Dining enquiries

[Nicole&Pete]

All,

 

Does anyone know where and when the maitre d typically is on embarkation day to discuss dining? We are on the Sky princess in 2 weeks and would like to know this.

 

Nicole

[wowzz]

15 minutes ago, Nicole&Pete said:

All,

 

Does anyone know where and when the maitre d typically is on embarkation day to discuss dining? We are on the Sky princess in 2 weeks and would like to know this.

 

Nicole

I don't think this role exists anymore. 

With the advent of DMW there is less and less that can be done "face to face" on board. The days of pleading for anytime rather than fixed dining, or vice versa, have long gone. 

If you care to share with us what you want to discuss,  we may be able to help you more. 

[Lizabu]

There’s usually a MDR open. And there will be a Maître D. On the Regal Princess for example it was Concerto.

[wowzz]

3 minutes ago, Lizabu said:

There’s usually a MDR open. And there will be a Maître D. On the Regal Princess for example it was Concerto.

He is now called Director of Retail Operations !

[Lizabu]

Just now, wowzz said:

He is now called Director of Retail Operations !

Thank you 

[Nicole&Pete]

11 hours ago, wowzz said:

I don't think this role exists anymore. 

With the advent of DMW there is less and less that can be done "face to face" on board. The days of pleading for anytime rather than fixed dining, or vice versa, have long gone. 

If you care to share with us what you want to discuss,  we may be able to help you more. 

Basically we have booked the dine my way which is fine but we wanted to ask if we can have the same table and wait staff for the entire cruise. I was hoping there would be someone on board I can discuss this with?

[Nicole&Pete]

11 hours ago, Lizabu said:

There’s usually a MDR open. And there will be a Maître D. On the Regal Princess for example it was Concerto.

Thanks for your reply.

 

is the concerto the MDR at the very back of the ship?

[wowzz]

4 minutes ago, Nicole&Pete said:

Basically we have booked the dine my way which is fine but we wanted to ask if we can have the same table and wait staff for the entire cruise. I was hoping there would be someone on board I can discuss this with?

Lots of people want that, (there are literally thousands of posts on the subject)  but in practice it is very difficult to accomodate that request under the new system, unless you are prepared to dine immediately the MDR opens.  Keeping  specific tables free for a certain time each night  reduces customer turnover in the MDR.

Your best bet is to book a specific time in the MDR each night now, using the app,  and hope that you are seated more or less in the same section each night.   

[Lizabu]

21 minutes ago, Nicole&Pete said:

Thanks for your reply.

 

is the concerto the MDR at the very back of the ship?

That Allegro. Concerto is the one that’s closer when you board. Someone can point you to it when you get on.

[Lizabu]

12 minutes ago, wowzz said:

Lots of people want that, (there are literally thousands of posts on the subject)  but in practice it is very difficult to accomodate that request under the new system, unless you are prepared to dine immediately the MDR opens.  Keeping  specific tables free for a certain time each night  reduces customer turnover in the MDR.

Your best bet is to book a specific time in the MDR each night now, using the app,  and hope that you are seated more or less in the same section each night.   

We had a fairly large group of family all together on our last cruise. And I went on the medallion app and booked us for the same dining room at the same time every night. After a couple days they just started putting us at the same table with the same servers, all on their own without us asking. So maybe once they’re sure you’re going to show up, they just do it anyways.

[MissP22]

What ever he's called, don't be late to arrive. There are usually dozens of people waiting for various reasons & you'll be queued up for quite a while especially with this latest system not working all that great. 😄 

[wowzz]

41 minutes ago, Lizabu said:

We had a fairly large group of family all together on our last cruise. And I went on the medallion app and booked us for the same dining room at the same time every night. After a couple days they just started putting us at the same table with the same servers, all on their own without us asking. So maybe once they’re sure you’re going to show up, they just do it anyways.

Ironically, as a large group, you are far more likely to get what you described compared to a couple.

Trying to "reserve" one hundred "two tops", at varying times in differing locations would be a nightmare to manage.

[MissP22]

Just now, wowzz said:

Ironically, as a large group, you are far more likely to get what you described compared to a couple.

Trying to "reserve" one hundred "two tops", at varying times in differing locations would be a nightmare to manage.

I think the 2 top tables are now going to be the most popular seating arrangement (because of covid). They'll assign only so many as they can & tell the rest of the people to queue up at the door as they become available. 

[wowzz]

34 minutes ago, MissP22 said:

I think the 2 top tables are now going to be the most popular seating arrangement (because of covid). They'll assign only so many as they can & tell the rest of the people to queue up at the door as they become available. 

Which makes it even less feasible to reserve a specific table at a specific time every night.

[Nicole&Pete]

12 hours ago, wowzz said:

Lots of people want that, (there are literally thousands of posts on the subject)  but in practice it is very difficult to accomodate that request under the new system, unless you are prepared to dine immediately the MDR opens.  Keeping  specific tables free for a certain time each night  reduces customer turnover in the MDR.

Your best bet is to book a specific time in the MDR each night now, using the app,  and hope that you are seated more or less in the same section each night.   

Thanks for your advice we have done that so we will see what happens

[Nicole&Pete]

12 hours ago, Lizabu said:

We had a fairly large group of family all together on our last cruise. And I went on the medallion app and booked us for the same dining room at the same time every night. After a couple days they just started putting us at the same table with the same servers, all on their own without us asking. So maybe once they’re sure you’re going to show up, they just do it anyways.

Cool ok thanks

[Nicole&Pete]

11 hours ago, MissP22 said:

I think the 2 top tables are now going to be the most popular seating arrangement (because of covid). They'll assign only so many as they can & tell the rest of the people to queue up at the door as they become available. 

I think your right, we love sharing a table on a cruise but this time we have gone for a 2 person table because of Covid.

[Steelers36]

2 hours ago, wowzz said:

He is now called Director of Retail Operations !

 

Not sure if you were joking or not.  He is the Director of Restaurant Operations.

 

2 hours ago, Lizabu said:

Thank you 

 

[Steelers36]

3 hours ago, Lizabu said:

There’s usually a MDR open. And there will be a Maître D. On the Regal Princess for example it was Concerto.

 

2 hours ago, Nicole&Pete said:

Thanks for your reply.

 

is the concerto the MDR at the very back of the ship?

 

There is always a DR open for lunch on embarkation day - as long as you are on board before the lunch period is over.  It is (pretty much) invariably Deck 6 mid-ship (Concerto in the case of the ship referred to above).  On your ship the Deck 6 mid-ship DR is called Estrella (check the deck plans on Princess.com and you can start to get oriented before your cruise). 

 

Note that the DRO won't necessarily be working the DR at the lunch, but will definitely be in all DR's at some point in the dinner time.  You would most likely find him in the Deck 6 Aft DR in the past.  My guess would either be there or the Deck 6 Mid-Ship. 

 

There appears to be no more meet the DRO time on embarkation afternoon.  He could be around the ship, or in his office.  But at least engage whoever is supervising the lunch period. 

Edited June 10, 2022 by Steelers36

[wowzz]

40 minutes ago, Steelers36 said:

Not sure if you were joking or not.  He is the Director of Restaurant Operations.

 

Sorry - my mistake - should have picked up on it earler.

[wowzz]

48 minutes ago, Nicole&Pete said:

I think your right, we love sharing a table on a cruise but this time we have gone for a 2 person table because of Covid.

Although many of the two tops are so close together,  you may as well be sitting at a table for six !

[MissP22]

1 hour ago, wowzz said:

Although many of the two tops are so close together,  you may as well be sitting at a table for six !

There are a few that are more distant from each other. 

[Nicole&Pete]

13 hours ago, Steelers36 said:

 

 

There is always a DR open for lunch on embarkation day - as long as you are on board before the lunch period is over.  It is (pretty much) invariably Deck 6 mid-ship (Concerto in the case of the ship referred to above).  On your ship the Deck 6 mid-ship DR is called Estrella (check the deck plans on Princess.com and you can start to get oriented before your cruise). 

 

Note that the DRO won't necessarily be working the DR at the lunch, but will definitely be in all DR's at some point in the dinner time.  You would most likely find him in the Deck 6 Aft DR in the past.  My guess would either be there or the Deck 6 Mid-Ship. 

 

There appears to be no more meet the DRO time on embarkation afternoon.  He could be around the ship, or in his office.  But at least engage whoever is supervising the lunch period. 

Thank you that’s a good idea we could engage with whoever is there and they may point us in the right direction.

 

Are there definitely no allocated time for discussing dining, there used to be queues of people waiting to get there dining sorted.

[Nicole&Pete]

11 hours ago, MissP22 said:

There are a few that are more distant from each other. 

I would like to be quite far from other people but the chance of being able to request that seems limited

[MissP22]

Just now, Nicole&Pete said:

I would like to be quite far from other people but the chance of being able to request that seems limited

That's true. 

Saying that, the tables in the buffet even have more space between them compared to the DR. 

I dislike requesting a 2 top table, sitting down & having someone next to me feel it's necessary to start a conversation.

Why bother to sit in that section anyway? 🙁