Poll: Do you Like the idea of Dynamic Dining?

[fishtaco]

If I had a large group that I wanted to have together at the same time each night for dinner I would give RCCL a call. Captains club if I was a member and ask them to do the legwork and book me X amount of tables (largest table sizes possible) at each restaurant on a rotating basis at a certain time.

 

Not sure if they can do that but surely worth a try before just throwing your hands up in the air and becoming frustrated.

 

I don't get the angst with working around shows either. IF you just make all your reservations at around 6pm like we did for our upcoming Quantum cruise then you are in exactly the same boat as if you had selected early dinning.

 

I have also heard that the plan is to keep many dinning spots available to just book on board on the day. There will also be a lot of places opening up I would think as people like us who just booked to try the system and insure we had a place somewhere will change our mind as to time, venue once on board. This will be a challenge for restaurant management trying to maximise the venues capacity if people that have a booking just don't turn up and don't bother to cancel.

 

In summary while I don't think there are too many problems with the concept of DD the logistics will certainly produce some challenges. I think the latter will ultimate decide on it's success and acceptance.

 

I also understand though why some people are upset because they have booked a cruise which in this case included traditional dinning and once booked have had the product that they booked changed. I think cruise lines as in all business should announce planned changes before booking windows open as everyone should get delivered a product that is as close to foreseeable to the one which they purchased.

 

There was mention somewhere that only 20% would be pre bookable before the cruise.

 

But if it ends up like some Australian ships that already have MTD only then people will basically and in reality only have 2 dinning times late or early!

 

With P&O MTD (no more Traditional) I could book for early but no later than 6 pm or late for 8 pm no later than 8.30 pm. So "My Time Dinning" is really "Their Time Dinning" lol. MTD and DD is just "The Emperors New Cloths" :D:D:D

[Dreamer-too-12]

Am open to anything new, and if I don't like it, there is always room service. :)

[robcruz]

My main objection is that I don't want to decide 6 month or a year out what time I'm going eat in which restaurant for every night of the cruise. Also I don't think there are enough food choices in the no fee restaurants.

 

I have been cruising with MTD (or equivalent) for the last 6 or 7 years. There were always 2 or 3 choices on the menu which I liked but the main thing was that I could just show up at the MDR anytime I felt like it and be seated with at most 15 min. delay (usually much shorter). Until DD gives me the same options in food and time choices I will not vote for it.

 

No matter how RC spins it, IMO DD is taking away some of your options instead of adding to them.

[woodyren]

I have been cruising with MTD (or equivalent) for the last 6 or 7 years. There were always 2 or 3 choices on the menu which I liked but the main thing was that I could just show up at the MDR anytime I felt like it and be seated with at most 15 min. delay (usually much shorter). Until DD gives me the same options in food and time choices I will not vote for it.

 

.

 

While you may have always liked 2-3 choices each night unless you eat 2-3 main courses each meal you never actually got to eat 2-3 choices. Then there are the things that you really liked but never had the opportunity to eat for a second time unless they were on the regular everyday menu which will still be available in all of the fee free restaurants once DD is introduced.

 

I too hope that we can just show up. It is my main concern. As a fall back position we have booked a DD restaurant for each night just in case. I am not at all concerned with the variety of food as even a quick comparison of the DD menus to that of the menus photos I have from Oasis gives me substantially more choices that I like on any given night. Will I repeat many of them. If meals taste as good as they sound on the menu. You bet ya. Did I get a chance to repeat the dishes I enjoyed the most on Oasis. Not unless they were on the regular menu I didn't.

Edited August 30, 2014 by woodyren

[SherriZ366]

Exactly. I can't even imagine trying to reserve and scedule every single moment of your vacation with that many family members. So much planning goes into vacations as it is, before this....now we have even more work to do? Just take my money and let me sit with my family at dinner every night like we always have, haha.

The beauty of a large group (family etc) cruising using traditional dining is that folks can all do their own thing and meet up at dinner at their designated table(s).

[nancy2vues]

We have cruised with as few as 2 but normally with a group of 7 or 20+, so while I am concerned about the planning and availability aspect of DD, maybe the elevator usage will be more spread out? One can hope.

 

I have also been thinking about the demand for photos on formal nights. If the demand for photos is also more spread out, it would be great.

[Clarea]

We have cruised with as few as 2 but normally with a group of 7 or 20+, so while I am concerned about the planning and availability aspect of DD, maybe the elevator usage will be more spread out? One can hope.

 

I have also been thinking about the demand for photos on formal nights. If the demand for photos is also more spread out, it would be great.

I would not have a problem with spread out dining times as long as they could also provide spread out show times.

[CRUISEFAN0001]

I would not have a problem with spread out dining times as long as they could also provide spread out show times.

Agree.

 

We tried My Time Dining on our last cruise and actually didn't care for it. There were a number of things that turned out to be disappointing with that program (we were with another couple who also didn't care for it either).

 

One of the reasons was the "disconnect" with the show times.

[cruiseapril]

We enjoyed MTD in the MDR and don't feel the need for DD, but would try it for the experience.

[UFMOM]

We are looking forward to it, but then we are fans of MTD and specialty restaurants.

 

 

Mary Ann

[robcruz]

While you may have always liked 2-3 choices each night unless you eat 2-3 main courses each meal you never actually got to eat 2-3 choices. Then there are the things that you really liked but never had the opportunity to eat for a second time unless they were on the regular everyday menu which will still be available in all of the fee free restaurants once DD is introduced.

 

I too hope that we can just show up. It is my main concern. As a fall back position we have booked a DD restaurant for each night just in case. I am not at all concerned with the variety of food as even a quick comparison of the DD menus to that of the menus photos I have from Oasis gives me substantially more choices that I like on any given night. Will I repeat many of them. If meals taste as good as they sound on the menu. You bet ya. Did I get a chance to repeat the dishes I enjoyed the most on Oasis. Not unless they were on the regular menu I didn't.

 

What you seem to be implying that the ideal situation in the MDR would be if you liked only 1 item on the nightly menu. That way you would have no problem choosing your entrée and you wouldn't have to worry about not able to eat something else that you may like on the menu.

 

That's not how I look at it. When I go to a land based restaurant with a large menu there may be 7 menu items I wouldn't mind trying. Does that mean that you are going to go back there 7 times? I don't think so. You make your choice, hopefully you enjoy it and repeat the process in another restaurant next time.

 

As long as I enjoyed my MDR selection (which was almost all the time), I never second-guessed myself that maybe I should have had something else. Also I never wanted repeat any entrée in the MDR because it's nice to have something different every night on a 7 or 14 day cruise.

 

This is the way I look at it but I realize that other people may have a completely different opinion.

[Miss_Atomic_Bomb]

If I had a large group that I wanted to have together at the same time each night for dinner I would give RCCL a call. Captains club if I was a member and ask them to do the legwork and book me X amount of tables (largest table sizes possible) at each restaurant on a rotating basis at a certain time.

 

I have given RC several calls and talked to their representatives about it. They informed me that they cannot guarantee reservations or a table for large groups, even when calling ahead. Groups of 12 and more are more likely to be separated than sat together, since these venues are rather small in comparison to what we have been used to in the MDR.

[ka4ren]

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 too like the main dinning room I am not opposed to other option that I dint have to pay for. Specialty dinning is good if you can sfford extra but dont want to pay extra for children or grandchildren to eat

[Bobal]

I love the idea of Dynamic Dining. Just off the Oasis with our sons (early 20's) who have cruised with us every year since they were early teens. They commented how little choice there was compared to previous years and we all felt it was all a bit 'meat and veg' and one fish course i.e. few Asian choices, no Indian choices and poor choices from the Med.

 

I've just taken another look at the Dynamic Dining menus and can see many more choices that I would prefer over the regular MDR menus of late. Very much hoping it will be available for our Allure cruises next year.

 

I do see how it may impact on single cruisers or large groups though and would hope that RC have thought this one through and the whole booking process doesn't become too cumbersome and still allows for some flexibility.

Edited August 31, 2014 by Bobal

[gpnfish]

I don't like traditional dining (takes too long, eating with strangers, fixed time. On the other hand, I love My Time Dining (because the above constraints aren't in place).

 

DD seems like enhanced my-time so I am all for it

 

 

 

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[vivianmarie244]

Has it been mentioned anywhere exactly when in March the Oasis is supposed to get DD?

[robcruz]

I don't like traditional dining (takes too long, eating with strangers, fixed time. On the other hand, I love My Time Dining (because the above constraints aren't in place).

 

DD seems like enhanced my-time so I am all for it

 

 

 

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Are you saying that having to decide 6-12 months in advance where and at what time you want to eat does not place any constraints on you?

 

It's lucky that you don't have to decide ahead of time what you're going to eat.

Since the menus exist maybe that's the next step. It should certainly reduce the amount of wasted food.

[Mapleleafforever]

Sounds good to me

[dfishner]

I do like the idea of the new dining program as a long time cruiser on RCL I have seen so many reviews over the years about the MDR food going downhill over the years I feel RCL took the right approach in doing addressing it. I do understand many on here like the same servers for the entire cruise also like the same tablemates most of the time and I understand that will be an issue for some on here. I will not miss it we tend to avoid the MDR as much as we can. Mass banquet settings is not our thing and we tended to stick with the speciality restaurants and peppered in the MDR. It would not surprize me if more cruise lines do not move in that directions over the next 5 years.

 

With the MDR you have more of a banquet situation where the food is produce in mass quanities that the quality tends to suffer. Not saying that the same will not apply to Dynamic dining but cooking for smaller amounts oppse to cooking for mass qaunties of people should improve the quality of what is produced.

 

Dynamic dining offers more choices from what I see is offered on Quantum and Anthem. Last time we were on Oasis we did not even see the MDR and had a wonderful time trying the different speciality restaurants with dynamic dinining now you will have more choices and some are no fee so that is a win in my book.

 

The downside to DD is is making reservations and getting the time you would like as well as timing it with the shows.

[Clarea]

Has it been mentioned anywhere exactly when in March the Oasis is supposed to get DD?

No exact date has been given beyond March.

[hardingk]

I wonder how they will handle food allergies/intolerances with DD?

[SherriZ366]

I wonder how they will handle food allergies/intolerances with DD?

I think you will have to contact the Special Needs desk before you sail and follow up once you are on the ship.

[elephant98]

I have given RC several calls and talked to their representatives about it. They informed me that they cannot guarantee reservations or a table for large groups, even when calling ahead. Groups of 12 and more are more likely to be separated than sat together, since these venues are rather small in comparison to what we have been used to in the MDR.

 

We have sailed on the Oasis/Allure several times, normally with just 3 to 5 people. Because dining reservations have typically opened up well before the show schedule was released, we ended up making MTD reservations for 6 pm each night. That pretty much ensured that our dinner wouldn't conflict with the show. I don't think the implementation of DD on the Oasis/Allure would impact us that much if we travel as a small group.

 

But, we are now considering a cruise on the Oasis with 12 people staying in 6 staterooms. Since this would be a family reunion of sorts, the most important thing to us is sitting together at dinner every night. If Royal cannot guarantee reservations for a 12 person group, and tables for 12 are more likely to be separated than sat together, then perhaps we need to consider a ship that still offers traditional dining. Just not sure if it would be worth rolling the dice to book a cruise over a year in advance, then wait until dining reservations open up close to the time of final payment and just hope for the best. Even if we were able to score a table for all of us, we would also want a dining time that didn't conflict with the show schedule. Lots to contemplate here.

 

On that note, I realize that this thread is a couple of months old at this point. I happened to come across it in my research. Any recent experiences with making dining reservations for a large group would be greatly appreciated.

[George C]

I am against it, not sure if I would book a cruise if that would be only option

[negc]

I do lik

The downside to DD is is making reservations and getting the time you would like as well as timing it with the shows.

 

How should that be any different from having to make reservations and getting the time you want so that it allows you to go to the show you want to attend? The amount of time required when you dine in a specialty restaurant is usually more than two hours which can create serious scheduling problems as far as attending the shows. Until DD begins, we have little in the way of knowing how long a typical meal will take.