my Carnival trips have been with the grandkids. However, I wasn't there to relax. Chill, eat, read and nap, those are my cruising goals nowadays.

Well... it's about a foot away. In the middle of the row, there would be people on both sides of you. My concern had been that those people next to you would "eavesdrop" on your conversation, whether they wanted to or not. On the flip side, you might be subjected to unwanted details about Aunt Janet's bunion surgery. I guess dinner would not be the place to discuss anything too personal. 😄

You can book traditional and then try the walk up MDR if you're back late. I think. This thing is so confusing. BTW, you will love the Diamond, one of my favorites.

You get dining in the Reserve section of the MDR and you do not have to make reservations. With this current snafu of everyone scrambling to get a reservation, this is a major perk. You also get a glass of bad sparkling wine when you check in. 🤣 The service in Reserve class is outstanding.

That works for me. I cruise to relax, and on those mega ships with all the activity (and people) I don't think relaxed is what I would be. 🙂

Yes, we did talk with the people around us. It was almost like having a shared table. I get the impression, though, that most people looking for two-tops don't want to get into a "sharing" situation.

Lucky you!

Yes, a very nice table. Private. The people on either side of you couldn't eavesdrop. 🙂

This is a picture of the Enchanted; it is nearly identical to the seating arrangement we had on the Majestic. These little tables are very close together. This arrangement is common on the Royal class ships. I remember some free-standing two-tops on some of the Grand class ships, but I don't know if they still exist. It might be possible to get a better situation than this, but if you are holding out for a two-top, expect this. Anyone have a picture of the two-tops in the Coral MDR? I remember those as private tables at the back near the window, but I can't find a photo.

I chuckle at the idea of a "more refined crowd." Do I become less refined when I cruise on Carnival (which I have done many times) and will I become more refined when I take my first Oceania cruise this year? I've been on more than 20 Princess cruises, and I'm working on the same for HAL. I guess when I'm on one of those, I am just "medium refined." 😄

Good luck. I hope this works. If so, you should spread the news.

This has happened to me more than once. I just plan to stand in the line to get the medallion at the dock now. Princess app is notoriously glitchy.

Good point. Strip away the benefits and then offer them back. Free internet? Cruise 15 more times. 😝