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

[suzyed]

11 hours ago, no1superfan said:

Just finished a call into Princess where I was told that first time cruisers cannot make reservations until 60 days before sailing. Yes, everyone is paid in full. 

Is this a new policy?

We are platinium with a reserve class cabin and we are bringing our kids/grandkids with us for their first cruise. They are in standard balconies. All we are tring to do is get a traditional table for us to dine together.

May I ask why you booked Reserve when you plan to eat in the MDR?

[suzyed]

On 7/2/2024 at 11:35 AM, AZaTaz said:

I see both shared and Private on my cruise on Enchanted

But private is not available until 7:20.

 

[Kay S]

I think they said earlier that they chose the cabin for another reason and didn't want Reserve dining because they want to eat with their family (who do not have Reserve.)  I suspect they will have to wait to board to straighten it out.  That Princess algorithm is not going to let them loose from their Reserve status.

[suzyed]

8 hours ago, Kay S said:

I think they said earlier that they chose the cabin for another reason and didn't want Reserve dining because they want to eat with their family (who do not have Reserve.)  I suspect they will have to wait to board to straighten it out.  That Princess algorithm is not going to let them loose from their Reserve status.

Agree!  
It is disconcerting to have to wait to make plans for a group until onboard...I hope they can work it out.

[lorri111]

Is anyone able to get access to full range of dining options for over a year out? We are on Crow Sept 25 and only had option of Traditional, not Reservable.

[suzyed]

13 minutes ago, lorri111 said:

Is anyone able to get access to full range of dining options for over a year out? We are on Crow Sept 25 and only had option of Traditional, not Reservable.

I can't get it for 3 months out!

[lorri111]

16 minutes ago, suzyed said:

I can't get it for 3 months out!

It's a big old mess 

[no1superfan]

On 7/3/2024 at 11:20 PM, suzyed said:

May I ask why you booked Reserve when you plan to eat in the MDR?

We booked the Reserved Class MS because we simply love the balcony, location and the extra space.

We've found there isn't that much of a difference in the Traditional vs. Reserve Class MDR. It is nice to arrive whenever and be greeted and seated, but we tend to arrive on time anyway. The 1 extra choice of entree is also nice plus the wait staff in the suite area may be the more experienced onboard. They have always been superb. I am sure the extra tip envelopes are thicker in that section.

 

[windsor26]

On 7/5/2024 at 1:40 PM, lorri111 said:

Is anyone able to get access to full range of dining options for over a year out? We are on Crow Sept 25 and only had option of Traditional, not Reservable.

I am on Crown in January and yesterday was able to book every night as required on the new app

[dbsb3233]

It's been 7 years since we did our last Princess cruise. Looks like things have changed quite a bit. Back then there were fixed times for early MDR and late MDR (something like 5:45pm and 7:30pm, IIRC).  We're booked for 3 cabins on Emerald Princess next April and I'm trying to get us all on a table for 6 for early MDR (early used to fill up so I'm trying now).  The app is telling me I'm unable to make reservations (says must be paid in full or have a higher level).  But I seem to be getting in via the webpage using the OceanReady link ("Try our web version").  I can get to Dine My Way in there and it gives me Evening MDR times anywhere from 5pm-8:20pm.  Does that mean there's no longer fixed EARLY and LATE MDR times??  We can just pick anything?

 

Also, it won't let me ADD GUESTS.  When I try that button and give it another booking#, nothing happens.  Seems to fail on the search.  None of us are high level (just Ruby).

 

I did call them and the rep said he would submit something to link our 3 cabins.  But that we'd have to use the app to book the dining times.  Maybe I just wait a few days to see if they link us, and maybe all 6 passengers will show up in OceanReady? Or the ADD guests will work?

 

Or is none of this even supposed to work for us yet until we're fully paid in January?

 

Confusing.  Any suggestions?

[HotRoot]

Traditional dining is back as of September 14.  It your cruise is after that, there will be one MDR with Traditional dining.  Most appear to be at 5 pm and 7:30 pm.  If you are picking 6 pm, it will not give you the Traditional dining option because that is not the time it is offered.

[suzyed]

7 hours ago, dbsb3233 said:

It's been 7 years since we did our last Princess cruise. Looks like things have changed quite a bit. Back then there were fixed times for early MDR and late MDR (something like 5:45pm and 7:30pm, IIRC).  We're booked for 3 cabins on Emerald Princess next April and I'm trying to get us all on a table for 6 for early MDR (early used to fill up so I'm trying now).  The app is   telling me I'm unable to make reservations (says must be paid in full or have a higher level).  But I seem to be getting in via the webpage using the OceanReady link ("Try our web version").  I can get to Dine My Way in there and it gives me Evening MDR times anywhere from 5pm-8:20pm.  Does that mean there's no longer fixed EARLY and LATE MDR times??  We can just pick anything?

 

Also, it won't let me ADD GUESTS.  When I try that button and give it another booking#, nothing happens.  Seems to fail on the search.  None of us are high level (just Ruby).

 

I did call them and the rep said he would submit something to link our 3 cabins.  But that we'd have to use the app to book the dining times.  Maybe I just wait a few days to see if they link us, and maybe all 6 passengers will show up in OceanReady? Or the ADD guests will work?

 

Or is none of this even supposed to work for us yet until we're fully paid in January?

 

Confusing.  Any suggestions?

Very confused....I can make the reservations I want for a sailing in October that has been paid in full since last month? Grrr!

 

[dbsb3233]

Is anybody getting ADD GUESTS to work in Dine My Way (to reserve one table for multiple cabins)?  I don't know if it's just not working for me, or for anybody.

 

When I click on that and enter a booking# for another cabin, it acts like it's searching for a couple of seconds then comes back with nothing. 

[suzyed]

On 7/6/2024 at 7:48 PM, suzyed said:

Very confused....I can make the reservations I want for a sailing in October that has been paid in full since last month? Grrr!

 

I meant "can't".  But last night made all my reservations, but of course not at a Private table for the whole 32 days.  
We'll be on the Coral and I believe there are only 2 dining rooms.  There was no indication which one will be anytime dining, which one will be fixed dining and which would be scheduled dining. Very frustrating.

[arizonaperson]

18 minutes ago, suzyed said:

I meant "can't".  But last night made all my reservations, but of course not at a Private table for the whole 32 days.  
We'll be on the Coral and I believe there are only 2 dining rooms.  There was no indication which one will be anytime dining, which one will be fixed dining and which would be scheduled dining. Very frustrating.

So did your dining reservation reflect this?

Coral Princess 

Provence-Traditional 5 pm ( private & shared table)& 7:30 pm( only private table)

Bordeaux- reservable 5 pm-8:40 pm every 20 minutes(early dining times you may share a table or have a private table and the later times private table only)  & Walk ins

 

[arizonaperson]

On 7/5/2024 at 9:45 PM, windsor26 said:

I am on Crown in January and yesterday was able to book every night as required on the new app

Did your dining reservation reflect this?

 

Crown Princess

Michelangelo is traditional 5 pm & 7:30pm

Botticelli  is reservable every 20 minute reservations (  option of shared or private table at 6 pm)

DA Vinci- walk in

[windsor26]

1 minute ago, arizonaperson said:

Did your dining reservation reflect this?

 

 

Crown Princess

Michelangelo is traditional 5 pm & 7:30pm

Botticelli  is reservable every 20 minute reservations (  option of shared or private table at 6 pm)

DA Vinci- walk in

Not seen as such but when I went into each restaurant I saw the choices and I had a good choice - as most people had not yet booked

[windsor26]

5 minutes ago, arizonaperson said:

So did your dining reservation reflect this?

 

Coral Princess 

Provence-Traditional 5 pm ( private & shared table)& 7:30 pm( only private table)

Bordeaux- reservable 5 pm-8:40 pm every 20 minutes(early dining times you may share a table or have a private table and the later times private table only)  & Walk ins

 

When last on the Coral we had a private table booked for the same time each night b ut if we went a little early or a little later (only 10 minutes or so)  they w ere quite happy Also every night they asked if we would like to share an a few times we did and had a nice time but did not want to wait for a large table to fill - as happened one night when eventually we had to ask the waiter to take our orders and not wait for any others

[arizonaperson]

@windsor26 so may I  inquire what time did you book your dining on The Crown?If  it wasn’t for 5 PM or 730pm perhaps you are in the reservable dining?Does your reservation not tell you what dining room that you’re in? On another thread I am just trying to keep a list ship by ship of what’s happening and that’s what I post about.
If you can help me out, just trying to post, what passengers are actually booking  & what dining room and if you don’t know or can’t look at your app or web version, not a problem .

 

well, probably the last time that you were on the  Coral princess there was a different dining program in place. As of right now cruises/voyages that are after September 14, 2024 there is a whole different program happening.

Edited Monday at 11:56 PM by arizonaperson

[NavyVeteran]

2 hours ago, dbsb3233 said:

Is anybody getting ADD GUESTS to work in Dine My Way (to reserve one table for multiple cabins)?  I don't know if it's just not working for me, or for anybody.

 

When I click on that and enter a booking# for another cabin, it acts like it's searching for a couple of seconds then comes back with nothing. 

I just made reservations for ten (actually two reservations for five each) in Sabatini's for 6:00 pm on the first night of my cruise in September. I wanted a reservation for ten but that was not available. I tried Crown Grill first, and reservations for five were not available. I had to download and install the app on DW's phone to make the second reservation. I had no problem adding the additional guests from other cabins to the reservation (the reservations were linked so that may or may not have made a difference. I will request that the tables be next to each other when I get onboard. I may try to change the booking to Crown Grill onboard, but I wanted to make sure our family group could eat together on the first night at the time we wanted.

[windsor26]

18 minutes ago, arizonaperson said:

@windsor26 so may I  inquire what time did you book your dining on The Crown?If  it wasn’t for 5 PM or 730pm perhaps you are in the reservable dining?Does your reservation not tell you what dining room that you’re in? On another thread I am just trying to keep a list ship by ship of what’s happening and that’s what I post about.
If you can help me out, just trying to post, what passengers are actually booking  & what dining room and if you don’t know or can’t look at your app or web version, not a problem .

 

 

I looked at each restaurant and booked 6pm on the Botticelli as we could choose to go private or share and we are sharing There were loads of times available but or course most people have not started to book yet

[arizonaperson]

@windsor26,thanks, I appreciate your answer. so I definitely had this ship correct for The Crown Princess based upon your dining reservation.

 

Crown Princess

Michelangelo is traditional 5 pm & 7:30pm

Botticelli  is reservable every 20 minute reservations (  option of shared or private table at 6 pm)

DA Vinci- walk in

[dreaminofcruisin]

3 hours ago, dbsb3233 said:

Is anybody getting ADD GUESTS to work in Dine My Way (to reserve one table for multiple cabins)?  I don't know if it's just not working for me, or for anybody.

 

When I click on that and enter a booking# for another cabin, it acts like it's searching for a couple of seconds then comes back with nothing. 

 

I have been successful, but it doesn't sound like I did it as you are suggesting?

This is how I did it:

Click on "Book Dining".

Click on the dining room you want.

Scroll down and you will see New Reservation and yourself and your cabin partner.

Click on the pencil.

Click on the person icon with the + in the upper right corner.

Enter the Booking Number of one of the other parties.

Click Search

It should then bring those people up and add them to your "Shipmates", which you can then add to your reservation.

Repeat as needed for other cabins.

 

Good luck!

 

[lorri111]

2 hours ago, arizonaperson said:

Did your dining reservation reflect this?

 

 

Crown Princess

Michelangelo is traditional 5 pm & 7:30pm

Botticelli  is reservable every 20 minute reservations (  option of shared or private table at 6 pm)

DA Vinci- walk in

For our Crown Sept 25 there is only traditional in Michelango listed, if I try to go into Botticelli for reservable it says "no available time slots"

[arizonaperson]

@lorri111- If I am getting this correct you are sailing on the Crown Princess in September 2025? Or September 25, 2024?

Perhaps it’s just way too early if you have a September 2025 cruise- to book dinner reservations ? If you were trying to book dinner reservations for September 2025 that is way over a year away and I wouldn’t even expect that would be available at this point. Anyone’s guess how soon you may book dinner reservations.

Did you actually try or succeed to make a reservation or you’re just seeing the one option of traditional dining listed when you’re doing a mock booking?

That’s why I’ve said on other threads perhaps even this one .I’m not getting the whole story from everyone and there’s too many variables.

I am just trying to post what is correct & what passengers have actually booked.

Thank you for your help if you have more information.

Edited Tuesday at 02:30 AM by arizonaperson