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

[dides]

Has anyone heard about Princess rolling out the option to book lunch slots at Speciality Dining venues? It was mentioned by a TA on a Youtube update - it would be the same menu as for evenings but just held over lunch. Seems to match up with some feedback from Island Princess earlier this month where they told Princess were stopping the complimentary Alfredo's pizza pop-up in Sabatini's so they could support these new lunchtime bookings.

Edited August 30, 2023 by dides

[PacnGoNow]

1 hour ago, dides said:

Has anyone heard about Princess rolling out the option to book lunch slots at Speciality Dining venues? It was mentioned by a TA on a Youtube update - it would be the same menu as for evenings but just held over lunch. Seems to match up with some feedback from Island Princess earlier this month where they told Princess were stopping the complimentary Alfredo's pizza pop-up in Sabatini's so they could support these new lunchtime bookings.

No, haven’t heard.

But, they better get the App working DMW first, before updating it again.  Many are reporting issues again.  

[memoak]

2 hours ago, dides said:

Has anyone heard about Princess rolling out the option to book lunch slots at Speciality Dining venues? It was mentioned by a TA on a Youtube update - it would be the same menu as for evenings but just held over lunch. Seems to match up with some feedback from Island Princess earlier this month where they told Princess were stopping the complimentary Alfredo's pizza pop-up in Sabatini's so they could support these new lunchtime bookings.

Way to much food and too expensive for lunch

[dides]

13 minutes ago, memoak said:

Way to much food and too expensive for lunch

I guess they are trying to open up more slots now that the Premier package includes two complimentary speciality dining meals. The TA was of the opinion this might suit those who like a heavier lunch and a lighter evening meal but I wasn't convinced  😁

 

Edited August 30, 2023 by dides

[memoak]

3 minutes ago, dides said:

I guess they are trying to open up more slots now that the Premier package includes two complimentary speciality dining meals. The TA was of the opinion this might suit those who like a heavier lunch and a lighter evening meal but I wasn't convinced  😁

 

I am not even close to convinced 

[Scotmay]

Is it still possible to just walk in to dinner in the evening. We don’t really want to be stuck in one time slot, which would depen on how our day has gone. I understand we might have to wait, but would take our chances!

[memoak]

27 minutes ago, Scotmay said:

Is it still possible to just walk in to dinner in the evening. We don’t really want to be stuck in one time slot, which would depen on how our day has gone. I understand we might have to wait, but would take our chances!

Yes you can

[kamelia]

On 8/30/2023 at 4:32 AM, dides said:

Has anyone heard about Princess rolling out the option to book lunch slots at Speciality Dining venues? It was mentioned by a TA on a Youtube update - it would be the same menu as for evenings but just held over lunch. Seems to match up with some feedback from Island Princess earlier this month where they told Princess were stopping the complimentary Alfredo's pizza pop-up in Sabatini's so they could support these new lunchtime bookings.

I can confirm that at the moment Crab Shack is being offered from 12:00p-1:30p in Savoy Dining Room two days of the seven-day Alaska itineraries.

[theloo]

I see that the app is still wonky.  I tried to book same time/place for dining on my entire cruise, but I kept getting an error.  I could book a single day, but not the same for the whole cruise (16 days).  I used my computer to login to my account and was able to do it there.  

[suzyed]

On 8/29/2023 at 9:55 AM, Seafan22 said:

I have a few Questions about "Dine My Way," perhaps some of you experienced Princess travelers could helps me.

 

I have a long trip coming up (31 days), and I signed up for same time dinner each night in the Michelangelo Dining Room.  Is that a mistake?  The fact is we may not want to do that absolutely every night.  How would I pick individuals night to cancel the reservation either ahead (before we leave on the trip, or a day or two ahead while we are on the ship?  What happens if you don't show up, does your booking for the rest of the nights get cancelled?

 

I can't find it now, but I remember seeing a choice somewhere about whether you like eating at a slow, medium, or fast pace.  What is that about?

 

Thanks

If you change your mind, just don't show up....it's not going to cancel anything else.

[NavyVeteran]

6 minutes ago, suzyed said:

If you change your mind, just don't show up....it's not going to cancel anything else.

You should always cancel if you change your mind. You can cancel that evening a couple of hours before dinner. Otherwise, they may be saving a table and making someone else wait.

[suzyed]

Just now, NavyVeteran said:

You should always cancel if you change your mind. You can cancel that evening a couple of hours before dinner. Otherwise, they may be saving a table and making someone else wait.

I doubt that, but possibly?

[capriccio]

33 minutes ago, suzyed said:

I doubt that, but possibly?

We have been thanked in advance by the head waiters for telling them the night before (in those cases we had specialty dinner reservations).  Once we cancelled on line the day of and the following evening he thanked us for letting him know the table was freed up without waiting 15 minutes to see if we showed up.

[MacMadame]

On 8/30/2023 at 8:36 AM, dides said:

I guess they are trying to open up more slots now that the Premier package includes two complimentary speciality dining meals. The TA was of the opinion this might suit those who like a heavier lunch and a lighter evening meal but I wasn't convinced  😁

 

You could just not eat it all. I have a small stomach anyway so I rarely eat it all in a restaurant. Whether I leave half behind at lunch or at dinner doesn't matter all that much to me.

[suzyed]

3 hours ago, capriccio said:

We have been thanked in advance by the head waiters for telling them the night before (in those cases we had specialty dinner reservations).  Once we cancelled on line the day of and the following evening he thanked us for letting him know the table was freed up without waiting 15 minutes to see if we showed up.

Back when we all had a dedicated time and location with the same people at our table and the same staff, it was considered polite to inform all the other at the table when you would be absent.  But I don't really see a need for it now....it's not like they are waiting for us.

[capriccio]

Just now, suzyed said:

Back when we all had a dedicated time and location with the same people at our table and the same staff, it was considered polite to inform all the other at the table when you would be absent.  But I don't really see a need for it now....it's not like they are waiting for us.

In our cases they were since we’ve had nightly reservations.

[lstone19]

37 minutes ago, capriccio said:

In our cases they were since we’ve had nightly reservations.

 

From my most recent two cruises, it varies. On Royal Princess at the end of April (3-night positioning cruise), we had the same time every night and every night we were taken to the same table. Last month on Ruby Princess, we had the same time every night and each night we were taken to the next available table (seating process was much the same as for breakfast and lunch).

[capriccio]

44 minutes ago, lstone19 said:

 

From my most recent two cruises, it varies. On Royal Princess at the end of April (3-night positioning cruise), we had the same time every night and every night we were taken to the same table. Last month on Ruby Princess, we had the same time every night and each night we were taken to the next available table (seating process was much the same as for breakfast and lunch).

Our two most recent cruises were a 28 day cruise on the Coral Princess in April and a 7 day cruise on the Caribbean Princess in July.

[tiggerrr]

4 hours ago, lstone19 said:

 

From my most recent two cruises, it varies. On Royal Princess at the end of April (3-night positioning cruise), we had the same time every night and every night we were taken to the same table. Last month on Ruby Princess, we had the same time every night and each night we were taken to the next available table (seating process was much the same as for breakfast and lunch).

Same variation for us.  In January, on Diamond Princess we had same table/time reservation and they gave us the same table and told us literally just to walk right in to the table without checkin each night.

 

On Discovery in April, same type of reservation, we were moved all over based on next available table. Both cruises were full occupancy. 

[BamaVol]

Two days before embarkation I received a series of emails from Princess to inform me that my dinner reservations had been changed:  but they moved me from the Savoy dining room to the Savoy dining room and from 6:00 pm to 6:00 pm, and only four out of seven nights. I’m puzzled.

[jsn55]

On 9/4/2023 at 12:52 PM, suzyed said:

If you change your mind, just don't show up....it's not going to cancel anything else.

Let's get serious ... if you have reservations for anything, anywhere, common courtesy dictates that you inform your hosts that you'll not make the res.  It's not about the threat of 'cancelling anything else', it's an awareness of others' needs, be they management or customer.

[akronmaid]

13 days out, and I don't know when the formal nights are. I have heard the nicest MDR meals are on formal nights, and I want to make sure I don't choose a specialty restaurant for that night.

[Thrak]

2 hours ago, akronmaid said:

13 days out, and I don't know when the formal nights are. I have heard the nicest MDR meals are on formal nights, and I want to make sure I don't choose a specialty restaurant for that night.

 

Look at the Journey View Activities Timeline on the app. Go through each day of the cruise and find the days that list "Formal Portraits Tonight!". Those are your formal nights.

 

 

Edited September 7, 2023 by Thrak

[NavyVeteran]

18 minutes ago, Thrak said:

 

Look at the Journey View Activities Timeline on the app. Go through each day of the cruise and find the days that list "Formal Portraits Tonight!". Those are your formal nights.

 

 

This doesn't work on my upcoming cruise from Quebec to Fort Lauderdale on the Carribean Princess next month. "Captain's Champagne Waterfall" is listed on JourneyView Activities Timeline on the first sea day, so this is probably a formal night. However, "Formal Portraits Tonight!" is not listed on any day on the timeline.

Edited September 7, 2023 by NavyVeteran

[lstone19]

14 minutes ago, NavyVeteran said:

This doesn't work on my upcoming cruise from Quebec to Fort Lauderdale on the Carribean Princess next month. "Captain's Champagne Waterfall" is listed on JourneyView Activities Timeline on the first sea day, so this is probably a formal night. However, "Formal Portraits Tonight!" is not listed on any day on the timeline.

 

When the schedule permits, the formal nights are the first sea day and the next to last night if it's a sea day. As that works with your ship's schedule, the formal nights will almost certainly be 10/21 and 10/29.