Dynamic Dining postponed for Oasis & Allure

[twindaddy]

I heard that Zoltar kept telling them that Dynamic Dining was a bad idea, so they decided to remove it.

 

Found this in another thread about Zoltar possibly being gone on the Oasis, it applies here as well.

[SherriZ366]

Found this in another thread about Zoltar possibly being gone on the Oasis, it applies here as well.

Who is Zoltar?

[LoveyHowell]

Who is Zoltar?

 

Choose:

 

A: A Fortune telling arcade machine

B: Rising Tide bartender on Oasis

[Clarea]

Who is Zoltar?

[SherriZ366]

Oh yeah -- did see that during earlier Oasis reviews.

 

Now I get your joke about Zoltar telling RCI that DD was a bad idea.

Edited January 7, 2015 by SherriZ366

[skiman1]

DD and the Quantum class of ships will be a multi-billion dollar blunder for RCCL. Remember the new Coke?

I have read the reviews of the Quantum, 35% approval rating a worse rating than Costa ships and way below Carnival. Some marketing guru blew smoke of the CEO's ?????

[Biker19]

DD and the Quantum class of ships will be a multi-billion dollar blunder for RCCL. Remember the new Coke?

I have read the reviews of the Quantum, 35% approval rating a worse rating than Costa ships and way below Carnival. Some marketing guru blew smoke of the CEO's ?????

 

Welcome to 2014.:cool:

[Georgeny]

DD and the Quantum class of ships will be a multi-billion dollar blunder for RCCL. Remember the new Coke?

I have read the reviews of the Quantum, 35% approval rating a worse rating than Costa ships and way below Carnival. Some marketing guru blew smoke of the CEO's ?????

 

I agree! Friends sailing on Carnival Ecstacy mid January as a quicky gambling cruise. It was built on 1991, has some thrown on balconies here and there ( aft after fire ) YET IT HAS a passenger rating of 72%.

 

I sailed Grandeur in February/March and noted some things that I was not happy about, had 45 ft seas, leaks in our suite, toilet issues YET overall I gave cruise a 5 rating. WHY, because our dining and cabin staff were the best!! We had a great cruise despite it all. Yet on this BILLION dollar brand new ship we gave it a 1 rating.

 

Costa sank one, killed people, and crew performed horribly with Captain first off the sinking ship and THEY HAVE HIGHER RATINGS!!!

 

George in NY

[Biker19]

Costa sank one, killed people, and crew performed horribly with Captain first off the sinking ship and THEY HAVE HIGHER RATING

I can see the thread title now - Quantum was worse than the Costa Concordia. :rolleyes:

[John&LaLa]

I agree! Friends sailing on Carnival Ecstacy mid January as a quicky gambling cruise. It was built on 1991, has some thrown on balconies here and there ( aft after fire ) YET IT HAS a passenger rating of 72%.

 

I sailed Grandeur in February/March and noted some things that I was not happy about, had 45 ft seas, leaks in our suite, toilet issues YET overall I gave cruise a 5 rating. WHY, because our dining and cabin staff were the best!! We had a great cruise despite it all. Yet on this BILLION dollar brand new ship we gave it a 1 rating.

 

Costa sank one, killed people, and crew performed horribly with Captain first off the sinking ship and THEY HAVE HIGHER RATINGS!!!

 

George in NY

 

Sure, but how many Americans were on the Concordia? We tend to complain, ie "first world problems". :o

 

Sent from my HTC One_M8 using Forums mobile app

[Ocean Boy]

Oh yeah -- did see that during earlier Oasis reviews.

 

Now I get your joke about Zoltar telling RCI that DD was a bad idea.

 

I wish they would get rid of that thing. It gives me the creeps.

[Debde]

DD and the Quantum class of ships will be a multi-billion dollar blunder for RCCL. Remember the new Coke?

I have read the reviews of the Quantum, 35% approval rating a worse rating than Costa ships and way below Carnival. Some marketing guru blew smoke of the CEO's ?????

 

I think they are going to do everything they can to try to make this function and will not be so quick to throw in the towel and claim defeat.

Seems people are reporting things are getting better and I've read the assistant waiters are back instead of those tablet thingys.

 

And yes, that Zoltar thing is creepy.

[LetsGetWet!]

I think they are going to do everything they can to try to make this function and will not be so quick to throw in the towel and claim defeat.

Seems people are reporting things are getting better and I've read the assistant waiters are back instead of those tablet thingys.

 

And yes, that Zoltar thing is creepy.

Agreed, they aren't going to "throw in the towel and claim defeat" with Quantum/Anthem. As you say, they will do everything they can to try to make it function. Obviously they can't simply switch back to regular early/late/MTD dining as there is no MDR on those ships. But at this point, I think its fair to say that what the eventual dining setup ends up being is somewhat in flux. And whether or not it rolls out to the entire fleet quickly or not is a whole different question, if they're having trouble with it on Quantum/Anthem.

[Ocean Boy]

I think they are going to do everything they can to try to make this function and will not be so quick to throw in the towel and claim defeat.

Seems people are reporting things are getting better and I've read the assistant waiters are back instead of those tablet thingys.

 

And yes, that Zoltar thing is creepy.

 

Agreed, they aren't going to "throw in the towel and claim defeat" with Quantum/Anthem. As you say, they will do everything they can to try to make it function. Obviously they can't simply switch back to regular early/late/MTD dining as there is no MDR on those ships. But at this point, I think its fair to say that what the eventual dining setup ends up being is somewhat in flux. And whether or not it rolls out to the entire fleet quickly or not is a whole different question, if they're having trouble with it on Quantum/Anthem.

And if things get really bad with DD then RCI will just tell us all how much we really like it.:D

[LetsGetWet!]

And if things get really bad with DD then RCI will just tell us all how much we really like it.:D

Zoltar will put a spell on us all... :D

[MCFTJCH2V]

Why fix what's not broke. I don't understand what the benefit of DD is to either RCCL or the passenger.

 

I like my basic option of having my own table ready and waiting for me, unless I decide otherwise. This issues didn't exist on the smaller limited space ships; why now on the monoliths?

[Charles4515]

Why fix what's not broke. I don't understand what the benefit of DD is to either RCCL or the passenger.

 

I like my basic option of having my own table ready and waiting for me, unless I decide otherwise. This issues didn't exist on the smaller limited space ships; why now on the monoliths?

 

 

It is a benefit to RCCL. Less staff and less different menu choices. They will try to spin it as a passenger benefit in their marketing. That remains to be seen but at this point I don't think so.

[CHAMPDDS]

Wonder what the cost was to retrofit the Oasis?

 

David:D

[RocketMan275]

Why fix what's not broke. I don't understand what the benefit of DD is to either RCCL or the passenger.

 

I like my basic option of having my own table ready and waiting for me, unless I decide otherwise. This issues didn't exist on the smaller limited space ships; why now on the monoliths?

 

I'm glad you like that option but there are many who do not and who think there are other options they would enjoy better than the same table, same time, same table mates, same waiters, and two formal nights per cruise. Not saying that what you like is bad, it just that others prefer something different.

[critterchick]

Agreed, they aren't going to "throw in the towel and claim defeat" with Quantum/Anthem. As you say, they will do everything they can to try to make it function. Obviously they can't simply switch back to regular early/late/MTD dining as there is no MDR on those ships. But at this point, I think its fair to say that what the eventual dining setup ends up being is somewhat in flux. And whether or not it rolls out to the entire fleet quickly or not is a whole different question, if they're having trouble with it on Quantum/Anthem.

 

I don't know the capacity of each restaurant, but I wonder if they could have one or two MTD restaurants and two traditional. Princess ended up having to do that on Diamond and Sapphire Princess - they originally had one traditional dining room and four themed Any Time restaurants. It was a nightmare trying to get dinner even with a reservation - our party of 7 had to sit at separate tables, we were seated late and they ended up only allowing people to make reservations for 6:00 or 8:30. They ultimately threw in the towel on that concept and now have four Anytime Dining restaurants (one is reserved for early traditional until 7:00 or so). Each offers a special dish for the theme of its name - Mexican, Italian or Asian (the fourth was a steakhouse, so no special item there).

 

It likely wasn't as embarrassing for Princess to make the change because they didn't tout the concept the way RCI has touted DD.

 

Time will tell...

[Debde]

Like I said earlier, I really don't have an opinion one way or the other. I am, very intrigued by this conversation because in theory-it seems like a good one and I'm trying to figure out how this went so horribly wrong.

 

I do like the concept of the whole walk in for dinner. I was never a fan of the MDR so this looked promising. I'm thinking people making reservations months out and probably most cancelling screwed up this system so bad. The whole tablet help instead of an actual human was probably another big blunder. I am so curious to see if they can make this work as it is a concept that I think most would like if it ran smoothly. I just hate having to be told when I have to eat. Even the MTD concept wants you to make reservations before you are on the ship. I don't know about anyone else but I never know what adventure I put myself in day to day on vacation none the less know months out when I'm going to want to eat.

 

If Princes threw in the whole towel on this, makes me wonder what Royal thought they would do different. NCL does seem to work-right?? Putting aside weather you like the ship or not. At least I'm reading some improvements on Quantum.

 

If this DD does flop, I do hope they keep adding those Coastal Kitchens fleet wide though.

[critterchick]

Like I said earlier, I really don't have an opinion one way or the other. I am, very intrigued by this conversation because in theory-it seems like a good one and I'm trying to figure out how this went so horribly wrong.

 

I do like the concept of the whole walk in for dinner. I was never a fan of the MDR so this looked promising. I'm thinking people making reservations months out and probably most cancelling screwed up this system so bad. The whole tablet help instead of an actual human was probably another big blunder. I am so curious to see if they can make this work as it is a concept that I think most would like if it ran smoothly. I just hate having to be told when I have to eat. Even the MTD concept wants you to make reservations before you are on the ship. I don't know about anyone else but I never know what adventure I put myself in day to day on vacation none the less know months out when I'm going to want to eat.

 

If Princes threw in the whole towel on this, makes me wonder what Royal thought they would do different. NCL does seem to work-right?? Putting aside weather you like the ship or not. At least I'm reading some improvements on Quantum.

 

If this DD does flop, I do hope they keep adding those Coastal Kitchens fleet wide though.

 

A lot of our friends have tried NCL and won't go back because Freestyle didn't work for them, so I wouldn't say it's an unqualified success. And Princess thankfully only tried it on two ships.

 

I didn't mind traditional seating - although we adhered to it for a few years, we eventually go to the point where, if we weren't hungry at dinner time, or if we were hungry earlier, or if we were in port having a great time and eating there, we didn't go and were fine with the Windjammer. Now we enjoy the specialty restaurants a few times each cruise, the MDR once or twice and the WJ the rest of the time.

Edited January 7, 2015 by critterchick

[Big_G]

I don't know the capacity of each restaurant, but I wonder if they could have one or two MTD restaurants and two traditional.

 

While I'm not on the 'It's a failure' bandwagon, I'm not so sure they can't go back either. I think that's the worse case scenario and don't see how it would be a 'multibillion dollar mistake' as a previous commenter posted.

[Dave85]

A lot of our friends have tried NCL and won't go back because Freestyle didn't work for them, so I wouldn't say it's an unqualified success. And Princess thankfully only tried it on two ships.

 

 

 

 

 

That makes sense to me as someone who recently tried Freestyle. We liked it and ended up booking another NCL cruise, but if you don't like it, I don't see how you could happily cruise NCL. Simple as that, and many want the traditional fixed time / table dining.

 

With that said, Freestyle does in fact work (as in function properly). I hope RCI is starting to see what they need to do to make DD function properly, so that people can then go and make informed judgments about whether they like it or not. It's a shame that many folks who might actually like DD if functioning properly are getting turned off by RCI's poor execution and planning.

 

 

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[Debde]

With that said, Freestyle does in fact work (as in function properly). I hope RCI is starting to see what they need to do to make DD function properly, so that people can then go and make informed judgments about whether they like it or not. It's a shame that many folks who might actually like DD if functioning properly are getting turned off by RCI's poor execution and planning.

 

This is what I was thinking. NCL 'functions' properly. I'd just like to see DD function properly before they put it out to pasture.

 

Like critterchick-I have always enjoyed the WJ for the true, walk in anytime dining and eat and dress how I like.

 

I've followed the haters that hated it and the ones have not even experienced it, followed the people that love it weather they experienced it or not also and know there is that middle ground to see too. The jury is still out.