1st Time Princess Cruiser

[Cinders411]

I booked an Alaskan cruise for 2025. I was surprised to learn that I could not make dining reservations for the main dining room until my cruise was paid in full. I have never experienced this on other lines. I am now concerned that I will miss out on all early dining times as I was not planning on paying off my cruise for some time. I intended to complete my 2024 cruises and then pay off 2025. Am I right to be concerned about this? Thank you to anyone who can provide some insight. 

[Host CJSKIDS]

Welcome to cruising on Princess!

 

I wouldn't be worried about making your dining reservations at all.  Many people don't pay off their cruises until near the due date.  I never book far in advance, the majority of times just a few months prior and I've always had the opportunity to book dining. 

 

 

[Cinders411]

10 minutes ago, Host CJSKIDS said:

Welcome to cruising on Princess!

 

I wouldn't be worried about making your dining reservations at all.  Many people don't pay off their cruises until near the due date.  I never book far in advance, the majority of times just a few months prior and I've always had the opportunity to book dining. 

 

 

You were able to book the early times? I was just worried they would all be gone first. 

[Host CJSKIDS]

I don't ever pay until final payment. My next cruise was booked days before final payment was due. I had no issues booking specialty dining and could have had anytime I wanted for the MDR. 
 

I am sure others will weigh in with their experiences. 

[karatemom2]

While reservations do make things easier, they are not mandatory. You can walk up and request to be seated any time. There are two lines at the dining rooms, one for those with reservations and one for those without, and often you can be seated at the time you prefer without a reservation. You may wait just a bit longer for a table, especially if you prefer not to share, but you will usually be seated within a short timeframe. Many people with reservations end up choosing to eat at an earlier or later time for whatever reason, so it is fluid and the dining room hosts are very good at managing getting people seated as soon as possible.

 

And, considering most people don't pay in full until it is required, you will be receiving the opening to book your dining at the same time as most others, so as Host CJSKIDS pointed out, you shouldn't have an issue picking the times you prefer.

 

You can also go to the dining room on your embarkation day and make any adjustments and even ask for the same table and wait team if that is something that you would like. We often scout out a table with our host the first evening that we like and then reserve it so we can just walk in and go to the same table and have a wait team we get to know. 

[Muffinz]

we've discovered the same problem... we cruise in December 2024 and final payment is due September and we can't make any reservations in the MDR until final payment has been made.... but we're not too worried about it.

[memoak]

1 hour ago, Muffinz said:

we've discovered the same problem... we cruise in December 2024 and final payment is due September and we can't make any reservations in the MDR until final payment has been made.... but we're not too worried about it.

Believe me you will still get fed

[Moondogy]

Up until our last cruise I've never made reservations because DW and I Usually eat around 5-5:30 (Living in florida...you know, early birds 🤣) and never had an issue just walking up when we wanted that early and never had more than a 5 minute wait time. I hate being locked into having to be there at a certain time in case I'm in the middle of something. Last cruise we had reservations for 5:00pm and they had veterans meetings at 4:30 and I could never make it because I'd be late for my reservations.

[BamaVol]

I have made reservations for the MDR prior to final payment for all three Princess cruises I have booked.  Is this something new?

[d9704011]

3 minutes ago, BamaVol said:

I have made reservations for the MDR prior to final payment for all three Princess cruises I have booked.  Is this something new?

I think they introduced the change some time in February.  The MDR reservation(s) don't fuss me much but no access to specialty dining reservation (and I am willing to pay up front) peeves me.

[BamaVol]

3 minutes ago, d9704011 said:

I think they introduced the change some time in February.  The MDR reservation(s) don't fuss me much but no access to specialty dining reservation (and I am willing to pay up front) peeves me.

Well, dang!  But since it applies to all cruisers, it shouldn’t really make any difference.  I’ll just make the reservations right after final payment.

[Rick&Jeannie]

I thought this always had something to do with your Captain's Circle level.... No?  This really *is* something new?

[nasa1974]

1 hour ago, Moondogy said:

Up until our last cruise I've never made reservations because DW and I Usually eat around 5-5:30 (Living in florida...you know, early birds 🤣) and never had an issue just walking up when we wanted that early and never had more than a 5 minute wait time. I hate being locked into having to be there at a certain time in case I'm in the middle of something. Last cruise we had reservations for 5:00pm and they had veterans meetings at 4:30 and I could never make it because I'd be late for my reservations.

Thank you for your service. I try to make the veterans meetings when I can also.

[d9704011]

1 hour ago, BamaVol said:

Well, dang!  But since it applies to all cruisers, it shouldn’t really make any difference.  I’ll just make the reservations right after final payment.

I s'pose I could pay off my cruise way in advance and make my dinner reservation(s)..... I'll take my chances and wait a bit.

[d9704011]

27 minutes ago, Rick&Jeannie said:

I thought this always had something to do with your Captain's Circle level.... No?  This really *is* something new?

I don't think so.  I'm Elite and it does say something about this somewhere on the Princess website or in the app.

[d9704011]

8 minutes ago, d9704011 said:

I don't think so.  I'm Elite and it does say something about this somewhere on the Princess website or in the app.

Look under 'Make Dining Reservations.....'

[karatemom2]

I guess that is an advantage of casino bookings requiring full payment up front. We can make our dining reservations right away. 

[MacMadame]

10 hours ago, Cinders411 said:

I booked an Alaskan cruise for 2025. I was surprised to learn that I could not make dining reservations for the main dining room until my cruise was paid in full. I have never experienced this on other lines.

I have not made my final payment but I have made dining reservations. The new app let me so I did it. Could it be a bug? Possible. But I'm not going to complain about it.

 

I do think some people with certain loyalty levels can do it but this is my first Princess cruise so that isn't why it let me. It just did.

 

[Cinders411]

6 hours ago, MacMadame said:

I have not made my final payment but I have made dining reservations. The new app let me so I did it. Could it be a bug? Possible. But I'm not going to complain about it.

 

I do think some people with certain loyalty levels can do it but this is my first Princess cruise so that isn't why it let me. It just did.

 

I am going to try on the app. Fingers crossed!

[Rick&Jeannie]

10 hours ago, d9704011 said:

Look under 'Make Dining Reservations.....'

Maybe I'm just blind...but I don't see anything about dining reservations and final payment date there...

[d9704011]

15 minutes ago, Rick&Jeannie said:

Maybe I'm just blind...but I don't see anything about dining reservations and final payment date there...

It clearly states: • Customize your dining time for each day, once you've made the final payment for your booking.

[Rick&Jeannie]

31 minutes ago, d9704011 said:

It clearly states: • Customize your dining time for each day, once you've made the final payment for your booking.

Hah! Like I said...I must be blind! 😄

[jean-lynd]

I couldn't make dining reservations in the app on my phone until I made my final payment but I was able to make them using the "web version" of the app that is in cruise personalizer on the Princess website before I made final payment. This is only my second Princess cruise and I am only in a balcony cabin so I shouldn't have been able to make my reservations but I did. Probably, another bug but it worked for me!

[d9704011]

2 hours ago, jean-lynd said:

I couldn't make dining reservations in the app on my phone until I made my final payment but I was able to make them using the "web version" of the app that is in cruise personalizer on the Princess website before I made final payment. This is only my second Princess cruise and I am only in a balcony cabin so I shouldn't have been able to make my reservations but I did. Probably, another bug but it worked for me!

I don't suppose you've tried to make a reservation for a specialty restaurant through the web version?  For sure, I can't do it.

[LeeW]

Not sure what level is minmum, but when they first brought this out Elite could make reservations early.  I've been able to make Anytime dining reservations (now Dine Your Way) as soon as I have booked the last two cruises.  You do have to use the app or the web version of the app.