Cancelling Anthem due to No More Dynamic Dining

[Biker19]

It made the Quantum class a unique experience on Royal rather than the boring 2 formal night routine on all their other ships.

 

For almost 2 years, we kept telling people there are no formal nights on Quantum class ships, and now we will tell them there are. Talk about confusion. I predict even more dressing down on formal night. RCI should just throw in the towel and take this opportunity to kill formal nights - at least on Anthem.

[Ashland]

For almost 2 years, we kept telling people there are no formal nights on Quantum class ships, and now we will tell them there are. Talk about confusion. I predict even more dressing down on formal night. RCI should just throw in the towel and take this opportunity to kill formal nights - at least on Anthem.

 

JMHO...but RCI can kill off formal nights altogether..regardless of ship.

[Ocean Dancer]

I strongly disagree with doing away with formal night, but it was a little weird eating in Grande all dressed up and most of the ship was in shorts.:confused:

 

Anthem has way more to offer then just dining. She is a modern ship to try and she may just surprise some of you nay sayers.:)

 

We will cruise her again.

[riclop]

Hi All,

 

I cannot believe royal caribbean has decided to get rid of dynamic dining all of a sudden. With final payment approaching, we signed up for a well-advertised product. Royal Caribbean sold us on dynamic dining. This ship was built for this concept, and we were really looking forward to trying it out.

 

Many cruisecritic members have expressed disappointment. In addition, many cruisecritic members do not seem to understand the rush to end dynamic and why this or any further changes can't wait until next year when the traditional concept for this ship can be advertised to those booking.

 

I hope Royal Caribbean reconsiders this decision so we can experience the expansive and array of menus in different and changing venues. We are reluctantly going to cancel due to the change in product and wanting a different dining experience while cruising.

 

-Robby

 

There are alot of other reasons to cancel Anthem.

[OceanCruise]

We are canceling out upcoming Anthem cruise because of the port change (substituting Martinique for St Lucia) and eliminating dynamic dining. We loved dynamic dining on the Quantum. It was nice to have the variety of the different restaurants and it was very easy to switch reservations whenver we needed to. Having been on the Explorer 4 times, we loved that the Quantum was different. I do not think the restaurants will be manage the capacity for fixed seating times.

[BamaGuy44]

I never realized that people cruised just for the dining experience. We cruise for the ports, to meet new friends and just to get away. At the age of 67 I am still learning new things.

 

I'm with you. I enjoy a good meal as much as the next guy, but how the dining is structured doesn't factor into my decision about a cruise at all. Rotational on Disney, MTD and Traditional dining on RCCL, Freestyle on NCL are all fine with me.

 

Never tried Dynamic but I'm confident I would enjoy a Quantum class ship the same amount with or without it. :D

[DonnaK]

I strongly disagree with doing away with formal night, but it was a little weird eating in Grande all dressed up and most of the ship was in shorts.:confused:

 

I feel the same way - it is very awkward to be among a handful of Grande diners dressed formally scattered about the ship where everyone else is dressed casually. It is much more confortable when the theme is consistent thoughout the ship and everyone is either dressed up or dressed down.

[BNBR]

I feel the same way - it is very awkward to be among a handful of Grande diners dressed formally scattered about the ship where everyone else is dressed casually. It is much more confortable when the theme is consistent thoughout the ship and everyone is either dressed up or dressed down.

 

I'd love to see them do a formal attire required in a smaller venue, with reservations. On Oasis, maybe 1 of the 3 dining rooms, for example. I imagine it would be difficult because of the MDR "same table/waiter" concept - but just a thought :)

[Arzeena]

Hi All,

 

I cannot believe royal caribbean has decided to get rid of dynamic dining all of a sudden. With final payment approaching, we signed up for a well-advertised product. Royal Caribbean sold us on dynamic dining. This ship was built for this concept, and we were really looking forward to trying it out.

 

Many cruisecritic members have expressed disappointment. In addition, many cruisecritic members do not seem to understand the rush to end dynamic and why this or any further changes can't wait until next year when the traditional concept for this ship can be advertised to those booking.

 

I hope Royal Caribbean reconsiders this decision so we can experience the expansive and array of menus in different and changing venues. We are reluctantly going to cancel due to the change in product and wanting a different dining experience while cruising.

 

-Robby

 

Now that's another extreme!

I am a big fan of Dynamic Dining and am mad at the old farts that cried about it so much that Royal had to go back to the boring dining, but cancel a cruise for THAT??!! no way!

[Arzeena]

With all the cancellations, I would look for a price drop on my Anthem cruise! :D:D

[golfnut1089]

Dear all,

I am reading your posts and see your concerns. We were on the ship last February after the "hurricane cruise". Believe me, then we were not concerned with dining but rather the condition of the ship, kitchen and seaworthiness to go out. We elected to book our reservations early for the restaurants we wanted to eat at. Believe me, it worked out well and our only disappointed was Silk. It is imperative that you book your reservations as early as possible before your times become unavailable.

 

You should book the onboard entertainment early. I loved the North Star but you have to book it at sea, since it will not rotate around the ship when in port. The bumper cars are great and you can play ping pong indoors, so wind is not a factor. The ship can be a lot of fun for those who take advantage of all the ship has to offer. The Solarium is great, since it is relatively quiet and no children are allowed. Sorry parents!

 

I am a photographer and you will see me every morning photographing sunrises. You are welcome to join me. Let me know if you have any questions.

[golfnut1089]

Hi again,

I have not gone snorkeling for many years. Does anyone plan on snorkeling? Let me know where the best snorkeling is. I went to one island next to the airport and all the coral was dead and fish colorless and few.

Thanks for your feedback.

[golfnut1089]

Hi again,

I have not gone snorkeling for many years. Does anyone plan on snorkeling? Let me know where the best snorkeling is. I went to one island next to the airport and all the coral was dead and fish colorless and few.

Thanks for your feedback.

[Janet524]

The elimination of DD makes me want to try Anthem.

[golfnut1089]

To the person cancelling because Martinique was cancelled. Last year we stopped there and all the stores and restaurants were closed. I am so glad that we are not going there and so should you.

[Croozin Soozin]

To the person cancelling because Martinique was cancelled. Last year we stopped there and all the stores and restaurants were closed. I am so glad that we are not going there and so should you.

 

It isn't Martinique that is cancelled - it was St. Lucia. Martinique replaced St. Lucia on the itinerary because the dock for Anthem hasn't been finished yet in St. Lucia.

Edited September 13, 2016 by Croozin Soozin

[TigerLady]

 

HI Robby :)

 

I'm sorry you're thinking about canceling your sailing. My wife & I are on the 12-day February 7th Valentine's voyage aboard the Anthem (25th wedding anniversary) and sadly for February 14th, the port of St Lucia has been cancelled and replaced with Fort de France Martinique. Not happy at all with that particular port & that was strike one, (however) we decided the port change did not warrant an entire voyage cancellation, and we investigated, researched, put our heads together, and figured out how to make lemonade out of the lemons for that particular, very special day that means so much to us. I won't, and will not go with the flow for that day, but I'm simply doing everything possible to make that day, 'ours', with a lot of advance planning & out of the box thinking in effort to make the day our own, just as we would & have done for the past 3 & a half decades of cruising.

 

In regards to the Dynamic Dining. We had Dynamic Choice. And of course we also were looking forward to 4 different complimentary restaurants as well. Strike two? Not entirely certain, yet dynamic dining was something I wanted to experience. But I have to be honest, Dynamic Dining or the ship itself, is not why why we booked the Anthem. We booked the voyage for the ports & we booked the voyage for the 25th Valentine's wedding anniversary. It just happened to be an extra bonus that the ship is very new & also had the dynamic dining concept.

 

Personally I feel the Anthem Of The Seas has many, many more bonuses to the ship other than being new & having the dynamic dining concept. The ship has far too much to offer.

 

 

I fully understand where you are coming from & respect your decision entirely. I also understand that the Anthems complimentary dining situation was designed for dynamic dining.

 

 

But I am very optimistic that from the day they discontinue dynamic dining (November 27th, 2016) until the day we board (February 7th, 2017) that two very essential things will occur; that being, 1, the kinks will be sorted out with the transformation of the 4 restaurants in regards to the Grande & Chic for traditional dining & the Silk & Icon for my time dining. And 2, between now & our voyage in February, there will certainly be large numbers of crew changes. And also, hundreds of crew (end of contract) changes simply during the Christmas & New Years holiday alone.

 

Best wishes in whatever decision you make. Evaluate your entire voyage & all of the details in regards to your particular sailing so you can make the best informed decision that best fits you. These decisions are extremely personal & individual.

 

Have a terrific day!

 

 

 

:)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

BRAVO!! Well said..

[Thetrail]

 

PW+1

Nice....K.O.:)

[DebJ14]

We have several great visits to Martinique and 2 awful visits to St. Lucia. St. Lucia was worse than Jamaica as far as the vendors being pushy and drug dealers pushing their wares. We would gladly swap Martinique for St. Lucia. We felt really unsafe in St. Lucia and would either avoid a cruise that went there or stay on the ship that day.

[kutchyone]

My specific question was can a person on DD Classic request in advance which room they will be assigned to for the 12 nights, Grande or Chic. Also, can a person on DD/MTD request in advance which room they will be assigned for the 12 nights, Silk or AI? The reply I got was not much help. I think she either didn't really know or I confused her with my question:

 

"To answer your question, for the assigned Grande and Chic you can go

between the two and for MyTime dining, you can either request Silk or

American Icon. But you can not request between the two (ex. Chic and Silk).

Please let me know if you have any further questions and have a great day!"

 

These are the FAQ's:

 

ANTHEM OF THE SEAS®

DYNAMIC DINING FAQS

 

1. Why is Royal Caribbean discontinuing Dynamic Dining onboard Anthem of the

Seas?

Feedback has shown a preference for a dining program that combines traditional seating with the option for

flexibility. With that in mind, beginning November 27th, 2016, Anthem of the Seas will offer the My Time

Dining program, with traditional and flexible options, as well as introduce new, upgraded dinner menus.

 

2. Which sailings will be impacted by this change?

All Anthem of the Seas sailings departing on-or-after November 27th, 2016.

(Please note that North American guests traveling to Australia/ New Zealand onboard Ovation of the Seas departing

November 23rd, 2016 through April 14th, 2017 will also be impacted by this change.)

 

3. Will booked guests be automatically converted from Dynamic Dining?

All active bookings on-or-after November 27th, 2016 on Anthem of the Seas will automatically convert to the

new dining program, respecting all pre-selected times, party sizes and other reservation features.

 

4. How does the flexible dining option differ from the traditional dining

experience?

The flexible option offers guests the ability to select their preferred seating time and table companions on a

daily basis between the hours of 6:00 pm and 9:30 pm. The traditional dining option allows the choice of

either early or late seating and offers a more consistent dining experience for the entirety of the cruise

vacation.

 

5. Will Anthem of the Seas sailings now have formal evenings?

Beginning November 27th, 2016, Anthem of the Seas will offer either one or two formal evenings per cruise,

dependent upon sailing length.

 

6. Will My Family Time Dining be offered as an option onboard Anthem of the

Seas?

Yes, families with small children can take advantage of My Family Time dining benefits while sailing onboard

Anthem of the Seas. This is available as part of the traditional dining experience during the early seating

time and can be reserved pre-cruise via Cruise Planner or once onboard. My Family Time dining allows

children ages 3-to-11 to enjoy their meal within 40 minutes of seating before heading to the evening’s

Adventure Ocean activities.

 

7. Will adjustments be made to the onboard dining venues? What restaurants will

be impacted?

The four (4) main restaurants – Chic, Grande, Silk, and American Icon– will now become the main dining

venues to support the My Time Dining program and will all feature the same upgraded dinner menu each

evening. My Time Dining flexible venues will be located on Deck 4 in American Icon and Silk, while Chic

and Grande will be designated as the early and late seating restaurants on Deck 3. The name and décor of

each venue will remain unchanged.

 

8. Once these changes go into effect, will guests have the ability to experience

more than one dining venue during their cruise vacation?

Based on the preferred dining selection, guests will automatically be assigned to dine in one of the main

dining restaurants for the entirety of their cruise. They will enjoy the benefit of consistent wait staff and table

companions each evening at dinner. Specialty dining options remain available for those guests wishing to

experience multiple dining venues.

 

9. How will dining menus be impacted by this change?

New, upgraded dinner menus will be introduced each evening in all four main dining restaurants. Each

restaurant will feature distinctive, new dishes alongside your clients’ classic favorites shared between the

four restaurants. Every night there will be a new, upgraded dinner menu to explore, offering delectable

dishes to tantalize the palette of even the savviest foodie.

 

10. In addition to the dining enhancements, will guests notice any other changes

while sailing onboard Anthem of the Seas?

To enhance the overall guest experience, we are making adjustments to our daily entertainment schedule to

ensure a more convenient line-up of show times that complement the evening dining options. In addition, to

give more guests the opportunity to experience the revolutionary Ripcord by iFly and North Star attractions,

we will be adding support staff onboard to accommodate expanded hours of operation.

 

11. How will large group bookings be impacted by this dining change onboard

Anthem of the Seas?

With the change from Dynamic Dining to My Time Dining, large groups will now experience a faster, more

simplified experience not only during the pre-cruise planning process, but also while onboard. Groups of up

to 400 guests can now be seated together at the same dining time. As always, to coordinate group dining

accommodations, please contact our team of experts within the Trade Support & Service department.

 

I still will not pack for the possible two formal nights so if you are on our cruise close your eyes when I sit down to eat in the dining room on formal nights with my sundress or capri's and pretty top on. I wouldn't want to shock anyone into losing their appetite by my appearance. LOL. I frankly don't care what you have on.

 

I also was really looking forward to the four "free" dining venues with the different menus. I'm disappointed but I will certainly get over it. As long as the food is hot, unlike the Majesty, and tasty all is good.

Edited September 13, 2016 by kutchyone

[rolloman]

Hi All,

 

 

I hope Royal Caribbean reconsiders this decision so we can experience the expansive and array of menus in different and changing venues. We are reluctantly going to cancel due to the change in product and wanting a different dining experience while cruising.

 

-Robby

 

If you cancel over the dining...well, I doubt you wanted to go on this cruise in the first place. Out of the top 10 things this ship has to offer, DD is not one of them.

[land lover]

If I was cruising for dining/food on a ship I would never cruise again.....LOL

Even specialty restaurants don't do it for us anymore.

[golfnut1089]

Dear Cruising Soozin,

 

I was on the ship two weeks after "hurricane cruise" last February one year ago. Martinique was open, we docked and everyone complained that everything was closed. St. Lucia was not in the agenda.

[golfnut1089]

Cheryl,

Food was great at The Grand, American Icon and Chic were good, Silk disappointing. Go to the restaurants earlier than you would normally go. There were long lines, but get filled very quickly. We ate at 5:30 and you would be surprised at the lines, but we were seated in an empty restaurant within 5 minutes. At 6PM, lines were very long. We never feel you have to pay for food since you are already paying for the food in the price of the cruise.

[wilmingtech]

I don't know if anyone has mentioned this yet but isn't RCI cutting Dynamic Dining to save money and increase profits? I highly doubt its because all the whiners.

 

If the profits dropped by going back to traditional dining I am sure dynamic would stay just where it is.

 

-Sean

Edited September 14, 2016 by wilmingtech