With all due respect to certain other posters, I do not think there are two reasonable sides to this priority dining issue. All (that is to say ALL) passengers on RSSC ships pay for the same access to all the dining opportunities. There is no discount offered to new passengers to compensate them for diminished access to the specialty restaurants. It is utterly inaccurate (not to mention inappropriate, absurd, and even possibly immoral) to attempt to equate other quite legitimate perks for former passengers (such as special fares, reduced prices for laundry, a bottle or two of good booze, etc. - none of which reduces the ability of a new passenger to get his or her full entitlements on the ship) to perks (such as priority reservations) which quash the rights and expectations of any passenger, new or old. We must focus on what all passengers are promised as part of the basic contract with the ship. When the cruiseline chooses to give additional benefits to former passengers, that is perfectly fine, as long as it does not infringe on the benefits the other passengers have paid for. Of course ships and planes often offer upgrades to premium passengers (I have often enjoyed that perk on the airlines I fly most frequently); but that is not at all the same as a travel provider taking away a privilege which is included in the fare. That would be comparable to an airline taking away my reserved seat to give it to a frequent flyer. That would be totally outrageous, as would be this priority reservations idea if put into effect by RSSC.

Just my humble opinion, of course. Cheers, Fred