Dining times.

[Merly]

Can anyone confirm the dining times on Sky Princess please as the latest it is showing on the app is 7.30.

 

We are also a party of 11 and it says we would be split across multiple tables. We are happy to have 2 tables, one for 6 and one for 5. How can we request this please?

[geoherb]

The app gives me 8 as the latest to reserve a table for my cruise next month on the Caribbean Princess. On my Regal Princess cruise in February, the main dining rooms were open until 9.

[Steelers36]

1 hour ago, Merly said:

Can anyone confirm the dining times on Sky Princess please as the latest it is showing on the app is 7.30.

 

We are also a party of 11 and it says we would be split across multiple tables. We are happy to have 2 tables, one for 6 and one for 5. How can we request this please?

 

You might try to keep scrolling on the times.  I am noticing times out of order for at least two of our voyages.  Nonetheless, there should be times every 20 minutes from 5:00pm thru 8:40pm - unless all filled up in particular slots (and this may be causing the timeslot order issue as this is a new observation for me). 

 

Yes, you need to break up the party - at least until you are on the ship.  Check with the DRO (formerly the MD) and see if they can put together one larger table somewhere - if that is your wish.  You will at least want the two 6-tops (no such thing as a 5-top) in proximity and then it is easy to mix it up in your group for variety each night.  

 

Please understand that you have no control over the table size when selecting Sharing option. 

 

My recommendation would be to have one person in the complete party - you for example - add all of your group as Travel Companions in MC App.  Then add four of them as dining companions for a dining party in DMW.  Then book a Private table for those six people.  Your reservation will show up in the others MC App when they check the dining section.

 

Next, have someone else in your group also setup everyone as Travel Companions in their MC App and similarly create a Dining Party by selecting the remaining guests that you did not already assemble.  Book dining at the same time, in the same DR, using their Dining Party and again book Private table space.  In this way, hopefully, they don't assign anyone to the 6th seat. 

 

Now, there is zero control in your hands to associate the two bookings.  Again, see the DRO soon as possible after boarding and ask him to place you all in proximity and hopefully it all works out.

 

If a group decides to go to Specialty Dining one night, the rest can sit at one of the tables and update the System so the empty table is available for others to use that evening.

 

The key to all of this is to speak with the DRO as soon as you can.

[Merly]

1 hour ago, Steelers36 said:

 

You might try to keep scrolling on the times.  I am noticing times out of order for at least two of our voyages.  Nonetheless, there should be times every 20 minutes from 5:00pm thru 8:40pm - unless all filled up in particular slots (and this may be causing the timeslot order issue as this is a new observation for me). 

 

Yes, you need to break up the party - at least until you are on the ship.  Check with the DRO (formerly the MD) and see if they can put together one larger table somewhere - if that is your wish.  You will at least want the two 6-tops (no such thing as a 5-top) in proximity and then it is easy to mix it up in your group for variety each night.  

 

Please understand that you have no control over the table size when selecting Sharing option. 

 

My recommendation would be to have one person in the complete party - you for example - add all of your group as Travel Companions in MC App.  Then add four of them as dining companions for a dining party in DMW.  Then book a Private table for those six people.  Your reservation will show up in the others MC App when they check the dining section.

 

Next, have someone else in your group also setup everyone as Travel Companions in their MC App and similarly create a Dining Party by selecting the remaining guests that you did not already assemble.  Book dining at the same time, in the same DR, using their Dining Party and again book Private table space.  In this way, hopefully, they don't assign anyone to the 6th seat. 

 

Now, there is zero control in your hands to associate the two bookings.  Again, see the DRO soon as possible after boarding and ask him to place you all in proximity and hopefully it all works out.

 

If a group decides to go to Specialty Dining one night, the rest can sit at one of the tables and update the System so the empty table is available for others to use that evening.

 

The key to all of this is to speak with the DRO as soon as you can.

That’s very helpful, thank you. We don’t want one big table, you can’t talk to everyone anyway.  Two tables are the way to go for us. It’s a good idea to make the 2 bookings and then visit the DRO once we board to try and get them close. At the moment there is no later time showing after 7.30. But I will keep looking.   Thanks. 

[Rick&Jeannie]

The past couple of cruises I've been on we had a group of 6.  Could almost NEVER find an acceptable time or table preference via the app.  We ended up just showing up whenever we wanted and asking to be seated together.  Worked every time.  My opinion? The dining reservations for MDR seating is a joke.

[KreinKrunker]

14 hours ago, Merly said:

Can anyone confirm the dining times on Sky Princess please as the latest it is showing on the app is 7.30.

We are sailing on Sky in March, and the latest dining time I have found is 7:30.  I have to disagree with those that told you to have two people make reservations for six.  We were recently on Caribbean Princess with a party of 14.  I made the reservations for all 14.  We were at a table for eight, right next to a table for six.  I think you have a better chance of getting tables near each other by doing it this way.  It will still require talking to a Head Waiter, or MD, or DRO, whatever those are. ( Can you tell I hate using letters, not words?)   We all went to the Crown Grill one night, and simply told the Head Waiter about it the night before.

[Rick&Jeannie]

35 minutes ago, KreinKrunker said:

We are sailing on Sky in March, and the latest dining time I have found is 7:30.  I have to disagree with those that told you to have two people make reservations for six.  We were recently on Caribbean Princess with a party of 14.  I made the reservations for all 14.  We were at a table for eight, right next to a table for six.  I think you have a better chance of getting tables near each other by doing it this way.  It will still require talking to a Head Waiter, or MD, or DRO, whatever those are. ( Can you tell I hate using letters, not words?)   We all went to the Crown Grill one night, and simply told the Head Waiter about it the night before.

I think you just reinforced the point that most are making...that you can't do it via the app.

[KreinKrunker]

4 minutes ago, Rick&Jeannie said:

I think you just reinforced the point that most are making...that you can't do it via the app.

Agreed, if the APP works, it is a pain.  It was a Back-to-Back, with four people the first week, and 14 the second.  The APP recognizes this as a 14-day cruise, not as two seven-day cruises.   Had to enter every night separately.  Couldn't make reservations for four the first week, then 14 for the second. 

[Steelers36]

2 hours ago, KreinKrunker said:

We are sailing on Sky in March, and the latest dining time I have found is 7:30.  I have to disagree with those that told you to have two people make reservations for six.  We were recently on Caribbean Princess with a party of 14.  I made the reservations for all 14.  We were at a table for eight, right next to a table for six.  I think you have a better chance of getting tables near each other by doing it this way.  It will still require talking to a Head Waiter, or MD, or DRO, whatever those are. ( Can you tell I hate using letters, not words?)   We all went to the Crown Grill one night, and simply told the Head Waiter about it the night before.

I see what you are getting at.  I was thinking it didn't work at all as the OP reported.  But if you can create a DP of 14, using the Travel Companions feature to add all the bookings, then I agree with you to do it that way (nothing to lose I suppose).  Now, what you don't know is when a booking is made for 14 people, and you get back that you will be at SPLIT tables, there is zero guarantee that will be an 8-top and a 6-top.  The System could have split you up into five 2-tops and a 4-top.   Not only that, I believe there would be not guarantee of proximity to the separate tables.  Unless someone is intervening and reviewing the bookings just before the cruise date and juggling the tables to get folks who booked together sitting together.

 

Did you find the DMW system setup you up rather perfectly like this (8+6 in same location), or did you speak to the DRO in order to get what you wanted? 

 

1 hour ago, KreinKrunker said:

Agreed, if the APP works, it is a pain.  It was a Back-to-Back, with four people the first week, and 14 the second.  The APP recognizes this as a 14-day cruise, not as two seven-day cruises.   Had to enter every night separately.  Couldn't make reservations for four the first week, then 14 for the second. 

Yes, the App always looks at multiple legs as a single voyage.  It's good in some ways, but not others.  By having to enter each night separately, it most definitely kills any chance the System might assign you to same table location (same waiters as well with that) every night.  Again, it will likely take an intervention by DR Mgmt to get you seated in the same section all nights.  That said, it may be less important when changing from a party of 4 to a party of 14 to maintain the same location for the second leg.  One move of table location at turnover day wouldn't be terrible, but nice-to-have for the four staying on to keep same waiters as they know your preferences and habits. 

 

 

[KreinKrunker]

22 hours ago, Steelers36 said:

 

Did you find the DMW system setup you up rather perfectly like this (8+6 in same location), or did you speak to the DRO in order to get what you wanted? 

 As mentioned we had to speak to the Head Waiter of the section to get what we wanted.

 

Although we had the tables, gaining access to the dining room was another problem. When our medallion was scanned, the lady at the door would tell us that we had reservation in a different dining room.  We would tell her no, we were at the right place. She would then check with her supervisor, and he would wave us through.  The third night I just walked in, checked to make sure our tables were ready, then scanned the medallion, then just walked in.   

 

Yes, we had the traditional dining experience, but we had to jump through some hoops to do it.  Other than dealing with the APP, we had great service for the actual meal.    Incidentally, since we usually travel with a group, the traditional dining was something that attracted us to cruising in the first place.  In a group of 14, 12 will say "I don't care where, or when".  The other two can't agree on a time or place.  As the old saying goes, "it's hard to get all of the puppies in the box".

[Peggy and Mossey]

5 hours ago, KreinKrunker said:

Although we had the tables, gaining access to the dining room was another problem. When our medallion was scanned, the lady at the door would tell us that we had reservation in a different dining room.  We would tell her no, we were at the right place. She would then check with her supervisor, and he would wave us through.  The third night I just walked in, checked to make sure our tables were ready, then scanned the medallion, then just walked in.   

 

I do hope it did not get in the way of the traditional dining experience.

 

 

Edited July 14, 2022 by Peggy and Mossey

[Moondogy]

1 hour ago, Peggy and Mossey said:

 

I do hope it did not get in the way of the traditional dining experience.

 

 

If by traditional dinning you mean assigned tables like they use to do, then yes....it got in the way. I believe that type of dinning is gone.