Dynamic Dining Officially announced on Oasis

[Peterbilt Driver]

Unfortunately, I'm not convinced that Royal will do anything to help solos. I'm basing this on Adam's flustered non answer when the topic of solos was raised at the Google web event. It seemed weird that Royal has added solo cabin and haven't thought of the impact of DD will have on solos. The only thing that he mentioned was the possibility of a check box to say that you wish to eat with other solos. However that isn't much of a plan since what are the odd of two solos picking the same restaurant on the same day and at the same time. For those who have booked online or by phone was there this option?

 

I did one cruise on NCL - Epic as I wanted to try out the solo cabins. I was prepared ahead of time that I would more than likely be eating by myself for the cruise, something I'm not really that comfortable doing. So I made my reservations ahead of time as I wanted to try the various for pay restaurants. However NCL had a wonderful program for solos, a nightly get together with an activities staff member in the solo lounge each evening at 5:30 pm. On my cruise it was wonderful and I ended up cancelling half my reservations to eat with the people I met. On one occasion NCL organized a group dinner for us in one of the main dining rooms and even paid for wine. We also went to one of the shows together as a group.

 

There was also a flip chart in the solo lounge where people could put up where they were going for dinner and inviting others to join them.

 

It would be nice if Royal could do something similar for solos.

 

 

I'm sure they will just as soon as they can decided how much to charge for it!

[Paulette3028]

Well said! I love the MDR, but hate having to sit with others. However, 95% of our cruises are with a group of 8 or so family members, so that is not a problem.

 

What I will miss is the relationships that develop with the waitstaff. Them remembering a drink makes a big difference to me. I know others may not care about that, but I do. Everyone has different things that they like aboard a cruise.

 

With all that said, I am nowhere near against DD, I actually really want to try it. We will most likely sail on a ship without it this coming year, but after that I will give up the MDR in order to try Royal's biggest and best ships. Hoping Anthem stays in Bayonne year round because I'd love to sail her in late may/early June of '16, Quantum could be an option for this coming March, but I personally don't really want to sail out of NJ when it is still cold.

 

From what you understand of DD, do you anticipate it will be difficult to arrange for a group of 8 cruising together to coordinate DD for all to sit together in the same venue each night.

 

I know that you have said, that your next cruise as a group, will probably be on a ship without DD.

 

I on the other hand can appreciate what solo cruisers feel.....although I am not a solo cruiser. DH and I like the MDR, and ask to be seated with others on a table of 8, so we can meet other cruisers and talk about what everyone does on board or in port each day, and any other topic that comes up; at the same time we have made friends with people on cruises that have lasted after the cruise.

 

DH and I can on any given night have a table for two in our own home or when we go out to dinner by ourselves. For us it isn't so interesting to do on a cruise.

[dacsmom]

I think one of the reasons this topic has become so volatile is the face that there are no real answers or conflicting answers to questions and people are basing their opinions on rumors. It does not help that some posters are saying that they will leave RCI if they implement Dynamic Dining, they know they will hate it without giving it a try or even getting all the facts. I have an open mind and will give it a try. I do have questions because I am frequently a solo cruiser and like to dine with a large group. I may like it and I may hate, but I will judge for myself. It is very hard to form an opinion on a form of dining that has not even rolled out yet and RCI is not much help clarifying the issue.

[Paulette3028]

Unfortunately, I'm not convinced that Royal will do anything to help solos. I'm basing this on Adam's flustered non answer when the topic of solos was raised at the Google web event. It seemed weird that Royal has added solo cabin and haven't thought of the impact of DD will have on solos. The only thing that he mentioned was the possibility of a check box to say that you wish to eat with other solos. However that isn't much of a plan since what are the odd of two solos picking the same restaurant on the same day and at the same time. For those who have booked online or by phone was there this option?

 

I did one cruise on NCL - Epic as I wanted to try out the solo cabins. I was prepared ahead of time that I would more than likely be eating by myself for the cruise, something I'm not really that comfortable doing. So I made my reservations ahead of time as I wanted to try the various for pay restaurants. However NCL had a wonderful program for solos, a nightly get together with an activities staff member in the solo lounge each evening at 5:30 pm. On my cruise it was wonderful and I ended up cancelling half my reservations to eat with the people I met. On one occasion NCL organized a group dinner for us in one of the main dining rooms and even paid for wine. We also went to one of the shows together as a group.

 

There was also a flip chart in the solo lounge where people could put up where they were going for dinner and inviting others to join them.

 

It would be nice if Royal could do something similar for solos.

 

I am not a solo cruiser, but as I read your post about what another cruise line has done for its solo cruisers.... I thought, don't wait for the cruise line to do it for you.

 

Can you put up a thread in the roll call section of this board with a title -- "Special Roll Call to find Solo Cruisers on (insert ship name and date of sailing)" -- Would CC object? Then you could join the regular Meet N Mingle and meet other cruisers as well.

[brfan]

I am not a solo cruiser, but as I read your post about what another cruise line has done for its solo cruisers.... I thought, don't wait for the cruise line to do it for you.

 

Can you put up a thread in the roll call section of this board with a title -- "Special Roll Call to find Solo Cruisers on (insert ship name and date of sailing)" -- Would CC object? Then you could join the regular Meet N Mingle and meet other cruisers as well.

 

I thought about something like that, perhaps CC could create a board for Dynamic Dining so that solos and people who aren't travelling solo but want to eat with others could post there rather than cluttering up the roll call threads. While I think that will help, remember only a very small percentage of cruisers know about CC.

[Paulette3028]

I thought about something like that, perhaps CC could create a board for Dynamic Dining so that solos and people who aren't travelling solo but want to eat with others could post there rather than cluttering up the roll call threads. While I think that will help, remember only a very small percentage of cruisers know about CC.

 

No doubt that a small percentage of cruisers contribute to CC -- but you are only looking for some people to connect with not millions anyway. If you find a few, great.

 

Why do you have to wait for CC to do it....if it is such an issue....then put up the thread yourself and see what happens.

[brfan]

No doubt that a small percentage of cruisers contribute to CC -- but you are only looking for some people to connect with not millions anyway. If you find a few, great.

 

Why do you have to wait for CC to do it....if it is such an issue....then put up the thread yourself and see what happens.

 

I just might do that if I was booked on a cruise that required it. Right now the only cruise I have that will likely be impacted by DD is the Allure TA next October. I was just providing my thoughts and experiences with NCL for discussion purposes. But thanks for telling me what you think I should do. :rolleyes:

[Paulette3028]

I just might do that if I was booked on a cruise that required it. Right now the only cruise I have that will likely be impacted by DD is the Allure TA next October. I was just providing my thoughts and experiences with NCL for discussion purposes. But thanks for telling me what you think I should do. :rolleyes:

 

From my reading it 'appeared to me' that you wanted others (the cruiseline) , as the example of what NCL did (as you brought it up for discussion), to do it....so I offered another suggestion whether for you specifically or someone else or not.

 

I did not mean to offend you, in any way....but it sure seemed to me you wanted suggestions....and I offered one.

[KKMurphy2]

Thanks Ocean Boy for showing compassion and the fact that not everyone is thrilled with the new dining program.

Personally, I would never bash someone that is thrilled with Dynamic Dining. I say, good for them!

I'm really not sure why this has become such a polarizing issue. Some posters are in such a defensive mode re DD that you would think they developed the concept.

When all is said and done, I will be traveling with those nearest and dearest to my heart to wonderful ports of call. If I decide that DD doesn't work for us, we will move to a cruise line that better suits our needs.

Way too much hostility on these boards. IMO.

 

 

Well said!!

[TM38Rob]

Here's the restaurants and their menus on Quantum.

 

http://www.royalcaribbean.com/quantumoftheseas/dining/

 

I think one of the reasons this topic has become so volatile is the face that there are no real answers or conflicting answers to questions and people are basing their opinions on rumors. It does not help that some posters are saying that they will leave RCI if they implement Dynamic Dining, they know they will hate it without giving it a try or even getting all the facts. I have an open mind and will give it a try. I do have questions because I am frequently a solo cruiser and like to dine with a large group. I may like it and I may hate, but I will judge for myself. It is very hard to form an opinion on a form of dining that has not even rolled out yet and RCI is not much help clarifying the issue.

From the link above provided by OfTheSeasCruiser earlier in the thread, there's another link from Royal Caribbean that provides some answers: http://www.creative.rccl.com/Sales/Royal/Quantum/14037847_QN_Class_Culinary_FAQs.pdf.

 

Plenty of "facts" from Royal Caribbean for someone to make an informed decision as to whether or not this will or will not work for them. From the link in this post in another thread: http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showpost.php?p=43880792&postcount=19, even more information from Royal Caribbean to help explain the Dynamic Dining concept.

 

Many land based restaurants have their menus online and/or outside the restaurant. People will read the menu and decide if they will spend their money there or not depending on their tastes. They don't have to go inside and try it to know if they will like it or not. Same applies here, too.

 

Some people like change for the sake of change, and don't care about collateral damage (how this will affect other people).

 

As a solo/single cruiser, I didn't have to wait for DD to know I don't like dining alone on the ship. I've already had this experience this year, twice! The first time was on a one night Norwegian cruise. I was sat at a table for two. When the Maitre'd came over and pointed to the empty chair, I thought he was going to ask if someone could join me. No, he asked to take the chair away to another table. The other time was on my last cruise while docked overnight. The people I was dining with at an assigned table were still in port during dinner. The waitstaff was busy and didn't get a chance to talk with me until after the meal. Up until then, I was thinking I should have eaten dinner at a restaurant in port instead. With DD, I won't be able to get beyond the introductory "Where are you from?" type of conversation with the waitstaff if they change nightly.

[Hoopster95]

As a solo/single cruiser, I didn't have to wait for DD to know I don't like dining alone on the ship.

 

Are DD venues going to have 8,10,12 seater tables so that couples who are booking "Chic" for examples night 1 will sit with other couples? And then meet other cruisers the next night in another venue. I thought this was the case so I may be totally wrong... I'm travelling solo on Q in Dec so really interested in this topic.

[brfan]

From my reading it 'appeared to me' that you wanted others (the cruiseline) , as the example of what NCL did (as you brought it up for discussion), to do it....so I offered another suggestion whether for you specifically or someone else or not.

 

I did not mean to offend you, in any way....but it sure seemed to me you wanted suggestions....and I offered one.

 

I wasn't looking for suggestions. I was just relating my experience of how NCL treated their solos on the Epic. If and when I do cruise on a DD ship then I'll look at seeing if there are any other solos on my role call and try to work something out. Otherwise I will resign myself to eating by myself. But I really don't think it would be a huge cost to Royal to offer a simple solo type gathering. All they would need it to put in the daily activities sheet and give a location (one of the bars?) and maybe have an activities person host it for at least the first couple of days. Plus it doesn't even have to be for solos only, there are many posters on CC that have mentioned that they will miss sitting with others and making new friends.

[Hoopster95]

I wasn't looking for suggestions. I was just relating my experience of how NCL treated their solos on the Epic. If and when I do cruise on a DD ship then I'll look at seeing if there are any other solos on my role call and try to work something out. Otherwise I will resign myself to eating by myself. But I really don't think it would be a huge cost to Royal to offer a simple solo type gathering. All they would need it to put in the daily activities sheet and give a location (one of the bars?) and maybe have an activities person host it for at least the first couple of days. Plus it doesn't even have to be for solos only, there are many posters on CC that have mentioned that they will miss sitting with others and making new friends.

 

How about RCL announce a solo's dining package on Q and Anthem... two tables of 10 seats each available in rotation Chic/Silk/Grande/AmIcon and also tables in Jamie's/Wonderland/Chops/Devine and sell the 4 venues 25% off. You HAVE to be booked as a solo and you meet & dine with those same solo's nightly. Set a 6pm seating and wait for solo's to sign up on each sailing. 30 days before sailing, if seats don't get reserved, open them up for others to reserve.

 

I for one who'd signed up in a heartbeat! Instead of not eating in a any specialty all alone... there's a little bit of revenue to be made here.

 

Hello RCL... there's a good idea here me thinks :D

[TM38Rob]

Are DD venues going to have 8,10,12 seater tables so that couples who are booking "Chic" for examples night 1 will sit with other couples? And then meet other cruisers the next night in another venue. I thought this was the case so I may be totally wrong... I'm travelling solo on Q in Dec so really interested in this topic.

From the Dynamic Dining Quantum Q & A:

Q: What is the difference between traditional dining and Dynamic Dining on Quantum-class Ships?

A: ... There are no set dining times, no strict dress codes, no assigned seats.

 

Q: What if I want to dine with other guests under a different booking ID number?

A: We will continue to accommodate multiple guest reservations. Guest will be able to do this through a new planning and reservations tool available on May 15th, 2014.

 

Based on these answers and other factors, it looks like passengers will have their own table for all the people in their party (up to 16). Maybe you can request to be seated with another party, but they will all probably already know each other as opposed to 3 separate couples and a solo or two at a table for 8 that you may currently experience in the traditional MDR.

 

RCCL has overlooked the fact that people who sail solo without other guests in another stateroom may actually enjoy dining with other guests they just met at their assigned table at dinner instead of dining alone.

 

The interior studio staterooms are designed to be part of a larger cluster of rooms to be converted to a multi-room suite and the interior studio becomes a bedroom for a single person part of a larger party. For example, a single adult in college in the interior studio with their parents in one of the adjacent balcony rooms and one set of grandparents in the other connecting balcony room.

Edited August 31, 2014 by TM38Rob

[Clarea]

...

RCCL has overlooked the fact that people who sail solo without other guests in another stateroom may actually enjoy dining with other guests they just met at their assigned table at dinner instead of dining alone. ....

They have not overlooked that fact, they have decided it's not as important as other factors, so have eliminated that option.

[caribill]

Does anyone know if Dynamic Dining will still have Always Available Menu?

 

None of the Menus interest me in the slightest and spending two weeks on board will not be practical if they don't have additional items.

 

Since the menus are the same every evening, everything is always available.

[springaussie]

Dynamic Dining surely must cut the wastage down with knowing where people should be dining.

 

 

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[brfan]

From the Dynamic Dining Quantum Q & A:

Q: What is the difference between traditional dining and Dynamic Dining on Quantum-class Ships?

A: ... There are no set dining times, no strict dress codes, no assigned seats.

 

Q: What if I want to dine with other guests under a different booking ID number?

A: We will continue to accommodate multiple guest reservations. Guest will be able to do this through a new planning and reservations tool available on May 15th, 2014.

 

Based on these answers and other factors, it looks like passengers will have their own table for all the people in their party (up to 16). Maybe you can request to be seated with another party, but they will all probably already know each other as opposed to 3 separate couples and a solo or two at a table for 8 that you may currently experience in the traditional MDR.

 

RCCL has overlooked the fact that people who sail solo without other guests in another stateroom may actually enjoy dining with other guests they just met at their assigned table at dinner instead of dining alone.

 

The interior studio staterooms are designed to be part of a larger cluster of rooms to be converted to a multi-room suite and the interior studio becomes a bedroom for a single person part of a larger party. For example, a single adult in college in the interior studio with their parents in one of the adjacent balcony rooms and one set of grandparents in the other connecting balcony room.

 

That describes the interior solo cabins, however, there are still a few solo balconies available, which aren't connected to other cabins. Plus the interior solo cabins will be sold as standalone cabins at some point before the cruise date (I don't know how far in advance they will be released), if they aren't needed by groups as you describe.

 

I also found the information you provided interesting, since the table assignments will be based on the party size when booked, it may be difficult to add anyone to an existing reservation once on the ship. For example if a party of 4 has booked one of the restaurants prior to boarding and then meets up with another party of 4 that they wish to eat with, that may not be possible using their existing reservation as the restaurant may not have an open table for 8 at the same time. (Hopefully that made sense :D). It will be interesting to hear how it really is when people report back on their experiences on the Quantum.

[zjc]

Since the menus are the same every evening, everything is always available.

 

 

You misunderstood my post

 

 

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[TequilaToo]

Originally Posted by zjc

Does anyone know if Dynamic Dining will still have Always Available Menu?

 

None of the Menus interest me in the slightest and spending two weeks on board will not be practical if they don't have additional items.

I'm still waiting for a satisfactory answer to this question as well. Most of the items on the menus in the complimentary restaurants are either of no interest to me, or would actually make me ill. I saw the post where it was stated that there would be an alternate, Always Available menu, but that post only mentioned steak, and nothing else. I can't eat beef, so that wouldn't do me any good at all. I e-mailed Crown & Anchor and expressed my concerns, but haven't had a reply yet. I'll post it here, if I get one.

[Ourusualbeach]

I'm still waiting for a satisfactory answer to this question as well. Most of the items on the menus in the complimentary restaurants are either of no interest to me, or would actually make me ill. I saw the post where it was stated that there would be an alternate, Always Available menu, but that post only mentioned steak, and nothing else. I can't eat beef, so that wouldn't do me any good at all. I e-mailed Crown & Anchor and expressed my concerns, but haven't had a reply yet. I'll post it here, if I get one.

 

The only thing that we know (which is not much) is that Adam mentioned in the Google hangout that there would be a selection of items similar to the always available selections currently offered in the MDR.

 

These selections would be available in every restaurant so that if someone in your group did not like the selections in the restaurant you were dining in then there would be something for them to choose from.

 

If it is similar to what the current always available selections are then there would be a beef, chicken, fish and pasta dish offered.

[SherriZ366]

I thought about something like that, perhaps CC could create a board for Dynamic Dining so that solos and people who aren't travelling solo but want to eat with others could post there rather than cluttering up the roll call threads. While I think that will help, remember only a very small percentage of cruisers know about CC.

Good idea -- we are couple who usually cruise with another couple. But we are sailing without our cruisemates on Aug. 30, 2015, so I would like to meet some tablemates.

 

This can also be a question for the rollcall.

[Paulette3028]

Good idea -- we are couple who usually cruise with another couple. But we are sailing without our cruisemates on Aug. 30, 2015, so I would like to meet some tablemates.

 

This can also be a question for the rollcall.

 

Sometimes DH and I cruise with friends but most often not, and we enjoy meeting tablemates that we can connect with as the cruise rolls along each night. When we recently cruised on Allure, in our roll call about a month before cruise departure, I put out an inquiry if there were other people in the roll call that would like to sit together at the Early Dinner Seating....I hooked up with several other couples and then arranged to have us all at the same MDR table....it was GREAT. We had chatted for months and now had the cruise to enjoy together as well.

[springaussie]

The Main Dinning Room does 2 sitting per night currently. I assume under Dynamic Dinning some places could do 3 sittings per night.

 

 

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[TM38Rob]

That describes the interior solo cabins, however, there are still a few solo balconies available, which aren't connected to other cabins. Plus the interior solo cabins will be sold as standalone cabins at some point before the cruise date (I don't know how far in advance they will be released), if they aren't needed by groups as you describe.

 

I also found the information you provided interesting, since the table assignments will be based on the party size when booked, it may be difficult to add anyone to an existing reservation once on the ship. For example if a party of 4 has booked one of the restaurants prior to boarding and then meets up with another party of 4 that they wish to eat with, that may not be possible using their existing reservation as the restaurant may not have an open table for 8 at the same time. (Hopefully that made sense :D). It will be interesting to hear how it really is when people report back on their experiences on the Quantum.

When Studio Balconies for solos were announced for Quantum, I was looking forward to it as I had put that idea on a comment card or survey in the past. At the same time, I was surprised by the low number of balcony/interior studio rooms, and confused by the configuration/setup of the interior studio rooms.

 

If Royal Caribbean were trying to compete with Norwegian in the solo studios department, they would have clustered these rooms together and created a studio lounge or some area set aside for solos, which they did not.

 

Guess it makes sense if you take a look at the solos/singles events hosted by Royal Caribbean and Norwegian. As you mentioned, Norwegian has a program for solos in the studios. I sailed on a Norwegian ship without the studios, they provided a host for the singles event and I could have had people to dine with afterward had I not just eaten a "snack" before the event. Royal Caribbean, on the other hand, always lists their solo events as "unhosted" and just list an inconvenient time and/or location to meet in the Cruise Compass.

 

As you mentioned in post 250 earlier in this thread about the way Adam Goldstein reacted when asked about solos sailing solo, it shows they didn't take that into consideration (or didn't prepare that topic to come up). I don't remember where the post came from about the studio balconies were developed for a third person in a party, but the idea was that instead of a pullman in a regular balcony stateroom for a 3rd person (where balcony space my only be big enough for two, the 3rd person would have their own smaller room with a balcony.

 

While trying to join a couple at a table for two reservation may be difficult to make it a table for 3, it may be possible to join a party of 4 as they could just add another chair to the table for 4 (depending on the size of the table).

 

On a past cruise, I was assigned to a table with a family of 4 adults. I was the first to arrive, and there were only 4 chairs at the table. When I saw 4 people arriving together at the table, it was an awkward moment at first, but the dining room staff brought another chair over to the table. A slightly tighter fit, but it worked. We had a great time. Outside of dinner, we sat together at a Crown & Anchor event. On the last day, I sat with them for breakfast in the Windjammer and we stayed through lunch. If it was MTD only for that cruise, I would have missed out on the opportunity to have met these great people. It will be hard if not impossible to get this experience again with Dynamic Dining.

Edited September 1, 2014 by TM38Rob