Dynamic Dining postponed for Oasis & Allure

[SherriZ366]

Um, I am 31 and I care for it....when its done right. It has nothing to do with not wanting to know waiters name or sitting with strangers.... I always know my waiters name and mention him by name in reviews and feedback. But I have been paired with awful pairings of couples before. My wife and I are in our young 30's...I dont want to have dinner with 6 other people who could be my great grandparents..nor do we want to sit with a family of 6 with 4 little kids from China who speak no english... and I dont want dinner to take 2+ hours.

 

We have done MTD and like it..... and now usually go that route. They have screwed it up with enough people and pairings that more people have leaned towards MTD (notice all the additional tables for 2 over the past couple years) which lead to the creation of dynamic....

 

yeah yeah, we can ask for a new table. The point is, the person who makes the seating arrangements .... they consistently screw it up. I shouldnt have to ask to fix it....

We have only had to change tables once on RCI and that was for language. The Head Waiter actually discretely made the change for us and found a table with folks around our age.

 

Like you, DD & SIL always opt for a table for 2 unless they are sailing with another couple. They do this in late traditional. They are in their mid-30's.

[TheMediaman]

I don't think i can put a finer or better point on Dynamic Dining than the previous 856 posts have...but let's see what i can add.

 

Dynamic Dining is a product and this is an issue of branding; how the public views the product. Dynamic Dining was probably introduced to satisfy guest requests for menu variety and RCCL tried to make it profitable through reduced staff. You can't have more for less is proven once again.

 

Insert "you can please some of the people most of the time" turn of phrase here.

 

The execution is not working for everyone regardless of the concept of what Dynamic Dining is. It's funny that i took it in stride to plan and reserve restaurants in Disneyworld months in advance but am resistant of that same concept on a cruise ship.

 

Some 800 or so posts back a CC member made the point to not judge before you try it.

 

Imagine trying to satisfy everyone:

 

I want my time dining

I want a table for 2, for 4, for 8

I want different menus

I want the same table

I want to eat what i want when i want

I want the same wait staff

I want the same time

I want to be casual

I want to dress formal

I wish people would not dress casual on formal nights

I don't want to wait

I want

I want

I want

 

 

We are a fickle bunch aren't we. Whatever Dynamic Dining will become the challenge is to make most of the people happy most of the time. Branding is the key and loyalty, return and new business doesn't come without a cost. RCCL may have a good concept with Dynamic Dining but fell short by trying to cut costs in the pursuit of more profit.

 

Just my 2c contribution to the previous 856 other good posts.

[Grandma Petania]

.... as a general rule, the waiters have notes on people when you see them day after day. "Oh, Mrs. Johnson likes tea and extra sugar packets." "The Sampson kid is allergic to peanuts." "Mrs. Howell like to stir her coffee with the diamond-crusted spoon." In 2015 those notes are easily transferred to another waiter electronically. The waiter doesn't have to physically deliver a sheet of notepaper to another new waiter.

 

Whether you get a good waiter or a bad is still up to chance... but the concern "OH NOES!!!! THE WORLD WILL END BECAUSE MY BESTEST FRIEND I'VE EVER MADE IN MY LIFE (Ernie from Samoa) WON'T SERVE ME AND NO ONE WILL REMEMBER ALL OF MY PERSONAL LIKES & DISLIKES LIKE ERNIE DID!! HE LOVES ME PERSONALLY AS MUCH AS HE LOVES HIS OWN FAMILY, THAT'S WHY HE KNOWS I LIKE DIET COKE!" sort of goes out the window.

I spewed my drink at my computer when I read your description (the part that you put in all caps) of how people believe that their waiters (and room stewards, etc.) become best friends with them during the cruise. Of course, we (as cruisers) have fond memories of our best waiters, but they probably serve at least 50 guests/day during that week - and then they do it all over again for the next 50+ cruises.

 

I was fortunate enough to have the same delightful waitress on two Oasis cruises, and she gave me her contact information on the 2nd cruise. We have become Facebook friends, as has one other couple from the UK & one from the US who obviously cruised with her. We seem to be the only three cruisers out of her 100+ FB friends. She is from the Philippines, and I find it quite interesting to see the pictures of her family and friends, and read their posts - especially since many of them write and speak partially in English and partially in Tagalog (which doesn't translate very well on the on-line translation sites). She has been in the Philippines since shortly after the Oasis drydock, and is back on board this week. I hope to connect with her on our 2/21 Eastern cruise. I know she will seem happy to see us again, and I believe that she enjoys the contact with us few cruise guests - but I don't disillusion myself that we are an important part of her life.

 

ANYWAY, THANKS FOR THE LAUGH! :) :D :) :D

[e11wa]

ike you, DD & SIL always opt for a table for 2 unless they are sailing with another couple. They do this in late traditional. They are in their mid-30's.

we travel from australia, and usually for at least a month at a time.

The number of times we've had to explain that we get 4 weeks leave a year, and usually go on interesting trips drives me mad.

 

If we were in hawaii, or europe or whatever travelling just the two of us we'd be dining alone, its something that really works well for us.

 

We even met people on our sailing on Splendour last year while we were sitting at 2 adjoining tables for 2.

 

We also find it gives us more time with the wait staff as they are just serving the 2 of us, not a table of 8-12.

 

We've always found the waitstaff super attentive and friendly when it is just the two of us.

 

While I see both sides of the coin, this is what works for us.

=)

Edited January 29, 2015 by e11wa

[drarill]

We booked the Oasis for January 2nd, 2016 on board the Adventure in the beginning of this month. Back then (three weeks ago) my reservation showed DD as dining option. Decided to check today, and it shows MTD...

[Jaxsonbrownie]

We are booked for May 2016 on the Allure, & only had the options of Regular Dining times, and My Time Dining. Dynamic Dining was never offered....

[Charles4515]

We are booked for May 2016 on the Allure, & only had the options of Regular Dining times, and My Time Dining. Dynamic Dining was never offered....

 

Since Dynamic Dining has been postponed it is not going to be offered on bookings made now. That does not preclude them from changing your dining to Dynamic Dining in May 2016. When I booked my May 2015 cruise in May of 2014 I was booked into Late Dining. After the booking they changed Oasis to Dynamic Dining they changed the booking to Dynamic Dining. Then they postponed Dynamic Dining and changed it back to Late Dining.

 

I am quite happy with that as I read the Quantum reviews and did not want to be a guinea pig for DD on Quantum. Because they ran into issues does not mean they Dynamic Dining is doomed. If they can solve the issues then they will put Dyanmic Dining back on Oasis and Allure.

 

I would take them at their word that Dynamic Dining is postponed until late 2015. Postponed means it is still planned to happen So your booking for May 2016 could change to Dynamic Dining in the future.

[Biker19]

We are booked for May 2016 on the Allure, & only had the options of Regular Dining times, and My Time Dining. Dynamic Dining was never offered....

 

This was also true of the Oasis a year ago.:cool:

[cello56]

 

I read the Quantum reviews and did not want to be a guinea pig for DD on Quantum.

 

Here in lies the issue. No one wants to pay thousands of dollars for a cruise, only to find out that they are being used as PAYING guinea pigs for a new concept. People who have said that the concept is 'new' and we should all be 'patient' while they work out the kinks are forgetting that we are customers paying full - or sometimes on these first cruises - premium prices for the pleasure of being a test subject!

 

As a customer I expect that my cruise experience will be a functional one, on every single cruise I book. There are no exceptions because RCI is choosing to launch a new concept that they obviously did not work the kinks out of beforehand. Perhaps they should have bit the bullet and done two or three free cruises for specific target audiences prior to offering Quantum to the general public. It is very difficult to 'undo' a bad first impression.

Edited January 29, 2015 by cello56

[travelgoddess1]

I just checked my reservation for Oasis 1/2/16 that did read DD and it's now changed back to "Dinner Seating: Traditional Dining 08:30 PM , No Waitlists"!

 

We booked the Oasis for January 2nd, 2016 on board the Adventure in the beginning of this month. Back then (three weeks ago) my reservation showed DD as dining option. Decided to check today, and it shows MTD...

 

We booked this sailing a long time ago, and it has shown several different things for our dining. I am taking all of them with a grain of salt until we make final payment. Then I will be sure to have any updated information and make my choices accordingly. Of course, if an official announcement is made prior to final payment, I will adjust. :)

Edited January 29, 2015 by travelgoddess1

[Midwestgal]

Guess I couldn't post a link from another site as I see it's gone . Didn't know it was against the rules here on CC.

For my cruise it's still not giving me the option to choose a dining time and I'm booked for Fen 2016 so im not sure why it's an option for May 2016 bookings.

[Charles4515]

Here in lies the issue. No one wants to pay thousands of dollars for a cruise, only to find out that they are being used as PAYING guinea pigs for a new concept. People who have said that the concept is 'new' and we should all be 'patient' while they work out the kinks are forgetting that we are customers paying full - or sometimes on these first cruises - premium prices for the pleasure of being a test subject!

 

As a customer I expect that my cruise experience will be a functional one, on every single cruise I book. There are no exceptions because RCI is choosing to launch a new concept that they obviously did not work the kinks out of beforehand. Perhaps they should have bit the bullet and done two or three free cruises for specific target audiences prior to offering Quantum to the general public. It is very difficult to 'undo' a bad first impression.

 

I meant to say I did not want to be a guinea pig on Oasis! But the point still stands.

 

Some people like testing new concepts and being guinea pigs. Nothing wrong with that at all. But like you say I personally don't want to pay a premium price like I am on Oasis to test out DD.

[FLACRUISER99]

We booked this sailing a long time ago, and it has shown several different things for our dining. I am taking all of them with a grain of salt until we make final payment. Then I will be sure to have any updated information and make my choices accordingly. Of course, if an official announcement is made prior to final payment, I will adjust. :)

Great to hear you will be on this cruise we really enjoyed sailing with you & Pete. I originally booked in May with 8:30 dinning it then changed to DD then back to 8:30.

[the kids]

amen to that!!!

the kids

[poncho1973]

Here in lies the issue. No one wants to pay thousands of dollars for a cruise, only to find out that they are being used as PAYING guinea pigs for a new concept. People who have said that the concept is 'new' and we should all be 'patient' while they work out the kinks are forgetting that we are customers paying full - or sometimes on these first cruises - premium prices for the pleasure of being a test subject!

 

As a customer I expect that my cruise experience will be a functional one, on every single cruise I book. There are no exceptions because RCI is choosing to launch a new concept that they obviously did not work the kinks out of beforehand. Perhaps they should have bit the bullet and done two or three free cruises for specific target audiences prior to offering Quantum to the general public. It is very difficult to 'undo' a bad first impression.

 

I made a comment in a thread a while back (a comment that seems to have disappeared into the ether of CC randomly deleted comments, which I still don't understand) about people paying extra to be beta-testers.

 

The key is to stop paying extra (double, triple, whatever) for inaugural cruises. If you stop paying, they will stop charging.

 

If people would stop clamoring to be the first on a new boat AND THEN protesting when all the bugs aren't worked out, it would be fine.

 

Simulations are great, but only real, unpredictable people find ALL the problems.

[3dog]

Guess I couldn't post a link from another site as I see it's gone . Didn't know it was against the rules here on CC.

For my cruise it's still not giving me the option to choose a dining time and I'm booked for Feb 2016 so im not sure why it's an option for May 2016 bookings.

 

FWIW, what you posted was a segment from an article, and that often violates copyrights.

 

However, I did read that article, and while it was interesting, it was used in response to a question by Big_G:

 

I haven't read anywhere that there was more pressure to reserve DD than MTD. Have you?

 

I didn't find anything in the article that suggests there is more pressure to reserve DD than MTD. It might be inferred from the article, though, that more people are reserving in advance.

 

It is also possible that early flaws with the reservation systems either allowed more people than should reserve for a particular time or people are showing up outside of their reserved time (e.g. reserve for 8, but show up at 7) and the implementation allows it (IMO, showing up outside of a 15 min window should be treated the same as not having a reservation).

 

Believe it or not, I do understand a preference to Traditional vs. MTD or DD (I have historically enjoyed Traditional dining for many of the reasons that have been previously stated). But despite this preference among some CC members, the big cruise lines are migrating to the majority of their availability for flexible dining. And they are not doing this because they don't listen to their customers, but because they do. And traditional dining (like "Formal Night") is becoming a less desired feature.

[LetsGetWet!]

FWIW, what you posted was a segment from an article, and that often violates copyrights.

 

However, I did read that article, and while it was interesting, it was used in response to a question by Big_G:

 

 

 

I didn't find anything in the article that suggests there is more pressure to reserve DD than MTD. It might be inferred from the article, though, that more people are reserving in advance.

 

It is also possible that early flaws with the reservation systems either allowed more people than should reserve for a particular time or people are showing up outside of their reserved time (e.g. reserve for 8, but show up at 7) and the implementation allows it (IMO, showing up outside of a 15 min window should be treated the same as not having a reservation).

 

Believe it or not, I do understand a preference to Traditional vs. MTD or DD (I have historically enjoyed Traditional dining for many of the reasons that have been previously stated). But despite this preference among some CC members, the big cruise lines are migrating to the majority of their availability for flexible dining. And they are not doing this because they don't listen to their customers, but because they do. And traditional dining (like "Formal Night") is becoming a less desired feature.

I don't think there's any more official "pressure" to make a DD reservation vs. a MTD reservation, but I think its reasonable to say there's more motivation. With MTD, you're trying to get a table at a single venue, the main dining room - so the only point of a reservation is to get the time you want, not the venue you want. Since its the ONLY free sit-down venue, its also much larger & higher capacity than any given DD venue.

 

With DD, you're more motivated to make advance reservations, to have a better chance of getting a table at the (much smaller) venue of your preference, among several to choose from. So with a DD reservation, you're not only trying to get a time, but also trying to get a specific venue of choice. That's a pretty significant difference between MTD and DD.

[3dog]

Simulations are great, but only real, unpredictable people find ALL the problems.

 

While I wholeheartedly agree with this statement, many of the problems discovered after release should have been identified by having decent simulations.

 

RCI was over-dependent on the technology making things more efficient allowing for less staff. Had they actually simulated DD for Quantum, they would have discovered that it would be stressed if everything worked flawlessly. Once the technology started to fail (and they should also have known that it will as their technology regularly fails), it snowballed into a near disaster.

[3dog]

I don't think there's any more official "pressure" to make a DD reservation vs. a MTD reservation, but I think its reasonable to say there's more motivation. With MTD, you're trying to get a table at a single venue, the main dining room - so the only point of a reservation is to get the time you want, not the venue you want. Since its the ONLY free sit-down venue, its also much larger & higher capacity than any given DD venue.

 

With DD, you're more motivated to make advance reservations, to have a better chance of getting a table at the (much smaller) venue of your preference, among several to choose from. So with a DD reservation, you're not only trying to get a time, but also trying to get a specific venue of choice. That's a pretty significant difference between MTD and DD.

 

I definitely agree, and asserts that the choice by corporate of venues to be put on a ship need to be equally desirable by their customers. This brings up the rhetorical question of how well corporate evaluated or simulated these choices?

[LuCruise]

...

With DD, you're more motivated to make advance reservations, to have a better chance of getting a table at the (much smaller) venue of your preference, among several to choose from. So with a DD reservation, you're not only trying to get a time, but also trying to get a specific venue of choice. That's a pretty significant difference between MTD and DD.

 

Hmmm...confused. I thought they are taking the same dining room currently on the ship...which spans 3 decks...and turning it into 3 separate restaurants. So exact same space and number of seats. How does that allow for better chance of getting a table and adding more space? Only if people get tired of same 3 menu and thus more try the specialty than currently do.

 

At least on Allure / Oasis. Maybe you're talking about Quantum?

Edited January 29, 2015 by LuCruise

[LetsGetWet!]

Hmmm...confused. I thought they are taking the same dining room currently on the ship...which spans 3 decks...and turning it into 3 separate restaurants. So exact same space and number of seats. How does that allow for better chance of getting a table and adding more space? Only if people get tired of same 3 menu and thus more try the specialty than currently do.

 

At least on Allure / Oasis. Maybe you're talking about Quantum?

Yes, speaking of Quantum, where I've seen figures that the combination of all included venues seats about 35% of passenger count, vs. somewhere around 45% for the MDR on previous ships. Also, Quantum is the only current evidence we have of how well DD is or isn't working.

 

But part of the argument is relevant for Oasis/Allure also. Again, when making a reservation for MTD, all you're reserving is a time - the venue/menu is a given. With DD, you're reserving a time AND a specific venue/menu, and if the one you want is more popular for whatever reason, then the demand for reservations will be higher, and again the motivation to make those reservations earlier is higher.

[3dog]

Hmmm...confused. I thought they are taking the same dining room currently on the ship...which spans 3 decks...and turning it into 3 separate restaurants. So exact same space and number of seats. How does that allow for better chance of getting a table and adding more space? Only if people get tired of same 3 menu and thus more try the specialty than currently do.

 

At least on Allure / Oasis. Maybe you're talking about Quantum?

 

Yes, it is the same overall dining space, but any specific venue would be smaller than the previous total MDT space. So the assertion is that if one venue is more popular it will be harder to get into without a reservation, also possibly causing one venue to be very crowded and another being nearly empty.

[LuCruise]

Yeah, very true where you could have one filled up while another is much emptier. At least on Quantum there are more (complimentary) options since there are more then 3 restaurants (is it 4 or 5)?

 

Whatever is it when we're on Allure in 2016, I'm ok with it and it certainly won't ruin our trip. We'd do My Time anyways since we're not as flexible with late shows as we have youngish kids. But if given a choice I would prefer a different menu every night and not having to worry about our restaurant choice being full. (Either way though, I'll still make a reservation beforehand anyways whether My Time or Dynamic).

 

PS - If there are many complaints with DD Quantum, then I think it's a good thing that RCCL is taking a step back and revisiting it before rolling it out to Oasis and Allure. Either they will forget it, or work out the issues to make it a better experience for customers. They obviously aren't taking complaints lightly.

Edited January 29, 2015 by LuCruise

[finest14]

Dining reservations opened up this week for my Aug. 15 Oasis cruise and I just made a bunch of My Time reservations. No DD for us in August, FWIW

[John&LaLa]

Dining reservations opened up this week for my Aug. 15 Oasis cruise and I just made a bunch of My Time reservations. No DD for us in August, FWIW

 

I hope they don't disappear, that seems to be the consensus around here. ;)