Ruby is only “Dine the way we tell you”

[WNCtourist]

The dining situation  is unacceptable. I suggest requesting a meeting directly with the Food & Beverage director (and be sure to mention how the restaurant manager/dining manager is always "too busy" to talk with you).

[startedwithamouse]

2 hours ago, Lady Arwen said:

Of course he wouldn’t refuse it, that would be insulting to you.   The reason I ask is that we always very politely make certain requests and 90% of the time we are graciously accommodated.  No bribe ever offered or expected.  Just great service because this is what they’re paid to do.  I find the bribing thing a bit tacky and demeaning to the restaurant manager.  However, you do you and whatever you’re comfortable with. 

Well, we tip in advance. And it works. We also share this information with blue or gold cruisers who ask how we get the window table each night. And it works for them too. Maybe the asking nicely will be a thing of the past, and pay to play will become the norm. Similar to no free upgrades anymore. Hey, great idea, maybe Princess will implement a window table bidding procedure? Or you get a better table with Plus or Premier? 

[Lady Arwen]

5 minutes ago, startedwithamouse said:

Well, we tip in advance. And it works. We also share this information with blue or gold cruisers who ask how we get the window table each night. And it works for them too. Maybe the asking nicely will be a thing of the past, and pay to play will become the norm. Similar to no free upgrades anymore. Hey, great idea, maybe Princess will implement a window table bidding procedure? Or you get a better table with Plus or Premier? 

I think we’ll continue to ask politely, as it seems to work for us just fine.  Bribing just isn’t our thing.  Actually I don’t know anyone who does this, so you’re the first!

[cruzsnooze]

6 hours ago, startedwithamouse said:

 

 

Plan B is to have a "$ word $" with the restaurant manager, and be seated.  You're going to tip him anyway, why not make it upfront? 

 

 

That's not a tip it's a bribe. There should be no reservation in the main dining room, it should be as it was advertised "anytime" dining. 

Edited November 9, 2023 by cruzsnooze

[trin880]

1 hour ago, cruzsnooze said:

That's not a tip it's a bribe. There should be no reservation in the main dining room, it should be as it was advertised "anytime" dining. 

I still don't understand, and it seems no explanation by restaurant manager, why reservation system is not working as intended on Ruby? If it works on other Princess's ships (and I had no problems on Royal few month ago), what is wrong with Ruby in this cruising. 

[Rick&Jeannie]

5 minutes ago, trin880 said:

I still don't understand, and it seems no explanation by restaurant manager, why reservation system is not working as intended on Ruby? If it works on other Princess's ships (and I had no problems on Royal few month ago), what is wrong with Ruby in this cruising. 

It is very likely that it was/is something very out of the ordinary for this cruise. It is *not* like this on most other ships. 

[PescadoAmarillo]

4 hours ago, memoak said:

We never order through the app and only order from bartenders. Never had any issues. Plenty of places to get food and lots of bars

Good to know that it works for you because you don’t order deliveries through the app but that is not what is touted and has been touted ever since that Consumer Electronics Show a zillion years ago when the Medallion was first announced. 
 

@mcgratru, it’s not just the Ruby.  DH is currently on the Regal doing B2B cruises. He had reservations in DMW in the app for a private table nightly at a certain time. The first day of the first cruise, he received 12 separate emails, one for each night, changing the reservations. The first day of the second cruise he again received an email for each night of that cruise, but, by then, he had a table locked in with the Restaurant Manager. But it really shouldn’t take a “practice” cruise to get what was reserved for months.  

[schnapperin]

Is it also normal that there is no lunch / afternoon service apart of the buffet during port days? Have to admit that I expected it to be 

[dlh015]

2 hours ago, PescadoAmarillo said:

Good to know that it works for you because you don’t order deliveries through the app but that is not what is touted and has been touted ever since that Consumer Electronics Show a zillion years ago when the Medallion was first announced. 
 

@mcgratru, it’s not just the Ruby.  DH is currently on the Regal doing B2B cruises. He had reservations in DMW in the app for a private table nightly at a certain time. The first day of the first cruise, he received 12 separate emails, one for each night, changing the reservations. The first day of the second cruise he again received an email for each night of that cruise, but, by then, he had a table locked in with the Restaurant Manager. But it really shouldn’t take a “practice” cruise to get what was reserved for months.  

I had precisely the same thing happen to me on the Majestic Princess this past month on the repo cruise...all 26 of my (months ago) reservations were changed from 5:20 to 5:00. Private table, etc. Not a big deal as it turned out I wasn't happy in the MDR anyways. After 5 nights I cancelled them all anyways. Food was well...let's just say it's subjective and that this subject bailed. I was *very* happy with the buffet...was happy with the quality and had sooo many choices. Loved The Bakery!

 

But I loved the ship, the crew and virtually every aspect of the cruise! And BTW, Alfredo's was a ghost town like all the time. I was the only customer one evening at 5:30. (Got a table by the window with no money changing hands...lol.) I was almost finished my meal when three other folks showed up. 

 

BTW, the service was fine and I had no problems getting a table. 

[memoak]

3 hours ago, schnapperin said:

Is it also normal that there is no lunch / afternoon service apart of the buffet during port days? Have to admit that I expected it to be 

Yes it is very normal. MDR lunch is only on sea days 

[Steelers36]

13 hours ago, Lady Arwen said:

I think we’ll continue to ask politely, as it seems to work for us just fine.  Bribing just isn’t our thing.  Actually I don’t know anyone who does this, so you’re the first!

I have same approach - especially for a DRO.  Last Fall, I did want to give a DR Mgr something as he had done some extra work to get us re-situated and he politely refused.

 

That said, I have heard of tipping a MD/DRO generously for services, but it isn't my thing.  IDK as I would call it bribing, but I figure senior management (a DRO) is well compensated and it is their job.

[Steelers36]

17 hours ago, mcgratru said:

We have told them we are willing to eat at any time that works for them…..nope. There are long lines right from 5:00 until 7:30.

 

We have asked to speak to the restaurant manager three times now and are simply told he is too busy.

 

This is not at all usual for a Princess cruise…something going on with food service in general I think…

 

Today my husband ordered a pizza. I was in the pool and noticed a waiter circling with a pizza. I got out of the pool and asked the waiter if he was looking for “husbands name”. He said yes and I pointed out where he was sitting upstairs around the pool and described what he was wearing. The waiter said he could not locate him. Again I explained and pointed to where he was at which point the waiter asked me if I could deliver the pizza. I said “No, I am going for a swim and do not want to walk up three sets of stairs to deliver his pizza.” If you go up there you will see him and he will be on the lookout for you.

 

The waiter said he was going to check with his supervisor, walked about ten feet away and put the pizza down on a table and left. I got back in the pool but no waiter returned, so, after 5 minutes, I got out and carried the pizza up to my husband…seriously have never had anything like that happen before!

 

Asked husband for a delivery gratuity! 

Then a passing waiter asked for drink orders….I got a rum & coke with no rum and hubby got wrong beer….feel like we must be on candid camera or something!…so not what we usually experience on Princess.

 

I have never read such a combination of terrible service and dining experience as you have reported.  I do agree with the post that suggested visit Guest Services and ask to speak with the F&B Mgr.  That individual has higher responsibility over DR, kitchen, Ocean Now service, etc. 

 

I have no familiarity with your DRO, but someone there doesn't seem to understand how to run a restaurant.

[Lady Arwen]

5 minutes ago, Steelers36 said:

I have same approach - especially for a DRO.  Last Fall, I did want to give a DR Mgr something as he had done some extra work to get us re-situated and he politely refused.

 

That said, I have heard of tipping a MD/DRO generously for services, but it isn't my thing.  IDK as I would call it bribing, but I figure senior management (a DRO) is well compensated and it is their job.

Yes, we will tip extra with cash for special services offered during our cruise in addition to the auto grats.  However, I would never try to secure a better table in the MDR by giving a bribe.  I’m quite surprised that Princess would allow someone of that stature to accept it.  It seems so tacky to me.  

[Lady Arwen]

13 hours ago, startedwithamouse said:

Well, we tip in advance. And it works. We also share this information with blue or gold cruisers who ask how we get the window table each night. And it works for them too. Maybe the asking nicely will be a thing of the past, and pay to play will become the norm. Similar to no free upgrades anymore. Hey, great idea, maybe Princess will implement a window table bidding procedure? Or you get a better table with Plus or Premier? 

“Maybe asking nicely will be a thing of the past.”  This world is doomed if everyone felt that way.  SMH

[mcgratru]

Update….

 

Evening 3 in dining room (formal night or whatever they call it now)

 

As expected shorter lines. We waited about 10 min for a table but were still asked twice if we wanted to step out of the reservation line and share a table.

 

Seated at about 5:30. Menus at 5:35…then we sat until 5:55…no service and no interaction with staff. At this point my normally non-confrontational husband went and got the manager. Within a minute of hubbie returning to our table, our food and drink orders were taken. Zero interaction with staff during service although we said thank you as usual at each course delivery. We left before ordering dessert at 7:00.   (New Princess cruisers sitting next to us said they had waited 30 minutes to order…said it might be their first and last cruise on Princess as dinner for them had been a bad experience so far as well)

 

Re the pizza delivery fiasco: we received an apology via the chat line yesterday. This morning had a call to the room, apologizing again and removing charge for pizza. 5 minutes later a complimentary fruit basket arrived. This is more like the Princess we like!

[atobols]

We were on the Ruby about 6 months ago and had similar issues with service and long lines to get in.  We had 7:20 reservations and it usually took 20 minutes in line and then at least half an hour to order drinks and a menu.  It was a 10 day cruise and we eventually gave up on reservations and just went to dinner after 8pm.  It seemed to be slightly faster service but there was usually at least one menu item that they had run out of.  We're on a 16 day cruise next month and decided to try reservations again.  We went with 8:20 in hopes of less waiting and faster service.

[Lady Arwen]

12 minutes ago, mcgratru said:

Update….

 

Evening 3 in dining room (formal night or whatever they call it now)

 

As expected shorter lines. We waited about 10 min for a table but were still asked twice if we wanted to step out of the reservation line and share a table.

 

Seated at about 5:30. Menus at 5:35…then we sat until 5:55…no service and no interaction with staff. At this point my normally non-confrontational husband went and got the manager. Within a minute of hubbie returning to our table, our food and drink orders were taken. Zero interaction with staff during service although we said thank you as usual at each course delivery. We left before ordering dessert at 7:00.   (New Princess cruisers sitting next to us said they had waited 30 minutes to order…said it might be their first and last cruise on Princess as dinner for them had been a bad experience so far as well)

 

Re the pizza delivery fiasco: we received an apology via the chat line yesterday. This morning had a call to the room, apologizing again and removing charge for pizza. 5 minutes later a complimentary fruit basket arrived. This is more like the Princess we like!

Sounds like things are improving for you, thank goodness.  I hope the rest of your cruise is without any major disappointment.  

[Cruise Raider]

All of this has been so surprising to me.  We’ve cruised on the Ruby so many times and we always had quick and excellent service in the MDR.  After the first night, we had reservations at 6:20, were assigned to a table and were told that table would be ours every night for the entire cruise.  We could just check in and on head on in to our table.  We did tell the hostess if we weren’t going to be attending dinner so they could give it to someone else.  I wonder what changed???  We were pretty much on full capacity cruises at that time.  


 

[PescadoAmarillo]

14 minutes ago, Cruise Raider said:

I wonder what changed??? 

I doubt anything changed. In fact, I would guess that even on cruises where we are totally happy or unhappy with the service in the MDR, others have having a different experience. 

[SusanLINY]

I recently took my first cruise on Princess on the Caribbean Princess. I travel solo. The first formal night for dinner, I could not get seated at all. They told me to come back at 8:30PM, it was 5:20PM when I was trying to eat. So I ended up in all my finery, dining alone in the buffet and trying to not cry. Fun night!

[Cruise Raider]

32 minutes ago, PescadoAmarillo said:

I doubt anything changed. In fact, I would guess that even on cruises where we are totally happy or unhappy with the service in the MDR, others have having a different experience. 

I tend to think this is probably 100% true.  
Even though we’ve really not experienced that situation in the past, we now tend to get the premier package and don’t even go to the MDR, except for lunch on rare occasion.  I love the new lunch menus with the small plates.  
 

[gilboman]

1 hour ago, SusanLINY said:

I recently took my first cruise on Princess on the Caribbean Princess. I travel solo. The first formal night for dinner, I could not get seated at all. They told me to come back at 8:30PM, it was 5:20PM when I was trying to eat. So I ended up in all my finery, dining alone in the buffet and trying to not cry. Fun night!

you could've just gone to the other dining room? palm, island and whatever? we were on CB in sept and we ate dinner at different times each night and walked in, if there's a wait, they call and see if less wait at other dining room and send us there. but after a few days we had a server we liked so they said just walk into our table in future and we did that for rest of cruise

 

 

[memoak]

2 hours ago, SusanLINY said:

I recently took my first cruise on Princess on the Caribbean Princess. I travel solo. The first formal night for dinner, I could not get seated at all. They told me to come back at 8:30PM, it was 5:20PM when I was trying to eat. So I ended up in all my finery, dining alone in the buffet and trying to not cry. Fun night!

That is probably why we see lines forming at 4:30 before they even open. I don’t k ow why everyone is in such a hurry to eat

[SusanLINY]

1 hour ago, gilboman said:

you could've just gone to the other dining room? palm, island and whatever? we were on CB in sept and we ate dinner at different times each night and walked in, if there's a wait, they call and see if less wait at other dining room and send us there. but after a few days we had a server we liked so they said just walk into our table in future and we did that for rest of cruise

 

 

 

Of course! I walked to all three dining rooms and met the same response at all. I did mention it in my survey and someone called to apologize three days later. That was it. I would still sail with Princess, but it's not ever going to be my first choice.

[SusanLINY]

2 minutes ago, memoak said:

That is probably why we see lines forming at 4:30 before they even open. I don’t k ow why everyone is in such a hurry to eat

Because I get up at 5 to work out and am usually asleep by 9:30