The one thing I do not understand about Dynamic Dining is...

[Shippy]

....making reservations.

You have to make them in advance for the free restaurants, right ???? I know you can make them onboard but these blogs make it sound like you can also make them months in advance.

Here is where I do not get it...

For those who traveled awhile back on the Allure or Oasis, you will remember when the character breakfast was free, you made your reservations in advance.

It is now $10. to go because to many people made reservations & then did not show up, wasting valuable seating in the dining room.

Things change all the time on the ship when see when everything else is scheduled. Or you may be just to tired to go. That will have the same effect as the problem with the character breakfast.

I might be on the ship and in the morning want to make a reservation for 6:30pm...they say no because it 'appears' full at that time but turns out maybe 20% of those who made their resevtions months ago do not show up.

Am I wrong about this ???

 

I know it would be great if people cancelled their reservations when their plans changed but only a very small percentage of people would do that especially because it is a free venue.

[LMaxwell]

Perhaps they are taking less pre-cruise reservations than before? It would make sense to say "Pre-cruise reservations are not available to be made at this time. All reservations can be made onboard". You make a good point about how full a venue could be versus amount of reservations made.

 

You're right, when reservations are free people change their minds about going and do not give it a second thought to actually "cancel" anything.

[PuterMonkey]

I bet it is run on a principle very like airlines and regular restaurants who purposefully overbook the tables...knowing that a certain percentage will most likely not show.

Edited November 24, 2014 by PuterMonkey

[Biker19]

I know this will be repeated many times but it doesn't seem to sink in - you don't have to have ANY reservations. The only advantage is perhaps slightly less wait time. If there are some places/times available that are convenient book the first couple of nights - after that just wing it. You don't even know if you'll like the food to go back a second time. So, again, don't stress over restaurant reservations.

 

The main production show OTOH......

[hallasm]

I know this will be repeated many times but it doesn't seem to sink in - you don't have to have ANY reservations. The only advantage is perhaps slightly less wait time. If there are some places/times available that are convenient book the first couple of nights - after that just wing it. You don't even know if you'll like the food to go back a second time. So, again, don't stress over restaurant reservations.

 

Fully agree with Biker19 - I did some reservations before the cruise, but ended up changing all of them. Wait until you are at the cruise, however some restaurants might be more popular than others: Restaurants where I found it a bit difficult to get a table were: Silk, Wonderland and Jamie's Italian.

Others like Grande, American Icon Grill and Chic were not a problem at all - some waiting time because of table for two - but if you are OK with bigger table with a group no waiting.

[MrsPete]

I do not like reservations, and when it's just the two of us, I just won't make them. I'll wait a bit, if necessary, but I don't know -- months ahead of time -- whether I'm going to return from the island early and be interested in eating early and having a relaxing evening watching the stars . . . or whether I'll return late and exhausted and want to just order room service.

 

Disclaimer: If I'm traveling with a group, reservations and plans are a necessary evil.

[MADflyer]

I think they are thrilled with how things have been working out so far.

 

With Wonderland, Jamie's Italian and the Chef's Table very heavily booked on the early sailings and proving to be very popular, reservations are less necessary at the other complementary venues.

 

While I really enjoyed Silk due to being at a large shared table and therefore having all of the appetizers served for sharing, my favorite evenings where when I joined friends I had met on board at Chic and had others join me at Coastal Kitchen.

 

With Chic we compromised and the others went later than their reservation and I went earlier and we were seated together right away on arrival. Yes, they did check our reservations in, but it would have only been an issue to be seated if we had hit a popular moment.

[FOXTROT]

I feel totally different, I want to know exactly where we will eat every night. Waiting till you board & trying to book reservations with 2000-5000 other passengers. Does not sound like a fun day.

[ryano]

I know this will be repeated many times but it doesn't seem to sink in - you don't have to have ANY reservations.

 

Well said. I really dont see what the big deal is. I cant think of many places on land where you go at peak times and dont have to wait a little bit. For the traditionalists, this may not be welcomed but overall, I think it will work out fine.

[LMaxwell]

Well said. I really dont see what the big deal is. I cant think of many places on land where you go at peak times and dont have to wait a little bit. For the traditionalists, this may not be welcomed but overall, I think it will work out fine.

 

I think many people in here are completely missing the point of the OP; you and the person you quoted included with that.

 

It's not about whether a reservation is or is not required ahead of time, or if at all; it is that many people WILL make reservations but since there is no charge and so many options, they will just ditch their reservations and go some place else. So the problem becomes that unless you go do standby at a restaurant, but decide that morning you want to go, you may not be able to make a reservation, may not do standby, then find out the restaurant is less than half full because everyone else ditched their reservations to go do standby at a place formerly listed as not full.

 

It's really more an issue about being people not being invested in their reservation, so if they don't give any notice of change, a "smart" ship can't function. Smart technology is not about sky dive simulators or robot bartenders. Smart technology is about collecting data from people to tailor the experience for everyone. No info in = ??? out

[Shippy]

I think many people in here are completely missing the point of the OP; you and the person you quoted included with that.

 

It's not about whether a reservation is or is not required ahead of time, or if at all; it is that many people WILL make reservations but since there is no charge and so many options, they will just ditch their reservations and go some place else. So the problem becomes that unless you go do standby at a restaurant, but decide that morning you want to go, you may not be able to make a reservation, may not do standby, then find out the restaurant is less than half full because everyone else ditched their reservations to go do standby at a place formerly listed as not full.

 

It's really more an issue about being people not being invested in their reservation, so if they don't give any notice of change, a "smart" ship can't function. Smart technology is not about sky dive simulators or robot bartenders. Smart technology is about collecting data from people to tailor the experience for everyone. No info in = ??? out

 

You totally understood my point ! It was proved by the Character Breakfast issue.

[MADflyer]

While I do understand this issue. I think the situation is much more fluid than what some might think. I do not think they are overbooking time slots. I do think they want you to book all the specialty dining that is appealing in advance. The reservation system does not fully have the kinks worked out, but double booking is not allowed.

 

I did not like the menu of American Icon and booked Divinly Decadence at Solarium Bistro instead. While the hostess did make a courtesy call to AI when I made my reservation, I noticed that AI never bothered to cancel this.

 

I think the way the system is designed is that when you check-in for dinner, the system registers you at that venue and would cancel you at the other venue as only one reservation may be held at a time.

 

They were mainly using manual check-in so far from lists of cabins with reservations, but do have a system that should be used. Your sea pass or wow band is touched to the system and your photo comes up on their tablet and then they even link all being seated together at the table prior to seating.

[dz9yvr]

I know this will be repeated many times but it doesn't seem to sink in - you don't have to have ANY reservations. The only advantage is perhaps slightly less wait time. If there are some places/times available that are convenient book the first couple of nights - after that just wing it. You don't even know if you'll like the food to go back a second time. So, again, don't stress over restaurant reservations.

 

The main production show OTOH......

 

 

I know this will be repeated many times but it doesn't seem to sink in.... Many of us don't like waiting in lines for dinner when we are on vacation. Even with MTD there are often very long lines for walk-up customers at the peak times. MTD offers a lot of tables for two and many of them are decent tables (not a table for 4 that is separated by 6 inches to become 2 tables for 2. So far DD appears to offer more difficult reservations, longer waiting times, forced dining with other familes or groups and fewer menus (only 2 per location). Yes sir I can really see the adavntage of DD. :confused:

[MADflyer]

Those with reservations and those without reservations wait in the same line to enter the given dining venue.

 

Those with a reservation are 'guaranteed' a seat. The walk-ins are given a seat if they are available.

 

Those needing special requests not available at the moment wait to the side to be seated. This could include a couple with a reservation for 2 and wanting only a table for 2 and not willing to share.

[Ant@sea]

Having just gotten off the Quantum, I can tell you that those who did not make advanced reservations for the Comp Restaurants had to wait on LONG LINES to try and get in. I have a hard time believing that so many people cancel pre-made reservations to go elsewhere when its next to impossible to get good dining times once onboard, unless you dine at 5pm or 9pm. You don't HAVE to have a reservations, BUT you're in for a very difficult and stressful time if you try and wing it--a vacation should not be this stressful, but from all that I experienced, it was

[camptalcott]

I know this will be repeated many times but it doesn't seem to sink in - you don't have to have ANY reservations. The only advantage is perhaps slightly less wait time. If there are some places/times available that are convenient book the first couple of nights - after that just wing it. You don't even know if you'll like the food to go back a second time. So, again, don't stress over restaurant reservations.

 

The main production show OTOH......

 

I'm also going to add, be flexible and set realistic expectations.

 

With any vacation venue where you have a large number of people all eating at the same time with limited places a couple of scenerios can play out.

 

1) you make reservations months in advance. cutting down wait time.

2) You wing it and make plans the day of or a short time earlier.

 

for my family we tend to do a combo.

 

I've accepted the fact that popular places will be packed so maybe on the sea days I make reservations there.

Like Mrs.Pete, I cannot for the life of me figure out how I am going to feel on X day, 6 months out. so for shore excursion days I'm going to skip the reservations.

 

But those days, I've also adjusted my expectations. I know htat if I eat during prime grazing hours that I will have a wait. so there should be no stress involved. NOw I'm lucky in that my kids are young adults, if we get some where and the wait is more than we want to stay it's usually not a big deal. we just keep it moving and try some where else.

Edited November 24, 2014 by camptalcott

[BostonBud]

Having just gotten off the Quantum, I can tell you that those who did not make advanced reservations for the Comp Restaurants had to wait on LONG LINES to try and get in. I have a hard time believing that so many people cancel pre-made reservations to go elsewhere when its next to impossible to get good dining times once onboard, unless you dine at 5pm or 9pm. You don't HAVE to have a reservations, BUT you're in for a very difficult and stressful time if you try and wing it--a vacation should not be this stressful, but from all that I experienced, it was

 

Ditto, that was our experience as well this past weekend. Additionally, double booked is allowed. When you make a reservation at Chic, American Icon, Silk or the formal one, the women at the reservation desk said they could not change another reservation except for these four restaurants. And the lines were pretty long even at 8:45. Chops/Jamies/Wonderland were all full from day one and we weren't even on a full sailing. Good luck going on standby for those, you'll be waiting a long time if you get a seat at all. Unfortunately, there is a lot of waiting everywhere. Making reservations AND getting in line for your reservation Hopefully this will be worked out but it was a bit stressful especially when people don't respect the existing queue and just jump to the front although the reservationists are telling people that there is a line and you need to get behind all these people.

[MichaelCMTX]

Having just gotten off the Quantum, I can tell you that those who did not make advanced reservations for the Comp Restaurants had to wait on LONG LINES to try and get in.

 

With the not-entirely-unexpected teething problems introducing a new ship and a new system I'm not sure this impression is the expected norm as things progress,

 

I'd be more alarmed if the long lines persist after a few weeks once we're changing to 2015 calendars. By that time it still won't have sunk in to all passengers; but staff, management and Travel Agents will have a better grasp on "how to Dynamic Dine."

[Gayle V]

What makes the "winging it" such a poor idea, is the fact that you cannot also "wing it" with the shows. You really need to make those show reservations in advance if you want to see them. And being that they are one of the best parts of the newer classes of ships, you really do want to see them. (Not including Cats on Oasis, JMHO). And once you have a reservation for the show, you must fit your dining in around the show times. Waiting on line to get a table can ruin the whole evening.

 

And I do think the OP, and the Character breakfast posts are on the mark. Together they can predict the future, which is that you will eventually have to pay for all your meals, for the same reason you now pay for the Character breakfast, to get you financially invested in showing up for your reservation. And in a way, also the Johnny Rockets issue. You have to pay now, when you didn't before, supposedly to solve a problem created by inconsiderate people. The fact that this now makes the company more money didn't break any corporate hearts.

Edited November 24, 2014 by Gayle V

[TM38Rob]

To address the OP's concerns, the difference between the character breakfasts and DD is that the no extra charge "complimentary" DD restaurants allow for walk-ins with no reservations whereas the character breakfasts were reservations only.

 

With that said, don't be surprised in the future that these "complimentary" dinner venues start charging a fee. They will use any excuse they can to justify it. The excuse can be that a particular restaurant is too popular, or that customers complained about the quality of the food and need to charge more to provide better quality, or people weren't showing up for their reservations even though there were plenty of walk-ins to take their place.

 

I can think about a dozen or more ways that they can nickel & dime people with fees regarding DD, however, I don't want to give Royal Caribbean any ideas if they haven't already thought of it themselves ;).

[MADflyer]

If lines persist, I am sure they will change to an automated pager system that will work anywhere on the ship. I do not think that 2 and 3 day sampler sailings on a new ship will be a very good indicator of how things will work when the ship is on normal rotation. Even the TA Maiden voyage is not a good indicator of how things will eventually work.

 

Their absolute best result is if as stated, Jamie's, Chops, Wonderland and other specialty require early reservations and then other dining options are more flexible onboard.

 

Having complementary options will always be part of the mix on a cruise as this ads value, both to the original fare paid and to the motivation to 'move up' to a specialty option and get more personal or enhanced experiences.

[Biker19]

I know this will be repeated many times but it doesn't seem to sink in.... Many of us don't like waiting in lines for dinner when we are on vacation. Even with MTD there are often very long lines for walk-up customers at the peak times. MTD offers a lot of tables for two and many of them are decent tables (not a table for 4 that is separated by 6 inches to become 2 tables for 2. So far DD appears to offer more difficult reservations, longer waiting times, forced dining with other familes or groups and fewer menus (only 2 per location). Yes sir I can really see the adavntage of DD. :confused:

For someone that WILL go on a ship DD I provided advice. If you don't want to wait in line for dinner, don't ever book a ship with DD.:cool:

[woodyren]

The one thing I don't understand about Dynamic Dinning is....

 

Why so many people who don't like the concept (I understand and respect their reasons) are absolutely death riding it hoping that it will fail.

 

If you don't like it there are so many options out there still offering traditional.

 

 

But even though there will only be a smaller amount of ships with DD I don't see any of the DD enthusiasts starting threads or bagging traditional.

[Biker19]

^ because this is Cruise Critic and it is normal human nature to complain about the negatives and not trumpet the positives.