Problem with Dynamic Dining

[kassimer1]

Perhaps that concept won't work, but it doesn't describe the DD concept at all. You're thinking of a small MDR menu that never changes each night. DD actually has larger menus (basically the quivalent of 7 days worth of MDR menus). Also, you can order from any menu at any of the free venues. You describe a situation where some bouncer is going to turn you away from a restaurant, just because you've eaten there before. That's not how it works. That's not how any of this works.

 

have you done the math? if you are only on a 4 night cruise this is true but not true for a 7 night . DD has about 22 items on the menu times 4 complimentary venus equals 88 items wether you are there 4 nights or 7 nights. MDR has 19 items + the 4 everyday items 19 times 7 = 133 items you actually had more choices in the MDR since the MDR the menu changed daily. So only short cruises have more choices.

[kassimer1]

I think DD is a "con" from RC . I am on the OAS June 2015 and have just read that MDR is moving to DD . Looking at other threads it seems I will have only 3 choices for complimentary dinning . I travelled before and liked the MDR with a different menu each night , formal dinning , same wait staff etc . I can not afford to pay for extra dinning , we travel from Australia so we have huge airfares and poor exchange rates . This is a major change / fault from RC . I am not interested in Windjamer for dinner . The three choices of restaurants have the same menu each night and little options beyond . I am a party of 5 and my children have different likes . In MDR we always found something for them . RC has got us again !!!

 

I totally agree with you. I do think that they will have kids menu items too. If not this would be very bad for many parents.

[biomedbob]

I'm sure that at any time.....any place....no large how your "group" is....you will find something to eat. With many choices, venues, styles. Good grief! :confused:

[time4u2go]

Seems silly to me to not cruise because of DD. As long as they feed us, who cares?

 

Would you be OK with it if the only option was the Windjammer? Or Sorrentos? I realize it's not, but with your statement, I guess that would be OK with you.

[biomedbob]

What's wrong with the Windjammer? They offer everything from the other venues. :)

[time4u2go]

What's wrong with the Windjammer? They offer everything from the other venues. :)

 

No they don't.

[Spurschick]

After being told for several months that reservations could not be made until 90 days before departure on the Quantum of the Seas on March 1st, my travel agent and I were told at least 3 times, my agent contacted RC again and found this to be wrong information. Now, it seems that all the preferred booking times are taken. Royal Caribbean really shot themselves in the foot with dynamic dining. When we go on a cruise we don't want to spend the day trying to figure out what time and which restaurant to dine in. This cruise will bring us to the Diamond level so we are not new to cruising Royal Caribbean. Bring back traditional dining or we're cruising with another cruise line.

 

Popular times book early even MTD. Usually they hold some tables back for walk-ins. However if traditional dining is more what you want I have to wonder why you chose this ship and not a different one in the fleet that offers what you do want:confused:

[awhcruiser]

Would be fine with me.

Would you be OK with it if the only option was the Windjammer? Or Sorrentos? I realize it's not, but with your statement, I guess that would be OK with you.

[RocketMan275]

We agree with you this so called dynamic dining will not work for us.We will not sail on a ship without traditional dining.:)

 

Funny, but Dynamic Dining convinced us to book another cruise on RCI. Once we discovered there were no formal nights with Dynamic Dining we booked our cruise on Allure.

[Yorkvillain]

I agree. This would have been our 10th cruise with royal caribbean but we are seriously thinking of canceling and never cruising with them again. Nothing but headaches with DD scheduling. What a shame, they were a good company.

 

Did you ever think that maybe, just maybe you will end up loving DD and think that the food is much better than what they offered in the MDR?

[KKMurphy2]

When you've experience Dynamic Dining, come back and tell us then. Don't shoot something until you've tried it.

 

If you want traditional dining just choose one restaurant and book the same time every night, same thing.

 

 

The OP has shared his experience with trying to schedule reservations. The food may be fantastic, but he has already "tried" it by attempting to make reservations that have become frustrating and time consuming. I want to attend the shows and I want to eat at 6 - 6:30. I want to sit down and be served without paying extra. Do not direct me to the Windjammer. I enjoy lunch there. Do not direct me to Sorrentos. I will eat pizza as a snack.

 

The only thing that we can do is write letters and "vote" with our reservations. I am Diamond on RCCL which translates to Elite on Celebrity. They do a fabulous job and I have no hesitation to cruise on their ships. We have had an awesome time on both the M class and S class. For now, I am avoiding the large RCCL ships. I have trips booked on Vision, Adventure, Jewell, Rhapsody and Celebrity Reflection. I will avoid DD and I will continue to have a great time on my cruise vacations. The price of the Quantum is too extravagant for my tastes anyway, so as for now, this is not even in my radar to try it.

[Hoopster95]

I had a chat with the C&A desk. They told me like current MTD in all ships, Quantum is prepared for the walk-up crowd at each venue... of course based on availability. All 4000 people on board obviously cannot walk up to Chic at 6pm and expect to be seated, yes? They have left a lot of open seating at each venue, so even though your planner might say nothing avail in Chic until 9pm, they likely actually do... on every single sailing.

 

I told her that I had booked all my dining, that I'm happy with timing and venues. I let her know as a solo I wish to know whether I'll be seated with others or alone. She told me as booked on the planner that I'll be seated alone and therefore my seat and time is guaranteed... BUT, just like current MTD in all ships today, walk-ups will be seated first come first serve and be asked if they wish to be seated alone or with others in larger tables just like it is right now in MTD. So she asked me to see the Maitre-D when I show up and ask to be seated with others, which will then be able to free up a table for 2 for someone else.

 

Hope this info helps those of you who were concerned that you would never meet or sit with other people, or you had to pre-book every single meal. If anyone else has any other first-hand info from RCL regarding this please share.

 

However I'm truly confused... With all the dynamic dining threads the last few months, I've come to realize that many many CC'ers value their dining experience as a determining factor as to whether they will ever sail RCL again. I can only assume that dining is the #1 factor of cruising for them when booking a cruise no matter what line. Is this true for you? Do you base your cruise vacation on food? For those of you who have posted that the change to Dynamic Dining will be the end to your cruising RCL, I would love to read why dining is your #1 criteria? If that's the case, shouldn't you be sailing Oceana (supposed to be the foodie ships, best food on any cruiseline) or any other cruiseline more known for it's excellent dining?

 

I ask the above because I cruise primarily for the destinations, the amenities of the ships, price/value vs. land vacations, site seeing, relaxation, meeting new people or having that time with my significant other, but primarily to get away from my work reality and the absolute rat's race of life/work while feeling the ocean breeze and watching the seas go by... let alone being in new ports of call on a daily basis without unpacking! MDR vs. Dynamic is so very low on the list of what's important for cruising for me personally.

[time4u2go]

However I'm truly confused... With all the dynamic dining threads the last few months, I've come to realize that many many CC'ers value their dining experience as a determining factor as to whether they will ever sail RCL again. I can only assume that dining is the #1 factor of cruising for them when booking a cruise no matter what line. Is this true for you? Do you base your cruise vacation on food? For those of you who have posted that the change to Dynamic Dining will be the end to your cruising RCL, I would love to read why dining is your #1 criteria? If that's the case, shouldn't you be sailing Oceana (supposed to be the foodie ships, best food on any cruiseline) or any other cruiseline more known for it's excellent dining?

 

I don't think that not cruising on a ship because it has DD necessarily means that dining is the #1 factor in choosing a ship/cruise line (at least for us). There are many things that would cause us to stop cruising on a particular ship/cruise line. For example, if there were no shows, or if there were no swimming pools, or if there were no balconies (just examples). That doesn't mean that shows or swimming or balconies are our #1 criteria. It just means that they are important, just like the dining experience.

Edited October 8, 2014 by time4u2go

[SherriZ366]

That is what he is complaining about, he is unable to book the time he wants because the times are all gone and only times he doesnt wants are left. he does not have to try the food to already know that it is impacting his trip. If you are used to eating at 6pm and the only time left is at 9pm you know its not good for your schedule, does this mean the food is bad - no, it means they dont have enough seats for the popular times. If i told you you could only eat breakfast at 4am im sure you would not be happy either. He is not the only person to have this issue. maybe by the time of his sailing a different time will open up

I have read on other threads and other internet sites that QU is stretching out the dining time so that there are slots from 4:30 PM to 9:30 PM. Would not want to eat dinner at either extreme especially 4:30 PM.

[mechcc]

I have read on other threads and other internet sites that QU is stretching out the dining time so that there are slots from 4:30 PM to 9:30 PM. Would not want to eat dinner at either extreme especially 4:30 PM.

 

Well if it was a day that I slept in and had breakfast at 11:00, I could see doing lunch at 4:30 and dinner at 9:30.:D

[SherriZ366]

Popular times book early even MTD. Usually they hold some tables back for walk-ins. However if traditional dining is more what you want I have to wonder why you chose this ship and not a different one in the fleet that offers what you do want:confused:

What if you booked a ship thinking it has Traditional Dining and RCI imposes DD on your cruise? There are lots of rumors that FR will have DD after its 1-2015 drydock. We have 4 FR cruises booked after that. We will give it a try or 2 (it will probably have to be one restaurant for our party of 4 to re-create Traditional for 2 opting for the Always Available and one with a special menu request). But if we don't like it, we will book on RCI ships that do not have it.

 

DD defenders -- please don't flame me -- we really like Traditional dining.

[retird]

I think DD is a "con" from RC . I am on the OAS June 2015 and have just read that MDR is moving to DD . Looking at other threads it seems I will have only 3 choices for complimentary dinning . I travelled before and liked the MDR with a different menu each night , formal dinning , same wait staff etc . I can not afford to pay for extra dinning , we travel from Australia so we have huge airfares and poor exchange rates . This is a major change / fault from RC . I am not interested in Windjamer for dinner . The three choices of restaurants have the same menu each night and little options beyond . I am a party of 5 and my children have different likes . In MDR we always found something for them . RC has got us again !!!

 

 

In addition to the Windjammer, the following restaurants will be complimentary:

 

Coastal Kitchen Jr suite and above.

American icon Grill

Chic

Silk

The Grande.

 

My wife and I also love MDR early seating, however we have looked at the menus for the above noted complimentary restaurants and have found more variety than we found in the MDR for a 12 night cruise.

 

Take a good look at the menus you might be surprised at how well you and the family can eat and what great variety you can enjoy during the cruise. We are actually looking forward to a cruise with Dynamic dining. There is no reason we cannot book our early dining, in any of the restaurants and not have to eat a duplicate meal during our cruise.

 

Just our thoughts.

[time4u2go]

In addition to the Windjammer, the following restaurants will be complimentary:

 

Coastal Kitchen Jr suite and above.

American icon Grill

Chic

Silk

The Grande.

 

 

All of those will be on Quantum class, but is it known for sure that they will all be on Oasis?

[retird]

All of those will be on Quantum class, but is it known for sure that they will all be on Oasis?

 

 

maybe just wishful thinking on my part, but I would assume that even if the names of the restaurants are changed , they would still offer as many venues as the Quantum.. I will just wait and see but I don't anticipate being dissapointed when it is rolled out fleet wide.

[time4u2go]

maybe just wishful thinking on my part, but I would assume that even if the names of the restaurants are changed , they would still offer as many venues as the Quantum.. I will just wait and see but I don't anticipate being dissapointed when it is rolled out fleet wide.

 

I could be wrong, but I think I heard that one of them (Chic or Silk) was not going to be on Oasis, and that there wouldn't be anything in its place. There would just be fewer complementary options.

[Oville]

I could be wrong, but I think I heard that one of them (Chic or Silk) was not going to be on Oasis, and that there wouldn't be anything in its place. There would just be fewer complementary options.

 

From whom did you here this?

[time4u2go]

From whom did you here this?

 

I saw it posted on this board. I don't remember who. Obviously not necessarily a sure thing, I realize.

[time4u2go]

From whom did you here this?

 

Actually I found it. It came from a customer service rep, not that that's 100% reliable:

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showpost.php?p=44038868&postcount=19

 

It seems to indicate that Chic will not be present. If true, there would only be 3 complementary restaurants available to non-suite guests.

Edited October 8, 2014 by time4u2go

[Spurschick]

Read this

http://www.cruisecritic.com/news/news.cfm?ID=5969

 

You will have more than three options and they will all have different menus. The main dining room is being split into three restaurants, but I understood they were different restaurants with different menus.

 

Actually I found it. It came from a customer service rep, not that that's 100% reliable:

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showpost.php?p=44038868&postcount=19

 

It seems to indicate that Chic will not be present. If true, there would only be 3 complementary restaurants available to non-suite guests.

 

If you read the link I posted earlier it clearly says 7 complimentary eateries, 4 full service and 3 casual. 18 options total.

[AtlantaCruiser72]

I sometimes wonder how people who HAVE to have the same waiter, same table, same time, same dining companions every night are ever able to go to a shoreside restaurant, especially when many do not accept reservations.?! They must all eat on a rotating menu at home at the same time in the same seats every week of their lives, with special meals cooked just for the fussy eaters in the family.

 

The reality of prebooked reservations is that RCCL holds back a certain percentage of each dining time for walk ups onboard (more for popular times, less for the less desirable ones). Pre-booked reservations, whether it be for Dynamic Dining, My Time Dining, or any variation on any other line are just a way for them to help avoid crowding. There are a certain percentage of cruisers who will take a non-preferred time for a reservation rather than wing it once onboard. Even with a reservation there may still be times when you have to wait a few minutes for a table to open up if that reservation is at a peak time. Usually that was more of an issue on formal nights, but as there will be a formal dress dining option EVERY night with Dynamic dining, then maybe that will no longer happen.

 

I think everyone needs to give RCCL a chance to roll this out. It's just like dining at a shoreside eatery, only there will now be 3-4 distinctly different cuisine options included in the cruise fare. The menus will feature items that will satisfy picky palates, as well as they Will be able to accommodate special dietary requests (gluten free as an example), just like they do now.