Dear Princess Management, I Hope You Read This

[Tedferg]

Did anyone mention that recently some DR have not been open? We just sailed on Carribean Princess, and the Island DR was not open. This would make it harder to assign a DR to TD.

 

At lunch the first day we met a delightful couple, ditto first night and second night. Three separate couples. Subsequently we had 2Top except on days when our tails were dragging, and we cancelled and went to the buffet.

 

Overall, it was a better experience than old AT, never had to stand in line for a buzzer and then wait to be called. Two nights were in the same area, and we liked the servers, but servers were equally nice on other nights. Always a line for Reservations and another for No Reservations.

[Kay S]

3 hours ago, Tedferg said:

Did anyone mention that recently some DR have not been open? We just sailed on Carribean Princess, and the Island DR was not open. This would make it harder to assign a DR to TD.

 

 

Not if the empty dining room was assigned to TD in the first place.  Just saying...

[Marla B]

On 9/30/2022 at 12:40 PM, JimmyVWine said:

You know what else can be done?  Connect with fellow cruisers in a Roll Call.  Exchange information.  Make each other Journey Mates, or whatever they call it on the App.  Then make DMW reservations in advance for each night of your cruise.  You get the same tablemates each night.  And on night one, tell the Dining Room Manager that you would love to have the same table and same server each night, as you have a standing reservation for that dining room each night at the same time.  Odds are very, very good that you will get that wish granted.  PRESTO!  Traditional dining experience with people you have connected with in advance instead of total strangers.  Traditional Dining has its fans among the 300 or so people who post here regularly.  It is far from the favorite way of dining for the 1 million other Princess cruisers who never use CC.  Do you really think that Princess has not surveyed this and instead removed TD in the blind?  

Excellent advice.  I booked with 9 others I didn't know on a cruise in February.  The Majestic waiter and his assistant that worked with us every night knew our allergies, our wines, our drinks, our desserts by the time we were finished.  And our tips on the final night reflected that!  The waiters made a fortune on our table!  10 strangers....who became friends.

[Guest ldtr]

On 10/3/2022 at 12:43 PM, Kay S said:

Not if the empty dining room was assigned to TD in the first place.  Just saying...

The main reason that Princess was not using one of the dining rooms for passengers since the restart was because they were using them for staff to enable the crew more space during meals while passenger numbers were down and Covid restrictions were in place.  

[mlmbar]

On 9/30/2022 at 12:51 PM, sonomaphil said:

I'll like to be the first to say we like Dine My Way and despise traditional dining.  Please take note of that Princess.  

I totally agree!!!! Not everyone wants to sit with strangers, and/or same table. dining room  I don't go to the same restaurant when I go to dinner so why should vacation be different?

[BirdTravels]

On 9/30/2022 at 12:31 PM, BabySarge said:

 

  PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE give those of us that still want it an option to have traditional style dining.  Contrary to what you have either been told or believe not everyone wants a different table, different waiter, different time, different dining room for dinner.  There are many of us that still want the same time same table, same dining room, same waiter(s) every night and even want to do that with the same strangers we meet on the first night for the entire cruise.

Unfortunately the contemporary cruiser does not want traditional dining. Like the dinosaurs, it will soon be extinct. The contemporary cruiser will sustain the cruise line for the decades to come. Us more “seasoned” cruises will continue regardless of what changes. May not be happy, but will continue to cruise. 

 

[suzyed]

On 10/3/2022 at 12:02 PM, Tedferg said:

Did anyone mention that recently some DR have not been open? We just sailed on Carribean Princess, and the Island DR was not open. This would make it harder to assign a DR to TD.

 

At lunch the first day we met a delightful couple, ditto first night and second night. Three separate couples. Subsequently we had 2Top except on days when our tails were dragging, and we cancelled and went to the buffet.

 

Overall, it was a better experience than old AT, never had to stand in line for a buzzer and then wait to be called. Two nights were in the same area, and we liked the servers, but servers were equally nice on other nights. Always a line for Reservations and another for No Reservations.

That's strange...we have most of our dinner reservations in the Island dining room.  Last I checked they were still reserved...unless it changes in the next week or so.

Edited October 8, 2022 by suzyed

[dave_k58]

In theory, I like the idea of traditional dining. It just seemed, though, that there were always tablemates who were late or no shows. This was not fair to either the people who did show up on time and the waiters. 

[4cats4me]

Haven’t had a TD experience since 2001 and definitely don’t miss it. Haha. I love sitting at different   tables every night, whether private or shared. Doesn’t matter.  Some cruises we only eat at the buffet the entire cruise.  

 

[CruizinSusan70]

On 9/30/2022 at 2:53 PM, JimmyVWine said:

 Some people long for the leisurely pace and congeniality of the old TD model.  But the increased passenger load simply does not allow for that any longer.  Princess knows this.  They aren't stupid.  

Have to disagree.  Carnival still has traditional as well as any time dining on the Mardi Gras.  And the Mardi Gras tops out at over 6000 people instead of only 4300 on the Sun Princess.  Now, I will admit that Cucina del Capitano and Chibang are alternative included sit down dinner options, but then again the MG holds 1700 more cruisers.  It can be done.

[ldubs]

On 9/30/2022 at 9:42 AM, ghgeckos said:

As a family with food allergies we too prefer the ability to sit in the same area of the dinning room. This allows servers to get used to our families needs without having to repeat ourselves every night. So far we have been able to get our dining reservations nightly in the same dining room. On previous cruises this year I have been able to request a general section of the dining room after speaking to the Maitre d.

 

One of our travel mates erroneously put food she wanted to avoid in the food allergy section of the app.   When she ordered stuff that was counter to what she had indicated the waiter always came back to clarify her food allergy issue.  This happened the first two nights.  They couldn't change her mistake in the dining room.  The folks at guest services made the needed change.   Anyway, the upshot was that the app seemed to make them aware. Of course, that doesn't mean you would avoid having to confirm/explain needs if wait staff changed every meal.  

[ldubs]

On 10/6/2022 at 7:43 PM, BirdTravels said:

Unfortunately the contemporary cruiser does not want traditional dining. Like the dinosaurs, it will soon be extinct. The contemporary cruiser will sustain the cruise line for the decades to come. Us more “seasoned” cruises will continue regardless of what changes. May not be happy, but will continue to cruise. 

 

 

I guess I fall into the seasoned category and might even be considered a dinosaur at this point. 😀   I like the flexibility of the new system, just as I liked the flexibility of MyTime, Anytime, or whatever it was called before on Princess.  It would be nice to have the same table/staff but that isn't a major thing for us.  

 

I have not read all 100+ responses, but what I have read seems to indicate there are still options that will provide the old traditional dining experience.  

[ldubs]

On 10/2/2022 at 1:48 AM, caribill said:

 

That assumes the peoplem with you the first evening were there at that time because they wanted to eat every evening at that time.

 

But there is a good chance you were seated with people who just wanted to eat at that time one evening or had no reservation (like the old AT) and just were hungry that evening at the same time you had a reservation for.

 

If everyone wants to share, it seems they can be linked in the Medallion app, I think.  But if some don't want to share that could become a little sticky.  

[ldubs]

On 10/2/2022 at 10:41 AM, BabySarge said:

I thank you all for your input; yes, even those of you telling me to stop complaining, get over myself, accept the changes, move on, cruise a different line, or just endure and suffer like you had to.  I'm not asking or hoping that Princess change the entire dining system back to totally traditional dining.  I get that times change and it is an option that many cruising today do not like and do not want.  I'm simply asking or hoping that Princess could figure out a way to work with those of us that do want that experience.   I would just like to find an equitable solution for both sides of the "argument" on the cruise line we like.

The thing is I truly believe there is a way those who wish to have a dining experience other than traditional can have that with Princess and those of us that wish to have a traditional dining experience can have that with Princess too.  

Naively or not I do believe there is a solution and that Princess monitors these boards and reads what is posted here.  

 

This thread contains some good advice for those who share your dining preference.   From some of the responses I've read,  it seems there is already a relatively easy solution that will give you the traditional dining experience you want.  And, this can be done without Princess changing anything.     To streamline things it seems adding an option for "same shared table" would be a nice addition to the Medallion app.