Princess Cruises Launching Major Dining Changes Across Fleet

Princess Cruises has announced a comprehensive revamp of its dining options across all ships. The program introduces flexible dining choices integrated with an anywhere service. Designed to enhance guest convenience, the new dining plans will take effect on voyages departing September 14, 2024.

Expanded Dining Choices Unveiled

In a major weekend announcement, Princess Cruises revealed an extensive enhancement to its main dining services across its entire fleet, slated to provide flexibility in dining choices. Starting September 14, 2024, the cruise line will offer three distinct table service options in its Main Dining Rooms: Traditional, Reservable, or Walk-in Anytime.

Options will include traditional dining with a consistent waiter, table, and time each night or more flexible dining, which allows for dinner at any available time and table size in either the Reservable or Open-Seating dining rooms.

Designed to cater to every guest’s preference, the new dining options are also integrated with the OceanNow service, which allows guests to enjoy their meals wherever they choose onboard.

The new dining strategy follows the successful implementation aboard the newly launched 4,300-passenger Sphere-class Sun Princess, where passengers first experienced the flexibility of choosing from multiple dining formats in a unique three-story dining room. Each floor is sectioned to accommodate traditional, reservable, or anytime diners.

Sami Kohen, vice president of food and beverage at Princess Cruises, said about the expansion, “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.”

He added, “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.”

A Smooth Transition

The transition to the new dining system across the fleet will begin with cancellations of existing main dining reservations for voyages sailing on or after September 14, 2024, except for those already booked on Sun Princess, which set off on her inaugural voyage in February with the program in place.

Read Also: Sun Princess Sets Sail, Marking New Milestone for Princess Cruises

The cancellations include reservations on the Alaskan itineraries of Discovery Princess’ 7-night “Inside Passage” departing from Seattle; Royal Princess’ 7-night “Voyage of the Glaciers” departing from Whittier, Alaska; and Sapphire Princess’ 10-night “Inside Passage” cruise departing from Vancouver. Each are scheduled to embark on September 14.

The September 14 departure of Enchanted Princess’ 7-night “Canada & New England” cruise from New York City, as well as subsequent September cruises aboard Majestic Princess, Sky Princess, Emerald Princess, and Grand Princess are also welcoming the dining program.

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.

Reservations will not be cancelled at specialty dining areas such as Crown Grill steakhouse, Sabatini’s Italian Trattoria, the Catch by Rudi, Churrascaria Brazilian Grill, Kai Sushi, O’Malley’s Irish Pub, Crab Shack, Harmony, the Salty Dog Gastropub, Bayou Café, and the seven-course 360 and Chef’s Table experience.

As suites and reserve collection cabins have dedicated dining rooms with no need for reservations, passengers booked in these will not have any changes. Reservations for trips through September 13 will also remain unaffected.