Dining Dilemma?????

[NewCruiser10]

We are traveling on the Anthem on August 11th. We are scheduled for Dynamic Dining Classic early seating at 6:00P.M. We would like to do a private tour when we are in St Maarten, however we would also like to be back on the ship in time for our scheduled dinner time. Does the ship allow you any flexibility if you need to get back a little late? If so, how much flexibility? Any suggestions?

[Ourusualbeach]

How late is a little late? If I was going to be any more than 15 minutes late I would make alternate arrangements for that evening such as the WJ or a specialty restaurant. If it was 15 minutes or less then I would let my waiter know of this the night before.

Edited July 6, 2016 by Ourusualbeach

[Biker19]

If it was 15 minutes or less then I would let my waiter know of this the night before.

I'm not sure that will help - the host may give away the table anyway.

[Merion_Mom]

We are traveling on the Anthem on August 11th. We are scheduled for Dynamic Dining Classic early seating at 6:00P.M. We would like to do a private tour when we are in St Maarten, however we would also like to be back on the ship in time for our scheduled dinner time. Does the ship allow you any flexibility if you need to get back a little late? If so, how much flexibility? Any suggestions?

 

Hi, NewCruiser. The best plan is to eat elsewhere on the 15th. Make reservations at a specialty restaurant or go to the Windjammer. Everyone will be happier.

 

(P.S., they lie. It's not 6. They tell you that it's 6, but it's really 5:30)

[cb at sea]

No...if you can't make your scheduled dining time, you will need to make other arrangements....the buffet, or a specialty restaurant, or room service....or eat in port! You will need to be ON THE SHIP 30 mins prior to sail away time....that should give you a decent buffer.

Edited July 6, 2016 by cb at sea

[Ourusualbeach]

I'm not sure that will help - the host may give away the table anyway.

 

They have DD classic which I was under the impression is the same as traditional dining and that seat is yours and would not be given away if you are late.

[Clarea]

They have DD classic which I was under the impression is the same as traditional dining and that seat is yours and would not be given away if you are late.

Ken, I'm starting to see a time limit on traditional. Might have been Majesty or Vision, can't remember, but after 30 minutes, they gave the seats away to MTD people.

[NewCruiser10]

Thanks for all your replies. We are a group of 9 people and would really like to eat in the dining room. Is it possible to make a reservation for that one night if we have dynamic dining classic?

[Clarea]

Thanks for all your replies. We are a group of 9 people and would really like to eat in the dining room. Is it possible to make a reservation for that one night if we have dynamic dining classic?

If you have Dynamic Dining Classic, and your reservations are linked, you should automatically be at the same table at a fixed time every evening. You cannot change the fixed time for one night.

Edited July 6, 2016 by clarea

[Merion_Mom]

Thanks for all your replies. We are a group of 9 people and would really like to eat in the dining room. Is it possible to make a reservation for that one night if we have dynamic dining classic?

 

No, as I stated above, you should plan to eat elsewhere if you want to stay later on St. Maarten.

 

Your options are:

 

Many for-fee specialty restaurants. (Wonderland, Jamie's Italian, Chops, Izumi, Johnny Rockets

 

The Windjammer buffet.

 

The Solarium Bistro. No fee, but reservations needed.

 

Nosh for no charge at the Promenade Café or Sorrento's.

 

Pub food at Michael's Genuine Pub. There is a $10 special every day.

[DonnaK]

They have DD classic which I was under the impression is the same as traditional dining and that seat is yours and would not be given away if you are late.

 

It's different on Anthem because the dining rooms are used for both classic (traditional) and select (MTD) people. Also, traditional dining is listed as a range on your cruise planner (5:30-6pm), so as MerionMom said, classic really begins at 5:30. After 6pm or so, if you haven't shown up, they free up your table for select (MTD) people.

[Biker19]

It's different on Anthem because the dining rooms are used for both classic (traditional) and select (MTD) people. Also, traditional dining is listed as a range on your cruise planner (5:30-6pm), so as MerionMom said, classic really begins at 5:30. After 6pm or so, if you haven't shown up, they free up your table for select (MTD) people.

 

For the folks who would like to get a bit more confused, what other ships call MTD, Anthem calls Dynamic Dining Choice.

[DonnaK]

For the folks who would like to get a bit more confused, what other ships call MTD, Anthem calls Dynamic Dining Choice.

lol...I called it Select..isn't that Celebrity? It IS easy to get confused!

[TBone2K]

Ken, I'm starting to see a time limit on traditional. Might have been Majesty or Vision, can't remember, but after 30 minutes, they gave the seats away to MTD people.

 

That happened to us, but I don't recall which ship. The day after we went to Chops for dinner (we told our waiter we'd be gone), the people at the table next to us in MDR said someone else was at our table.

 

Not that we cared, but perhaps a sign that MTD is becoming more popular that they have to use MDR for overflow.

[Biker19]

Not that we cared, but perhaps a sign that MTD is becoming more popular that they have to use MDR for overflow.

 

Based on a comment from RCI CEO, MTD is preferred by over 1/2 the cruisers and going up. While it might have been aborted for now, I can see Dynamic Dining (with a different name) making a come back on many ships. The main diff between DD Choice and MTD is the menu - and that can be changed quickly. So on all the ships where traditional is the default, it could simply change so that MTD or DD is the default and traditional is an option - like on Anthem.

[Ourusualbeach]

Ken, I'm starting to see a time limit on traditional. Might have been Majesty or Vision, can't remember, but after 30 minutes, they gave the seats away to MTD people.

 

Thanks for the update. I can see that causing some confusion as we've seen more than one group arrive at least 30 minutes late. Personally I think it's a great idea to help out with the wait for MTD