Honestly, how do you long-time RC cruisers feel about Dynamic Dining?

[pawmtweez]

We are also extremely upset by this change.

 

While we cruise several lines, up until now, Royal Caribbean has been by far our favorite. And we LOVE the big ships.

 

We've tried MTD. Don't like it (for us). We've been on NCL, didn't like their dining setup either. We've never eaten in a specialty restaurant on any line for dinner. In fact, the only time we've missed dinner in a dining room has been the night we sailed out of Venice.

 

Traditional dining is the best fit for us, our lifestyle, and our personalities. We relish the relationships we develop with the waitstaff, and until now, the dining has been the highlight of our trips.

 

When Dynamic Dining was first announced on Quantum, we were very disappointed as we always look forward to trying RCCL's new ships. While we felt that the spread throughout the fleet was likely inevitable, especially given the problems we've read about with regard to Quantum's DD reservations, we figured there would be a few years before it would be forced on us and that all the bugs would get ironed out by then.

 

Now the recent news that it has officially been announced on Oasis, and rumored for Freedom, is very frustrating. Royal Caribbean has now essentially "taken away" two of our three favorite ships as an option because you can add us to the list of people who will not book on a DD ship until those are the only ships sailing in the Caribbean among our 3 preferred cruise lines.

 

DD is an interesting concept that likely will work well for a lot of people. If DD had been presented as an OPTION along with the main dining room, I think that would have alleviated a number of concerns and objections, ours included. But RCCL should not be forcing its customers into choosing between a preference that removes an important element of cruising for many people, or abandoning their favorite cruise line.

 

We have Freedom booked for the fall (having done two smaller RCCL ships earlier this year). We sincerely hope that is not our last RCCL cruise for the foreseeable future.

[big al]

The Steaks in chops are also so much better! The ambiance is also much nicer. It truly feels like you are going to a good restaurant vs. your cousins wedding at a catering hall. But the food at the "catering hall" is sometimes pretty good! LOL

 

This is what I'm saying!! Of course the steaks, appetizers, SIDE DISHES ( YUMMMY!), desserts, ambiance, service are much better in Chops or 150 Central Park, or wherever than the MDR..like you said- it TRULY feels like you are in a restaurant, not a catering hall for a wedding...and yes, SOMETIMES ( but not too often) , the food is good- but better than Chops...you should seek an MRI ASAP IMO...they are NOT in the same league, and they shouldn't be...Good post!

 

Big Al

[mommabean]

This is what I'm saying!! Of course the steaks, appetizers, SIDE DISHES ( YUMMMY!), desserts, ambiance, service are much better in Chops or 150 Central Park, or wherever than the MDR..like you said- it TRULY feels like you are in a restaurant, not a catering hall for a wedding...and yes, SOMETIMES ( but not too often) , the food is good- but better than Chops...you should seek an MRI ASAP IMO...they are NOT in the same league, and they shouldn't be...Good post!

 

Big Al

 

The ambiance and food is much better most of the time in the specialty restaurants, but the service? Sometimes it is, sometimes it isn't. Like any cruise, it all depends on who you get. I've rarely had poor service in the MDR but have had it on rare occasion in Chops. The only place we've never had less than great service at any time is the Chef's Table and 150 Central Park.

 

Gina

Edited August 28, 2014 by mommabean

[jticarruthers]

The ambiance and food is much better most of the time in the specialty restaurants, but the service? Sometimes it is, sometimes it isn't. Like any cruise, it all depends on who you get. I've rarely had poor service in the MDR but have had it on rare occasion in Chops. The only place we've never had less than great service at any time is the Chef's Table and 150 Central Park.

 

Gina

 

I would agree with this statement, we have done Chops on pretty much every cruise, the first time was WOW, the experience has gone down hill steadily over the past 4-5 trips though to the point where I have no interested in paying extra for Chops. Especially not if I then have to pay even more extra to get the steak of my choice at Chops rather than the included steaks at Chops.

 

Not threatening to change lines or anything without trying it, but so far I have no interest in DD but will give it a try when forced to I guess.

[Paulette3028]

My question would be if the quality of food improves. We stopped sailing on Royal two years ago due to the never ending decline in the quality of food. Same menus; same themes; same decline in food.

We are now trying other lines and options.

 

Bringing in this new dining program isn't going to change the quality of food, it is simply going to change how dining is delivered to the cruisers.

 

DH and I are not 'foodies' or 'difficult to please when it comes to food'. I haven't really seen a decline in the quality of food, I have seen a change in options and the more expensive options have been shifted to the Specialty 'for fee' restaurants.

 

To me a decline in food, would be if you had been in the habit of ordering the top tier steak (when it was available in the MDR, without extra charge) and now at the Specialty Restaurant where you are ordering it and paying additional for it, the QUALITY of that steak has declined. The question begs: "Are your taste buds being influenced by the fact that you are now paying extra?"

 

Are plate portions a little smaller, yes. But when I first started cruising (15 cruises ago and 11 years ago) there was too much food served anyway. No one stops me from ordering more.

 

But Quality and Quantity are different.....sometimes it is very difficult to figure out exactly what people are really complaining about.

 

I have never been bothered by the same menu or same theme issue. I am on a cruise for a week or two, not 50 weeks a year. I believe people make too much of that issue.

[big al]

The ambiance and food is much better most of the time in the specialty restaurants, but the service? Sometimes it is, sometimes it isn't. Like any cruise, it all depends on who you get. I've rarely had poor service in the MDR but have had it on rare occasion in Chops. The only place we've never had less than great service at any time is the Chef's Table and 150 Central Park.

 

Gina

 

Maybe I've just been lucky..in 18 trips to Chops, we 've never had a problem..anyway, for me, service is the LEAST important of the 3 things I go for: 1) Better ambiance ( we can actually talk to each other w/o 1500+ people talking around us..)....2) Much better food, choices ,especially the appetizers & side dishes.. and 3) I like the fact that the waiters are close by and if need be, you can just motion to them if you need something, whereas in the MDR, your waiter has often 5-7 tables to take care of & sometimes they disappear into the back for a while, come out with food for another table, then go back again..most of our MDR staff has been pretty good to excellent, but sometimes getting their attention is not as easy as getting attention in Chops or wherever else...actually the BEST Chops was on the Liberty in Nov. '12 and worst was on the Allure last Feb '13- it wasn't bad, just perhaps not as good as others- they can't be always A++, sometimes just a A-...

 

Big Al

[jticarruthers]

Allure this year was our most disappointing Chops experience, Liberty oddly enough was also our best.

[Hoopster95]

We are also extremely upset by this change.

...until now, the dining has been the highlight of our trips.

 

I don't understand... do you proclaim that dining is your highlight of crusing, more so than the ports of call, stateroom, ship amenities, entertainment, standing out on the helipad, enjoying your balcony, the excellent service, etc... the dining is why you cruise? Dining is only a small component of anyone's cruising experience imo

 

Now the recent news that it has officially been announced on Oasis, and rumored for Freedom, is very frustrating. Royal Caribbean has now essentially "taken away" two of our three favorite ships as an option because you can add us to the list of people who will not book on a DD ship until those are the only ships sailing in the Caribbean among our 3 preferred cruise lines.

 

Why are those ships your favorite? Most of the other classes of ships have Chops, Giovanni's, Izumi's, Chefs Table, etc so they should equally as good according to your #1 criteria of your dining needs. In fact, THE very best restaurant in my RCL experience is at Sabor on Navigator... maybe you should try that ship next. So again you say that you cruise specifically for the dining as your #1 enjoyment when you cruise. I would suggest a food/dining tour on land where options for dining are endless and you can choose anything and everything you want whenever you want, and you can go to the same restaurant every single night and ask for the same waiter (many people do just this and are regulars in restaurants). Or simply book smaller class of ships where the dining is as equal and as good as the larger ships imo.

 

DD is an interesting concept that likely will work well for a lot of people. If DD had been presented as an OPTION along with the main dining room, I think that would have alleviated a number of concerns and objections, ours included. But RCCL should not be forcing its customers into choosing between a preference that removes an important element of cruising for many people, or abandoning their favorite cruise line.

 

So if one week on Oasis 4000 of it's 5000 passengers demand DD, how do the staff and prepare the MDR for only 1000 people total for the week? Vice versa, the next week 4000 passengers want the MDR and leave the DD venues empty. I can't see this choice as being realistic, it's either one or the other imo.

 

Your least sentence is a massive knee jerk reaction to something that has not been experienced yet. You might absolutely LOVE it when you experience it. Look at the menus on the Quantum... superb options! Way way waaaay better than the same old same old offered in the MDR's over the past few years. And with the very well known posts by many that the quality of the MDR has diminished, this may bring up the quality and service to the "OLD" RCL standards. Let us all see and hope for the best. :)

[Hoopster95]

I have never been bothered by the same menu or same theme issue. I am on a cruise for a week or two, not 50 weeks a year. I believe people make too much of that issue.

 

Perfect statement!!!!! And thus your statement above is likely the exact reason why DD is becoming a reality... the majority of the market place is demanding this change.

[poncho1973]

Why are those ships your favorite? Most of the other classes of ships have Chops, Giovanni's, Izumi's, Chefs Table, etc so they should equally as good according to your #1 criteria of your dining needs.

 

Excellent point. If being besties with the waiter, meeting strangers at a restaurant, and the menu of the MDR are the top things... why does the person indicate ship preferences?

 

Those things aren't ship-dependent at all.

[TC1957]

Excellent point. If being besties with the waiter, meeting strangers at a restaurant, and the menu of the MDR are the top things... why does the person indicate ship preferences?

 

Those things aren't ship-dependent at all.

 

I am not the one who made the comment you are referencing, but I can venture a guess.

 

Maybe since they COULD enjoy being "besties" with the staff, meet strangers at a restaurant and enjoy the MDR menu on EVERY RCI ship currently sailing then they simply move down the check list of things they like to arrive at a ship preference. You know, like if the most important things to you in a car choice are a specific sound sytem, leather, sun roof, gold plated dash, having a pink display at night, having the vehicle say "Hello you magnificent human" when you get in, paint color of red or green, etc. and 32 of the cars you are considering all have the first 6 items on the list, then the seventh most important thing will be the deciding factor.

 

But that's just a guess.

DUH...:D

Edited August 28, 2014 by TC1957

[mommabean]

Maybe I've just been lucky..in 18 trips to Chops, we 've never had a problem..anyway, for me, service is the LEAST important of the 3 things I go for: 1) Better ambiance ( we can actually talk to each other w/o 1500+ people talking around us..)....2) Much better food, choices ,especially the appetizers & side dishes.. and 3) I like the fact that the waiters are close by and if need be, you can just motion to them if you need something, whereas in the MDR, your waiter has often 5-7 tables to take care of & sometimes they disappear into the back for a while, come out with food for another table, then go back again..most of our MDR staff has been pretty good to excellent, but sometimes getting their attention is not as easy as getting attention in Chops or wherever else...actually the BEST Chops was on the Liberty in Nov. '12 and worst was on the Allure last Feb '13- it wasn't bad, just perhaps not as good as others- they can't be always A++, sometimes just a A-...

 

Big Al

 

Chops on Oasis is the one where service hasn't been so great, ambiance is actually worse due to overcrowding. I think someone forgot to dilute the French Onion soup. On other ships it has always been nice in all ways. It's the one restaurant I'd avoid on the big ships due to it's popularity. Having my purse knocked off the corner of the chair over and over annoyed me to pieces. Yes, I need a purse for my seapass, camera and a few other things I like to have with me. They jam that place too tightly. I've only eaten in the MDR on Oasis out of 21 nights due to the hectic pace in there. So many people eat in the MDR that it makes getting into all the other specialty restaurants on the big ships very easy. If there is no MDR, ease of reservations won't be so easy. That's how I foresee Quantum.

 

Now that my reservations are made, I'm looking forward to the Q experience. I only hope reservations don't have a long line as they do in MTD on Enchantment with everyone showing up immediately following a special event. Waiting in line for reservations isn't so great. Walking into a MDR knowing where you will be seated is easy.

 

Gina

[tlatrice]

I haven't been a fan of the Specialty dining venues, because I can't see paying additional for a 'type of food' that will be served in the MDR as part of my cruise fare. On our last cruise on Allure, DH and I did enjoy a dinner at Izumi, but Japanese food is not offered in any way in the MDR (and we go out for Japanese food when at home, anyway).

 

You are wrong! If you don't want to try specialty dining , fine..BUT, it is NOT the same!...

 

of course this is better than the dining room and soooo worth it and anybody that doesn't see the difference is lying or crazy..period."...

 

Seriously??? How is she 'wrong'? Lying or crazy?

 

WHERE did Paulette say the food was the same QUALITY. She DIDN'T. She said TYPE. Meaning, she doesn't see the point in paying for a steak when there's steak on the menu in the MDR. She didn't say the quality was equal, just that steak is offered there.

 

For some, food is just food and as long as it's edible to them, they're happy. They don't care that it's not a prime cut/secret vault aged/blessed by the gods/grilled by the ultimate grilling masters/whatever whatever steak. They just want a steak. Or a pasta dish. Giovanni's is lovely, but pasta is available every night on the menu in the MDR. Some people just want fettuccine Alfredo. Lobster ravioli and duck consommé is not their cup of tea.

 

You seem to be defensive of the fact that you like Specialty Restaurants. OK! We get it! You like the ambiance. The food is better. Your wife deserves it. Great! No one is saying YOU shouldn't like them. They're just saying THEY don't see the value in it. Obviously a romantic dining experience isn't something they value. You don't have to justify how or why you spend your money the way that you choose to. But people also don't have to agree with your choice when it comes to their money.

[shipshape sam]

I'm curious. How do the loyal RC cruisers, Diamond and above, feel about the possible change over to fleet-wide Dynamic Dining?

 

Do you welcome the change, or is it a little upsetting to you, too?

 

Sailing since 1998 and loved the MDR experience at round tables for 8!

 

Now with so many other dining options of which we also try/enjoy, I can say that reserving a table for 8 is disappointing. We miss a number of nights, others miss a number of nights and thus you do not get the same experience that once was. We have actually been sitting at a table for 8 by ourselves on one evening. Not what we wanted and can say that it did feel a little uncomfortable. Most other tables were not full either.

 

On Allure, we ate at every Speciality restaurant on ship including doing the Chef's Table, which when we did it, was great.

 

Is the concept or change upsetting? No. Things do evolve/change and cruise lines are trying to attract a broader demographic, one who appears to not to want to engage in dinner conversation for a week with the same people. I can also say, that we have had some great table mates and have made friends with a number of them that continues many years after we first met.

Edited August 28, 2014 by shipshape sam

[MichaelCMTX]

DH and I are not 'foodies' or 'difficult to please when it comes to food'. I haven't really seen a decline in the quality of food, I have seen a change in options and the more expensive options have been shifted to the Specialty 'for fee' restaurants.

 

To me a decline in food, would be if you had been in the habit of ordering the top tier steak (when it was available in the MDR, without extra charge) and now at the Specialty Restaurant where you are ordering it and paying additional for it, the QUALITY of that steak has declined. The question begs: "Are your taste buds being influenced by the fact that you are now paying extra?"

 

Thank you. I see quite a few posters piling on about some huge decline in food quality and I think you hit the nail on the head. I'm not thinking they're switching from top-quality shrimp to Long John Silver's rejects for the sake of a buck, but from some posts you'd think the MDR steaks had gone fleetwide to a sub-Golden Corral level. Not the veterans some people are but have never walked away from any RCL meal in a state of disgust.

 

I get the point that some have made about the MDR/2 seatings concept being a relic of when that was most efficient based on the available technology. Hadn't really thought that viewpoint over. For our personal experience, the dinner decision would get made in the CL looking over that night's MDR menu. The way Dynamic Dining seems to work, it would be best if I already had my meals planned out for our January sailing. I'm sure for some folks booking the dining options will be even more fun than the excursions - and more power to them. While I'm not looking forward to it, seeing as how the number and locations of our trips it could be late 2016 before it's an issue for us. Maybe we'll change our tune, or that it'll grow on us by then, like a tenacious fungus?

[EGG]

We are also disappointed in the change to dynamic dining.

 

First of all, we love traditional dining and have made some wonderful friends over the course of the years. We still talk to and meet these friends when we are in the same city. We also like the show after dinner. It is the main reason we prefer a cruise to a land vacation.

 

When we cruised on Oasis we could not always get entertainment that fit with our dining time and we had to miss one show and book another in the afternoon. In order to get better times we boarded early and went straight to change our reservations. Not to be disappointed, the changes never got recorded and we were turned away from the first show. So the next day we had to stand in line at guest relations and have our shows fixed again. At least since we had traditional dining we had no trouble eating. I can only imagine the lines to get reservations changed and straightened out.

 

I had not planned on posting here but someone else started a thread on the complainers and how they should not complain until they try it. Unfortunately we will not be trying it. We were so looking forward to Quantum, but that cruise is not to be for us, at least in the next few years. Perhaps in a year or two if the reviews are good and people say they have no trouble booking dinner and a show at their preferred time every evening we will try one of the ships with dynamic dining.

[Maraprince]

I tend to agree with Bob and CB at Sea. I enjoy having the same waiters and meeting new people and dining with them nightly. I also think Bob's point about timing dinner with the shows is a valid one. I tried My Time dining once when cruising with a friend and found that we still dined at about the same time as traditional late seating in order to see the shows.

 

I think Dynamic Dining may present problems with getting reservations at one's preferred times, and foresee some real issues early on until they are ironed out. I guess bottom line, I'm an old fart and don't adapt to change well.;)

 

 

I would hate to see it roll out to the entire fleet! We are traditional 2nd seating and just having to accommodate the timing of most of the shows BEFORE dinner is a pain.:(

 

To add the responsibility of making both dining and show reservations is not what I want to be doing. As it turns out, the most available/easier free restaurant to book is the Grande ...formal every night.

 

I want the same table at the same time with the same people every night.

 

I had the rare opportunity to sail solo and boy I was very happy to be placed at a large table with 2 families. Dinner was the only time I could count on having others at my table to speak with and make plans for after dinner. Didn't meet as many other singles as I would have liked.

 

MARAPRINCE

[knittinggirl]

We're Main Seating people, and we like to train our waiter.

 

That said, I'm reserving further comment until I see it in action.

[poncho1973]

First of all, we love traditional dining and have made some wonderful friends over the course of the years. We still talk to and meet these friends when we are in the same city. We also like the show after dinner. It is the main reason we prefer a cruise to a land vacation.

 

PROTIP: Meet someone at dinner and say "Hey, wanna go see ______ show later with us?" or "Hey, we had a lot of fun hanging out with you tonight. Would you like to meet up on another night and do this again? We're in cabin XXXX, leave us a message and we'll make it work."

 

If your goal is to meet friends on a cruise, being randomly chosen and forced to eat with someone for 3-14 nights isn't the only way. Talk to someone at the pool. Join their team for trivia games. Talk to your neighbors before the show starts. Meet someone in the WJ!

Edited August 28, 2014 by poncho1973

[Proseknitic]

I'm curious. How do the loyal RC cruisers, Diamond and above, feel about the possible change over to fleet-wide Dynamic Dining?

 

Do you welcome the change, or is it a little upsetting to you, too?

 

Since I haven't used MDR and standard dining for at least the last 20+ cruises (more than a couple of years) you can probably guess....

 

I much prefer choosing when, where and with whom to eat on an ongoing basis. I find it much easier to maintain my weight, eat less and not have waitstaff worrying about tips. Most nights I don't eat since evenings are a most excellent time to head to the fitness center.

 

End result for me? Little to no change. No dog, puppy or iguana in the fight.

 

-Holly

who is boarding the Legend 31 Aug for a B2B2B

[emdia43]

I would be way more impressed if they announced they had hired the head of Amazon IT to straighten out their pitiful website..:rolleyes:

[SherriZ366]

I would hate to see it roll out to the entire fleet! We are traditional 2nd seating and just having to accommodate the timing of most of the shows BEFORE dinner is a pain.:(

 

To add the responsibility of making both dining and show reservations is not what I want to be doing. As it turns out, the most available/easier free restaurant to book is the Grande ...formal every night.

 

I want the same table at the same time with the same people every night.

 

I had the rare opportunity to sail solo and boy I was very happy to be placed at a large table with 2 families. Dinner was the only time I could count on having others at my table to speak with and make plans for after dinner. Didn't meet as many other singles as I would have liked.

 

MARAPRINCE

Agree with you.

[Paulette3028]

Perfect statement!!!!! And thus your statement above is likely the exact reason why DD is becoming a reality... the majority of the market place is demanding this change.

 

But why do you feel the 'market place is demanding this change' ? I surely am not demanding the change, nor do I don't believe others would be. I think some people enjoy the specialty dining, while others don't and don't partake in those options. I feel that the business model has shown the Specialty Restaurants have brought in an income stream and Royal is trying to maximize that model in some way.

[KKMurphy2]

I have looked at the menus, but no one has mentioned if there is a list of daily choices such as grilled chicken breast, pasta, or a beef dish. What about an entrée salad?

 

What about sides like baked potato or mashed potatoes? I see nothing like this listed.

 

Yes, I am a simple eater who loves the main dining room experience, but do not want the adventure of trying new foods. Please do not pick on my food choices.

Edited August 29, 2014 by KKMurphy2

[SherriZ366]

I have looked at the menus, but no one has mentioned if there is a list of daily choices such as grilled chicken breast, pasta, or a beef dish. What about an entrée salad?

 

What about sides like baked potato or mashed potatoes? I see nothing like this listed.

 

Yes, I am a simple eater who loves the main dining room experience, but does not want the adventure of trying new foods. Please do not pick on my food choices.

I'd like confirmation about whether RCI will keep the "Always Available" menu also. We have some folks in our group that only order from that including my very picky DH.