Dine My Way - new MedallionClass enhancement

[Steelers36]

7 minutes ago, MileHighAko said:

I can't recall if this was mentioned previously in this thread, but I did just now notice that they've expanded the Dining preference page to ask if you prefer to dine in the same dining room every night.  Last time I checked it simply asked for speed (slow/relaxed/fast).

 

 

I see, to recall seeing both all along for quite some time now.  But I wouldn't bet $100 on it.

Edited June 22, 2021 by Steelers36

[t&atravel]

Out of curiosity have any of you folks who have been able to set up dining times checked the “travel summary” on the Princess web site to see if anything shows up there?  I don’t know that it will. I’m just wondering.

[MileHighAko]

1 minute ago, Steelers36 said:

I see, to recall seeing both all along for quite some time now.  But I wouldn't bet $100 on it.

 

Could be it's just now showing for me. Seems the last few days lots of new options have opened up for me, so perhaps they finally converted my data! For example, I had been just getting a white screen when selecting ocean medallion, but now I can actually order accessories.

 

The dining options have usually just said "come back later", but now I can select and have reserved a 4-top for three of us in April, and a 2-top for two of us in September (2022).  It didn't really give me any options to choose size or location, only that it picked the best available dining room for me.

[MileHighAko]

2 minutes ago, t&atravel said:

Out of curiosity have any of you folks who have been able to set up dining times checked the “travel summary” on the Princess web site to see if anything shows up there?  I don’t know that it will. I’m just wondering.

 

Mine says "Dining Requested: (blank)", and "Dining Status: Do Not Display".

[Steelers36]

6 minutes ago, MileHighAko said:

 

Could be it's just now showing for me. Seems the last few days lots of new options have opened up for me, so perhaps they finally converted my data! For example, I had been just getting a white screen when selecting ocean medallion, but now I can actually order accessories.

 

The dining options have usually just said "come back later", but now I can select and have reserved a 4-top for three of us in April, and a 2-top for two of us in September (2022).  It didn't really give me any options to choose size or location, only that it picked the best available dining room for me.

Yes, they need to add a desired table-size to DMW.  I hope anyone contacting Princess conveys that message.

[skynight]

5 hours ago, MileHighAko said:

 

Mine says "Dining Requested: (blank)", and "Dining Status: Do Not Display".

Same with us.

[Tedferg]

Well everything seems to work for me except that the cruise has been cancelled 😞 

This might have been covered but FYI we had requested Anytime and reservation was set automatically to 5:00 table for two. I changed the time to 7:20 and left the screen. When I went back there was table for two at 5:00 in a different DR   I moved time to 7:20 and tapped the time it went to a Confirm screen. Was not obvious that I had to Confirm. 
 

Did not see anywhere to select table size. Perhaps that would pop up if we added dining companion. 
 

adding companion asked for their booking number, which I don’t have since we are traveling alone. 

Edited June 22, 2021 by Tedferg

[Steelers36]

1 hour ago, Tedferg said:

Well everything seems to work for me except that the cruise has been cancelled 😞 

This might have been covered but FYI we had requested Anytime and reservation was set automatically to 5:00 table for two. I changed the time to 7:20 and left the screen. When I went back there was table for two at 5:00 in a different DR   I moved time to 7:20 and tapped the time it went to a Confirm screen. Was not obvious that I had to Confirm. 
 

Did not see anywhere to select table size. Perhaps that would pop up if we added dining companion. 
 

adding companion asked for their booking number, which I don’t have since we are traveling alone. 

You have to delete that Princess default you were given at 5:00pm.  And you have to do it day-by-day-by-day - no mass delete option. 

 

Yes, need to Confirm.  It will replace what you had before if doing a new individual day booking and you had an individual day booking before.  A new "All  Nights" booking will replace any previous "All Nights" booking.  But my observation of DMW is that "All Nights" res and "Individual Night" res are separate things and you can be double-booked in that sense.  Seems strange, doesn't it?

 

No, we cannot select table size - and this is a major fail of the release so far.  The system will assign you the smallest size table it can find for your dining party size at the time you have selected.  We are sailing with friends and we have added each other as Travel Companions.  This means available to select in DMW.  But still no table size - it just knows we need at least a 4-top, but won't let me decide if I want that or larger. 

 

From policy, you can expect when assigned a table, no other "stranger" cruisers will be seated there for 2021.  But, if 2022 returns to normal, you cannot expect other seats to be empty.  So, they need to add ability to elect other diners or not by choosing table size as we did in the Personalizer. 

 

I expect and hope changes will come to improve DMW.  Seems passable for 2021 policies, but not for what we used to do as guests.

 

PS -  You can only add Travel Companions you know and who are willing to share their booking number.  This is your Travel Party to Princess.  It seems they are not requiring social distancing in this situation for 2021 (as long as all are vaccinated).  

 

If you are a TD-er, you will be randomly assigned table-mates (NOT in 2021!) as occurred pre-Covid.  If you are a AT-er, you used to tell the host(ess) whether dine alone or what size preferred.  DMW isn't doing that.  However, if you meet someone on board you want to dine with - and they you - you could exchange booking numbers so you can get connected and then make AT res as a party.  I see that as a vision and makes sense.  IMO, DMW is fairly well realized for AT-er's - it only needs the table-size choice option.  For TD-er's, it certainly needs table-size, but I think some more and hard to tell what is behind the scenes. 

 

Looking forward to hearing the experiences on board as voyages begin.

 

Edited June 23, 2021 by Steelers36

[Canberra forever !]

Good morning, I'm sorry if this question has been covered before in the past pages but I can't find it! so I'm hoping someone can help.

My husband son and I are sailing on Regal in Oct(fingers crossed) we selected anytime dining when we booked, I've tried to pre book dine my way which keeps allocating a table of 8, it's my sons first cruise in years and he just wants us to eat as a family, will I be able to book /queue on a daily basis and ask for a table for 3?? I'm a bit confused with the new DMW

I've also tried to book a 2 top for my husband and my cruises for next year but keep getting offered an 8 again??!! 

Hope someone can shed some light, many thanks 😊 Happy cruising!! 

[Steelers36]

41 minutes ago, Canberra forever ! said:

Good morning, I'm sorry if this question has been covered before in the past pages but I can't find it! so I'm hoping someone can help.

My husband son and I are sailing on Regal in Oct(fingers crossed) we selected anytime dining when we booked, I've tried to pre book dine my way which keeps allocating a table of 8, it's my sons first cruise in years and he just wants us to eat as a family, will I be able to book /queue on a daily basis and ask for a table for 3?? I'm a bit confused with the new DMW

I've also tried to book a 2 top for my husband and my cruises for next year but keep getting offered an 8 again??!! 

Hope someone can shed some light, many thanks 😊 Happy cruising!! 

OCT cruise = The DMW system has probably assigned all the 2-tops before getting to you.  IDK how sold out your voyage is, but I  believe the 2021 voyages are implementing social distancing in the DR's (from what I gather in reading).  Try the Individual evenings option and see if any defaults are setup.  If not, pick anything you can get and book it and then review bookings and see if there was a default setup (one or more have reported not seeing the default until making their own booking).  Also, on this trip, are you 3 in one cabin or two?  Is is two bookings?  If so, you need to add son as Travel Companion and then select for dining companion when making DMW res.  Princess will not have assigned dining together.  It is possible you had no pre-assignment since you selected Anytime Dining - at least my logical brain says they should not have assigned you a default - only the TD-er's.

 

2022 - Again, the DMW system took all the TD-ers (at least them) and pre-assigned to tables.  They assigned the smallest available table-size to fit the cabin occupants without regard to Personalizer choice.  That means the 2-tops are going to have disappeared quickly, followed by the 4-tops.  Not to mention that if other passengers got in ahead of you on their own, that could affect it.  It is also my observation that at least some voyages in 2022 do not have all of the table inventory released and in at least some cases, an entire DR is not showing up in choices.  IDK what time you are trying to book, but if it conflicts with standard TD time, then space will be limited.  Also, when a table is booked at, say 5pm, we don't know how long that table is blocked off until opened up again.  I am guessing 2 hrs since the default Early and Late TD being used first are 5pm and 7pm.  Since Princess has been non-communicative on how the DMW system is actually working, this is a lot of speculation and guessing based on behavior.  It needs work and I expect sometime down the road, more inventory will be released as they called it a "soft launch" in email communications asking about the defects.

 

I'd say stay tuned, keep trying time to time, and last resort is visit the MD on board and make your request.  They can often help out.  I predict much anguish from those guys once they see what a mess they are handed from DMW the way things are right now.

[USCcruisecrazy]

1 hour ago, Steelers36 said:

OCT cruise = The DMW system has probably assigned all the 2-tops before getting to you.  IDK how sold out your voyage is, but I  believe the 2021 voyages are implementing social distancing in the DR's (from what I gather in reading).  Try the Individual evenings option and see if any defaults are setup.  If not, pick anything you can get and book it and then review bookings and see if there was a default setup (one or more have reported not seeing the default until making their own booking).  Also, on this trip, are you 3 in one cabin or two?  Is is two bookings?  If so, you need to add son as Travel Companion and then select for dining companion when making DMW res.  Princess will not have assigned dining together.  It is possible you had no pre-assignment since you selected Anytime Dining - at least my logical brain says they should not have assigned you a default - only the TD-er's.

 

2022 - Again, the DMW system took all the TD-ers (at least them) and pre-assigned to tables.  They assigned the smallest available table-size to fit the cabin occupants without regard to Personalizer choice.  That means the 2-tops are going to have disappeared quickly, followed by the 4-tops.  Not to mention that if other passengers got in ahead of you on their own, that could affect it.  It is also my observation that at least some voyages in 2022 do not have all of the table inventory released and in at least some cases, an entire DR is not showing up in choices.  IDK what time you are trying to book, but if it conflicts with standard TD time, then space will be limited.  Also, when a table is booked at, say 5pm, we don't know how long that table is blocked off until opened up again.  I am guessing 2 hrs since the default Early and Late TD being used first are 5pm and 7pm.  Since Princess has been non-communicative on how the DMW system is actually working, this is a lot of speculation and guessing based on behavior.  It needs work and I expect sometime down the road, more inventory will be released as they called it a "soft launch" in email communications asking about the defects.

 

I'd say stay tuned, keep trying time to time, and last resort is visit the MD on board and make your request.  They can often help out.  I predict much anguish from those guys once they see what a mess they are handed from DMW the way things are right now.

Steelers36, you seem pretty knowledgeable on all of this, so I'm going to ask a question that probably was already answered...I'm hoping you know the answer...do you have to have your cruise paid for to do the Dining Times?  I have tried to access dining on the Medallion App but since we have not paid final payment it doesn;t seem to want to cooperate.  Thanks in advance.

[Steelers36]

55 minutes ago, USCcruisecrazy said:

Steelers36, you seem pretty knowledgeable on all of this, so I'm going to ask a question that probably was already answered...I'm hoping you know the answer...do you have to have your cruise paid for to do the Dining Times?  I have tried to access dining on the Medallion App but since we have not paid final payment it doesn;t seem to want to cooperate.  Thanks in advance.

If you are Captain's Circle Elite or Platinum, you can access DMW once booked with a deposit.

 

Same if in a Suite, but they get Club Class and no res is needed.  But they might need a DR res or Specialty if dining with others not in a Suite.  I think Club Class Mini's are the same, but they do not need a res since they have the special section to dine in and just walk up.  In fact, they should not book a table and take away from other diners if eating in Club Class section.

 

If you had an existing booking as of June 7 when DMW was launched, you were grandfathered regardless of Princess status and should have access to DMW.

 

Everyone else - lower status levels - has to wait until Final Payment.  But you always have the option to pay your balance in full prior to FP Date.

 

[USCcruisecrazy]

10 minutes ago, Steelers36 said:

If you are Captain's Circle Elite or Platinum, you can access DMW once booked with a deposit.

 

Same if in a Suite, but they get Club Class and no res is needed.  But they might need a DR res or Specialty if dining with others not in a Suite.  I think Club Class Mini's are the same, but they do not need a res since they have the special section to dine in and just walk up.  In fact, they should not book a table and take away from other diners if eating in Club Class section.

 

If you had an existing booking as of June 7 when DMW was launched, you were grandfathered regardless of Princess status and should have access to DMW.

 

Everyone else - lower status levels - has to wait until Final Payment.  But you always have the option to pay your balance in full prior to FP Date.

 

Thanks for the words.  We are not elite...this will only be our 5th cruise on Princess.  And we didn't do the Club Class this time...just a Deluxe Balcony.  So, I guess I will have to wait until FP is made.  Thanks again for the help.

[Tedferg]

3 hours ago, USCcruisecrazy said:

Thanks for the words.  We are not elite...this will only be our 5th cruise on Princess.  And we didn't do the Club Class this time...just a Deluxe Balcony.  So, I guess I will have to wait until FP is made.  Thanks again for the help.

After five cruises I think you should be Platinum and so be able to use DMW reservations

[USCcruisecrazy]

2 minutes ago, Tedferg said:

After five cruises I think you should be Platinum and so be able to use DMW reservations

Yeah, I think it's once we complete this one...#5.  Dang...now wishing we would have chosen Princess sooner.  🙂 

[Tedferg]

17 hours ago, Steelers36 said:

You have to delete that Princess default you were given at 5:00pm.  And you have to do it day-by-day-by-day - no mass delete option. 

 

Yes, need to Confirm.  It will replace what you had before if doing a new individual day booking and you had an individual day booking before.  A new "All  Nights" booking will replace any previous "All Nights" booking.  But my observation of DMW is that "All Nights" res and "Individual Night" res are separate things and you can be double-booked in that sense.  Seems strange, doesn't it?

 

No, we cannot select table size - and this is a major fail of the release so far.  The system will assign you the smallest size table it can find for your dining party size at the time you have selected.  We are sailing with friends and we have added each other as Travel Companions.  This means available to select in DMW.  But still no table size - it just knows we need at least a 4-top, but won't let me decide if I want that or larger. 

 

From policy, you can expect when assigned a table, no other "stranger" cruisers will be seated there for 2021.  But, if 2022 returns to normal, you cannot expect other seats to be empty.  So, they need to add ability to elect other diners or not by choosing table size as we did in the Personalizer. 

 

I expect and hope changes will come to improve DMW.  Seems passable for 2021 policies, but not for what we used to do as guests.

 

PS -  You can only add Travel Companions you know and who are willing to share their booking number.  This is your Travel Party to Princess.  It seems they are not requiring social distancing in this situation for 2021 (as long as all are vaccinated).  

 

If you are a TD-er, you will be randomly assigned table-mates (NOT in 2021!) as occurred pre-Covid.  If you are a AT-er, you used to tell the host(ess) whether dine alone or what size preferred.  DMW isn't doing that.  However, if you meet someone on board you want to dine with - and they you - you could exchange booking numbers so you can get connected and then make AT res as a party.  I see that as a vision and makes sense.  IMO, DMW is fairly well realized for AT-er's - it only needs the table-size choice option.  For TD-er's, it certainly needs table-size, but I think some more and hard to tell what is behind the scenes. 

 

Looking forward to hearing the experiences on board as voyages begin.

 

Thanks for such an informative response. I am just playing with Medallion to learn more, since the cruise is cancelled. When you say you could choose table size in Personalizer, I never saw that. Was that an aspect of TD ? I am intrigued that App seems to work for me when so many are having problems. It is a nit pick but a design flaw that they don’t include a confirm button automatically. Maybe when I scroll to new time and tap to select it, it will ask for Confirm. 

[Tedferg]

Apologies to App designers, I edited my reservation and after changing time, it asked 'Select this Time' and then 'Confirm Reservation' 'Delete Previous Reservation'. I used to work in customer service and was amazed how people missed what had actually happened 😊

[Steelers36]

7 minutes ago, Tedferg said:

Thanks for such an informative response. I am just playing with Medallion to learn more, since the cruise is cancelled. When you say you could choose table size in Personalizer, I never saw that. Was that an aspect of TD ? I am intrigued that App seems to work for me when so many are having problems. It is a nit pick but a design flaw that they don’t include a confirm button automatically. Maybe when I scroll to new time and tap to select it, it will ask for Confirm. 

Yes, desired table size was offered in the Personalizer.

[wowzz]

I can see the MDs having their work cut out with the app. There will be all those who have reserved tables, but haven't got the table size they want, those who haven't been able to book the time they want,  and those like me who will just turn up at the MDR and ask for a table.

Should be bedlam! 

[Canberra forever !]

6 hours ago, Steelers36 said:

OCT cruise = The DMW system has probably assigned all the 2-tops before getting to you.  IDK how sold out your voyage is, but I  believe the 2021 voyages are implementing social distancing in the DR's (from what I gather in reading).  Try the Individual evenings option and see if any defaults are setup.  If not, pick anything you can get and book it and then review bookings and see if there was a default setup (one or more have reported not seeing the default until making their own booking).  Also, on this trip, are you 3 in one cabin or two?  Is is two bookings?  If so, you need to add son as Travel Companion and then select for dining companion when making DMW res.  Princess will not have assigned dining together.  It is possible you had no pre-assignment since you selected Anytime Dining - at least my logical brain says they should not have assigned you a default - only the TD-er's.

 

2022 - Again, the DMW system took all the TD-ers (at least them) and pre-assigned to tables.  They assigned the smallest available table-size to fit the cabin occupants without regard to Personalizer choice.  That means the 2-tops are going to have disappeared quickly, followed by the 4-tops.  Not to mention that if other passengers got in ahead of you on their own, that could affect it.  It is also my observation that at least some voyages in 2022 do not have all of the table inventory released and in at least some cases, an entire DR is not showing up in choices.  IDK what time you are trying to book, but if it conflicts with standard TD time, then space will be limited.  Also, when a table is booked at, say 5pm, we don't know how long that table is blocked off until opened up again.  I am guessing 2 hrs since the default Early and Late TD being used first are 5pm and 7pm.  Since Princess has been non-communicative on how the DMW system is actually working, this is a lot of speculation and guessing based on behavior.  It needs work and I expect sometime down the road, more inventory will be released as they called it a "soft launch" in email communications asking about the defects.

 

I'd say stay tuned, keep trying time to time, and last resort is visit the MD on board and make your request.  They can often help out.  I predict much anguish from those guys once they see what a mess they are handed from DMW the way things are right now.

Thank you steelers for your response I'm hoping the social distancing rules for 2021 will work in our favour, I'll keep trying from time to time & I'll watch this topic carefully on cc

I do feel for the MD on the ship, they'll be inundated with queries.... 

Thanks again 

[Wichard]

Has anyone been able to schedule a Speciality Dining reservation?  I am on a B2B on the Regal starting Oct.30,2021 and when I booked both cruises the promotion for a free Speciality Dining night per stateroom was in effect.  When I try to use the DMW app it will let me schedule a reservation for me but wants to charge me $29 for my wife.  I cannot get past this problem to even try to book the second cruise reservation.

 

I spent an hour on the phone with Princess and just as the representative was trying to make the reservations for me they took the system down for an update.  So I will call back tomorrow, or wherever DMW I working again, but I am curious if anyone else has had a problem scheduling a Speciality Dining reservation.

 

Frustrated,

 

Richard 

[San10s]

I went into the Medallion DMW reservation system.  My cruise is paid for in advance…. And sailing in February 2022.  I tried to make reservations for the 10 in my party (I am elite) and got a ‘timed out’ message.  Another try got me through the booking but asked that there be a payment of $290.
 

We all have a few to several hundreds of dollars for OBC and want to pay with each of our OBC.  Is there a way to do that?… or am I or each couple going to have to wait until we are on board to make reservations to be charged to our cabin accounts?  
 

Thanks in advance for any insight.  We are looking forward to using our comps for some specialty dining.  

[Steelers36]

2 hours ago, San10s said:

I went into the Medallion DMW reservation system.  My cruise is paid for in advance…. And sailing in February 2022.  I tried to make reservations for the 10 in my party (I am elite) and got a ‘timed out’ message.  Another try got me through the booking but asked that there be a payment of $290.
 

We all have a few to several hundreds of dollars for OBC and want to pay with each of our OBC.  Is there a way to do that?… or am I or each couple going to have to wait until we are on board to make reservations to be charged to our cabin accounts?  
 

Thanks in advance for any insight.  We are looking forward to using our comps for some specialty dining.  

If anyone makes a Specialty Dining res ahead of the cruise, Princess looks to collect payment via credit card and you cannot use OBC.  Once on board, you can make a res for all 10 as long as you have names and cabin numbers.  Each person will be charged the cover fee to their on board accounts and then OBC applies.

 

Those who have a free Specialty Dining night as part of a Princess sales promo are finding that DineMyWay only offsets a personal credit to a personal res, so not practical for couples to book.  At least this is my interpretation.

 

That said, you shouldn't haveuch trouble booking a dinner as long as you take care of it soon after boarding.

[FirstTeacher]

I’m new to Princess and to this thread, so please excuse me if these questions have been answered before. I keep seeing references to the Personalizer; where do I find this? I’m already set up with the MC app and have scheduled my traditional dining request, but I was never given the opportunity to request a table for multiple couples. My husband and I would prefer to eat with others. 

[skynight]

6 minutes ago, FirstTeacher said:

I’m new to Princess and to this thread, so please excuse me if these questions have been answered before. I keep seeing references to the Personalizer; where do I find this? I’m already set up with the MC app and have scheduled my traditional dining request, but I was never given the opportunity to request a table for multiple couples. My husband and I would prefer to eat with others. 

Personlizer question. Log in at the Princess.com web site. Select booked guests and then manage booking. Your bookings should appear. You can book tours in the personlizer, and review/print your travel summary, but really not much else. Princess has transferred all of the other stuff, including the Dine My Way to the medallion app.

As far as I can tell you can not select table size in the app. It is just assigned. You may be able to do something once on board. If you are cruising in 2022 or 2023 procedures could be different by then.