Our first time on Princess, lots of questions!

[lovescarborough]

Just booked the Enchanted Princess ( balcony cabin ) departing on May 4th from Southampton. We've done loads of cruises mostly with Celebrity so have no idea what Princess will be like.  We like anytime dining and I understand this is available but have no idea how this works. I've heard about the Medallion app and have downloaded it in readiness but I'm a bit nervous as the reviews of the app are poor. 

So my questions are

What is the app used for ? 

Do we have to reserve a table for dinner or just turn up? We like to eat late, around 8.30 , and like a table for 2. 

How do we book the speciality restaurants? Is there a package of 3/4/5 restaurants like Celebrity? Any recommendations on the best ones to try ? 

We have Princess plus. Does this mean all drinks are covered ? 

When do we find out our embarkation time ? 

I'm sure more things will come to mind but any help would be much appreciated! 

 

[scooter6139]

What is the app used for ?   Ordering food, finding stuff on ship, reserving tables in MDR and specialty, etc.

Do we have to reserve a table for dinner or just turn up? We like to eat late, around 8.30 , and like a table for 2.   MDR?  I'd reserve if possible, but you can just show up.  Not sure what the latest time is through.  Specialty?  Reserve via the app.  Or in person.  You can just show up I think too.

How do we book the speciality restaurants? Is there a package of 3/4/5 restaurants like Celebrity? Any recommendations on the best ones to try ?   I've already reserved a few for wife and myself via App.  Works great.  Don't think you can purchase multiple specialty meal packages like NCL or Celebrity.  No opinion on which ones are best as I haven't had any in over 3 years!

We have Princess plus. Does this mean all drinks are covered ?   Yes, but only up to $12 value.  You pay the rest.  Plus there is a limit of 15 per day I believe.

When do we find out our embarkation time ?   You sign up for it in the Medallion app.  Should be available shortly before your sail date (60 days for ours)

I'm sure more things will come to mind but any help would be much appreciated! 

[memoak]

8 minutes ago, lovescarborough said:

Just booked the Enchanted Princess ( balcony cabin ) departing on May 4th from Southampton. We've done loads of cruises mostly with Celebrity so have no idea what Princess will be like.  We like anytime dining and I understand this is available but have no idea how this works. I've heard about the Medallion app and have downloaded it in readiness but I'm a bit nervous as the reviews of the app are poor. 

So my questions are

What is the app used for ? 

Do we have to reserve a table for dinner or just turn up? We like to eat late, around 8.30 , and like a table for 2. 

How do we book the speciality restaurants? Is there a package of 3/4/5 restaurants like Celebrity? Any recommendations on the best ones to try ? 

We have Princess plus. Does this mean all drinks are covered ? 

When do we find out our embarkation time ? 

I'm sure more things will come to mind but any help would be much appreciated! 

 

Princess Plus drinks are 
15 alcoholic drinks per day $12 or under (which covers most drinks) tips are covered by plan. For drinks over the limit you will pay the difference over $12 plus 18% tip on the difference 

 

No specialty dining packages mosey ships have no more than 3 speciality restaurants 

 

if you eat dinner later you should be able to just walk up and be seated but you can pre reserve times via the app prior to sailing

[Alaskanb]

One use of the app is to store all the pre-cruise documents like passports etc. In the Dine My Way section you can make dining reservations for the main or specialty dining rooms. I find it easy to use but others have lots of issues.

[JF - retired RRT]

30 minutes ago, lovescarborough said:

We like anytime dining and I understand this is available but have no idea how this works. Walk up & you will be seated. Depending on the time/# already there...you may have to wait.

So my questions are

What is the app used for ? Almost everything that occurs on the ship plus getting cruise ready. Altho', if there's an issue using the app, just show up at the port with ALL of your documentation in hand.

Do we have to reserve a table for dinner or just turn up? Either. You can use the app each day to book a table when you're ready. We like to eat late, around 8.30 , and like a table for 2. You shouldn't have a problem at 8:30. Busy times are much earlier.

How do we book the speciality restaurants? Use the app now. Wait 'til you're on the ship & call the dine line or go to the restaurant you want or use the app. Is there a package of 3/4/5 restaurants like Celebrity? Any recommendations on the best ones to try ? What do you like? Steak? Seafood? Italian? Check out the menus on Princess.com

We have Princess plus. Does this mean all drinks are covered ? Answered by @memoak

When do we find out our embarkation time ? 

 

Join your Roll Call. Lots of helpful info there.

[Rick&Jeannie]

45 minutes ago, lovescarborough said:

Just booked the Enchanted Princess ( balcony cabin ) departing on May 4th from Southampton. We've done loads of cruises mostly with Celebrity so have no idea what Princess will be like.  We like anytime dining and I understand this is available but have no idea how this works. I've heard about the Medallion app and have downloaded it in readiness but I'm a bit nervous as the reviews of the app are poor. 

So my questions are

What is the app used for ? 

Do we have to reserve a table for dinner or just turn up? We like to eat late, around 8.30 , and like a table for 2. 

How do we book the speciality restaurants? Is there a package of 3/4/5 restaurants like Celebrity? Any recommendations on the best ones to try ? 

We have Princess plus. Does this mean all drinks are covered ? 

When do we find out our embarkation time ? 

I'm sure more things will come to mind but any help would be much appreciated! 

 

@scooter6139 had some very good answers there.  Yes, the app has very poor "ratings".  It is *still* a bit buggy...especially if you are on Android.  You pretty well have to have a fairly new phone (couple of years old generally.)  Others will dispute my last statement but if you read through the threads involving the Medallion App you can come to your own decision about that! 😄 I suggest you go ahead and start getting familiar with how to find things in the app.  There are many "modules" that are called depending on what you want to do...the dining portion being the most commonly referred to.  The "timeline" (in my opinion) is useless.  You will spend much time scrolling up, down, left & right just trying to find something that you *know* is scheduled but you don't know the time.

 

Let me share a secret that I have learned...at least for other ships in the fleet (I have yet to sail Enchanted but I feel confident that this tip will work there as well.)  If you just want to look at the schedule (and you don't have a Patter handy) just open your browser to "enchanted.princess.com".  You will get the "old" style web-based presentation of the schedule and quite a bit other info as well.  MUCH easier to navigate!

[skynight]

Search Princess cruises premier beverage package terms for the details on what is covered. It's pretty much most beverages by the glass. Around 95% of all alcoholic beverages are priced under $12. Limit 15 alcoholic drinks per day, unlimited for covered non alcoholic beverages

[lovescarborough]

Thanks for all your help. There is no roll call for this cruise yet as it replaces the Baltic cruise that was cancelled just last week. Our online TA advertised it as pre registration with cabins allocated from tomorrow. I'm not sure why it's being sold this way as it's already at final payment stage. We're going to the Canary Islands and Madeira. 

[wowzz]

Don't forget that you can use your cabin tv to make dinner reservations,  order food and drink for your cabin etc. Easier than using your phone or tablet.

Turning up at 20:30 to eat will mean you will probably have no problem getting a table.  However,  you will probably be having your dessert in a virtually empty MDR, with the waiters getting tables ready for breakfast ! 

 

[AuroraCruiser08]

Britannia is doing lots of Norway trips too looking at the website. Shame so.many ships are doing Norway. What happened to the days of the ships do a completely different itinerary every few weeks, now it's just the same stuff in repeat. Tbh Britannia's med is no more a med than Norway is the Caribbean, it's more southern Spain. Have noticed there are not any round the med trips anymore that sail from Southampton and do France, Spain, Italy. Seem to just focus on Spain.

[AuroraCruiser08]

Lots of Norway across the fleet. Looks like Baltic has been dropped on the website for 2024 and replaced with Norway. Shame it couldn't have been something more inventive and different. 

[wowzz]

23 minutes ago, AuroraCruiser08 said:

Britannia is doing lots of Norway trips too looking at the website. Shame so.many ships are doing Norway. What happened to the days of the ships do a completely different itinerary every few weeks, now it's just the same stuff in repeat. Tbh Britannia's med is no more a med than Norway is the Caribbean, it's more southern Spain. Have noticed there are not any round the med trips anymore that sail from Southampton and do France, Spain, Italy. Seem to just focus on Spain.

Princess do lots of round trips from Southampton that visit Spain, Portugal France and Italy, normally 3 out of 4 depending on the exact itinerary. 

PS - not sure why you are talking about Britannia itineraries on the Princess board !

Edited March 23, 2022 by wowzz

[Lady Arwen]

1 hour ago, AuroraCruiser08 said:

Britannia is doing lots of Norway trips too looking at the website. Shame so.many ships are doing Norway. What happened to the days of the ships do a completely different itinerary every few weeks, now it's just the same stuff in repeat. Tbh Britannia's med is no more a med than Norway is the Caribbean, it's more southern Spain. Have noticed there are not any round the med trips anymore that sail from Southampton and do France, Spain, Italy. Seem to just focus on Spain.

I think perhaps you have inadvertently posted in the Princess boards.  Interesting information, but not relevant to Princess.  I see you’re new to the boards and it’s easy to get turned around and end up where you didn’t want to be.  No worries.

[AuroraCruiser08]

Apologies all, posted them in the wrong forum. 

[Eglesbrech]

The speciality dining is not quite like Celebrity. They are nice but there is nothing in the same league as Murano for example,  but that’s just my opinion of course.

 

There are some really good utube videos showing the style of food and service for the various restaurants on Sky but I’m sure they will be about the same on Enchanted.

[lovescarborough]

I've now downloaded the app and managed to put all my documents etc in place and it has given us 'green ' lane. Just a couple of questions though. It says we ne as we are in UK we have to collect them at the port, so where will that be ? 

Also I managed to book times for dining but can't see any options to book speciality restaurants. We are 41 days away so surely they should be available? 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[JF - retired RRT]

1 hour ago, lovescarborough said:

I've now downloaded the app and managed to put all my documents etc in place and it has given us 'green ' lane. Just a couple of questions though. It says we ne as we are in UK we have to collect them at the port, so where will that be ? 

Also I managed to book times for dining but can't see any options to book speciality restaurants. We are 41 days away so surely they should be available? 

In the UK - pick-up Medallions at the port. For now, they only mail the Medallions in the US.

 

Specialty Dining is in the app: When your logged in, look at the top above the various items that you've completed. You should see a knife/fork/clock icon. Choose that, then scroll until you find Specialty Dining.

I'm too far out to see it...but it should be there somewhere. Someone else will chime in, if I've got it wrong. 😉

[HaveDogWillTravel]

2 hours ago, lovescarborough said:

I've now downloaded the app and managed to put all my documents etc in place and it has given us 'green ' lane. Just a couple of questions though. It says we ne as we are in UK we have to collect them at the port, so where will that be ? 

Also I managed to book times for dining but can't see any options to book speciality restaurants. We are 41 days away so surely they should be available? 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hopefully these pics help. Open DMW to get to the first step. You are past final payment so definitely should have access. 

 

 

Edited March 23, 2022 by HaveDogWillTravel

[lovescarborough]

Thank you ! It worked and I've made our reservations.

[rad798]

Not meaning to hijack the thread but where in the app can you see the reservations you already made for the main dining rooms. 

I don't see it on the calendar.

[TBfrPH]

1 hour ago, rad798 said:

Not meaning to hijack the thread but where in the app can you see the reservations you already made for the main dining rooms. 

I don't see it on the calendar.

Hit the button with the fork/knife/clock and the next screen will give you a choice to book or view individual reservations.  You can scroll the dates along the top.  Pick a date and you'll see what rez you've made for that day.

[HaveDogWillTravel]

9 hours ago, lovescarborough said:

Thank you ! It worked and I've made our reservations.

You are welcome. I am glad to help. 

4 hours ago, rad798 said:

Not meaning to hijack the thread but where in the app can you see the reservations you already made for the main dining rooms. 

You are not hijacking at all. If you look at my post #18 it shows how to view existing reservations.   If they don’t show you should make them again.  The system isn’t perfect. 

[Pink-belle]

Sailing from Southampton, you are issued your medallion just as you would have received your cruise card in the past. 
Check in not quite as straight forward as it was previously, due to the “extra” checks, but Princess handle it well.  Until Sky sails on the 28th we don’t know what the new system will be, now that everyone isn’t tested at the port before boarding. 
Last year you passed through a health screening area, to confirm your health questionaire.  When you received your negative test result text, you proceeded to check in. Documents checked and medallion handed to you. 

Edited March 25, 2022 by Pink-belle

[rad798]

7 hours ago, TBfrPH said:

Hit the button with the fork/knife/clock and the next screen will give you a choice to book or view individual reservations.  You can scroll the dates along the top.  Pick a date and you'll see what rez you've made for that day.

 

5 hours ago, HaveDogWillTravel said:

You are welcome. I am glad to help. 

You are not hijacking at all. If you look at my post #18 it shows how to view existing reservations.   If they don’t show you should make them again.  The system isn’t perfect. 

Yeah, unfortunately, I have tried both of these solutions and still can't see my existing reservation for main dining room. Even booked it again and it still does not show up. Then, was going to try a 3rd time but saw only one restaurant available. The one I did not pick before. So, I backed out on 3rd times a charm. 

 

I agree with HaveDogWillTravel, "the system isn't perfect".

Hopefully, we have a reservation when we board next week. If not, we will wing it.