Dine My Way - new MedallionClass enhancement

[Tedferg]

16 minutes ago, FirstTeacher said:

 My husband and I would prefer to eat with others. 

My prediction for first post pandemic cruises is they will try to maintain separation as much as they can. Eventually Dine My Way will offer table size option. A problem I foresee is a lot of reservations assigned to table for two at the same time. might lead to Sharing option.

[Wichard]

11 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. 

The Personalizer is on the Princess website.  

- My Account

- Upcoming Cruises

- Manage This Booking

 

This where you entered all the information in the past that is now in the Medallion App.

 

If you want to be seated with others then just book a time with a table for 4,6, or 8.  If you are traveling with friends then add them by "Add Quests" using their booking number when you make the reservation.

 

[Tedferg]

1 minute ago, Wichard said:

 

 

If you want to be seated with others then just book a time with a table for 4,6, or 8. 

 

Where do you see the option for table size ?

[Wichard]

2 minutes ago, Tedferg said:

Where do you see the option for table size ?

Tedferg - When you pick a time it gives you a restaurant and a table size.  In my case I asked for a table for 2 but if there were none available it gives my the option for 4, 6 or 8 dining.  So not exactly a table size option but it should work with a lot of trial and error.  

 

I hope Princess improves this application so when you select the dining room, then table size and a list of times is made available.  The current system is not transparent regarding availability of seating.

[Steelers36]

7 hours 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. 

The option to select table size was not implemented in the initial release of DMW, even though it has always been part of the pre-cruise selections.  If you are in touch with Princess, a request to fix this will add to the chorus of voices.  Without this option, Princess is not delivering on their DMW promises made on the website and verbally.  This is affecting both Traditional fixed dining and Anytime Dining.

[Steelers36]

6 hours ago, Tedferg said:

My prediction for first post pandemic cruises is they will try to maintain separation as much as they can. Eventually Dine My Way will offer table size option. A problem I foresee is a lot of reservations assigned to table for two at the same time. might lead to Sharing option.

Yes, I will grant that for early 2021 cruises that have special rules, but should not be affecting ALL cruises being sold right now.

[Steelers36]

6 hours ago, Wichard said:

If you want to be seated with others then just book a time with a table for 4,6, or 8.

Sorry, but I don't consider this a suitable response and I do not think you are trying to defend Princess.  If a guest wants to dine at 5:20pm, they shouldn't have to pick 6:40pm because all the system will assign then is a 6-top.  And it doesn't mean the system is assigning other couples just because your party is assigned to a table with extra seating.  We don't really know what the system is doing, but seems like it is trying to hold a separate table for each cabin by default.

 

Princess has been silent on what DMW is doing right now.  They have not been clear about dining with others as of a date.  We do know that what is delivered today falls short of the marketing promises.

 

[Steelers36]

6 hours ago, Wichard said:

Tedferg - When you pick a time it gives you a restaurant and a table size.  In my case I asked for a table for 2 but if there were none available it gives my the option for 4, 6 or 8 dining.  So not exactly a table size option but it should work with a lot of trial and error.

I should have Multi-Quoted.  No, what you are suggesting is not at all a table-size option.  All it is is an indication that they assigned cabins to 2-tops, and then when they ran out, they moved on to 4-tops.  So, some cruises at some times, there is limited inventory left. 

 

They have not even loaded up all DR inventory for all future cruises.  Lots of fill-in-the-blanks needed fro Princess.

[Steelers36]

6 hours ago, Wichard said:

I hope Princess improves this application so when you select the dining room, then table size and a list of times is made available.  The current system is not transparent regarding availability of seating.

YES.  THIS!!!!!!

[Thrak]

If you listen to Chernesky all is well and everything works perfectly. You can choose your table size, dining room, and even where you want to sit in the DR. It must be nice to live in his world where everything is all swell.

[dreaminofcruisin]

Another thing they need to fix is to NOT allow 2 reservations on the same day!

This seems like such a basic edit that is missing. I had 2 reservations on each day since Princess automatically set them up (originally TD) and I didn't notice it when I set up reservations. I was able to delete all the extra ones....but since the app is so unfriendly, many people might not even notice this...taking up lots of extra reservations.

[Tedferg]

Wichard and Steelers, got it I guess my one attempt for a cruise that has been cancelled but still lets me go through DMW options only showed us table for 2.

[billco]

1 hour ago, Thrak said:

If you listen to Chernesky all is well and everything works perfectly. You can choose your table size, dining room, and even where you want to sit in the DR. It must be nice to live in his world where everything is all swell.

I am thinking that by the time I am actually on the ship I will be able to do all those things and while everything may not work perfectly, I think it will be acceptable. I don’t have better things to do than stress over a cruise that is months away, but I am not going to do so anyway. I just wish everyone would chill and at least wait until the first cruises have completed 

[phabric]

 I will do what I can, then show up at the dock and let them complete what I can’t do.

[Wichard]

Update to my post #746 regarding Speciality Dining reservations:

 

Long story short, there is no way at present to schedule Speciality Dining and use the promotion credits given when the cruise was booked.  Over the past two days I spent two hours on the phone and the Navigator representative could not book the reservations without charging my credit card.  She has logged a ticket with the developers and will email me when the bug is corrected.

 

Everyone I talked to was very pleasant and they tried to resolve the problem but could not.  I hope this and other issues are resolved before cruising resumes.  

[Steelers36]

3 hours ago, dreaminofcruisin said:

Another thing they need to fix is to NOT allow 2 reservations on the same day!

This seems like such a basic edit that is missing. I had 2 reservations on each day since Princess automatically set them up (originally TD) and I didn't notice it when I set up reservations. I was able to delete all the extra ones....but since the app is so unfriendly, many people might not even notice this...taking up lots of extra reservations.

Yes, this is true.  They should make sure there are no double-bookings - whether for all nights or individual nights.

 

However, when I first got access to DMW - I think it was shortly after they released it - I was playing around with the "book same time for the entire cruise/voyage".  This was because our group of four (us and friends) were at a 4-top for the first two segments of a voyage when I first did it, but were at a 6-top and 8-top (mixed) for the third segment.  When I retried, it replaced what I had, so did not setup a second one.

 

I had also deleted a single day - the first evening before doing one of the attempts.  When I re-booked for the entire voyage, nothing was booked for the first night.  I believe the system distinguishes between a res made as part of the same time for the entire voyage versus made for that single night.

 

I had to delete all the other nights out to clear the bookings and start over with a booking for the entire voyage.  Then I got a 4-top (yes - what we want) for first two legs and the third leg was now the four of us at a 6-top - but at least it was a 6-top for all nights of that final leg and not swapping sizes.  No, not what we want, but it is the best I can do for now. 

 

I have used the individual night option to check nights on the third leg to see if the system offers me a 4-top (never and now 6/8 tops depending on the night).  But I have never confirmed a "test" booking so IDK whether the system will allow a guest to have both an "all-voyage" booking (kinda/sorta TD) and an individual night booking (like AT) at the same time.  Because I don't want to mess up the bookings we have. 

 

I do know you cannot have two "all voyage" bookings at the same time.  And I don't think you can have two individual night bookings for the same night - but not sure.  I also don't know if I add a Crown Grill booking for a particular night if it automatically deletes my DR booking.  Don't want to experiment and mess up what I have when there is a shortage of available 4-tops.  I do agree with you that the system should not allow two bookings for same evening for same party.

 

I also know if I go to book a new "all-voyage" booking the system says it is allocating a 4-top, but that seems to be just because it finds one on the first night.  No guarantees about the rest of the full voyage.  You don't know for sure what is happening until the res is made and you go in and review it. 

 

If I see evidence of new inventory of 4-tops on the third segment of our voyage, I may go for it and re-book the "all-voyage" res.

 

ETA - It's in my nature to test a system and see what works and doesn't work.

Edited June 25, 2021 by Steelers36

[espmass]

I'm not even sure my 12/28/2021 cruise will be a go but I have been attempting to book dinner reservations with DMW.  No matter which way I try it (whole trip or day by day) I am only offered a table for 10 regardless of what time I try.  No way am I sitting at a table for 10.  So is there a way ahead of time to book a table for 2 or 4?  Am I missing something here?  

[Desert Cruisers]

Does anyone know what will happen if you do not book advance reservations and just show up each night at one of the dining rooms?  We usually eat late by North American standards - 7:30 to 8:00 pm - and have rarely had a problem getting a table since we are willing to share.

Also, what has Princess said about seating in the dining room for breakfast and lunch?  Will advance reservations be required?

[Steelers36]

27 minutes ago, espmass said:

I'm not even sure my 12/28/2021 cruise will be a go but I have been attempting to book dinner reservations with DMW.  No matter which way I try it (whole trip or day by day) I am only offered a table for 10 regardless of what time I try.  No way am I sitting at a table for 10.  So is there a way ahead of time to book a table for 2 or 4?  Am I missing something here?  

What has happened is that all of the 2-tops thru 8-tops are taken.  I believe from reading things that Princess may be restricting dining to each cabin or travel party at a table and this filled up tables quicker.  You can keep checking up to sailing as they may also have held back some inventory.  

 

Otherwise, you and tons of others will be looking up the Maitre D' on board to try and get you something more to your liking.

 

BTW, what did you have in your Personalizer when you booked the cruise (I am thinking you were booked prior to June 7 when DMW was released).  If so, did you pick Traditional or Anytime?  If TD, you may have a default res and not realize it.  Do a mock booking at a 10-top for night 1.  Then, go in an review bookings and see if you have something else as well.

[Steelers36]

20 minutes ago, Desert Cruisers said:

Does anyone know what will happen if you do not book advance reservations and just show up each night at one of the dining rooms?  We usually eat late by North American standards - 7:30 to 8:00 pm - and have rarely had a problem getting a table since we are willing to share.

Also, what has Princess said about seating in the dining room for breakfast and lunch?  Will advance reservations be required?

You can still walk-up.  I don't think you will have a big problem going forward at that time of night.  Check with MD or Head Waiter when on board as to what is going on.  You can also check if want to snag a table on board for particular day(s).

 

Nothing been said about res for breakfast & lunch (sea days).  For now, looks to still be walk-up.

 

[Tedferg]

42 minutes ago, Steelers36 said:

 Princess may be restricting dining to each cabin or travel party at a table and this filled up tables quicker. 

Do you mean each cabin is assigned a separate table and so all  2,4 etc. are already filled ?

[Thrak]

1 hour ago, Desert Cruisers said:

Does anyone know what will happen if you do not book advance reservations and just show up each night at one of the dining rooms?  We usually eat late by North American standards - 7:30 to 8:00 pm - and have rarely had a problem getting a table since we are willing to share.

Also, what has Princess said about seating in the dining room for breakfast and lunch?  Will advance reservations be required?

 

If any of our cruises ever sail I will likely find out. I can't see making reservations a zillion years in advance. We tend to choose anytime dining so we will be flexible when we get onboard. You may well be able to make a "reservation" 15 minutes in advance of when you want to eat. It's all in flux and, despite what has been said in webinars and such, nobody really knows how it will work.

[Tedferg]

7 minutes ago, Thrak said:

 

If any of our cruises ever sail I will likely find out. I can't see making reservations a zillion years in advance. We tend to choose anytime dining so we will be flexible when we get onboard. You may well be able to make a "reservation" 15 minutes in advance of when you want to eat. It's all in flux and, despite what has been said in webinars and such, nobody really knows how it will work.

Agree, the only caveat I would have is that you might have to accept a later time slot 7:30 or later.

[Ombud]

On 6/24/2021 at 8:19 AM, Wichard said:

The Personalizer is on the Princess website.  

- My Account

- Upcoming Cruises

- Manage This Booking

 

This where you entered all the information in the past that is now in the Medallion App.

 

If you want to be seated with others then just book a time with a table for 4,6, or 8.  If you are traveling with friends then add them by "Add Quests" using their booking number when you make the reservation.

 

Table size was an option in the Personalizer but it has been moved to DMW  the app where it defaults to Table for 2. As a solo cruiser, I'd rather not eat alone. I've tried but no such thing.  These are the only options now in Personalizer:

 

Or is everyone doing this on a computer not a smartphone?

 

 

Edited June 26, 2021 by Ombud

[Steelers36]

54 minutes ago, Ombud said:

Table size was an option in the Personalizer but it has been moved to DMW  the app where it defaults to Table for 2. As a solo cruiser, I'd rather not eat alone. I've tried but no such thing.  These are the only options now in Personalizer:

 

 

Or is everyone doing this on a computer not a smartphone?

 

 

NO, you are correct.  There is no longer a choice of table size before making a dining res - website and/or MC App.  Hopefully this design defect will be corrected.