Has Royal changed their dining policy?

[time4u2go]

No longer true! Freedom will get a version of Dynamic Dining in February as will Oasis!

 

Where did you hear this?

[Eng23]

Where did you hear this?

 

 

I agree. Where or who is your (nicstress) source of this information?

 

 

Sent using the Cruise Critic forums app

Edited August 16, 2014 by Eng23

[SherriZ366]

Why does Freedom of the Seas have a 5:30pm Early Dinner Seating?....The earliest I have seen on the 15 cruises we have been on has been 6pm.

 

Please don't tell me it is the class of ship, because when we were on Liberty the Early Seating was at 6PM, and Liberty is in the same class.

 

You are correct in feeling that you don't want to prepay gratuities MONTHS in Advance....that is realistic.

I think this is popular in Central Florida embarkation points. A 5:30 PM early dining results in the late seating being set for 8 PM. There may be some people who want early seating (which fills up fast on FR) that will take the 8 PM late seating also.

[ianj]

My Time Dining is on deck 5 (highest deck) of the dining room. Each deck of the dining room serves the same food.

 

The wine package has a specific list of wines:

 

http://media.royalcaribbean.com/content/royal/en_US/pdf/sample-winedine-menu.pdf

 

Thanks for the info, Clarea. It is very helpful and I appreciate your taking the time to answer.

[dacsmom]

No longer true! Freedom will get a version of Dynamic Dining in February as will Oasis!

 

I have family members on the Freedom now and it was announced during a Q&A with the crew that the Freedom will get dynamic Dining after drydock. Can't speak to the Oasis though.

[fishtaco]

Our very first cruise was on Navigator, back in 2003, and we did not make any of the travel arrangements our 'experienced cruiser friends who we were traveling with did'. That was the only time we did late seating....and for us it was horrible.

 

We felt as if we missed lots of the activities going on during the evening that we would have enjoyed. At that time it was sailing from Miami.

 

Your reasons above for wanting to dine early are valid for many cruisers especially experienced cruisers, I am in the minority group who does not do shows/activities but prefers a relaxed late dinner each night with same table guests.

 

Before MTD early dinning was always first to "Waitlist" so it has always been more popular than late dinning so expected to fill first.

 

When MTD was introduced it also became very popular and perhaps the "Most" popular dinning option with it also being mostly waitlisted first, until now.

 

What is the reason for the sudden preference of early trad dinning over just going to MTD early for many?

There has always been the cruisers who like shared fixed dinning late or early and I think this has not changed but if so many are being waitlisted for traditional dinning and being allocated MTD where have all those MTDers gone?

 

The option to pay Grats once onboard, to pay Grats with OBC, the choice to remove Grats in favour of cash tips and the choice to adjust down or remove Grats has made traditional dinning much more favourable to many cruisers over MTD since the GFC:)

 

Nobody likes their choice to tip as they see fit taken away from them, especially North Americans as its in there culture but there has been a huge influx of budget cruisers and cruisers chasing loyalty points since cruises are getting cheaper and with all cruise lines. Those on a budget or chasing loyalty status may not want to pay full grats:)

Edited August 17, 2014 by fishtaco