Club class impact

[mafig]

Just off got of the Ruby today...and I was in Club Class Dining.

 

It is one section of the Da Vinci dining room that you enter near the Calypso Cove. It is available during breakfast, lunch and dinner.

 

You have the same waitstaff every meal, and the same table. You can come anytime during the dining hours. A few dinners started with amuse-bouche, and there was always one dish that wasn't on the menu which was prepared at a central location by the head waiter. The menu is the same that if offered in the other dining rooms.

 

It was a great suite perk, that being said not all suite guests used Club Class Dining. There are 26 suites on the Ruby and at no time were there more than 12 tables being used.

 

I have never liked anytime dining so I always get early dining times. Although it was nice arriving when we wanted I wouldn't pay more for Club Class Dining because I am fine with a set dining time.

 

I didn't notice the lines for anytime dining to be any worse than they always have been.

 

 

Thank you for getting back to us.:)

 

I've avoided Princess for awhile because of the MyTimeDining mess. It's OK at the beginning of the cruise, but then toward the end when the Traditional Diners decide they prefer MTD, it causes long waits. And it has been that way for years now.

 

However, CC looks like it might change our minds. Although it's still priced more than Celebrity's Aqua Class (where you get Blu) and it's about the same price (depending on the date) of Royal Caribbean's Jr. Suites.

 

Waiting for a review from someone who has stayed in a CC cabin.

[taxatty]

On the Pacific Princess there is a total of 34 CC mini-suites and full suites. On a two passenger/cabin basis, that is 68 people eligible to have Club Class Dining.

Actually, there are 14 CC mini-suites and 10 full suites on the Pacific Princess for a total of 24--not a lot of pax to accommodate in a section of the MDR.

[cflutist]

Actually, there are 14 CC mini-suites and 10 full suites on the Pacific Princess for a total of 24--not a lot of pax to accommodate in a section of the MDR.

 

We are sailing in an OS on the Pacific this summer. Am wondering myself how the will implement CC dining on this ship as my booking still says early Traditional.

[TracieABD]

And don't worry about the inconvenience to those who can't afford it?

 

Anytime there is a tiered system- there will be people who felt like they lost something in the structure. If people are willing to pay for the convenience of eating in the main dining room- on their time frame- then they have earned (by virtue of paying extra) the privelege. You can say the same thing about people who buy upgraded economy class passengers on a plane- they get food service first. If you are in standard economy- in one of the last rows- you may not get your choice of entree- your food may not be hot. The people in the front of the plane paid more for that privelege. It does not necessary mean they are not concerned with the inconvienence of others- as you have implied. It means that they used their disposable income (or points or status) to jockey for a better seat.

[mafig]

There's a new review by louky in the Review section. Louky stayed in a CC mini and seemed to like it very much.;)

[KruzeKrazy!]

There's a new review by louky in the Review section. Louky stayed in a CC mini and seemed to like it very much.;)

Can't seem to find it. Would you be so kind as to post a link to it?

[floridalover5623]

We are sailing in an OS on the Pacific this summer. Am wondering myself how the will implement CC dining on this ship as my booking still says early Traditional.

 

I don't think it will affect that ship at all since reserving separate tables takes nothing away from the total amount of people eating unless all the CC tables are the ones with premium window seats. (which wouldn't surprise me)

CC people will select either an early or late dining slot and if a window seat is a must, I would see the Maitre D' ASAP after boarding.

[St Paul Girl]

http://www.cruisecritic.com/memberreviews/memberreview.cfm?EntryID=559225

[TracieABD]

Can't seem to find it. Would you be so kind as to post a link to it?

 

http://www.cruisecritic.com/memberreviews/memberreview.cfm?EntryID=559225

[TracieABD]

http://www.cruisecritic.com/memberreviews/memberreview.cfm?EntryID=559225

 

Great minds...

[jagoffee]

http://www.cruisecritic.com/memberreviews/memberreview.cfm?EntryID=559225

 

Oh no!! It would appear that the introduction of the Club Class dininghas lead to a Noro virus outbreak. Or perhaps I am jumping to a conclusion?

 

After all one might think that that ATD never had a long wait until the Club Dining was introduced.

[KruzeKrazy!]

Oh no!! It would appear that the introduction of the Club Class dininghas lead to a Noro virus outbreak. Or perhaps I am jumping to a conclusion?

 

After all one might think that that ATD never had a long wait until the Club Dining was introduced.

Ahhhh...but did Club Class cause Noro or did Noro build up enough to finally create Club Class... [emoji41]

[Murphey]

I can't see anyone in Club Class NOT liking it....What's not to like???? If you're not in CC then...;)

[KruzeKrazy!]

I can't see anyone in Club Class NOT liking it....What's not to like???? If you're not in CC then...;)

Two things potentially not to like about Club Class: (1) the cabin location (some may not want the specific location of the CC mimis) and, of course, (2) the price difference (logically the bigger concern of the two).

[sptrout]

http://www.cruisecritic.com/memberreviews/memberreview.cfm?EntryID=559225

 

Really almost nothing in that review that was specific to CC. Seems like they were just happy that they accidently got a CC cabin because their cabin was upgraded after they booked; so no additional costs. However, a very positive review, which is always nice to read.

[shepp]

I don't think it will affect that ship at all since reserving separate tables takes nothing away from the total amount of people eating unless all the CC tables are the ones with premium window seats. (which wouldn't surprise me)

CC people will select either an early or late dining slot and if a window seat is a must, I would see the Maitre D' ASAP after boarding.

 

I think you're unclear on the concept. CC pax don't select early or late. They're guaranteed immediate seating whenever they get to the anytime dining room. Therefore tables that might be assigned to non-CC pax waiting to be seated are kept intentionally empty until CC people arrive, which they might never do. So if you're ATD and arrive at peak dining times, you might be kept waiting quite a while though there are maybe plenty of empty chairs sitting there.

[KruzeKrazy!]

I think you're unclear on the concept. CC pax don't select early or late. They're guaranteed immediate seating whenever they get to the anytime dining room. Therefore tables that might be assigned to non-CC pax waiting to be seated are kept intentionally empty until CC people arrive, which they might never do. So if you're ATD and arrive at peak dining times, you might be kept waiting quite a while though there are maybe plenty of empty chairs sitting there.

Which may incent some to buy up to Club Class as time goes on thus filling what are certainly higher margin minis sooner...

[jagoffee]

I think you're unclear on the concept. CC pax don't select early or late. They're guaranteed immediate seating whenever they get to the anytime dining room. Therefore tables that might be assigned to non-CC pax waiting to be seated are kept intentionally empty until CC people arrive, which they might never do. So if you're ATD and arrive at peak dining times, you might be kept waiting quite a while though there are maybe plenty of empty chairs sitting there.

 

I am certain that there are many unused seats in TD every night. It has been reported that the area used by the CC is usually used for TD until 7:30 PM.

 

After some time we will get a better idea of how many "seats" are being set aside in the Club Class dining and how many people are eligible for those seats. I serious doubt that there is one seat for everyone available all the time. Based on some of the posts it appears that some people believe there is a seat for ever person at all times.

 

On Celebrity they created a special restaurant, Luminae, for suite guests only. The space was taken from TD and it is walled off. I can tell you from experience that sometimes the suite guests have to wait and on some cruises need to make reservations. I would guess that they do not have a seat for even every 2 people. Numerous guests dine in Specialty Restaurants each night.

 

In general IMO when you have a mix of TD and open seating you will always have issues at times. If all dining was open it would be less of a problem IMO.

 

 

If it is really true (it has not been proven) that the ability for all guest to have lunch in the MDR has been removed from all ships on all cruises that it bad move. If Princess wanted to eliminate this option for all guests they should have done it before the Club Class Dining was implemented because Princess have given people a legitimate reason to complain.

Edited December 31, 2016 by jagoffee

[Thrak]

My only real concern (so far) with Club Class dining is that the rest of us will likely get the less experienced wait staff. This can result reduced levels of service and longer meals which are already long enough.

 

I guess I'll find out next October on Emerald. Hopefully they have it figured out by then. 28 days would be a long time to have messed up dining.

 

On the other hand, and this is just pure speculation- they may opt to put some lesser experienced waitstaff in the CC dining area- as it will be a smaller venue within a venue- therefore- the pace may not be as hectic.

 

Most of this thread is speculation. That's why i said I'd just wait and see how it comes out. By next October when I sail again they should have gotten a handle on this thing. Also, by then there will be plenty of substantive feedback from those who either hate the whole thing, love the whole thing, or are ambiguous about it. A bit like the controversy when Royal Princess came out without a full Promenade and with smaller balconies and no OV cabins.

 

However it comes out I'm confident we will have a great cruise. I've found that most of the things some folks complain about are things that don't really affect me as I tend to just enjoy myself and not get all peeved about minor things. For example, I have been a "victim" of the "horror of getting a beeper" when I tried to eat in ATD during peak times. OMG! I had to go have a drink and wait. I was even more of a n00b cruiser then than I am now and learned a lesson about peak times. I had a nice, relaxing drink and then was called to my table. I don't feel I suffered any scarring or long-term damage and I didn't seek out the infamous Jim Walker for assistance. :D

Edited December 31, 2016 by Thrak

[floridalover5623]

I think you're unclear on the concept. CC pax don't select early or late. They're guaranteed immediate seating whenever they get to the anytime dining room. Therefore tables that might be assigned to non-CC pax waiting to be seated are kept intentionally empty until CC people arrive, which they might never do. So if you're ATD and arrive at peak dining times, you might be kept waiting quite a while though there are maybe plenty of empty chairs sitting there.

 

I agree that on ships that have AT seating this would slow down the dining for sure but on the Pacific there's only traditional. Setting aside a group of seats wouldn't slow down anything at all except maybe some interruption in the way the galley operates.

[shepp]

I am certain that there are many unused seats in TD every night. It has been reported that the area used by the CC is usually used for TD until 7:30 PM.

 

If it is really true (it has not been proven) that the ability for all guest to have lunch in the MDR has been removed from all ships on all cruises that it bad move. If Princess wanted to eliminate this option for all guests they should have done it before the Club Class Dining was implemented because Princess have given people a legitimate reason to complain.

 

Yeah, I guess I was the one unclear on the concept. (Based in part on the report of very long ATD queues.) I assumed CC would be in the DR that was ATD all night long. Of course, that does lessen the number of seats available to early TD, and even though many people in TD don't actually show up on a given night, that means that fewer people can pre-book the early seating (which usually is fully booked), and so might end up at the ATD room instead, so the lines will in fact be longer. But I guess we'll see.

 

I had a long chat with a Princess customer service rep last night, and she told me that she hadn't heard that embarkation lunch was restricted to CC. But since policies vary from ship to ship, once again we'll see.

[Thrak]

First I want to say I want to read the first hand reviews of the services and benefits of Club Class.

 

Secondly, I guess I am looking at this differently than most. Princess has to compete with the rest of the cruise market. If every other cruise line is offering upgraded benefits and services to those traveling in suites or "club class" type categories they are going to have to do the same thing. There is a market for upgraded services and benefits, if there weren't we wouldn't be seeing these changes across all cruiselines.

 

Patty

 

Perhaps the other side of that coin is that people like to cruise Princess because they don't (or at least not until now) have such "class" distinction. I have liked the way that "regular" (steerage?) cruisers could freely mingle with and use the same facilities as the "first class" passengers.

[sunsetbeachgal]

I have been unable to find the rollout schedule by ship for Club Class.

 

Can anyone help?

 

 

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Edited December 31, 2016 by sunsetbeachgal

[shredie]

After some time we will get a better idea of how many "seats" are being set aside in the Club Class dining and how many people are eligible for those seats. I serious doubt that there is one seat for everyone available all the time. Based on some of the posts it appears that some people believe there is a seat for ever person at all times.

 

According to one who was just there (I will find the post), the CC people are assigned a table and wait staff, just like TD, except that only they use the table, so for the rest of the time in sits empty, and the wait staff stand around.

If this isn't a waste of space and manpower, I don't know what is.

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showpost.php?p=51865159&postcount=61

Edited December 31, 2016 by shredie

[taxatty]

I have been unable to find the rollout schedule by ship for Club Class.

 

Can anyone help?

 

 

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http://www.princess.com/ships-and-experience/food-and-dining/club-class-dining/ Club Class Dining now on board Ruby Princess and Emerald Princess, and will debut on Island Princess (Jan 4, 2017), Sapphire Princess (Jan 7, 2017), Regal Princess (Jan 8, 2017), Grand Princess (Jan 9, 2017), Royal Princess (Jan 29, 2017), Coral Princess (Feb 6, 2017), Majestic Princess (Mar 30, 2017), Caribbean Princess (Apr 6, 2017), Crown Princess (Apr 8, 2017), Star Princess (Apr 11, 2017), Diamond Princess (Apr 20, 2017), Sun Princess (Apr 25, 2017), Pacific Princess (Jun 9, 2017), Sea Princess (Sep 19, 2017) and Golden Princess (Oct 2, 2017). Please note this schedule is subject to change.