Dynamic Dining and Cruising Single

[cooncat]

I'm just curious. I haven't cruised in a few years because of a lack of money. I tend to cruise by myself and enjoy the company of other people at dinner. I guess you would call me old fashion. Anyway, if this were to to fleet wide to the Navigator and larger ships, what is a single person to do. It sure makes eating dinner a lonely experience and not much fun. Are they going to eliminate the traditional dining for this and force everybody to the new type of dining. I know it's too early, but I'm just wondering. I know there have been other treads about this, but I'm sure about this specific type of question. I don't want to change cruise lines and I don't like the smaller older ships.

Thank you everybody.

Edited September 10, 2014 by cooncat

[Ramblin' Ma'am]

Hi cooncat, I am in the same boat, no pun intended. I just canceled my Oasis cruise for next year. I want to wait until lots of people have cruised with Dynamic Dining and can report back.

 

For now I will stick to ships with traditional dining. In a few years if the whole fleet goes to DD, I will reassess.

 

 

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[petel]

I'm just curious. I haven't cruised in a few years because of a lack of money. I tend to cruise by myself and enjoy the company of other people at dinner. I guess you would call me old fashion. Anyway, if this were to to fleet wide to the Navigator and larger ships, what is a single person to do. It sure makes eating dinner a lonely experience and not much fun. Are they going to eliminate the traditional dining for this and force everybody to the new type of dining. I know it's too early, but I'm just wondering. I know there have been other treads about this, but I'm sure about this specific type of question. I don't want to change cruise lines and I don't like the smaller older ships.

Thank you everybody.

 

IMHO: At this stage I think everything is up to opinions but from what I think DD will be very little difference from MTD now. You can ask to be with other folks at large tables and you will probably get your way. Once you "like" a group you will probably be able to show up at the same time wherever you decide to meet.......just a thought. But, like you, I'm waiting to see. It is too early to panic ;)

[cooncat]

I love the ships and activities Royal Caribbean offers. There is no other cruise company I think I would enjoy. I'm spoiled. Celebrity intrigues me, but I'm afraid I may become board do to a lack of night time activities.

 

The last time I cruised, the games were at a pool far away from the center of activity. I know things have changed the last 4 years. The Quantum of the Seas sounds like a great ship to take next with all the new cool features, but with the DD, I'm afraid I will have to pass.

[Gayle V]

IMHO: At this stage I think everything is up to opinions but from what I think DD will be very little difference from MTD now. You can ask to be with other folks at large tables and you will probably get your way. Once you "like" a group you will probably be able to show up at the same time wherever you decide to meet.......just a thought. But, like you, I'm waiting to see. It is too early to panic ;)

 

Unfortunately. you are probably right, in that DD will be just like MTD, which I really disliked the one time we tried it.

 

We too, will not book with Royal again, until they shake this one out. Really, with so very many dining rooms on these new ships, why not have one traditional one, for all those who already hate MTD and don't want to completely walk away from Royal. Think about it, if DD is going to be as wonderful as it's cheerleaders say, then just one small to moderate sized dining room will do. And if it turns out that far to many people want to book the traditional room, well then that just means DD is a loser after all.

[Hoopster95]

I'm just curious. I haven't cruised in a few years because of a lack of money. I tend to cruise by myself and enjoy the company of other people at dinner. I guess you would call me old fashion. Anyway, if this were to to fleet wide to the Navigator and larger ships, what is a single person to do. It sure makes eating dinner a lonely experience and not much fun. Are they going to eliminate the traditional dining for this and force everybody to the new type of dining. I know it's too early, but I'm just wondering. I know there have been other treads about this, but I'm sure about this specific type of question. I don't want to change cruise lines and I don't like the smaller older ships.

Thank you everybody.

 

First two posts:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2096871

 

'I told her that I had booked all my dining, that I'm happy with timing and venues. I let her know as a solo I wish to know whether I'll be seated with others or alone. She told me as booked on the planner that I'll be seated alone and therefore my seat and time is guaranteed... BUT, just like MTD, walk-ups will be seated first come first serve and be asked if they wish to be seated alone or with others in larger tables just like it is right now in MTD. SO she asked me to see the Maitre-D when I show up and ask to be seated with others, which will then be able to free up a table for 2 for someone else"

[dancinman66]

I would probably have to see how. Solo cruising went in that regards

Hard to say till tried it and how it works

 

 

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[TM38Rob]

Unfortunately. you are probably right, in that DD will be just like MTD, which I really disliked the one time we tried it.

 

We too, will not book with Royal again, until they shake this one out. Really, with so very many dining rooms on these new ships, why not have one traditional one, for all those who already hate MTD and don't want to completely walk away from Royal. Think about it, if DD is going to be as wonderful as it's cheerleaders say, then just one small to moderate sized dining room will do. And if it turns out that far to many people want to book the traditional room, well then that just means DD is a loser after all.

I agree. While the DD cheerleaders probably already do MTD (and I can see how this works for THEM), they fail to see how the elimination of the traditional MDR and all it has to offer will negatively affect the rest of US who may enjoy that experience.

Edited September 11, 2014 by TM38Rob

[MattInFLL]

It's one thing to be seated at a table with others in the MDR where it is expected you will share a table for the cruise - and quite another to be plopped down at a table with others in the MTD format where the other people at the table were probably expecting to be seated to themselves. I have no trouble making conversation, but DD seems like it will only make it that much harder for the solo traveler. "Party of one."

 

I suppose they could try setting aside certain tables for solos to sit together, but that sounds like it could be complicated.

[Ramblin' Ma'am]

I suppose they could try setting aside certain tables for solos to sit together, but that sounds like it could be complicated.

 

Yeah, I have no idea how it's going to go, and with the amount of money I pay to cruise thanks to the solo supplement, I don't want to try DD until I know how it's handled!

[cooncat]

I just hope it doesn't go industry wide as far as the MTD or the DD goes. There are some of us who are single who prefer to sit with the same group for dinner every night for the entire cruise. Of course, since I'm not in the position to cruise at this point it's a mute point. I may have to look at Princess, even though it's owned by Carnival.

[cb at sea]

Unfortunately, I believe MTD was created because so many are afraid to dine with others. And most MTDers want to be all alone. They won't welcome anyone to their table. Yes...our first cruise, the "table mate" concept was worrisome..but we found it to be SO MUCH FUN! We now always request a large table. We've never, ever had table mates that we couldn't "get along" with. I don't know why so many seem to have so much trouble with others!

[fishtaco]

Unfortunately, I believe MTD was created because so many are afraid to dine with others. And most MTDers want to be all alone. They won't welcome anyone to their table. Yes...our first cruise, the "table mate" concept was worrisome..but we found it to be SO MUCH FUN! We now always request a large table. We've never, ever had table mates that we couldn't "get along" with. I don't know why so many seem to have so much trouble with others!

 

I am sure that solo,s and like minded traditional diners will become walk up bookers and once they are seated with like minded guests they will be allowed or even encouraged to re book together just like MTD:)

 

My only reservation is the new system may become very much like breakfast and lunch is in the MDR for those wanting shared tables for dinner. although its usually ok you just dont make the same connection to the breakfast and lunch shared table guests as you do with set nightly guests.

 

It seems obvious that traditional diners are perhaps more social or socially accepting than those who prefer to dine in their own company and a reason these cruisers cannot understand why trad dinners feel they may loose such a huge part of their usual cruising experience?

 

All of my most memorable moments of all my cruises have been at the dinner table with set dining, but not a single one from casual shared breakfast lunch tables apart from when set dinner table guests have purposely met up to share those casual tables.

[Hoopster95]

It's one thing to be seated at a table with others in the MDR where it is expected you will share a table for the cruise - and quite another to be plopped down at a table with others in the MTD format where the other people at the table were probably expecting to be seated to themselves. I have no trouble making conversation, but DD seems like it will only make it that much harder for the solo traveler. "Party of one."

 

I suppose they could try setting aside certain tables for solos to sit together, but that sounds like it could be complicated.

 

Last few cruises the MDR table assigned to me was 1/2 empty any given night. On my Rhapsody Alaska the 12 seater I was assigned to solo was empty both 1st and 2nd night. I was moved twice by the Maitre-D, once to another empty table and secondly to a 8 seater with only 1 couple. (I ate in Windjammer every night after that). Fellow cruisers were obviously dining on specialty, Windjammer, in their suites, wherever....

 

Showing up at a DD dining venue and opting to sit with others as they are being seated realtime is a benefit to the solo cruiser as it guarantees a full table of fellow cruisers to meet and chat with.

[OSUZorba]

Unfortunately, I believe MTD was created because so many are afraid to dine with others. And most MTDers want to be all alone. They won't welcome anyone to their table. Yes...our first cruise, the "table mate" concept was worrisome..but we found it to be SO MUCH FUN! We now always request a large table. We've never, ever had table mates that we couldn't "get along" with. I don't know why so many seem to have so much trouble with others!

 

I don't really like sitting with people my age, but cruise lines always set you up that way. A couple cruises ago we were sat at a large table with people all around our age (28 at the time), we asked to be moved to smaller table and the only table was with two older (mid-50s) couples. The Maitre-D confirmed a couple times that we were really okay with it. We really enjoyed seating with them, but I don't know how to request "Could I get a 6 top with people in the their 50s?" I guess I could just ask ;)

 

Not sure how they felt about it, since they had kids about our age.

Edited September 12, 2014 by OSUZorba

[MattInFLL]

Hoopster, I've had a different experience with set dining. I generally ask for a table of 6 and have usually had a full or nearly full table. There was one time, when they moved me and another single to a two top (because no one at his table showed up) and we were both fine with that and had really great conversations.

 

The MTD people seem to want to sit by themselves, so I do not yet have faith in the concept that DD will be a benefit to solo cruisers. But I will be happy to be wrong.

 

I'm with cb on this one, though - the art of the dinner conversation and being social with your fellow your travelers over a meal is withering on the vine.

[leaveitallbehind]

Unfortunately, I believe MTD was created because so many are afraid to dine with others. And most MTDers want to be all alone. They won't welcome anyone to their table. Yes...our first cruise, the "table mate" concept was worrisome..but we found it to be SO MUCH FUN! We now always request a large table. We've never, ever had table mates that we couldn't "get along" with. I don't know why so many seem to have so much trouble with others!

 

I don't think "fear of dining with others" has anything to do with the decision to offer the choice of MTD, but rather to provide the flexibility of dining times as an alternative to early / late fixed seating times for those who would prefer to set their own dining times. This was also a competitive response to NCL's Freestyle.

 

Prior to MTD we never had an issue with getting the table arrangement we wanted whether dining alone or with others. While with MTD on recent cruises we have elected to either dine alone or with traveling friends, I think the solo or with others option still exists.

Edited September 12, 2014 by leaveitallbehind

[buckirj1]

The last time I sailed RCI, I had MTD and requested a large table every night I went to the MDR. They kept wanting to steer me toward a table for two with another solo. I can manage sitting with a bunch of people I don't know, but with only one? Awkward!