Dynamic Dining Disaster Longer Cruises

The whole concept of Dynamic Dining seems to fall apart on a longer cruise. We are on a 13 nighter on the Anthem next year. In the past we would have had say 6 different choices each night in the MDR - these choices would change giving a total of 78 choices on the cruise. We now have 8 choices for the 4 dining rooms for the whole cruise- a total of 32 choices, This does not seem very dynamic to me!

You are so right about that. They are obviously trying to force us to go to the for a charge restaurants. Unless you want to wait in line at the Windjammer. This just is not right considering the price of these two ships.

In his Google chat Adam stated that these menus are not the full menus and that there would be more items added. He also mentioned that on the longer cruises there would be a rotation as well. There will also be the standard chicken, steak, fish and past offering in all restaurants for those with a group at one restaurant but do not like the selection available.

In his Google chat Adam stated that these menus are not the full menus and that there would be more items added. He also mentioned that on the longer cruises there would be a rotation as well. There will also be the standard chicken, steak, fish and past offering in all restaurants for those with a group at one restaurant but do not like the selection available.

Not the brightest marketing tool then to -only half announce menus. Many people are looking at the longer Anthem cruises now. They will go to the menus- look through them as I did - and feel that the choice is too limited for them. Most people thinking about Anthem would not have listened to the chat. They look on the website and make thier decision.. We are still going as we like the look of the rest of the ship and we like RCL- but in a very competitive European market many will look elsewhere.

They are obviously trying to force us to go to the for a charge restaurants.

No. Not right. And not obvious.

When there are zero complimentary restaurants then you will be correct.

I can fully see people only frequenting the complimentary restaurants and be completely satisfied.

Personally, I'm looking forward to the speciality restaurants and have no problem paying the premium. But if I had to switch between 4 places for 13 nights, I could do it. And I think I'd be satisfied.

The whole concept of Dynamic Dining seems to fall apart on a longer cruise. We are on a 13 nighter on the Anthem next year. In the past we would have had say 6 different choices each night in the MDR - these choices would change giving a total of 78 choices on the cruise. We now have 8 choices for the 4 dining rooms for the whole cruise- a total of 32 choices, This does not seem very dynamic to me!

You are correct, it is limiting with the menus that have been announced (so far!). But, 32 choices over 13 nights are many more than most of us we have eating at home. With that in mind, I think many of will be OK with the new concept. Plus if they add "always available" and rotate the menus on cruises longer than 7 days, I think most of us will enjoy this new type of dining.

You are correct, it is limiting with the menus that have been announced (so far!). But, 32 choices over 13 nights are many more than most of us we have eating at home. With that in mind, I think many of will be OK with the new concept. Plus if they add "always available" and rotate the menus on cruises longer than 7 days, I think most of us will enjoy this new type of dining.

Here! Here! I was going to say that! Even though I try to cook from a new recipe every week, we inevitably end up eating the same old easy and quick basics every week.

We are thrilled with the Dynamic dining concept. We will balance off the free restaurants with a few pay ones.

a 14 night Panama Canal cruise n the Disney Wonder, got to be tedious, for just this reason. Two weeks of rotational dining (much like this new Dynamic concept) will get old, after one week's sailing.

If they do add extra menus for the longer cruises that will be great. I don't want to compare my cruise experience to what I can get at home- of course I expect more! I also don't want my choices to be seriously reduced from what I have expereinced in the past. I am all for change - but not if it means my experience has been significantly reduced.

I travel with 2 very fussy eaters who would be lucky to find one or 2 things on each of the menus as they stand- that means a lot of repition of them if the menus aren't expanded.

If they do add extra menus for the longer cruises that will be great. I don't want to compare my cruise experience to what I can get at home- of course I expect more! I also don't want my choices to be seriously reduced from what I have expereinced in the past. I am all for change - but not if it means my experience has been significantly reduced.

I travel with 2 very fussy eaters who would be lucky to find one or 2 things on each of the menus as they stand- that means a lot of repition of them if the menus aren't expanded.

I agree. I also missed the part where Adam stated that the menus will be expanded. I hope that's true.

The whole concept of Dynamic Dining seems to fall apart on a longer cruise. We are on a 13 nighter on the Anthem next year. In the past we would have had say 6 different choices each night in the MDR - these choices would change giving a total of 78 choices on the cruise. We now have 8 choices for the 4 dining rooms for the whole cruise- a total of 32 choices, This does not seem very dynamic to me!

Only 32 choices, plus a buffet, a pizza shop, and several upscale specialty restaurants; hope you don't starve.

Only 32 choices, plus a buffet, a pizza shop, and several upscale specialty restaurants; hope you don't starve.

My point is that if you divide the 32 by 13 you only end up with a choice between just over 2 on each night of the cruise. If you don't eat fish or red meat or chicken for example - you don't end up with any choices at all.

My family don't eat fast food and while we enjoy the buffet for lunch we also would like to have the whole dining expereince at dinner.

Jennie

My point is that if you divide the 32 by 13 you only end up with a choice between just over 2 on each night of the cruise. If you don't eat fish or red meat or chicken for example - you don't end up with any choices at all.

My family don't eat fast food and while we enjoy the buffet for lunch we also would like to have the whole dining expereince at dinner.

 

Jennie

Not too many choices. I don't eat fish/seafood and we don't want to go to those charging a fee.

Only 32 choices, plus a buffet, a pizza shop, and several upscale specialty restaurants; hope you don't starve.

Except the buffet is awful for dinner and also has no variety (one nice thing about Disney). And many people cruise because it is "all inclusive" and have no interest in paying (a lot) more for specialty restaurants.

I am a picker eat, but normally love the MDR even though many night there are only one or two things on the menu I'll eat, but the next night it is all new with a couple of new things I'll like. The new setup, each restaurant will have 1 or 2 things I'll like, so I'll end up repeating on a 7 day cruise.

I already have basically the same breakfast and lunch everyday, because the windjammer has no variety day to day, and now I'll have reduced variety at dinner. Not going to starve, but it does take away one of my favorite things about cruising.

I was in the hangout and was the one that questioned the lack of choices for longer sailings. Adam specifically said that their would only be 1 menu per venue but they were expanded compared to the old one. The new ones are 8 items, the old were 6. These are the complete menus though. They will also not be rotating or expanding on longer voyages according to what he said. They will have the alternative menu selection available though. Not sure if that will be the same across the ship (most likely) or tailored for each venue. I still don't know how they expect it to work for longer sailings. We have our first B2B on Quantum this fall and I did the math and planned the menus out. In 19 days their are 57 courses served for dinner. With the new menu I found 4 appetizers, 8 entrees, and 12 desserts. Over the entire cruise I will have 23 unique courses, 6 skipped courses (nothing found), and 28 repeated courses. Only 2 items that I like I will not be able to fit in the schedule. With the old menu I would have had 52 unique courses, skipped one course, repeated 4, and had 18 courses that I could not fit in the schedule! That is a huge difference, one that certainly cannot be overlooked or even attempted to be spun into a positive. That is even considering the fact that the first 8 nights of menus are repeating during the second sailing. IMO the current menus actually are better. They may be smaller but I have a much higher percentage of items that I can eat on them each night.

Interesting Math which unfortunately confirms my fears. I also feel that with a B2B at least you would factor in a repeat menu. If you actually book on a longer cruise you should be able to expect that you will have less than 3 choices each night- fine if you are a flexible eater - not so good if you are not.

I also get the impression that the whole set up seems geared toward the 7 day timeframe which will, in all probability, prevail when each ship sails out of the US but little thought has been put into what happens when a longer schedule comes into play- as it does in many of the European itineraries.

Jennie

What is the point of all the complaining about the dining options, when as of yet, nobody has tried them? Sure, we all want our favorites, but, let's give the program a chance before we condemn it.

With the menus published you can easily work out what you would at least try- for my family- admittedly fussy eaters - we will struggle to find a different meal every night on our 13 night cruise. We have cruised many other times on trips as long or longer and this has never been a problem for us as the menu changed daily. It is the model that is the problem, and you don't have to wait to try it to work that out. I know already.

What is the point of all the complaining about the dining options, when as of yet, nobody has tried them? Sure, we all want our favorites, but, let's give the program a chance before we condemn it.

Amen!

Except the buffet is awful for dinner and also has no variety (one nice thing about Disney). And many people cruise because it is "all inclusive" and have no interest in paying (a lot) more for specialty restaurants.

 

That certainly hasn't been our experience in the WJ for dinner. :eek: Most of what is available in the MDR is available in the WJ and more. In addition, each night there is a theme and the Mongolian Stir-fry has to be the best.:D

That certainly hasn't been our experience in the WJ for dinner. :eek: Most of what is available in the MDR is available in the WJ and more. In addition, each night there is a theme and the Mongolian Stir-fry has to be the best.:D

Yeah. The Windjammer is not what it used to be. On my last sailing I went for dinner on night, the first time in 10 years and was amazed. It was a great selection and each night was a different theme from around the world where as the MDR was a different ingredient each night. They did not overlap at all. The problem with the Windjammer is that it is casual and nice for breakfast or lunch but dinner is supposed to be the big meal. It loses all of it's special feel when you go to a buffet. Part of the appeal of cruising is for the service you receive in the MDR and you don't have that same level in the Windjammer.

Yeah. The Windjammer is not what it used to be. On my last sailing I went for dinner on night, the first time in 10 years and was amazed. It was a great selection and each night was a different theme from around the world where as the MDR was a different ingredient each night. They did not overlap at all. The problem with the Windjammer is that it is casual and nice for breakfast or lunch but dinner is supposed to be the big meal. It loses all of it's special feel when you go to a buffet. Part of the appeal of cruising is for the service you receive in the MDR and you don't have that same level in the Windjammer.

Though we do enjoy MTD and the whole MDR experience, there are just certain days, especially on an extended itinerary, where we just don't feel like getting dressed for dinner and really enjoy that casual dinner atmosphere.:)

Since everyone knows about the WJ, I'm not sure people are looking at it closely. They have changed quite a bit. They will have a new 24 hour station in the WJ that will have chicken, philly cheese steaks and (my favorite) breakfast served all day. There will be a bakery, and fresh paninis. There will be an outdoor terrace too. And the favorite made to order stuff and international foods. I think its great that they have expanded this option. For those with kids they can take the kids to the WJ for an early dinner, drop them off at AO, and then have a nice adult dinner, with reservations, just like they would have at home with a sitter. No one is thinking about having a WJ dinner in their calculations. Sure, you have to serve yourself the food, but you dont have to pick up your plates or clean the table, or do the dishes, etc. Based on the seating capacity (850) they are more than able to accommodate people, without reservations. on all of our previous cruises the WJ was a favorite place for us some evenings. We book last moment and always got stuck with the late seating, even MTD would be booked. We would stop at the WJ when it opened for a bite (cheese, soup, sample the MDR stuff) before a walk around deck and dinner, or go to the show before our main dinner. If we again get stuck with only late reservations being open, we will gladly do the same thing. we were never starving by dinner, and it was often quieter than the MDR, plus we actually got to sit together as a couple. sure, we were not served by others, but the quiet alone time was far more romantic and enjoyable for us than the noisy, programmed, late, always formal because you are eating with strangers dinner in the MDR. considering how empty the MDR is most nights (MTD not withstanding), i think this is a wise move. It was a huge space in the ship that was unused so much.

I am a picky eater, and looking at the menus, there is something i am excited about at every restaurant, often multiple items. What this means to me is I can go the the same restaurant more than once, and have different things. I wont feel pressured to try them all at once because i will never see them again, causing me overeat and feel awful some nights, and other nights just poke at an appetizer because there is nothing on the menu that i will eat, and then i am hungry. as a picky eater I LOVE being able to eat with my DH alone at a 2-top. I am not embarrassed if i do not like something, or if i skip the entree because i dont like them. The table mates are not awkwardly trying to eat faster because im sitting there poking at a roll. i am not defending my eating preferences. instead i can choose to eat from a menu that i will like with the person i choose, at a time that is nice. I had no intention of looking at cruising again in the next few years, but with the dynamic dining announcement i am definitely interested in booking sooner (now to find vacation time...)

Since everyone knows about the WJ, I'm not sure people are looking at it closely. They have changed quite a bit. They will have a new 24 hour station in the WJ that will have chicken, philly cheese steaks and (my favorite) breakfast served all day. There will be a bakery, and fresh paninis. There will be an outdoor terrace too. And the favorite made to order stuff and international foods. I think its great that they have expanded this option. For those with kids they can take the kids to the WJ for an early dinner, drop them off at AO, and then have a nice adult dinner, with reservations, just like they would have at home with a sitter. No one is thinking about having a WJ dinner in their calculations. Sure, you have to serve yourself the food, but you dont have to pick up your plates or clean the table, or do the dishes, etc. Based on the seating capacity (850) they are more than able to accommodate people, without reservations. on all of our previous cruises the WJ was a favorite place for us some evenings. We book last moment and always got stuck with the late seating, even MTD would be booked. We would stop at the WJ when it opened for a bite (cheese, soup, sample the MDR stuff) before a walk around deck and dinner, or go to the show before our main dinner. If we again get stuck with only late reservations being open, we will gladly do the same thing. we were never starving by dinner, and it was often quieter than the MDR, plus we actually got to sit together as a couple. sure, we were not served by others, but the quiet alone time was far more romantic and enjoyable for us than the noisy, programmed, late, always formal because you are eating with strangers dinner in the MDR. considering how empty the MDR is most nights (MTD not withstanding), i think this is a wise move. It was a huge space in the ship that was unused so much.

 

I am a picky eater, and looking at the menus, there is something i am excited about at every restaurant, often multiple items. What this means to me is I can go the the same restaurant more than once, and have different things. I wont feel pressured to try them all at once because i will never see them again, causing me overeat and feel awful some nights, and other nights just poke at an appetizer because there is nothing on the menu that i will eat, and then i am hungry. as a picky eater I LOVE being able to eat with my DH alone at a 2-top. I am not embarrassed if i do not like something, or if i skip the entree because i dont like them. The table mates are not awkwardly trying to eat faster because im sitting there poking at a roll. i am not defending my eating preferences. instead i can choose to eat from a menu that i will like with the person i choose, at a time that is nice. I had no intention of looking at cruising again in the next few years, but with the dynamic dining announcement i am definitely interested in booking sooner (now to find vacation time...)

Thanks for the additional info. I'm with you.....if I don't have to cook it or clean up, I'm great:)

i didn't even do the math but it totally makes sense. i'm also concerned that what if we have a rez in one restaurant that we already ate in, but it turns out we don't like it. then we're on board and everything has already been booked so now what? we're forced to eat off the same bad menu? this whole switch has disaster written all over it.