Anthem dynamic dining dining reservation query

[Meg67]

Hi,

 

A question to those who have already sailed on Anthem.

 

My parents are celebrating their Golden Wedding Anniversary and will be sailing on the Anthem (June 20th) & with only a few days left I am a wee bit concerned that they have not yet made any online dining reservations....

 

Do they really need to make some dining reservations or is "Dynamic Dining" as good as they think it will be and they can just turn up to what restaurant they want when they want and get a table?

 

I have visions of them both being all dressed up sitting in the Windjammer as there are no free tables in the restaurants of their choice at the time they want.

 

Kind regards

Meg x x x

[raffles]

Hi - although we made reservations for our 8 night Anthem cruise several weeks before cruising we made several changes when we discovered restaurants we preferred with no problems. There were 2 very short lines outside the dining rooms, one for people who had reservations and were taken to their table and the other line for people who presumably turned up on spec. I would recommend that your parents make reservations once they get on board rather than just turning up if they want to dine in a particular dining venue & a specific time.

[Stitchman]

Get them to call their travel agent to book classic dining.

then they know there's always a venue for them :)

[cynicalscotsman]

Stitchman By the looks of it they actually want Dynamic Dining Choice... Stop trying to flog a dead horse! :)

 

On our recent Anthem cruise we had no problem just turning up on a few nights because our reservation time didn't suit. We were seated within minutes.

Edited June 14, 2015 by cynicalscotsman

[barneymag]

Hi,

 

A question to those who have already sailed on Anthem.

 

My parents are celebrating their Golden Wedding Anniversary and will be sailing on the Anthem (June 20th) & with only a few days left I am a wee bit concerned that they have not yet made any online dining reservations....

 

Do they really need to make some dining reservations or is "Dynamic Dining" as good as they think it will be and they can just turn up to what restaurant they want when they want and get a table?

 

I have visions of them both being all dressed up sitting in the Windjammer as there are no free tables in the restaurants of their choice at the time they want.

 

Kind regards

Meg x x x

 

Hi Meg

If they have already created an online account they can go into their cruise planner and create dinner reservations in any of the complimentary restaurants with times shown for each restaurant for each day - I think this is possible up to 4days before they cruise (not 100% on this but the cruise planner will show this)

 

I've not been on yet as we sail in September but I've already booked for all nights with various times dependent on sea day, shows (we will rock you only on 2 evenings) and shore trips/sail times

 

Once on the ship I understand you can cancel/amend restaurants and times on the app available to put on smartphone and tablet, I assume you can also do this on your TV and obviously in the restaurant

 

Finally as others have reported you can just turn up at any restaurant on any evening and there may be a wait, but I understand that they don't allow all of the tables for pre book so there should always be some tables avail for those just turning up .... Obviously there could be a queue for these

[DragonOfTheSeas]

A quick question--is the reason they have not made reservations is they want to wing it and not be held to a reservation? . . . Or are they not that comfortable with the online reservation process?

 

If the latter you might want to get their password and make a reservation for them for the first night or two. I have not been on Q or A but, the first night is disorganized on most ships. :D There are not many activities on night one [other than a show] and they should be able to pick a preferred dinner time.

Edited June 14, 2015 by DragonOfTheSeas

[Meg67]

A quick question--is the reason they have not made reservations is they want to wing it and not be held to a reservation? . . . Or are they not that comfortable with the online reservation process?

 

If the latter you might want to get their password and make a reservation for them for the first night or two. I have not been on Q or A but, the first night is disorganized on most ships. :D There are not many activities on night one [other than a show] and they should be able to pick a preferred dinner time.

 

Thanks for all the replies and suggestions... It has really put my mind at rest.

 

They are really looking forward to the Dynamic dining concept and getting to choose when and where they eat.... I was just a bit concerned that most people would be making online reservations and therefore very little choice once on board but I feel much happier now.

 

I have already set up a password to access their booking online so could quite easily make any reservations for them if they wish

 

Kind regards

Meg x x x

[swoopy2110]

The problem RCI have got is that because they opened the online reservation system to book tables, it has started a chain off which has resulted in the majority of people pre-booking slots online.

 

If they wanted true 'dynamic dining' then they'd shut down pre reservations altogether, and people just turn up at whatever restaurant they want, when they want to eat.

 

I suspect that wouldn't go down to well though, if people ever had to wait

[barneymag]

The problem RCI have got is that because they opened the online reservation system to book tables, it has started a chain off which has resulted in the majority of people pre-booking slots online.

 

If they wanted true 'dynamic dining' then they'd shut down pre reservations altogether, and people just turn up at whatever restaurant they want, when they want to eat.

 

I suspect that wouldn't go down to well though, if people ever had to wait

 

I believe the idea is that x% of tables and slots are available for pre-booking and x% are held back for every time slot for people just turning up. No one has confirmed what the split is but I have read this.

 

I think having no pre booking at all could be chaos at peak dining times I.e. between 7 and 8 if a large majority choose one restaurant and the other 3 are almost empty ..... you could have 2000+ people chasing themselves around the 4 restaurants to find something that's still not their first choice.

 

Although I am yet to experience it, I can see the benefits if they release 50% of all tables and slots for pre-book, allow you to cancel or move these easily and leave the remainder for more flexible dining choices for those that don't like set dining times or foods.

[GorillaSD]

Sorry to bump an older thread, but how did your parents do with the Dynamic Dining option on the Anthem?

 

My fiance and I are taking our honeymoon cruise on the Anthem OTS in August this year and it's our first RCCL cruise. We normally cruise NCL and enjoy the Freestyle Dining options, but wanted to try something new, so I am obviously concerned with all the necessary reservation stuff (Shows & Dining).

 

We don't minding waiting a few minutes (On NCL they would always give us free drinks if we had to wait), so did they (or anyone else for that matter) have good success with Dynamic Dining?

 

Thanks!

 

-Steve

[Merion_Mom]

Sorry to bump an older thread, but how did your parents do with the Dynamic Dining option on the Anthem?

 

My fiance and I are taking our honeymoon cruise on the Anthem OTS in August this year and it's our first RCCL cruise. We normally cruise NCL and enjoy the Freestyle Dining options, but wanted to try something new, so I am obviously concerned with all the necessary reservation stuff (Shows & Dining).

 

We don't minding waiting a few minutes (On NCL they would always give us free drinks if we had to wait), so did they (or anyone else for that matter) have good success with Dynamic Dining?

 

Thanks!

 

-Steve

 

 

 

Steve, you really are better off making reservations. You can always change them once on board if you like, but having something in place before your cruise would be a very good idea, in my opinion.

 

:)

 

And welcome to Cruise Critic! :)

Edited February 19, 2016 by Merion_Mom

[Stitchman]

Steve, you really are better off making reservations. You can always change them once on board if you like, but having something in place before your cruise would be a very good idea, in my opinion.

 

:)

 

And welcome to Cruise Critic! :)

We used the dynamic classic 2 option when on board. So we knew the Time for eating. 8.30 and no problem.

And the food was great.

Once on classic, you know your table number already so you just walk in :)

 

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