Dynamic Dining Officially announced on Oasis

[fishtaco]

Whether you liked it or not, the point I was making is that it's not difficult to wall off sections of the MDR and convert the space to a smaller venue.

 

They dont need to "Wall Off" anything! Its a simple proses.

 

All ships can have their dinning venues separated by nothing more than a gap between tables and change of tablecloth/cutlery but given the different levels that already exist in dinning rooms on all modern cruise ships there is no need for that even.

 

There is no need for separate kitchens for each DD menu just as there is not separate kitchens for different menu choices on many ships now , DD will be rolled out eventually fleetwide with minimal changes needed to existing dinning venues just as MTD was:)

 

The only thing that will change will be that by having DD only it will eventually require pre paid gratuities just like MTD but this will happen ship by ship as both Traditional dinning and MTD is phased out totally.

 

On many smaller ships speciality restaurants were added by just introducing a divider in part of the Buffet area, this divider is only put up for evening meal and tables are changed from buffet area to full service area, so they do not need 4 separate walled off venues:)

Edited August 28, 2014 by fishtaco

[springaussie]

It really is unreal how people on here get. Every time Royal announces something new or announces a change I think to myself that I should probably stay off Cruise Critic for a little bit since it's going to be a complain-a-thon from the whiners.

 

People hate change and people love to complain.

 

 

The Miami Office love our views.

Hi Adam and Richard.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums mobile app

[vacation_junkie]

I fail to see how passengers are acting like " spoiled brats" when the experience that they have been accustomed to has changed. The complaints are from cruisers who LIKE having a set dinner time with a staff that gets to know your likes/ dislikes .

No one will argue that we are very blessed to get the opportunity to travel. However, many cruisers ( myself included) find it very appealing to just book a cruise and not have to worry about reserving dinner times to correspond with show times. I can do that on a land vacation.

I can personally attest to the Dynamic Disaster of booking dining on my Quantum cruise 10 months before sailing.

I managed to reserve only 5 out of 12 nights at my preferred dining time for a family of four.

Looks like we wil be eating on the fly 7 nights. That is not acceptable in my book on a cruise that was paid at a premium price.

 

Did you call the Dynamic Dining Line and speak to a Rep when you were having difficulties booking? They would have been happy to finish reserving yours meals for you straight away! Then you wouldn't have to eat on the fly for those other nights!

Sometimes the solution is as simple as picking up the phone and communicating the old fashion way!

 

The "That's it I'm cancelling if they are changing to that" is acting like a spoiled Brat!

 

How can one make an honest opinion about something they've never tried? People are just quick to assume that its a horrible thing!

[vacation_junkie]

Well put. Your experience in booking dining is one of the things I am worried about.

 

The dinner reservation problem could have been solved with 1 simple phone call to...

 

Dynamic Dining 877-812-3612

 

You really can't complain that you don't have a place to eat if you didn't simply pick up the phone and call and have them do the reservations for you if you were having difficulties. Thats what they are there for!

[EatSleepCruise]

Did you call the Dynamic Dining Line and speak to a Rep when you were having difficulties booking? They would have been happy to finish reserving yours meals for you straight away!

 

That was our experience too. Calling RCI allowed us to get the Dynamic Dining reservations we wanted. Sometimes you just need to be persistent! :rolleyes:

[vacation_junkie]

It really is unreal how people on here get. Every time Royal announces something new or announces a change I think to myself that I should probably stay off Cruise Critic for a little bit since it's going to be a complain-a-thon from the whiners.

 

People hate change and people love to complain.

 

One of my Favourite quotes

" Change is good, It's the adjustment period people tend to struggle with"

[CruiseMore1]

It really is unreal how people on here get. Every time Royal announces something new or announces a change I think to myself that I should probably stay off Cruise Critic for a little bit since it's going to be a complain-a-thon from the whiners.

 

People hate change and people love to complain.

 

Yet here you are, and me as well. :eek: Just shoulda got that popcorn ready! :D

[whitshel]

It really is unreal how people on here get. Every time Royal announces something new or announces a change I think to myself that I should probably stay off Cruise Critic for a little bit since it's going to be a complain-a-thon from the whiners.

 

People hate change and people love to complain.

 

I was thinking the same thing.....:rolleyes: I wonder what people said when ships went to cards to open cabin doors instead of a real key.

 

Its progress people.....don't write it off until you try it :cool:

[celebrity]

Did you call the Dynamic Dining Line and speak to a Rep when you were having difficulties booking? They would have been happy to finish reserving yours meals for you straight away! Then you wouldn't have to eat on the fly for those other nights!

Sometimes the solution is as simple as picking up the phone and communicating the old fashion way!

 

The "That's it I'm cancelling if they are changing to that" is acting like a spoiled Brat!

 

How can one make an honest opinion about something they've never tried? People are just quick to assume that its a horrible thing!

 

Actually, the dining times were indeed made by calling a rep. Thanks for asking!

She was actually quite pleasant and very apologetic that she could not accomodate my family of four. I was not one of the pre selected participants so I did call for assistance.

That was the best she could do.

I hope that clarifies my experience and hence my frustration to the changes.

Edited August 29, 2014 by celebrity

[xpcdoojk]

Ummmm....I think your date is wrong!:D;)

 

Yeah, I am good with the days and the weeks and not so much the year apparently. Definitely next February. That is the problem with posting from tablets and I phones and not computers.

 

other than that, yes....:D

 

jc

[xpcdoojk]

Not impressed with DD.

We are picky eaters and like plain food which has worked for 50 RCL cruises this month.......sure don't want to plan breakfast, lunch and dinner for a whole cruise and book it before we leave in Months to come.:eek:

 

We are on Oasis TA Both before and after dry dock. Did read we will still have the MDR menu on Oasis but the dining room will be chopped up perhaps by then.

 

Much prefer the no thinking or planning part of the MDR- book your time and you are done!!! Cruising is to be relaxing not stressful when you want to eat!!! You have your time and a table, how easy is that?

 

Booked on Allure B2Bs in 2016, so will see how it works then but we sure like it the way it has been thank you!!! Hence we have stayed to keep cruising RCL. Too many changes and people will walk to find somewhere else that works.

 

I am sure that there will be plenty of places to eat lunch, no matter which dining system you book under.

 

I think you might be over reacting... just sayin.

 

jc

[xpcdoojk]

We get on Oasis Oct. 14, so I think we will be the ones in the construction zone.:D

 

Some like MTD, but we have only seen long line ups on all of our cruises this year and last. When we are forced to try it, then we will. So far we have been very happy walking in with no wait to our usual table.

Being fussy eaters, with food sensitivity issues as well, it has been a lot simpler going to the MDR.

Looking at the Quantum menus nothing much appeals......WJ is a pain to find a seat and find the food there we think. I have wandered around looking for the rest of the salad fixings. They are not laid out as other buffets on the other ships.

I was referring the DD when it comes. Looking on Quantum it shows Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner. There are other options yes, but if you want to go to those other options it looked to me you had to book them.......

 

MTD, if you have a reservation you wait no more than a minute or two, if you don't you wait 10 to 15 at peak times. They are really efficient at seating people, but if you have a reservation your wait times are simply nothing. Like MTD have done it for about 4 years now. We tend to eat specialty restaurants since 2009 due to airlines making it painful to haul extra luggage.

 

jc

[TequilaToo]

There is in fact a standard alternate menu. Beef, Steak, etc. It will be available in all of the restaurants. This questions has come up countless times on the Quantum forums and was answered by Adam Goldstein at the DD google hangout.

 

It solves the issue of, for example, a 6 person group wanting to dine at Silk, but only 5 like Asian food. The 1 person who doesn't like Asian food, will be able to order off an alternate "normal" menu.

 

I have looked at the menus for the complimentary restaurants, and I really feel that whether the DD concept will work for our group will depend on the availability of this "standard alternate menu", and what is included on it. Some in our group have food restrictions/allergies, and looking at the menus for the complimentary restaurants I feel that they are far too restricted. We sailed on Oasis last year and never frequented any of the "For a Charge" restaurants. Is RCI trying to "squeeze out" those of us who don't spend a ton of extra $$ on dining and drinking once on board?

 

I really enjoyed the MDR experience earlier this year on Oasis, and was looking forward to a repeat next year with the cruise we've already booked for March. I can see some advantages to DD (such as not having to be sitting in the dining room when we'd rather be up on deck experiencing the sail-away from various ports, being free to choose which nights we want to dress up, and which nights we'd prefer to go casual, and the freedom of making earlier reservations on nights when we want to see a show after dinner). We loved the Windjammer for lunch, but at dinner we enjoyed the "fine restaurant" atmosphere in the MDR. I'd hate to have to give that up and have to schlep our own plates each night in the Windjammer just to avoid having to rack up a big credit card bill at the end of the cruise.

 

Does anyone have a link to the discussion of the "alternate menu"? And does anyone know what the $, $$, $$$, $$$$ designations on the various For a Fee restaurants actually translates into in dollars?

 

Also, we are booked to sail in March with a group of 12-15. There may be nights when we all wish to eat together, or when we want to dine with one of the other families. When making reservations with the DD restaurants, will we be able to make them for more than just those in our own cabins?

Edited August 29, 2014 by TequilaToo
Additional question

[ckfred]

[quote name=hitaway4;43911584And just as a quick note. To everyone who says' date=' "I enjoy having the same waiter and meeting new people at my table". Look at this as a chance to meet even more great waiters/waitresses, and possibly meet more people than ever before.

 

Also, with technology and the use of tablets (which RCL just bought 40,000 tablets for their employees), the waiters should/will know what drinks you like every night and any allergies.[/quote]

 

Let me take the second paragraph first. So, are you saying that the waiters will be inputting data, such as Mr. Smith likes a vodka martini every night, as soon as he sits down, and Mrs. Smith wants Earl Gray tea, when coffee is served with dessert? So, you can expect the same level of service each night? That seems like asking the wait staff to do a lot of typing, rather than with the MDR format and the wait staff simply remembering (or writing down) what everyone in his or her station prefers for two seatings.

 

Now the first. Will DD still have tables of 6 and 8? I got the impression the DD is copying Freestyle Cruising on NCL, and that NCL had gotten rid of the banquet-sized tables.

 

Still, I like the concept of getting to know 2 to 6 people over the course of a cruise. You certainly won't get that, if you keep meeting new people every night.

 

On a cruise to New England and Canada, we ran into our tablemates at a restaurant in Portland, ME. So, we wound up having lunch together. That was Day 7 of the cruise. Chances are, we woulnd't have done that with a couple that we had dined with only once several nights earlier.

[Ocean Boy]

Maybe some of the folks around here who are jumping on people who have a tough time dealing with change should take a look at their own intolerances. We all cruise for our own reasons. Something that may be very trivial to one person could well be the major reason that someone else takes cruises. Its not a hard concept.

 

I, personally can't stand the MDR and have no desire to eat dinner with a group of strangers. I cruise to spend time with my family. But I certainly get that plenty of people love formal night, meeting new people, and everything else that goes along with the traditional MDR experience. For them that is what cruising is about. They are unhappy about loosing that. Maybe they deserve a bit of a break.

Edited August 29, 2014 by Ocean Boy

[Peterbilt Driver]

Maybe some of the folks around here who are jumping on people who have a tough time dealing with change should take a look at their own intolerances.

 

Be very Leary you are treading on the toes of the CC thought police who cannot tolerate anyone who's thoughts clash with theirs!

[TequilaToo]

Maybe some of the folks around here who are jumping on people who have a tough time dealing with change should take a look at their own intolerances. We all cruise for our own reasons. Something that may be very trivial to one person could well be the major reason that someone else takes cruises. Its not a hard concept.

 

Well said. Thanks.

 

I, personally can't stand the MDR and have no desire to eat dinner with a group of strangers. I cruise to spend time with my family. But I certainly get that plenty of people love formal night, meeting new people, and everything else that goes along with the traditional MDR experience. For them that is what cruising is about. They are unhappy about loosing that. Maybe they deserve a bit of a break.

 

People like the MDR for different reasons. I have no desire to eat dinner with a group of strangers, either. I do like eating with the group of a dozen or so that take our group sailings with us. DD threatens to make that more difficult, along with some other inconveniences. That's what troubles me about it. I don't really have an issue with RCI changing things up, I just don't want them to do it on a cruise I've already booked, partly paid for, and designed my entire spring vacation around. I understand that whenever they make the change, that's going to happen for someone. I just wish it wasn't me. :rolleyes:

Edited August 29, 2014 by TequilaToo

[OfTheSeasCruiser]

Maybe some of the folks around here who are jumping on people who have a tough time dealing with change should take a look at their own intolerances. We all cruise for our own reasons. Something that may be very trivial to one person could well be the major reason that someone else takes cruises. Its not a hard concept.

 

I, personally can't stand the MDR and have no desire to eat dinner with a group of strangers. I cruise to spend time with my family. But I certainly get that plenty of people love formal night, meeting new people, and everything else that goes along with the traditional MDR experience. For them that is what cruising is about. They are unhappy about loosing that. Maybe they deserve a bit of a break.

 

Well said! I love the MDR, but hate having to sit with others. However, 95% of our cruises are with a group of 8 or so family members, so that is not a problem.

 

What I will miss is the relationships that develop with the waitstaff. Them remembering a drink makes a big difference to me. I know others may not care about that, but I do. Everyone has different things that they like aboard a cruise.

 

With all that said, I am nowhere near against DD, I actually really want to try it. We will most likely sail on a ship without it this coming year, but after that I will give up the MDR in order to try Royal's biggest and best ships. Hoping Anthem stays in Bayonne year round because I'd love to sail her in late may/early June of '16, Quantum could be an option for this coming March, but I personally don't really want to sail out of NJ when it is still cold.

Edited August 29, 2014 by OfTheSeasCruiser

[SherriZ366]

Maybe some of the folks around here who are jumping on people who have a tough time dealing with change should take a look at their own intolerances. We all cruise for our own reasons. Something that may be very trivial to one person could well be the major reason that someone else takes cruises. Its not a hard concept.

 

I, personally can't stand the MDR and have no desire to eat dinner with a group of strangers. I cruise to spend time with my family. But I certainly get that plenty of people love formal night, meeting new people, and everything else that goes along with the traditional MDR experience. For them that is what cruising is about. They are unhappy about loosing that. Maybe they deserve a bit of a break.

This was VERY well said. The intolerance of some of the posters for those of us who love traditional has been a bit much. We do traditional but it a couple of ways -- with our "Regular Cruising Couple" (table for 4), family (just us) or solo when we enjoy being matched with new people. We met our usual "Regular Cruising Couple" when we assigned to the same late traditional dining table in Jan. 2010.

 

I hope DD works out for folks who like it but I want to keep a Traditional Dining option.

[SherriZ366]

Be very Leary you are treading on the toes of the CC thought police who cannot tolerate anyone who's thoughts clash with theirs!

I don't do "thought police's" bidding.

[SherriZ366]

Well said. Thanks.

 

 

 

People like the MDR for different reasons. I have no desire to eat dinner with a group of strangers, either. I do like eating with the group of a dozen or so that take our group sailings with us. DD threatens to make that more difficult, along with some other inconveniences. That's what troubles me about it. I don't really have an issue with RCI changing things up, I just don't want them to do it on a cruise I've already booked, partly paid for, and designed my entire spring vacation around. I understand that whenever they make the change, that's going to happen for someone. I just wish it wasn't me. :rolleyes:

Agree about the difficulty -- if ships we are booked on get DD, I know I will be doing more work to get what our group wants. This is what happened the two times we had My Time Dining. Ended up with a great table and waitstaff both times but put a lot of work in both times. Thank heavens for a great Concierge on FR!!

[xpcdoojk]

Maybe some of the folks around here who are jumping on people who have a tough time dealing with change should take a look at their own intolerances. We all cruise for our own reasons. Something that may be very trivial to one person could well be the major reason that someone else takes cruises. Its not a hard concept.

 

I, personally can't stand the MDR and have no desire to eat dinner with a group of strangers. I cruise to spend time with my family. But I certainly get that plenty of people love formal night, meeting new people, and everything else that goes along with the traditional MDR experience. For them that is what cruising is about. They are unhappy about loosing that. Maybe they deserve a bit of a break.

 

DW and I have dined at a table for two since 2007 except for the cruise we went with in 2009 with our English friends. I understand why solo cruisers like the current situation. I feel their pain. Our experience was rarely awesome as a group of strangers, but that is how we met our English friends. Being from Missouri we tend to be very open and very "real". Which has worked out rarely.:D

 

I am neither a fan nor a detractor of DD, I do like MTD because it allows us to easily have a table for two close to the time we want to eat, with the opportunity to bond with the tables for two beside us or not to bond depending on the moment. We have bonded with several of the tables for two next to us. Probably a higher hit percentage than at the big banquet tables. I do feel that DD will affect solo cruisers, but that I can't imagine that RCI won't try to put those people together with appropriate matches. I am fairly certain that they have a "feel" for all of their different cruising types.

 

OB, join me surfing next February.:eek:

 

jc

[celebrity]

Maybe some of the folks around here who are jumping on people who have a tough time dealing with change should take a look at their own intolerances. We all cruise for our own reasons. Something that may be very trivial to one person could well be the major reason that someone else takes cruises. Its not a hard concept.

 

I, personally can't stand the MDR and have no desire to eat dinner with a group of strangers. I cruise to spend time with my family. But I certainly get that plenty of people love formal night, meeting new people, and everything else that goes along with the traditional MDR experience. For them that is what cruising is about. They are unhappy about loosing that. Maybe they deserve a bit of a break.

 

Thanks Ocean Boy for showing compassion and the fact that not everyone is thrilled with the new dining program.

Personally, I would never bash someone that is thrilled with Dynamic Dining. I say, good for them!

I'm really not sure why this has become such a polarizing issue. Some posters are in such a defensive mode re DD that you would think they developed the concept.

When all is said and done, I will be traveling with those nearest and dearest to my heart to wonderful ports of call. If I decide that DD doesn't work for us, we will move to a cruise line that better suits our needs.

Way too much hostility on these boards. IMO.

Edited August 30, 2014 by celebrity

[internetwhiz]

These posts are an example of why I come to CC less all the time

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[brfan]

DW and I have dined at a table for two since 2007 except for the cruise we went with in 2009 with our English friends. I understand why solo cruisers like the current situation. I feel their pain. Our experience was rarely awesome as a group of strangers, but that is how we met our English friends. Being from Missouri we tend to be very open and very "real". Which has worked out rarely.:D

 

I am neither a fan nor a detractor of DD, I do like MTD because it allows us to easily have a table for two close to the time we want to eat, with the opportunity to bond with the tables for two beside us or not to bond depending on the moment. We have bonded with several of the tables for two next to us. Probably a higher hit percentage than at the big banquet tables. I do feel that DD will affect solo cruisers, but that I can't imagine that RCI won't try to put those people together with appropriate matches. I am fairly certain that they have a "feel" for all of their different cruising types.

 

OB, join me surfing next February.:eek:

 

jc

 

Unfortunately, I'm not convinced that Royal will do anything to help solos. I'm basing this on Adam's flustered non answer when the topic of solos was raised at the Google web event. It seemed weird that Royal has added solo cabin and haven't thought of the impact of DD will have on solos. The only thing that he mentioned was the possibility of a check box to say that you wish to eat with other solos. However that isn't much of a plan since what are the odd of two solos picking the same restaurant on the same day and at the same time. For those who have booked online or by phone was there this option?

 

I did one cruise on NCL - Epic as I wanted to try out the solo cabins. I was prepared ahead of time that I would more than likely be eating by myself for the cruise, something I'm not really that comfortable doing. So I made my reservations ahead of time as I wanted to try the various for pay restaurants. However NCL had a wonderful program for solos, a nightly get together with an activities staff member in the solo lounge each evening at 5:30 pm. On my cruise it was wonderful and I ended up cancelling half my reservations to eat with the people I met. On one occasion NCL organized a group dinner for us in one of the main dining rooms and even paid for wine. We also went to one of the shows together as a group.

 

There was also a flip chart in the solo lounge where people could put up where they were going for dinner and inviting others to join them.

 

It would be nice if Royal could do something similar for solos.