All MDR reservations (except Sun Princess) after Sept. 13 are being cancelled !

[Host Mike]

"Princess Cruises today announced it is making a significant enhancement to the main dining options found across its fleet by offering three table service options – Traditional, Reservable, or Walk-in Anytime – coupled with the brand’s OceanNow location-based “anywhere” service, the company said in a press release.

Princess will designate separate dining rooms aboard every ship in the fleet to the three table service options – one dedicated to traditional dining offering an early and a late seating every evening; one offering reservable dining times; and a third with open seating to support walk-ins anytime. 

The three table service options integrate with the line’s OceanNow, which provides guests the convenience of ordering anything, anytime, and receiving it anywhere onboard, making Princess uniquely positioned to accommodate all guest dining preferences.

Making all dining formats available fleetwide follows the resounding success of this new approach already implemented aboard the new Sun Princess. 

With the stunning introduction of the new next level Love Boat came the debut of three-story dining room with one floor dedicated to traditional dining, another serving guests with a flexible reservation and a third for anytime walk-ins.

“Our guests have been delighted with the dining flexibility aboard Sun Princess and we’re pleased to extend the concept to all the other ships in our fleet,” said Sami Kohen, Princess Cruises vice president of food and beverage.  “Now whether guests prefer an early seating every evening, or change things up every night, or even change their mind, these flexible dining options ensure that their dining preference is effortlessly accommodated.”
Starting on April 15, 2024, the new approach will launch on Princess voyages departing September 14, 2024 and beyond. To support these changes and the transition to the new system, main dining reservations that already have been made for voyages sailing September 14 and beyond for any ship except Sun Princess will be cancelled. Main dining reservations for guests sailing through September 13 will not be affected.

Starting June 17, booked guests will be able to use the app ahead of their voyage to opt for traditional seating in a dedicated dining room with the same waiter, same table and same time each night, or flexible dining, allowing them to enjoy dinner at any available time and table size of their choosing in either the Reservable or Open Seating dining rooms.

This change does not affect guests booked in specialty dining restaurants or suite or reserve collection accommodations, who enjoy a dedicated dining room on Princess ships, where no reservations are required."

https://cruiseindustrynews.com/cruise-news/2024/04/princess-cruises-rolls-out-fleetwide-dining-changes/

Full credit from us for this information goes to Cruise Industry News:  So far the Princess CC forum editors have not allowed this Princess news to be published.

[Host Mike]

"Starting June 17, passengers booked on upcoming cruises can use the Princess Cruises app to select their preferred dining style. The Main Dining Rooms aboard the fleet, which provide an all-inclusive, multicourse gourmet meal set in a restaurant-style dining room, will be divided into the three new selections.

However, Coral Princess and Island Princess will combine Reservable and Walk-in Anytime Dining into one Main Dining Room, due to space."

https://www.cruisehive.com/princess-cruises-launching-major-dining-changes-across-fleet/128701

Note the word "selections" not "sections."

[RichC]

We'll be trying all three options on the next Sun Princess cruise.

[Host Mike]

"Three options will be available: Traditional, which will offer traditional dining comprising an early and a late seating every evening; The Reservable, offering reservable dining times; and a third with open seating, called Walk-in Anytime."

https://www.travelgossip.co.uk/product-news/princess-cruises-rolls-out-new-dining-options/

[RichC]

I may be wrong but I think Princess would really like to return to completely traditional dining and not even offer anytime seating. It's caused a lot of headaches, both crew and passengers, being able to choose what you wanted.