RCI Scrap Dynamic Dining

[nenasmum]

I agree. We are on a 14 nighter on the Anthem with picky eaters. I hope the menu will be broadened out for longer cruises. Jennie

[bohemnartsn]

Didn't say it couldn't be done. Just see no reason to subject passengers to the stress of having to make so many decisions, something they do not seem to be able to handle.

 

I often wonder how they can take a cruise. They have to decide to cruise, decide on a cruise line, a cruise ship, a cabin, specialty restaurants, and shore excursions. How do they make all those decisions if it's so difficult to decide where to go for dinner?

 

Hey there rocketman275... you seem to come off rather pompous in the aspect that you know what's good for everyone else, and are so self assured that you are so much smarter than everyone as well, I just wonder why you are not in charge of RCCL's entire dinning program.

 

There are a myriad of issues involved with dinning that you are not taking into consideration. Not everyone sails with two pax in their respective group etc., etc. etc. If MTD or D/D fits your schedule fine, but why should I and others be forced to lower our standards to fit your needs? Our Navy SEALS have an acronym - "KISS" Keep It Simple Stupid and I say, do not try and fix what is not broken.

[Natmom]

Gosh... all these different names for dining! Now there's "classic".

 

 

 

I want to eat at 6:30 each night. At the same table with the same wait staff. What do I choose? If you tell me My Time Dining.. that did not work out that great on Oasis last week. Had pre-made reservations and ended up at 7 different tables with 4 different waiters even though we requested same table, same waiter. The lines were long and we even got sent to the solarium one night because the dining room was full. I would have opted for traditional but it was full months out.

 

Actually, rotational dining sounds interesting if your waitstaff follows you. Then the only difference from my wish list is the location of the table. But a little confused about menu... does the menu stay the same in each dining venue (i.e. Silk will always have an Asian theme such as DD does now) or will each venue have the same menu that changes each night like TD does now? I'm not sure how Disney handles rotational dining.

 

 

I liked rotational dining on Disney. I loved trying a different restaurant each night (different menu each night) and having the same wait staff ( their wait staff is amazing ) . The only thing I didn't like was the choice of times 5:45 or 8:15. The early seating is full so quickly and just a touch early if you are on an excursion but the late seating ( which is what I had) was soooooo late. By the time you got an appetizer it was almost 9 and you were finished eating until almost 10. Every night I had a bloated full stomach trying to fall asleep. Plus knowing dinner is so late we would end up having a snack later in the afternoon to hold us over until dinner so we ended up eating more food than we really needed.

 

 

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[RocketMan275]

Hey there rocketman275... you seem to come off rather pompous in the aspect that you know what's good for everyone else, and are so self assured that you are so much smarter than everyone as well, I just wonder why you are not in charge of RCCL's entire dinning program.

 

There are a myriad of issues involved with dinning that you are not taking into consideration. Not everyone sails with two pax in their respective group etc., etc. etc. If MTD or D/D fits your schedule fine, but why should I and others be forced to lower our standards to fit your needs? Our Navy SEALS have an acronym - "KISS" Keep It Simple Stupid and I say, do not try and fix what is not broken.

 

I do not understand where you get the idea that I think I'm smarter than others. I'm only taking people at their word when they say that they do not like dynamic dining since it's so hard having to make all those decisions like where to have dinner.

 

If you read my original post, you'll find I said that allowing people to choose their rotational sequence would be counter-productive since this would require additional decision making on their part. I was trying to keep things as simple as possible for those who have trouble making decisions.

 

So you see, I'm not trying to force my standards on anyone. In fact, I'm saying that others should get exactly what they've insisted they want, freedom from decision making.

 

BTW, many posters here in this thread and others have stated that they do believe dining is broken on Royal. These people do want the freedom to make choices and not be forced into the one size fits all of traditional or my time dining.

 

Also, these problems so many talk about when travelling with groups can easily be fixed by appointing a Dining Czar who makes all dining decisions, where to eat, when to eat, etc., for the group. This is exactly what Traditional Dining is with Royal playing the part of the Czar. If you don't like what the Czar decides, then you can always go to the buffet, right?

[LetsGetWet!]

I do not understand where you get the idea that I think I'm smarter than others. I'm only taking people at their word when they say that they do not like dynamic dining since it's so hard having to make all those decisions like where to have dinner.

 

If you read my original post, you'll find I said that allowing people to choose their rotational sequence would be counter-productive since this would require additional decision making on their part. I was trying to keep things as simple as possible for those who have trouble making decisions.

 

So you see, I'm not trying to force my standards on anyone. In fact, I'm saying that others should get exactly what they've insisted they want, freedom from decision making.

I honestly don't remember many complaints about having to make a decision. Its the additional work that it takes to get enough information to make those decisions (show schedules?) and what comes after those decisions are made that's so complex - primarily trying to line up those decisions you've made with attempting to get reservations through the RCI online systems, along with then discovering once you're onboard that the reservations you've made have somehow been "lost" and/or standing in lines over and over waiting for seating despite having taken the time to make those reservations.

 

The decisions themselves are definitely the easy part.

[RocketMan275]

I honestly don't remember many complaints about having to make a decision. Its the additional work that it takes to get enough information to make those decisions (show schedules?) and what comes after those decisions are made that's so complex - primarily trying to line up those decisions you've made with attempting to get reservations through the RCI online systems, along with then discovering once you're onboard that the reservations you've made have somehow been "lost" and/or standing in lines over and over waiting for seating despite having taken the time to make those reservations.

 

The decisions themselves are definitely the easy part.

 

 

I've seen numerous complaints about how DD requires you to make decisions.

[LetsGetWet!]

I've seen numerous complaints about how DD requires you to make decisions.

If you say so...

 

I believe the items I enumerated are the real complaints regarding DD, not "making decisions."

[bouhunter]

I only bothered to read the last few posts in this thread, knew it would be the same old NEVER ENDING debates and arguements about dining options that have gone on here FOREVER and will NEVER END. It's truly unbelievable how often these threads show up and how long they go on.

 

 

We don't care, ha!:). Do mostly speciality dining and maybe the buffett a couple nights. Can't imagine devoting so much time and energy worrying about the dining options on a vacation.............:rolleyes:

[bouhunter]

If you say so...

 

I believe the items I enumerated are the real complaints regarding DD, not "making decisions."

 

But you referenced making "decisions" five times in your recent post..............:rolleyes:

[SherriZ366]

If you say so...

 

I believe the items I enumerated are the real complaints regarding DD, not "making decisions."

And I think the items your enumerated were the complaints that RCI received from Post-Cruise Surveys and other communications.

[LetsGetWet!]

But you referenced making "decisions" five times in your recent post..............:rolleyes:

:confused: Uhh, yeah, I referenced "making decisions" as in that NOT being the primary issue...

 

I'm thinking an earlier post from you covers your post above quite well...

I cannot believe someone would bother to post such a detailed bizarrre post.............. This post was just too funny!!!!!

[caribill]

I've seen numerous complaints about how DD requires you to make decisions.

 

The only decisions I want to make (besides booking the cruise) before boarding are:

a) Early traditional, late traditional or MTD

b) Shore excursions

 

Months in advance, I do not what to pick what menu I want to eat from each evening and at what time. Nor do I want to set up my entertainment schedule before boarding the ship.

[defreeze]

So, here's a question -- if I choose the Classic option of Dynamic Dining, can I still opt to go to the fee-based restaurants on some nights? Or will I be dining only at the four rotational complimentary restaurants?

[SamFritz]

So, here's a question -- if I choose the Classic option of Dynamic Dining, can I still opt to go to the fee-based restaurants on some nights? Or will I be dining only at the four rotational complimentary restaurants?

 

 

I am quite sure that Royal will always be glad to have you choose to pay more for your dinner.

 

 

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[RocketMan275]

The only decisions I want to make (besides booking the cruise) before boarding are:

a) Early traditional, late traditional or MTD

b) Shore excursions

 

Months in advance, I do not what to pick what menu I want to eat from each evening and at what time. Nor do I want to set up my entertainment schedule before boarding the ship.

 

When you opt for Traditional or Classic dining you have delegated the choice of menus to the cruise line. Guess it's up to you. You can choose or the cruise line will choose. But a choice will be made.

[SamFritz]

When you opt for Traditional or Classic dining you have delegated the choice of menus to the cruise line. Guess it's up to you. You can choose or the cruise line will choose. But a choice will be made.

 

 

Really? Hasn't the cruise line chosen what will be offered no matter what dining option you select? And remember, over the course of the whole cruise, traditional dining offered considerably MORE options from which to choose.

 

 

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[OceanCruise]

We really enjoyed dynamic dining on the Quantum but did hear the complaints from older folks who wanted things "the old way". I am guessing that these people will still not be happy with the new classic rotational dining as they will have to deal with finding their new restaurant and table every day, plus deal with options like Silk and other revised menus which are "different" than the traditional menus. Also, to make it work and accommodate all the dynamic dining people, the early time probably has to be a little earlier than usual and show times may not be as convenient as the schedules have to accommodate all diners.

[AWOL]

A major reason some people LOVE cruising is that its easy, relaxing, entertaining and there is no agenda. Its pure freedom from the hectic scheduling of normal life. Dynamic dying forces people to plan ahead, schedule every meal and when you add that onto already scheduling entertainment (oasis class) and a horrible new website design that makes it extremely frustrating for even experienced cruisers to book excursions and dinners you end up with not the best customer experience.

Royal needs to keep it super simple and be king of the Customer experience.

They have the best ships, lets make sure we offer the easiest experience onboard as well.

 

No it don't. It makes for less planning. You don't have to be ready to eat at a set time and place. You can choose a different time and place as per what is happening at the time you want to eat. No set schedule at all. You can just walk up to the restaurant you want to eat at whenever your ready, you may have to wait a minute or two but I have never been to a restaurant in the evening at home when I did not have to wait 15 minutes or so.

By the way, we have experienced DD and enjoyed it a lot

The folks that are so worried about all the planning must have never gone on a shore excursion. Going on a shore excursion is something that really that's planning.

As for the lines, I have seen longer lines at the MDR waiting for it to open than I have seen at the DD dining rooms

[RocketMan275]

Really? Hasn't the cruise line chosen what will be offered no matter what dining option you select? And remember, over the course of the whole cruise, traditional dining offered considerably MORE options from which to choose.

 

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My point exactly. You may think you're not making a choice of menus by selecting traditional/classic dining but all you've done is to choose to let the cruise line select. And, every seven day cruise in the caribbean has the same menus in pretty much the same rotation. If it's Monday, it's Mojito. If it's Tuesday, it's Jasmine, etc.

 

Lot's of folks on these threads proclaim that they don't like making decisions so why would offering them more choices be a feature rather than a bug. Besides if maximizing the number of available choices is your objective, you should eat all your meals in the buffet.

[alinnj]

That's nothing. Have you seen his posts in another thread recently where he talks about "his fleet"? :eek::eek:

 

 

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Wow what a post!!! Just remember in school a D+ means your almost doing good :D

[M. St. Louis]

Well this is interesting...

 

Avid DD haters being ok with rotational, which forces you to change venues every night, forces you to a new table you don't have a choice of selecting, forces to sit in a different chair facing maybe the wrong direction you don;t want to face, forces you to a menu of a venue you may not like (ie. Silk)... the only thing the same are the waiters and the people you sit with.

 

Can someone explain to me and justify how rotational is so much better than DD? I'm not being mean here, I am genuinely confused and curious.

 

You answered it right there already. The people who despise DD (like my wife and I) generally do so because the most important thing about dinner on the ship is with the same wait staff and same group of new friends.

 

When DD was announced, I suggested the very change they're now making. It's so freakin' obvious. There are huge numbers of customers who love traditional dining, it made zero sense to piss them all off.

 

MTD and DD have large support too, there was never a problem in trying to satisfy that demand. It was only when they killed traditional when they didn't need to.

 

I'm super glad they've finally come to their senses, and the Oasis class will become bookable again. Heck, we might even try Quantum one day, we were booked on it until they announced DD.

 

The other super obvious thing they need to do is to make traditional dining 'opt in' instead of just assigning dining room seats. On my last cruise, both my table and the table next to us had 2 of spots empty for the entire cruise. And of course there's more I can't see. That's countless number of empty seats which adds up to entire tables unnecessarily empty the entire cruise.

 

Obviously, these folks had planned on dining in their room, the windjammer, specialty restaurants or whatever. There's always folks like that, but they get a dining room seat assigned anyway, even though they know they'll never use it.

 

If you only assigned seats to those who asked for it, then those seats would all be filled, and you've have a bunch of extra tables that you could use for MTD. And a side bonus, a full table is always better for traditional diners as well for conversation.

[merlindog22]

If they half the number of people who want to do CLASSIC dining, make one half 1st seating and the 2nd second seating, then I don't think there will be a lot of room at most times for the ones that want to do DD dining. If you look at the size of the 4 venues they are going to use, there is no way the size area of these venues would add up to a MDR. So I can see a lot of people being disappointed., Who is going to get first take - Classic or DD

[JezzaC]

If they half the number of people who want to do CLASSIC dining, make one half 1st seating and the 2nd second seating, then I don't think there will be a lot of room at most times for the ones that want to do DD dining. If you look at the size of the 4 venues they are going to use, there is no way the size area of these venues would add up to a MDR. So I can see a lot of people being disappointed., Who is going to get first take - Classic or DD

 

Well restaurants in rotational Classic dining have 430 seats each (if I remember correctly) - and if those are divided 50/50 with Dynamic dining - it means 1720 seats per evening for Classic dining. Depending how booked the cruise is - it is from 35-42 percent of the passengers.

 

Then there is also Coastal Kitchen which can take 250 suite passengers per evening.

Edited February 16, 2015 by JezzaC

[judeb23]

we're on the EOS in 2 weeks and they have something called "any-time dining". is this the same as Dynamic dining?

 

DD is very similar to Any time. However on NCL we didnt have to book so far in advance. We were always able to choose our restaurant and time on the night,on both our cruises, never waiting more than 20 minutes for a table even at busy times, and given a pager while we waited. I think NCLs system fits in much better with my view that cruising should be a leisurely and relaxed experience not the nightmare that booking for anthem dining currently is. I am hoping it will be refined for when we sail on it in September.

[judeb23]

Didn't say it couldn't be done. Just see no reason to subject passengers to the stress of having to make so many decisions, something they do not seem to be able to handle.

 

I often wonder how they can take a cruise. They have to decide to cruise, decide on a cruise line, a cruise ship, a cabin, specialty restaurants, and shore excursions. How do they make all those decisions if it's so difficult to decide where to go for dinner?

 

I don't see people on this thread being UNABLE to make decisions. Some of us have to make huge decisions in our daily lives and simply PREFER not to have to make too many decisions for holiday/vacation. I was very happy with making decisions about Any time dining on NCL as each evening arrived.We always got a table and time close to what we wanted. However I am not happy to be having to make decisions on what and where I will eat on a cruise which is not happening until September. I have done a trial on my sailing and on many nights the restaurants and times I wish to book are already taken. I believe this was a problem with DD on Quantum.Too many folk could not get their preferences when on board and ended up in Windjammer more times than they wished to. I would not be happy with that so I welcome Classic IF there are more choices on the menu as there are in most MDRs I have enjoyed. I just wish RC were putting more info out there for its customers who have already booked. Thank God for Cruise Critic I say!