Huge Dissatisfaction with Dynamic Dining

[Jimmers]

[quote name='MADflyer']I have these same questions..[/quote]

American Icon is the breakfast and lunch venue for the MDR service.

American Icon is full traditional dining, the Grande is a combination level depending on each sailing and Silk is the My Time Dining venue.[/quote]

Thanks Madflyer, just what I was looking for.

[Hoopster95]

[quote name='twindaddy']Ok, you make good points. I am not trying to sound like a pest, so let me ask my question a different way, in two parts.

1. What is the difference between MTD with a better menu and dynamic dining?

2. What is wrong with having one restaurant or even section of a restaurant stay MDR? Assuming there is space logistically.

Just tossing out ideas for discussion.[/QUOTE]

Yes, good discussion....

1. Nothing, DD worked exactly like MTD for me as it would on any traditional ship, except being able to experience a different venue each night. I enjoyed that.

2. My guess is that one sailing you'd have 500 people want MDR and the next 4000. I also suspect since food prep as explained to us in the galley tour is that the galleys are arranged around DD and for the various venues, I feel it would be impossible to have an MDR venue mixed with DD. I'm guessing DD is also a cost saving measure, less waste of food, maybe better use of staff (ie. many empyy seats in MDR when cruisers go to specialty or don;t show up). This "MDR" restaurant would have to be built as a stand-alone venue, like a specialty-dining restaurant... maybe that's your answer:

"Oasis and Quantum open a new dining venue called 'The M.D.R.' at $40pp per night (must be pre-paid on your cruise booking), to serve those customers who wish to have the the traditional dining experience for the entire cruise. They will be assigned a set table, set table mates, set waiter and nightly set menu... no changes allowed. Bookings will be done by allowing suite card holders & PNS first bookings." Edited January 25, 2015 by Hoopster95

[scorpluvsdolphins]

Ok


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[scorpluvsdolphins]

Oops. I didn't mean to respond. I thought I was responding to a text that came up while I was reading cruise critic.
Lol


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[WeBCruisin]

I have been watching this discussion closely - Our extended family of 21 people ranging in age from 82 to 14 months will be cruising in June 2016. We haven't booked yet - but will as soon as the listings for that time frame are available. We have cruised many times together in the past 20 years. The one thing we like about cruising is that everyone can go off and do their own thing during the day - and come back to meet up as a group each evening in the Main Dining Room.

We were planning on sailing either on the Oasis or Allure (depending on the schedule/itinerary) however we are now very concerned. If in fact RCCL does decide to roll out DD on Oasis and Allure before 6/16 it would definitely impact our plans. Since RCCL isn't giving specific dates for the DD roll out we will probably decide not to take this risk and book on the Freedom instead. Disappointed because we had not experienced the Oasis class of ships yet - so since Freedom is NOT planning to switch to DD we will probably play it safe and cruise the Freedom again.

[Jimmers]

[quote name='WeBCruisin']I have been watching this discussion closely - Our extended family of 21 people ranging in age from 82 to 14 months will be cruising in June 2016. We haven't booked yet - but will as soon as the listings for that time frame are available. We have cruised many times together in the past 20 years. The one thing we like about cruising is that everyone can go off and do their own thing during the day - and come back to meet up as a group each evening in the Main Dining Room.

We were planning on sailing either on the Oasis or Allure (depending on the schedule/itinerary) however we are now very concerned. If in fact RCCL does decide to roll out DD on Oasis and Allure before 6/16 it would definitely impact our plans. Since RCCL isn't giving specific dates for the DD roll out we will probably decide not to take this risk and book on the Freedom instead. Disappointed because we had not experienced the Oasis class of ships yet - so since Freedom is NOT planning to switch to DD we will probably play it safe and cruise the Freedom again.[/quote]

Although we cruise in large groups also (25 on the Oasis in April) and we prefer Traditional Dining for it's simplicity and predictability, I don't think it's a must for us. Our group of 10 dined together each night on the Quantum and there were plenty of empty tables around us so it wouldn't have been a problem seating a group of 25. Yes, there's more work involved getting everyone on the same page as to the time and place for each night and you have a different waiter most if not all nights but it is doable.

We fully expected to have to deal with it on the Oasis but were pleasantly surprised that they held off on implementing it. I believe that if they are going to go with DD on the Oasis and Allure, the decision will be made well before your June 2016 cruise.

[The Big Booper]

[quote name='WeBCruisin']I have been watching this discussion closely - Our extended family of 21 people ranging in age from 82 to 14 months will be cruising in June 2016. We haven't booked yet - but will as soon as the listings for that time frame are available. We have cruised many times together in the past 20 years. The one thing we like about cruising is that everyone can go off and do their own thing during the day - and come back to meet up as a group each evening in the Main Dining Room.

We were planning on sailing either on the Oasis or Allure (depending on the schedule/itinerary) however we are now very concerned. If in fact RCCL does decide to roll out DD on Oasis and Allure before 6/16 it would definitely impact our plans. Since RCCL isn't giving specific dates for the DD roll out we will probably decide not to take this risk and book on the Freedom instead. Disappointed because we had not experienced the Oasis class of ships yet - so since Freedom is NOT planning to switch to DD we will probably play it safe and cruise the Freedom again.[/quote]

I would go ahead and book Oasis class and not worry about DD coming. I spoke to a couple of experienced waiters last week and they said that the company has postponed it indefinitely on the two big ships due to plenty of complaints. The company [B]does[/B] read the official post cruise reports on the internet that we are requested to fill out.

American Icon on deck 3 - Breakfast, lunch (Tutti salad on seadays) and traditional dining (early and late seating.)

Grande on deck 4 - hybrid MTD converting to trad. for late seating. Fewer chairs and tables then silk.

Silk on deck 5 - Full time MTD from 5:30 PM on. Crowded with many tables, women with strollers had an adventure weaving from entrance to their table.

[awhcruiser]

Where is the like button?
[quote name='Gazza64']Can you please list all of your future cruises on here?, I'm sure most people would like to know so that they can avoid sailing on the same ship as you - if you are really lucky you will then have the ship to yourself so wont have to stand in line or book anything!!

I always thought the purpose of forums was for people to post experiences and answer questions etc. and not to just rant on with pointless drivel![/QUOTE]

[Merion_Mom]

[quote name='3dog']



But you apparently understand people making up stories to discredit DD.[/QUOTE]

[URL=http://s188.photobucket.com/user/MerionMom/media/Miscellaneous%20cruise%20photos/likebutton2_zps00290c83.png.html][IMG]http://i188.photobucket.com/albums/z310/MerionMom/Miscellaneous%20cruise%20photos/likebutton2_zps00290c83.png[/IMG][/URL]

[LMaxwell]

Donray I decided your question, although odd, it is your own curiosity to have. If you'd like 20 restaurants named for you to verify I will provide them. If you choose to follow through on your studies don't be surprised at the International calling charges though.

[Lurch104]

[quote name='Donray']The difference is that people are exaggerating to try to prove something.

First off, name these restrustants inside Disney World that must be reserved 180 days ahead of time. Note, please give first hand experience where you tries to get a reservation say a week ahead and could not. Just give the names of these resturants and I will call to double check your atetment.
[/QUOTE]

1) Victoria and Alberts
2) Be Our Guest

Good luck.

[WeBCruisin]

[quote name='Jimmers']Although I believe that if they are going to go with DD on the Oasis and Allure, the decision will be made well before your June 2016 cruise.[/QUOTE]

However my in-laws are planning on making the reservations for our group as soon as the June 2016 sailings are released. And although we may know about the DD implementation many months before we set sail - changing our booking to another ship (and departure port) will be more trouble than it's worth. And since the purpose of the this trip is family time and not the ship itself we will probably go with the "sure thing" unless RCCL can guarantee us that Traditional Dining will still be available on the Oasis class ships.

You would think that RCCL would keep at least one level of the MDR as traditional dining on each ship.......

[ahecht]

[quote name='Lurch104']1) Victoria and Alberts
2) Be Our Guest

Good luck.[/QUOTE]

And breakfast at Cinderella's Royal Table, which often gets completely booked within minutes of the 180-day window opening. Edited January 26, 2015 by ahecht

[poncho1973]

The funniest part about this entire thread is that no matter how much many of us disagree with each other's feelings about DD... everyone is united against the silliness of posts like Donray's posts.

[hellsop]

[quote name='Hoopster95']2. My guess is that one sailing you'd have 500 people want MDR and the next 4000.[/QUOTE]

It's possible for those kind of things to happen, but in practice, it would be pretty rare, and probably end up needing a charter or something to influence it nearly enough. Populations of 2000 or more (a likely number of families or groups of people traveling together) are pretty likely to behave as a statistically-significant group, and you won't see a lot of outlying behavior in a sample that big.

[Hoopster95]

[quote name='hellsop']It's possible for those kind of things to happen, but in practice, it would be pretty rare, and probably end up needing a charter or something to influence it nearly enough. Populations of 2000 or more (a likely number of families or groups of people traveling together) are pretty likely to behave as a statistically-significant group, and you won't see a lot of outlying behavior in a sample that big.[/QUOTE]

And yet this is exactly what happened with all the earlier sailings on Quantum. If you go back and look at all the roll calls and early threads on Dynamic Dining, it was agreed and commented on that almost everyone was so upset they could not reserve their preferred time of 6-7pm... the early seating. If you try to book a cruise today on a traditional dining ship, dollars to donuts you will get automatically assigned "late 8:30 seating" with "no waitlist" for early seating. Everybody wants early seating.

So you build an MDR restaurant on a DD ship, put 200-250 seats in it, and ask 1500 Pinnacles, Diamond Plus and Diamonds to fight over those 250 seats at 6pm... now let's talk about the remaining 2500 passengers also on the ship.

[Gazza64]

[quote name='Hoopster95']And yet this is exactly what happened with all the earlier sailings on Quantum. If you go back and look at all the roll calls and early threads on Dynamic Dining, it was agreed and commented on that almost everyone was so upset they could not reserve their preferred time of 6-7pm... the early seating. If you try to book a cruise today on a traditional dining ship, dollars to donuts you will get automatically assigned "late 8:30 seating" with "no waitlist" for early seating. Everybody wants early seating.

So you build an MDR restaurant on a DD ship, put 200-250 seats in it, and ask 1500 Pinnacles, Diamond Plus and Diamonds to fight over those 250 seats at 6pm... now let's talk about the remaining 2500 passengers also on the ship.[/QUOTE]

Hi,
Just a general question - do people like to dine early on a cruise due to other activities or is it that people in the US like to dine early?
I ask because in Europe people tend to dine later whereas on my numerous business trips to the US colleagues seem to like to dine early. Personally I don't like to dine before 8 - 9pm

[sross6019]

My husband and I prefr early so we can relax, see the shows, walk around prior to going to bed. We like dinner to "settle" prior to bed time and not feel rush to do everything prior to dinner.

[Hoopster95]

[quote name='Gazza64']Hi,
Just a general question - do people like to dine early on a cruise due to other activities or is it that people in the US like to dine early?
I ask because in Europe people tend to dine later whereas on my numerous business trips to the US colleagues seem to like to dine early. Personally I don't like to dine before 8 - 9pm[/QUOTE]

I think both your comments in your question are correct, more so the US comment.

It's a generality in North America, but predominantly the dinner time hour is early. In Europe, and also Latin & Central America, dinner is 9pm onward. It is also an elderly thing, eat early & bed early. You'll find a lot of younger new generation adults eating later and later from what I've witnessed... my younger business partner in his 30's and all of his friends/colleagues all enjoy the 8pm'ish dinner get-togethers.

On my Vision "Cultural Immersion" cruise out of Panama, I was one of only 300 North Americans on board. Early seating was 7pm and late was 9:30pm. All shows were adjusted accordingly to later hours also. The 9:30pm seating was "sold out" and the 7pm seating the MDR was half empty. The parties were just starting at 11:30pm-12!

[Gazza64]

[quote name='Hoopster95']I think both your comments in your question are correct, more so the US comment.

It's a generality in North America, but predominantly the dinner time hour is early. In Europe, and also Latin & Central America, dinner is 9pm onward. It is also an elderly thing, eat early & bed early. You'll find a lot of younger new generation adults eating later and later from what I've witnessed... my younger business partner in his 30's and all of his friends/colleagues all enjoy the 8pm'ish dinner get-togethers.

On my Vision "Cultural Immersion" cruise out of Panama, I was one of only 300 North Americans on board. Early seating was 7pm and late was 9:30pm. All shows were adjusted accordingly to later hours also. The 9:30pm seating was "sold out" and the 7pm seating the MDR was half empty. The parties were just starting at 11:30pm-12![/QUOTE]

Thanks for the reply - very informative , it's strange how different countries do things. When I am in the US my colleagues often take me out for dinner, straight after work. By 10pm I am wandering around looking for a McDonalds:)
When they are over here we go home, get ready and meet up at about 8pm - no wonder they fall asleep:)

[3dog]

[quote name='Hoopster95']If you try to book a cruise today on a traditional dining ship, dollars to donuts you will get automatically assigned "late 8:30 seating" with "no waitlist" for early seating. Everybody wants early seating.[/QUOTE]

This is an overestimated generalization. As has been mentioned, European cruisers have a preference for later dining, and I have often see the same preferences even for cruises out of US ports which have an inclination for US passengers. I have a cruise booked in May out of a US port where early seating is open and late is waitlisted, showing that the opposite is more than possible (and I have a box of donuts should you have the dollars ;) ).

[John&LaLa]

[quote name='3dog']This is an overestimated generalization. As has been mentioned, European cruisers have a preference for later dining, and I have often see the same preferences even for cruises out of US ports which have an inclination for US passengers. I have a cruise booked in May out of a US port where early seating is open and late is waitlisted, showing that the opposite is more than possible (and I have a box of donuts should you have the dollars ;) ).[/QUOTE]

Early seating works for us because the cheap tables in the casino are usually full by the time late dinner gets out. :o

[Earthworm Jim]

[quote name='hellsop']It's possible for those kind of things to happen, but in practice, it would be pretty rare, and probably end up needing a charter or something to influence it nearly enough. Populations of 2000 or more (a likely number of families or groups of people traveling together) are pretty likely to behave as a statistically-significant group, and you won't see a lot of outlying behavior in a sample that big.[/quote]

You might see a significant shift in behavior between weeks when schools are out and a lot more kids/families are on board compared to a few weeks later when schools are back in session and it is mostly older cruisers, or childless couples. I doubt it would change to the extreme of the example given, but it might change noticeably. Edited February 5, 2015 by Earthworm Jim

[GUT2407]

Just my 2 cents at home we generally eat at about 6:30 to 7:00 on a cruise we prefer late seating usually 8:00 to 8:30 the difference is on a cruise you get back on board, shower dress and off the dinner, at home it is usually home, maybe out of work clothes into shorts or whatever and then eat, also at home normally had nothing since lunch, if you Got lunch at sea you can grab a snack mid afternoon, but have almost certainly had a good breakfast and lunch.