Dine My Way & all new Dining questions since cruising restart!!

[memoak]

38 minutes ago, Thrak said:

 

Look at the Journey View Activities Timeline on the app. Go through each day of the cruise and find the days that list "Formal Portraits Tonight!". Those are your formal nights.

 

 

Our Hawaiian cruise at the end of this month still does not have those probably because we are waiting for itinerary changes due to the Maui fire

[NavyVeteran]

6 minutes ago, memoak said:

Our Hawaiian cruise at the end of this month still does not have those probably because we are waiting for itinerary changes due to the Maui fire

I suspect the contents of the JourneyView Activities Timeline may be ship dependent, as my cruise didn't have them either even though there probably isn't any question when the formal nights will be.

[Thrak]

13 minutes ago, lstone19 said:

 

When the schedule permits, the formal nights are the first sea day and the next to last night if it's a sea day. As that works with your ship's schedule, the formal nights will almost certainly be 10/21 and 10/29.

 

We have 11 Formal Nights coming up. At least the 2 day and 4 day segments of our series of cruises don't have a Formal Night. 🤪

[suzyed]

On 9/5/2023 at 10:49 PM, jsn55 said:

Let's get serious ... if you have reservations for anything, anywhere, common courtesy dictates that you inform your hosts that you'll not make the res.  It's not about the threat of 'cancelling anything else', it's an awareness of others' needs, be they management or customer.

Someone asked if they didn't show up for a dinner reservation would all their following reservations be cancelled.  That is what I was responding to.
One can go on the app and edit/cancel their dinner reservation in the MDR.  You don't have to inform "the host".  

[jaulick]

On 6/14/2023 at 10:47 AM, t&atravel said:

@shopgirl151 If you are trying to book by clicking on “explore dining options” that does not work until you are on board. Instead choose “view or book individual reservations” choose the day you want then add reservation and follow the prompts.

Help!

I’ve tried this method over and over.  I make it all the way to “Confirm this reservation “, but I then keep getting this error message:  “An Error occurred…Information provided for reservation was not complete!”. I’ve given them every piece of information that I can think of.

 

What now?

[Steelers36]

2 hours ago, jaulick said:

Help!

I’ve tried this method over and over.  I make it all the way to “Confirm this reservation “, but I then keep getting this error message:  “An Error occurred…Information provided for reservation was not complete!”. I’ve given them every piece of information that I can think of.

 

What now?

Are you using DMW on smartphone app or the web version?  Try the latter if not done already.

 

ETA:  are you Platinum or higher?  Have you made Final Payment if not?

Edited September 19, 2023 by Steelers36

[jaulick]

2 hours ago, Steelers36 said:

Are you using DMW on smartphone app or the web version?  Try the latter if not done already.

 

ETA:  are you Platinum or higher?  Have you made Final Payment if not?

Thanx to Steelers36, but no progress. Final pmt was long ago; cruise departs on Oct 7. 
 

New to Princess, and am finding this to be a gruesome introduction.

 

Was on smartphone for DMW, but no luck.

 

Went to web version, but that was worse.  It did not let me find my travel companions (but smartphone did); it did not show the same specialty opportunities as the smartphone did (in fact, fewer); and so I couldn’t go farther.

 

Since we’re in a full suite, we just might let the concierge staff do their thing if this doesn’t improve.

 

[Steelers36]

1 hour ago, jaulick said:

Thanx to Steelers36, but no progress. Final pmt was long ago; cruise departs on Oct 7. 
 

New to Princess, and am finding this to be a gruesome introduction.

 

Was on smartphone for DMW, but no luck.

 

Went to web version, but that was worse.  It did not let me find my travel companions (but smartphone did); it did not show the same specialty opportunities as the smartphone did (in fact, fewer); and so I couldn’t go farther.

 

Since we’re in a full suite, we just might let the concierge staff do their thing if this doesn’t improve.

 

Ahh... so you don't need DMW for dinner - just for SD reservations.  If your travel companions are setup in the App, they should be seen in the web version of DMW.  All I know is that some folks have had better success with web version for DMW bookings.  Strange results you had.

 

Your idea of getting with the concierge on board is a good one.  Find them on day one.

 

I am truly embarrassed for Princess as a shareholder and long-time guest on a number of voyages over the years.  I mean I am embarrassed when informed of a new guest struggling as you have and encountering the garbage put out by their Ocean IT team.  Sure, lots of folks seem to have no issues.  Even I got through most of my issues in 2022 eventually, but there is just no excuse and I always wonder how many people end up "one-and-done" with Princess.  But it has been great sailing with them and the on board crew and staff have been great and I think they have a good value proposition.  I just shake my head over how no heads seem to roll and there has not been much improvement in the IT product out the door since June 2021.

[dsotm73]

16 hours ago, jaulick said:

Help!

I’ve tried this method over and over.  I make it all the way to “Confirm this reservation “, but I then keep getting this error message:  “An Error occurred…Information provided for reservation was not complete!”. I’ve given them every piece of information that I can think of.

 

What now?

I had a similar problem, ended up calling Princess to make my specialty dining reservations. Easy enough, she took care of it in minutes. Reservation now shows in my app.

[Steelers36]

1 hour ago, dsotm73 said:

I had a similar problem, ended up calling Princess to make my specialty dining reservations. Easy enough, she took care of it in minutes. Reservation now shows in my app.

Were you using SD credit(s) or paying with credit card?

[dsotm73]

18 hours ago, jaulick said:

Edited September 19, 2023 by dsotm73

[dsotm73]

Credit  card

[suzyed]

On 9/18/2023 at 11:03 PM, jaulick said:

Thanx to Steelers36, but no progress. Final pmt was long ago; cruise departs on Oct 7. 
 

New to Princess, and am finding this to be a gruesome introduction.

 

Was on smartphone for DMW, but no luck.

 

Went to web version, but that was worse.  It did not let me find my travel companions (but smartphone did); it did not show the same specialty opportunities as the smartphone did (in fact, fewer); and so I couldn’t go farther.

 

Since we’re in a full suite, we just might let the concierge staff do their thing if this doesn’t improve.

 

Try calling 800-774-6237 for the Medallion Experts.

[jaulick]

Suzyed, that did it.  I’d heard lots of the horror stories about dealing with Princess by phone (including stories from our TA), and so I had little confidence that this phone call would be any different, but it was.

 

The Princess rep stated that we do not need to make advance reservations for specialty dining because we’ve booked a suite.  The rep went on to say that the staff in the Concierge lounge can do all this for us.

 

So, that’s where I am at this point, and I choose to believe that it will work out this way.

 

Thanks to all.

[Thrak]

3 hours ago, suzyed said:

Try calling 800-774-6237 for the Medallion Experts.

 

Saving this number for future reference. Thanks.

[Benpointer]

On 9/19/2023 at 5:30 AM, Steelers36 said:

Ahh... so you don't need DMW for dinner - just for SD reservations.  If your travel companions are setup in the App, they should be seen in the web version of DMW.  All I know is that some folks have had better success with web version for DMW bookings.  Strange results you had.

 

Your idea of getting with the concierge on board is a good one.  Find them on day one.

 

I am truly embarrassed for Princess as a shareholder and long-time guest on a number of voyages over the years.  I mean I am embarrassed when informed of a new guest struggling as you have and encountering the garbage put out by their Ocean IT team.  Sure, lots of folks seem to have no issues.  Even I got through most of my issues in 2022 eventually, but there is just no excuse and I always wonder how many people end up "one-and-done" with Princess.  But it has been great sailing with them and the on board crew and staff have been great and I think they have a good value proposition.  I just shake my head over how no heads seem to roll and there has not been much improvement in the IT product out the door since June 2021.

Hi, we're first time Princess cruisers, trying to get our head around DMW.  The website says "Dining Reservations have moved to the MedallionClass™ App" yay!  (And yes the app is pretty poor.)

 

For our cruise (Oktoberfest European Capitals, sails 18th October), most nights the App isn't offering any options to book dining in the main dining room "sorry we could not find any reservations at this time".  Some nights it's offering just two times e.g 5:30 or 8:20, neither of which we'd choose.

 

So... I am guessing this is all a bit of a red herring and that there's no point in trying to reserve a table in the main dining room, just turn up when we want to eat.  We can use the app for booking speciality dining.

 

Does that sound right?  We are booked Princess Plus so I think that gives us flexible dining.

 

Thanks

[Steelers36]

14 minutes ago, Benpointer said:

Hi, we're first time Princess cruisers, trying to get our head around DMW.  The website says "Dining Reservations have moved to the MedallionClass™ App" yay!  (And yes the app is pretty poor.)

 

For our cruise (Oktoberfest European Capitals, sails 18th October), most nights the App isn't offering any options to book dining in the main dining room "sorry we could not find any reservations at this time".  Some nights it's offering just two times e.g 5:30 or 8:20, neither of which we'd choose.

 

So... I am guessing this is all a bit of a red herring and that there's no point in trying to reserve a table in the main dining room, just turn up when we want to eat.  We can use the app for booking specialty dining.

 

Does that sound right?  We are booked Princess Plus so I think that gives us flexible dining.

 

Thanks

So, Plus/Premier fare packages have nothing to do with flexible dining.  Only guests in Suites and Reserve Class Mini's get any special treatment in the MDR's.

 

You are less than a month from sailing.  So, I can easily imagine that best choices for dinner are long gone.  Next time, I'd look into it sooner. 

 

IDK if you can tell from your searches, but a somewhat common practice seems to be for Princess to setup only 2 of the 3 DR's in the App for booking.  This leaves opportunity to book on board, arrange a table with DR Mgmt or DR Host, or have room for walk-ups.  You can be a walk-up and they may suggest the best DR for that (one with fewest reservations). 

 

[Benpointer]

14 minutes ago, Steelers36 said:

So, Plus/Premier fare packages have nothing to do with flexible dining.  Only guests in Suites and Reserve Class Mini's get any special treatment in the MDR's.

 

You are less than a month from sailing.  So, I can easily imagine that best choices for dinner are long gone.  Next time, I'd look into it sooner. 

 

IDK if you can tell from your searches, but a somewhat common practice seems to be for Princess to setup only 2 of the 3 DR's in the App for booking.  This leaves opportunity to book on board, arrange a table with DR Mgmt or DR Host, or have room for walk-ups.  You can be a walk-up and they may suggest the best DR for that (one with fewest reservations). 

 

Woah! You mean we can't dine in the dining room on those evenings when they are not showing any availability?  That sounds crazy.  I mean we've paid for a cruise that includes dinner right? Surely, they have enough capacity to cater for everyone on the ship?

[Thrak]

7 minutes ago, Benpointer said:

Woah! You mean we can't dine in the dining room on those evenings when they are not showing any availability?  That sounds crazy.  I mean we've paid for a cruise that includes dinner right? Surely, they have enough capacity to cater for everyone on the ship?

 

You can dine in one of the main dining rooms any night of the cruise. Period.

Edited September 21, 2023 by Thrak

[Benpointer]

4 minutes ago, Thrak said:

 

You can dine in the main dining room any night of the cruise. Period.

Thanks, that's what I assumed.  We just turn up right? 

 

I can understand that they allow people to book set times via DMW for a proportion of the capacity - one that proportion is booked, no more reservations just roll-up and maybe there's a wait of a few minutes if they are really busy?

 

That I would class as acceptable (if a bit annoying that I didn't know we had to book early as Steelers36 implies).  

Edited September 21, 2023 by Benpointer

[Steelers36]

15 minutes ago, Benpointer said:

Woah! You mean we can't dine in the dining room on those evenings when they are not showing any availability?  That sounds crazy.  I mean we've paid for a cruise that includes dinner right? Surely, they have enough capacity to cater for everyone on the ship?

You are misunderstanding my post.  First, the absence of a DR from DMW pre-cruise does NOT mean you cannot eat there.  Alsa, DR personnel may suggest a guest go to a specific DR if the guest is a walk-up because the wait will be shorter.  Up to you.  The DR's all have same menu.

[Steelers36]

6 minutes ago, Benpointer said:

That I would class as acceptable (if a bit annoying that I didn't know we had to book early as Steelers36 implies).  

Platinum & Elite can book as soon as a deposit is made.  Everyone else can book as soon as they make Final Payment.  Reports on here indicate that at least some of the folks on some/many voyages are able to book dining long before FP Date even though they shouldn't be able to.  Attempting to book less than a month from sail date would result in most desirable times/tables being booked I should think.  Doesn't mean walk-ups cannot get a table.  As a walk-up it is much quicker to get a table if you are willing to share with other guests.

[Host CJSKIDS]

26 minutes ago, Benpointer said:

Woah! You mean we can't dine in the dining room on those evenings when they are not showing any availability?  That sounds crazy.  I mean we've paid for a cruise that includes dinner right? Surely, they have enough capacity to cater for everyone on the ship?

 

Of course you can!  They have 2 lines and one of them is for those with reservations and those without.  If I ever do eat in the Main Dining room (which is very rare) I never have reservations and just go to the line for without.  They will ask if you want to sit alone or share a table. There may be wait, depending on what time you go.

[Benpointer]

20 minutes ago, Steelers36 said:

Platinum & Elite can book as soon as a deposit is made.  Everyone else can book as soon as they make Final Payment.  Reports on here indicate that at least some of the folks on some/many voyages are able to book dining long before FP Date even though they shouldn't be able to.  Attempting to book less than a month from sail date would result in most desirable times/tables being booked I should think.  Doesn't mean walk-ups cannot get a table.  As a walk-up it is much quicker to get a table if you are willing to share with other guests.

Thank-you!  That makes perfect sense and is a bit of a relief.

 

Apologies for any misunderstanding on my part of your earlier post.

Edited September 21, 2023 by Benpointer

[Benpointer]

9 minutes ago, Host CJSKIDS said:

 

Of course you can!  They have 2 lines and one of them is for those with reservations and those without.  If I ever do eat in the Main Dining room (which is very rare) I never have reservations and just go to the line for without.  They will ask if you want to sit alone or share a table. There may be wait, depending on what time you go.

Thank-you.  We are always happy to share - we've only ever had one bad experience with rather obnoxious and drunk other guests on the table (we had to leave after one the main course) - but that was the only exception.