Formal nights on Anthem

[Stitchman]

Really annoyed with RCI.

just found out there are no special formal nights on a 10 night cruise.

What the hell are they playing at ?

[Clarea]

Really annoyed with RCI.

just found out there are no special formal nights on a 10 night cruise.

What the hell are they playing at ?

It's called Dynamic Dining. You can set your own formal nights. One of the free restaurants requires formal wear.

[emmad1973]

The Grande is formal every night so you can choose to dine there when you want and dress up on those nights. We really enjoyed it on the Quantum, it was nice to choose what nights we wanted to dress up :-)

[BekkaW]

Did you do any research about the ship before you booked this cruise? I am amazed when people come on cruise critic complaining about things they really should have known.

[swoopy2110]

From what I read, you've moved to "Classic" Dynamic Dining in the roll call thread.

 

This means you'll get a minimum of 2 formal nights as you rotate round the restaurants.

 

Panic over

[Stitchman]

Did you do any research about the ship before you booked this cruise? I am amazed when people come on cruise critic complaining about things they really should have known.

 

why would I need to do research on an RCI ship ?

All the rest have had normal dining and formal nights .... why should this have been different ?

you're damn right I'm complaining !!

and swoopy ...... what's dynamic classic got to do with it ??

is everyone else on the ship going to be at dinner in the grande the same day as me ??

I think you're all missing the point !!

[sr4mjc]

Is your point that you want the whole ship to have formal night at the same time? Sorry, not the ship you booked on.

Edited April 6, 2015 by sr4mjc

[CruisinCons]

why would I need to do research on an RCI ship ?

All the rest have had normal dining and formal nights .... why should this have been different ?

you're damn right I'm complaining !!

and swoopy ...... what's dynamic classic got to do with it ??

is everyone else on the ship going to be at dinner in the grande the same day as me ??

I think you're all missing the point !!

 

Sorry Stitchman, CC is full of snarky people. Instead of being nice and giving constructive answers, more often than you'd like you get smart-alecs instead. Your original post was snarky to start, so those are the people who initially responded to you.

 

To answer your questions, the Quantum class of ships, which the Anthem is the second in this group, has a different type of dining than the others. It's a new system called "Dynamic Dining" where you make reservations at different restaurants based on your interests. There is one called The Grande, which is formal every night. Jackets required for men; if yours doesn't have one they will give him a loaner. You choose which nights you book at each dining room. You will NOT have the same waiter more than once on the trip unless you ask for them directly at the host station.

 

So many people have complained about this system (which requires to you make your reservations well in advance of the trip or you get stuck with stinky times) so there is a new system being offered on the Anthem called Classic Dynamic Dining, where the restaurants are rotated throughout the cruise, with the waiters traveling with you. You MUST choose this and it has limited availability.

 

That being said, the other posters do have a point (although they could have said it more nicely) that you can't assume just cause you have cruised RCCL before that every ship is the same. Each class comes with it's own new things that are supposed to WOW everyone, so you really should read up on a ship before you book it. This dining plan is not hidden but pretty prominent in their advertising. It is to your benefit to know your ship before booking.

 

I just got off the Quantum yesterday, so if you have any questions about how they handled the Dynamic Dining or my experience with it, I will be happy to (nicely) answer your questions.

[Mythbuster]

why would I need to do research on an RCI ship ?

All the rest have had normal dining and formal nights .... why should this have been different ?

you're damn right I'm complaining !!

and swoopy ...... what's dynamic classic got to do with it ??

is everyone else on the ship going to be at dinner in the grande the same day as me ??

I think you're all missing the point !!

 

Not sure what your point is unless you are saying that you want all 4,100 passengers on the ship to be dressed-up at the same time whether they want to or not just because you do.

 

On my many sailings on RCL formal nights I always go straight to my cabin after dinner to change to casual clothes so you would not see me dressed up anyway unless you were in the same dining seating as I am.

 

Dynamic Dining is set up to give EVERYONE the freedom to dress how they want when they want by choosing which evening to eat at various restaurants. In the old RCL system the only option for someone who does not enjoy dressing up is to eat in the Windjammer buffet style. Now you can avoid the Grande if you don't want to dress up but still have several dining options that include wait service and different menus.

 

Just think you can now dress to the nines every night and be seated with others dressed the same if you choose by choosing Grande every night. You couldn't do that in the old RCL dining.;)

[Stitchman]

Well it happens on all the other royal Caribbean ships. so why should quantum class be different.

I wouldn't have booked if I'd have known.

its your choice if you want to go and change back into casual.

I will miss these nights. you won't because you're probably more a shorts and vest type person. But that's up to you ......

[kezz]

Damn.

 

what's next.

 

Pint at the ready.

 

Kezz

[Donsyb]

Well it happens on all the other royal Caribbean ships. so why should quantum class be different.

 

Because pretty much EVERYTHING about quantum class is different - and they've spent a fortune in advertising to tell people that. You must have seen the adverts on UK TV selling it as part cruise ship, part space ship?

 

Surely you don't cruise just for the formal nights, but maybe you should change your booking to a different ship if it bothers you that much?

[SausPud]

Well it happens on all the other royal Caribbean ships. so why should quantum class be different.

I wouldn't have booked if I'd have known.

its your choice if you want to go and change back into casual.

I will miss these nights. you won't because you're probably more a shorts and vest type person. But that's up to you ......

 

I know where you are coming from as you want the formal to be a whole ship experience.

Are you only expecting formal nights on your 10 night cruise or your 3 night one as well?

I am doing the same 3 night cruise as you and don't want formal on that trip so have NOT reserved Grande.

But on my 14 night cruise in July, I wanted to do two formal nights on seas days, so have booked Grande on those days. I am doing formal on the days I want and not when the ship wants. What the DW and I didn't want to do was a 10hr excursion and then have to rush about for an early dinner in formal wear. With Dynamic Dining I am in control. OK only 450 of us will be in formal wear and I probably won't change into normal casual wear after dinner. What this means is that you will see people in formal wear every night of your cruise.

 

Not knowing that "Dynamic Dining" was a new experience on Quantum Class ships is a bit naive, when it has been mentioned and advertised since this time last year. It would have been pointed out to you on your booking, especially when you were not asked for an early or late dinner reservation.

 

If it such a major problem that the whole ship isn't dressed up on your day, then cancel both cruises and book something more traditional. But a little bit of dressing up with just 450 people instead of 4,100 would not be spoiling my cruise.

It's not like RCCL had a gala night and have cancelled them all on your cruise for no reason and just told you a day before you sail. That hasn't happened.

[CruisinCons]

Because pretty much EVERYTHING about quantum class is different - and they've spent a fortune in advertising to tell people that. You must have seen the adverts on UK TV selling it as part cruise ship, part space ship?

 

Surely you don't cruise just for the formal nights, but maybe you should change your booking to a different ship if it bothers you that much?

 

So I guess you expect them to always keep everything the same, and never change with the times? Or maybe try to improve or make things better? I'm not a big fan of change normally in life, tend to be a creature of habit myself, but that makes life a bit boring - go with the flow and embrace the new options! If you don't like it, you know not to book on that class again. But for future bookings, whether on RCCL or another cruise line, it is to your benefit to read up on it before spending your money.

[JezzaC]

Well it happens on all the other royal Caribbean ships. so why should quantum class be different.

I wouldn't have booked if I'd have known.

its your choice if you want to go and change back into casual.

I will miss these nights. you won't because you're probably more a shorts and vest type person. But that's up to you ......

 

Well - we booked because there aren't formal nights in Quantum class ships - So not everyone is wanting them. We think that formal nights are old fashioned. Isn't it good that there is choice for everyone?

[Stitchman]

I tried changing my cruise. RCI won't let me and there are no other cruises that have the right amount of days to change it to.

formal nights are special. but not on this class of vessel.

my cruise only got booked a month ago. so haven't been looking at all the gumph since last year.

I like traditional, like they do on their other ships.

I'm entitled to my opinion.

its a lot of money to spend if it's not what you want.

everyone reading this has obviously got a lot of time on their hands to be able to scrutinise blog after blog about quantum class ships.

The girl at cruise.co.uk didn't help, she just dragged the payment out of my girlfriend and didn't explain anything.

It was lucky I checked as she hadn't put on our free parking.

I am obviously airing to the wrong people on here anyway.

[applefan75]

You have no one to blame but yourself, RCI has hardly hidden the changes they've made with Quantum class. I for one will enjoy the new Dynamic Dining.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[Donsyb]

I tried changing my cruise. RCI won't let me and there are no other cruises that have the right amount of days to change it to.

formal nights are special. but not on this class of vessel.

my cruise only got booked a month ago. so haven't been looking at all the gumph since last year.

 

I am obviously airing to the wrong people on here anyway.

 

You din't need to read all the gumph - just the basics on the RCI website, especially if you only just booked.

 

Would love to have so much money I could spend that much on a cruise and not check what I was paying for ;)

[Guest maddycat]

I tried changing my cruise. RCI won't let me and there are no other cruises that have the right amount of days to change it to.

formal nights are special. but not on this class of vessel.

my cruise only got booked a month ago. so haven't been looking at all the gumph since last year.

I like traditional, like they do on their other ships.

I'm entitled to my opinion.

its a lot of money to spend if it's not what you want.

everyone reading this has obviously got a lot of time on their hands to be able to scrutinise blog after blog about quantum class ships.

The girl at cruise.co.uk didn't help, she just dragged the payment out of my girlfriend and didn't explain anything.

It was lucky I checked as she hadn't put on our free parking.

I am obviously airing to the wrong people on here anyway.

 

There is absolutely no way that I would booked any cruise with out thoroughly researching it first. If you had bothered going to RCI's website you would have known about dynamic dining. You would have known that there is no main dining room. You would have known that there are no shipwide formal nights.

 

You didn't do your part to educate yourself and now you're complaining. Lesson learned. In the future, educate yourself before you spend your money.

[Stitchman]

There is absolutely no way that I would booked any cruise with out thoroughly researching it first. If you had bothered going to RCI's website you would have known about dynamic dining. You would have known that there is no main dining room. You would have known that there are no shipwide formal nights.

 

You didn't do your part to educate yourself and now you're complaining. Lesson learned. In the future,

educate yourself before you spend your money.

well maddy ......

In Christ knows how many cruises, I've never had a problem before. But heyho ...... I've made the mistake and there you go.

Thank heavens it'll just be a ship full of annoyed brits that never read the small print ......

The bit that I can't seem to get into your "blinkered" heads is......what has dynamic dining got to do with formal night ?

answers on a postcard please :)

[quicknova]

well maddy ......

In Christ knows how many cruises, I've never had a problem before. But heyho ...... I've made the mistake and there you go.

Thank heavens it'll just be a ship full of annoyed brits that never read the small print ......

The bit that I can't seem to get into your "blinkered" heads is......what has dynamic dining got to do with formal night ?

answers on a postcard please :)

 

 

once again you don't seem to understand there aren't any formal nights, you got the grande which is the only formal dining room

[CCFC]

I'm a Brit and wont be annoyed, I didn't read the small print, my travel agent told me my dining options and I investigated further. We are doing second sitting classic dining and will have 2 formal nights, maybe 3 if we are in the "Formal" Grande on the first two nights of a fortnight.

 

Looking at what has been said before about "formal nights" on RCI I also worked out its not that formal if you don't want it to be anyway.

 

I enjoy a formal night.

Edited April 7, 2015 by CCFC

[papcx]

WOW, what a charmer!

 

A member of these boards for 8 years, plenty of cruise history, but just assumes a brand new class of ship will be exactly the same as all the others.

 

I've thick skin, call me any names you like.

[OfTheSeasCruiser]

well maddy ......

In Christ knows how many cruises, I've never had a problem before. But heyho ...... I've made the mistake and there you go.

Thank heavens it'll just be a ship full of annoyed brits that never read the small print ......

The bit that I can't seem to get into your "blinkered" heads is......what has dynamic dining got to do with formal night ?

answers on a postcard please :)

 

Because Dynamic Dining is what has replaced traditional dining!! :rolleyes::confused: With Dynamic, there are no ship-wide formal nights, but a formal restaurant that you can go to several times a cruise. And now with the new "Classic" option where you get the same waiters, I think it is a neat idea.

 

Oh and by the way, one visit to the Royal website would have informed you of allllll of this.

[Guest maddycat]

WOW, what a charmer!

 

A member of these boards for 8 years, plenty of cruise history, but just assumes a brand new class of ship will be exactly the same as all the others.

 

I've thick skin, call me any names you like.

 

Love it!