Dine My Way - new MedallionClass enhancement

[MileHighAko]

1 hour ago, Astro Flyer said:

…has anyone else booked on Discovery experienced this glitch in the MC app?

I have two cruises booked on discovery for 2022 and can’t get DMW to work for either. I was just assuming that the ship is too new to have accurate data available for DMW.  Even the deck plan is missing in the app. 

[Nicole&Pete]

On 6/11/2021 at 3:29 PM, Thrak said:

 

We had selected Anytime dining for all of our upcoming cruises. I clicked on the DMW link and (after a long session of "loading") got several choices.

• Reserve for the same time each day
• View or book individual daily reservations
• Order for delivery with OceanNow

I selected Viewor book individual daily reservations. It offered me Pacific Moon Dining Room. Table for 2. 7:00 PM  It also had "Cancel Reservation" as an option. Not sure if this means a reservation was automagically set up for us or not but it's definitely not what I would consider Anytime. Also, I'm pretty sure I had selected a Table for 6 (or 8 - can't remember which) in the Personalizer.

Hi, the same thing happened to us, we selected a table for 6 and our default dining time is 7pm table for 2. We did select TD late seating at the time of booking. But it looks like we can cancel that booking now anyways.

 

 

[1965]

4 minutes ago, scottca075 said:

Frankly I've gotten too used to "freestyle cruising" (thank you NCL) to want to go back to having to dine at a certain time. I like deciding rather spontaneously on when I want to dine, especially on port days. The notion that I should be worrying about dining on my Feb 2022 cruise is worrisome.

My feelings also. 😊

[Nicole&Pete]

On 6/11/2021 at 6:11 PM, Steelers36 said:

Our booking was for Early TD.  We were default assigned 5pm at a 2-top.  But not Allegro as one might expect.  It was Concerto I believe (which I would prefer actually).  I had to delete all those and setup new "TD style", including our travel companions and using 6pm was assigned Symphony, but even using 5pm, it did not offer Concerto regularly and I never did see Allegro (which is one of the clues I am guessing that not all tables are loaded into inventory).

 

Hi the same thing happened to us. We booked TD late seating and ours is a two person table at 7pm but in the mid ship DR not the aft on sky princess. If we can get the traditional dining experience but with a certain time we choose that would be brilliant but I imagine that is too good to be true and would be very hard for them to manage.

[Nicole&Pete]

On 6/11/2021 at 1:49 PM, Steelers36 said:

The DMW feature is not developed to the promised functionality.  Whether the IT team screwed up which is their proclivity, or whether they just have not added all features as yet - who knows? 

 

The default is to assign your party to the minimum size table available to seat you at.  There is no offering for you to select the desired table size (as we had under the Personalizer).  Seems hard to believe we won't be getting that option or it is a take-away.  But it is not there. 

 

You are supposed to be able to replicate the old TD - same wait staff every night.  Obviously, if they assign you to different DR some nights, that isn't going to work.  Also, when they assign different table sizes each night, it may mean you are with same wait staff - or not.  Past wait staff teams we have had are covering various sizes of tables.  But it certainly will be a Maitre D's nightmare if people are jumping around tables due to the software. 

 

Hopefully this gets sorted out soon.  If not for the first Alaska trips or UK trips, then soon after.  I can almost guarantee you the MD's on those ships will be calling up HQ and blasting them if they are handed a dog's breakfast of reservations.  That said, we don't know of the MD's task is changing much from before as they would get all the dining requests from the booking systems and have to setup tables anyway.  But, they won't have the right info if every cabin comes in the random table sizes and not what people really requested.

Thank you for your reply. It seems there are a few kinks to be sorted with this system and were not cruising until this time next year so hopefully it will be sorted by then. If we can have the same TD experience but at the time we want (on this cruise the usual time would be too early for the times were in port) this sounds great but very hard for them to manage I imagine.

 

To be honest I just hate the thought of doing admin and bookings etc. on holiday I’d rather have it all sorted before we board, so as long as I have a time booked in I’m happy with that.

[Trent212]

For another data point:

 

Previously had selected late traditional dining at booking on both my Dec 2021 (Sky) and March 2022 (Ruby) cruises. Yesterday (June 12), DMW wasn't running yet. This morning it was working and I had tables for 2 at 7pm each night of both sailings already reserved.

[MamaFej]

I'm just freewheeling/thinking "out loud" here, so please bear with me, or skip this post.

 

I wonder if some of the issues with table size on the app for now might be because Princess are contemplating changing the layouts of the dining rooms, perhaps with more small tables. More people than before might want smaller tables after a long period of social distancing, etc. Seating 32 at 16 tables of 2 would take up more floor space than at 4 tables of 8, however, it might make service faster, allowing them to serve those 32, on average, in a shorter amount of time. That could allow for serving perhaps 80-90 people at those 16 tables each evening, rather than just 64 in two seatings. 

 

I know that we have been at a large table, and dinner has taken a very long time, because they won't serve the next course until everyone at the table has finished the current one. The large tables are wonderful for meeting and chatting with people, however, it can lead to conversations which delay courses. On one cruise, we had two couples at a table of ten who chatted so much that dinner took over two hours, and we excused ourselves before dessert, as we just couldn't take it any more. 

 

I imagine Princess have behavior analysts and mathmeticians or actuaries crunching the numbers on these things. Or I could be just over-thinking, as I am rather prone to do (just ask PapaFej). . 

 

[Tedferg]

1 hour ago, scottca075 said:

Frankly I've gotten too used to "freestyle cruising" (thank you NCL) to want to go back to having to dine at a certain time. I like deciding rather spontaneously on when I want to dine, especially on port days. The notion that I should be worrying about dining on my Feb 2022 cruise is worrisome.

Perhaps you missed earlier discussion. DMW when working properly gives you exactly what you want, just do not make any reservations, turn up anytime and go with the flow. However if, as you get closer to cruise date, you decide you would like a specific time one evening, DMW gives you that. Traditional and Anytime did not do that. 
 

Assuming Princess gets it working correctly there is NOTHING that Traditional and Anytime did that DMW cannot do!

[c-boy]

2 hours ago, MamaFej said:

I'm just freewheeling/thinking "out loud" here, so please bear with me, or skip this post.

 

I wonder if some of the issues with table size on the app for now might be because Princess are contemplating changing the layouts of the dining rooms, perhaps with more small tables. More people than before might want smaller tables after a long period of social distancing, etc. Seating 32 at 16 tables of 2 would take up more floor space than at 4 tables of 8, however, it might make service faster, allowing them to serve those 32, on average, in a shorter amount of time. That could allow for serving perhaps 80-90 people at those 16 tables each evening, rather than just 64 in two seatings. 

 

I know that we have been at a large table, and dinner has taken a very long time, because they won't serve the next course until everyone at the table has finished the current one. The large tables are wonderful for meeting and chatting with people, however, it can lead to conversations which delay courses. On one cruise, we had two couples at a table of ten who chatted so much that dinner took over two hours, and we excused ourselves before dessert, as we just couldn't take it any more. 

 

I imagine Princess have behavior analysts and mathmeticians or actuaries crunching the numbers on these things. Or I could be just over-thinking, as I am rather prone to do (just ask PapaFej). . 

 

 

ya se it's all about spatial, time quantum and string theories. 

[MamaFej]

34 minutes ago, c-boy said:

 

ya se it's all about spatial, time quantum and string theories. 

Paging Doctor Who, Sam Beckett, and Sheldon Cooper!

Wibbly-wobbly timey-wimey stuff, indeed. 

[c-boy]

I'm sorry Mama, I had to go there. You sound like a fun person to sit and have drinks with.

[MamaFej]

11 minutes ago, c-boy said:

I'm sorry Mama, I had to go there. You sound like a fun person to sit and have drinks with.

I can asure you that I am. You sound fun, too. Perhaps we can sit at Vines, Crooners, or the Wheelhouse Bar together someday and confirm.

[Steelers36]

3 hours ago, MamaFej said:

I'm just freewheeling/thinking "out loud" here, so please bear with me, or skip this post.

 

I wonder if some of the issues with table size on the app for now might be because Princess are contemplating changing the layouts of the dining rooms, perhaps with more small tables. More people than before might want smaller tables after a long period of social distancing, etc. Seating 32 at 16 tables of 2 would take up more floor space than at 4 tables of 8, however, it might make service faster, allowing them to serve those 32, on average, in a shorter amount of time. That could allow for serving perhaps 80-90 people at those 16 tables each evening, rather than just 64 in two seatings. 

 

I know that we have been at a large table, and dinner has taken a very long time, because they won't serve the next course until everyone at the table has finished the current one. The large tables are wonderful for meeting and chatting with people, however, it can lead to conversations which delay courses. On one cruise, we had two couples at a table of ten who chatted so much that dinner took over two hours, and we excused ourselves before dessert, as we just couldn't take it any more. 

 

I imagine Princess have behavior analysts and mathmeticians or actuaries crunching the numbers on these things. Or I could be just over-thinking, as I am rather prone to do (just ask PapaFej). . 

 

You may be right about changing some table sizes, and I have certainly thought about that as the case for the near-term cruises.  But for later on in 2022 - certainly by spring/mid-year and beyond, we have to be back to 100% normal life again.  People are vaccinated and Covid-19 in the rearview mirror.  I have no way of knowing, but thinking Princess will be back to their typical seating in 2022 once all ships are up and running and whatever you want to call "normal" is back.  They still need some 8-tops and 10-tops as large family groups often travel and need the space. 

 

And lots of cruisers like to meet up with various dinner companions.  I get that and wouldn't mind it at a 4-top, but a number of years back when AT first came out we did it and had a good group on one ship and then it was bad two nights at a 6-top and and 8-top on another voyage and we just waited for a 2-top as not interested in the never-ending meal service. 

 

Now, we sail a lot with friends and a 4-top works out well.  

 

I think the main problem is that the designers have so far ignored the table size choice and are auto-selecting the 2-tops for each cabin and then moving on to 4-tops, etc.  We do not even know if they are putting two unrelated cabins at a 4-top and then when next one is assigned, they go on to a new 4-top.  Based on the buggy situation, it would not surprise me. 

 

As I have posted previously, we don't know if they have released full table inventory for far-out voyages.  For example, in our situation, I have never seen any option pop up for Allegro DR as yet.  

 

Perhaps one day we will have answers.  Until they make this DMW more flexible with same features we had and make it work properly, it's a nightmare for the MD to sort out methinks.

 

[ihopfar]

We are a party of two.. but it keeps giving me reservation at a table for 4.  Is there a place I can provide my preference for a table for 2?

 

Thanks!

Brad

Edited June 13, 2021 by ihopfar

[MamaFej]

5 minutes ago, Steelers36 said:

You may be right about changing some table sizes, and I have certainly thought about that as the case for the near-term cruises.  But for later on in 2022 - certainly by spring/mid-year and beyond, we have to be back to 100% normal life again.  People are vaccinated and Covid-19 in the rearview mirror.  I have no way of knowing, but thinking Princess will be back to their typical seating in 2022 once all ships are up and running and whatever you want to call "normal" is back.  They still need some 8-tops and 10-tops as large family groups often travel and need the space. 

 

And lots of cruisers like to meet up with various dinner companions.  I get that and wouldn't mind it at a 4-top, but a number of years back when AT first came out we did it and had a good group on one ship and then it was bad two nights at a 6-top and and 8-top on another voyage and we just waited for a 2-top as not interested in the never-ending meal service. 

 

Now, we sail a lot with friends and a 4-top works out well.  

 

I think the main problem is that the designers have so far ignored the table size choice and are auto-selecting the 2-tops for each cabin and then moving on to 4-tops, etc.  We do not even know if they are putting two unrelated cabins at a 4-top and then when next one is assigned, they go on to a new 4-top.  Based on the buggy situation, it would not surprise me. 

 

As I have posted previously, we don't know if they have released full table inventory for far-out voyages.  For example, in our situation, I have never seen any option pop up for Allegro DR as yet.  

 

Perhaps one day we will have answers.  Until they make this DMW more flexible with same features we had and make it work properly, it's a nightmare for the MD to sort out methinks.

 

I tend to think that the problems folks are running into now will enable the programmers to figure out the shortcomings thus far and they will continue to work on it. 

 

My figurative wine glass is half-full.

 

(Looking forward to a real one tonight)

[turquoisewater]

On 6/8/2021 at 1:13 PM, Cruzinnana47 said:

Just an additional observation on Android phones.  Even though we both have Samsung phones (& a tablet), my husband has a different version of the operating system on his phone and today logged in and had no problem accessing the dining ressies and also found the departure group for our upcoming Nov., 2021 cruise on the Enchanted.  My phone still cannot access any of this and can't load the app onto our tablet.  Not a big deal, but figured I'd share our discovery.  Too bad Princess can't list the types of devices/operating systems necessary for the new version of the app.  Guess I'm asking for too much.   

 

If anyone is aware of this info., please enlighten us.  

I understand that for Androids the operating system has to be 8 or higher.  I can't remember what the i phone was but I Did read it somewhete.  I sure wish it would work on earlier versions.  I only have 6.0.1.  Thank ggoodness my husband has a newer phone even though he rarely used it.

 

[skynight]

2 hours ago, Tedferg said:

Perhaps you missed earlier discussion. DMW when working properly gives you exactly what you want, just do not make any reservations, turn up anytime and go with the flow. However if, as you get closer to cruise date, you decide you would like a specific time one evening, DMW gives you that. Traditional and Anytime did not do that. 
 

Assuming Princess gets it working correctly there is NOTHING that Traditional and Anytime did that DMW cannot do!

So anytime dining is still there? I don't see that option in the app. The feeling I get is if you decide at 4pm to dine that evening at 5:40pm you go to your phone, or TV, and make the reservation. There probably will be a good chance all spots will be filled. DMW will then offer you other times. As time goes on then passengers will realize that you have to decide earlier and earlier and earlier, over a year in advance, if you want to get into a DR at the time you enjoy.  If you just wish to show up at a DR then how would you select which one? If you did show up you would probably have to wait for a no show. I don't see the option like it was where certain DR's are assigned to anytime dining.

So far, not a big fan of what I see. To me Dine My Way really should read Dine Princess' Way. My way isn't offered.

So what did we do for 2022. We booked the same time each day and will show or not show depending on how we feel.

[Thrak]

23 minutes ago, turquoisewater said:

I understand that for Androids the operating system has to be 8 or higher.  I can't remember what the i phone was but I Did read it somewhete.  I sure wish it would work on earlier versions.  I only have 6.0.1.  Thank ggoodness my husband has a newer phone even though he rarely used it.

 

[Steelers36]

1 hour ago, skynight said:

So anytime dining is still there? I don't see that option in the app. The feeling I get is if you decide at 4pm to dine that evening at 5:40pm you go to your phone, or TV, and make the reservation. There probably will be a good chance all spots will be filled. DMW will then offer you other times. As time goes on then passengers will realize that you have to decide earlier and earlier and earlier, over a year in advance, if you want to get into a DR at the time you enjoy.  If you just wish to show up at a DR then how would you select which one? If you did show up you would probably have to wait for a no show. I don't see the option like it was where certain DR's are assigned to anytime dining.

So far, not a big fan of what I see. To me Dine My Way really should read Dine Princess' Way. My way isn't offered.

So what did we do for 2022. We booked the same time each day and will show or not show depending on how we feel.

Yes, AT is in the App.  So far, with DMW, you select either the same time every night (their version of TD so far) or review/book individual evenings (their version of AT so far).  The third option is only available when on board and you are ordering something to be delivered where you are.

 

So, you can reserve individual evenings, one-by-one, and do all of them, or some of them at any time.  It is true that if you wait until a couple of hours before wanting to dine, that tables will be full.  But how different is that than waiting in a line at prime-time?  IDK.  Another thing we don't know is if all the inventory is being released well ahead of the sail date.  I don't think we are going to know how this is going to work until ships start sailing and some voyages have been completed.

 

I can imagine there may well be a lot of no-shows, and it could really back things up if they allow 15 mins grace per res.

 

If you have selected same time each day (their version of TD, but not really it), you can always go in and delete or change the res for individual days.  This would free up your seat(s) from the original res and get you something else, including Specialty Dining option.  It is probably smart to have a standing res and try to change it when know more. 

 

I do agree that if most of the AT diners go into DMW ahead of the voyage and book up tables, it is going to create a capacity crunch and it makes those who want spontaneity have a more difficult time perhaps.

 

There are going to be growing pains no about.  Just had a thought - perhaps Princess should not allow individual night bookings in the MDR's way ahead of the sailing date.  Sure, for Specialty Dining, but not the DR's as that seems to fly in the face of the Anytime concept.  Perhaps this is what is disturbing to Anytime fans. 

 

Also, one can argue that booking the same time for whole cruise is not really TD, if those times are outside the range of clock times for Early and Late TD.  Otherwise, it seems like custom reservations, but not fitting the TD profile for alignment with nightly entertainment. 

 

Purists might wish for advance TD reservations for every night of cruise to fall within a 30 minute window Early and similar for Late.  All other times are for Anytime and those are not open for booking until boarding or close to sail date.  Otherwise, how can it be called "Anytime".  

 

 

The big miss to date, however, is the lack of table size choice.  Whether dining TD or AT, passengers should be able to select desired table size before selecting available times.  Actually, they should allow us to select ANY SIZE, or tap on two or more different sizes for no preference (say 2 or 4 top). 

 

As it is now, DMW is trying to put each pair of cabinmates at a 2-top and then spilling over to larger tables when those are gone. 

 

I am not sure that all cruises have all table inventory loaded either. 

 

Bottom line, DMW is not replicating what we had before.  It is not doing what Princess marketing claims it should be doing.  There is still work to be done.  We don't know what is going on in the background.  We don't know whether inventory is going to be withheld right up to sail date to allow for walk-ups, or whether more inventory will be released later. 

 

It's all a crap-shoot and Princess tells us nothing but sunny ways on sunny days.

But somehow they will feed us all and the MD's on each ship will get gray hair sorting it out. 😉

 

Edited June 14, 2021 by Steelers36

[oskidunker]

They may want to avoid large groups thus filling small tables on capacity reduced cruises. 

[Astro Flyer]

6 hours ago, MileHighAko said:

I have two cruises booked on discovery for 2022 and can’t get DMW to work for either. I was just assuming that the ship is too new to have accurate data available for DMW.  Even the deck plan is missing in the app. 

Thanks…Hopefully it’s merely an issue of inputting the information & not due to any uncertainty about it deploying to LA on-time. 
 

Unlike our 2 other Princess cruises that have 3 of the 5 Travel Checklist options completed, none of those things are currently available for Discovery. Eventually everything should be available but 3 months after floatout Princess only states they’re planning on Discovery sailing it’s first cruise on 3/1/22…subject to change.

[Steelers36]

33 minutes ago, oskidunker said:

They may want to avoid large groups thus filling small tables on capacity reduced cruises. 

Could be for near-term 2021, but I seriously doubt it for second half of 2022 - even sooner.

 

Also, it seems clear to me that they ignored connected groups in Personalizer data and only assigned default times to individual cabins, so even pre-planned "groups" were not setup together.

[suekel]

24 minutes ago, Astro Flyer said:

Thanks…Hopefully it’s merely an issue of inputting the information & not due to any uncertainty about it deploying to LA on-time. 
 

Unlike our 2 other Princess cruises that have 3 of the 5 Travel Checklist options completed, none of those things are currently available for Discovery. Eventually everything should be available but 3 months after floatout Princess only states they’re planning on Discovery sailing it’s first cruise on 3/1/22…subject to change.

I have been able to choose our dinner time on the 4/10 Discovery.  

[MileHighAko]

52 minutes ago, Astro Flyer said:

Thanks…Hopefully it’s merely an issue of inputting the information & not due to any uncertainty about it deploying to LA on-time. 
 

Unlike our 2 other Princess cruises that have 3 of the 5 Travel Checklist options completed, none of those things are currently available for Discovery. Eventually everything should be available but 3 months after floatout Princess only states they’re planning on Discovery sailing it’s first cruise on 3/1/22…subject to change.

 

27 minutes ago, suekel said:

I have been able to choose our dinner time on the 4/10 Discovery.  

 

I just tried again, and the 4/29 Discovery sailing is working now in DMW. I was pleased that I was able to add the booking number of my FIL and book for all of us.  I wasn't as pleased at the lack of available dining times and lack of ability to select a dining room.

[Tedferg]

4 hours ago, skynight said:

So anytime dining is still there? I don't see that option in the app. The feeling I get is if you decide at 4pm to dine that evening at 5:40pm you go to your phone, or TV, and make the reservation. There probably will be a good chance all spots will be filled. DMW will then offer you other times. As time goes on then passengers will realize that you have to decide earlier and earlier and earlier, over a year in advance, if you want to get into a DR at the time you enjoy.  If you just wish to show up at a DR then how would you select which one? If you did show up you would probably have to wait for a no show. I don't see the option like it was where certain DR's are assigned to anytime dining.

So far, not a big fan of what I see. To me Dine My Way really should read Dine Princess' Way. My way isn't offered.

So what did we do for 2022. We booked the same time each day and will show or not show depending on how we feel.

I see what you are saying. I assumed that a person turning up without a reservation would be Anytime by definition. With current Anytime you choose dining room, one  Traditional DR switches to Anytime at 7:00 so you have a choice   I thought DMW would allow you to pick from 3 DR since no DR is assigned to Traditional. I do wonder if those without reservation will find most options have been taken but hope it just evens itself out. I am with you a prefer freedom we have always used Anytime and happy to have another drink while we wait.