Dynamic Dining postponed for Oasis & Allure

[LuCruise]

Does anyone know if they will change the menu mid-week on a one week cruise?

[LMaxwell]

Once DD is instituted then Yes you would have to decide which dining venue you want and on which day and time and call to make all your reservations for the cruise.

That's not accurate. You CAN do those things you state or you can decide on the fly without reservations, hence the use of word Dynamic. It's the on the fly part that doesn't seem to be working as planned because they are allowing so many reservations.

[CVU]

Very happy they have second thoughts on DD so far......

we have not done it yet, not booked until 2016 on Allure. By then it should be either working well or not.

 

We did not go on a cruise to go to specialty restaurants each night and pay more money, we are not foodies and are fine with the MDR. Maybe one night at Chops but that is it in all our over 60 RCL cruises.

 

We prefer our same MDR table, same waiter and same time each night--- without having to book each night of dining ahead of the sailing. There is enough to plan ahead, without doing dining too around the show times.

 

We often pick off the alternate menu as well, and so far DD hasn't got an alternate menu I have read.:confused: After many days it seems people are complaining of the same menu with no changes.

Seems like they have some work to do, to get it going smoothly.........

[Big_G]

What is happening to people that booked post-March 2015 for Oasis and had DD and were not required to prepay gratuities? Is Royal going to honor the terms and conditions of Dynamic Dining for those already booked?

 

It should be easy enough to charge the daily gratuity once on-board but it will be interesting to see how they reschedule guests for early, late, or MTD seatings.

Edited December 25, 2014 by Big_G

[1ParticularHbr]

It would be a nice compromise if they did traditional MDR seating but rotated through the menus they had prepared for the dynamic dining restaurants, i.e. The Grand's menu on formal night, American Icon on a smart casual night, etc.

[RocketMan275]

It would be a nice compromise if they did traditional MDR seating but rotated through the menus they had prepared for the dynamic dining restaurants, i.e. The Grand's menu on formal night, American Icon on a smart casual night, etc.

 

I can't agree. The major attraction to DD is the fact that there are no formal nights.

[SherriZ366]

Very happy they have second thoughts on DD so far......

we have not done it yet, not booked until 2016 on Allure. By then it should be either working well or not.

 

We did not go on a cruise to go to specialty restaurants each night and pay more money, we are not foodies and are fine with the MDR. Maybe one night at Chops but that is it in all our over 60 RCL cruises.

 

We prefer our same MDR table, same waiter and same time each night--- without having to book each night of dining ahead of the sailing. There is enough to plan ahead, without doing dining too around the show times.

 

We often pick off the alternate menu as well, and so far DD hasn't got an alternate menu I have read.:confused: After many days it seems people are complaining of the same menu with no changes.

Seems like they have some work to do, to get it going smoothly.........

DD's Simple Taste Menu is their version of the Alternative Menu. It seems fancier than the Alternative Menu used for MDR. I'm trying to upload it as a picture for this reply.

Simple_Tastes_Menus.pdf

[SF]

That's not accurate. You CAN do those things you state or you can decide on the fly without reservations, hence the use of word Dynamic. It's the on the fly part that doesn't seem to be working as planned because they are allowing so many reservations.

 

I agree you can take a chance and see if there is any room once on board or that day but like you said it hasn't been working out. So until they straighten out the problems why would anyone want to take a chance that anything especially during prime time would be available.

Especially if you are not doing formal you only have two restaurants on Oasis and Allure which does not leave much room during the prime dining hours. Personally I do not see this working out. If they leave space for walk ins then that means less space for those who want to make reservations.

[hoff80601]

Same with our Oasis cruise in September.

 

Our May 16, 2015 still shows Dynamic Dining, hope they make up their minds in plenty of time for us to make choices if the MDR isn't an option.

[LMaxwell]

I agree you can take a chance and see if there is any room once on board or that day but like you said it hasn't been working out. So until they straighten out the problems why would anyone want to take a chance that anything especially during prime time would be available.

Especially if you are not doing formal you only have two restaurants on Oasis and Allure which does not leave much room during the prime dining hours. Personally I do not see this working out. If they leave space for walk ins then that means less space for those who want to make reservations.

You are right. More people [more cabins after dry dock] with the same or less complimentary dining space means a greater potential for issues and conflicts

[CVU]

DD's Simple Taste Menu is their version of the Alternative Menu. It seems fancier than the Alternative Menu used for MDR. I'm trying to upload it as a picture for this reply.

 

Thanks, way too fancy for us. We would order with Hold this and Hold that and substitute this instead etc......

[suzyluvs2cruise]

DD's Simple Taste Menu is their version of the Alternative Menu. It seems fancier than the Alternative Menu used for MDR. I'm trying to upload it as a picture for this reply.

 

We just spent 21 nights on Quantum. We found the Simple Taste menu, when available (which is another story), to be another version of the entrees available in each restaurant and not like the "Always Available" menu in the MDR. There were nights we just wanted something like a chicken breast, rice and broccoli or pasta and red sauce and they weren't available.

 

Example of regular menu at Chic and Simple Taste Menu (in red) for comparison. From what we could tell the differences were sauce and/or vegetables. When I asked to order the Grilled Ribeye I was thinking it might be a steak. It isn't...and I was told they take the regular Roasted Ribeye (which is like a Prime Rib) and put it on the grill. Both looked the same.

 

For b2b and longer sailings we felt the menu offerings were limiting. Especially for those who don't eat fish/seafood.

 

Potato Crusted Icelandic Cod Peppered Shallots, Glazed Carrots, Truffle-Champagne Beurre Blanc

OVEN ROASTED ICELANDIC COD Poached Asparagus, Roasted Corn

 

Roasted Beef Ribeye* Creamed Spinach, Roasted Corn Salsa

 

GRILLED BEEF RIBEYE Sauteed Spinach & Baby Carrots which was served the same as the Roasted Ribeye (Prime Rib)

Grilled Lamb T-Bone* Brie Cheese Potato Gratin, Roasted Red Pepper Emulsion

 

Slow Cooked Vegetable Cassoulet Cannellini Beans, Tomatoes, Herb Breadcrumbs

 

Crispy Crusted Chicken Smoked Bacon, Caramelized Onions, Potatoes, Hony-Dijon Mustard Jus

 

GRILLED CHICKEN Arugula & Teardrop Tomato Salad

 

Baked Salmon Strudel Sweet Carrot, Green Asparagus & Dill Hollandaise Sauce

 

BAKED SALMON New Potatoes & Dill Hollandais

 

Mediterranean Sea Bass Turnips, Wild Fennel Dressing

 

Pan Roasted Australian Barramundi Sautéed Spinach, Radish, Pineapple & Caper Brown Butter

Edited December 25, 2014 by suzyluvs2cruise

[LetsGetWet!]

We just spent 21 nights on Quantum. We found the Simple Taste menu, when available (which is another story), to be another version of the entrees available in each restaurant and not like the "Always Available" menu in the MDR. There were nights we just wanted something like a chicken breast, rice and broccoli or pasta and red sauce and they weren't available.

Granted the vegetable doesn't happen to be exactly the one you mention, but a chicken breast, rice and a vegetable appears to be available on the Simple Tastes menu in two of the four venues.

[zuggie]

I had read that the plan was to convert the Congierge Club to Wonderland in January. Isn't Wonderland supposed to be part of this new DD? So question is, are they going on with the Wonderland conversion in Janaury? Maybe we'll luck out and it will still be a Congierge Club open to DD's in February.

[zuggie]

Opps - meant to say open to D+ in February.

[woodyren]

That's not accurate. You CAN do those things you state or you can decide on the fly without reservations, hence the use of word Dynamic. It's the on the fly part that doesn't seem to be working as planned because they are allowing so many reservations.

 

I think this is the root cause of many of the problems. It is a bit of a chicken and egg thing IMO. There are more than likely many people like us who would prefer to just decide on the day but have made reservations just to insure they have somewhere to dine each night because of the potential problems with just turning up. This clogs up the system. I also wonder how many bother cancelling if they change their mind.

 

Once people have confidence that they can just turn up and only have a wait of, say, < 15mins to be seated there will be far, far fewer people bothering to pre book.

[kerrydee]

The Norwegian Cruise line has been operating 'Freestyle' for a couple of decades and it does still not work so well, at times.

 

RCI have no chance of making DD (their copy of Freestyle) work properly after only a few months!

 

or at all. i hated NCL's freestyle. when i booked oasis for next may, dynamic dining wasn't even a twinkle in their eye.

[suzyluvs2cruise]

Granted the vegetable doesn't happen to be exactly the one you mention, but a chicken breast, rice and a vegetable appears to be available on the Simple Tastes menu in two of the four venues.

 

You're right...grilled chicken and some form of rice is on the printed Simple Tastes menu but wasn't readily available. I'm sure this will change as they implement the menu but, for us, it wasn't an option.

[SherriZ366]

Thanks, way too fancy for us. We would order with Hold this and Hold that and substitute this instead etc......

And way too fancy for DH and the husband from our usual cruising couple. Both men like the salmon and DH likes the pasta from the present Always Available menu.

[SherriZ366]

We just spent 21 nights on Quantum. We found the Simple Taste menu, when available (which is another story), to be another version of the entrees available in each restaurant and not like the "Always Available" menu in the MDR. There were nights we just wanted something like a chicken breast, rice and broccoli or pasta and red sauce and they weren't available.

 

Example of regular menu at Chic and Simple Taste Menu (in red) for comparison. From what we could tell the differences were sauce and/or vegetables. When I asked to order the Grilled Ribeye I was thinking it might be a steak. It isn't...and I was told they take the regular Roasted Ribeye (which is like a Prime Rib) and put it on the grill. Both looked the same.

 

For b2b and longer sailings we felt the menu offerings were limiting. Especially for those who don't eat fish/seafood.

 

Potato Crusted Icelandic Cod Peppered Shallots, Glazed Carrots, Truffle-Champagne Beurre Blanc

OVEN ROASTED ICELANDIC COD Poached Asparagus, Roasted Corn

 

Roasted Beef Ribeye* Creamed Spinach, Roasted Corn Salsa

 

GRILLED BEEF RIBEYE Sauteed Spinach & Baby Carrots which was served the same as the Roasted Ribeye (Prime Rib)

Grilled Lamb T-Bone* Brie Cheese Potato Gratin, Roasted Red Pepper Emulsion

 

Slow Cooked Vegetable Cassoulet Cannellini Beans, Tomatoes, Herb Breadcrumbs

 

Crispy Crusted Chicken Smoked Bacon, Caramelized Onions, Potatoes, Hony-Dijon Mustard Jus

 

GRILLED CHICKEN Arugula & Teardrop Tomato Salad

 

Baked Salmon Strudel Sweet Carrot, Green Asparagus & Dill Hollandaise Sauce

 

BAKED SALMON New Potatoes & Dill Hollandais

 

Mediterranean Sea Bass Turnips, Wild Fennel Dressing

 

Pan Roasted Australian Barramundi Sautéed Spinach, Radish, Pineapple & Caper Brown Butter

DH and the husband from our usual cruising couple would feel the same way as you do.

 

I had a game plan drafted for the 4 of us if RCI had instituted DD on FR after Drydock. The other wife just wants steamed vegetables with ranch dressing and a baked sweet potato -- I would have had her TA contact the special needs desk. The guys would look for something like the present Always Available. All 3 of them would sorely miss the cold soups.

 

As you can tell, I am glad FR will have the MDR for awhile.

 

I think RCI needs to really tweak the Always Available Menu or offer the same one that cruises with a MDR has. And keep the cold soups in DD as they are really popular.

[RocketMan275]

I think this is a smart move, and that's coming from somebody who is looking forward to trying DD at some point. I think they tried to move forward with this too fast, and now that they're having so many problems and complaints on the Quantum they finally put the brakes on.

 

In the meantime, Coastal Kitchen is already up, running, and wonderful on the Oasis, and it works fine even without DD. Wonderland can still work as an additional specialty restaurant without DD, and take the place of the eliminated Chef's Table. I thought MTD on the Oasis was the most chaotic and inefficient I've seen, and that alone was enough to raise concerns about the implementation of DD on the Oasis without some additional thought and preparation. Just converting the dining rooms isn't enough.

 

So, Coastal Kitchen is working? Good news. Scheduled on Oasis in Nov 15 and not at all interested in the classic MDR experience.

 

Question: Wonderland takes the place of the chef's table?

[LetsGetWet!]

You're right...grilled chicken and some form of rice is on the printed Simple Tastes menu but wasn't readily available. I'm sure this will change as they implement the menu but, for us, it wasn't an option.

Hmm... If they don't have available the things that are on the menu, that's definitely an issue, albeit a different issue.

[Calgon1]

We're booked on the Oasis for next November, for a family cruise with DS and DD and their families. They've never experienced "traditional", so they'll have nothing to compare DD to. Regardless of whether it is better or worse, I'm sure the kidlets and grand-kidlets will have the time of their lives.

 

We've done Anytime/As You Wish/My Time/Freestyle and a couple others. While we do like the ability to dine when you want, we really like having "our table and our waiter". With traditional dining, you are not locked in. You can always opt out and hit an alternative venue, or even the traditional at a different time if circumstances change. I don't know if I really need 2 dozen options and 20 different times and prices.

 

So, after this cruise, we'll probably return to Holland America, with an occasional foray to Princess.

 

Edited December 26, 2014 by Calgon1

[Clarea]

I had read that the plan was to convert the Congierge Club to Wonderland in January. Isn't Wonderland supposed to be part of this new DD? So question is, are they going on with the Wonderland conversion in Janaury? Maybe we'll luck out and it will still be a Congierge Club open to DD's in February.

I believe Wonderland is an extra cost venue.

[SherriZ366]

Hmm... If they don't have available the things that are on the menu, that's definitely an issue, albeit a different issue.

Maybe this is an issue that RCI is looking at (i.e. a more complete alternate menu) as evidenced by the pullback on DD implementation on OA & AL.