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

[dave_k58]

On 8/11/2021 at 3:14 PM, skynight said:

Club Class is an expensive route available to approximately 2.3% of the passengers that are willing to pay for these cabins. Excellent convenient hassel free seating and service should be available to all who board regardless of their cabin selection and proficiency with technology. That is a top priority for a hospitality business. What is most talked about and mentioned on these boards? It's dining and the food. Fail in any part of this area and your business has failed.  Princess seems to have forgotten this basic concept. Wonder if they will be able to hold onto their staff as they have done in the past.   

a cruise ship is primarily a hotel. That's why the hotel director is the second highest ranking person on the ship, right after the Captain 

[majortom10]

46 minutes ago, dave_k58 said:

a cruise ship is primarily a hotel. That's why the hotel director is the second highest ranking person on the ship, right after the Captain 

I think you might have a diasgreement with that statement by the Deputy Captain.

[Tedferg]

18 hours ago, Kay S said:

Possibly not abandoned (according to reports) but definitely wounded in the short term.

Got it 🙂 I asked because it seemed extreme to say abandoned

4 hours ago, RNRcruisers said:

I remember we have had times where we were on a waiting list for TD so it was definitely popular. I really hope they bring it back.

 

I wonder how many wanted TD simply because it was a way to get a fixed reservation. We would have been interested in 7:15 TD, mostly because it is a convenient time for us and avoids the AT lines / buzzer hassle. Other aspects like same staff and tablemates would not have occurred to us. Though I see now that might have come to like those aspects too, 

[Kay S]

1 hour ago, Tedferg said:

. Other aspects like same staff and tablemates would not have occurred to us. Though I see now that might have come to like those aspects too, 

ATD diners often don't "get it."  If you like the aspects of your system, you have no reason to question them.  Cruising used to be fixed seating or the buffet.  It was the tradition.  There are far more people who want tradition than are posting on this board.  In the effort to attract new customers, the major lines have been slowly chipping away at traditional customs, and with the effect (if not the intention) of chasing off the old timers to make room for their "new clientele."  We really are looking at the smaller, inclusive lines where tradition is more important.  We need to use up our Princess FCC first.  I am hugely disappointed in Princess and how it is treating its old-time loyal customers.

[Steelers36]

6 hours ago, RNRcruisers said:

 

I feel like they have abandoned it. It is no longer an option and only time will tell if the new DMW will be a similar substitute.

 

I remember we have had times where we were on a waiting list for TD so it was definitely popular. I really hope they bring it back.

 

TD is not abandoned and does not need to be brought back.  It just needs to be fixed and properly represented in DMW.  My thinking has evolved on DMW and TD such that I think they should take TD "bookings" as Early/Late and send them to the MD to setup table assignments as in the past because I doubt that DMW can be programmed to properly handle TD in an efficient manner.  Use DMW for AT reservations.

 

[Steelers36]

12 minutes ago, Kay S said:

ATD diners often don't "get it."  If you like the aspects of your system, you have no reason to question them.  Cruising used to be fixed seating or the buffet.  It was the tradition.  There are far more people who want tradition than are posting on this board.  In the effort to attract new customers, the major lines have been slowly chipping away at traditional customs, and with the effect (if not the intention) of chasing off the old timers to make room for their "new clientele."  We really are looking at the smaller, inclusive lines where tradition is more important.  We need to use up our Princess FCC first.  I am hugely disappointed in Princess and how it is treating its old-time loyal customers.

I believe specifications to developers and developers not familiar with cruising is what happened to DMW.  I don't think DMW can handle TD the way it should be handled.  Also DMW was conceived under Covid protocols and I think the who sharing of table spaces just went over their heads and now scrambling to try and make it work.

[Kay S]

4 minutes ago, Steelers36 said:

I believe specifications to developers and developers not familiar with cruising is what happened to DMW.  I don't think DMW can handle TD the way it should be handled.  Also DMW was conceived under Covid protocols and I think the who sharing of table spaces just went over their heads and now scrambling to try and make it work.

I hope you are right.  I have a bunch of FCC to use up.

[3JCruiser]

Since the app updated 3 days ago they've made some changes in DMW.😀

 

It now offers the option of  a "Private Table" (there's only 2 of us) OR the option to Join a Shared Table

We've been trying to book dining for weeks, now I can check that off the list....looks like we're making some progress with the DMW portion of the app ! 

 

 

[Steelers36]

Just now, 3JCruiser said:

Since the app updated 3 days ago they've made some changes in DMW.😀

 

It now offers the option of  a "Private Table" (there's only 2 of us) OR the option to Join a Shared Table

We've been trying to book dining for weeks, now I can check that off the list....looks like we're making some progress with the DMW portion of the app ! 

 

 

And if you have a larger party, you may see the "dreaded" Split Tables indication that the App supposedly has no space to seat you at that time unless at separate tables.  Why would anyone want such an option? 

 

And chances are there is space, but DMW cannot re-jig the seating to make it work.

 

[geoherb]

I am on the Majestic right now. TD does not exist. Some people have told me that they have been able to get the same wait team and table at a set time each night. Others have told me that they have not been able to get them. I did not try to get the same wait team and table. I did get a standing reservation for the same dining room at 8:00 each night. When I showed up early, it did not matter since the ship is less than 70% full.

 

[awhcruiser]

2 hours ago, Kay S said:

ATD diners often don't "get it."  If you like the aspects of your system, you have no reason to question them.  Cruising used to be fixed seating or the buffet.  It was the tradition.  There are far more people who want tradition than are posting on this board.  In the effort to attract new customers, the major lines have been slowly chipping away at traditional customs, and with the effect (if not the intention) of chasing off the old timers to make room for their "new clientele."  We really are looking at the smaller, inclusive lines where tradition is more important.  We need to use up our Princess FCC first.  I am hugely disappointed in Princess and how it is treating its old-time loyal customers.

We love ATD and would never do anything else.  To each his own!

[Kay S]

2 hours ago, 3JCruiser said:

Since the app updated 3 days ago they've made some changes in DMW.😀

 

It now offers the option of  a "Private Table" (there's only 2 of us) OR the option to Join a Shared Table

We've been trying to book dining for weeks, now I can check that off the list....looks like we're making some progress with the DMW portion of the app ! 

 

 

I checked that.  I got a choice of dining room and tables for either two or six.  It wasn't worded as "private" or "join" but I guess the result is the same.  I redid the previous reservations we had for new ones with a table for six in Allegro.  Who knows how this will work IRL?  But you are right that it's looking like some progress is being made with the app.

[Steelers36]

1 hour ago, Kay S said:

I checked that.  I got a choice of dining room and tables for either two or six.  It wasn't worded as "private" or "join" but I guess the result is the same.  I redid the previous reservations we had for new ones with a table for six in Allegro.  Who knows how this will work IRL?  But you are right that it's looking like some progress is being made with the app.

When the App update was very much in its earliest hours of release, I too saw a couple of table sizes offered and I re-booked our dining then to the desired 4-top for our party of us and friends. 

 

Despite the offer, I saw we were still booked at a 2-top (for 4 ppl !!), then a 4-top, and finally back to a 2-top for our B2B2B.  Later, the System indicated we were at a Private table, then a Private table, and then at SPLIT tables for the last leg.  OMG - what a mess!!  I don't even believe the Private table (presumably a 4-top) for the first segment.  

 

And also, since then when I go into DMW and look to do a booking, table sizes are gone and all it indicates is Private or Shared.  Presumably Private means table size = party size, but would they put a couple at a 4-top and block the other 2 seats?  (This is what DMW was doing before so that cabins did not mix at tables).  There is a third thing though - if a Private table is not available for Dining Party size, it will offer Split Tables.  Now who in their right mind would think a dining group would accept seating at different tables???  Unbelievable.

 

[awhcruiser]

16 minutes ago, Steelers36 said:

Thank you.  I just hope my plan doesn't backfire as we are not planning on making set dinner reservations.  We don't cruise until April so we shall see if all the details are ironed out by then.  K

 

Yes, it is frustrating for "fans" of TD with what DMW has wrought upon us for the time being.  I empathize with it because it is what we do and expect to do going forward.  But I think it is unhelpful and unnecessary to knock others who prefer ATD.  The DMW functionality is working great for them I realize, but not a reason to put them down.  The problem is with Princess and their failing to deliver on a promise.

 

 

T

[dave_k58]

11 hours ago, majortom10 said:

I think you might have a diasgreement with that statement by the Deputy Captain.

the deputy captain, as you refer to him, is called the " Staff Captain.. Hotel Director outranks him

 

[majortom10]

7 hours ago, dave_k58 said:

the deputy captain, as you refer to him, is called the " Staff Captain.. Hotel Director outranks him

 

I think if anything happened to the Captain while at sea I would rather have Deputy/Staff Captain take control of the ship than the Hotel Director.

[skynight]

20 hours ago, dave_k58 said:

a cruise ship is primarily a hotel. That's why the hotel director is the second highest ranking person on the ship, right after the Captain 

Yes, aware. A cruise ship is a hospitality business, and on that ship dining of all types is one of the most important if not the most important part. Fail in dining and your business takes a hit. So far Princess has failed with DMW.

Regarding the captain, yes the captain does have control over the entire ship an all of its departments. Doubtful if the captain ever is involved with food & beverage, and other hotel activities except on a referral basis from a passenger complaint. The chief hotel officer receives direction & policy directly from the home office. Each hotel officer may run their operation a little different. 

[Nicole&Pete]

On 8/28/2021 at 1:20 AM, geoherb said:

I am on the Majestic right now. TD does not exist. Some people have told me that they have been able to get the same wait team and table at a set time each night. Others have told me that they have not been able to get them. I did not try to get the same wait team and table. I did get a standing reservation for the same dining room at 8:00 each night. When I showed up early, it did not matter since the ship is less than 70% full.

 

Hi we like traditional dining because I like to have the same table, people and dining staff each night. I phoned princess and they told me if you select the same time for the entire cruise it will be like traditional dining but at the time you want it. This sounded too good to be true but great if it does work. I take it from your comment though that this is not the case and it is difficult to get the same waiter etc.?

[Steelers36]

5 hours ago, Nicole&Pete said:

Hi we like traditional dining because I like to have the same table, people and dining staff each night. I phoned princess and they told me if you select the same time for the entire cruise it will be like traditional dining but at the time you want it. This sounded too good to be true but great if it does work. I take it from your comment though that this is not the case and it is difficult to get the same waiter etc.?

Yes, it is too good to be true.  Princess' own documentation does not define TD as occurring at all reservation times.  There is no guarantee of even same table outside of TD hours.  Actually, it is difficult to know what DMW is doing and how it sets up reservations.  It seems the MD's have been denuded of much control over table setups and I think this is one of the big issues in trying to deliver on the TD promises.  DMW was first conceived in an environment of not sharing tables due to Covid.  Some folks have been able to setup table-sharing on the ship, but same table and waiters has had mixed results, shall we say.

 

[Turk1]

Well, hoping that TD returns in some format. Our next cruise we have a Private Table (2 Guests) in the same DR at 7PM for the entire cruise (per the MedallionClass app). Booked in the Amalfi in the Enchanted Princess which "normally" would have been the TD for Late Seating. Since the cruise is not until 2022 hoping things are all figured out by then. But if not...at least we're on a cruise!

[wowzz]

58 minutes ago, Steelers36 said:

DMW was first conceived in an environment of not sharing tables due to Covid. 

I thought DMW was introduced prior to the covid outbreak?

[awhcruiser]

17 minutes ago, wowzz said:

I thought DMW was introduced prior to the covid outbreak?

May 5, 2021 was the intro date.

 

https://www.princess.com/news/news_releases/2021/05/princess-cruises-introduces-dine-my-way.html#:~:text=(May 5%2C 2021) –,to offer the ultimate in

Edited August 30, 2021 by awhcruiser

[wowzz]

1 minute ago, awhcruiser said:

May 5, 2021 was the intro date.

My mistake. I must have been thinking that DMW was introduced at the same time as the Medallion. 

[awhcruiser]

6 minutes ago, wowzz said:

My mistake. I must have been thinking that DMW was introduced at the same time as the Medallion. 

I had no idea what it was until we booked a cruise for next year!

[SAKay]

We are booked on the Ruby for next March 2022 for a cruise I booked in Dec 2021.  I originally signed up for TD, early seating.  We are a party of two, and I signed up to share a table with 6 or 8, which is what we usually do.   After DMW was introduced, my Princess rep told me that since we had signed up for TD before DMW was started, our TD would be honored.  Was anyone on the current cruises told the same thing?   Was the TD honored and what is it like?  Thanks for any info !!   😊