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

[Steelers36]

5 hours ago, SAKay said:

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 !!   😊

They were just reading you the marketing blurb without having a clue about the system and its foibles.

 

[Nicole&Pete]

On 8/30/2021 at 5:05 PM, Steelers36 said:

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.

 

Right thanks for the info, that is very different from what I was told by princess!

[Nicole&Pete]

23 hours ago, SAKay said:

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 !!   😊

We had booked late seating a table for 6, which is what we usually book, for our cruise next year. When we went on the app however we were given a table for 2 at a time 15 minutes earlier than the usual TD time in a different dining room than that which is usually allocated for TD but the same reservation for the entire cruise. I could cancel that and book a new reservation for the entire cruise but I have had some issues with it.
 

I would check the app under view reservations and see what they have allocated you to.

[Steelers36]

4 hours ago, Nicole&Pete said:

We had booked late seating a table for 6, which is what we usually book, for our cruise next year. When we went on the app however we were given a table for 2 at a time 15 minutes earlier than the usual TD time in a different dining room than that which is usually allocated for TD but the same reservation for the entire cruise. I could cancel that and book a new reservation for the entire cruise but I have had some issues with it.
 

I would check the app under view reservations and see what they have allocated you to.

When they converted Cruise Personalizer information, they placed all cabins at their own tables, regardless of what you had indicated.  First, they filled 2-tops, then moved on to 4-tops and so forth.  (This is from back in early June).

 

[Thrak]

I have to wonder how many folks booked on our May 2 Alaska voyage have used DMW to make reservations.  Hopefully not a lot as Princess is changing the ship from Sapphire to Royal and all dining assignments will have to be changed.

[Nicole&Pete]

16 hours ago, Steelers36 said:

When they converted Cruise Personalizer information, they placed all cabins at their own tables, regardless of what you had indicated.  First, they filled 2-tops, then moved on to 4-tops and so forth.  (This is from back in early June).

 

Oh I see, thanks for the info, I’m still struggling to get a reservation on a shared table. Il keep trying on the app.

[Biz45]

I have looked but cannot find the answer to my question, so please forgive me if this has already been asked.

 

We are due to sail in 3 weeks and still have not been able to book speciality restaurants on the medallion App,  Do any of you know when this would be available to book.   Also I cannot find prices, do you think this is set or may vary?  Which is why they don't give price.

 

Thank you in advance for any advice.  

 

BTW this is on a UK seacation Cruise Regal Princess

 

Liz

[skynight]

Prices for the Crown Grill & Sabatini's are a set price, US$29/pp. They do not vary. 

[Steelers36]

4 hours ago, Biz45 said:

I have looked but cannot find the answer to my question, so please forgive me if this has already been asked.

 

We are due to sail in 3 weeks and still have not been able to book speciality restaurants on the medallion App,  Do any of you know when this would be available to book.   Also I cannot find prices, do you think this is set or may vary?  Which is why they don't give price.

 

Thank you in advance for any advice.  

 

BTW this is on a UK seacation Cruise Regal Princess

 

Liz

 

1 hour ago, skynight said:

Prices for the Crown Grill & Sabatini's are a set price, US$29/pp. They do not vary. 

 

Some of the other Specialty Dining experiences are $25 and perhaps one or two less??  Don't recall for sure, BUT if you go to the Dining pages on Princess.com, all of the Specialty Dining experiences are described and include sample menus and the price.

 

ETA:  You should be able to book Specialty at this time.  Who knows why it isn't working.  Others have reported the same.  If I wanted to at this time, I can make a SD res in DMW for our OCT 2022 voyages (have done mock bookings as a test before).

Edited September 1, 2021 by Steelers36

[skynight]

2 hours ago, Steelers36 said:

 

 

Some of the other Specialty Dining experiences are $25 and perhaps one or two less??  Don't recall for sure, BUT if you go to the Dining pages on Princess.com, all of the Specialty Dining experiences are described and include sample menus and the price.

 

ETA:  You should be able to book Specialty at this time.  Who knows why it isn't working.  Others have reported the same.  If I wanted to at this time, I can make a SD res in DMW for our OCT 2022 voyages (have done mock bookings as a test before).

Yes, you are correct, my error. Sabatini's Trattoria is US$25/pp. Crown Grill is US$29/pp

https://www.princess.com/downloads/pdf/food-and-dining/dining-options.pdf

[Biz45]

4 hours ago, Steelers36 said:

 

 

Some of the other Specialty Dining experiences are $25 and perhaps one or two less??  Don't recall for sure, BUT if you go to the Dining pages on Princess.com, all of the Specialty Dining experiences are described and include sample menus and the price.

 

ETA:  You should be able to book Specialty at this time.  Who knows why it isn't working.  Others have reported the same.  If I wanted to at this time, I can make a SD res in DMW for our OCT 2022 voyages (have done mock bookings as a test before).

Thank you, odd that I can't book 3 weeks before.  I will re install app to see if that works.

 

Liz

[Tedferg]

23 minutes ago, Biz45 said:

Thank you, odd that I can't book 3 weeks before.  I will re install app to see if that works.

 

Liz

I have not found any advantage to reinstalling the app, unless of course there has been an Update that you missed.

[Roberto256]

I had an idea for princess ... if this is not already implemented.

 

When a passenger has a dinner reservation, they should get a pop-up alerting them a few minutes before.

The notification should include a 'cancel' button.

 

This would help with tables sitting empty waiting for people who are not going to show up.

 

Perhaps a notification a few minutes after the scheduled time ... if the passenger hasn't shown

up ... a pop-up that says we will be releasing your reservation in 10 minutes.

And, an opportunity to click cancel, or that you are on your way.

(just in case someone is stuck in traffic)

[Thrak]

4 hours ago, Roberto256 said:

Perhaps a notification a few minutes after the scheduled time ... if the passenger hasn't shown

up ... a pop-up that says we will be releasing your reservation in 10 minutes.

And, an opportunity to click cancel, or that you are on your way.

(just in case someone is stuck in traffic)

 

Hmmmmm... Trying to remember the last time I was "stuck in traffic" on a cruise ship.

[Turk1]

And I was already to lock my cell phone in the safe as always.

[CruisinGrandpa]

Has anyone tried, or been able, to make a reservation for either the Wine Makers Dinner or the Chef's Table using DMW?

 

[Steelers36]

16 minutes ago, CruisinGrandpa said:

Has anyone tried, or been able, to make a reservation for either the Wine Makers Dinner or the Chef's Table using DMW?

 

Those functions have not been added to the App at this point in time.  Might be possible in future, but these are also things that are always only booked on board.

[Steelers36]

I have a somewhat minor update to my DMW experiences for a B2B2B future voyage (they had been having a number of issues with multiple linked voyages and IDK if fully fixed now). 

 

When the latest release came out Aug 24, I found that the MC App indicated we were seated at some 2-tops for our party of 4 (two of us, plus two travel companions).  Obviously, that won't work.

 

The next day, the system had changed again to remove table sizes and simply stated Sharing or Private.  But there is a third situation - Split Tables.  This third one seems to happen when the System cannot seat the full Dining Party together and seems to indicate each couple will be at separate tables.  Now we can debate who in their right mind would think people would want to do that (might even include parents being split from their children).  Let's just say I have NO idea why anyone at Princess or in the MC App team would think this is a solution.  IOW, if you cannot get seated at a Private table, then it would make sense you have to Share. 

 

Anyway, leave that aside for the moment.  I received an email from the MC/OCEAN team that my multiple linked voyage issue was fixed.  I saw nothing different in DMW data review, so I closed my eyes, knocked on wood, and re-booked for the entire voyage (full res for same time each night).  It did work after much waiting and spinning.  A review of all 25 nights indicated we were at a Private table (presumably a 4-top, but who knows since it doesn't say).  EXCEPT .... the first and last nights of the third leg/cruise of the B2B2B.  On those two nights, it indicates we are at Split Tables.  Now that makes no sense as how could this 11-night voyage have no table space on night 1 and night 11, but the other 9 nights are fine? 

 

Okay, so I am very confident that once we have a table on night 1 of cruise 1 we won't be moving anywhere for the next 24 nights, so I am not worried about the Split thing for the two nights.  Other than it seems to be another System anomaly.  

 

Not sure how others are finding it making reservations for multiple B2B's.  I will say that each phase of the process has returned better results.

 

But I still think the implementation is seriously flawed since they removed any indication of table size.  Let's talk about the folks who like to share.  A couple may want to share at a 4-top or 6-top, but never an 8-top or 10-top, whereas other folks may want the 8-top or 10-top as in the-more-the-merrier and would never want sharing at a 4-top or 6-top.  Booking to Share right now in DMW results in a mystery booking for those what want to share as you have no idea what the table size is, but are expecting to have same waiters each night.  

 

IDK the next phase of DMW, but I hope they do not think they are done with it.

[memoak]

37 minutes ago, Steelers36 said:

I have a somewhat minor update to my DMW experiences for a B2B2B future voyage (they had been having a number of issues with multiple linked voyages and IDK if fully fixed now). 

 

When the latest release came out Aug 24, I found that the MC App indicated we were seated at some 2-tops for our party of 4 (two of us, plus two travel companions).  Obviously, that won't work.

 

The next day, the system had changed again to remove table sizes and simply stated Sharing or Private.  But there is a third situation - Split Tables.  This third one seems to happen when the System cannot seat the full Dining Party together and seems to indicate each couple will be at separate tables.  Now we can debate who in their right mind would think people would want to do that (might even include parents being split from their children).  Let's just say I have NO idea why anyone at Princess or in the MC App team would think this is a solution.  IOW, if you cannot get seated at a Private table, then it would make sense you have to Share. 

 

Anyway, leave that aside for the moment.  I received an email from the MC/OCEAN team that my multiple linked voyage issue was fixed.  I saw nothing different in DMW data review, so I closed my eyes, knocked on wood, and re-booked for the entire voyage (full res for same time each night).  It did work after much waiting and spinning.  A review of all 25 nights indicated we were at a Private table (presumably a 4-top, but who knows since it doesn't say).  EXCEPT .... the first and last nights of the third leg/cruise of the B2B2B.  On those two nights, it indicates we are at Split Tables.  Now that makes no sense as how could this 11-night voyage have no table space on night 1 and night 11, but the other 9 nights are fine? 

 

Okay, so I am very confident that once we have a table on night 1 of cruise 1 we won't be moving anywhere for the next 24 nights, so I am not worried about the Split thing for the two nights.  Other than it seems to be another System anomaly.  

 

Not sure how others are finding it making reservations for multiple B2B's.  I will say that each phase of the process has returned better results.

 

But I still think the implementation is seriously flawed since they removed any indication of table size.  Let's talk about the folks who like to share.  A couple may want to share at a 4-top or 6-top, but never an 8-top or 10-top, whereas other folks may want the 8-top or 10-top as in the-more-the-merrier and would never want sharing at a 4-top or 6-top.  Booking to Share right now in DMW results in a mystery booking for those what want to share as you have no idea what the table size is, but are expecting to have same waiters each night.  

 

IDK the next phase of DMW, but I hope they do not think they are done with it.

Nothing on this app will ever be finished

[Tedferg]

Not sure I see the need to be specific on table size. When we turned up as a foursome at AT we were asked if we would share, so it was typically a table for 8 but 6 or 10 would have been OK too.

[Steelers36]

10 hours ago, Tedferg said:

Not sure I see the need to be specific on table size. When we turned up as a foursome at AT we were asked if we would share, so it was typically a table for 8 but 6 or 10 would have been OK too.

Right, but some people have preferences.  For example, I have read where people like to share but don't want a larger table as it takes longer to get through dinner and others don't like a 4-top as there is only one other couple and they may not hit it off. 

 

But my main focus was on a TD type res where you have same table mates and wait staff for the entire voyage.  I agree that with AT you can ask the host(ess) what size table you prefer prior to being seated. 

 

[Tedferg]

4 hours ago, Steelers36 said:

Right, but some people have preferences.  For example, I have read where people like to share but don't want a larger table as it takes longer to get through dinner and others don't like a 4-top as there is only one other couple and they may not hit it off. 

 

But my main focus was on a TD type res where you have same table mates and wait staff for the entire voyage.  I agree that with AT you can ask the host(ess) what size table you prefer prior to being seated. 

 

OK but it seems to me that sharing / reserving down to specific table size is an unnecessary  complication for a system that is already having difficulties. Makes sense to me to just separate into those who want to stay in their own group or those who want to share. 

Edited September 3, 2021 by Tedferg

[Steelers36]

1 hour ago, Tedferg said:

OK but it seems to me that sharing / reserving down to specific table size is an unnecessary  complication for a system that is already having difficulties. Makes sense to me to just separate into those who want to stay in their own group or those who want to share. 

Which brings me back to the my KISS solution.  Have those who want TD enroll with their desired time and table size and all the info goes to the MD on board and he and his team setup the TD table assignments as before.  The remaining inventory is left available in DMW for folks to book otherwise.  Once the cruise begins, all inventory not consumed for TD (if any) is then made available in DMW. 

 

I doubt they can program it to dynamically handle TD setups - or at least it won't be worth it right now.  They ought to be able to revert into a process where it goes back to the MD in the near term and it removes all of the issues and deliver what the guests want.

[Tedferg]

35 minutes ago, Steelers36 said:

Which brings me back to the my KISS solution.  Have those who want TD enroll with their desired time and table size and all the info goes to the MD on board and he and his team setup the TD table assignments as before.  The remaining inventory is left available in DMW for folks to book otherwise.  Once the cruise begins, all inventory not consumed for TD (if any) is then made available in DMW. 

 

I doubt they can program it to dynamically handle TD setups - or at least it won't be worth it right now.  They ought to be able to revert into a process where it goes back to the MD in the near term and it removes all of the issues and deliver what the guests want.

Got it. I keep forgetting that, apparently, TD used to allow you to choose table size. Since we have not used TD I was unaware of that. Your suggestion to leave it to MD to juggle assignments on the fly makes sense.

[Turk1]

Steelers36 seems to cover both those that want a return to TD dining and those that prefer ATD. Makes sense to me.