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

[Clarea]

I have heard that Freedom is likely getting DD following an extensive drydock in early 2015. We are sailing on Feb 15th which will be one of the first sailings. Are they actually re-creating the MDR space on all 3 decks into restaurants? I'm sorry if this has been asked before....

 

Not sure how I feel about DD......I like the MDR.....:rolleyes:

Oasis is supposedly being retrofitted for DD during the October dry dock, but DD is not supposed to start until March 2015. Perhaps there will be a similar delay for Freedom and you will be able to enjoy the status quo one more time.

Edited September 1, 2014 by clarea

[2004corvette]

i can relate "DD" to eating in Las Vegas at casinos.....standard fare becomes subpar enticing guests to eat at specialty restaurants thus more costly to the guest.

more choices normally create additional costs which i forsee happening to us cruisers who desire quality meals asea.

[LMaxwell]

i can relate "DD" to eating in Las Vegas at casinos.....standard fare becomes subpar enticing guests to eat at specialty restaurants thus more costly to the guest.

 

more choices normally create additional costs which i forsee happening to us cruisers who desire quality meals asea.

 

Not so sure about that. The menus for the complimentary restaurants look pretty good, at least to me, honestly. It sure is a huge and much needed update to the menus. I like MDR food, just getting stale. Time for freshening.

 

A lot of griping I am reading about DD isn't even talking about the food, it is talking about the changed experience. For the food I am willing to try it and the rest, see how it goes and decide after if we like it or not. It's not a huge deal to me unless it's run very poorly.

[2004corvette]

Not so sure about that. The menus for the complimentary restaurants look pretty good, at least to me, honestly. It sure is a huge and much needed update to the menus. I like MDR food, just getting stale. Time for freshening.

 

A lot of griping I am reading about DD isn't even talking about the food, it is talking about the changed experience. For the food I am willing to try it and the rest, see how it goes and decide after if we like it or not. It's not a huge deal to me unless it's run very poorly.

change will not appeal to everyone that is a certainty....my hopes are the comp food does not get unbearable thus forcing us to eat at pay eateries aboard....which has happened at many Vegas casinos as i have experienced first hand...:eek:

[Paulette3028]

Not so sure about that. The menus for the complimentary restaurants look pretty good, at least to me, honestly. It sure is a huge and much needed update to the menus. I like MDR food, just getting stale. Time for freshening.

 

A lot of griping I am reading about DD isn't even talking about the food, it is talking about the changed experience. For the food I am willing to try it and the rest, see how it goes and decide after if we like it or not. It's not a huge deal to me unless it's run very poorly.

 

As you point out a lot of the complaining has nothing to do with the menu changes, it is the experience. The menus could have been changed without changing anything else. If it is on a cruise I take I will deal with it, and decide first hand how I like it.....some of the things I like about traditional dining it won't give me, maybe it will give me something else.

 

It won't force me to choose a different type of vacation until I have tried it. But for now, the next cruise I will be on it doesn't affect.

[onyourtoes]

I'm looking forward to it. I like the concept provided that it's well executed.

 

My DW, on the other hand, is an MDR fan

 

I, too, am a MDR fan and since I travel solo, I don't know if the DD is right for me. I would rather have a table where I can "make friends" for the week and discuss what we did that day. Makes for interesting dinner conversation. I am wondering, however, with the DD, will there still be formal nights on cruises? Being a solo traveler as I stated before, why would I get all dressed up just to eat alone? Happy and safe travels to you ALL.:)

 

P.S. Sorry if the above question has been asked and answered. Thank you.

[Clarea]

I, too, am a MDR fan and since I travel solo, I don't know if the DD is right for me. I would rather have a table where I can "make friends" for the week and discuss what we did that day. Makes for interesting dinner conversation. I am wondering, however, with the DD, will there still be formal nights on cruises? Being a solo traveler as I stated before, why would I get all dressed up just to eat alone? Happy and safe travels to you ALL.:)

 

P.S. Sorry if the above question has been asked and answered. Thank you.

Supposedly no shipwide formal night, instead one restaurant that is formal every night.

[Lokip53]

I, too, am a MDR fan and since I travel solo, I don't know if the DD is right for me. I would rather have a table where I can "make friends" for the week and discuss what we did that day. Makes for interesting dinner conversation. I am wondering, however, with the DD, will there still be formal nights on cruises? Being a solo traveler as I stated before, why would I get all dressed up just to eat alone? Happy and safe travels to you ALL.:)

 

P.S. Sorry if the above question has been asked and answered. Thank you.

 

I can definitely understand the concern for solo cruisers. Makes sense.

 

There will no longer be ship-wide formal nights. Instead, The Grande venue will be formal every night.

 

Sent from my SCH-I535 using Tapatalk

[artvlay]

I HATE IT!!! I like have a relationship with the waiter and busboy. They know to bring us iced tea, what breads/rolls we like etc. They are also nicer to you and you develop a relationship.

[seaofwonder]

Totally fine with it. Not a fan of mdr.

 

 

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[mommabean]

Not so sure about that. The menus for the complimentary restaurants look pretty good, at least to me, honestly. It sure is a huge and much needed update to the menus. I like MDR food, just getting stale. Time for freshening.

 

A lot of griping I am reading about DD isn't even talking about the food, it is talking about the changed experience. For the food I am willing to try it and the rest, see how it goes and decide after if we like it or not. It's not a huge deal to me unless it's run very poorly.

 

 

I think the MDR is stale to those of us who cruise often. The same thing will likely happen to us with DD if we continue to cruise. Ship to ship will have the same and we'll end up with our favorites as ways.

 

I met new cruisers recently who raved about their meals in the MDR. That was the highlight of their experience.

 

I think we are all just used to the food. Just as many say they don't get off in port because they've been there before. I think the MDR is much more if a been there done that experience.

 

Of course so many people have been on the same ship so many times, I'm not sure why they keep going back if they don't get off in port since they've been there before, but that's a whole different story. :)

[lah66]

DD has to be a more expensive venture than MDR dining, don't you agree? A much larger variety (which we love) of foods will need to be available on the ship so that has to be more expensive. Maybe that explains why RCI cruise prices are staying up so high!

 

We are tired of the MDR, so we are very excited! We have three RCI cruises booked and the only one that may be changed by the time we sail is the Allure. I do not think Liberty and Legend are going to dry dock anytime soon and that seems to be when the transition will occur.

 

Lauri

[Hoopster95]

I think the MDR is stale to those of us who cruise often. The same thing will likely happen to us with DD if we continue to cruise. Ship to ship will have the same and we'll end up with our favorites as ways.

 

I met new cruisers recently who raved about their meals in the MDR. That was the highlight of their experience.

 

Hi Gina,

 

Some very good points both positive and negative on this thread the last couple of pages... yours here especially. Everyone here is giving their own personal opinion and not relating to others from their point of view.

 

I took my 28 yr (at the time) old phenom business partner and his wife on Liberty 3 years ago. Extremely well educated and brilliant, technology in his home and in his life everywhere, decent spending power. They absolutely HATED MDR. I think this is very typical of the younger age group. We left MDR after night #2 and ate mostly at Windjammer the rest of the cruise whenever we felt like it. They also wished for some other venues, but not an upcharge.

 

Their bar bill was over $1000 for the week and they bought some stuff on board. I think RCL probably really wants more of this kind of customer, and I think there's more of this happening than the long-time CC'ers, including me I guess, posting here. I feel that RCL is not spending millions of dollars going to DD. especially on a brand new billion dollar ship, without some marketing/survey proof of what they feel will be a success.

 

I also feel DD will save RCL money, less food waste, better service and quality of food, more knowledgeable staff, and an interest take on dining itself. I just don't know yet... in Dec it will be all over my review of Quantum whether it was a phenomenal experience or truly sucked.

[mommabean]

Hi Gina,

 

 

 

Some very good points both positive and negative on this thread the last couple of pages... yours here especially. Everyone here is giving their own personal opinion and not relating to others from their point of view.

 

 

 

I took my 28 yr (at the time) old phenom business partner and his wife on Liberty 3 years ago. Extremely well educated and brilliant, technology in his home and in his life everywhere, decent spending power. They absolutely HATED MDR. I think this is very typical of the younger age group. We left MDR after night #2 and ate mostly at Windjammer the rest of the cruise whenever we felt like it. They also wished for some other venues, but not an upcharge.

 

 

 

Their bar bill was over $1000 for the week and they bought some stuff on board. I think RCL probably really wants more of this kind of customer, and I think there's more of this happening than the long-time CC'ers, including me I guess, posting here. I feel that RCL is not spending millions of dollars going to DD. especially on a brand new billion dollar ship, without some marketing/survey proof of what they feel will be a success.

 

 

 

I also feel DD will save RCL money, less food waste, better service and quality of food, more knowledgeable staff, and an interest take on dining itself. I just don't know yet... in Dec it will be all over my review of Quantum whether it was a phenomenal experience or truly sucked.

 

 

I think you are right.

 

I did also meet a group of adult dancers traveling together. Most hated the MDR and couldn't find anything good to say about it. They DID love the Chef's Table which we enjoyed with them, even though I've seen a downgrade in the wine at Chef's Table dine we've first find it. We go there almost every cruise just for the upgraded experience. It's already booked on Quantum.

 

For the record, we are looking forward to every Quantum restaurant. We booked them all but I wasn't crazy about having to organize the shows and meals around the ports. I like the impulsiveness of eating in all the restaurants on Oasis except Chef's Table which we always book on boarding day. Normally we can just walk in and eat anywhere when we are ready. I don't anticipate that ease on Quantum which is why we already booked and paid.

 

I guess for new cruisers it just depends in their dining standards on shore along with which ship they are on. We all know how quality isn't always consistent from ship to ship.

[Priusprof]

Ten years ago we had four NCL cruises and 2 RCCL cruises under our belts. We had an objection to NCL's Freestyle Dining and so we started sailing exclusively on RCCL. Now, we're looking forward to the menu's of the different dining venues but not the challenge of all the reservations and scheduling around other ships events. We're not on Quantum until next May so we hope to benefit from our cruise buddies experiences on earlier sailings.

[pcur]

For anyone interested in just the complimentary dining options, I put together this document with their menus. I left out the Coastal Kitchen, because it's only free to Junior Suites and above.

Dynamic Dining Complimentary Menus.pdf

[bigkauhuna]

For anyone interested in just the complimentary dining options, I put together this document with their menus. I left out the Coastal Kitchen, because it's only free to Junior Suites and above.

 

Thank you for the references to the menu's. We left the MDR due to the good food was always the same which we got tired of. We will more than likely try these new restaurants.

[mommabean]

Sorry for the last post if some stuff doesn't make sense. iPhone auto correct as usual and no proof reading by me. I think you can translate. :)

[CruisinTwo]

There is no traditional dining option with Dynamic Dining.

 

Maybe not "traditional dining" like we have known it, but you can still choose the same time every night if you wanted and I'm sure they will do what they can to accommodate the same table & wait staff. That happens now with MTD. The only thing that would be different really would be that each restaurant has different dress options.

[Clarea]

Maybe not "traditional dining" like we have known it, but you can still choose the same time every night if you wanted and I'm sure they will do what they can to accommodate the same table & wait staff. That happens now with MTD. The only thing that would be different really would be that each restaurant has different dress options.

Another significant difference is that you are not seated same people every night.

[Paulette3028]

Maybe not "traditional dining" like we have known it, but you can still choose the same time every night if you wanted and I'm sure they will do what they can to accommodate the same table & wait staff. That happens now with MTD. The only thing that would be different really would be that each restaurant has different dress options.

 

No, each restaurant has different menus. Staff may rotate, but it won't rotate to follow a cruiser who goes to one restaurant on one night and then another on a different night.

 

Based on what a previous poster has shared with the PDF they created of the menus....there are interesting new items available, and some 'old familiar ones' that I will definitely miss.

 

In the PDF he lists the menus of 3 restaurants all with Smart Casual attire, but doesn't have the other restaurant that will be 'formal each night'. From what he included it shows the Solarium Bistro as complimentary for breakfast but as a for fee restaurant for lunch and dinner, but unfortunately there is no menu listed for it.

 

Thank you to the poster for sharing what he did regarding the menus.

 

I will just have to wait and see in the future how I like them, when I have to deal with these options.

[Dave4120]

Hello Everyone:

 

I will make this short and simple. Just our opinion, and we know everyone has different likes and dislikes, but, trying to be practical, here are our thoughts.

 

1...As long as we can eat between 6-PM-8:45-PM we do not mind

 

2...We can obviously meet and dine with different people and make new friends

 

3...Cannot find anything to complain about because:

 

4...The chairs we sit on, feel the same whether it's My Time Dining or regular dining

 

5...The tables look and are decorated the same whether it's MTD or regular dining

 

6...The food tastes the same whether it's MTD or regular dining, even with different choices and menus

 

7...The wait staff will serve us the same whether it's MTD or regular dining

 

I can go on and on. My thought is that except for the different venues and times, I really don't see anything so drastic that it will effect our cruise.

 

Dave

Edited September 1, 2014 by Dave4120

[caribill]

I can go on and on. My thought is that except for the different venues and times, I really don't see anything so drastic that it will effect our cruise.

 

Dave

 

The difference is that with traditional or MTD you had seven different menus on a 7 day cruise.

 

If you enjoy eating with the same waitstaff in the same dining room each evening, you will now have one menu for every night of your cruise.

[Paulette3028]

The difference is that with traditional or MTD you had seven different menus on a 7 day cruise.

 

If you enjoy eating with the same waitstaff in the same dining room each evening, you will now have one menu for every night of your cruise.

 

I enjoy the MDR way of doing things and clearly that will not be the same with DD. I looked at the menus that a poster provided, and it offers some very interesting options. Having the same wait staff each night is the least reason for my enjoyment of the MDR, having the same tablemates each night and different menus each night is definitely more enjoyable to me, but that is me.

 

It could be said that I will have the ability to eat with different table mates each night in each different venue, but somehow I imagine that too often people who are couples will find themselves seated at a table for two. That just isn't what we like.

 

On the cruises that we have sat at a table for two (which I try to arrange not to happen now) the tables were so close to each other that we could almost have been seated at the same table.

[caribill]

DD has to be a more expensive venture than MDR dining, don't you agree? A much larger variety (which we love) of foods will need to be available on the ship so that has to be more expensive.

I see less variety of foods, at least in the regular dining rooms.

 

With only four menus to support instead of the previous seven menus for a seven night cruise, less variety of inventory is needed.