"Dynamic dining is going fleetwide"

[Ramblin' Ma'am]

We just got off of the Oasis, and the Head Waiter told us that when Oasis returns from dry dock, there will be no more traditional dining times. The entire MDR will be My Time Dining. (He didn't say Dynamic Dining) I was kind of surprised that they wouldn't leave at least one level for traditional dining for the people who prefer it. My sister sails in April 2015 on Oasis, and also still has the 6:00 time confirmed on her reservation. I guess we will have to wait and see.

 

 

Guess I better make friends on my roll call if I don't want to eat alone every night!

[dacsmom]

Guess I better make friends on my roll call if I don't want to eat alone every night!

 

I cruise solo more often than not and I never thought about how they will approach solo diners. I was looking forward to Dynamic Dining just because it is something different. I meet the nicest people during dinner, I always request seating at a large table. I hope they will address the solo cruisers and not just leave us to fend for ourselves.

[steveru621]

This makes no sense to me, at all.

 

If you don't like the concept, the solution is to cruise exactly the same way you cruise today. There is nothing in Dynamic Dining that prohibits you from doing exactly what you do today, with only minimal planning.

 

The concept still has a main (albeit much smaller) dining room, on Quantum and Anthem it appears that the "Chic" restaurant is most comparable to the MDR now. You could choose one of the others instead. You just make a reservation there for each night at whatever time you are used to eating. They have AT LEAST 8 different dinner options, so most cruises, you could just try something each night. There will, no doubt, be specials and the like as well.

 

It's a little different, but on the whole, you can easily make it very similar to exactly what you do today. You don't have to go to other restaurants unless you want.

 

The reason I like Traditional dining is the waitstaff AND the same table mates for an entire week, Bar Service that has you favorite drink ready when you sit down. Your solution does not work for multiple reasons. First I have tried to get the same time each night in the same restaurant, I was only able to get the same time 2 nights out of 8. Other times conflicted with my entertainment reservations. Second, if you want one formal night, that changes everything. Third, linking reservations complicates the process even more, if you have 8 people that again severely limits your options for dinner times.

 

There are a lot of posts singing the praises of DD, and no one really knows how well this will work. We are going to give it a try in December, and try to keep an open mind. We are NOT going to make any reservations and will pick a time and restaurant at our whim.

[OfTheSeasCruiser]

We just got off of the Oasis, and the Head Waiter told us that when Oasis returns from dry dock, there will be no more traditional dining times. The entire MDR will be My Time Dining. (He didn't say Dynamic Dining) I was kind of surprised that they wouldn't leave at least one level for traditional dining for the people who prefer it. My sister sails in April 2015 on Oasis, and also still has the 6:00 time confirmed on her reservation. I guess we will have to wait and see.

 

I am very curious about how they will go about this. I wonder if they will make each floor into the separate restaurants like on Quantum with a set menu for each, OR will they just make the whole dining room MTD with the same rotating menu like it is now... I would be fine with MTD because I could just make a reservation for the same time each night and hopefully get the same waiter/waitress and assistant each time. The whole tablemate problem doesn't impact me since I always travel with a group of family.

 

Also: I would really really like Royal to officially explain what ships it will happen too and if it will be more like MTD or DD. This is all speculation on how it will work because obviously no one really knows how it will be implemented onto the existing ships...

Edited August 17, 2014 by OfTheSeasCruiser

[Ramblin' Ma'am]

I cruise solo more often than not and I never thought about how they will approach solo diners. I was looking forward to Dynamic Dining just because it is something different. I meet the nicest people during dinner, I always request seating at a large table. I hope they will address the solo cruisers and not just leave us to fend for ourselves.

 

 

If it is like MTD, you may not be seated with anyone. I did MTD on my first night of a solo cruise and was given my own table. After that, I made friends with a group who had late seating and was able to be added to their table.

[dacsmom]

If it is like MTD' date=' you may not be seated with anyone. I did MTD on my first night of a solo cruise and was given my own table. After that, I made friends with a group who had late seating and was able to be added to their table.[/quote']

 

I have only booked MTD when I sailed with someone else. With the growing number of solo cruisers, you would think the cruise lines would come up with a plan for dining. I do not mind eating alone, but on a cruise I love to meet new people. I know they have the single cruiser gatherings but that is not my thing. I am a grandmother who has a husband who hates to cruise, so I go by myself and have a great time. I wish they would have a set time or two for single cruisers to gather and share a dinner table.

[kassimer1]

Ugh. I hate to hear that. The dynamic dining concept just does not appeal to me, which is one of the reasons I won't sail NCL, freestyle is kind of the same thing.

 

I agree with you. I kind of like being able to get all different kinds of meals in one place. that way if i like bland food and DH likes spicy and another in our party likes seafood we can all get it in one place. and now you only get 3 choices if you are not in a suite. this is one of the reasons i dont do disney because they make you rotate thru thier 4 dinning areas. I dont like seafood so why in the world should i go to their seafood place. I think sonme will like it but many will not because we dont see anything wrong with the way it is now.

now you have me worried, I am booked on allure for 2016 and i hope they dont start it by then,

[dacsmom]

I agree with you. I kind of like being able to get all different kinds of meals in one place. that way if i like bland food and DH likes spicy and another in our party likes seafood we can all get it in one place. and now you only get 3 choices if you are not in a suite. this is one of the reasons i dont do disney because they make you rotate thru thier 4 dinning areas. I dont like seafood so why in the world should i go to their seafood place. I think sonme will like it but many will not because we dont see anything wrong with the way it is now.

now you have me worried, I am booked on allure for 2016 and i hope they dont start it by then,

 

Where do you see that you only have three choices? I hope that is not the case, all of the DD menus I have seen have multiple appetizers and at least 8 entrees to chose from. Please post the link to what you are seeing, if this is true I may rethink my enthusiasm of dynamic dining.

[Lionesss]

Ok since we never did MTD, can I request a 6pm. dinner now for my upcoming August of 2015 cruise???

 

Always did traditional.

 

Sea Ya

[dacsmom]

Sure, when dining reservations open up you can request the same time each night, or you can book the time when you board.

[Eng23]

I feel Royal is setting themselves up for Dynamic Dinning to fail. Adam Goldstein announced that Dynamic Dinning would not expand beyond Quantum and Anthem until after a trail timeframe to see how or if it would work.

 

If the reservation system they are currently using is any indication, things are not going to go very smoothly. Many people are already voicing frustration at how terrible the experience is booking their dinning times for Dynamic Dinning on the Quantum.

[Eng23]

Where do you see that you only have three choices? I hope that is not the case, all of the DD menus I have seen have multiple appetizers and at least 8 entrees to chose from. Please post the link to what you are seeing, if this is true I may rethink my enthusiasm of dynamic dining.

 

I think the poster was referring to only having 3 choices of locations to eat. Not how many entree's were on a menu. If what you have been told is true then Freedom will have just three dinning choices for Dynamic Dinning besides the Windjammer and current specialty restaurants already on board.

[cle-guy]

I spend most of my time on the Celebrity forum, but I have been hypothesizing over there since they announced the no MDR program on Quantum over here, that likely it was coming to Celebrity fleet wide within 2 years time.

 

I suspect this based on X's limited space, that they have taken half the upper deck of the MDR for BLU on M-Class chips and when they add the Suite dining room on all the ships in April it will likely take the other half of the upper deck on the M class ships, and half the upper deck on the S class ships.

 

Presently the upper deck space is the space for the "select" anytime dining. So on M class that space will be gone forcing the anytime diners down to the main floor.

 

Also, wait staff has changed in the MDR, no more bar waiters, your table waiter takes drink orders, sommeliers are still around for wine though. I figure they are starting to train the wait staff to get used to serving like normal restaurants do, full service to a table rather than a team of folks with a bunch of tables.

 

Seeing this thread over here, leads me to believe it may be coming sooner than later....

[dacsmom]

I think the poster was referring to only having 3 choices of locations to eat. Not how many entree's were on a menu. If what you have been told is true then Freedom will have just three dinning choices for Dynamic Dinning besides the Windjammer and current specialty restaurants already on board.

 

Thanks for the clarification, that makes much more sense.

[fishtaco]

What all this really means is DD on the new ships or "MTD only" with no Traditional MDR on the older ships will require all cruisers to pre pay grats, The food choices will not change and will still be prepared in the same galley stations by the same cooks in the older ships just as they are now.

 

Only the name will change:) and full ships gratuities will be achieved every cruise:)

Edited August 17, 2014 by fishtaco

[floridaglen]

I have just found the FAQ's for Quantum of the Seas and you will be pleased to know that there is indeed a Royal Promenade on Quantum and presumably Anthem. See third question after clicking the link

 

http://creative.rccl.com/Sales/Royal/Quantum/Quantum_FAQs.pdf

 

Thanks for the info, I had a look at the ships plans/layout and did not see it so it will be interesting to sail her and see what they have done.

 

All the best.

 

The cut-away image (click on link below) shows the insides of Anthem and gives you an indication of how the ship is laid out. It looks as though most of the restaurants will be on deck 5 so possibly the Royal Promenade will be on the deck below, but I may be wrong!

 

http://viewer.zmags.com/publication/38b12323#/38b12323/4

[poncho1973]

I don't need to get arrested to know I'm not going to like jail. I also don't need to experience Dynamic Dining to know I'm not going to like it.

 

That's quite a Debbie Downer statement to make and wanders as close to being a straw man argument as you can get. I don't think you can compare a punishment for a crime to what is supposed to be a pleasant dining experience. What kind of logic is that?

 

I don't need to die to know I like living more!!!

I don't need to have my hand cut off to prove I like have two hands better!

I don't need to become a quadriplegic to know I prefer not being one!

 

How unintelligent do the rest of us seem to you?

 

I happen to believe that you might want to try something that is intended to please you prior to dismissing it as the most unpleasant thing ever. This isn't designed as torture, it is designed as a pleasant dining experience. Dismissing it from the announcement alone is a bit narrow-minded.

[poncho1973]

The reason I like Traditional dining is the waitstaff AND the same table mates for an entire week, Bar Service that has you favorite drink ready when you sit down. Your solution does not work for multiple reasons. First I have tried to get the same time each night in the same restaurant, I was only able to get the same time 2 nights out of 8. Other times conflicted with my entertainment reservations. Second, if you want one formal night, that changes everything. Third, linking reservations complicates the process even more, if you have 8 people that again severely limits your options for dinner times.

 

There are a lot of posts singing the praises of DD, and no one really knows how well this will work. We are going to give it a try in December, and try to keep an open mind. We are NOT going to make any reservations and will pick a time and restaurant at our whim.

 

I can see how that might play in, but I think the other people are a bigger factor than the linked reservations. If those other tablemates want to be more active in DD than you do, that's never going to work. If your linked group behaves as one unit, you should be fine.

 

Good for you on trying it out first! I hope it is a positive experience OR if it isn't, that you figure out a plan that works for you and gives your crew a wonderful experience!

[poncho1973]

If Dynamic Dining goes fleetwide on RCI, then we will be moving over to another line that still offers the traditional dining experience. The restaurant concept just doesn't appeal to me at all.

 

Noting this for future (ryano: NOOTS!!!!) reference.

[dancinman66]

That's quite a Debbie Downer statement to make and wanders as close to being a straw man argument as you can get. I don't think you can compare a punishment for a crime to what is supposed to be a pleasant dining experience. What kind of logic is that?

 

I don't need to die to know I like living more!!!

I don't need to have my hand cut off to prove I like have two hands better!

I don't need to become a quadriplegic to know I prefer not being one!

 

How unintelligent do the rest of us seem to you?

 

I happen to believe that you might want to try something that is intended to please you prior to dismissing it as the most unpleasant thing ever. This isn't designed as torture, it is designed as a pleasant dining experience. Dismissing it from the announcement alone is a bit narrow-minded.

 

 

I'm with you on that

Just because one fi doesn't pull it off well doesn't mean royal can't

 

Give it a try first

 

I'm not passing ant judgement till I've tried it for myself

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[caribbean sailor]

The cut-away image (click on link below) shows the insides of Anthem and gives you an indication of how the ship is laid out. It looks as though most of the restaurants will be on deck 5 so possibly the Royal Promenade will be on the deck below, but I may be wrong!

 

http://viewer.zmags.com/publication/38b12323#/38b12323/4[/quo

 

 

Who cares let china worry about it. :p :p

[abridalmaven]

That's quite a Debbie Downer statement to make and wanders as close to being a straw man argument as you can get. I don't think you can compare a punishment for a crime to what is supposed to be a pleasant dining experience. What kind of logic is that?

 

I don't need to die to know I like living more!!!

I don't need to have my hand cut off to prove I like have two hands better!

I don't need to become a quadriplegic to know I prefer not being one!

 

How unintelligent do the rest of us seem to you?

 

I happen to believe that you might want to try something that is intended to please you prior to dismissing it as the most unpleasant thing ever. This isn't designed as torture, it is designed as a pleasant dining experience. Dismissing it from the announcement alone is a bit narrow-minded.

 

 

That is total nonsense. People can know what they like.and dislike. The thought of having to plan your evening meals is not fun for som people. I can just go on a regular vacation instead and then have even more eating choices. As for me and my husband we had freestyle on the NCL Dawn, a ship set up specifically for that purpose. We did not like it one bit. Very stressing and we missed shows and everything due to slower service from wait staff who did not know ( or care about) your preferences. In fact several nights we had coffee and tea served way before dessert came and getting things like cream instead of low fat ( crap) milk was time consuming and meals lasted way longer than they should have. There were a bunch of us on this cruise. Most nights it was just a core of four and other nights up to eight of us. The wait times were awful. Even with reservations. So I know I won't like it.

[nbsjcruiser]

When MTD started with RCI I never thought I'd like it but I soon realized the benefits. For starters I don't like late dining. 8 PM is loo late for me to eat, I hate going to bed with a full stomach, and 6PM dining often meant missing sail-away from a port so MTD was the perfect option. We picked a different time each night depending on the day's activities and we always picked the same table so that we'd get the same waiter every night and oftentimes we'd get the same dining mates which is nice.

 

As far as Dynamic Dining, this is something I said many times that Carnival should be doing. They should be changing their MDR's into paid venues and give guests the choice of a free buffet or a paid restaurant. For Carnival I think that's a perfect option given their quality of food that I experienced on my last couple of cruises there. For RCI I sort of like the 4 different free dining venues but part of me wonders if they won't at some point choose to upgrade 2 of them and then start charging for them. Eventually, down the road you have to wonder if your choices for food will be buffet or pay. Slippery slope.

[Lionesss]

I guess what frustrates me about this new dining plan, is we have always enjoyed meeting and dining with the same families all week.

 

Now it can be done, but a little harder, guess we will all have to show up at the dining area with the same time to be seated together.

 

Do you know how hard that is with a soon to be 20 y/o.

 

Sea Ya

[Perth cruizing]

Hi all,

Went to the cruise expo yesterday and found out that the Quantum of the seas doesn't have a dinning room at all, its going to interesting with the new dynamic dining, but there is heaps of complementary restaurants, will let you know after we get off her in April 15 :D:D

 

Michelle & Carlo