Princess Cruises’ New Dining Reservation System Delayed

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Princess Cruisesย announced a delay in the launch of its new dining reservation system, citing an unforeseen holdup in the Princess Cruises App update as the cause. Originally scheduled to launch on June 17, 2024, the new date for guests to make dining reservations is now set for July 1, 2024.

The cruise line said in a letter sent to guests,We wanted to inform you of a change regarding our main dining reservations. Due to an unanticipated delay in finalizing our app update, the ability to book reservations has been delayed. The new date for reservation is now set for July 1.

Princess Cruises Dining Room
Princess Cruises Dining Room (Photo Credit: Princess Cruises)

Starting September 14, 2024, the cruise line is introducing reorganized dining arrangements across its fleet. This includes the separation of dining rooms aboard each ship to better cater to various guest preferences for mealtimes and settings.

The options available to guests will include Traditional Dining with early and late seatings, Reservable Dining times to accommodate planned meals, and open seating to support Walk-in Anytime dining.

The cruise line expressed regret for any inconvenience caused by the reservation delay. In a statement to cruise passengers.

Princess Cruises said,ย โ€œOnce updates are complete, you will be able to use the app ahead of your 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 you to enjoy dinner at any available time and table size of your choosing in either the Reservable or Open Seating dining rooms.โ€

Guests immediately took to social media to comment about the delay noting the ability to book specialty dining venues is also not yet functional, and that the app delay is also affecting passenger reservations on sailings before the September 14 rollout. 

Princess Cruises launched its updated app in December 2023, replacing the older MedallionClass version. Available since then on Google Play and the App Store, the overhaul included renaming services like “Dine My Way” to “Reservations” and “JourneyView” to “My Journey.” However, the new app and its updates continue to cause hiccups, like the delay in the new reservation system.

Passengers scheduled to depart before or near the new July 1 rollout may be forced to make their dining choices on the day of embarkation. This could lead to longer wait times at dining venues and adds an element of uncertainty for passengers who prefer to have their schedules organized before boarding.

Expanded Dining Choices for Princess Cruises

Princess Cruises announced the overhaul to its dining services in April following the successful dining model first implemented on the Sphere-class Sun Princess, which set on its inaugural voyage in February 2024.

The newly revamped dining options include Traditional Dining to maintain the familiar setup of assigned waiters, tables, and dining times, catering to guests who prefer consistency in their dining experience, a Reservable option that allows guests to pre-book their dining times, and a Walk-in Anytime choice enabling guests to dine at any available time and table without the need for reservations.

Horizons Dining Room
Horizons Dining Room (Photo Credit: James Morgan, Getty Images)

The transition forced the cruise line to cancel all existing main dining reservations for voyages sailing on or after September 14, 2024, with the exception of those booked on Sun Princess.

Read Also: New Princess Cruises Premium Liquors Collection Rolls Out Across the Fleet

Reservations at specialty dining areas such as Crown Grill steakhouse, Sabatiniโ€™s Italian Trattoria, and the seven-course 360 and Chefโ€™s Table experiences were not affected by the changes and cancellations, but passengers are reporting the app is not allowing them to book specialty restaurants at this time.

Once the app is functional, passengers will be able to book their preferred dining style, with the Main Dining Rooms, known for their all-inclusive, multi-course gourmet meals in a restaurant-style setting, segmented into these three new categories.

Due to space limitations, Coral Princess and Island Princess will combine the Reservable and Walk-in Anytime Dining Options into a single Main Dining Room.

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Lissa Poirot
Lissa Poirot
Lissa Poirot has been covering travel for more than a decade, including sites such as TripAdvisor, CruiseCritic, The Points Guy, Family Vacation Critic, and Family Traveller. Her love of travel has led Lissa to visit more than 43 countries and has her on a mission to see every state in the U.S. (only 4 states to go!). When she's not traveling, she's exploring new attractions and events on the weekends, be it in New York City or Philadelphia, as Lissa lives between both fabulous cities.

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