Dine My Way & all new Dining questions since cruising restart!!

[jestley]

Hi everyone, I am booked on Princess Ruby to Alaska later this month. It will be my first time on Princess, cruised many times but on Royal Caribbean and Celebrity. We have always had any/my time dining and tend to eat late. My mind is boggled at the Princess dining in the app, it shows me i can book speciality and main dining, though there is very little availability in the MDR's? these cant be booked up surely? It shows more availability for 2 people but I am travelling with my sister and brother in law, when i add these to the reservation, it shows me next to none? Can anyone tell me how it works when onboard please? I cant believe i need to book it all before i am onboard?? thanks

[memoak]

36 minutes ago, jestley said:

Hi everyone, I am booked on Princess Ruby to Alaska later this month. It will be my first time on Princess, cruised many times but on Royal Caribbean and Celebrity. We have always had any/my time dining and tend to eat late. My mind is boggled at the Princess dining in the app, it shows me i can book speciality and main dining, though there is very little availability in the MDR's? these cant be booked up surely? It shows more availability for 2 people but I am travelling with my sister and brother in law, when i add these to the reservation, it shows me next to none? Can anyone tell me how it works when onboard please? I cant believe i need to book it all before i am onboard?? thanks

If you dart late like after 7:30 you should have little to no problem as a walk up. 

[jestley]

4 minutes ago, memoak said:

If you dart late like after 7:30 you should have little to no problem as a walk up. 

thankyou

[Bobsgonecoastal]

I'm also totally confused about the main dining room schedule.  Are there no longer assigned times, early, late etc.  I just thought about this after receiving and email that suggested booking dinner times.  As someone else already noted, there were no times available to book.  I have a call into the Princess vacation planner I use, but in the meantime, I would sure like to know if this is going to be a hassle.  BTW, we are wait listed for Reserve as it was not available when we booked.

Sorry, I'm so late to the conversation.

 

[Bobsgonecoastal]

Follow-up -  Just talked to a Princess Rep. about booking online as their emails suggest doing.  She explained that booking for our January 19 cruise won't open until June 17, 2024.  So it sounds like online reservations will be available and times are not assigned when you book.  I'm putting 6/17 on my calendar as a to do.

[PR-Texas]

Personally I'd wait until June 19 or later. Almost the entire Princess fleet will be trying to book dining reservations on June 17 so I think the system may well be overwhelmed. And no need to book at all unless you want a specific time to dine. It may work better than I think but....

[julie3fan]

33 minutes ago, Bobsgonecoastal said:

Follow-up -  Just talked to a Princess Rep. about booking online as their emails suggest doing.  She explained that booking for our January 19 cruise won't open until June 17, 2024.  So it sounds like online reservations will be available and times are not assigned when you book.  I'm putting 6/17 on my calendar as a to do.

 

On the 17th, you'll be able to book 2 different scenarios.  The 1st would be the old style traditional dining (not currently available), choosing either the early or the late seating.  You'll be assigned a table that will be yours during the entire cruise.  I presume you'll be able to specify a table size, which could either just be big enough for your group, or to share with others, who will be the same people for the entire cruise. 

 

The 2nd would be to pick and choose different times each evening, depending on your potential plans.  This should also give you a choice of a private or shared table, but the shared table could be any size, and it will be different people every night. 

 

Or you can choose to not make any reservations at all and just walk up and wait to be seated.  This gives you more flexibility, but you might have to wait for a table if you go at a popular time.

[Bobsgonecoastal]

12 minutes ago, julie3fan said:

 

On the 17th, you'll be able to book 2 different scenarios.  The 1st would be the old style traditional dining (not currently available), choosing either the early or the late seating.  You'll be assigned a table that will be yours during the entire cruise.  I presume you'll be able to specify a table size, which could either just be big enough for your group, or to share with others, who will be the same people for the entire cruise. 

 

The 2nd would be to pick and choose different times each evening, depending on your potential plans.  This should also give you a choice of a private or shared table, but the shared table could be any size, and it will be different people every night. 

 

Or you can choose to not make any reservations at all and just walk up and wait to be seated.  This gives you more flexibility, but you might have to wait for a table if you go at a popular time.

Thank you for the detailed and clear explanation.  Somehow, I missed this whole dining change.  The times we have sailed princess, we usually opt for Reserve Class and don't have to worry about it.  The last cruise was main dining room and there was never a problem when we would show up at odd times. We're wait listed for Reserve Class, so maybe this won't matter anyway.

[Tedferg]

Assigning three MDRs to various categories seems like a sensible way to handle various options. It depends on what Early and Late times are for Traditional. I thought a lot of confusion arose over making Early TD too early. Also, Late TD was underused, and I think lead to the change in times.

I wonder if they have checked reservations and decided one DR will be adequate for them. If they allow Reservations to fill unused sections of TD or Walk Up, that will cause confusion. So I think one downside will be limited choices for Reservations.

[Kay S]

2 hours ago, Tedferg said:

If they allow Reservations to fill unused sections of TD or Walk Up, that will cause confusion. 

As a devotee of the former TD late seating, I saw this happen all the time.  Of course those were the former "Anytime" diners, but when there were empty tables in TD, the staff would fill those tables with them.  

[Tedferg]

1 hour ago, Kay S said:

As a devotee of the former TD late seating, I saw this happen all the time.  Of course those were the former "Anytime" diners, but when there were empty tables in TD, the staff would fill those tables with them.  

Correct, I was musing that reservation will be limited to a specific DR and they would not know initially how many would be available in TD DR and so there woiuld be fewer options for reservations initially.

[WELDON]

It's been10 years since going on my last Princess cruise. I booked a cruise Tuesday and the app is a lot different than the 2 cruise lines I usually sail on. I chose the dining room(s) and time for each day. Is there someplace that shows your daily planner such as excursions, dining? I can't seem to find this. I also chose private. I believe this is a table for 2. Is this request usually accommodated?

[HotRoot]

5 minutes ago, WELDON said:

It's been10 years since going on my last Princess cruise. I booked a cruise Tuesday and the app is a lot different than the 2 cruise lines I usually sail on. I chose the dining room(s) and time for each day. Is there someplace that shows your daily planner such as excursions, dining? I can't seem to find this. I also chose private. I believe this is a table for 2. Is this request usually accommodated?

Yes on the table for two.

[Ptown]

On 6/2/2024 at 8:09 PM, julie3fan said:

 

On the 17th, you'll be able to book 2 different scenarios.  The 1st would be the old style traditional dining (not currently available), choosing either the early or the late seating.  You'll be assigned a table that will be yours during the entire cruise.  I presume you'll be able to specify a table size, which could either just be big enough for your group, or to share with others, who will be the same people for the entire cruise. 

 

The 2nd would be to pick and choose different times each evening, depending on your potential plans.  This should also give you a choice of a private or shared table, but the shared table could be any size, and it will be different people every night. 

 

Or you can choose to not make any reservations at all and just walk up and wait to be seated.  This gives you more flexibility, but you might have to wait for a table if you go at a popular time.

Thank you for clarifying this for me.  I have not sailed on Princess in many years and this seemed somewhat confusing.  Can you expand on your statement that the "old style traditional dining is not currently available"?  Did you mean that it is no longer available at all or was it just not available at the time you were looking book your preference?  I am sailing solo and have always enjoyed sharing a large table so that I can get to know other cruisers.  I hope that option is still offered.  Thanks again for your help!   Dave 😎

[Kay S]

2 hours ago, Ptown said:

 Did you mean that it is no longer available at all or was it just not available at the time you were looking book your preference? 

Princess eliminated traditional dining when they introduced Dine May Way after the covid pause.  Now they are going to restore traditional dining but not until after  Sep 17.

[Ptown]

5 minutes ago, Kay S said:

Princess eliminated traditional dining when they introduced Dine May Way after the covid pause.  Now they are going to restore traditional dining but not until after  Sep 17.

Thank you Kay!  That is good news.  I don't sail until January so that gives me plenty of time to understand the specifics.  If I'm understanding correctly, I can't reserve dining arrangments until I'm paid in full so ne big rush. 😊       Take care!  Dave

[bugsy43]

Hi 👋 

 

I tried finding this info but was unsuccessful and figured this is the best place I should have come to so here I am. 🎈 

 

We haven't sailed in a few years and are booked to sail on the Majestic Princess in November. I'm trying to figure out when we can start making Dine My Way reservations in advance of sailing?

 

Our booking is paid in full and we are both Platinum members. I went onto the app to look for times in the MDR's and there was not a single time showing available for the entire 10 day cruise. All that shows up are the Specialty restaurants. Did I book late (5 months away still)? There still shows lots of cabin availability for my sailing so I'm just confused.
 

Is my only option otherwise to have to come to the dining room and wait for a table to possibly open each night?
 

Thanks for any information that will help me figure out how to plan? 🙏😊

[julie3fan]

1 minute ago, bugsy43 said:

Hi 👋 

 

I tried finding this info but was unsuccessful and figured this is the best place I should have come to so here I am. 🎈 

 

We haven't sailed in a few years and are booked to sail on the Majestic Princess in November. I'm trying to figure out when we can start making Dine My Way reservations in advance of sailing?

 

Our booking is paid in full and we are both Platinum members. I went onto the app to look for times in the MDR's and there was not a single time showing available for the entire 10 day cruise. All that shows up are the Specialty restaurants. Did I book late (5 months away still)? There still shows lots of cabin availability for my sailing so I'm just confused.
 

Is my only option otherwise to have to come to the dining room and wait for a table to possibly open each night?
 

Thanks for any information that will help me figure out how to plan? 🙏😊

 

See my post #2782 for a detailed description of the new dining format.

[bugsy43]

5 minutes ago, julie3fan said:

 

See my post #2782 for a detailed description of the new dining format.

I hate to sound a bit out of touch but how do I search/find a post by # as I feel so clueless and embarrassed. 🤦🏻‍♂️ 

 

I realized after I posted my question that I was posting to a specific thread and not the main page. Clueless. 
 

 

[bugsy43]

10 minutes ago, julie3fan said:

 

See my post #2782 for a detailed description of the new dining format.

OMG I just read the post directly above mine and it explained it all. I just wish I could have had a chance and getting some kind of reservation. 

clueless 😳😳😳

[julie3fan]

1 minute ago, bugsy43 said:

I hate to sound a bit out of touch but how do I search/find a post by # as I feel so clueless and embarrassed. 🤦🏻‍♂️ 

 

I realized after I posted my question that I was posting to a specific thread and not the main page. Clueless. 
 

 

 

You can just scroll up this page a few posts.  Your last post is #2794, so #2782 is on this same page.

[julie3fan]

1 minute ago, bugsy43 said:

OMG I just read the post directly above mine and it explained it all. I just wish I could have had a chance and getting some kind of reservation. 

clueless 😳😳😳

 

Everybody is at the same place right now, with no reservations, period.  June 17th you can go in and choose what type of dining you'd like to do.  You'll be fine if you don't dawdle. 😁

[bugsy43]

6 minutes ago, julie3fan said:

 

Everybody is at the same place right now, with no reservations, period.  June 17th you can go in and choose what type of dining you'd like to do.  You'll be fine if you don't dawdle. 😁

Thank you so much. 

[andimark]

I, too, have been struggling to make reservations - and then I thought - what are they saying on Cruise Critic? Thanks for the info!

[Astro Flyer]

This is the email I received on 4/15/24 from Princess explaining their dining reservations changes.

 

Dear Princess Guest: 

Princess Cruises recently announced it is making a significant enhancement to the main dining options found across its fleet, designed to give you the ultimate in flexibility and choice when it comes to your dining experience. 

Starting with voyages departing September 14, 2024, Princess will designate separate dining rooms aboard every ship in the fleet* to three table service options: 

 

• Traditional dining offering an early and a late seating every evening 
• Reservable dining times 
• Open seating to support walk-ins anytime 

To support these changes and the transition to the new system, main dining reservations that you may have already made will be cancelled. 

This change does not affect anyone booked in specialty dining restaurants or suite or reserve collection accommodations, who enjoy a dedicated dining room on Princess ships, where no reservations are required. 

Starting June 17, you will be able to use the app ahead of your voyage to opt for traditional seating in a dedicated dining room with the same waiter, same table and same time each night, or flexible dining, allowing you to enjoy dinner at any available time and table size of your choosing in either the Reservable or Open Seating dining rooms. 
 

* Reservable and Walk-in Anytime Dining will be combined into a single Main Dining Room location aboard Coral Princess and Island Princess.