Royal announces new dining concepts

[dkjretired]

Royal Caribbean issued a press release today on new dining concepts, basically three tiers which will roll out on their new Quantum of the Seas. Also, state of the art dining reservations system. Realize they are doing this on a new ship but any thoughts on Celebrity's response. Some very interesting concepts in the press release.

 

http://www.rclinvestor.com/phoenix.zhtml?c=103045&p=irol-newsArticle&ID=1912749&highlight=

[waterbug123]

I love it! Bye bye MDR, hello total choice!

[runner15km]

Well that's totally confusing. :(

Edited March 27, 2014 by runner15km

[kelmac]

Royal Caribbean issued a press release today on new dining concepts, basically three tiers which will roll out on their new Quantum of the Seas. Also, state of the art dining reservations system. Realize they are doing this on a new ship but any thoughts on Celebrity's response. Some very interesting concepts in the press release.

 

http://www.rclinvestor.com/phoenix.zhtml?c=103045&p=irol-newsArticle&ID=1912749&highlight=

 

Hey Don,

 

We are doing a BtoB with the Reflection and the Anthem of the Seas in Europe in 2015. The whole dining thing looks very "Celebrity Like" as Royal steps it up to a new level. These Quantum class ships are being built at Meyerwerft, the same place the Solstice class ships were built.

Looking forward to the experience!

 

Enjoy!

Kel:)

[Wine-O]

Which restaurants are complimentary, and which ones are for a fee?

[InTheWASide]

Which restaurants are complimentary, and which ones are for a fee?

 

Five of the 18 dining experiences will be offered to guests on a complimentary basis. Each restaurant will feature a unique menu, open seating, and no set dining times.

 

American Icon Grill, a take on the classic American road trip, pulling together best-loved regional favorites into one comfort-style menu,

Chic, where the height of contemporary cuisine is realized and the freshest ingredients, such as proteins that pack a punch and sauces made from scratch, are evolved for a modern palate,

Silk, a vibrant and exotic destination where the spices of the Far East bring new flavor to adventurous palates through a Pan-Asian menu,

The Grande, a luxuriant nod to a bygone era of classic European ocean liners when dining was a time honored ritual, featuring timeless dishes, and where every night is formal night,

Coastal Kitchen, a concept created exclusively for suite guests, fusing Mediterranean influences with the unmatched riches of California’s bountiful farmlands.

 

Known as “Next Level Dining Options,” guests can choose to dine in a number of premium restaurants.

 

Wonderland, an elaborate feast for the senses in a setting where Royal Caribbean chefs twist their culinary kaleidoscopes to invent a dreamscape of never-before-seen fare,

Jamie’s Italian, with a menu designed by award winning Jamie Oliver, Jamie’s will feature rustic Italian favorites, handmade using seasonal ingredients and Jamie’s tried-and-tested crowd pleasers,

Michael’s Genuine Pub, the first American gastropub at sea and the next evolution of Royal Caribbean’s relationship withJames Beard Award-winning chef Michael Schwartz, offering simply-prepared food and drinks made with quality ingredients from the best artisanal producers,

Devinly Decadence at Solarium Bistro, Royal Caribbean’s fittest dining destination, serving the foods you love all under five-hundred calories, designed by Devin Alexander, media personality, New York Times bestselling author and chef of highly-rated television show, “The Biggest Loser.”

 

Additionally, versions of Royal Caribbean favorites, such as Chops Grille steakhouse, Izumi Japanese Cuisine and Chef’s Table, will all return on the Quantum class with a revamped look and even more WOWs than before.

 

Guests can also enjoy a number of complimentary, laid back dining options.

 

Windjammer Marketplace, a Royal Caribbean dining mainstay gets a new twist on Quantum class as a global culinary pavilion that invites guests to explore the world, dish by dish through enticing food islands, interactive stations, made-to-order specialties, an on-site bakery and a 24-hour station called The Grill,

The Cafe @ Two70˚, a new gourmet marketplace serving savory hot-pressed sandwiches, salads made to order, handmade soups and more,

SeaPlex Dog House, the first food truck at sea offering gourmet hot dogs for all to enjoy in SeaPlex, the largest indoor active space at sea.

These venues join returning casual-feel favorites including Sorrento’s, Cafe Promenade and Johnny Rockets (cover charge applies).

Edited March 27, 2014 by InTheWASide

[kelmac]

Which restaurants are complimentary, and which ones are for a fee?

 

Grande (every night is formal at this restaurant); Silk; American Icon; Chic; and Coastal Kitchen.

 

This group of five is for Dinner. There are other non-charge restaurants during Breakfast and Lunch.

 

Kel

[scdreamer]

Wow, this sounds like an intriguing idea to me. So many choices, and hopefully much easier for kitchen and serving staff to get meals to tables without delays that can bring about lukewarm soup, etc.

 

I'm not a big RCI fan, but would likely be swayed by these choices.

[Wine-O]

Five of the 18 dining experiences will be offered to guests on a complimentary basis. Each restaurant will feature a unique menu, open seating, and no set dining times.

 

 

Five of the 18 are complimentary. WOW! That sounds like it will work out. :rolleyes:

[Cruising89143]

The menus.

 

http://www.royalcaribbean.com/quantumoftheseas/dining/restaurants/?icid=qntm_n_wrnssn_qnt_hm_cntntr_8179

[JFontaine]

Take this average cruiser: likes good, basic food, not a foodie, not interested in paying extra for dinner, not interested in formal every night. American Icon Grill reads like a diner to me, OK for a night or two. Where do they eat?

[cruisetrail]

It's good news.

Dining has been the weakest part of RCI otherwise excellent product.

RCI Large Quintet has outclassed Celebrity overall and also in every aspect except dining.

Fun decorations and 5 dining rooms sound intriguing (hello from Disney). Hopefully they will organize everything right.

However, only food quality is what will count.

The critical spot is the buffet that suffers the most.

 

Good luck!

[Germancruiser]

Sounds interessting- so some people ( who dine in " the Grand" ) are dressed to the nines and others are casually dressed- oh well maybe the stick to their dress codes. Did I get it right and there will be longer a real MDR on board Anthem and Quantum?

[gordiej]

Some of this stuff sounds really good -- I guess execution will remain to be seen.

 

I am curious about the a la carte pricing (e.g., the sushi restaurant and gastropub) - will it be land-based pricing or discounted to reflect the implied food cost in the cruise fare?

[Richiebaseball]

Five of the 18 are complimentary. WOW! That sounds like it will work out. :rolleyes:

 

How many complimentary restaurants are there now?

[ischeer]

Five of the 18 are complimentary. WOW! That sounds like it will work out. :rolleyes:

 

One of the 5 complimentary (Coastal Chic) is only for Suite guests

[ischeer]

One of the 5 complimentary (Coastal Chic) is only for Suite guests

 

Sorry. That should be Coastal Kitchen

[librarylady19]

Definitely intrigued by the options! love the idea of Jamie's Italian and Michaels Pub. Wonderland looks a lot like Qsine in design and concept, not that that is a bad thing!

[cruzsnooze]

Sounds like Freestyle Cruising OH wait NCL already does that :D Would they eliminate formal nights? Only four included restaurants? That's a deal breaker for me, I like to know my time and table will be ready every night as in traditional dining.

[senior lady]

If you read further in the announcement, they also want you to pre-reserve for the different eating venues.

If you plan on walking up and expecting to get in you might be in for a surprise.

I don't like planning when and what time I'm going to eat. Will have to see what the initial reviews are to make a decision.

[teecee60]

Five of the 18 dining experiences will be offered to guests on a complimentary basis. Each restaurant will feature a unique menu, open seating, and no set dining times.

 

[The Grande, a luxuriant nod to a bygone era of classic European ocean liners when dining was a time honored ritual, featuring timeless dishes, and where every night is formal night,

 

Maybe... just MAYBE... the fashion police will FINALLY be satisfied. :rolleyes:

 

...wavy picture indicating that dream sequence has ended... :p

 

I'm sorry... what WAS I thinking???? :eek: :D ;)

Edited March 27, 2014 by teecee60

[Mulege]

I imagine that all gratuities would be prepaid. I'm sure some will complain about that. Overall it looks like an excellent product. The key will be the quality of the food and overall execution. If it ends up with problems getting reservations then I would be less inclined to sail.

[Stateroom_Sailor]

I'm not loving this, hard to get synergy with table mates and wait staff. At least on Disney everyone switches together. Though, uprooting everyone probably makes it easier for some to choose specialty dining that otherwise wouldn't.

[Lois R]

So basically there is not a "main dining room" anymore? It is all

"restaurants" in one form or another........

[1313steve]

The reservation system will either make or break this concept. If they make it really easy to see what's available at any given time at any given venue, it will be great. If I was RC, I'd just contract with Open Table and create a custom version using their reservation engine.

 

I hope they actually enforce formal attire in the formal restaurant. I like to "get formal" sometimes and it would be nice to have the flexibility to do it whenever we want.