It seems impossible to pre-book the Princess MDR table we want

[Canuker]

Computers versus humans

Am I banging my head against a brick wall?

We are a couple (just 2 people) who enjoy MDR dining, at a table for 6 or 8 people*.

We enjoy the same dining time each evening*, in the same MDR*, with the same group of people*. It's a great way to make new friendships, chat about the day's adventures and enjoy the company of people we've come to know.

On other cruise lines this has been easily arranged. On Enchanted Princess, currently, not so much.

I tried their online dining booking - no go. And, evidently we have to enter a booking separately for each day of the cruise? In our case, 14 days.

So I phoned Princess, not wanting to wade through all that.

It seems to me that there is one word that telecom customer service employees must never say. It's the word "No". After at least 20 minutes on the phone, she was getting nowhere either. When, eventually I asked her if the table selection I wanted (see * above) was available at all, she went to great pains to avoid saying "No". After dancing around the bush again, she suggested I should call back next day to see if a suitable table had become available.

I'm not blaming the rep in the slightest - just doing her job. But i.m.v., Princess needs to re-examine this whole convoluted dinner reservation computer (not human) system. We've gone from straight forward to so overly complicated that it, apparently, can't be done. 

Right.

Is there, in fact, a way to do this before we board?. Or would a chat with the Maître d'hôtel (a human!) yield better results, once on board?

Or - am I indeed banging my head against a brick wall?

[cr8tiv1]

Not to burst your bubble, but I think more and more passengers are opting NOT to share a table.  Those days are in the past.  I fondly remember meeting for the first time my table mates and shared a week with them.  Lovely friendships developed on some of my cruises.

 

Princess is bringing back Traditional Dining in September.  I don't know if it will allow you to book a larger table with unknown guests.  Good Luck.

 

 

[reedprincess]

2 minutes ago, Canuker said:

Computers versus humans

Am I banging my head against a brick wall?

We are a couple (just 2 people) who enjoy MDR dining, at a table for 6 or 8 people*.

We enjoy the same dining time each evening*, in the same MDR*, with the same group of people*. It's a great way to make new friendships, chat about the day's adventures and enjoy the company of people we've come to know.

On other cruise lines this has been easily arranged. On Enchanted Princess, currently, not so much.

I tried their online dining booking - no go. And, evidently we have to enter a booking separately for each day of the cruise? In our case, 14 days.

So I phoned Princess, not wanting to wade through all that.

It seems to me that there is one word that telecom customer service employees must never say. It's the word "No". After at least 20 minutes on the phone, she was getting nowhere either. When, eventually I asked her if the table selection I wanted (see * above) was available at all, she went to great pains to avoid saying "No". After dancing around the bush again, she suggested I should call back next day to see if a suitable table had become available.

I'm not blaming the rep in the slightest - just doing her job. But i.m.v., Princess needs to re-examine this whole convoluted dinner reservation computer (not human) system. We've gone from straight forward to so overly complicated that it, apparently, can't be done. 

Right.

Is there, in fact, a way to do this before we board?. Or would a chat with the Maître d'hôtel (a human!) yield better results, once on board?

Or - am I indeed banging my head against a brick wall?

FWIW - dining styles are changing on Princess, as of June 17 - with the changes taking place September.

There will be set dining times for same table, time each night and anytime dining,neither with reservations or without, available every night. Same as it was about 6 or so years ago.  

 

If you're cruising after June 17 - you'll need to wait to make reservations until then.  And then, you can choose set dining for same table/time every night or make reservations for different times/table size every night - or no reservations at all.

 

As it seems you want large shared table, same time, every night - the addition of Traditional set dining back to the program will fit well for you (assuming the times suit).   Currently, on Sun - the only current ship not affected by the change (as they already operate this way), times are 5&7:30 for set dining.  

[memoak]

4 minutes ago, Canuker said:

Computers versus humans

Am I banging my head against a brick wall?

We are a couple (just 2 people) who enjoy MDR dining, at a table for 6 or 8 people*.

We enjoy the same dining time each evening*, in the same MDR*, with the same group of people*. It's a great way to make new friendships, chat about the day's adventures and enjoy the company of people we've come to know.

On other cruise lines this has been easily arranged. On Enchanted Princess, currently, not so much.

I tried their online dining booking - no go. And, evidently we have to enter a booking separately for each day of the cruise? In our case, 14 days.

So I phoned Princess, not wanting to wade through all that.

It seems to me that there is one word that telecom customer service employees must never say. It's the word "No". After at least 20 minutes on the phone, she was getting nowhere either. When, eventually I asked her if the table selection I wanted (see * above) was available at all, she went to great pains to avoid saying "No". After dancing around the bush again, she suggested I should call back next day to see if a suitable table had become available.

I'm not blaming the rep in the slightest - just doing her job. But i.m.v., Princess needs to re-examine this whole convoluted dinner reservation computer (not human) system. We've gone from straight forward to so overly complicated that it, apparently, can't be done. 

Right.

Is there, in fact, a way to do this before we board?. Or would a chat with the Maître d'hôtel (a human!) yield better results, once on board?

Or - am I indeed banging my head against a brick wall?

What you are describing is Traditional dining like the old days where a dining room has 2 dining times with large tables of mixed passengers. That is not an option right now but per Princess press releases will be available later this year

[PacnGoNow]

The IT department is doing a major change to MDR reservations in the App.  If you are trying for the Enchanted in Aug…it should not affect you.  
You will use Dine my way, which is either select a private table or a shared table.  Before Sep 14th there is not TD.

 

If you have a shared table first night and hit it off with the other guests, you can ask the head waiter if you can dine with that group every night, same time.  Depends on the rest of your group.  
 

If you’re trying to book a MDR right now, there are issues because of the updating.  I would suggest after June 17th try again, hopefully.

 

Don’t bang your head, you could get a headache over all this.🥴

Edited May 23 by PacnGoNow

[Wishing on a star]

Canker,  are you sailing soon???

I understand that Princess is going to be bringing back some 'Traditional' dining, (as the OP is wanting).  The new SUN Princess has a three level dining system..  TRADITIONAL,  by Reservation, or by waiting upon arrival...  and Walk-Up.

Has Princess not said that they are going to be doing this on their other ships.

It would be kind of like when they had one dining room as TRADITIONAL, and the other two as AnyTime...  But more of a focus on being able to make Reservations.

I can see how there is a lot of confusion and lack of hard information right now!

 

If this is not ironed out before you board...  If you request a large table,  and then get to know some of the others on that first night...  Staff would probably try to accommodate a TRADITIONAL reservation for those that want, for the next night and forward.

Those that end up at a large table, like you, might be looking for the same kind of dining.

Edited May 23 by Wishing on a star

[Kay S]

Supposedly, the new dining scheme will make this a reality, but until then, it's the same run-around with Princess.  We stopped booking Princess (after 30+ cruises) because they eliminated traditional dining.  We, like you, prefer the table sharing and consistency.  Apparently Princess noticed since they will be returning to traditional dining in the fall.  If they do it right, we might return to Princess.

[Rick&Jeannie]

2 hours ago, Canuker said:

Computers versus humans

We are a couple (just 2 people) who enjoy MDR dining, at a table for 6 or 8 people*.

We enjoy the same dining time each evening*, in the same MDR*, with the same group of people*.

I think the problem you are seeing is that the system has no way of coordinating the dining schedules of seemingly random people.  Unless when you say "with the same group of people* you mean a group of people that are actually travelling with you and your reservations are "linked".  Assuming you mean people you are NOT linked, if you leave that item out then you can accomplish your goal.

[rockraiders]

I personally don’t like sharing a large table with people I don’t know. I always end up with a loud and obnoxious know it all who takes over any conversation. The tables for 2 are so close that you can choose to talk or not talk to your neighbor. 

[Torfamm]

2 hours ago, reedprincess said:

FWIW - dining styles are changing on Princess, as of June 17 - with the changes taking place September.

There will be set dining times for same table, time each night and anytime dining,neither with reservations or without, available every night. Same as it was about 6 or so years ago.  

One thing that will be different than in the past is the ability to make reservations for individual nights ahead of time.  In the past, you weren't able to make a dinner reservation for select dining except on the same day.  I'm grateful that they are keeping that option.

 

My understanding from the press release was that one dining room will be traditional dining with two set times, one for those with reservations, and the third for walk-ups. 

[Wishing on a star]

Not so long ago,  at breakfast in the MDR, our table for two was that close to another table....

OMG, that guy.. at breakfast, first thing in the morning...  the 'loud and obnoxious' one... talked about everything that one might not want to bring up at the table...  

We were like...  "whoa...  glad we are not traveling with them!!!"

[Canuker]

OP here.

I'm very grateful for all these responses.

Seem that

1. I was indeed banging my head against a brick wall!

2. I'm not alone in my preferences

3. Princess is listening, because...

4....traditional style dining will be available to choose and book online come June 17 (hooray!), but...

5....that's only for cruises starting from September (boo...mine leaves August 10).

 

Well, at least I now know, re my sailing, that there's no way I can pre-book what I'm looking for. So I'll see what the guys at the MDR front desk can do for us after we board.

Opinion: a table for two wedged in between other tables for two seems to defeat the object of the sought after privacy and intimacy of the dining experience - no-one wins; maybe it's a generational thing. But I'm still glad that Princess has decided to restore the 'traditional' option, albeit too late for me.

 

Thanks again to everyone for the informative material.

Canuker.

 

PS I've just realized that I've received nothing from Princess about this new dining choice option. Presumably because I'm sailing before September. Had I done so, the wall wouldn't have had so many dents in it!

Edited May 23 by Canuker

[Jnsplace1]

Another thing to consider, you might be able to get the same table, at the same time every night in MDR.   But with the same people?  Perhaps. 

Those people might elect to go MDR one night, or Steak night the next, or Sushi the following, at that same time.    I am not sure how the dice will roll.  But yes, like others, the dining is changing real soon when they update everything in June.

 

Good luck!

 

PS: I've done traditional, I'm whole heartedly not going back to that.   Personal opinion, I perfer to like to do different dining venues and not be locked into one.

[Kay S]

1 hour ago, rockraiders said:

I personally don’t like sharing a large table with people I don’t know. I always end up with a loud and obnoxious know it all who takes over any conversation. The tables for 2 are so close that you can choose to talk or not talk to your neighbor. 

I'm curious why people feel the need to point out that they don't like sharing tables when the question asked was how to share a table.  We get it; you don't like it.  Does that mean no one should like it or ask for it?

[cr8tiv1]

I know this doesn't help you in August, but I am wondering if one will be able to select Traditional Dining and Princess will randomly select a shared table for you (will this be an option....later)?

 

Way...way...back when, I spoke to the Maitre d' on the Coral Princess.  He said that he actually manually set up the dining tables (you could do that with a smaller ship).  He would place passengers together that he "felt" might have similar interest (by regions or diet).  Of course, it didn't always work.  But it was done with positive intent.  That was before Princess introduced all the other ways to dine.