Dine My Way - new MedallionClass enhancement

[dreaminofcruisin]

14 minutes ago, Nicole&Pete said:

All,

 

Can I please ask if anyone had booked traditional dining on their cruise? We had booked that and it confused me that I could then book a time for the entire cruise on the medallion app. However I then went into the book each day section and I had a default time in there which was 7pm table for 2 (our traditional time was 7:15 but take fir 6) has anyone else found they had a default time booked in already?

 

Thanks all,

 

Yes. Our Traditional booking time was already there. However, we are booked (and linked) with another group and that didn't get included. It booked the 3 of us at a table for 4 each day. I was able to add the other group and book a table for 8 each night. I then needed to delete the reservations for the table for 4. I am Platinum....so not sure if this is why I was allowed to make the new reservations or if it was based on originally booking traditional.

 

[wowzz]

3 hours ago, Steelers36 said:

Early dining has been historically the first thing to book up to capacity and go to a wait-list. 

To be fair, that is a very US centric viewpoint. On cruises where the majority of passengers are non-Americans,  early dining is the least popular option, even when scheduled as late as 18:30 (!) . I've been on cruises where people have been trying to move away from early dining,  as the afternoon has barely finished.  

Lets face it, apart from the US, which other country in the world eats dinner at 17:00. 

[wowzz]

3 hours ago, Steelers36 said:

This new system seems even better for folks like you as you will be able to check the DMW app and see what's available each day and book it without perhaps standing in line.

No, I want to turn up at the MDR when I feel like it (spontaneity - you are on holiday!) and ask for a table of a specific size. If I have to wait for 20 minutes - so what? I'll just have another drink. Princess are trying to fix a problem that doesn't exist.

  

[Ofmyheart]

I can't get the dime my way to work on the medallion app. Could it be because my cruise is still too far out, January '22?

[Astro Flyer]

9 minutes ago, Ofmyheart said:

I can't get the dime my way to work on the medallion app. Could it be because my cruise is still too far out, January '22?

I made DMW reservations for all 3 of our booked cruises with the latest being in October ‘22…apparently it’s another glitch that has prevented you from making DMW reservations on the MC app.

[jwattle]

13 minutes ago, Ofmyheart said:

I can't get the dime my way to work on the medallion app. Could it be because my cruise is still too far out, January '22?

No, we've booked ours through November of 2022. Are you either Elite, Platinum, a suite/Club Class, or paid in full?

[Steelers36]

2 hours ago, wowzz said:

To be fair, that is a very US centric viewpoint. On cruises where the majority of passengers are non-Americans,  early dining is the least popular option, even when scheduled as late as 18:30 (!) . I've been on cruises where people have been trying to move away from early dining,  as the afternoon has barely finished.  

Lets face it, apart from the US, which other country in the world eats dinner at 17:00. 

Acknowledged.

Edited June 11, 2021 by Steelers36

[Steelers36]

2 hours ago, wowzz said:

No, I want to turn up at the MDR when I feel like it (spontaneity - you are on holiday!) and ask for a table of a specific size. If I have to wait for 20 minutes - so what? I'll just have another drink. Princess are trying to fix a problem that doesn't exist.

  

And you can still do that as you well know.  You do it your way and others do it their way.  I don't expect to convince anyone to what we prefer and no reason to.  You don't seem happy if others have a different preference than yours.  Princess is trying to offer a range of options for passengers and when fully realized, I think it will be good.

Peace out.

Edited June 11, 2021 by Steelers36

[Ofmyheart]

13 hours ago, jwattle said:

No, we've booked ours through November of 2022. Are you either Elite, Platinum, a suite/Club Class, or paid in full?

Platinum but maybe because we are not paid in full??

[billco]

14 hours ago, wowzz said:

No, I want to turn up at the MDR when I feel like it (spontaneity - you are on holiday!) and ask for a table of a specific size. If I have to wait for 20 minutes - so what? I'll just have another drink. Princess are trying to fix a problem that doesn't exist.

  

I think Princess is trying to address problems that very well do exist. In particular trying to provide a positive cruise experience in a restrictive environment. I think knowing who has reservations and where at will be very helpful in managing social distancing.  Also, if someone tests positive for Covid they will have to figure out who was in proximity to that person. The Medallion App is well suited for contact tracing.

[Nicole&Pete]

15 hours ago, dreaminofcruisin said:

 

Yes. Our Traditional booking time was already there. However, we are booked (and linked) with another group and that didn't get included. It booked the 3 of us at a table for 4 each day. I was able to add the other group and book a table for 8 each night. I then needed to delete the reservations for the table for 4. I am Platinum....so not sure if this is why I was allowed to make the new reservations or if it was based on originally booking traditional.

 

Thanks for the info. I think if you booked before they brought this in you can make reservations now before final payment without being elite. We had booked late traditional dining (7:15) which I knew would be in the aft dining room and we booked a table for 6, but on our app we have a table for 2 in the mid ship dining room at 7pm. Do you know if by them honouring traditional dining you can still have the time you booked but it won't necessarily mean same table, same waiter for the entire cruise etc.? Im not sure how they will run traditional dining on cruises next year because most people will not be able to book it. 

[wowzz]

21 minutes ago, billco said:

I think Princess is trying to address problems that very well do exist. In particular trying to provide a positive cruise experience in a restrictive environment. I think knowing who has reservations and where at will be very helpful in managing social distancing.  Also, if someone tests positive for Covid they will have to figure out who was in proximity to that person. The Medallion App is well suited for contact tracing.

All of which may be true, but the Medallion system was in situ long before Covid, so the social distancing aspect is just a lucky coincidence. 

The problems that you talk about may exist at present, but hopefully not in the future.

The main purpose of the Medallion is to drive profitability (nothing wrong with that) but is being "sold" as a customer benefit.

[FirstTeacher]

I have always cruised with Royal, but we hope to see Alaska on a Princess cruise in August. I’ve always enjoyed dining in the main dining room with the same group on people each night (always early- 5:30/6:00). Is that an option with Princess?

 

Also, when I look at booking, they mention “crew incentives”; can I assume that’s another term for gratuities?

[skynight]

Yes, crew incentive is the new name for hotel gratuities. Same thing.

Dine My Way is only in the medallion app. There, if working, you can choose your same dining time for the entire cruise. If you already know your table mates you can enter their booking numbers to link them. If you just want to meet others, well I don't see that option.

We, two of us, finally were able to book dining for a 2022 cruise. It says we are at a table for 4. The computer just assigned this to us, no way to request table size that I can figure. Don't know if that is the way it will turn out.

No one has ever cruised on Princess using Dine My Way. It will be new when you board if you are going in August 2021.

 

[FirstTeacher]

Just now, skynight said:

Yes, crew incentive is the new name for hotel gratuities. Same thing.

Dine My Way is only in the medallion app. There, if working, you can choose your same dining time for the entire cruise. If you already know your table mates you can enter their booking numbers to link them. If you just want to meet others, well I don't see that option.

We, two of us, finally were able to book dining for a 2022 cruise. It says we are at a table for 4. The computer just assigned this to us, no way to request table size that I can figure. Don't know if that is the way it will turn out.

No one has ever cruised on Princess using Dine My Way. It will be new when you board if you are going in August 2021.

 

Thanks for your prompt reply. With RC, they have an email address to use to make special dining requests, like table size, location, etc. Are you aware of such an option with Princess?

 

And one more question: Is smoking allowed in the casino?

[skynight]

11 minutes ago, FirstTeacher said:

Thanks for your prompt reply. With RC, they have an email address to use to make special dining requests, like table size, location, etc. Are you aware of such an option with Princess?

 

And one more question: Is smoking allowed in the casino?

Not aware of any e-mail address.

Smoking has been permitted at certain selected slots while playing. Smoking is not permitted in any other casino location including table games and the casino bar. Certain evenings are smoke free.

Limited small outside areas are designated smoking areas, not an entire side of the ship for example. Smoking is not permitted in any cabin or on any balcony.

You can call Princess at 1-800-Princess. They open 11am EDT. It's the best time to call.

Edited June 11, 2021 by skynight

[Astro Flyer]

4 hours ago, Ofmyheart said:

Platinum but maybe because we are not paid in full??

Platinum & Elite are permitted to make DMW reservations prior to final payment.

[1965]

On 6/5/2021 at 6:30 PM, san diego sue said:

Frank, I still have the old App on my phone. Do I need to remove it and download the new version. Also the old App is showing a cruise that Princess canceled months ago.

The old app & now the newly installed updated app show in the countdown a cruise cancelled by princess months ago. Several cruises have been booked & cancelled since that one, but it WILL NOT GO AWAY! 

[1965]

I apologize if this has been covered already. We may not know exactly what time we want dinner until an hour or 2 before we eat. Can we make reservations on such short notice? I certainly don't know right now when we'll want dinner in 5 months. Thanks for any info & input. 

[Ombud]

Just now, 1965 said:

I apologize if this has been covered already. We may not know exactly what time we want dinner until an hour or 2 before we eat. Can we make reservations on such short notice? I certainly don't know right now when we'll want dinner in 5 months. Thanks for any info & input. 

From what I understand, you can still just show up or request a time in the app with very short notice (assuming there's no glitches at that time)

[1965]

Just now, Ombud said:

From what I understand, you can still just show up or request a time in the app with very short notice (assuming there's no glitches at that time)

Thank you so much for your quick answer. I was hoping to hear exactly what you replied. 😊

[Tedferg]

5 hours ago, wowzz said:

All of which may be true, but the Medallion system was in situ long before Covid, so the social distancing aspect is just a lucky coincidence. 

The problems that you talk about may exist at present, but hopefully not in the future.

The main purpose of the Medallion is to drive profitability (nothing wrong with that) but is being "sold" as a customer benefit.

Wozz you seem to be obsessed with others obsessing about Dinner Reservations months ahead. The old system had one and a half dining rooms dedicated to Traditional. Late Traditional was under utilized, so Princess moved Traditional times earlier. Many people complained that new times were too early. Anytime diners wanted Reservations at peak times, not allowed. Any timers complained about long lines to get a buzzer and then a wait for a table. Any timers also complained about Traditional turning up at Anytime unannounced. DMW alleviates all these problems, on paper, 

But you know all this, right?

[Tedferg]

We cruise with two friends, they eat to late for us, we try to see late show, so we compromise at 7:00. Meet in Crooners at 6:30 one of us needs to watch the time and get in line for a buzzer. Then a wait for a table. We end up a 7:30 or 7:45 most evenings. Not a big deal but a reservation at 7:15 and no need to line up for a buzzer would be more convenient. 

[Steelers36]

5 hours ago, Nicole&Pete said:

Thanks for the info. I think if you booked before they brought this in you can make reservations now before final payment without being elite. We had booked late traditional dining (7:15) which I knew would be in the aft dining room and we booked a table for 6, but on our app we have a table for 2 in the mid ship dining room at 7pm. Do you know if by them honouring traditional dining you can still have the time you booked but it won't necessarily mean same table, same waiter for the entire cruise etc.? Im not sure how they will run traditional dining on cruises next year because most people will not be able to book it. 

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.

[Steelers36]

4 hours ago, FirstTeacher said:

I have always cruised with Royal, but we hope to see Alaska on a Princess cruise in August. I’ve always enjoyed dining in the main dining room with the same group on people each night (always early- 5:30/6:00). Is that an option with Princess?

 

Also, when I look at booking, they mention “crew incentives”; can I assume that’s another term for gratuities?

If you want to know more about experiences with DMW, see the master thread for this topic at or near the top of the Princess Cruises board here on Cruise Critic.