Problem with Dynamic Dining

[dz9yvr]

I looked at the menus for the complimentary two full service restaurants (Grande will be formal so not interested except maybe one time) that will be on Oasis for Dynamic Dining and I did not care for either of those menus. Where are the soups that were always offered? Only noticed seafood ones. The appetizers we loved prior are no more. Both menus have a lot of seafood or pork or have egg which several people in our party do not eat. Not much choice for them. Also do not want to go back to the same two restaurants for 7 days, nor do we want to have to pay extra for the specialty ones. We also do not want to go to Sorrento's, the Cafe or any self serve places like the buffet for dinner. That's fine for breakfast or lunch but dinner we always loved in the main dining room. With only two full service restaurants not counting Grande which is formal and most people won't want to dress for formal it's going to be very hard to get a reservation at the complimentary DD restaurants unless the majority of passengers eat at the self serve or the specialty restaurants. Like mentioned before this new dynamic dining may be good for some people but for us the choices of both restaurants and items on the menu are not to our liking. We have an upcoming cruise on Allure again which will be still on the traditional dining this February so we will be keeping that cruise but our other cruise on Oasis again which will be with the new dynamic dining looks like we'll be canceling and going back to Celebrity.

 

 

Excellent summary and analysis. I agree with everything except the last sentence. I think many of us will be going to Princess. Similar quality, but usually much less expensive.

[ocav]

I looked at the menus for the complimentary two full service restaurants (Grande will be formal so not interested except maybe one time) that will be on Oasis for Dynamic Dining and I did not care for either of those menus. Where are the soups that were always offered? Only noticed seafood ones. The appetizers we loved prior are no more. Both menus have a lot of seafood or pork or have egg which several people in our party do not eat. Not much choice for them. Also do not want to go back to the same two restaurants for 7 days, nor do we want to have to pay extra for the specialty ones. We also do not want to go to Sorrento's, the Cafe or any self serve places like the buffet for dinner. That's fine for breakfast or lunch but dinner we always loved in the main dining room. With only two full service restaurants not counting Grande which is formal and most people won't want to dress for formal it's going to be very hard to get a reservation at the complimentary DD restaurants unless the majority of passengers eat at the self serve or the specialty restaurants. Like mentioned before this new dynamic dining may be good for some people but for us the choices of both restaurants and items on the menu are not to our liking. We have an upcoming cruise on Allure again which will be still on the traditional dining this February so we will be keeping that cruise but our other cruise on Oasis again which will be with the new dynamic dining looks like we'll be canceling and going back to Celebrity.

 

 

Why not keep your Oasis booking and experience dynamic dining before choosing against it? It might be very different to what you expect, and of course, menus do change.

 

If you don't like it once onboard then you know not to sail with Royal again on a ship that has DD

[jticarruthers]

Why not keep your Oasis booking and experience dynamic dining before choosing against it? It might be very different to what you expect, and of course, menus do change.

 

If you don't like it once onboard then you know not to sail with Royal again on a ship that has DD

 

Not sure what the posters thoughts are but for me its a big ask to spend thousands of dollars to try something that doesn't sound appealing. Not saying it is bad or the end of the world or anything dramatic but it doesn't sound like something I would want or enjoy.

 

Probably doesn't help that I wasn't all that impressed by Allure to start with so asking me to go back and try it again and also try DD at the same time would be pretty much a non-starter.

[ocav]

Not sure what the posters thoughts are but for me its a big ask to spend thousands of dollars to try something that doesn't sound appealing. Not saying it is bad or the end of the world or anything dramatic but it doesn't sound like something I would want or enjoy.

 

 

 

Probably doesn't help that I wasn't all that impressed by Allure to start with so asking me to go back and try it again and also try DD at the same time would be pretty much a non-starter.

 

 

The key word being "doesn't sound", your money doesn't just go on food, it's a cruise.

 

I didn't quite like the look of the MDR menu on Liberty last week, I'm not a fish fan and therefore had steak the 3 nights I went there, it didn't ruin my holiday.

 

I'm looking at an Eastern Med on the Splendour and I'm don't particularly like the sound of the ship after sailing Liberty, but I'll give it a go because the ship isn't the be all and end all, the ports are appealing, I know the food will be nice, I know the entertainment will be great.

 

Don't knock something until you have tried it.

[Spurschick]

I looked at the menus for the complimentary two full service restaurants (Grande will be formal so not interested except maybe one time) that will be on Oasis for Dynamic Dining and I did not care for either of those menus. Where are the soups that were always offered? Only noticed seafood ones. The appetizers we loved prior are no more. Both menus have a lot of seafood or pork or have egg which several people in our party do not eat. Not much choice for them. Also do not want to go back to the same two restaurants for 7 days, nor do we want to have to pay extra for the specialty ones. We also do not want to go to Sorrento's, the Cafe or any self serve places like the buffet for dinner. That's fine for breakfast or lunch but dinner we always loved in the main dining room. With only two full service restaurants not counting Grande which is formal and most people won't want to dress for formal it's going to be very hard to get a reservation at the complimentary DD restaurants unless the majority of passengers eat at the self serve or the specialty restaurants. Like mentioned before this new dynamic dining may be good for some people but for us the choices of both restaurants and items on the menu are not to our liking. We have an upcoming cruise on Allure again which will be still on the traditional dining this February so we will be keeping that cruise but our other cruise on Oasis again which will be with the new dynamic dining looks like we'll be canceling and going back to Celebrity.

 

I did note that it has been stated that the menus will change half way through the cruises. Also it has been stated that there will be alternative options on every menu to cater for alternative likes. I am guessing it will be similar to the fixed steak, chicken etc options that did not change on the traditional MDR menus every day.

 

Please remember part of the restaurant will be available for walk-ins as well as a section for reservations.

 

I would recommend that at the least wait for the full menus to be rolled out before making decisions about cancelling cruises.

[Spurschick]

The key word being "doesn't sound", your money doesn't just go on food, it's a cruise.

 

I didn't quite like the look of the MDR menu on Liberty last week, I'm not a fish fan and therefore had steak the 3 nights I went there, it didn't ruin my holiday.

 

I'm looking at an Eastern Med on the Splendour and I'm don't particularly like the sound of the ship after sailing Liberty, but I'll give it a go because the ship isn't the be all and end all, the ports are appealing, I know the food will be nice, I know the entertainment will be great.

 

Don't knock something until you have tried it.

 

Agree.

 

I am unable to eat any seafood. There are evenings in the main dining room there is little appealing to me. You are given the option of one menu for that night and after a while the MDR menu becomes quite repetitive when you sail a fair bit:rolleyes:there are occasions where we will even go eat in the WJ if the menu is so so.

 

What makes me laugh is the people that LOVE the MDR but are discounting Grande because it's formal. I'd love to know what these people did on formal nights in the MDR when that's the only place they eat;)

Edited October 22, 2014 by Spurschick
Spelling

[time4u2go]

Agree.

 

I am unable to eat any seafood. There are evenings in the main dining room there is little appealing to me. You are given the option of one menu for that night and after a while the MDR menu becomes quite repetitive when you sail a fair bit:rolleyes:there are occasions where we will even go eat in the WJ if the menu is so so.

 

What makes me laugh is the people that LOVE the MDR but are discounting Grande because it's formal. I'd love to know what these people did on formal nights in the MDR when that's the only place they eat;)

Formal wear isn't required in the MDR on formal nights, so many would simply not dress formally on formal nights. Formal wear IS required in Grande EVERY night.

Edited October 22, 2014 by time4u2go

[Spurschick]

Formal wear isn't required in the MDR on formal nights, so many would simply not dress formally on formal nights. Formal wear IS required in Grande EVERY night.

 

I am well aware of what the dress code is, however as it is yet to be rolled out we will see how RC enforce this as time goes on. I see plenty of people in MDR in shirt and pants, no tie or jacket. I expect that people will probably get in to grande with similar as long as they are not casually dressed.

Like I say, only time will tell, but we know how strict RC is enforcing rules.

 

My point was more that people are saying they will only eat in MDR which would hypothetically mean they are not opposed to formal nights, yet then complain when a formal restaurant is an option and automatically discount it for being formal.

[mickev99]

So, just to clarify, your complaint is that you have 3 restaurants to chose from, instead of 1, and larger menus to select from? Got it.

 

I feel the same way....I wish DD would be on the Indy when I cruise in July 2015. We had MTD on my cruise on thr Freedom and had the same table and wait staff every single night, which honestly, I could care less about, but I understand that it is important to some, so it is definitely doable....and I didn't even ask for it, I just made reservations for the same time each night except one. No hoops to jump through. I would love to have more free dining options. I'm sure there will be more than one item on each restaurant's menu that I will love so I can return to that restaurant another night on the cruise.

[jticarruthers]

The key word being "doesn't sound", your money doesn't just go on food, it's a cruise.

 

I didn't quite like the look of the MDR menu on Liberty last week, I'm not a fish fan and therefore had steak the 3 nights I went there, it didn't ruin my holiday.

 

I'm looking at an Eastern Med on the Splendour and I'm don't particularly like the sound of the ship after sailing Liberty, but I'll give it a go because the ship isn't the be all and end all, the ports are appealing, I know the food will be nice, I know the entertainment will be great.

 

Don't knock something until you have tried it.

 

I didn't say I wouldn't try it at some point nor throw a hissy fit that no one should ever try it.

 

Merely observed that given the choice between doing something I already know I like, cruising with Traditional Dining on one of many ships I already know I like, and cruising with DD on a ship that is not a favorite, I would choose what I know I like when we have a lot of money involved.

 

If it was a $50 dinner I might try it just for the heck of it, but for thousands of dollars I will stick with what I already know will be good and wait to hear reviews that convince me I need to try DD.

[elephant98]

I did note that it has been stated that the menus will change half way through the cruises. Also it has been stated that there will be alternative options on every menu to cater for alternative likes. I am guessing it will be similar to the fixed steak, chicken etc options that did not change on the traditional MDR menus every day.

 

Please remember part of the restaurant will be available for walk-ins as well as a section for reservations.

 

I would recommend that at the least wait for the full menus to be rolled out before making decisions about cancelling cruises.

 

Glad to hear that the menus will change and there will be alternative options. I must have missed it when I was reading through all the threads on dynamic dining. Do you happen to have a link? Thanks for the info.

[SF]

Never saw a link that they will have alternatives to the menus... if that's the case and I can choose an alternative dish like in the main dining room with some side dishes I enjoy from the main menu then we may give it a try. We haven't decided what we're doing with our cruise on Oasis. Like I said before we may cancel but we're going to wait and see the passenger reviews once the dynamic dining is an effect first. We will still have time to change cruising companies should we decide after it takes effect in March.

 

I do agree with another posters thread above.....why spend so much money on a cruise if you know it's not what you want and no dining is not the main thing but it is a big part of cruising. We have no objection to getting dressed formally for one night and should we keep our Oasis cruise we will try the Grande one time but we wouldn't appreciate having to do that for several days. We also don't mind the buffet for dinner one time should there be a show or an activity we want to partake in however it is not something that we would want to do for many nights. For us a full service dinner is important. It gives us time to connect with our family as everyone is usually doing their own thing during the day and if everybody's getting up at different times as is the case at a buffet it's hard to hold a conversation and personally we don't find it relaxing. For us buffets are great for breakfast or lunch but at dinner we've always preferred full service.

 

Another factor will be to see how easy it will be to get reservations at these restaurants once you book. We enjoy eating dinner around 8 o clock and even though there will be walk-ins we don't want to take a chance on that. That's primarily the reason we never did the dining where you go and eat at anytime you want.

 

I guess for us it's a wait and see until the reviews come out....time will tell. We have been on Allure and Oasis before and have totally enjoyed the ships so hopefully all our questions will be answered in March from other passengers and we will get to enjoy it again. Before those cruises we have another Princess coming up shortly on the new Regal so mainly concentrating on that and putting this one on the back burner till our questions are answered in March.

[3dog]

Formal wear isn't required in the MDR on formal nights, so many would simply not dress formally on formal nights. Formal wear IS required in Grande EVERY night.

 

I will try to chase down the description I read for Grande dress, but what I recalled was it seemed to be anything but formal (more like "smart casual with a jacket"), and I'm not sure how long they will keep this up (without an actual "Formal Night", I don't believe that there will be many that will actually dress formally).

[elephant98]

I did a google search of "Dynamic Dining Q & A," and the top hit was a pdf document that Royal has posted on its website. It confirms that the 3 free restaurants on the Oasis class ships will each have two rotating menus during a cruise and that there will also be a separate menu of alternative dishes.

 

Q: Will menus stay the same in each restaurant every night?

 

A: Each restaurant features its own distinctive menu and ambience that remains consistent throughout the sailing. However, guests who return to a given restaurant can vary their dining experience by ordering different selections from the menu.

 

On Oasis Class, American Icon Grill, Silk, and The Grand will feature two menus that rotate midway through the cruise.

 

Q: Is there a basic menu that I can order from in each of the complimentary main restaurants?

 

A: Each restaurant offers a Simple Tastes menu consisting of traditional beef, poultry, fish and vegetarian options

[3dog]

My point was more that people are saying they will only eat in MDR which would hypothetically mean they are not opposed to formal nights, yet then complain when a formal restaurant is an option and automatically discount it for being formal.

 

I agree with primary point, but suggest that there is possibly a difference that may not be observed till this actually goes live on the various ships (and may be distinctly different on Oasis vs. Quantum).

 

My hypothesis is that formal night mostly worked because it was a single event that was generally accepted and passengers would participate as they would be part of the majority and part of the "fun". But suggest that any night can be formal if the passenger desires, and then there will be a minimum of participation because passengers will not only feel like they are in a minority, but the aspect of "fun" isn't there.

Edited October 22, 2014 by 3dog

[Spurschick]

I did a google search of "Dynamic Dining Q & A," and the top hit was a pdf document that Royal has posted on its website. It confirms that the 3 free restaurants on the Oasis class ships will each have two rotating menus during a cruise and that there will also be a separate menu of alternative dishes.

 

Q: Will menus stay the same in each restaurant every night?

 

A: Each restaurant features its own distinctive menu and ambience that remains consistent throughout the sailing. However, guests who return to a given restaurant can vary their dining experience by ordering different selections from the menu.

 

On Oasis Class, American Icon Grill, Silk, and The Grand will feature two menus that rotate midway through the cruise.

 

Q: Is there a basic menu that I can order from in each of the complimentary main restaurants?

 

A: Each restaurant offers a Simple Tastes menu consisting of traditional beef, poultry, fish and vegetarian options

 

 

Glad you found. I only just had the chance to come back to the thread.

The simple tastes menu was what I was referring to as the alternatives that sound like they will be similar to the daily fixed options currently on the MDR menu.

 

Hopefully once it goes live we will be able to see the different menu options.

[LAS2002]

Just found out today that a Spring cruise will be on Dynamic Dining and we had booked Anytime Dining. My real concern is that I can now book entertainment days and times - but can't yet make restaurant reservations.

 

So, how do I book show times, etc. without knowing what time dinner will be each day. I know from experience that RCI dinner reservations book-up fast and it's sometimes very hard to get the times you want. I called RCI and was told you can always book on the ship. Sorry, but I'm not going to be running around the ship and standing in line on a Cruise vacation. They also mentioned that the Windjammer is always available. Sorry, but the Windjammer is unacceptable as the ONLY option for dinner.

 

Here's what I know for sure. If we end-up not being able to get dinner reservations to support Show times, or, if we end-up in the Windjammer even one dinner night, or, if I'm running around last minute on the ship trying to make dinner reservations or changing Show reservations - RCI will never see me and my Girl Friend on another one of their cruises. Also, now we are hearing there will be only 3 of these new type restaurants on the Oasis (I mean the one's without a surcharge).

 

We have been loyal RCI cruisers and really supported the brand - but this sounds like a lot of hassle and pushing even more work on the customer that should be done by the cruise line i.e., Dinner and Show time reservations that match-up with each other.

 

And, if I once am told my onlyoption for dinner is the Windjammer - it will surely be Adios to RCI for good.

[nednrom]

I am reading this thread kind of perplexed at the assumptions and negativity being displayed towards it when none of us really knows how it will work. In a way, don't all cruise lines now already have DD? whether it's a specialty restaurant or a suite complimentary restaurant on Celebrity, it is dynamic dining. Before I make up my mind, I am going to try it. I saw these same type of threads when MTD was instituted on RC. Sometimes change is good you all

 

Gail

[SF]

In a way, don't all cruise lines now already have DD? whether it's a specialty restaurant or a suite complimentary restaurant on Celebrity, it is dynamic dining.

 

Gail

 

Your statement is so not true the other lines except for NCL don't have anything like DD. If I choose to go to a specialty restaurant that's my choice here I'm being limited to three restaurants that are complementary and may or may not change their menus. We are going to decide based on the reviews whether we will keep our booking on Oasis or switch to a line that has traditional dining.

Edited October 26, 2014 by SF

[ocav]

Your statement is so not true the other lines except for NCL don't have anthing like DD. If I choose to go to a specialty restaurant that's my choice here I'm being made and limited to three restaurants that are complementary. We are going to decide based on the reviews whether we will keep our booking on Oasis or switch to a line that has traditional dining.

 

 

Speciality restaurants will will exist, and In Fact you are not limited in anyway, currently near all the ships have 3 complimentary options: Windjammer, MDR, and a 24 hour cafe.

 

With DD you will have Windjammer, 24 hour cafe, and 3 additional complimentary restaurants plus additional speciality restaurants

[nednrom]

Your statement is so not true the other lines except for NCL don't have anything like DD. If I choose to go to a specialty restaurant that's my choice here I'm being limited to three restaurants that are complementary and may or may not change their menus. We are going to decide based on the reviews whether we will keep our booking on Oasis or switch to a line that has traditional dining.

 

 

You may be right, I guess the type of dining options That may or not be available is not the reason we cruise and is not enough of a reason to change our booking.

 

Gail

[RocketMan275]

I agree with primary point, but suggest that there is possibly a difference that may not be observed till this actually goes live on the various ships (and may be distinctly different on Oasis vs. Quantum).

 

My hypothesis is that formal night mostly worked because it was a single event that was generally accepted and passengers would participate as they would be part of the majority and part of the "fun". But suggest that any night can be formal if the passenger desires, and then there will be a minimum of participation because passengers will not only feel like they are in a minority, but the aspect of "fun" isn't there.

 

IOW, formal nights only worked because of the coercive policies of the cruise line and now that every one is not being made to participate no one will?

 

In effect you are saying that formal nights never were all that much fun for the majority of cruisers anyway. At least not enough fun to participate once it's optional?

[mxylpic]

 

With DD you will have Windjammer, 24 hour cafe, and 3 additional complimentary restaurants plus additional speciality restaurants

 

This is not correct. The three "complimentary" restaurants replace the MDR, they are not additional choices. And one of those complimentary restaurants is formal every night, so unless you really feel like wearing the same tux to dinner, you are down to two. And on a large ship like Oasis that can only mean long lines for the free dinning to try and force you into the $$$$ dining. Frankly, I've had no interest in NCL because of the Freestyle Dining.

[SF]

Speciality restaurants will will exist, and In Fact you are not limited in anyway, currently near all the ships have 3 complimentary options: Windjammer, MDR, and a 24 hour cafe.

 

With DD you will have Windjammer, 24 hour cafe, and 3 additional complimentary restaurants plus additional speciality restaurants

 

You are missing the whole point here... for people who want full service dining for dinner the cafe and the buffet were never options in the past to begin with. It's not the number of restaurants one, two, three or five complimentary restaurants to choose from its the fact with DD that if the menus do not change for people who do not eat pork, fish, or seafood like several in our party it is very limited and we don't want to have the same choices over and over again on a two week cruise from the same menus. If they include alternatives like they did in the main dining room and if the menu as some have suggested on Oasis and Allure will change halfway through then there won't be a problem. It's not the fact of where we eat but the fact that there's only three complimentary places with limited menus that may or may not change. Not everybody enjoys the buffet at dinner or self serve there a lot of families that want to sit down and enjoy a nice dinner and get the full service treatment without having to be forced to go to a specialty restaurant to have a different menu option. Time will tell and I'm sure once Quantum comes out the reviews will start coming in.

[MommaBear55]

I for one am looking forward to trying DD. I tried the new menus when they came out two years ago and liked them. We have done traditional dining with family and with strangers. We've tried MTD as a family and with just the two of us. We've done some specialty dining. So far, we've had a good time each and every cruise. We have yet to try the Windjammer at night, so we might do that. I love to dress up once or twice a cruise, so it will be nice to be able to choose our formal night.

 

The worse thing that might happen? That DD isn't our favorite thing. I rather suspect that Royal Caribbean is rolling this out slowly to see how it works. If it doesn't work well, then they are not going to stick with it. They do want their customers to be happy and keep coming back.