Oasis and Dynamic Dining - first sailing?

Is there a specific first sailing that Oasis will roll out Dynamic Dining? I've heard March 2015, but just wondering if we know the exact sailing. I'm looking forward to trying it - not that I want to be on the FIRST one - I'd like them to work the kinks out first - but I would like to do late spring and want to make sure it will be switched over!

The press release (10/14/2014) from RC says, "Guests will enjoy menus of the new concepts beginning March 14, 2015, onboard Oasis of the Seas. Guests sailing Oasis of the Seas prior to March 14, will enjoy the traditional dining room experience in the newly designed spaces."

http://www.royalcaribbeanpresscenter.com/press-release/1115/royal-caribbean-raises-the-bar-on-award-winning-oasis-class-ships-with-royal-advantage-enhancements/

The press release (10/14/2014) from RC says, "Guests will enjoy menus of the new concepts beginning March 14, 2015, onboard Oasis of the Seas. Guests sailing Oasis of the Seas prior to March 14, will enjoy the traditional dining room experience in the newly designed spaces."

 

http://www.royalcaribbeanpresscenter.com/press-release/1115/royal-caribbean-raises-the-bar-on-award-winning-oasis-class-ships-with-royal-advantage-enhancements/

Thank you!!

So, I'm on the 3/7 Oasis sailing, and I got an email today titled "Important information regarding your Oasis of the Seas® cruise". Included in it was the following. Presumably someone has made a mistake.

DYNAMIC DINING COMES TO OASIS CLASS IN MARCH 2015

Bold new culinary concepts, more choice and total flexibility, with no set dining times, assigned seating or required formal nights. Explore the options and plan ahead with our new reservations system.

• Three complimentary restaurants take the place of the main dining room: American Icon Grill; Silk, featuring an eclectic pan-Asian menu; and the Grande, serving refined classic cuisine

• Expanded selections at the Windjammer Marketplace, with theme dinners every evening

• Grilled sausages and franks at the Boardwalk Dog House

• Sabor Taqueria & Tequila Bar for a fresh take on Mexican favorites

• Japanese grill specialties at Izumi Hibachi & Sushi, now on Deck 4

• Gastro-innovations at Wonderland Imaginative Cuisine

• Reservations can be made on Cruise Planner starting January 1st, 2015

I hope we will be hearing soon all about the smooth transition to the reservation system on the RC website.:rolleyes:

Is there a specific first sailing that Oasis will roll out Dynamic Dining? I've heard March 2015, but just wondering if we know the exact sailing. I'm looking forward to trying it - not that I want to be on the FIRST one - I'd like them to work the kinks out first - but I would like to do late spring and want to make sure it will be switched over!

Dynamic Dining will be implemented March 14th, 2015 on the Oasis. I know this cause I'm on the following weeks sailing and I already got the email telling me I can book my DD reservations on January 1st, 2015.

If this concept is rolled out across the RCI fleet then I know a number of people who will not be cruising RCI again.... :(

If this concept is rolled out across the RCI fleet then I know a number of people who will not be cruising RCI again.... :(

Totally agree. We have two upcoming cruises one on Allure and one on Oasis again. We will be keeping the Allure since it will not have the dynamic dining but Oasis will so we plan on cancelling :( and we will book with Celebrity instead :) as they still have traditional dining.

While they may lose some cruisers, they will also probably gain some! I had no intention of booking Oasis or Allure for 2015 but am doing so to try DD!

Totally agree. We have two upcoming cruises one on Allure and one on Oasis again. We will be keeping the Allure since it will not have the dynamic dining but Oasis will so we plan on cancelling :( and we will book with Celebrity instead :) as they still have traditional dining.

Why wouldn't you at least try it before deciding it's not for you?

Why wouldn't you at least try it before deciding it's not for you?

I think we certainly have to wait and hear how it's working on Quantum before deciding. I have been on one NCL cruise (Hawaii) and hated it, making restaurants reservations was terrible. But they had a really bad system, you had to be there in person at 7:30am or 5pm the day before, no computers, no phone. I swore I'd never do NCL again (as many people do :o ). But I know lots of people love NCL. And we did the specialty dining package on Celebrity Silhouette earlier this year, and really enjoyed it, so not having the MDR experience is OK with me. It's all about the food, so far as I'm concerned. The MDR on the NCL ship I was on was the worst food we had on the ship. Bottom line is we need to hear how RCL is handling it.

In my case, I'm apparently going to miss DD by a week on Oasis, but I have a Quantum cruise booked for late next year.

Why wouldn't you at least try it before deciding it's not for you?

Nope, I know enough. The current system has 7 unique menus in the MDR for a 7 day cruise. DD has 3 dining rooms and if you don't like Asian food you are down to 2 locations with maybe 1 change in menus during the week for each dining room. Seems obvious that the dining choices are much more limited and they are trying to push more people to the specialty restaurants or the WJ. No Thanks.

After I conclude my current planned trips on Allure and Oasis, it will be ..................Hello Princess !!!!!!

And maybe just for fun, I'll enter the Cruise Like a Norwegian Sweepstakes

Nope, I know enough. The current system has 7 unique menus in the MDR for a 7 day cruise. DD has 3 dining rooms and if you don't like Asian food you are down to 2 locations with maybe 1 change in menus during the week for each dining room. Seems obvious that the dining choices are much more limited and they are trying to push more people to the specialty restaurants or the WJ. No Thanks.

 

 

After I conclude my current planned trips on Allure and Oasis, it will be ..................Hello Princess !!!!!!

Enjoy Princess then! [emoji6]

If this concept is rolled out across the RCI fleet then I know a number of people who will not be cruising RCI again.... :(

We agree,you can count us in,we will not sail on a ship without traditional dining.:)

We agree,you can count us in,we will not sail on a ship without traditional dining.:)

Those of you who have been traveling and sailing for a long time know what you like and that's great, you're fortunate in that way! But do you remember back to when traveling was about exploring and experiencing different things? I hope to never lose that sense of adventure.

Those of you who have been traveling and sailing for a long time know what you like and that's great, you're fortunate in that way! But do you remember back to when traveling was about exploring and experiencing different things? I hope to never lose that sense of adventure.

When we cruise the Caribbean its mainly for rest and relaxation on the ship as we've been to those ports many times not for "adventure" so yes traditional dining is important like others have said especially to us and we will not be sailing with Royal Caribbean after our up coming Allure and Oasis cruise if there's only two or three dynamic dining full-service restaurants.

We have sailed since 1998 and loved the fixed dining experience of the MDR. Still do if the food is good and table mates and ourselves show up! I would think as an option to DD, have a fixed dining option whereby you want to eat at a fixed time, at a fixed table with the same table mates for the duration of the cruise.

We tend to now try the Speciality restaurants and thus we know we leave our fixed dining table mates alone or potentially alone. In turn we have gone to MDR and table mates not show up. We like to book round tables for 8 and have had just us and another couple come. Never had the issue of sitting at a table for 8 by ourselves, but have seen it.

We have also gone through the gyrations of pre booking reservations at speciality restaurants on Allure of Seas. One cruise we only ate in MDR on formal night with other 6 nights in different specialty restaurants. Excluding the cost, it was okay. Did not like Chops (too dark and we sat on a bench next to a wall where we were so close to other diners, we struck up conversations with couples on both sides of us.

Anyway, we for sure will try DD at least once, but I am cruising for the relaxation and NOT the potential stress/aggravation/time it takes to book dinner reservations that may require us to book real early or real late due to demand for/luck/ability to get a reservation at 6-7 pm. In past, shows and other entertainment were scheduled around the 2 seatings in the MDR and not sure how DD complements or disrupts this with the potential of making passengers chose dining times so as to be able to make a show they want to see as an example.

I wish RCL well in this endeavor and hope is works well for paying passengers too!

So, we're on Oasis on 3/7, which is supposed to be the sailing before DD starts. Someone spoke to RCCL today and discovered that Izuma and Sabor will be open on our cruise -- and free! I was just able to make reservations at both on the website. Now, if only I can get lucky and have Wonderland be open!

Someone spoke to RCCL today and discovered that Izumi and Sabor will be open on our cruise -- and free!

Free to sit down, but you have to pay for the food.;)

I love Dynamic Dining. I have cruised on Quantum and experienced it. No more "same old, same old" dining room menus. There are restaurants to suit your palate. There were time I have sat in the MDR and looked at that menu and thought "I really don't want this because I really want to eat xxxxx"; now I can simply go to the restaurant that serves xxxxx.

Don't think of it as "no more MDR " rather think of it as you now have 3 or 4 MDRs.

Don't knock it until you have tried it. JMHO.

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We agree,you can count us in,we will not sail on a ship without traditional dining.:)

I am pretty sure we will not sail DD ships but just to make sure we are sailing once to try. We sail 12/20/14 on Quantum. Admit already annoyed with all this reservation and planning it requires. I go to relax . But figure can't bitch about it unless really tried it.

George in NY

Nope, I know enough. The current system has 7 unique menus in the MDR for a 7 day cruise. DD has 3 dining rooms and if you don't like Asian food you are down to 2 locations with maybe 1 change in menus during the week for each dining room. Seems obvious that the dining choices are much more limited and they are trying to push more people to the specialty restaurants or the WJ. No Thanks.

 

 

After I conclude my current planned trips on Allure and Oasis, it will be ..................Hello Princess !!!!!!

 

And maybe just for fun, I'll enter the Cruise Like a Norwegian Sweepstakes

Bottom line is they want you to pay more. them to use less staff, and still be able to market low prices that really are not realistic! Corporate business model. Do less, with less, charge more.

Princess is our favorite anyway but my fear is simply that the lines will all start concepts similar in future if works on RCL. Easy enough not to sail RCK, already don't sail NCL due to dining. Always vote with dollar, but if all adopt strategy for higher margins then no longer have choice.

Cruise like a Chinese Norwegian you mean.

George in NY

I am 51 and been on 53 cruises so far so I can honestly say I have experienced everything practically.

I am so happy for this DD!! There were so many times when we were placed at a table that was right in the center of a work station, where we hearing banging of dishes and glasses, seeing dirty dishes etc, not mentioning being a traffic area as the servers used this space and went back and fourth constantly there. We also have sat at tables with other people who do not know english and have gotten servers/waiters that weren't up to par. I also don't like being told that I have to show up at 6pm or 8:15pm for dinner and have the stress and worry of being there on time before those doors shut closed, ok, we always did it but the past three years or so on every cruise we found the MDR quality of the food to be cut back and the servers/waiters to have more people/tables to take care of which gave us not the same service as we were used to all those other prior cruises. Therefore, we chose to go to the specialty restaurants and don't mind paying the extra small fee as if you compare what you get at these places compared to the MDR there isn't any comparison its always so much better in variety, selection and quality. The past year we took two cruises and chose not to dine in the MDR any longer, but on the Allure this may we found the specialty restaurants to be not as good as they were on the other ships. Mainly speaking Chops we went twice to have ok waiters and the food was not as good as it was the other times, actually we may never go to Chops again as we were disappointed both times. We went to the brazillian steakhouse Samba Grill one evening for all 7 of us adults it was the most horrible dining experience and most horrible food we ever had. We did go to Izumi for one dinner and was quite disappointed, the soups were over salted totally full of sodium and 4 out of 7 of us had the Hot Rock dinner....four small pieces of meat, 1 slice of bok chou, 2 sliced carrots and 2 small pieces of broccoli...certainly not enough for a dinner...it would of made a decent lunch though. 150 Central Park was good but didnt wow most of us, therefore, we love and look forward to DD dining. With DD we are able to choose the restaurant we want, know the menu's and choose the tine we wish to eat, love this idea!! We don't have to go to specialty restaurants every night now since we are done away with the MDR fixed concept and the negatives we found to go with it. The making the reservations doesn't bother me its the same as if I call up for a reservation at any restaurant, no big deal at all. You don't need to make reservations although it is suggested and if you wish to cancel you may its easy! DD is just giving us more choices and it will be very nice dining in different restaurants with different decor and menus.

I am 51 and been on 53 cruises so far so I can honestly say I have experienced everything practically.

 

I am so happy for this DD!! There were so many times when we were placed at a table that was right in the center of a work station, where we hearing banging of dishes and glasses, seeing dirty dishes etc, not mentioning being a traffic area as the servers used this space and went back and fourth constantly there. We also have sat at tables with other people who do not know english and have gotten servers/waiters that weren't up to par. I also don't like being told that I have to show up at 6pm or 8:15pm for dinner and have the stress and worry of being there on time before those doors shut closed, ok, we always did it but the past three years or so on every cruise we found the MDR quality of the food to be cut back and the servers/waiters to have more people/tables to take care of which gave us not the same service as we were used to all those other prior cruises. Therefore, we chose to go to the specialty restaurants and don't mind paying the extra small fee as if you compare what you get at these places compared to the MDR there isn't any comparison its always so much better in variety, selection and quality. The past year we took two cruises and chose not to dine in the MDR any longer, but on the Allure this may we found the specialty restaurants to be not as good as they were on the other ships. Mainly speaking Chops we went twice to have ok waiters and the food was not as good as it was the other times, actually we may never go to Chops again as we were disappointed both times. We went to the brazillian steakhouse Samba Grill one evening for all 7 of us adults it was the most horrible dining experience and most horrible food we ever had. We did go to Izumi for one dinner and was quite disappointed, the soups were over salted totally full of sodium and 4 out of 7 of us had the Hot Rock dinner....four small pieces of meat, 1 slice of bok chou, 2 sliced carrots and 2 small pieces of broccoli...certainly not enough for a dinner...it would of made a decent lunch though. 150 Central Park was good but didnt wow most of us, therefore, we love and look forward to DD dining. With DD we are able to choose the restaurant we want, know the menu's and choose the tine we wish to eat, love this idea!! We don't have to go to specialty restaurants every night now since we are done away with the MDR fixed concept and the negatives we found to go with it. The making the reservations doesn't bother me its the same as if I call up for a reservation at any restaurant, no big deal at all. You don't need to make reservations although it is suggested and if you wish to cancel you may its easy! DD is just giving us more choices and it will be very nice dining in different restaurants with different decor and menus.

Okay I'm confused! In the start you say you are happy about DD and I certainly agree with many of your points concerning MDR's. But then you go on to say that you were not happy with CHOPS, IZUMI, and Brazillian whatever. You also say that you don't have to go to specialty restaurants anymore. Are you sure you understand the DD system? Basically all speciality restaurants. The restaurant menus don't change and there are only four complimentary restaurants ( I am betting they will be gone in short order and only buffet will be complimentary option ) the rest are all specialty paid restaurants. You basically now only have speciality restaurants and pay for almost all.

Like I said I am confused but what you said, maybe I am misinterpreting you?

George in NY

Dynamic Dining will be implemented March 14th, 2015 on the Oasis. I know this cause I'm on the following weeks sailing and I already got the email telling me I can book my DD reservations on January 1st, 2015.

What the heck? I'm *on* the March 14th sailing and I just double checked my phone and I haven't gotten the e-mail yet. Not that I wasn't already aware that we're the guinea pigs, but why are the sailings before and after us getting e-mails and I'm not?