“Traditional Dining No Longer Exists”

[BabySarge]

11 hours ago, AZjohn said:

don’t want to sound disrespectful to you but, this is exactly why we are glad we don’t have to deal with traditional dinning.

Not disrespectful at all and no worries on my part :).  I understand that not everyone likes traditional dining with its set times, tables, and tablemates for the entire cruise which is why Anytime Dining and even Dine My Way work very well for many, many cruisers.  For me personally, however, I find it excruciatingly uncomfortable to sit with strangers every night for dinner (truthfully, I find it the same way for any meal, gathering, or social situation) and introduce myself over and over and try to make small talk so the meal isn't awkwardly silent.  I do like meeting new people though which is why a set table in traditional dining with the same smaller number of people over the course of the cruise isn't so overwhelming for me. 

 

I'm not saying everyone should do or love/like Traditional Dining but there, I believe, is still a goodly number of us that cruise with Princess that DO still like and want Traditional Dining and simply wish that Princess would continue to recognize that and provide a more clear and concise way either within the Dine My Way app for us to select that option or within the booking process someway.

 

I also wish I would win Mega Millions or Powerball but that hasn't happened yet either so not holding my breath with Princess and them figuring out a way for me to select Traditional Dining, Late Seating at a table for 8 within the Dine My Way app.  Cheers.

[USCcruisecrazy]

On 3/12/2022 at 12:35 AM, Astro Flyer said:

Thanks…I blame their current president who created MedallionClass and the failure that is Dine My Way for anyone who desires the same table with the same waitstaff…like me.

 

Last October on Majestic a restaurant manager (previously called a head waiter) attempted to get our party of 4 at the same table each night at our nightly DMW reserved time. While that worked a few times during the week even he couldn’t overrule the unworkable system created by management. Staff are stuck dealing with unhappy passengers while management sits in their ivory tower creating unworkable schemes…awful. I’m am tired of many years of unfulfilled promises…some good ideas which have not been implemented.

We like to have the same Wait Staff at the same table at the same time every evening.  Part of the way to build a special relationship with your staff.  I hope this changes before next January or we are able to reserve same table same time. 

[caribill]

4 hours ago, Princessfan20 said:

 

We noticed something similar on a cruise a couple of years ago when ATD was over-flowing we were directed to TD and sat at a table for 8 with one other couple.  They said the other couples showed up the first night but they had not seen them since then and were basically eating alone each night.  

 

Just seemed like a complete waste of staff, space and effort when I am sure the tables could have been used in a more effective way for all passengers.

 

Those familiar with cruising know what traditional dining means and either select a late/early TD or opt to not do traditional.

 

But many first time cruisers do not know this and a TA just asks if they like to eat early or late and sets the cruise up accordingly.

 

Some of these first time cruisers do not realize once on board that they have a reservation for each evening and never show up for it. Some others may see the buffet and never even think of going to the dining room for dinner.

 

And I remember one post where someone said they did not realize until the last evening that eating in the dining room was not an extra cost.

[Tedferg]

12 hours ago, caribill said:

 

We have seen the following in the past with Traditional Dining:

a) Some tables are only occupied on formal evenings.

b) Some tables are occupied except for formal evenings.

c) Some tables may have some of the people not there some evenings when they decide to dine elsewhere that night.

 

5 hours ago, Princessfan20 said:

 

We noticed something similar on a cruise a couple of years ago when ATD was over-flowing we were directed to TD and sat at a table for 8 with one other couple.  They said the other couples showed up the first night but they had not seen them since then and were basically eating alone each night.  Just seemed like a complete waste of staff, space and effort when I am sure the tables could have been used in a more effective way for all passengers.

I wonder if the changes in TD times were mostly because late sitting was under used. And this resulted in more confusion since new early TD was too early for many passengers.

 

I can also see DMW coders discussing TD and saying, 'No problem, just use DMW and pick same time each evening', not realizing it is not as simple as that.

[hllwdcruiser]

@capriccioHave you spoken to Silvio Zampieri, Director of Restaurant Operations (Maitre'd!?!)?

 

After our disastrous first night, we were given a table for the remainder of the cruise in the Amalfi dining room that was in one of the little private alcoves by the window. We made fast friends with the two couples seated next to us and it was exactly like the old traditional dining. We had the same waitstaff every night. 

 

The one night that the foursome next to us went to the Crown Grill they sat another two couples at their table when they didn't show up. They waited a good 40 minutes before they seated the new people.

 

I hope things get better for you soon. I honestly think that most people gave up on DMW on our cruise and just used both dining rooms as Anytime Dining.

[cruisingram1]

So confused. We signed up for traditional early dining. Table for 4. Sounded like it was a done deal. Looking at the  Medallion app and under MWD is a reservation for four of us at 5:40 in Skagway dining room for nights 2-7. Nothing for night 1. I was surprised to see anything there at all since we selected traditional dining. So why isn’t there a reservation for the first night?  How do I remedy? I’m afraid to mess with the reservations for the other days. Do I just try to make a reservation for first night or is it not necessary?  Call to TA requires long hold times but might that be safest way to handle? Thanks for input. 

[wowzz]

4 hours ago, cruisingram1 said:

So confused. We signed up for traditional early dining. Table for 4. Sounded like it was a done deal. Looking at the  Medallion app and under MWD is a reservation for four of us at 5:40 in Skagway dining room for nights 2-7. Nothing for night 1. I was surprised to see anything there at all since we selected traditional dining. So why isn’t there a reservation for the first night?  How do I remedy? I’m afraid to mess with the reservations for the other days. Do I just try to make a reservation for first night or is it not necessary?  Call to TA requires long hold times but might that be safest way to handle? Thanks for input. 

You can't select traditional dining per se. All you can do is select the same time in the same MDR each night, which is what you have except for night 1

In your position,  I would just use the app to make a reservation for the first night,  or alternatively just turn up. Eating so early, no one else will be in the MDR anyway !

[luckyinpa]

On 3/13/2022 at 1:14 PM, 1965 said:

This is exactly how we feel. In Nov on the Regal we did just that & it was perfect for us. It was anytime dining & never a wait for a table for 2 "no sharing." Lol. 

 

this sounds perfect. cant wait to get back on princess and not share.  without knowing show times or when ill be back from excursions etc i dont know how i could book a dinner time anyway. that seems so stressful. as does reading thru this thread

[Thrak]

On 3/13/2022 at 11:39 PM, caribill said:

ver the years we have had TD with Princess, I can only remember a couple of times that all the others assigned to our table (usually 6-top or 8-top) had other arrangements that night and we were the only couple there.

 

We were at a table for 8 where the other 6 formed a group. It was awkward to be seated at a table that large when the others failed to show for dinner.

[wowzz]

1 hour ago, Thrak said:

 

We were at a table for 8 where the other 6 formed a group. It was awkward to be seated at a table that large when the others failed to show for dinner.

Which is another reason why Princess want to get rid of traditional dining. Too many tables left empty, and staff doing nothing, when "traditional diners " go elsewhere. 

[Thrak]

1 hour ago, wowzz said:

Which is another reason why Princess want to get rid of traditional dining. Too many tables left empty, and staff doing nothing, when "traditional diners " go elsewhere. 

 

I can understand that but... We met some of the nicest folks on a 28 day cruise where we were at a table with a bunch of folks. (Table for 8?  Table for 10?)  We sailed with them again on a 14 day TA just before the shutdown and will be with them again in May. We also see them when they head south for the winter (they live in BC) and again when they head back north. If not for Traditional Dining we would never have met these great folks. I can see that there were downsides to TD but there were also a number of upsides to it as well.

[swdke]

What is a good time to dine and yet be able to make it to the early show for early evening entertainment?

[Lady Arwen]

4 minutes ago, swdke said:

What is a good time to dine and yet be able to make it to the early show for early evening entertainment?

That would depend on how fast you eat and how fast your waitstaff can deliver your meal.  I would allow an hour and a half between arriving to dine and show time.  However, if you nicely tell your waitperson that you really want to make the show in time, they will certainly try their best to get you on your way.  

[Cruise Raider]

5 hours ago, swdke said:

What is a good time to dine and yet be able to make it to the early show for early evening entertainment?

I would really say that it demands on what shows you want to see, as in the ones only in theater or the one in one of the lounges?  

How many people in your party?  

A shared or private table? 
What ship .. some have the shows at 7:00 and 9:00 PM in the theater whereas others are as late as 7:30 PM and 9:30 PM.  

How many people are onboard?  

 

For a table for 2, we found it easy go to dinner at 6:20 PM and get to the 8:15 PM show in Princess Live and off to the theater for the 9:15 PM show.  We were not rushed at all for dinner.  
We went the same time with a party of four but we’re very rushed to see the 8:00 PM show in the Explorer's lounge.  Half the time, we made it in late or skipped it altogether.  
But, we made it in time to the theater to the 9:00 PM show after that without any problem.  
We couldn’t get the 6:00 PM dining time for a private table on an upcoming cruise but we did get the 6:40 PM time for a party of 4 and we think that will be perfect timing for the 9:00 PM show, maybe with some time to spare to get a  good seat.  I would even think 7:00 PM would work for seeing the show in the theater if you have a party of 4.  
We once shared a table in club class and I must say, it took forever … not because the service wasn’t great, it was.  It just always goes slower when they want to get everyone on the same course.  I went on a solo cruise and dinner would taken me anywhere between 25-45 minutes.  They went really quick.  
 

 

[coo359a2]

just got off the Emerald Princess with family and friends.  Friends selected a time of 5:20 in the same MDR  and a table for 6(their party size).  After they finished their first night"s  dinner, they met with the Head Waiter to request the same table/wait staff for the remainder of the cruise.  Also, got a table by a window.