Poll: Traditional dining vs anytime dining

[Retired not Expired]

There's a lot of discussion about this and from what I can see the majority is against anytime / freestyle dining, mostly in efforts to maintain the impeccable quality of service along with tradition.

 

I of course agree BUT has anyone said anything to RCCI? Have we sent them comments, letters, emails about how we feel? I would guess that diamond and diamond members, even Platinum members comments will carry a lot of weight during the decision process.

 

If we feel that strongly about this, and it seems like we do, we need to tell them, formally.

 

Yes, people should write and let them know how you feel one way or the other. But be polite and concise. Those are the letters they will take time to read, not ranting.

 

But, everyone here should realize that CC makes up just a small percentage of cruisers and the poll is not scientific, nor accurate for research purposes. You can see that less than 700 have voted and how many of those came from other boards to vote? 700 is only 1/4 to 1/3 of the cruisers on one ship in a week. Multiply that by 52 weeks and 22 ships and you see just how small a number it is. RCI will use many sources of information to make decisions such as comment cards, their own polls, etc. I'm sure that research has already told them there is a need. This test is just to see how it will pan out. And as some has said, it may be a test to see if they want to put it on new builds.

[lori450]

Petition?????

[welove2cruise*]

I am so glad RCI is finally seeing the light. Offering both traditional and anytime seating is the only way to go as far as I am concerned.

 

I am Diamond with RCI but have avoided sailing with them for this very reason. I cruise twice a year. We love the choices on both NCL and Princess.

 

I also read that Princess just put in place a sytem that provides entry into only one dining room or the other, I believe based on a notation on your keycard. This was as a result of the abuse by several people who took the option of traditional, and then ended up eating several evenings in the anytime dining room. IMO the only true data collection concerning preference will be available after this has been implemented for a while.

 

One other thing that bothers me is the attitude of some of the people on this board. Why are so many people so threatened by something they think isn't going to work to begin with? And, who would want to be stuck at a traditional table with people who seem so opposed to differing viewpoints? That would not be my idea of a great dinner companion.

[SherriZ366]

Yes, people should write and let them know how you feel one way or the other. But be polite and concise. Those are the letters they will take time to read, not ranting.

 

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good advice

[Mines]

We have just returned from an excellent cruise on Celebrity Constellation. There was casual, anytime dining in the Seaview Café (served at the table in part of the buffet area) a pasta station, sushi station, pizza station and speciality restaurant.

 

On our 14 night cruise, we ate on-shore once, in the casual anytime three times, in the pizza / pasta twice, the speciality restaurant once and the rest of the time in the traditional dining. We had plenty of choices, had a wonderful time and could not have asked for more.

 

So what is all of the fuss about. People want to have flexibility and the RCI and Celebrity ships ALREADY offer this. There are multiple dining options on all RCI ships. Even on the Vision class, there is still the windjammer.

 

I think the answer is to have more speciality restaurants and casual dining options. Then you would not need the anytime option.

[lori450]

Thank you Mines. Perfect solution! (IMHO)

[DeepWaterMariner]

I don't agree Mines. I for one want the main dinning room experience with the addition of flexibility my dinning time. Why should I have to pay extra to dine when I want through going to a specialty restaurant or miss out on the main dinning room service by eating at the Windjammer.

[Mines]

I don't agree Mines. I for one want the main dinning room experience with the addition of flexibility my dinning time. Why should I have to pay extra to dine when I want through going to a specialty restaurant or miss out on the main dinning room service by eating at the Windjammer.

 

I agree that you should have this option. My point is that there should be choice. Then everyone is happy. If there were enough people wanting anytime dining they could make the upper floor of the dining area reserved for this purpose. I think this is why they are making an experiment. But there is clearly a majority that prefers fixed seating, which is why the Princess 50-50 scheme does not work well.

[SherriZ366]

I agree that you should have this option. My point is that there should be choice. Then everyone is happy. If there were enough people wanting anytime dining they could make the upper floor of the dining area reserved for this purpose. I think this is why they are making an experiment. But there is clearly a majority that prefers fixed seating, which is why the Princess 50-50 scheme does not work well.

On their largest ships, Princess has 2 dining rooms for anytime and one for traditional so its more like 2/3 anytime and 1/3 tradtional so the odds are even worse for those who want traditional.

[DeepWaterMariner]

Mines, I think most Princess cruisers would disagree with you. We've never had a problem with Personal Choice dinning on Princess.

[Guest scfjjb]

Mines, I think most Princess cruisers would disagree with you. We've never had a problem with Personal Choice dinning on Princess.

 

Princess cruiser with another point of view here. We are on Serenade instead of Crown Princess because of traditional seating. We dislike the waits and especially the dreaded beepers.

[SherriZ366]

Princess cruiser with another point of view here. We are on Serenade instead of Crown Princess because of traditional seating. We dislike the waits and especially the dreaded beepers.

Hope you will put positive comments on traditional seating on your comment card.

[Cruising Carol]

Just off Diamond Princess with Anytime dining. Worked beautifully for us in Alaska. We wanted to eat early, so we were at dining room at 5:30 when they opened. Got our table for four. Received good, unhurried service. When we found our favorite table by a picture window, we reserved it for 5:30. The maitre de did check to see if we were Anytime or Traditional each evening when we entered. Problems arise if those with Traditional assignments decide to do Anytime dining for one evening because of an excursion coming in late. That can crowd the dining room.

[Cruising Carol]

Just off Diamond Princess with Anytime dining. Worked beautifully for us in Alaska. We wanted to eat early, so we were at dining room at 5:30 when they opened. Got our table for four. Received good, unhurried service. When we found our favorite table by a picture window, we reserved it for 5:30. The maitre de did check to see if we were Anytime or Traditional each evening when we entered. Problems arise if those with Traditional assignments decide to do Anytime dining for one evening because of an excursion coming in late. That can crowd the dining room. We are waitlisted for early seating for our Christmas cruise on RCCL. If we can't get it, we will be doing the windjammer scene. I would welcome the option of anytime dining in preference to late seating.

[MomGo]

Except for our first 2 cruises, we always had Freestyle Dining on NCL, found the wait staff to be wonderful, and never waited in any lines. On our last cruise, we chose the Crown Princess and the Itinerary because they had both Traditional and Anytime Dining. We asked for Anytime, but were given Traditional Late Seating. We went to Anytime the first night, and found the staff to be just okay. The next night was our formal night and since we finished our formal pics right at the time of Traditional Late Seating, we opted to go to that Dining Room. IT WAS WONDERFUL!!!! The Matre'D, Head Waiter, Waiter, and Staff were absolutely fantastic to us. We ate Traditional every night and really remember how great the staff can be when they see you every night. I doubt we'll ever do anything except Traditional from this point on. Hopefully, we'll have the same experience on AOS next June. :) It will be our first RCI cruise.

[SherriZ366]

Except for our first 2 cruises, we always had Freestyle Dining on NCL, found the wait staff to be wonderful, and never waited in any lines. On our last cruise, we chose the Crown Princess and the Itinerary because they had both Traditional and Anytime Dining. We asked for Anytime, but were given Traditional Late Seating. We went to Anytime the first night, and found the staff to be just okay. The next night was our formal night and since we finished our formal pics right at the time of Traditional Late Seating, we opted to go to that Dining Room. IT WAS WONDERFUL!!!! The Matre'D, Head Waiter, Waiter, and Staff were absolutely fantastic to us. We ate Traditional every night and really remember how great the staff can be when they see you every night. I doubt we'll ever do anything except Traditional from this point on. Hopefully, we'll have the same experience on AOS next June. :) It will be our first RCI cruise.

Bet you will -- we really like RCCL's service.

[welove2cruise*]

I find it interesting to compare cruise lines using phrases to indicate one has better service than another. We have sailed on 5 of the major cruise lines (more than once per line - some much more than others) and found that just like at a land based restaurant - some servers were much better than others. I never noticed anything that could be directly related to a cruise line, more it was noticible in the staff themselves. The best were those who were happy with and good at their jobs. We have had excellent servers on every line and we have had less than excellent on every line.

[davispigeon]

Count me as another traditional seating fan. And yes, I've tried the alternative (NCL) and didn't care for it. It felt like a standard land restaurant, not a cruise. I missed the familiarity with my wait staff and yes, even interactions with the other diners.

I booked on HAL before realizing that they were switching to their As You Wish dining plan. My TA had to put me on the waiting list for traditional dining. I'm not happy with that...if I had known, I would have booked on another cruise line.

And now I hear that RCL is trying out the flexible dining thing? :( I really hope it's not on MY cruise in November!

Sadly, the only mass-market cruise line that seems to still have all traditional seating is...Carnival. How ironic.

Oh and just for the record, I'm 40yo.

[SherriZ366]

And now I hear that RCL is trying out the flexible dining thing? :( I really hope it's not on MY cruise in November!

.

RCCL is doing a test of open dining for cruises only on Freedom of the Seas during October - December with the exception of holiday and a charter weeks. Your Sovereign cruise will not be affected.

[Laura05]

1 vote for Traditional fixed seating dining

[Bakincakes]

"dummy down" means moving away from the traditional cruising experience to something more casual and less elegant. So many things have changed since we started cruising, and it just seems more "watered down" now. Not lower class, just not as special or unique.

 

Very well put!!!!!!:)

[barbaragrace]

We were just on NCL 'FREESTYLE' in June and I HATED it!

There was either a long line of people who decided to eat the same time we did or there was no food left because we were late.

My vote:

TRADITIONAL!

[Island Annie]

"Traditional" dining on RCCI is something I always look forward to. I enjoy getting to know my tablemates & like having the same waiters every night who know my likes & dislikes.

 

To me "Freestyle" or "anytime" dining seems very inpersonal.

 

If I wanted "Freestyle/anytime" dining I know where to find it. That's one of the reasons I keep coming back to RCCI:-) (PLEASE don't change it).

[gagirl7143]

Traditional all the way !!!!!!

[codewize]

Beepers on a cruise ship? I think not. I hate it at home and I absolutely refuse to wait for a table while on vacation.

 

I'll drive 50 miles with no questions asked before standing in line with a beeper to eat dinner.

 

ARE YOU PAYING ATTENTION RCI ? 619 TO 232 IN FAVOR OF TRADITIONAL DINING