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

[caribill]

I wonder how special requests will be handled.

 

With traditional and MTD, if there was a need, for example, for no-salt-added foods, the headwaiter would meet with us each evening to plan the next evening's meal helping to select items from the menu that could be prepared with no-added-salt.

 

With DD, all I can see happening is every night eating at one dining room and then going to another dining room to plan the next night's menu. What a hassle!

[MrsPete]

Lots of strong opinions here, especially considering most of us haven't yet tried this new dining concept yet! However, most people are simply giving their opinion . . . without any reasons (i.e., if this happens, I will never book Royal again!). And most of the reasons that are thrown out there just don't make any sense (i.e., how can I choose months ahead of time when and where I want to eat -- well, you're doing the same thing when you choose early seating /traditional style dining; it's just that it's a single choice).

 

The reality is that long-time readers of this board have seen more and more posters who simply do not want the traditional dining model:

 

- more and more posters who don't want to eat in the same place seven nights in a row

- more and more posters who don't want to dress up for formal night (or who aren't willing to spend money on clothes, or don't want to pack them for a plane ride)

- more and more posters who don't want to sit with tablemates /prefer a 2 or 4 tabletop

- more and more posters who want upscale food

- more and more people who don't mind paying extra for that upscale food

- fewer and fewer people who care about being with the same wait staff night after night

 

I don't agree with all of the above, but I have read it all over and over on these boards; and these comments have become more commonplace in the past couple years. Royal has made changes to accomodate these desires: Quite a few cruisers love the more flexible My Time Dining, and that's evolved into a couple offshoots. To give a second example, in deference to the cruisers who like simple foods, Royal began offering a plain steak, a plain chicken and a plain pasta dish every night. While these don't appeal to me, my teens loved them.

 

Folks, it's crystal clear to me that Royal has been listening to these complaints and is altering the system to fit what people are saying.

 

For those who HAVE experienced this type of dining, I have a couple questions -- please don't throw out opinions -- I'm looking facts:

 

- How does tipping work with Dynamic Dining? I'm assuming it'll be like My Time Dining; that is, it'll be done in advance.

- What if you don't make a reservation, but you just walk up when you're ready to eat? That's worked fine for us with My Time Dining. (Assuming, of course, that you aren't part of a large group -- groups are always more complicated.)

Edited September 2, 2014 by MrsPete

[MrsPete]

I wonder how special requests will be handled.

 

With traditional and MTD, if there was a need, for example, for no-salt-added foods, the headwaiter would meet with us each evening to plan the next evening's meal helping to select items from the menu that could be prepared with no-added-salt.

 

With DD, all I can see happening is every night eating at one dining room and then going to another dining room to plan the next night's menu. What a hassle!

It's only a hassle if you overthink it -- why on earth would you talk to a restaurant a day ahead of time about needing salt-free items?

 

My husband has two rather serious medical issues that require special diet (and one of his needs is low sodium). When we sit down to order, he discusses his needs with the waiter RIGHT THEN, and they take care of it. This greatly reduced the possibility that mistakes will be made, and although we occasionally have to wait a little longer, it's never been a problem.

[Paulette3028]

For those who HAVE experienced this type of dining, I have a couple questions -- please don't throw out opinions -- I'm looking facts:

 

- How does tipping work with Dynamic Dining? I'm assuming it'll be like My Time Dining; that is, it'll be done in advance.

- What if you don't make a reservation, but you just walk up when you're ready to eat? That's worked fine for us with My Time Dining. (Assuming, of course, that you aren't part of a large group -- groups are always more complicated.)

 

The fact is no one has experienced Dynamic Dining on Royal....yet. The first opportunity will be when Quantum has it first cruisers later in the fall. From those first few cruises I am sure we will hear whatever kinks were experienced with DD and hopefully the brighter side of how people enjoyed it.

[SherriZ366]

It's only a hassle if you overthink it -- why on earth would you talk to a restaurant a day ahead of time about needing salt-free items?

 

My husband has two rather serious medical issues that require special diet (and one of his needs is low sodium). When we sit down to order, he discusses his needs with the waiter RIGHT THEN, and they take care of it. This greatly reduced the possibility that mistakes will be made, and although we occasionally have to wait a little longer, it's never been a problem.

I think for those who need a special diet, would be a good idea to contact the Special Needs desk. We have one person in our party who will need this.

[Hoopster95]

- How does tipping work with Dynamic Dining? I'm assuming it'll be like My Time Dining; that is, it'll be done in advance.

- What if you don't make a reservation, but you just walk up when you're ready to eat? That's worked fine for us with My Time Dining. (Assuming, of course, that you aren't part of a large group -- groups are always more complicated.)

 

Tips: I believe I read that it will be like normal dining on Q, not prepaid. Therefore your account will be billed daily just like it is now

 

Just showing Up: I have also heard, 2nd hand info so I truly have no real knowledge, that they are saving a decent percentage of tables for walk-ups on on-board reservations. I also understand that there my be some saving of table times for D, D+, PIN C&A members to book on board as well. By the time Q sails hopefully we'll have a usable ap for our cell phones (or stateroom tv) to see which restaurants are available or full at whatever time you are choosing, then you can easily reserve on line and show up.

[M. St. Louis]

Change is good.Let it happen and experience it first hand and then pass judgement.I really think this will be better.Time will tell.Same ole same ole gets stale after a while.Jmo

 

Oh please. Change is rarely good, because it it is almost always done at the expense of the individuals affected, not for their benefit. Airlines didn't give me less legroom because it was good for me. My phone bill or cable bill going up $20 a month doesn't make my life better. Royal eliminating cruise documentation, luggage tags, towel animals, et al hasn't improved the cruising experience.

 

Dynamic Dining is change for one reason only. It reduces Royal's expenses by reducing food variety, and it will raise income because a significant number of cruisers who formerly used complimentary dining will pay extra for meals because seating is now reduced. Some will do it willingly, some begrudgingly because they feel they have no other choice ("No maam, 6pm isn't available, but 10pm is. Or if you pay extra, we can get you in at 6pm in X restaurant...)

[caribill]

With Traditional dining, you did not have to pay the daily gratuity charge before the cruise. With MTD you did have to pay before the cruise.

 

Anyone know what the rule is for DD?

 

(My guess it will have to be paid pre-cruise. Thus, one less thing that OBC can be used for.)

Edited September 2, 2014 by caribill

[caribill]

It's only a hassle if you overthink it -- why on earth would you talk to a restaurant a day ahead of time about needing salt-free items?

 

My husband has two rather serious medical issues that require special diet (and one of his needs is low sodium). When we sit down to order, he discusses his needs with the waiter RIGHT THEN, and they take care of it. This greatly reduced the possibility that mistakes will be made, and although we occasionally have to wait a little longer, it's never been a problem.

 

If you plan the menu a day in advance, your food will be specially prepared for you without the added salt.

 

If you wait until the actual meal, it is too late to have specially prepared foods, for example onion soup without the beef base and with no added salt.

[Hoopster95]

With Traditional dining, you did not have to pay the daily gratuity charge before the cruise. With MTD you did have to pay before the cruise.

 

Anyone know what the rule is for DD?

 

(My guess it will have to be paid pre-cruise. Thus, one less thing that OBC can be used for.)

 

From Royal Caribbean Blog:

 

"How will gratuities be handled with Dynamic Dining?

Gratuities will be the same as they are now. Royal Caribbean charges an automatic gratuity to each passenger for each day of their cruise and gratuities are then given to the crew automatically.

Passengers can always stop at guest relations on their cruise and have automatic gratuities removed in favor of a different amount."

[poncho1973]

This render cruising at a cost disadvantage withe All Inclusive resorts.

 

I think it's wonderful that you've found a new outlet! I wonder if there is an "All-Inclusive Critic" message board where you can bond with your new roomies?

[DonnaK]

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.

 

 

The biggest difference is that you do NOT get a rotating menu like you do in the MDR. If someone chooses to simulate a traditional MDR experience by dining in the same restaurant at the same time with the same wait team/table every night (like MTD), then they are stuck with the same menu.

[caribill]

From Royal Caribbean Blog:

 

"How will gratuities be handled with Dynamic Dining?

Gratuities will be the same as they are now. Royal Caribbean charges an automatic gratuity to each passenger for each day of their cruise and gratuities are then given to the crew automatically.

Passengers can always stop at guest relations on their cruise and have automatic gratuities removed in favor of a different amount."

 

Which conveniently avoids saying if they must be paid in advance with DD.

[poncho1973]

Oh please. Change is rarely good, because it it is almost always done at the expense of the individuals affected, not for their benefit. Airlines didn't give me less legroom because it was good for me. My phone bill or cable bill going up $20 a month doesn't make my life better. Royal eliminating cruise documentation, luggage tags, towel animals, et al hasn't improved the cruising experience.

 

OOOH OOOH OOOOH!!! I can play this game! OOOH OOOH!

 

In the good ol' days my hometown had 2 movie theaters with a total of 5 (1+4) screens. We did have 3 drive-ins (this was the 80s! we were behind the times to an extreme!) that were open about 3.5 months a year and rarely showed brand new movies. Today I live within 15 minutes of about 70 screens. Boy does that suck!

 

In the good ol' days I got to reheat my food in the oven for 20 minutes and usually it would dry out so badly that it was almost cardboard. Today I use the microwave for 30-60 seconds. Boy does that suck!

 

In the good ol' days we had a phone in the kitchen with a long, tangled cord that would only reach 10' and would usually knock over my mom's flowers on the counter if I wasn't careful. Then we had a cordless phone that provided about 20 minutes of talking before it would beep at you. Now I have a cell phone in my pocket that lets me talk any time I want and has a battery that lasts a whole day. Boy does that suck!

 

In the good ol' days we had film cameras. I'd spend money to buy the camera, money to buy the film, money to develop the film, money to re-print extras to give to my family, money to re-print when my best buddies saw them and wanted a copy, and money to buy photo albums to put them in. I loved it! Today I just buy a camera and email/post the photos to whoever wants them. Boy does that suck!

 

In the good ol' days I had an alarm clock, a calculator, a calendar, an address book, a telephone, a Walkman, a home computer, a camera, a notepad, a watch, a newspaper, some magazines, a volume of ~30 encyclopedias, a roadmap, some books, some video games, and lots of other cool things. Today I just carry a smart phone. Boy does that suck!

 

In the good ol' days I went to the library, looked a book up in the card catalog, found where it was supposed to be on the shelf, realized it was gone, went back and looked up another book to substitute for the one I wanted, found it on the shelf, checked it out, went home and read it. Today it is online and I'm reading it in 30 seconds. Boy does that suck!

 

In the good ol' days if you got sick, you just died! Like real men and women! Today they help you and stuff like little babies! Boy does that suck!

 

 

 

Other things that suck:

DVR

Online check-in

Backup cameras in cars

Air bags

Side-impact beams

Text messaging

GPS

Better MPG

Human genome project

[redwasp59]

Man, you really tell it like it is!

 

Thanks!

[MrsPete]

If you plan the menu a day in advance, your food will be specially prepared for you without the added salt.

 

If you wait until the actual meal, it is too late to have specially prepared foods, for example onion soup without the beef base and with no added salt.

How is it then that my husband's getting salt-free stuff without bothering people 24 hours in advance? And, no, he's not being fooled -- it's pretty obvious when he has more than a touch of salt.

[Cuizer2]

I like traditional, where I make one decision and all my shows and dining are sorted.

 

Me too.

[erin_cruisers]

I like traditional, where I make one decision and all my shows and dining are sorted.

 

Me too.

 

Me Three.

 

(and I'll cruise on whichever ship offers it.) ;)

[caribbean sailor]

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?

 

I want no part of this new dining plan,we like traditional dining early seating.If it is not available we will not cruise.They try to push my time dining on us every time we book a cruise,no way. :)

[boscobeans]

OOOH OOOH OOOOH!!! I can play this game! OOOH OOOH!

 

In the good ol' days my hometown had 2 movie theaters with a total of 5 (1+4) screens. We did have 3 drive-ins (this was the 80s! we were behind the times to an extreme!) that were open about 3.5 months a year and rarely showed brand new movies. Today I live within 15 minutes of about 70 screens. Boy does that suck!

 

In the good ol' days I got to reheat my food in the oven for 20 minutes and usually it would dry out so badly that it was almost cardboard. Today I use the microwave for 30-60 seconds. Boy does that suck!

 

In the good ol' days we had a phone in the kitchen with a long, tangled cord that would only reach 10' and would usually knock over my mom's flowers on the counter if I wasn't careful. Then we had a cordless phone that provided about 20 minutes of talking before it would beep at you. Now I have a cell phone in my pocket that lets me talk any time I want and has a battery that lasts a whole day. Boy does that suck!

 

In the good ol' days we had film cameras. I'd spend money to buy the camera, money to buy the film, money to develop the film, money to re-print extras to give to my family, money to re-print when my best buddies saw them and wanted a copy, and money to buy photo albums to put them in. I loved it! Today I just buy a camera and email/post the photos to whoever wants them. Boy does that suck!

 

In the good ol' days I had an alarm clock, a calculator, a calendar, an address book, a telephone, a Walkman, a home computer, a camera, a notepad, a watch, a newspaper, some magazines, a volume of ~30 encyclopedias, a roadmap, some books, some video games, and lots of other cool things. Today I just carry a smart phone. Boy does that suck!

 

In the good ol' days I went to the library, looked a book up in the card catalog, found where it was supposed to be on the shelf, realized it was gone, went back and looked up another book to substitute for the one I wanted, found it on the shelf, checked it out, went home and read it. Today it is online and I'm reading it in 30 seconds. Boy does that suck!

 

In the good ol' days if you got sick, you just died! Like real men and women! Today they help you and stuff like little babies! Boy does that suck!

 

 

 

Other things that suck:

DVR

Online check-in

Backup cameras in cars

Air bags

Side-impact beams

Text messaging

GPS

Better MPG

Human genome project

 

Granted your post shows all the new and innovative advances we now have when compared to just a few short years ago.

 

But what do any of the above advances really have to do with cruising or the dining experience on a cruise ?

 

Not a flame, just an honest question.

 

 

bosco

[caribbean sailor]

Oh please. Change is rarely good, because it it is almost always done at the expense of the individuals affected, not for their benefit. Airlines didn't give me less legroom because it was good for me. My phone bill or cable bill going up $20 a month doesn't make my life better. Royal eliminating cruise documentation, luggage tags, towel animals, et al hasn't improved the cruising experience.

 

Dynamic Dining is change for one reason only. It reduces Royal's expenses by reducing food variety, and it will raise income because a significant number of cruisers who formerly used complimentary dining will pay extra for meals because seating is now reduced. Some will do it willingly, some begrudgingly because they feel they have no other choice ("No maam, 6pm isn't available, but 10pm is. Or if you pay extra, we can get you in at 6pm in X restaurant...)

 

 

I agree with you we can't add anything to this, you said it all.:)

[Peterbilt Driver]

OOOH OOOH OOOOH!!! I can play this game! OOOH OOOH!

 

In the good ol' days my hometown had 2 movie theaters with a total of 5 (1+4) screens. We did have 3 drive-ins (this was the 80s! we were behind the times to an extreme!) that were open about 3.5 months a year and rarely showed brand new movies. Today I live within 15 minutes of about 70 screens. Boy does that suck!

 

In the good ol' days I got to reheat my food in the oven for 20 minutes and usually it would dry out so badly that it was almost cardboard. Today I use the microwave for 30-60 seconds. Boy does that suck!

 

In the good ol' days we had a phone in the kitchen with a long, tangled cord that would only reach 10' and would usually knock over my mom's flowers on the counter if I wasn't careful. Then we had a cordless phone that provided about 20 minutes of talking before it would beep at you. Now I have a cell phone in my pocket that lets me talk any time I want and has a battery that lasts a whole day. Boy does that suck!

 

In the good ol' days we had film cameras. I'd spend money to buy the camera, money to buy the film, money to develop the film, money to re-print extras to give to my family, money to re-print when my best buddies saw them and wanted a copy, and money to buy photo albums to put them in. I loved it! Today I just buy a camera and email/post the photos to whoever wants them. Boy does that suck!

 

In the good ol' days I had an alarm clock, a calculator, a calendar, an address book, a telephone, a Walkman, a home computer, a camera, a notepad, a watch, a newspaper, some magazines, a volume of ~30 encyclopedias, a roadmap, some books, some video games, and lots of other cool things. Today I just carry a smart phone. Boy does that suck!

 

In the good ol' days I went to the library, looked a book up in the card catalog, found where it was supposed to be on the shelf, realized it was gone, went back and looked up another book to substitute for the one I wanted, found it on the shelf, checked it out, went home and read it. Today it is online and I'm reading it in 30 seconds. Boy does that suck!

 

In the good ol' days if you got sick, you just died! Like real men and women! Today they help you and stuff like little babies! Boy does that suck!

 

 

 

Other things that suck:

DVR

Online check-in

Backup cameras in cars

Air bags

Side-impact beams

Text messaging

GPS

Better MPG

Human genome project

 

I wish you would explaine how any of these have anything to do with The subject of this thread?

[SherriZ366]

I think it's wonderful that you've found a new outlet! I wonder if there is an "All-Inclusive Critic" message board where you can bond with your new roomies?

You're very thin-skinned aren't you -- can't stand anyone disagreeing with you. This thread is entitled "Honestly, how do you long time RC cruisers feel about Dynamic Dining?" and you put down anyone who disagrees with you even if that is their honest opinion.

[SherriZ366]

Oh please. Change is rarely good, because it it is almost always done at the expense of the individuals affected, not for their benefit. Airlines didn't give me less legroom because it was good for me. My phone bill or cable bill going up $20 a month doesn't make my life better. Royal eliminating cruise documentation, luggage tags, towel animals, et al hasn't improved the cruising experience.

 

Dynamic Dining is change for one reason only. It reduces Royal's expenses by reducing food variety, and it will raise income because a significant number of cruisers who formerly used complimentary dining will pay extra for meals because seating is now reduced. Some will do it willingly, some begrudgingly because they feel they have no other choice ("No maam, 6pm isn't available, but 10pm is. Or if you pay extra, we can get you in at 6pm in X restaurant...)

Very well put even if Poncho1973 puts you down.

[cruiselover04]

Not thrilled with the idea.

Anything that takes RC in the direction of NCL is not a positive.

 

Exactly how we feel. That's why my husband will not sail NCL.

Looking at the menus for the different non fee resturants my husband will be hard pressed to find a regular steak. I like most if the items at each dining area but my husband is a meat and potatoes kind of guy. Looks like it will Windjammer every night for us if it goes fleet wide :(