Anthem Review- March 7-19, 2016

[Lady Luck T]

Where did you ever hear they were doing dining by cabin? That's insane.

 

 

 

They would never be able to book dining times by what cabin you have. If anything they will do the dining like on other RCCL ships. You'll be able to pick early or late or MTD. I'm still hoping that what I was told is just a rumor, and they will keep DD, but I have a feeling there are changes coming.

 

 

 

One of the waiters told me that the change was because many of the C & A upper tier levels were complaining.

 

 

I don't think the bosses would be saying it if it was just a rumor. They told us this at a meeting they had with us due to several bad dining experiences we had..... Happy to share the details upon request.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums mobile app

[BillOh]

While on board we went to the Next Cruise desk and booked a cruise for our family next March on the Allure! We are so excited. We only have 30 days to book the free cruise that we won and only have a few to choose from. We are pretty sure we are going to pick a 7 day eastern Caribbean sailing on the oasis on 4/30.

 

The April 30th roll call will look forward to hearing from you.

[brfan]

I don't think the bosses would be saying it if it was just a rumor. They told us this at a meeting they had with us due to several bad dining experiences we had..... Happy to share the details upon request.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums mobile app

 

I'm sorry you had dining issues, but it seems like they may be short staffed. I wonder if a lot of crew quit after the storm and they haven't been replaced. It seemed weird that you were told that your waiter was also taking care of the classic diners. Normally diners with traditional/classic would have their own waiters and those with MTD/choice would also have their own waiters.

 

Taking dynamic dining away isn't going to change the problem if the main issue is not enough staff. I thought they learned that with the Quantum when it started out they didn't have any assistant waiters and found out that model didn't work and then added the assistants later. I would have assumed that Anthem would have been staffed appropriately to prevent this issue.

 

As to the dining change, I'll wait until there's an official announcement from Royal. Officers have been wrong before. Several months prior to the Freedom dry dock, both the Captain and Hotel Director announced that Freedom would be getting the dynamic dining rooms and that turned out to be false.

 

Anyway I'm going to just keep my fingers crossed that it doesn't get changed until after the April 18th cruise assuming they are going in this direction.

[Lady Luck T]

I'm sorry you had dining issues, but it seems like they may be short staffed. I wonder if a lot of crew quit after the storm and they haven't been replaced. It seemed weird that you were told that your waiter was also taking care of the classic diners. Normally diners with traditional/classic would have their own waiters and those with MTD/choice would also have their own waiters.

 

 

 

Taking dynamic dining away isn't going to change the problem if the main issue is not enough staff. I thought they learned that with the Quantum when it started out they didn't have any assistant waiters and found out that model didn't work and then added the assistants later. I would have assumed that Anthem would have been staffed appropriately to prevent this issue.

 

 

 

As to the dining change, I'll wait until there's an official announcement from Royal. Officers have been wrong before. Several months prior to the Freedom dry dock, both the Captain and Hotel Director announced that Freedom would be getting the dynamic dining rooms and that turned out to be false.

 

 

 

Anyway I'm going to just keep my fingers crossed that it doesn't get changed until after the April 18th cruise assuming they are going in this direction.

 

 

I don't know how you would know they were short staffed but it sure didn't seem that way and we were actually there. There was plenty of wait staff at all venues and the service was still horrible. The night if the incident in Chic that resulted in our meeting with the bosses our waiter had 5 classic dining tables and one dynamic dining table (us). We sat there and watched the other 5 table be served from apps to desserts, they all completed their meals and left. We were never served dinner during that whole time and ended up in the Windjammer for dinner( 1.5 hours after we entered Chic at our reserved time). The two people we met with said the reason for our bad service was due to the fact that he was concentrating on his regular classic dining tables and that this is an ongoing problem with the current dining situation. We are not speculating. That is what we were told first hand.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums mobile app

[Luv06012012]

We are going in June so hopefully everything will be straightened out by then. I'll be on the lookout for an email from RCCL about dining changes. As long as I track down my lobster tail and key lime pie....I'll be a happy girl! ;)

 

Thank you for sharing this info with us and congrats on your free cruise. So very jealous.....

[Lady Luck T]

One other thing I forgot to mention is that when you order a drink from the Bionic Bar they still add an 18% tip!!! I was not happy being forced to tip a robot!!

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums mobile app

Edited March 21, 2016 by Lady Luck T

[Luv06012012]

One other thing I forgot to mention is that when you order a drink from the Bionic Bar they still add an 18% tip!!! I was not happy being forced to tip a robot!!

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums mobile app

 

Sheesh....really! It's not like their feelings would get hurt or they would take it personally. lol

 

Maybe it goes towards the non-robots that keep the bottles stocked and ordering tablets ready and in working order????

[jezthepuff]

Well, this dining change thing is all very interesting. We are going on the April 8th cruise, and I'm wondering if they will be changing before that. I've never done Dynamic Dining, so I was curious what it would be like.

 

We prefer My Time Dining over the rigid early or late seatings, but we are fine with having a MDR.

[cruisenfever]

I was on the 3/7 and was told in two different restaurants that they are changing to MDR an MTD in May. The MDR will be Chic and Grande with 2 seatings and MTD will be American Icon and Silk. There's also Solarium Bistro, Costal Kitchen,WJ and the pay restaurants.

 

Only those with Gold SeaPass Card holders have access to CK and JS cabins for dinner.

 

We are on the March 27th cruise and one of our Roll Call Members who is doing a b2b is currently on board. We asked him to check out the so called Dining Changes, and whomever he spoke with says it was an April Fools Joke!!:eek:

Edited March 21, 2016 by cruisenfever

[jezthepuff]

Only those with Gold SeaPass Card holders have access to CK and JS cabins for dinner.

 

We are on the March 27th cruise and one of our Roll Call Members who is doing a b2b is currently on board. We asked him to check out the so called Dining Changes, and whomever he spoke with says it was an April Fools Joke!!:eek:

 

But April 1st isn't for another 2 weeks. I think that would be a weird April Fools joke, personally. :confused:

[Clarea]

Only those with Gold SeaPass Card holders have access to CK and JS cabins for dinner.

 

We are on the March 27th cruise and one of our Roll Call Members who is doing a b2b is currently on board. We asked him to check out the so called Dining Changes, and whomever he spoke with says it was an April Fools Joke!!:eek:

Interesting. Seems like I'm reading about some change from multiple sources.

 

Well, I hope you have the time to tell us the real scoop once you get onboard. Bon Voyage!

Edited March 21, 2016 by clarea

[CruisingChick]

Thank you for the explanation. We really want to book this cruise but we keep getting conflicting reviews for the Anthem.

 

That's because there are some parts of the cruise that were great and other's that were not.

 

We were on the same cruise March 7-19. We had great weather so that helped. My DH and I also did not care for Dynamic Dining, but I have to say the food in the 4 complimentary restaurants was much better than I was expecting. Very few complaints and most things were very good to excellent.

 

We didn't like the fact that for any show or event that was being held you needed to show up 40 minutes prior to get a good seat. We left The Gift after 18 minutes (as did the people next to us) as we could only get seats on the upper level off to the side. I could only see 1/3 of the stage plus the show seemed weird. Spectra's Cabaret in Two70 we arrived 30 minutes prior and also had to take seats all the way off to the side. Another weird show. We Will Rock You we got there 40 minutes prior and were able to get good seats.

 

Our stateroom was wonderful as was our stateroom attendant. So no problems there.

 

I really don't want to spend my vacation hurrying up (to get to a venue) and then waiting 40 minutes for it to start.

Edited March 21, 2016 by CruisingChick

[brfan]

But April 1st isn't for another 2 weeks. I think that would be a weird April Fools joke, personally. :confused:

 

That actually might make sense since the first time I heard it was on my roll call the person posting said the new dining changes would take effect on April 1st. It will be interesting to see what happens.

[jezthepuff]

That actually might make sense since the first time I heard it was on my roll call the person posting said the new dining changes would take effect on April 1st. It will be interesting to see what happens.

 

Oh, I see. I wasn't getting the connection. :o

[Lady Luck T]

Only those with Gold SeaPass Card holders have access to CK and JS cabins for dinner.

 

We are on the March 27th cruise and one of our Roll Call Members who is doing a b2b is currently on board. We asked him to check out the so called Dining Changes, and whomever he spoke with says it was an April Fools Joke!!:eek:

 

 

April fools joke?! That would be weird. No way. Those two were not joking when they spoke to us.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums mobile app

[brfan]

I don't know how you would know they were short staffed but it sure didn't seem that way and we were actually there. There was plenty of wait staff at all venues and the service was still horrible. The night if the incident in Chic that resulted in our meeting with the bosses our waiter had 5 classic dining tables and one dynamic dining table (us). We sat there and watched the other 5 table be served from apps to desserts, they all completed their meals and left. We were never served dinner during that whole time and ended up in the Windjammer for dinner( 1.5 hours after we entered Chic at our reserved time). The two people we met with said the reason for our bad service was due to the fact that he was concentrating on his regular classic dining tables and that this is an ongoing problem with the current dining situation. We are not speculating. That is what we were told first hand.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums mobile app

 

Wow 6 tables seems a lot for one waiter to handle - were they mostly tables for 2?

[champagne123]

April fools joke?! That would be weird. No way. Those two were not joking when they spoke to us.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums mobile app

 

Agreed. Wouldn't that cause utter chaos?

[Lady Luck T]

That's because there are some parts of the cruise that were great and other's that were not.

 

We were on the same cruise March 7-19. We had great weather so that helped. My DH and I also did not care for Dynamic Dining, but I have to say the food in the 4 complimentary restaurants was much better than I was expecting. Very few complaints and most things were very good to excellent.

 

We didn't like the fact that for any show or event that was being held you needed to show up 40 minutes prior to get a good seat. We left The Gift after 18 minutes (as did the people next to us) as we could only get seats on the upper level off to the side. I could only see 1/3 of the stage plus the show seemed weird. Spectra's Cabaret in Two70 we arrived 30 minutes prior and also had to take seats all the way off to the side. Another weird show. We Will Rock You we got there 40 minutes prior and were able to get good seats.

 

Our stateroom was wonderful as was our stateroom attendant. So no problems there.

 

I really don't want to spend my vacation hurrying up (to get to a venue) and then waiting 40 minutes for it to start.

 

 

How about the shopping lines/crowds?? Did u see the mess for the $10 tshirts? That was s fire hazard [emoji51]

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums mobile app

[Lady Luck T]

Wow 6 tables seems a lot for one waiter to handle - were they mostly tables for 2?

 

 

Only 1 two top. Rest were 4

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums mobile app

[CruisingChick]

How about the shopping lines/crowds?? Did u see the mess for the $10 tshirts? That was s fire hazard [emoji51]

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums mobile app

 

I heard about it, but we were at breakfast at the time. Thank goodness we were not anywhere near that mob scene.

[gaylemh]

April fools joke?! That would be weird. No way. Those two were not joking when they spoke to us.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums mobile app

 

I agree, I was told it was May when the changes were to take effect and they were very factual about why. (Too many complaints from the upper tier C & A) How could that be an April Fools joke? It could be a rumor, which I hope it is, but not an April fools joke.

[jezthepuff]

Just emailed my travel agent about it. She said at this point, it's just a rumor, but she's heard it too. She said they won't know anything until Royal Caribbean puts out a statement.

[gaylemh]

Only those with Gold SeaPass Card holders have access to CK and JS cabins for dinner.

 

Yes I know that, I've had dinner there many times on Quantum and Anthem.

[gaylemh]

I don't know how you would know they were short staffed but it sure didn't seem that way and we were actually there. There was plenty of wait staff at all venues and the service was still horrible. The night if the incident in Chic that resulted in our meeting with the bosses our waiter had 5 classic dining tables and one dynamic dining table (us). We sat there and watched the other 5 table be served from apps to desserts, they all completed their meals and left. We were never served dinner during that whole time and ended up in the Windjammer for dinner( 1.5 hours after we entered Chic at our reserved time). The two people we met with said the reason for our bad service was due to the fact that he was concentrating on his regular classic dining tables and that this is an ongoing problem with the current dining situation. We are not speculating. That is what we were told first hand.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums mobile app

 

Sorry you had problems. We had great service for the entire cruise. Most nights we were finished in an hour, and that was at a prime time of 7:00. Maybe that's the trick - to book between the early and late seating of classic. The restaurants were never crowded and lots of empty tables.

 

I don't think it's a rumor either. Just hoping it is. I loved DD.

[Lady Luck T]

Sorry you had problems. We had great service for the entire cruise. Most nights we were finished in an hour, and that was at a prime time of 7:00. Maybe that's the trick - to book between the early and late seating of classic. The restaurants were never crowded and lots of empty tables.

 

 

 

I don't think it's a rumor either. Just hoping it is. I loved DD.

 

 

Our dinner was @ 6:15 each night. We were always at dinner for close to 2 hours. A couple of nights it was longer. The restaurants had lots of empty seats when we dined too but the tables they did have were clustered together. Thankfully things got better after we had the meeting.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums mobile app