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

[Steelers36]

2 minutes ago, BigTimeCruiser said:

I have the same issues for 3- B2B2B beginning in November.  Can't find anything in DMW.  Can someone tell me how to contact the OCEAN Team???

AskOceanMedallion@carnival.net

[BigTimeCruiser]

1 hour ago, Steelers36 said:

AskOceanMedallion@carnival.net

I called them through the main number.  They are having to do the 64 days, one day at a time.   So far they have completed 43 days in a very manual process.

[Steelers36]

1 minute ago, BigTimeCruiser said:

I called them through the main number.  They are having to do the 64 days, one day at a time.   So far they have completed 43 days in a very manual process.

Nuts

[VibeGuy]

2 hours ago, amajaa said:

How soon before will that come up on the app, do you have to wait until you board? 

I seem to recall it requires On-Ship mode to display the “Browse Dining Options” that lets you select a specific dining room, but I maaaay be wrong and it may work by looking at the menu preview from the *dinner* DMW reservation screen. 

[HleeCruiser]

I can only book the Skagway Dining Room on the Medallion App for an October 22 cruise.   Is this the only Dining Room open?  

 

[VibeGuy]

1 minute ago, HleeCruiser said:

I can only book the Skagway Dining Room on the Medallion App for an October 22 cruise.   Is this the only Dining Room open?  

 

No.  They’re using all three but they open bookings in a staggered manner. 

[HleeCruiser]

3 hours ago, Steelers36 said:

My report on experiences and testing DMW after second DR added to DMW for Regal and Island in October.

 

ISLAND - single 14-night voyage booked

Both DR's show availability.  I tested re-booking for entire voyage and was offered Private table space for our party (2 + 2 travel companions).  I left things as they were. 

 

REGAL - three voyages B2B2B - 7+7+11 - booked

Existing reservation was full voyage but only had Private table (2+2) for first two legs and some of the nights on final leg.  The other nights on final leg were SPLIT table and I had tried numerous times to see if any Private space would be offered over past weeks.

 

DMW would not find any space for a Full Voyage booking.  This, despite added Allegro DR just yesterday which is wide open for all nights and times.

 

I next went through the 11 individual nights of the third leg and re-booked each night to same time in Allegro and got all Private tables (2+2 - a 4-top presumably).

 

After that, I again attempted MANY times to book for Full Voyage and DMW never found space.

 

I finally threw in the towel and went through the first 14 nights, individually, and re-booked from Concerto to Allegro at the same time (2+2 again) with no issues.  I might note that Concerto no longer showed Private space on first leg at our selected time, but did still offer Private on second leg.

 

So, at this point I have individual 25 night bookings for same time in Allegro - all for dining party of 4 at Private table.

 

With all that in alignment, I tried again to book for full voyage and ... nope.  DMW claims no space found.  Rinse & Repeat doesn't help either.

 

I do realize we have the best chance to get Same Table/Same Waiters in Allegro based on other live cruise reports, but it is our least favorite DR of the three.  I also realize that 25 individual night bookings most certainly do NOT mean Same Table.  So, if System is not fixed, I hope DR mgmt will fix us up as in the past.

 

My conclusion is there is a system bug - and it has been there for a while now.  It shouldn't have anything to do with multiple DR's since the ISLAND booking process works fine for Full Voyage.  I believe the bug is related to Multiple Linked Voyages.  They had a bug in this area before and it was addressed, but I think another change a while back, "re-opened" this bug.  It could also be a problem with Regal for all I know.  I know others have reported issues with attempting to make Full Voyage dining bookings recently, but IDK if they all have B2B's.  When I say recent, I mean in the past 6-8 weeks. 

 

I will be reaching out to the OCEAN team and see what response I get. 

 

 

ETA:  The only thing I did not try yet is to wipe the slate clean and delete all 25 nights and try to book Full Voyage with a clean slate.  Couldn't do that anymore when just had Concerto as all the Private space was gone and I had some of it.  With Allegro added, well, maybe there is a tiny chance it will work???

What is the contact info for the Ocean Team?  Thanks

[Steelers36]

Just now, HleeCruiser said:

What is the contact info for the Ocean Team?  Thanks

See Post #951.  You can call Princess main number and select the option, but IDK your wait time.

[BigTimeCruiser]

8 minutes ago, Steelers36 said:

See Post #951.  You can call Princess main number and select the option, but IDK your wait time.

My wait was less than 1 minute.  Post #952

Edited April 20, 2022 by BigTimeCruiser

[HleeCruiser]

1 hour ago, Steelers36 said:

See Post #951.  You can call Princess main number and select the option, but IDK your wait time.

Thank you.

 

[clueless2]

We booked a B2B on Ruby boarding Oct 1 a couple of months ago.  OM only let me book individual days for a private table and a few days only had very late days.  So I did that.  Also only one DR was available.  I've been checking every few days and today 2 DRs were available and it let me book "The same time each day".   Didn't it used to say same time and same table or am I dreaming that?

[MommyOTwins]

I have a question.  We are a larger group of 11 with 5 adults, 6 kids ranging from age 7 to pre-teen.  The app will not let us book a private table for all 11 if us.  At restaurants at home, we have done separate kids and adults tables next to each other.  The kids are well behaved and the older ones babysit and maintain order. But we like to have tables next to just to keep an eye on things.  And I wouldn’t want the kids to be placed with strangers at a shared table (and I’m sure strangers wouldn’t want to share a table with someone else’s kids!). Would the best thing for me to do to be to make a booking for 11 with the “split tables” option, or to book a group of 5 and a group of 6 each with private tables?  I’m concerned with the booking for 11 we might get placed at tables shared with strangers, or get some awkward split like two tables for 2 and a table for 7.  But with the two private tables, would we be be treated as totally separate reservations and put at different tables across the room?  We are used to disney cruise line where they always keep large groups together so this system with such limited table size configurations really feels strange to me (why can’t they just let us book together and pull up an extra chair to a table for 10?).

[Astro Flyer]

1 hour ago, clueless2 said:

Didn't it used to say same time and same table or am I dreaming that?

I’ve been using DMW since it was started last summer & do not recall it ever having that statement.

 

Under OceanReady Profile, My Preferences, Dining there is this option which is ignored no matter how far in advance reservations are made. We immediately made our reservations when DMW was implemented & up until boarding they were there to find out after boarding that all were changed.

 

 

Edited April 22, 2022 by Astro Flyer

[Steelers36]

3 hours ago, MommyOTwins said:

I have a question.  We are a larger group of 11 with 5 adults, 6 kids ranging from age 7 to pre-teen.  The app will not let us book a private table for all 11 if us.  At restaurants at home, we have done separate kids and adults tables next to each other.  The kids are well behaved and the older ones babysit and maintain order. But we like to have tables next to just to keep an eye on things.  And I wouldn’t want the kids to be placed with strangers at a shared table (and I’m sure strangers wouldn’t want to share a table with someone else’s kids!). Would the best thing for me to do to be to make a booking for 11 with the “split tables” option, or to book a group of 5 and a group of 6 each with private tables?  I’m concerned with the booking for 11 we might get placed at tables shared with strangers, or get some awkward split like two tables for 2 and a table for 7.  But with the two private tables, would we be be treated as totally separate reservations and put at different tables across the room?  We are used to disney cruise line where they always keep large groups together so this system with such limited table size configurations really feels strange to me (why can’t they just let us book together and pull up an extra chair to a table for 10?).

You could book only 10 of you - assuming DMW finds that space.  Then work with DR staff to add 11th seat.  If you accept SPLIT, there is 100% zero way to know how many splits the system is doing and they could be scattered all over the DR.

 

If you cannot book for 10 people, just go and see the DRO (MD) or Assistant after boarding, or go to restaurant before dinner begins and ask them.  Just know whether you want to try and get one large table or a 6 & 8, for example?  Might be a 6&6 with same waiters, but might be hard to find two beside each other.  It may depend on how much DR space they open before cruise and how much held back.  So far, it looks like they are only releasing two DR's into DMW before the voyage.

[Torfamm]

On 4/20/2022 at 11:16 AM, amajaa said:

On 4/19/2022 at 7:57 PM, VibeGuy said:

The MDR open for luncheon will have a lunch menu listed.  It’s usually the MDR on 6 midships. 

How soon before will that come up on the app, do you have to wait until you board? 

On the two cruises I’ve been on this year menus were only available at the beginning of each day. You may have to check once onboard and connected to the ship’s Wi-Fi 

[Steelers36]

On 4/20/2022 at 1:48 PM, BigTimeCruiser said:

I called them through the main number.  They are having to do the 64 days, one day at a time.   So far they have completed 43 days in a very manual process.

 

On 4/20/2022 at 12:12 PM, Steelers36 said:

So, in the interest of full testing/debug analysis, I deleted all 25 nights out.  Again tried to re-book full voyage - both as me doing it and as my friend.  No-Go.

 

Sigh... now I have to setup each of the 25 nights individually again so I at least have something to wards the end goal.

 

On 4/20/2022 at 12:10 PM, BigTimeCruiser said:

I have the same issues for 3- B2B2B beginning in November.  Can't find anything in DMW.  Can someone tell me how to contact the OCEAN Team???

 

I did contact the OCEAN team via email and had a reply on FRI afternoon that they were going to work with a colleague on the issue considering the testing steps I provided.  A little bit later, I decided to try DMW.  SURPRISE!!!  I could book for Full Voyage using either Concerto or Allegro on REGAL for our B2B2B.  However, Concerto does not have Private table space for all nights.  I ended up completing a Full Voyage booking using Allegro for our party of four.  So, DMW is setup the best I can do and will have to see on board that we can actually get Same Table/Waiters for the duration.

 

BigTime, have you tried DMW lately?  Let us know how it goes.

[Thrak]

So... How exactly are menus being handled in these venues?

 

MDR - Dinner

MDR - Lunch

MDR - Breakfast

Alfredo's (or Gigi's)

Bars - Wheelhouse, Crooner's, Explorer's etc. that have had menus in the past

 

(Of course we will be boarding Royal Princess and be the first passenger sailing so who knows if they will be on the same page as the other ships.)

 

[VibeGuy]

Ruby:

 

Paper in the usual bound covers for the MDRS, crown grill and wine list

 

sabatinis:  single sheet of paper

 

bars:  QR code or the single laminated sheet for Good Spirits.   Usual cover for Vines glass list. 

[cruisingram1]

On 4/22/2022 at 9:41 AM, MommyOTwins said:

I have a question.  We are a larger group of 11 with 5 adults, 6 kids ranging from age 7 to pre-teen.  The app will not let us book a private table for all 11 if us.  At restaurants at home, we have done separate kids and adults tables next to each other.  The kids are well behaved and the older ones babysit and maintain order. But we like to have tables next to just to keep an eye on things.  And I wouldn’t want the kids to be placed with strangers at a shared table (and I’m sure strangers wouldn’t want to share a table with someone else’s kids!). Would the best thing for me to do to be to make a booking for 11 with the “split tables” option, or to book a group of 5 and a group of 6 each with private tables?  I’m concerned with the booking for 11 we might get placed at tables shared with strangers, or get some awkward split like two tables for 2 and a table for 7.  But with the two private tables, would we be be treated as totally separate reservations and put at different tables across the room?  We are used to disney cruise line where they always keep large groups together so this system with such limited table size configurations really feels strange to me (why can’t they just let us book together and pull up an extra chair to a table for 10?).

This is not a major issue for most cruisers, or in fact, a fair number of cruisers. But if you are the party affected by this, it is a major issue. The app needs to have a designation for large group and move it up the ladder to someone who can affect the solution manually. The way the system is now, there would be no way to know that your two tables (if that was your option for 11 people) would be near each other. Things used to be so simple. I know because we have cruised with large groups - on Princess, Royal Caribbean and Celebrity. A note was placed in the reservation system and our tables were right next to each other. Can't imagine the app being able to do that. If this was me, I'd call the DMW team and see what they suggest. I have a feeling waiting til you board will not get the outcome you wish if the ship is crowded.

[grak]

Just back from Ruby Classic Coastal. The DMW medallion is pretty much worthless. I booked an early seating private (for two) table for each night due to my covid concerns. That was only offered in the Botticelli DR.  There was no organization in the small area when it was time. Everyone jammed into the space and up,the stairs. We were finally admitted at a two table…first two nights. After that we had to share because “there are no tables for two available “. We protested but finally had to share the rest of the week or go to the buffet.  I went to the service desk but none of the other dining rooms had availability. Several people had a specific table reserved for each night….ie traditional dining. I could never get near the DR Manager to ask how this is done.  Not a fan of the medallion…even the staff often had difficulty getting it right.

 

[FlaMariner]

I thought it was bad on our cruise when we had to beg and plead to obtain a certain table for two....If tables for two were not available, I think I would have just jumped off and swam home!

 

That's horrible.  No more Princess. 

[bafinegan]

1 hour ago, FlaMariner said:

I thought it was bad on our cruise when we had to beg and plead to obtain a certain table for two....If tables for two were not available, I think I would have just jumped off and swam home!

 

That's horrible.  No more Princess. 

Seriously?  Because you can't get a table for 2?

[VibeGuy]

Two-tops have always been as coveted as complimentary upgrades to full suites and only slightly more available.  
 

my snark is that if you wanted a table alone with empty tables between you and the next guest, the time to sail was November 2021   

[grak]

I get that two tops are hard to get but why bother to allow me to reserve that on the medallion app? It’s not a deal breaker for me but disappointing for sure.

[FlaMariner]

13 hours ago, bafinegan said:

Seriously?  Because you can't get a table for 2?

 

Yep. Seriously. 

 

We enjoyed the group tables in our early days of cruising but now the small talk and "where are you from" and "what did you do today" are not appealing to us anymore.

 

We just cruised our first (and last) Princess cruise and we were able to get a table for two each evening w/no problem....the concern was that we were never guaranteed "our" table with our really good waiters....but we succeeded w/appropriate amounts of begging and pleading.  

 

We've had no problem ever getting a table for two, traditional dining, on HAL..Even when we book steerage class (meaning non suite) we are at a table for 2.

 

Glad we have choices for those that enjoy dining with others and those that do not!