Is Club Class now "mandatory" for Suite passengers?

[peety3]

Someone posted a review of the cruise we were just on, and indicated that suite dinner was in Club Class. I've since looked at the Princess promotional materials for suites, and on the suite benefits page (https://www.princess.com/downloads/pdf/ships/PrincessSuite_eFlyer.pdf), I now see "Exclusive Club Class dining in the main dining room for breakfast and dinner daily as well as lunch on sea days...", and I don't see any mention of traditional dining as an option.

 

The two times we've sailed in a suite while CC was "present", we had the option of traditional dining, and the promotional materials indicated that suite passengers had their choice of dining arrangements and that their requests were guaranteed. Although Club Class has its perks (don't get me wrong, I do like the concept and we did enjoy it for breakfast/lunch), it's exclusive, for better and worse (if you're traveling with non-CC folks, you can't dine with them).

 

I'd always been of the impression that suites could still select Traditional Dining, and anyone else could link their booking to the suite pax and be able to join them at that assigned table. Anyone have any more definitive insights on this?

[JF - retired RRT]

I've seen posts that indicate if you try to choose TD on your booking it will revert to AT.

It seems unreasonable to expect to be able to hold a table in TD for "just in case" while there's also a table that's held for you in CC.

If you want to dine with friends that can't go to CC, go to AT for that meal.

Just sayin'.;p

[NavyVeteran]

Someone posted a review of the cruise we were just on, and indicated that suite dinner was in Club Class. I've since looked at the Princess promotional materials for suites, and on the suite benefits page (https://www.princess.com/downloads/pdf/ships/PrincessSuite_eFlyer.pdf), I now see "Exclusive Club Class dining in the main dining room for breakfast and dinner daily as well as lunch on sea days...", and I don't see any mention of traditional dining as an option.

 

The two times we've sailed in a suite while CC was "present", we had the option of traditional dining, and the promotional materials indicated that suite passengers had their choice of dining arrangements and that their requests were guaranteed. Although Club Class has its perks (don't get me wrong, I do like the concept and we did enjoy it for breakfast/lunch), it's exclusive, for better and worse (if you're traveling with non-CC folks, you can't dine with them).

 

I'd always been of the impression that suites could still select Traditional Dining, and anyone else could link their booking to the suite pax and be able to join them at that assigned table. Anyone have any more definitive insights on this?

I have sailed twice in a suite with Club Class Dining, and I also have several future cruises booked in a suite. On my Cruise Personalizer for my upcoming cruises in a suite, I currently have two options: Anytime Dining or Traditional Dining. In the past, they have sometimes offered the choices Club Class Dining and Traditional Dining instead - they seem to have changed. For purpose of selecting dining, it doesn't matter whether they have an option for Club Class or not - you select Anytime Dining to eat in the Club Class dining room.

 

If you select Traditional Dining, then you will have a reserved seat in the Traditional dining room each evening. In this case, you are not supposed to eat dinner in the Club Class dIning room. This is the best option if you are traveling with non-Club Class passengers and you want Traditional Dining.

 

If you select Club Class Dining or Anytime Dining (whichever option is available for your booking), then you may choose each evening to eat in the Club Class dining room or in the normal Anytime dining room - you can switch back and forth as often as you want. You may want to eat in the Anytime dining room some evenings with non-Club Class friends and in the Club Class dining room other evenings. One evening DW did not want to go to the dining room for dinner, so I ate in the Anytime dining room at a share table instead of eating by myself in the Club Class dining room.

 

Even if you book Traditional Dining, you may still eat in the Club Class dining room for breakfast or lunch if you choose. For lunch on a sea day, you have the choice of either the Club Class dining room or the normal dining room. For breakfast, you have the choice each morning of either the specialty dining room (Sabatini's or Crown Grill depending on the ship), the Club Class dining room, or the normal dining room.

[NavyVeteran]

I've seen posts that indicate if you try to choose TD on your booking it will revert to AT.

It seems unreasonable to expect to be able to hold a table in TD for "just in case" while there's also a table that's held for you in CC.

If you want to dine with friends that can't go to CC, go to AT for that meal.

Just sayin'.;p

If you choose Traditional Dining, you are not holding a table there for "just in case" - that is the only table held for you for dinner. They will know you are eating dinner in Traditional Dining and not in Club Class, and they can adjust the size of the Club Class area if needed.

[skynight]

I would think if you wish to dine in TD with passengers that do not have club class dining, then select TD and make sure your dining request is linked to the other passengers. If on the other hand, you just like a fixed dining option, then just mention this in club class dining and they will have a table for you when you arrive. Don't forget even though full suite passengers can have breakfast in the club class section of the DR the better option is the mimosa breakfast in Sabatini's or other venues on some ships.

[tailspintom]

Someone posted a review of the cruise we were just on, and indicated that suite dinner was in Club Class. I've since looked at the Princess promotional materials for suites, and on the suite benefits page (https://www.princess.com/downloads/pdf/ships/PrincessSuite_eFlyer.pdf), I now see "Exclusive Club Class dining in the main dining room for breakfast and dinner daily as well as lunch on sea days...", and I don't see any mention of traditional dining as an option.

 

The two times we've sailed in a suite while CC was "present", we had the option of traditional dining, and the promotional materials indicated that suite passengers had their choice of dining arrangements and that their requests were guaranteed. Although Club Class has its perks (don't get me wrong, I do like the concept and we did enjoy it for breakfast/lunch), it's exclusive, for better and worse (if you're traveling with non-CC folks, you can't dine with them).

 

I'd always been of the impression that suites could still select Traditional Dining, and anyone else could link their booking to the suite pax and be able to join them at that assigned table. Anyone have any more definitive insights on this?

No, no, no! We don' need no stinkin' Hoity Toitis in the Hoi Poloi dining area.

 

Just kidding. .. Of course you can link your traditional dining with your travel companions. Let your travel agent or Princess know what you want to do and they can make the arrangements.

[mysaddlebred000]

Don't forget even though full suite passengers can have breakfast in the club class section of the DR the better option is the mimosa breakfast in Sabatini's or other venues on some ships.

 

Not sure why you are calling it mimosa breakfast. You can have a mimosa there but I have never heard it called that and we have been staying in suites for 15 years.

 

On our last three cruises we went to breakfast in Sabitini's and was very disappointed. Usually the staff is fantastic and they work so well together but not lately. We decided to switch to the club class section instead and every meal, the staff was outstanding. We laughed and joked through every meal. There might be a time where we want to do Sabatini's so I hope they don't eliminate breakfast there. They seem to be taking so many of our perks lately - who knows what will be next.

[rockdoctor]

Called Princess about this very problem. They have assured me that if I chose TD, I will have the option of going to CC dining as I chose. They compared it to going to Specialty Dining while having an assigned dining room. Doesn't make sense to me. Will return after the cruise with answers.

[NavyVeteran]

Called Princess about this very problem. They have assured me that if I chose TD, I will have the option of going to CC dining as I chose. They compared it to going to Specialty Dining while having an assigned dining room. Doesn't make sense to me. Will return after the cruise with answers.

The Princess representative you talked with did not know the correct answer, which unfortunately is fairly coommon.

 

According to the Club Class FAQs question 5:

Guests who wish to dine with friends, family and other cruisers not booked in a Club Class Mini-Suite or Full Suite are welcome to do so during our Anytime Dining hours in the Main Dining Room. Guests who would like to book a Club Class Mini-Suite, but would prefer to dine in Traditional Dining can request this change by calling Princess or your travel consultant.

Although the Club Class headwaiter may let you in, that is not the policy.

[NavyVeteran]

Not sure why you are calling it mimosa breakfast. You can have a mimosa there but I have never heard it called that and we have been staying in suites for 15 years.

 

On our last three cruises we went to breakfast in Sabitini's and was very disappointed. Usually the staff is fantastic and they work so well together but not lately. We decided to switch to the club class section instead and every meal, the staff was outstanding. We laughed and joked through every meal. There might be a time where we want to do Sabatini's so I hope they don't eliminate breakfast there. They seem to be taking so many of our perks lately - who knows what will be next.

Princess is now calling it "Complimentary specialty dining mimosa breakfast" in their list of Full Suite Benefits. They are no longer calling it a Sabatini's breakfast because it is offered in the Crown Grill on some ships.

[Steelers36]

Princess is now calling it "Complimentary specialty dining mimosa breakfast" in their list of Full Suite Benefits. They are no longer calling it a Sabatini's breakfast because it is offered in the Crown Grill on some ships.

 

Some ships no longer have a Sabatini's as it changed to SHARE.

[f-mattox]

I currently have three cruises booked in suites and have selected Traditional First Sitting at the time of booking. We are traveling with friends who also have suites, but we all prefer Traditional. We will also utilize the Complimentary Mimosa Breakfast and the Club Class lunch in the dining room on some days.

[bbum]

On our last cruise in a full suite we had asked to be linked to another couple for late traditional dinning but once onboard we noticed that we were seated at different tables so off we went to see the Matre De who got it fixed but also noticed that we were in a suite and told us we could also use the club class dinning for dinner if we wished and actually wanted us to try it. I think perhaps because the club class dinning is fairly new they want to expose people to it, but regardless you can still choose whatever dinning options you would like if in a suite. If you choose a traditional dinning time and decide to go to club class for whatever reason you are only holding up a table in traditional dinning if you had asked for a table for two. If you are seated at a larger table you would not be holding up a table, although it would be a courtesy to let your table mates know you were not joining them so as to not hold up their dinning. We used the club class a couple of times on our last cruise for lunch, and at the entrance they ask for your cabin number and they have a list, so as long as you are on that list you are entitled to use club class dinning, and I believe all suite cabins are on that list, although we did not use club class for dinner dinning so not sure if our cabin was listed on that list, but from what I believe I was told I would think it would be. To be completely honest I think club class dinning is over rated but that's just my opinion, am I'm sure many others would dissagree:)

[skynight]

Not sure why you are calling it mimosa breakfast. You can have a mimosa there but I have never heard it called that and we have been staying in suites for 15 years.

 

Quote from the Princess web site on Full suite benefits

"• Complimentary specialty diningmimosa breakfast (Daily)***"

[NavyVeteran]

I currently have three cruises booked in suites and have selected Traditional First Sitting at the time of booking. We are traveling with friends who also have suites, but we all prefer Traditional. We will also utilize the Complimentary Mimosa Breakfast and the Club Class lunch in the dining room on some days.

If all of your friends traveling with you are in suites, I highly recommend you change your reservation from Traditional to Anytime and eat in Club Class dining. It has all of the advantages of Traditional with the flexibility of Anytime and better service.

On a British Isles cruise last month on the Caribbean Princess, I was traveling with a party of eight - four couples all in suites. We had Anytime dining on our Personalizers, and we ate in Club Class every night (except for the first night at Crown Grill). We had the same table for eight with the same waiters every night, and the table was available whenever we wanted it.

I don't think parties of two always were at the same table, since I don't think they keep enough tables for two for everyone to arrive at the same time. However, we were the only party of eight traveling in Club Class, so that table was available for us whenever we arrived. If we didn't coordinate dining times, we still sat at the same table for eight, and the others joined us when they arrived - or didn't if they didn't arrive until we left.

[DSLibrarian]

Not sure why you are calling it mimosa breakfast. You can have a mimosa there but I have never heard it called that and we have been staying in suites for 15 years.

 

On our last three cruises we went to breakfast in Sabitini's and was very disappointed. Usually the staff is fantastic and they work so well together but not lately. We decided to switch to the club class section instead and every meal, the staff was outstanding. We laughed and joked through every meal. There might be a time where we want to do Sabatini's so I hope they don't eliminate breakfast there. They seem to be taking so many of our perks lately - who knows what will be next.

 

We also preferred the club class breakfast (on CB Aug 2017) over the Sabatini's suite breakfast. The head waiter and waiters were much more welcoming than those in Sabatini's. While we do enjoy mimosas, the atmosphere in club class more than made up for the lack of some morning "happy juice."

[towhee]

In May we were upgraded to a CC suite after booking a non-CC suite and choosing TD. There were a couple of nights when TD didn't work for us, so we went to the CC dining and were welcomed with open arms.

[NavyVeteran]

In May we were upgraded to a CC suite after booking a non-CC suite and choosing TD. There were a couple of nights when TD didn't work for us, so we went to the CC dining and were welcomed with open arms.

There is no such thing as a non-CC suite. All suites are CC on the ships that have implemented CC.

[pris993]

I've seen posts that indicate if you try to choose TD on your booking it will revert to AT.

It seems unreasonable to expect to be able to hold a table in TD for "just in case" while there's also a table that's held for you in CC.

If you want to dine with friends that can't go to CC, go to AT for that meal.

Just sayin'.;p

 

I would suggest folks in a suite go see the Mater'd the first day on board... if they want to eat in TD with friends... I am sure the Mater'd will take care of them.

[peety3]

I currently have three cruises booked in suites and have selected Traditional First Sitting at the time of booking. We are traveling with friends who also have suites, but we all prefer Traditional. We will also utilize the Complimentary Mimosa Breakfast and the Club Class lunch in the dining room on some days.

Thanks for this post - I appreciate hearing from someone with a current "open" booking, and I also appreciate hearing from someone who "gets it". Your summary is exactly how we like to do it: suite breakfast, CC lunch when it makes sense, TD, and CC breakfast on disembarkation day (if our traveling companions aren't joining us or if we're traveling by ourselves, since suite breakfast isn't offered that day.

[Steelers36]

I don't understand why people with access to Club Class can't see it is like TD if you show up at the same time every night. On a longer cruise, IDK why you wouldn't be able to have "your" table, especially if come early or late and not in midst of peak time.

 

Also, I don't understand what happens if a lot of cruisers who have rights to CC decide to abandon it for other options. I would hope the MD is made aware of this because if the numbers were significant enough, he might decide to carve off a table or two for AT or TD diners. My point is there is no point in holding empty tables for folks that aren't going to show up. And it seems not right if decide to come 1 or 2 times out of a cruise and again tables are held. I have not been on a ship since CC began, so I don't have any first-hand experience with it, but I am just saying it would help reduce other diners situation if the MD has a true picture of the demand and not just the number of eligible cabins.

[cruzsnooze]

I don't understand why people with access to Club Class can't see it is like TD if you show up at the same time every night. On a longer cruise, IDK why you wouldn't be able to have "your" table, especially if come early or late and not in midst of peak time.

 

Also, I don't understand what happens if a lot of cruisers who have rights to CC decide to abandon it for other options. I would hope the MD is made aware of this because if the numbers were significant enough, he might decide to carve off a table or two for AT or TD diners. My point is there is no point in holding empty tables for folks that aren't going to show up. .

You miss the point of something, CC eligible passengers have paid a significant premium for their options. Here's a Panama canal cruise in February,

$1,039.00*

$1,299.00*

$1,949.00*

$2,454.00*

$4,099.00*

There is no comparison between paying $409 PP PD and $103 or $129 or $194 or $245 per person per day so when you pay top dollar you PAID for the amenity and options. You get perks when you book a suite and at these price differences it's got to be more then just sq. ft. to command the significant price difference. If you are sailing with people who are not CC or people you just met onboard you have the option to use anytime to have dinner together because they would not have the option to go into CC with you. Princess has given the incentive of a no wait or slight wait in CC so they need to be true to their word and hold tables for eligible passengers.

Everyone has the option to book a suite or a CC mini and take advantage of the amenity package that comes with it. If you can't afford the suite then you book and pay for what you can afford and don't look at what other people paid for. No different then buying a Lexus VS a Chevy and complaining your Chevy doesn't have all the bells and whistles of a Lexus.

[cruiselvr1]

Someone posted a review of the cruise we were just on, and indicated that suite dinner was in Club Class. I've since looked at the Princess promotional materials for suites, and on the suite benefits page (https://www.princess.com/downloads/pdf/ships/PrincessSuite_eFlyer.pdf), I now see "Exclusive Club Class dining in the main dining room for breakfast and dinner daily as well as lunch on sea days...", and I don't see any mention of traditional dining as an option.

 

The two times we've sailed in a suite while CC was "present", we had the option of traditional dining, and the promotional materials indicated that suite passengers had their choice of dining arrangements and that their requests were guaranteed. Although Club Class has its perks (don't get me wrong, I do like the concept and we did enjoy it for breakfast/lunch), it's exclusive, for better and worse (if you're traveling with non-CC folks, you can't dine with them).

 

I'd always been of the impression that suites could still select Traditional Dining, and anyone else could link their booking to the suite pax and be able to join them at that assigned table. Anyone have any more definitive insights on this?

On our recent Alaskan Cruise, we were marked as TD because club class wasn't a option when we booked the cruise. We had a hard time changing to club class, after talking to the maître d' hotel he made the change. So it was not a requirement.

[NavyVeteran]

I currently have three cruises booked in suites and have selected Traditional First Sitting at the time of booking. We are traveling with friends who also have suites, but we all prefer Traditional. We will also utilize the Complimentary Mimosa Breakfast and the Club Class lunch in the dining room on some days.

 

Thanks for this post - I appreciate hearing from someone with a current "open" booking, and I also appreciate hearing from someone who "gets it". Your summary is exactly how we like to do it: suite breakfast, CC lunch when it makes sense, TD, and CC breakfast on disembarkation day (if our traveling companions aren't joining us or if we're traveling by ourselves, since suite breakfast isn't offered that day.

There is one major difference between the two situations.

 

F-Mattox states that they are traveling with friends who also have suites. In that case, there is absolutely no dvantage to Traditional dining instead of Club Class for dinner. For a larger group, Club Class gives you the same table and same waiters without having to arrive at the same time.

 

Peety3 is traveling with friends who are not in suites. In that case, Traditional makes more sense so you can dine with your traveling companions who are not in suites or CC.

[Steelers36]

You miss the point of something, CC eligible passengers have paid a significant premium for their options. Here's a Panama canal cruise in February,

$1,039.00*

$1,299.00*

$1,949.00*

$2,454.00*

$4,099.00*

There is no comparison between paying $409 PP PD and $103 or $129 or $194 or $245 per person per day so when you pay top dollar you PAID for the amenity and options. You get perks when you book a suite and at these price differences it's got to be more then just sq. ft. to command the significant price difference. If you are sailing with people who are not CC or people you just met onboard you have the option to use anytime to have dinner together because they would not have the option to go into CC with you. Princess has given the incentive of a no wait or slight wait in CC so they need to be true to their word and hold tables for eligible passengers.

Everyone has the option to book a suite or a CC mini and take advantage of the amenity package that comes with it. If you can't afford the suite then you book and pay for what you can afford and don't look at what other people paid for. No different then buying a Lexus VS a Chevy and complaining your Chevy doesn't have all the bells and whistles of a Lexus.

 

Now I think you misunderstood me. I don't have any issue with folks who paid a premium for suites or Club Class getting extra perq's or special treatment for dining.

 

Some were posting as not happy with CC compared to their former TD choice. I think when I consider CC that it could be like TD if you come at the same time each night and I also wouldn't be surprised if you could get the same table if punctual. That was a bit of conjecture.

 

The rest of my post was in response to the situation I imagine if many of those entitled to use the CC section of DR don't want CC dining and want to go to TD or even regular AT to join friends who don't have the CC option. If there are significant numbers doing this then it will leave the CC area less occupied when it could be shrunk and open more tables to the masses. So it would seem right for CC-eligible cruisers to advise DR mgmt if not going to use it. IDK if this is a flexible section that they might swap out some capacity for other diners if the demand is not there for CC.