4/13/24: Princess Rolls Out Fleetwide Dining Revolution

[FLAlaska]

Just saw this posted on FB by a PVP.. Didnt see it posted anywhere

NEW - NEW - NEW Dining Room Reservations:

Changes are coming to the Dining Room operations onboard.

Princess will designate separate dining rooms aboard every ship in the fleet to the three table service options:

-one dedicated to traditional dining offering an early and a late seating every evening

- one offering reserve able dining times

and

-a third with open seating to support walk-ins anytime.

The three table service options integrate with the line’s unparalleled OceanNow, which provides guests the convenience of ordering anything, anytime, and receiving it anywhere onboard, making Princess uniquely positioned to accommodate all guest dining preferences.

The new approach will launch on Princess voyages departing September 1, 2024 and beyond.

To support these changes and the transition to the new system, main dining reservations that already have been made for voyages sailing September 1 and beyond for any ship except Sun Princess will be cancelled.

Starting June (Date TBD), booked guests will be able to use the app ahead of their voyage to opt for traditional seating in a dedicated dining room with the same waiter, same table and same time each night, or flexible dining, allowing them to enjoy dinner at any available time and table size of their choosing in either the Reserve able or Open Seating dining rooms.

This change does not affect guests booked in specialty dining restaurants or suite or reserve collection accommodations, who enjoy a dedicated dining room on Princess ships, where no reservations are required.

All reactions:

11

 

 

 

[coscab]

What is different about this compared to the way it is now, sailing princess for the first time in December so not familiar with the way it is now.

 

[mahasamatman]

2 minutes ago, coscab said:

What is different about this compared to the way it is now

 

The way I read it, it appears they're basically reducing the number of reservable tables by 50%.

[Jose Zalfadilla]

2 minutes ago, coscab said:

What is different about this compared to the way it is now, sailing princess for the first time in December so not familiar with the way it is now.

 

Perhaps a cheaper way to get some of the benefits associated with Club Class (or whatever it's called now)?  Other than special menu of 2 or 3 additional entrees, one may walk in anytime, perhaps have the same wait staff, shared or private table? I don't know, it's worth trying.

[julie3fan]

1 hour ago, coscab said:

What is different about this compared to the way it is now, sailing princess for the first time in December so not familiar with the way it is now.

 

 

I think this means they're bringing back Traditional Dining to those that want it.  TD hasn't been available in a number of years now.

[phabric]

Thanks for the information.  I will have to make new reservations in June.

Keep us informed if you learn the start date.

[Torfamm]

Cancelling all existing reservations is incredibly frustrating. 

[JimmyVWine]

1 hour ago, mahasamatman said:

 

The way I read it, it appears they're basically reducing the number of reservable tables by 50%.

More like 25%. 
The people who opt for the traditional dining room will all have “reservations” per se. But those reservations will be for a set time each night. So 100% of the people who dine there fall into the reservation bucket. And 100% of the people who dine in the “reservations available” dining room will have reservations. But eventually those two dining options will fill up leaving the rest of the guests to dine without reservations. Right now, a ship that takes reservations for all three dining rooms can accommodate more guests who want reservations because the Traditional Dining model, while popular, is highly inefficient. Sectioning off one full dining room that will have 2 set seatings will accommodate far fewer guests than if that dining room took reservations throughout the evening. It is easy to flip a table twice under that model. (5:15, 6:45 8:15). With traditional, they can only flip once.  
 

All in all, I think this is a good model and one that longtime Princess loyalists have been asking for. But it probably will hurt the Blue Medallion folks who won’t know to book ahead. The Traditional Room and the popular times in the Reservations Room will fill up quickly with PES people who can reserve immediately upon booking. Then the remaining slots will fill up after others make final payment. But newbies who don’t know to do this will get on board and be left with mostly the walk-in option. 

[Host CJSKIDS]

My PVP also posted this and it starts fleet wide will launch feel wide on voyages departing September 1, 2024 and beyond. 

[voljeep]

2 minutes ago, Host CJSKIDS said:

My PVP also posted this and it starts fleet wide will launch feel wide on voyages departing September 1, 2024 and beyond. 

a return to tradition ... with strictly enforced dr ..........🦄

[phabric]

9 minutes ago, Host CJSKIDS said:

My PVP also posted this and it starts fleet wide will launch feel wide on voyages departing September 1, 2024 and beyond. 

Did your PVP say a date when we can re book reservations?

[WisCruiser2]

I wonder if they've found that offering everyone a variety of set times to reserve just wasn't working out? We had 7:00 reservations on the Enchanted in February, and the first two nights had a LONG line of people with a 7:00 time. After the first night, we were able to book our same table for the rest of the trip, but had to move to a 7:15 time. Hopefully, this will be more efficient.

 

I also remember that on our last cruise pre-Covid, when it was still Traditional or Anytime, besides the aft DR being Traditional, there was an Early seating in one of the mid-ship DRs, that became Anytime around 7:00 or so. 

[Torfamm]

2 minutes ago, WisCruiser2 said:

I wonder if they've found that offering everyone a variety of set times to reserve just wasn't working out? We had 7:00 reservations on the Enchanted in February, and the first two nights had a LONG line of people with a 7:00 time. After the first night, we were able to book our same table for the rest of the trip, but had to move to a 7:15 time. Hopefully, this will be more efficient.

 

I also remember that on our last cruise pre-Covid, when it was still Traditional or Anytime, besides the aft DR being Traditional, there was an Early seating in one of the mid-ship DRs, that became Anytime around 7:00 or so. 

I think the negative to 7:00 reservations has been that the people who arrive at 5 or 5:30 may not eat quickly enough to have tables ready again at 7 so people end up waiting a bit. We’ve had much better luck with 7:20

[Host CJSKIDS]

14 minutes ago, phabric said:

Did your PVP say a date when we can re book reservations?

Looks like date is TBD sometime in June.  

[JimmyVWine]

16 minutes ago, Torfamm said:

I think the negative to 7:00 reservations has been that the people who arrive at 5 or 5:30 may not eat quickly enough to have tables ready again at 7 so people end up waiting a bit. We’ve had much better luck with 7:20

Same here.  On our last cruise we had a 7:00 reservation for the first night.  No real wait to speak of.  But when we asked the DR Manager if we could keep this table for the rest of the cruise, she asked if we wouldn't mind moving our time to 7:15 and if we did that, we could walk straight to our table without ever having to check in.  Worked perfectly.  She obviously knew that 7:00 would have been tight, but that 7:15 would work just fine. 

[dreaminofcruisin]

So, this will require updates to the app.

What are the odds that it will work with the first push out ?

🙄

[LACruiser88]

April 13, 2024 2:30 PM EDT

 

Princess Cruises Rolls Out Fleetwide Dining Revolution: Traditional, Reservable, Open Seating, and Anywhere Service Now Available for Every Guest Preference

 

New Options Follow Successful Debut Aboard New Sun Princess

 

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla., April 13, 2024

 

/PRNewswire/ -- Princess Cruises today announced it is making a significant enhancement to the main dining options found across its fleet, designed to give guests the ultimate in flexibility and choice when it comes to their dining experience by offering three table service options –

 

Traditional, Reservable, or Walk-in Anytime - coupled with the brand's industry exclusive OceanNow location-based "anywhere" service.

 

 (PRNewsfoto/Princess Cruises)  

 

With a dedication to personal preference and individualized service, Princess will designate separate dining rooms aboard every ship in the fleet* to the three table service options – one dedicated to traditional dining offering an early and a late seating every evening; one offering reservable dining times; and a third with open seating to support walk-ins anytime.

 

The three table service options integrate with the line's unparalleled OceanNow, which provides guests the convenience of ordering anything, anytime, and receiving it anywhere onboard, making Princess uniquely positioned to accommodate all guest dining preferences.

 

Making all dining formats available fleetwide follows the resounding success of this new approach already implemented aboard the new Sun Princess. With the stunning introduction of the new next level Love Boat came the debut of three-story dining room with one floor dedicated to traditional dining, another serving guests with a flexible reservation and a third for anytime walk-ins.

 

"Our guests have been delighted with the dining flexibility aboard Sun Princess and we're pleased to extend the concept to all the other ships in our fleet," said Sami Kohen, Princess Cruises vice president of food and beverage. "Now whether guests prefer an early seating every evening, or change things up every night, or even change their mind, these flexible dining options ensure that their dining preference is effortlessly accommodated."

 

Starting on April 15, 2024, the new approach will launch on Princess voyages departing September 14, 2024 and beyond. To support these changes and the transition to the new system, main dining reservations that already have been made for voyages sailing September 14 and beyond for any ship except Sun Princess will be cancelled. Main dining reservations for guests sailing through September 13 will not be affected.

 

Starting June 17, booked guests will be able to use the app ahead of their voyage to opt for traditional seating in a dedicated dining room with the same waiter, same table and same time each night, or flexible dining, allowing them to enjoy dinner at any available time and table size of their choosing in either the Reservable or Open Seating dining rooms.

 

This change does not affect guests booked in specialty dining restaurants or suite or reserve collection accommodations, who enjoy a dedicated dining room on Princess ships, where no reservations are required.

[reedprincess]

In case you missed it:

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/3003146-new-dining-room-changes-fleetwide/

[LACruiser88]

2 hours ago, reedprincess said:

In case you missed it:

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/3003146-new-dining-room-changes-fleetwide/

I just requested that my post be deleted, thanks!

[PacnGoNow]

4 minutes ago, LACruiser88 said:

I just requested that my post be deleted, thanks!

Actually, your post gives more information.  Thank you.

[antsp]

Does this mean Princess has actually listened to all the requests

[PacnGoNow]

Interesting.  I read this as, if your traveling Sep 14 or later:

 

April 15, your pre-booked MDR reservations will be cancelled.

June 17, you can rebook your MDR

reservations in the App, under the new 

plan.

 

 

[JG&Lcruisingnewbies]

I like the flexibility it seems like it will provide. I’d still prefer to reserve our times but if we can’t we can try for a walk in. Or if we forget to reserve or change our mind we can adjust accordingly

 

and I’m happy for those who prefer traditional dining too. I know getting rid of it has been really unpopular. So, as long as they implement this well and the tech works, it could make things less stressful & more flexible

[Host CJSKIDS]

24 minutes ago, LACruiser88 said:

I just requested that my post be deleted, thanks!

 

You have more information on your, so if it's okay, I will merge them. @LACruiser88

[JimmyVWine]

24 minutes ago, antsp said:

Does this mean Princess has actually listened to all the requests

Nah. More likely JP will tell us that this is industry leading innovation and “out of the box” thinking. 😎