Dynamic Dining. Is it a minefield?

[little britain]

Not exactly. The menu selection in each of the DD venues is more focused toward a specific type of cooking resulting in a more limited menu. If someone doesn't like Asian food is that really a choice for them? DD results in more limited dinner selections and in reality fewer choices than MTD. RCCL has a great concept with MTD and should just move toward MTD for the entire ship.

I disagree. With the 'old' MDR/MTD concept you had 'one menu fits all'. IIRC just 6 entrees. Sometimes nothing appealed.

With DD you now have 4 (or 5) restaurants - each one serving 8 entrees - that is 32 (or 40) entrees each evening to pick from.

DD results in a far more varied offering than MDR/MTD

 

I'm sorry that you don't see the big picture. Clarea is spot on. There are fewer choices and DD is just another way RCL is cutting back on the quality of the cruise experience.

I may not be any good at maths but I always thought that 32 entrees was a higher number and therefore giving me more choice than 6 entrees.

 

And yes, I've done DD on both Quantum and Anthem.

Edited May 18, 2015 by little britain

[Maraprince]

I disagree. With the 'old' MDR/MTD concept you had 'one menu fits all'. IIRC just 6 entrees. Sometimes nothing appealed.

With DD you now have 4 (or 5) restaurants - each one serving 8 entrees - that is 32 (or 40) entrees each evening to pick from.

DD results in a far more varied offering than MDR/MTD

 

I may not be any good at maths but I always thought that 32 entrees was a higher number and therefore giving me more choice than 6 entrees.

 

And yes, I've done DD on both Quantum and Anthem.

 

You forgot to include "the always available" that was part of the MDR menu that expanded the daily choices.

 

MARAPRINCE

[dz9yvr]

I disagree. With the 'old' MDR/MTD concept you had 'one menu fits all'. IIRC just 6 entrees. Sometimes nothing appealed.

With DD you now have 4 (or 5) restaurants - each one serving 8 entrees - that is 32 (or 40) entrees each evening to pick from.

DD results in a far more varied offering than MDR/MTD

 

I may not be any good at maths but I always thought that 32 entrees was a higher number and therefore giving me more choice than 6 entrees.

 

And yes, I've done DD on both Quantum and Anthem.

 

I guess you still have a problem with math. You only get to go to one restaurant each night, so it isn't 40 selections.

[John&LaLa]

I disagree. With the 'old' MDR/MTD concept you had 'one menu fits all'. IIRC just 6 entrees. Sometimes nothing appealed.

With DD you now have 4 (or 5) restaurants - each one serving 8 entrees - that is 32 (or 40) entrees each evening to pick from.

DD results in a far more varied offering than MDR/MTD

 

I may not be any good at maths but I always thought that 32 entrees was a higher number and therefore giving me more choice than 6 entrees.

 

And yes, I've done DD on both Quantum and Anthem.

 

Technically there are more total choices in the old way. However, those choices are only there one night

[RocketMan275]

It's the fact I didn't realise when I booked ........

 

IT'S IN SCHOOL HOLIDAYS !!!!! ARRRGGGHHHH !!!!

 

You poor thing! I do hope you'll survive the trauma.

 

Be optimistic. Just another reason to consume more adult beverages.

Edited May 18, 2015 by RocketMan275

[Bobal]

I guess you still have a problem with math. You only get to go to one restaurant each night, so it isn't 40 selections.

 

Technically there are more total choices in the old way. However, those choices are only there one night

 

I agree with Littlebritain and dont understand either of the above posts:

 

Yes you only get to go to one restaurant every night but you have the choice of 40 selections from the 3 or 4 restaurants on offer and therefore choose which one takes your fancy. In the MDR as it stands you have (say) 6 selections each night and if none of them take your fancy......well tough luck, you settle for something on the menu or have to eat elsewhere - i.e. Windjammer or Speciality.

 

And I just dont see how you have more chances the old way :confused:

Edited May 18, 2015 by Bobal

[Stitchman]

You poor thing! I do hope you'll survive the trauma.

 

Be optimistic. Just another reason to consume more adult beverages.

 

 

Good call ..... I think I will xx

[John&LaLa]

I agree with Littlebritain and dont understand either of the above posts:

 

Yes you only get to go to one restaurant every night but you have the choice of 40 selections from the 3 or 4 restaurants on offer and therefore choose which one takes your fancy. In the MDR as it stands you have (say) 6 selections each night and if none of them take your fancy......well tough luck, you settle for something on the menu or have to eat elsewhere - i.e. Windjammer or Speciality.

 

And I just dont see how you have more chances the old way :confused:

 

Sorry I have confused you.

 

My point was the current system has on average 6 choices per night times 7 nights = 42 choices. Add in 6 always available items and you get 48 choices. That is more than the 40 you refer to.

 

Don't get me wrong, I look forward to a new concept. I was just pointing out the total choices for 7 days may have been more than it will be in the future

 

As always YMMV

[TC1957]

In my opinion, the complete switch to DD fleet wide (especially when coupled with the noticeable drop in the quality of service we saw on our last cruise) is completely ant totally tied to an apparent shift in priorities of the RCI Senior Management team. It appears to me that they really could not care less if you come back as a repeat cruiser and are much more concerned with attracting first time cruisers.

 

If they wanted to get customers to be loyal, they would take steps to enhance their loyalty program at the lower end of the spectrum, the quality (and temperature) of the food served would not have dropped off so noticeably, dining staff...beyond the waiter and assistant...would express interest and gratitude even if the customer is not forking the extra dollars to eat in a "specialty" place, etc. For these two repeat cruisers (me and DW) they just don't seem to care about the things we like.

 

If their new focus works I am happy for them. We just decided after the last cruise that given the drop in overall quality and experience in just one year we would take land vacations for a while. We still want to do an Alaskan cruise, but that is probably the last one on our "travel bucket list" that we will take before retirement...and then maybe only one or two others.

[Donsyb]

There are those who would believe that dinners taking less than two hours is proof that Dynamic Dining does not work.

 

Funny because I've also seen complaints that reports of DD dinners taking longer than 2 hours also means it's a failure LOL! I guess RCi can't win whatever they do......

[Cruisin' Again 86]

Which ships are using DD ?

[Clarea]

Which ships are using DD ?

Just Quantum and Anthem so far.

[Cruisin' Again 86]

Just Quantum and Anthem so far.

 

Thanks for the quick response !

[John&LaLa]

Funny because I've also seen complaints that reports of DD dinners taking longer than 2 hours also means it's a failure LOL! I guess RCi can't win whatever they do......

 

That may have been in the beginning. I believe it has improved with additional staffing

[Donsyb]

That may have been in the beginning. I believe it has improved with additional staffing

 

I get that, my point was more people complained it took too long, now Rocketman thinks they'll complain they're too short.....

[3dog]

My point was the current system has on average 6 choices per night times 7 nights = 42 choices. Add in 6 always available items and you get 48 choices. That is more than the 40 you refer to.

 

Just to clarify: 6 of the 7 menus have 6 selections and one has 5, and there are 5 "Classic" selections, so that would only total 46 choices for the week. Though at most, only 12 choices in one night, and once the night is gone so are 5 or 6 of those choices (not making a judgement, just adding a detail).

 

However, there are some statements suggesting that some of the DD menus may change mid-cruise (not sure how far this will be taken), so there are two menus to choose from for some venues. Plus the 5 "Classics" are available in each of the DD restaurants (though some only seem to offer 7 venue-specific entree's). And if you are in a suite, there is also access to Coastal Kitchen which adds an extra restaurant.

 

So with DD, there will be 42 selections among 5 venues (49 if in a suite) if menus don't change, and some amount more if they do, and all are available every night.

 

So like I mentioned several posts earlier at one time the "more choices in the MDR" had some merit but also requires much more specific details as to what constitutes "more choices" ("per day", "per week", "what's available the rest of the week", etc.).

 

 

But generally this discussion is hollow, as it is only practical to have 7 of those entree's in one week-long cruise.

[John&LaLa]

Technically there are more total choices in the old way. However, those choices are only there one night

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sorry I have confused you.

 

My point was the current system has on average 6 choices per night times 7 nights = 42 choices. Add in 6 always available items and you get 48 choices. That is more than the 40 you refer to.

 

Don't get me wrong, I look forward to a new concept. I was just pointing out the total choices for 7 days may have been more than it will be in the future

 

As always YMMV

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Just to clarify: 6 of the 7 menus have 6 selections and one has 5, and there are 5 "Classic" selections, so that would only total 46 choices for the week. Though at most, only 12 choices in one night, and once the night is gone so are 5 or 6 of those choices (not making a judgement, just adding a detail).

 

However, there are some statements suggesting that some of the DD menus may change mid-cruise (not sure how far this will be taken), so there are two menus to choose from for some venues. Plus the 5 "Classics" are available in each of the DD restaurants (though some only seem to offer 7 venue-specific entree's). And if you are in a suite, there is also access to Coastal Kitchen which adds an extra restaurant.

 

So with DD, there will be 42 selections among 5 venues (49 if in a suite) if menus don't change, and some amount more if they do, and all are available every night.

 

So like I mentioned several posts earlier at one time the "more choices in the MDR" had some merit but also requires much more specific details as to what constitutes "more choices" ("per day", "per week", "what's available the rest of the week", etc.).

 

 

But generally this discussion is hollow, as it is only practical to have 7 of those entree's in one week-long cruise.

 

That is the point I tried to make in the beginning. I guess I failed, your explanation is better worded.

 

FWIW, we did Oasis on April 18. It was supposed to be DD. I was disappointed that it wasn't. Did Giovanni Table first night, MTD the second (just awful) and did Coastal Kitchen rest of trip. We should have eaten there every night. I could have eaten the first menu every time, but we did get a new menu on day 5. First menu was better

[RocketMan275]

I get that, my point was more people complained it took too long, now Rocketman thinks they'll complain they're too short.....

 

Oh, I know they will complain. Many have stated that they like spending a couple of hours at dinner getting to know their table mates and establishing a relationship with their waiters. Not saying this is bad, only stating that it is a feature for many cruisers. Others would rather not. One man's feature is another man's drawback.

[little britain]

Funny because I've also seen complaints that reports of DD dinners taking longer than 2 hours also means it's a failure LOL! I guess RCi can't win whatever they do......

 

Agree - why do people want to set a time limit over how long dinner should take?!

I much prefer to sit with friends and a good bottle of wine, chatting over a long leisurely meal.....rather than scoff it down as quick as possible......:rolleyes:

Edited May 19, 2015 by little britain

[Stitchman]

Agree - why do people want to set a time limit over how long dinner should take?!

I much prefer to sit with friends and a good bottle of wine, chatting over a long leisurely meal.....rather than scoff it down as quick as possible......:rolleyes:

 

 

WELL SAID LITTLE BRITAIN !!!

I know we haven't always seen eye to eye.

but you are so right. well done my friend :)

[Donsyb]

Agree - why do people want to set a time limit over how long dinner should take?!

I much prefer to sit with friends and a good bottle of wine, chatting over a long leisurely meal.....rather than scoff it down as quick as possible......:rolleyes:

 

I suppose because Americans will be more used to quicker meal times, restaurants over there, even michelin starred ones, tend to serve food much quicker with less wait time between courses, so this is what they are used to. Whereas in Europe, we are used to a meal out taking 3 hours or so, with lots of time to talk (and drink LOL) between courses.