Embarkation check-in time & specialty dining reservations.

[versuco]

We cruise on the Regal in January, first time on Princess since 2009 so the Medallion App is new to us.  When will we be able to choose a check-in time and make reservations for specialty dining?  I keep getting a message that says it is too early to book.  Thanks

[jimbo1683]

I have a cruise booked for May 2023, yes 2023, and speciality dining reservations became available last week!

[Steelers36]

3 hours ago, versuco said:

We cruise on the Regal in January, first time on Princess since 2009 so the Medallion App is new to us.  When will we be able to choose a check-in time and make reservations for specialty dining?  I keep getting a message that says it is too early to book.  Thanks

It is too early to book an arrival time for your voyage.  Look at the 20 - 30 day range.

 

Unless you are Platinum or Elite, you only get access to DMW for reservations once the cruise is paid in full.  Perhaps you have paid by now?  Anyway, dining should not be telling you too early if so.

[versuco]

We paid in full when we booked, so not sure why the app won't let us book specialty dining.  I guess we will wait until we are onboard.  We are 50 days from cruising, so I will check in a few weeks for embarkation time.  Thanks for the info.

[lx200gps]

We are on the Sky right now and had pre-paid 3 Specialty dining slots just a few weeks ago. The exact times and dates we wanted were not available when we booked, but we had no problems whatsoever changing the three around and adding a 4th when we boarded. I've seen it said here on CC that Princess holds 50% of Specialty dining slots for onboard reservations and our experience supports this.  One cautionary note: if you do pre-pay dining, make sure to confirm the reservations when you board with the PSD as the reservation did not show up as existing credits on our shipboard account. When we ate at Sabatini's on Embarkation day, they charged us because we had failed to mention to them we had pre-paid, and the restaurant's system did not know we had pre-paid. The good folks at the PSD reversed the charge the next day.

[versuco]

42 minutes ago, lx200gps said:

We are on the Sky right now and had pre-paid 3 Specialty dining slots just a few weeks ago. The exact times and dates we wanted were not available when we booked, but we had no problems whatsoever changing the three around and adding a 4th when we boarded. I've seen it said here on CC that Princess holds 50% of Specialty dining slots for onboard reservations and our experience supports this.  One cautionary note: if you do pre-pay dining, make sure to confirm the reservations when you board with the PSD as the reservation did not show up as existing credits on our shipboard account. When we ate at Sabatini's on Embarkation day, they charged us because we had failed to mention to them we had pre-paid, and the restaurant's system did not know we had pre-paid. The good folks at the PSD reversed the charge the next day.

Good to know there will be slots available when we board.  We will wait and book the dining then.  Enjoy your cruise!

[jimbo1683]

21 hours ago, Steelers36 said:

 

Unless you are Platinum or Elite, you only get access to DMW for reservations once the cruise is paid in full.  Perhaps you have paid by now?  Anyway, dining should not be telling you too early if so.

How come I can make dining reservations for May 2023 now then? I've only paid a 15% deposit and I've never stepped foot on a cruiseship let alone hold platinum or elite status.

[Steelers36]

49 minutes ago, jimbo1683 said:

How come I can make dining reservations for May 2023 now then? I've only paid a 15% deposit and I've never stepped foot on a cruise ship let alone hold platinum or elite status.

You will know when your final payment date is.  Although, you can pay in full anytime ahead of that date.  I would plan to book dining the day after payment is made (not sure how fast the system will recognize the situation).  You have some time, but you shouldn't have any issues getting suitable dining.  It depends on the voyage as to how many guests with status will be on the same trip.  Some of them may not be booking dining ahead of time.  It is possible if you wanted fixed dining at a popular time, choices may be limited.  There have not really been any reports from folks having to wait.  These days, most cruises are sailing with well under capacity, but I would expect by May 2023 the ships will be full or near-full.

[jimbo1683]

5 minutes ago, Steelers36 said:

You will know when your final payment date is.  Although, you can pay in full anytime ahead of that date.  I would plan to book dining the day after payment is made (not sure how fast the system will recognize the situation).  You have some time, but you shouldn't have any issues getting suitable dining.  It depends on the voyage as to how many guests with status will be on the same trip.  Some of them may not be booking dining ahead of time.  It is possible if you wanted fixed dining at a popular time, choices may be limited.  There have not really been any reports from folks having to wait.  These days, most cruises are sailing with well under capacity, but I would expect by May 2023 the ships will be full or near-full.

Sorry you misunderstood what i said. I have a cruise booked on Sky in May 2023. Dining reservations opened for it in the medallion app last week. I made one reservation already. I don't have any platinum status etc, but you said in a previous post that this is not possible.

[Steelers36]

3 minutes ago, jimbo1683 said:

Sorry you misunderstood what i said. I have a cruise booked on Sky in May 2023. Dining reservations opened for it in the medallion app last week. I made one reservation already. I don't have any platinum status etc, but you said in a previous post that this is not possible.

Well that is great for you and seems to confirm a suspicion I have been having lately.  Looks like Princess is not following their original published policy.

 

Are other non-ststus guests able to book dining as well who are seeing this post?

[Hlitner]

We are on the Enchantment (on Tuesday) and this thread got me looking at available reservations in the various alternative restaurants.  Nearly everything (including times) are available for nearly every night of our cruise.  Just saying

 

Hank