ANTHEM - What's going on with DD/Classic Dining?

[Mom.to.2]

Patti...thank you for the update!

 

Why do you think classic isn't working out? Is the no-shows? You get that with traditional dining too, so I don't see why no-shows would cause RCL to twitch to traditional.

 

There's got to be some major reason RCL would abandon DD choice/classic combo when the ship's restaurants are designed specifically around the DD concept. So curious....

 

 

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[CarpeCerevisi]

When it comes to large corporations, be they RCL or any other, the major driving force is expenses versus revenue. I think that every department head is constantly being pressured to reduce costs. On the Anthem this would include food and beverage. Having four separate restaurants with four different menus must cost more than having a single menu across all restaurants even if that menu changes nightly. One would like to think that any changes were made to better serve the customer, but the cynic in me thinks that the bottom line, expense versus revenue, is what matters most.

 

P.S. Patti, looking forward to sailing with you again in a couple of weeks, give Jim my regards.

Edited March 31, 2016 by CarpeCerevisi

[ocav]

Patti...thank you for the update!

 

Why do you think classic isn't working out? Is the no-shows? You get that with traditional dining too, so I don't see why no-shows would cause RCL to twitch to traditional.

 

There's got to be some major reason RCL would abandon DD choice/classic combo when the ship's restaurants are designed specifically around the DD concept. So curious....

 

 

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because the difference here is that people on choice get turned away because they are holding tables for people who aren't going to show in classic. On other ships, traditional and mtd do not share space so it's not as much of an issue.

 

Say 2 couples shared a 4 top on classic but one night only one of the couples showed up, the other couple would better be utilised on a 2 top with a group of 4 going on the 4 because that's 4 people who they can up sell drinks too, sell bottles of wine etc.

 

If you have sent that 4 away because there wasn't a 4 top table and they've gone to the windjammer, there's less chance of being able to sell them something.

[Mom.to.2]

because the difference here is that people on choice get turned away because they are holding tables for people who aren't going to show in classic. On other ships, traditional and mtd do not share space so it's not as much of an issue.

 

Say 2 couples shared a 4 top on classic but one night only one of the couples showed up, the other couple would better be utilised on a 2 top with a group of 4 going on the 4 because that's 4 people who they can up sell drinks too, sell bottles of wine etc.

 

If you have sent that 4 away because there wasn't a 4 top table and they've gone to the windjammer, there's less chance of being able to sell them something.

 

 

 

I see your logic.

[floatel_lvr]

From our first 4 days on board, I really can't see anything that is working poorly. In fact, tonight we ate at Chic and actually saw many gentlemen without jackets being seated with no questions asked.

 

There was one DR Manager that I spoke with that really likes DD Choice and wishes they would keep it. I think it's the DD Classic that is not working out. We have friends that are doing DD Classic and were assigned to a table for 11, which is what they wanted. They are seated at a large table with another couple. The other 7 people haven't shown up since Sunday. :eek:

 

You can be assured that if I hear anything more between now and April 30th I will sure to post it here.

 

This is not a DD Classic issue though. My DW and I used to dine traditional and always ask for a large table. Twice we were at a table for 10 and dined alone the entire week. Since then we have booked specialty almost every night.

[kevinyork]

We sailed on Anthem last Sep and were exited to try DD. We loved the dining experience and the food. It felt like the way ahead. We had no issues at all and would actually prefer it if it had spread to other ships however Anthem was built to accommodate it so ?I can see why it didn't.

 

They were wrong in my opinion to introduce DD choice. It pandered to traditionalists whereas they should have been concentrating on attracting new passengers to cruising who find the idea of set time, set table dining off putting. That may upset some regulars but there is plenty of choice of other ships.

 

I'm not even sure it's a cost issue. With a traditional 'one menu setup' the menu changes each night. With DD it's fixed per venue with maybe one alternate menu switch. I would have thought this made ordering supplies and getting dishes cooked correctly easier.

 

It's disappointing that Royal took a big chance and went with DD but they have apparently caved in. Traditional dining on Anthem will seem strange with 4 separate restaurants and for me will be a worse set up than a three level MDR which at least impresses on scale issue alone.

 

 

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[CruisingChick]

I'm not even sure it's a cost issue.

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I have to disagree. The quality of food on our Anthem sailing was light years ahead of the food on I had in the MDR on Explorer and Liberty. It had to cost more.

 

Besides the fact that Grande was always the busiest of the 4 complimentary restaurants and people were ordering 2-3 lobster tails a night at dinner. So instead of the customary one night lobster tail on the old MDR menu there were 12 nights where one could order this plus the other more costly items on the Grande menu. I could see where it is definitely costing them more in food than the other ships. I don't think any other ship has Truffle Wild Mushroom Rissotto. Now if they are using real truffle oil, that is not a cheap ingredient.

 

Maybe if they limit each person to ordering one appetizer, entree, etc. that would cut down tremendously on the food costs.

[beachnative]

This is not a DD Classic issue though. My DW and I used to dine traditional and always ask for a large table. Twice we were at a table for 10 and dined alone the entire week. Since then we have booked specialty almost every night.

 

Not exactly the case for Anthem.

 

The "traditional" ships were built with dining rooms that table capacity to seat everyone on the ship in two seatings: Early and Late (plus MTD which came about later on). If someone did not show up for dinner on some of the nights it did not create a problem.

 

The Quantum and Anthem were built with far fewer seats available. Instead of having a dining capacity that could seat everyone in two seatings the dining rooms capacity was such that it would seat everyone in THREE SEATINGS…expecting to turn over tables more quickly.

 

When Dynamic Dining CLASSIC was introduced it changed the turnover rate for those tables from 3 per night to 2 per night. "Classic" people assigned to those tables not showing up on some nights left those seats vacant.

 

That is why some of us are saying that DD CLASSIC is one of the big problems. (…along with understaffing)

Edited March 31, 2016 by beachnative

[Clarea]

... That is why some of us are saying that DD CLASSIC is one of the big problems. (…along with understaffing)

I can understand how DD Classic might a problem. What I can't understand, if that is the case, is why they need to change the entire structure of dining, rather than simply eliminate DD Classic. There has to be more to the story.

[CruisingChick]

There has to be more to the story.

 

It always comes down to the same answer: M-O-N-E-Y.

 

Somehow this must be costing them more money than they expected. Either they would need to hire more staff to have this run smoothly (in the kitchen and dining room) and/or these menus are costing them with the higher food costs.

[Clarea]

It always comes down to the same answer: M-O-N-E-Y.

 

Somehow this must be costing them more money than they expected. Either they would need to hire more staff to have this run smoothly (in the kitchen and dining room) and/or these menus are costing them with the higher food costs.

I'd love to hear from the Chief Engineer on this, but I also wonder if they are limited in the staff they can add? In other words, there are only so many crew cabins, and what happens when the ship needs more staff and they don't have crew cabins?

[marci22]

I can understand how DD Classic might a problem. What I can't understand, if that is the case, is why they need to change the entire structure of dining, rather than simply eliminate DD Classic. There has to be more to the story.

 

I agree with those who say it's the cost. It is just easier and cheaper to order 1000 of something rather than 4 X 250 of various things.

 

They started out with good intentions, but got clobbered by reality.

Edited March 31, 2016 by marci22

[Merion_Mom]

I'd love to hear from the Chief Engineer on this, but I also wonder if they are limited in the staff they can add? In other words, there are only so many crew cabins, and what happens when the ship needs more staff and they don't have crew cabins?

 

I have already heard this from high-ranking officers on board.

 

They planned for lower staffing in the dining room. Thus, fewer crew berths. Quite a few of the people who may be housed "down below" on other ships are in "passenger" cabins instead.

[clochette]

we are booked for january 2017 and one of the appeal was DD, I am one who is hoping that they do not change it, with a 12 night cruise the idea of being in different dining room with different menus is very appealing.

[ocav]

Here's how I would do it-

 

The Grande - everyone gets a set day to attend the grande, you don't get a choice what day it is, but there's a table reserved for you that day as your formal night, you can show up and queue for it on other days for those who don't show up. 15 minute reservation slot so if it says show up at 7pm, if you aren't there by 7:15 then that table goes to someone who is queueing outside.

 

The other 3 should have only 4 slots- 5:30-7:30

6:30-8:30

7:30-9:30

8:30-10:30

You can book in any of those slots on any day and change times as you go as long as there is availability. Again, 15 minute hold on each table, then it goes to the next waiting in line.

 

That way everyone knows what day they have formal night and a majority of tables are all at the same time frame when people arrive at the respective time booked in.

 

The problem they do have is right now they don't reserve a table, they reserve the ability to be first chosen when the table becomes available.

 

 

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[marci22]

Here's how I would do it-

 

The Grande - everyone gets a set day to attend the grande, you don't get a choice what day it is, but there's a table reserved for you that day as your formal night, you can show up and queue for it on other days for those who don't show up. 15 minute reservation slot so if it says show up at 7pm, if you aren't there by 7:15 then that table goes to someone who is queueing outside.

 

The other 3 should have only 4 slots- 5:30-7:30

6:30-8:30

7:30-9:30

8:30-10:30

You can book in any of those slots on any day and change times as you go as long as there is availability. Again, 15 minute hold on each table, then it goes to the next waiting in line.

 

That way everyone knows what day they have formal night and a majority of tables are all at the same time frame when people arrive at the respective time booked in.

 

The problem they do have is right now they don't reserve a table, they reserve the ability to be first chosen when the table becomes available.

 

I think that's what they might be doing. When I was booking restaurants, there wasn't a large choice of times.

[E&D]

We were on the Quantum last year with our Daughter and family. We all enjoyed DD, with no problems. My hubby and I are going on the Anyhem in Oct and we are holding our breath that they don't change it. I already made all our selections for dinner. We enjoyed going to the different dining options.

[Clarea]

I have already heard this from high-ranking officers on board.

 

They planned for lower staffing in the dining room. Thus, fewer crew berths. Quite a few of the people who may be housed "down below" on other ships are in "passenger" cabins instead.

So, fewer staterooms available for sale to guests, another hit to the bottom line.

 

I wonder if the move away from DD helps reduce the dining room staffing requirements?

[gaylemh]

I also think part of the problem with classis is that people who don't like a particular restaurant on their rotation, are going to one they like, as if they were DD choice. This leaves empty reserved seats in classis and takes up seats that would have been for DD choice.

[espo56]

Here's how I would do it-

 

The Grande - everyone gets a set day to attend the grande, you don't get a choice what day it is, but there's a table reserved for you that day as your formal night, you can show up and queue for it on other days for those who don't show up. 15 minute reservation slot so if it says show up at 7pm, if you aren't there by 7:15 then that table goes to someone who is queueing outside.

 

The other 3 should have only 4 slots- 5:30-7:30

6:30-8:30

7:30-9:30

8:30-10:30

You can book in any of those slots on any day and change times as you go as long as there is availability. Again, 15 minute hold on each table, then it goes to the next waiting in line.

 

That way everyone knows what day they have formal night and a majority of tables are all at the same time frame when people arrive at the respective time booked in.

 

The problem they do have is right now they don't reserve a table, they reserve the ability to be first chosen when the table becomes available.

 

 

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That won't go over well because you are now forcing people to dress formally when they might have specifically booked this ship to avoid do just that. Those people aren't going to be happy if they go back to a mandatory formal night unless its done the same way Celebrity is doing it where men have to wear a jacket with dress jeans.

[brfan]

So, fewer staterooms available for sale to guests, another hit to the bottom line.

 

I wonder if the move away from DD helps reduce the dining room staffing requirements?

 

I'm wondering, since I'm not sure how the galley is run, if they could reduce the number of head or supervisory chefs? I would assume that there would be a need to have at least one head chef (and perhaps a couple of supervisory type chefs) for each of the restaurants as they serve different meals. By getting rid of DD and going to the same menu for each of the restaurants then couldn't they cut the number of head and supervisory chefs in half? This would save Royal some money since these are salaried positions.

 

I wonder if they could cut the dining room mangers as well - one for the traditional and one for MTD dining rooms (I assume each restaurant now currently has a manager)?

 

Anyway I think it's a shame they are planning on making this change. But there has to be a money reason otherwise they would just either drastically reduce the number of passengers who can have classic or eliminate it entirely and go with choice, like was originally on Quantum.

[marci22]

That won't go over well because you are now forcing people to dress formally when they might have specifically booked this ship to avoid do just that. Those people aren't going to be happy if they go back to a mandatory formal night unless its done the same way Celebrity is doing it where men have to wear a jacket with dress jeans.

 

I doubt Grande will remain formal if everyone is forced to have it as one of their options.

[Clarea]

I doubt Grande will remain formal if everyone is forced to have it as one of their options.

True, they may even go back to ship wide formal nights.

[cruisenfever]

True, they may even go back to ship wide formal nights.

"If" they change to Deck 3 being Traditional dining with 2 seatings and Deck 4 being MTD.......all dining venus will use the same menu that will change nightly. Formal Night will also come back into the picture and the number will depend on the length of the cruise.:(

[Clarea]

"If" they change to Deck 3 being Traditional dining with 2 seatings and Deck 4 being MTD.......all dining venus will use the same menu that will change nightly. Formal Night will also come back into the picture and the number will depend on the length of the cruise.:(

Thanks Patti.