Signing up for anytime dining?

[Clampram]

Last week I booked a cruise for next year. While booking, I was not given any option about dining choice.........instead there was a reference to do this on the Medallion. I put the Medallion app on my phone but I cannot find anywhere to sign up for anytime dining. Is it to early before my cruise to find it or am I missing something?

[wowzz]

24 minutes ago, Clampram said:

Last week I booked a cruise for next year. While booking, I was not given any option about dining choice.........instead there was a reference to do this on the Medallion. I put the Medallion app on my phone but I cannot find anywhere to sign up for anytime dining. Is it to early before my cruise to find it or am I missing something?

All dining is now anytime. 

If you wish, you can make reservations in advance on the Medallion app, or, you can just turn up when you like, although this may entail a queue at peak times (which will vary depending on the passenger mix)

Edited August 25, 2022 by wowzz

[1965]

We prefer just showing up when we want for dinner. We've never made reservations. 

[PacnGoNow]

1 hour ago, Clampram said:

Last week I booked a cruise for next year. While booking, I was not given any option about dining choice.........instead there was a reference to do this on the Medallion. I put the Medallion app on my phone but I cannot find anywhere to sign up for anytime dining. Is it to early before my cruise to find it or am I missing something?

It’s called dine my way (DMW).  You can choose to dine same time every day or individual times each day or just show up.  As a lot of ships are getting closer to or at capacity, I would select a time. You can change it.  Or, just show up . You can also book specialty dining on the App.  

 

Go to the App..

Click on the round ball at the top with the fork and knife.

Select your times.

 

Or, click on Dine My Way further down on the page. Under Ocean Now.

[wowzz]

4 minutes ago, PacnGoNow said:

It’s called dine my way (DMW).  You can choose to dine same time every day or individual times each day or just show up.  As a lot of ships are getting closer to or at capacity, I would select a time. You can change it.  Or, just show up . You can also book specialty dining on the App.  

 

Go to the App..

Click on the round ball at the top with the fork and knife.

Select your times.

 

Or, click on Dine My Way further down on the page. Under Ocean Now.

Anecdotal evidence from many on the current European sailings indicate that even if you have a reservation, you may still need to wait. We just turn up when we are hungry. 

[PacnGoNow]

2 minutes ago, wowzz said:

Anecdotal evidence from many on the current European sailings indicate that even if you have a reservation, you may still need to wait. We just turn up when we are hungry. 

You’re right, so I have read.  We like the TD and early.  But, everyone is different.

 

 

[MissP22]

1 hour ago, 1965 said:

We prefer just showing up when we want for dinner. We've never made reservations. 

We used do like wise but their new system lets people reserve a time slot (approximately) so they may have a seating preference before you.

On our last cruise we had standing early reservations although we didn't really need them. I don't know how long they would hold a table if we were a no show. 

[1965]

For dinner we enjoy a 2 top, & not one that's just a foot away from the next 2 top. On our last cruise we always requested "a table for 2 that's not next to another table for 2." The sweet hostess knew our preference after just 2 or 3 dinners. She always found a good table for us, & there was seldom a wait. We'll continue to make that request on future cruises. With full capacity becoming the norm there may be a wait, but we don't mind. We love people but dinner is just for us love birds who've been married 56 years. Lol. 😁

[Nebr.cruiser]

We just showed up on our March cruise and had little to no wait, party of three.  But, we eat later, usually right after the first show.  Lines were none to minimal.  If you prefer to eat early, lines seem to form.

[wowzz]

1 minute ago, Nebr.cruiser said:

We just showed up on our March cruise and had little to no wait, party of three.  But, we eat later, usually right after the first show.  Lines were none to minimal.  If you prefer to eat early, lines seem to form.

Most Americans(and I know it is a generalisation) seem to want to eat dinner early, before 19:00, so on cruises with a large US contingent, finding a table after 20:00 is pretty easy.

[Nebr.cruiser]

Very true--I have never understood wanting to eat at 5:30 to 7:00 on vacation.  Also, on cruises, I'm afraid we have had too much breakfast, lunch and often snacks to be hungry yet!  We do eat fairly late at home too, especially in nice weather.

 

Very different than many other cultures.  Maybe a remnant of the farming culture?  My dad farmed and we had breakfast-dinner-supper.  Lunch was food taken to the field either mid morning or mid afternoon.  I still call dinner supper most of the time!

Edited August 25, 2022 by Nebr.cruiser

[wowzz]

4 minutes ago, Nebr.cruiser said:

Very true--I have never understood wanting to eat at 5:30 to 7:00 on vacation. 

Me too. On our first cruise with American pax, we were amazed to see people queueing for dinner at 17:30, when we were going for sail away cocktails !

[Steelers36]

11 hours ago, Clampram said:

Last week I booked a cruise for next year. While booking, I was not given any option about dining choice.........instead there was a reference to do this on the Medallion. I put the Medallion app on my phone but I cannot find anywhere to sign up for anytime dining. Is it to early before my cruise to find it or am I missing something?

 

10 hours ago, PacnGoNow said:

It’s called dine my way (DMW).  You can choose to dine same time every day or individual times each day or just show up.  As a lot of ships are getting closer to or at capacity, I would select a time. You can change it.  Or, just show up . You can also book specialty dining on the App.  

 

Go to the App..

Click on the round ball at the top with the fork and knife.

Select your times.

 

Or, click on Dine My Way further down on the page. Under Ocean Now.

The above are good instructions for the OP, but unless the OP is Platinum or Elite, they won't see any dining opportunities until Final Payment is made.

 

[PTMary]

29 minutes ago, Steelers36 said:

 

The above are good instructions for the OP, but unless the OP is Platinum or Elite, they won't see any dining opportunities until Final Payment is made.

 

 

We are only Gold with a single ten day cruise history. We have been able to make all dinner reservations, both in MDR and Specialty. Our cruise is still seven months in the future and we made those reservations about two month ago. We have not yet made the final payment. A couple we cruised with in the past are on a different Princess cruise three weeks after us and are also Gold, but with one additional cruise than us. They have also made all their dinner reservations.

 

IMHO, there seems to be no Platinum and Elite requirement. Otherwise, how were we all able to book our reservations? 

 

 

Edited August 25, 2022 by PTMary

[wowzz]

5 minutes ago, PTMary said:

IMHO, there seems to be no Platinum and Elite requirement. Otherwise, how were we all able to book our reservations? 

Exactly. 

Dining reservations can be made regardless of status.

[Steelers36]

3 minutes ago, PTMary said:

 

We are only Gold with a single ten day cruise history. We have been able to make all dinner reservations, both in MDR and Specialty. Our cruise is still seven months in the future and we made those reservations about two month ago. We have not yet made the final payment. A couple we cruised with in the past are on a different Princess cruise three weeks after us and are also Gold, but with one additional cruise than us. They have also made all their dinner reservations.

 

IMHO, there seems to be no Platinum and Elite requirement. Otherwise, how were we all able to book our reservations? 

 

 

Nothing personal, but this is not at all how it is supposed to work and I do recall reading a similar post.  Seems like things have changed.  It is supposed to be one of our benefits.  I presume you are not booked in Club Class or a Suite or you would not need DR reservations.

 

I certianly have a bone to pick with Princess, but cannot blame you or anyone else who can book DR tables even if you shouldn't.  It is really bad form on their part sonce if they fix it and take it away, it's going to piss off some folks who had been able to do it and may not even been aware it was a gift.

[Steelers36]

Just now, wowzz said:

Exactly. 

Dining reservations can be made regardless of status.

Not how it was laid out to us. You can also look up dining info on Princess website.

[PTMary]

39 minutes ago, Steelers36 said:

Nothing personal, but this is not at all how it is supposed to work and I do recall reading a similar post.  Seems like things have changed.  It is supposed to be one of our benefits.  I presume you are not booked in Club Class or a Suite or you would not need DR reservations.

 

I certainly have a bone to pick with Princess, but cannot blame you or anyone else who can book DR tables even if you shouldn't.  It is really bad form on their part since if they fix it and take it away, it's going to piss off some folks who had been able to do it and may not even been aware it was a gift.

 

We are in the lowest category (ie: cheapest) mini-suite. We are Elite on Celebrity, Diamond on Royal Caribbean and 4-Star Mariner on Holland America. I have cruised more than some people with very high tier loyalty status on Princess, so I find the whole concept of loyalty status as a way to push ahead of other passengers to be elitist.

 

The "status" classes are way over rated, in my opinion. More fluff than substance. I have never, nor will I ever, choose a cruise based on the "status" level I have with that cruise line. And I never throw around that status to get preferential treatment over others. I am just not the kind of person who thinks I should be able to jump ahead of others because of some "do you know who I am" elitist club program.

 

If that's what I needed to feel satisfied, I would only cruise Cunard with their well defined class structure.

 

Nothing personal.  

Edited August 25, 2022 by PTMary

[PacnGoNow]

2 hours ago, Steelers36 said:

 

The above are good instructions for the OP, but unless the OP is Platinum or Elite, they won't see any dining opportunities until Final Payment is made.

 

Thanks for that.  I have seen many who can book it without being Platinum or Elite, although that’s supposed to be a benefit for being such.

 

IDK what they are doing anymore. I say, just give it a try, if it works, it works.😳

[sloopsailor]

2 hours ago, PTMary said:

 

We are in the lowest category (ie: cheapest) mini-suite. We are Elite on Celebrity, Diamond on Royal Caribbean and 4-Star Mariner on Holland America. I have cruised more than some people with very high tier loyalty status on Princess, so I find the whole concept of loyalty status as a way to push ahead of other passengers to be elitist.

 

The "status" classes are way over rated, in my opinion. More fluff than substance. I have never, nor will I ever, choose a cruise based on the "status" level I have with that cruise line. And I never throw around that status to get preferential treatment over others. I am just not the kind of person who thinks I should be able to jump ahead of others because of some "do you know who I am" elitist club program.

 

If that's what I needed to feel satisfied, I would only cruise Cunard with their well defined class structure.

 

Nothing personal.  

 

I enjoy the benefits of loyalty programs when I am rewarded with free drinks, or bar setups in my room, or other benefits that doesn't adversely affect someone else by moving me to the front of the line and making them wait for me. When people with lower level loyalty status are forced to be inferior in some way - having to wait for the higher levels to board, to disembark, to better seats in the theatre, to make reservations, etc. - then we are getting into the haves-and-have-nots class structure that the ships of the past embraced. No one on a cruise should be made to feel like they are a lower class than any other person on the ship. Period. 

[Steelers36]

I am not an advocate for classes of distinction on a ship either.  But they did take away some Elite and Platinum benefits and gave us some different ones.  As has been mentioned, we are supposed to have the benefit of ability to make dining reservations as soon as booked with a deposit.  Blue, Gold & Ruby were supposedly to wait until making Final Payment (which can be done ahead of the due date if desired). 

 

They still describe it as such on their website:  

Access Dine My Way

• Customize your reservations and other dining options.
• Most guests will be able to access once your cruise is paid in full.
• Early access for Captain's Circle Platinum and Elite members as well as guests booked in Club Class and Suites.

 

Perhaps they have quietly changed this, deciding that anyone who books early ought to be rewarded?  Or, perhaps it is another system bug because at one time DMW did not work for everyone.  Of note, however, is that prior to DMW, as soon as folks booked they could request Early or Late TD, or AT and those choices could get filled up before Final Payment Date.