What is Dynamic Dining?

You make a really good point! I have done this on most of my cruises over the past few years. I meet people on a cruise and invite them to dine with me. In all cases we continue to keep up on land.

 

I don't mind having strictly tablemates. I find it nice to catch up with people towards the end of the day. But the real friendships come from those I meet and want to spend time with.

 

And coordinating schedules is easy. Just walk to the Maitre d' and tell them you'd like to dine together. Or give your new friends your name and cabin number and have them call the restaurant. Let's not make this into a big deal.

Lets also be honest. That only works if the seating can be juggled and if both groups already have reservations at the same restaurant for the same time. I would be willing to bet a sizeable amount that once on the ship being able to change reservations without having to change times or venues is not going to be easy-peasy, lemon-squeezy. Then multiply that by 5 for the additional nights. Good luck with that.

Yes. I'm lying. I enjoy it.

You didn't see me complain about the specialty restaurants. I have no objection to them, in fact we have OBC on our upcoming cruise and if the spousal unit decides not to visit the spa we will probably use the credit at Chops. I won't spend MY money there, but since the OBC is free money and can only be used on the ship it cost me nothing.

 

But like I said...I'll just avoid ships with this concept.

 

And in response to the question would I prefer RCI just say that they are rolling it out in an effort to maximize profits...yes, I would. Recently Steve Nash was asked if he was considering retirement becuase of injuries. He said no and gave two reasons...he thinks he can still contribute to a championship team and "I have $10 million guaranteed coming next year". You know what, nobody blinked. For the most part people prefer honesty over spin.

Comparing an athlete that is contractually due a large sum of money if he plays one more year to a company that has many thousands of customers and that is in business for the long haul is pretty absurd.

Can you provide an instance of any company that advertises that a product or service was brought into existence in order to maximize profits?

Comparing an athlete that is contractually due a large sum of money if he plays one more year to a company that has many thousands of customers and that is in business for the long haul is pretty absurd.

 

Can you provide an instance of any company that advertises that a product or service was brought into existence in order to maximize profits?

You focused on the athlete part...not the honesty part...interesting.

How many examples do you want...McDonalds, Jack In The Box, Arby's, Olive Garden, Toyota, Ford, Chrysler, Hilton, Best Western, American Airlines, Delta, Virgin...want me to go on?

While they don't specifically state it is to maximize profits they also do not spin it that they are introducing products or redesigning existing products or services to "enhance the dining/driving/sleeping/flying experience of their customers." The entire world (unless they are too young or dense to understand) knows they are doing it to improve the bottom line.

I am not saying RCI is lying...just that they should also admit the other motives.

By the way, for everyone that people feel have "the world is ending" mentality there is at least one with the "RCI is doing it, how can you possibilty think it is anything but the best thing since sliced bread" mentality.

You focused on the athlete part...not the honesty part...interesting.

 

How many examples do you want...McDonalds, Jack In The Box, Arby's, Olive Garden, Toyota, Ford, Chrysler, Hilton, Best Western, American Airlines, Delta, Virgin...want me to go on?

 

While they don't specifically state it is to maximize profits they also do not spin it that they are introducing products or redesigning existing products or services to "enhance the dining/driving/sleeping/flying experience of their customers." The entire world (unless they are too young or dense to understand) knows they are doing it to improve the bottom line.

 

I am not saying RCI is lying...just that they should also admit the other motives.

 

By the way, for everyone that people feel have "the world is ending" mentality there is at least one with the "RCI is doing it, how can you possibilty think it is anything but the best thing since sliced bread" mentality.

I would settle for just ONE example of a company that advertises that they are introducing something new in order to maximize profits, like you said you wanted to see.

Just got off the phone with my TA who mentioned that the RCL had stopped by to drop off some brochures on the Quantum. During the course of their conversation, Dynamic Dining came up. The RCL rep said that people as well as Ta's keep referring to it as either another version of NCL's Freestyle or mess up the name entirely.

As an advertising program, Dynamic Dining doesn't seem all that successful if you can't remember the name!:(:confused:

MARAPRINCE

Just got off the phone with my TA who mentioned that the RCL had stopped by to drop off some brochures on the Quantum. During the course of their conversation, Dynamic Dining came up. The RCL rep said that people as well as Ta's keep referring to it as either another version of NCL's Freestyle or mess up the name entirely.

 

As an advertising program, Dynamic Dining doesn't seem all that successful if you can't remember the name!:(:confused:

 

MARAPRINCE

People on these boards don't seem to have a problem remembering the name and aren't exactly behind the door in expressing their opinions, both positive and negative. The concept is relatively new and its success or failure is hardly likely to depend on how well folks remember the name but rather, how well the concept works in real time. BTW, how many people mix up Freestyle, Personal, My Time and Anytime Dining and don't exactly remember which name belongs to which line even though all have existed for a while by now?

You may look at Dynamic Dining as simply an advertising program, but I believe that RCI and many of us look at it as a way of delivering a dining experience that is different from what is currently available. How well they deliver that experience will determine how well or how badly it works.

People on these boards don't seem to have a problem remembering the name and aren't exactly behind the door in expressing their opinions, both positive and negative. The concept is relatively new and its success or failure is hardly likely to depend on how well folks remember the name but rather, how well the concept works in real time. BTW, how many people mix up Freestyle, Personal, My Time and Anytime Dining and don't exactly remember which name belongs to which line even though all have existed for a while by now?

You may look at Dynamic Dining as simply an advertising program, but I believe that RCI and many of us look at it as a way of delivering a dining experience that is different from what is currently available. How well they deliver that experience will determine how well or how badly it works.

I always chuckle because Royal Caribbean has "My Time Dining" and Carnival has "Your Time Dining," and they mean exactly the same thing LOL.

Maybe it's just me, but I don't want to have to coordinate schedules and change my reservations just to eat with the same people every night. I guess I want things to be simple on a cruise.

If you always hit it off with the people you are assigned to dine with for the entire cruise, you are very lucky. ;)

...and also addressed - see post #31.

Wow, ok. So if one happens to miss that a question was already answered they can't add their .02? :rolleyes:

Besides which, post #31 seemed to still leave some uncertainty as to whether it was JS and higher or GS or higher.

And in response to the question would I prefer RCI just say that they are rolling it out in an effort to maximize profits...yes, I would.

Ok, this just in... EVERYTHING cruise lines do, and in fact everything any business does, is ultimately to maximize profits. I know that is earth-shattering news to you and others who think they are in business for some other reason, but there- it's all out on the table now...they want to mazimize profits and that desire drives their decisions on the products they offer. :rolleyes:

This also just in.... most successful companies know that the best way to increase profits in the long run is to give customers what they want so that they will 1) keep coming back and 2) refer others. You can bet that these changes are being done therefore, in response to customers comments. Will everyone like it? Of course not, but Royal must feel that there are an awful lot who will.

People on these boards don't seem to have a problem remembering the name and aren't exactly behind the door in expressing their opinions, both positive and negative. The concept is relatively new and its success or failure is hardly likely to depend on how well folks remember the name but rather, how well the concept works in real time. BTW, how many people mix up Freestyle, Personal, My Time and Anytime Dining and don't exactly remember which name belongs to which line even though all have existed for a while by now?

You may look at Dynamic Dining as simply an advertising program, but I believe that RCI and many of us look at it as a way of delivering a dining experience that is different from what is currently available. How well they deliver that experience will determine how well or how badly it works.

The RCCL rep's point and the key point was that "TA's" who sell cruises on RCCL are also having a hard time getting the terminology/straight. TA's will be asked to explain the new concept to their clients and what their choices are.

Only a very small percentage of passengers even know what Cruise Critic is and that it provides info on the cruise industry.

MARAPRINCE

Just looking at the new dining venue. I am wondering if they will enforce the formal dining attire in the formal dining restaurant because they sure do not on formal evenings in the MDR. Just wondering how this is going to work. Just seems like a lot time and effort to plan and reserve every supper, I love the MDR simple and easy.

Interesting article on main News board of CC today regarding Jamie Oliver. Seems even his menu items will be "tweaked" once Quantum reaches Asia and with him being such a perfectionist wonder what this involves.

MARAPRINCE