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

[Thrak]

1 hour ago, DonEllen said:

It IS listed for the Land portion. That part was clear. I was speaking only of the on ship portion. The way they are pushing all of the premium dining options almost made it seem like you had to choose one of those or starve.

 

Oh, my bad. I thought you were asking about the land portion since I figured the onboard dining options were pretty easy to understand. Breakfast, Lunch (on sea days), and Dinner in MDR are included every day. International Cafe, Lido Deck Pizza, Lido Deck Burgers/Hot Dogs/Chicken Sandwiches/Tacos are included. The Buffet is Included. Soft Serve Ice Cream on Lido Deck is included. Popcorn for Movies Under the Stars is included.

 

If you go to dinner in MDR and want to see a show but won't have time for dessert and still make the show you can have dinner, leave and go to the show, and then come back to MDR and just have dessert if you like. If you are very hungry you can order as much as you like in MDR. Have 2 or 3 breakfasts, lunches, or dinners if you like.

[suzyed]

12 hours ago, DonEllen said:

Thanks. I ASSUMED as much but wanted to verify. (What does MDR stand for?)

 

Main Dining Room

[upwarduk]

We have the Plus package, where we are entitled to 2 free deserts. However, I am Dairy Intolerant and also Diabetic. Can my husband have mine?

[suzyed]

1 hour ago, upwarduk said:

We have the Plus package, where we are entitled to 2 free deserts. However, I am Dairy Intolerant and also Diabetic. Can my husband have mine?

It's two per day, btw.  Yes just go up and get it and sit at one of the tables and "share" it with him. No one is going to care.  The problem is they are HUGE so I doubt he can eat 4 of them each day (yours and his)!  If we get one, we usually share it...no way can we each eat a whole one.   I heard on some ship they have special cakes in addition to the gelato desserts.
Enjoy!

[memoak]

3 hours ago, upwarduk said:

We have the Plus package, where we are entitled to 2 free deserts. However, I am Dairy Intolerant and also Diabetic. Can my husband have mine?

If anyone was to have 2 of them a day or 4 a day they need to be prepared for sugar shock and to gain a minimum of 20 pounds

[BamaVol]

5 hours ago, upwarduk said:

We have the Plus package, where we are entitled to 2 free deserts. However, I am Dairy Intolerant and also Diabetic. Can my husband have mine?

I would say technically, it’s not allowed.  But like several other benefits of a Plus package, it can be shared without fear of being put off the ship at the next port. 

[Steelers36]

5 hours ago, upwarduk said:

We have the Plus package, where we are entitled to 2 free deserts. However, I am Dairy Intolerant and also Diabetic. Can my husband have mine?

Not if the waiter sees it first and comes and snatches it away.  🤣

[PATRLR]

On 3/20/2024 at 11:52 AM, memoak said:

If anyone was to have 2 of them a day

PLUS is 2 per cruise, is it not?

[BamaVol]

14 minutes ago, PATRLR said:

PLUS is 2 per cruise, is it not?

Two per DAY!  I want to see if my grandchildren are interested in trying one, but I don’t expect even them to want a second.

[kangaand2roos]

I am certain this has been asked before, but I don’t want to sift through over 100 pages. What does Princess charge for second entrees in the MDR?

[TheMichael]

9 hours ago, kangaand2roos said:

I am certain this has been asked before, but I don’t want to sift through over 100 pages. What does Princess charge for second entrees in the MDR?

 

Nothing. I'm not even sure if they've started charging for a third like other lines.

[Thrak]

12 hours ago, kangaand2roos said:

I am certain this has been asked before, but I don’t want to sift through over 100 pages. What does Princess charge for second entrees in the MDR?

 

The only issue with asking for a second entree is that the meals are already plated and you are quite likely to get the entire meal a second time. The server doesn't care and will keep bringing you food as long as you ask for it. We have been seated at shared tables a number of times where a table mate asked for a second entree. (One used to be able to ask for a second lobster tail but the last time I did that I got the full meal and now I'm pretty sure Princess has started charging extra for that particular item.)

[memoak]

12 hours ago, kangaand2roos said:

I am certain this has been asked before, but I don’t want to sift through over 100 pages. What does Princess charge for second entrees in the MDR?

There are a few things that have an added cost as far as a 2nd entree. If there is the price will be noted on the menu

[kangaand2roos]

Thanks everyone. I really doubt that I’ll ever request a second, much less a third, but it’s good to know. Now, appetizers and desserts are a different story. I’m almost sure I’ll get multiples of those on more than one occasion!

[IrieBajan54]

I'm a solo going on Enchanted. Plan to show up nightly around 6:40p for a shared table. Do I just show up at any of the 3 MDRs and is it likely I won't have to wait long?

[TheMichael]

On 3/27/2024 at 3:42 PM, memoak said:

There are a few things that have an added cost as far as a 2nd entree. If there is the price will be noted on the menu

 

Those things will have an upcharge whether 2nd or 1st.

 

On lobster night, I'm fortunate to have a GF who's allergic to lobster - I get two tails every time. 😀

[TheMichael]

On 3/28/2024 at 4:14 AM, kangaand2roos said:

Thanks everyone. I really doubt that I’ll ever request a second, much less a third, but it’s good to know. Now, appetizers and desserts are a different story. I’m almost sure I’ll get multiples of those on more than one occasion!

 

I try not to eat too many desserts on a cruise, but there's never been a time when I've asked the server which of two desserts they'd recommend when they didn't respond, "why don't you try them both?"

[Thrak]

On 3/28/2024 at 4:14 AM, kangaand2roos said:

Thanks everyone. I really doubt that I’ll ever request a second, much less a third, but it’s good to know. Now, appetizers and desserts are a different story. I’m almost sure I’ll get multiples of those on more than one occasion!

 

Remember: You can always go back to the dining room later - as long as it's still open - and simply have another dessert. Some folks skip dessert to go to a show and then come back later. There's no "rule" saying you can't visit the dining room more than once per evening. 😉

[Grace61]

New to Princess and cruising.  We will be on the Royal Princess in June.  We have the premier fare, so are going to use the speciality dining perk. I've made our dining reservations at the specialty restaurants for our 1st and last nights of our cruise 

So - what is included with premiere-

I'm does it include appetizer/entree/dessert?

Or just specific menu items?

Do the gratuities paid with the package include the waiters in those dining areas? ( of course I know I can tip more for great service, and will - but if I  am tipping a bit extra on a already paid tip, or tipping from zero matters in figuring amount)

 

I see a note of 18% service charge- 18% of what amount, if it's included with my fare?

 

 

 

[HotRoot]

26 minutes ago, Grace61 said:

New to Princess and cruising.  We will be on the Royal Princess in June.  We have the premier fare, so are going to use the speciality dining perk. I've made our dining reservations at the specialty restaurants for our 1st and last nights of our cruise 

So - what is included with premiere-

I'm does it include appetizer/entree/dessert?

Or just specific menu items?

Do the gratuities paid with the package include the waiters in those dining areas? ( of course I know I can tip more for great service, and will - but if I  am tipping a bit extra on a already paid tip, or tipping from zero matters in figuring amount)

 

I see a note of 18% service charge- 18% of what amount, if it's included with my fare?

 

 

 

Which restaurants?  Your package includes the 18% gratuity.  Multiple appetizers, sides, desserts.  Only one entree.  Some restaurants show an additional charge for "upgraded" entrees.  Your package does not include the additional charge nor the 18% gratuity for those items.

[Grace61]

Sabitinis first night, then Crown Grill our last night.

Thanks for the info.  I'd seen some sample menus online, but no pricing or notes on there.  I knew it wasn't unlimited, figured it might just be app/entree with dessert extra or just from a selected group of entrees.  There is always fine print somewhere !

[memoak]

1 hour ago, Grace61 said:

Sabitinis first night, then Crown Grill our last night.

Thanks for the info.  I'd seen some sample menus online, but no pricing or notes on there.  I knew it wasn't unlimited, figured it might just be app/entree with dessert extra or just from a selected group of entrees.  There is always fine print somewhere !

No fine print but be aware the portions are large in my opinion. I usually have an app, a main or pasta and desert. If you have a complimentary dinner then the cost is zero and 18% of zero is zero

[sandy.w]

We are sailing for the first time with Princess in July, Alaska!

My question, as we recently had a horrible experience with a different cruise line with open dining and extremely long waits in the main dining room. 

Is it best to reserve a time fixed time for the entire cruise or go with the Dine My Way?

Any advice is greatly appreciated. 

[HotRoot]

1 hour ago, sandy.w said:

We are sailing for the first time with Princess in July, Alaska!

My question, as we recently had a horrible experience with a different cruise line with open dining and extremely long waits in the main dining room. 

Is it best to reserve a time fixed time for the entire cruise or go with the Dine My Way?

Any advice is greatly appreciated. 

If you reserve a fixed time, you have to do that through the Dine My Way.  We always reserve the same dining room at the same time.  Easier for us to remember when and where we are scheduled to eat.  If something happens to prevent us from being available to eat at that time, we just cancel the reservation.

[2806]

On 2/29/2024 at 10:29 AM, HotRoot said:

Reservations for Planks and Steamers but you cannot make them until you board.

Were do you go to make the reservations for these restaurants?