Clasic Dining need to be Late and Early Seating

[tapemann]

I understand you feelings and I hope they are able to accommodate them on every ship you ever wish to sail. That is my hope for you, but remember this new class of ships was likey designed and built with dynamic dining and faster table turnover in mind. Thus, the dining room capacity may indeed already be smaller (compared to passenger capacity) on that class of ship. If so, adding only 5:30 classic dining ( where guests quickly seat themselves at a preassigned table right at opening) actually improves the number of times a table can be turned vs all dd. OTOH, late classic dining reduces their ability to turn as many tables as fast as possible. If the dining capacity is not large enought on this class of ship, adding late classic dinig might add a difficult bottleneck, possibly hurting more guests than it helps (they might not get into that dining room at all, though tables sat empty parts of the evening). If you book last minute, you might get dd rather than classic; you'd then be among the guests hurt in this manner. Again, I really hope this is not the case, but the ships were designed for dd, and capacity may not be there. Fortunately, there are many ships with just what you want; so i'd suggest you happily sail those many ships while avoiding the problematic few one if things do not turn your way.

 

I pick a ship based on where it is going and Ports. Not on a Class of ship. RCCL still might have time on ships that are not built yet, to take what they have learned into account rather than try and fit their Loyal Cruisers into what they thought people wanted. Maybe they need more focus groups. If you ask questions to get the answers you want to hear its not really giving you the real info. You may not like what you learn.

[beachnative]

I just looked at some restaurant photos from our December Quantum cruises, specifically looking at the nights we dined early.

 

We had dinner in two of the comp restaurants arriving without reservations at 5:45 and one at 6:00.

 

When we entered the restaurants they were basically empty and didn't begin to fill until after 6:30.

 

By having people assigned to an Early Traditional time of 5:30 or 6:00 it will fill the comp restaurants a little earlier and take some of the strain off later dining slots.

 

A Late Classic seating time would put a strain on DD because the tables would have to sit empty after the Early group finished dinner in order to be ready for the 8:00 group thereby wasting the limited space of the 4 comp restaurants.

 

Hopefully they will work it out and be able to satisfy both flexible and traditional passengers.

Edited February 2, 2015 by beachnative

[nolesrule]

I don't think empty tables between an early and late seating will be an issue. Like with traditional dining, the time between the two is set just far enough apart so that early diners shouldn't feel rushed yet the waiters have time to reset the table for the late seating.

 

In other words, the Classic option is just a reserved section of the restaurant that has guaranteed 100% occupancy.

[NicNac4498]

What if rotational dining took over one entire restaurant each night. For example if the rotational group started at Chic, the entire restaurant would be for rotational guests and then the other 3 would be Dynamic. Each night would be a different restaurant as Classic/Rotational. You could easily do two settings with this set up. It also means that all Classic guest would have formal nights together.

[floridaglen]

What if rotational dining took over one entire restaurant each night. For example if the rotational group started at Chic, the entire restaurant would be for rotational guests and then the other 3 would be Dynamic. Each night would be a different restaurant as Classic/Rotational. You could easily do two settings with this set up. It also means that all Classic guest would have formal nights together.

 

I think that is the best idea yet! Perhaps you should suggest it to RCCL :)

[Starry Eyes]

I don't think empty tables between an early and late seating will be an issue. Like with traditional dining, the time between the two is set just far enough apart so that early diners shouldn't feel rushed yet the waiters have time to reset the table for the late seating.

 

In other words, the Classic option is just a reserved section of the restaurant that has guaranteed 100% occupancy.

A seat in a section totally dedicated to early and late classical guarantees no more than two guests can occupy the seat any evening. As some guests may skip dinner, go to specialty restaurant, order room service, or go to buffet, the number is guaranteed to average less than two guests in that seat any given night (the seats stays empty lest a tardy guest arrive)

A seat scheduled for 5:30 classic followed by DD is likely to be utilized by more guests (I’d guess 3 on average). If the ship was designed with the expectation of higher utilization is apt to have problems if many seats serve less than two per evening)

[tapemann]

the problem of seat going unused it a problem that RCCL created with the extra pay Dining. 5:30 is just too early for some. For many of the reasons stated before. They are good with tests. why not test Early & Late and see what happens after 3-4 Months.

[JezzaC]

What if rotational dining took over one entire restaurant each night. For example if the rotational group started at Chic, the entire restaurant would be for rotational guests and then the other 3 would be Dynamic. Each night would be a different restaurant as Classic/Rotational. You could easily do two settings with this set up. It also means that all Classic guest would have formal nights together.

 

Well that wouldn't give possibility for Dynamic Dining - since one restaurant wouldn't be available for the evening for DD passengers. And pax capacity would be quite low for Classic dining. I guess they make something like 50/50 split between capacity for Dynamic and Classic dining - same way as they already have MDR split on other ships.

Edited February 2, 2015 by JezzaC

[Starry Eyes]

I pick a ship based on where it is going and Ports. Not on a Class of ship. RCCL still might have time on ships that are not built yet, to take what they have learned into account rather than try and fit their Loyal Cruisers into what they thought people wanted. Maybe they need more focus groups. If you ask questions to get the answers you want to hear its not really giving you the real info. You may not like what you learn.

Picking by destination is perfectly reasonable; plenty of people pick that way. saying you pick by ports and route suggests you are not too interested in all those expensive extras the line is installing on their newest ships. If all those extras are not important, there is probably little or no reason for you to pay the inflated prices typically demanded for those new, fancy ships; let the people who want the expensive features or newness pay the big price tags. If those new ships are the only ones with DD/classic issues, they are easily avoided.

the problem of seat going unused it a problem that RCCL created with the extra pay Dining. 5:30 is just too early for some. For many of the reasons stated before. They are good with tests. why not test Early & Late and see what happens after 3-4 Months.

while they may not appeal much to you or I, there are specialty restaurants because a lot of guests want (and will pay for) specialty restaurants. that is proven by the success and proliferation of such restaurants on multiple lines. further, the empty seats are not just from extra cost restaurants, they are also from people using room service, buffet, cafe promenade, Sorrento's, etc.

 

Plenty of ships have early and late; that is so easy to find now. On the other hand, the person who really, really wants DD can get it on the newest ships. and that customer may have paid a premium price for a new ship with the desired DD plus all the bells and whistles. Why not let them test out on a couple ships dining concepts that works for those customers for a few months?

[Ken at the beach]

Early and late seating confirmed.

 

On the unofficial blog site they have a confirmed statement from Royal that there will be an early and late seating for Classic dining.

[tapemann]

Early and late seating confirmed.

 

On the unofficial blog site they have a confirmed statement from Royal that there will be an early and late seating for Classic dining.

 

 

Where is this Blog site??

[molly361]

Where is this Blog site??

 

The mods here will not let it be posted. If you google Royal Caribbean blog you will find it.

Edited February 2, 2015 by molly361

[ahecht]

Where is this Blog site??

 

http://www.cruisecritic.com/news/news.cfm?ID=6174

[tapemann]

The mods here will not let it be posted. If you google Royal Caribbean blog you will find it.

 

 

I found it. RCCL should come out with an official Press Release. This way everyone will know.