Poll: Do you Like the idea of Dynamic Dining?

[Ramblin' Ma'am]

I'm not sure yet. I do like the idea of no formal nights. Quantum has 1 formal restaurant and the rest are always smart casual. I'm assuming all DD ships will be that way.

 

 

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[CruisingWithTheTide]

What about servers? Will you never have the same servers? That is my favorite part about the MDR. I'll be sad if that changes!

[John&LaLa]

As longa s you don't need reservations and can get seated within ten minutes.

 

We did NCL a few years back. As suite guests all it took was a call to concierge to get seated immediately.

 

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[robcruz]

I could go for it under 3 conditions:

 

1. Expand the choice in each restaurant from 8 to 10-11.

 

2. Introduce MTD without reservations in each restaurant.

 

3. Being able to order from any of the 4 menus in all the restaurants.

 

I know that this is a wish list but I think this would satisfy a lot of cruisers..

[Hoopster95]

Even thinking of the 13 day transatlantic cruises we have been on, we got a different menu each day. Yes, there were a few entrees repeated, but it was mostly different every day. With DD, if you want something other than the 4 menus, you pay.

 

More often than not, I've seen 2 or 3 dinners on a menu that I obviously couldn't eat all three in one sitting, and were never repeated again on the cruise. On the various dynamic menus I see the same for me, and fortunately I will be able to try the 2nd or 3rd item I wasn't able to try the first time by having a second dinner at that same restaurant... plus have one of my favorites all over again if I desire unlike MDR where an awesome entree is not repeated on a later date.

 

I think I am the average cruiser when it comes to dining. 7 days Oasis I did MDR 4 times, Windjammer 1 and specialty 2. 12 day Vision 4 specialty, 1 Windjammer, 7 MDR. Navigator six day cruise 3 specialty, 1 Windjammer, 2 MDR. The MDR table for 8 was empty for the two nights we were there. There have been many number of posts on various threads... some cruisers have never paid once for a meal in specialty, other have never set foot in MDR the last 3 years.

 

Having said that, it could make an excellent balance on Quantum. My 11 day in Dec I'm booked 2 in each of the free venues Grande/Chic/Silk/American Icon, and I have left 3 nights open for whatever (to try specialty, Windjammer, or get together with new friends). I feel it's a great balance of different menus and foods, plus I can try some really interesting options like Wonderland and Jamie's Italian in this mix. I loved how I was able to build my own schedule how I wanted it, and I'm excited about the various new menus.

 

Just my 2 cents :)

[Hoopster95]

I could go for it under 3 conditions:

 

1. Expand the choice in each restaurant from 8 to 10-11.

 

2. Introduce MTD without reservations in each restaurant.

 

3. Being able to order from any of the 4 menus in all the restaurants.

 

I know that this is a wish list but I think this would satisfy a lot of cruisers..

 

Really good ideas here:

 

1. Why stop at 10-11? Even more if possible
   
2. I don't think this can happen. What if 500 cruisers show up for "Chic" from 6-7pm one night and only 5 cruisers to "The Grande"? How does RCL provide staffing, tables, the appropriate amounts of food and dishes?
   
3. Not a bad idea. They already have somehting like this in that they have a basic everyday list of times that will be available every night, like the current MDR classic menu. I guess if you want the same menu items each night, be sure to book at the same restaurant every night instead of ordering from 4 menus from a different location. Defeats the purpose of the different themed restaurants imo.
   

[dancinman66]

I do but will hold out till I have tried it before I pass any firm judgement if my opinion

 

 

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[molly361]

My guess is that someday in the future a cruise will include your room and transportation to the ports and all food and drinks will be extra. It certainly seems to be headed in that direction.

[Clarea]

My guess is that someday in the future a cruise will include your room and transportation to the ports and all food and drinks will be extra. It certainly seems to be headed in that direction.

I agree.

[FLACRUISER99]

My guess is that someday in the future a cruise will include your room and transportation to the ports and all food and drinks will be extra. It certainly seems to be headed in that direction.

Did not EasyCruise try that and go broke? http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1142119

[DanceGrandma]

one thing I have always liked about cruising is the total relaxation of having things taken care of once you get on board. No packing and unpacking. No needing to decide what you will do before hand. Just opting each day how much or how little you want to do. It is nice to know that you have an assigned table at an assigned time and if you choose to skip eating there that is ok too. I really didn't like having to pre book shows on the Oasis but it wasn't as bad as I thought it would be so maybe DD will be ok too. I'm open to trying it but I do like the way things are. Change us inevitable but if it ain't broke, why mess with it!

[SamFritz]

I do not like the idea. When choosing a cruise DD will steer me toward another itinerary. Eventually I will probably sail in a ship with DD. Then I can make a more informed choice. If I don't like it then we will start traveling with Celebrity more.

 

Having said that, I spent the first 20 years of my married life telling my wife how much I would hate cruising. I finally gave in for our 20th anniversary. Over the next nine years we've been on 15 cruises. So I must admit that I've been wrong before!

 

 

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[joand452]

I'm kind of looking forward to it. Even though we only cruise once per year, I'm a little tired of the same MDR menus. I'll let you know after the cruise!

 

 

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[woodyren]

Even thinking of the 13 day transatlantic cruises we have been on, we got a different menu each day. Yes, there were a few entrees repeated, but it was mostly different every day. With DD, if you want something other than the 4 menus, you pay. Hmmm - maybe this is their way of transitioning to the NCL model.

 

Yes that is true. BUT with traditional dinning if I want something other than what is on ONE (on any given night) menu you pay.

 

Of course there is always the option of the buffet but the status quo remains there so it doesn't enter the discussion.

 

I will be on Quantum for 39 days and from the look of the menus there will be an opportunity for me to try most of the dishes and then repeat most like even repeat multiple times the ones that I really like. When I do set dinning there are at times 3 or 4 things on a menu that I would like to try but I can normally only eat one so miss out on the others. Even on a B2B2B I might not get the chance to try them all and/or repeat the ones I love a few times. Other nights I struggle to find something that really takes my fancy.

 

Many have said this is angling people toward the for fee offerings for us I disagree. It is giving us the options that may have enticed us to the for fee restaurants in a fee free environment

Edited August 29, 2014 by woodyren

[woodyren]

More often than not, I've seen 2 or 3 dinners on a menu that I obviously couldn't eat all three in one sitting, and were never repeated again on the cruise. On the various dynamic menus I see the same for me, and fortunately I will be able to try the 2nd or 3rd item I wasn't able to try the first time by having a second dinner at that same restaurant... plus have one of my favorites all over again if I desire unlike MDR where an awesome entree is not repeated on a later date.

 

I think I am the average cruiser when it comes to dining. 7 days Oasis I did MDR 4 times, Windjammer 1 and specialty 2. 12 day Vision 4 specialty, 1 Windjammer, 7 MDR. Navigator six day cruise 3 specialty, 1 Windjammer, 2 MDR. The MDR table for 8 was empty for the two nights we were there. There have been many number of posts on various threads... some cruisers have never paid once for a meal in specialty, other have never set foot in MDR the last 3 years.

 

Having said that, it could make an excellent balance on Quantum. My 11 day in Dec I'm booked 2 in each of the free venues Grande/Chic/Silk/American Icon, and I have left 3 nights open for whatever (to try specialty, Windjammer, or get together with new friends). I feel it's a great balance of different menus and foods, plus I can try some really interesting options like Wonderland and Jamie's Italian in this mix. I loved how I was able to build my own schedule how I wanted it, and I'm excited about the various new menus.

 

Just my 2 cents :)

 

I posted my reply above after only reading Pg1 of this thread. I have posted similarly in other threads. After reading this post from you it is exactly the point I was trying to put across. We booked Quantum not knowing about DD. As soon as I read about the concept and checked out the menus I couldn't get the smile off my face. I love trying new things and one of the very few disappointments I had on my cruises on Celebrity and RCL was that there were items on some menus (my 2nd and 3rd choices) that I did not get the opportunity to try or that I had to over eat to try.

Edited August 29, 2014 by woodyren

[woodyren]

We did NCL a few years back. As suite guests all it took was a call to concierge to get seated immediately.

 

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So you had no problem jumping in front of all those waiting in line....

 

I think I just found out my first concern with the concept of dynamic dinning.

Edited August 29, 2014 by woodyren

[FLACRUISER99]

How about tipping, is everyone going to have to prepay at final with DD?

 

 

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[nae418]

Voted no - I don't like the idea. Because I have no interest in trying it and like what I had in MDR.

 

However, when I eventually have to try it, it is potentially possible that I might like it, I doubt it but it is possible.

 

 

I agree with you 100%. I have gathered 28 members of my family and closest friends to go on Oasis next summer. I have sailed with RCI before. Only one cousin has sailed on RCI. I am the group lead, I was so looking forward to all of us having dinner together, as we all don't live in the same city.

 

The majority of us has sailed before and always had dinner in the dinning room together. (Carnival or Princess Cruise Lines)

 

After all the planning I've done, a contract was signed with a hotel in Fort Lauderdale, we have 13 rooms for 3 nights pre-cruise as this was a big deal for us. An Alligator Tour, A Duck Tour, A Day in Miami, transportation to the hotel, to the ship, from the ship, etc.

So far we had paid in over $12,000 to RCI

 

And now I'm finding out bits and pieces of this Dynamic Dinning?

 

I read somewhere on this board, the dinning room can hold groups up to 16 people, so which 16 will eat first? We're a close knit family, we do everything together.

 

I am not too happy at the moment, I have not told my family about the Dynamic Dinning Program. I guess we will work thru it.

 

Too much work and time to undo anything.

 

 

Nae

[jticarruthers]

How about tipping, is everyone going to have to prepay at final with DD?

 

 

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I would think so, if they already do it that way for MTD I cant think why DD wouldn't be the same.

[besberry]

Seems to me that would really get old if your on a ship for 30+ days.:rolleyes:

Most cruises out of UK/Europe tend to be 12 or 14 days, so that effectively means the same menu 3 or 4 times if you eat in rotation. Not at all happy about that :(

[jakesnana]

After looking at an explanation of what DD is, I don't think I'll be happy with it. Out of the 4 restaurants available, I would only eat in 2 of them (I am not into adventurous food), so that means on a 7 nt. cruise, I would be eating from the same menu 3+ nights, OR I could pay to go to an alternative restaurant. Not really what I was looking for.

[B-52]

So you had no problem jumping in front of all those waiting in line...

I think I just found out my first concern with the concept of dynamic dinning.

 

There is no jumping to front of any lines, and has nothing to do with DD....

Every type of venue has reservations, spaces, etc, set aside for suite guests...

Always has been that way....

I don't know of anybody that abuses that perk, but in a crunch, if there is something I wanted to do but failed to book it, a call to the concierge will usually get me in.....

 

again, nothing to do with DD...

[FLACRUISER99]

After looking at an explanation of what DD is, I don't think I'll be happy with it. Out of the 4 restaurants available, I would only eat in 2 of them (I am not into adventurous food), so that means on a 7 nt. cruise, I would be eating from the same menu 3+ nights, OR I could pay to go to an alternative restaurant. Not really what I was looking for.

 

But it's probably what they are.lol

 

 

 

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[printingchick]

I prefer smaller ships, which don't have this level of dining offerings. The change is unlikely to apply to me.

 

Additionally, I enjoy having the same waitstaff nightly, so I doubt I'd be someone who jumped around from one venue to another nightly. Not that I would mind trying something new, but would likely choose a "regular" venue and branch out occasionally from there.

[sr4mjc]

I like the concept, I hope the execution will go well. I see plenty of entrees I would like to try. I'm definitely sick of the old menus, which aren't even that old. There were a few nights I didn't like any entree selection and a few where I liked least 2 or 3. So finding 7 or 10 entrees with all the selections, even if I don't go to any pay restaurants will not be a problem. Jamie's looks really good though for a fee.

 

Alas I am sailing on Jewel next, so no DD for me. Yet.