How The Whiners Ruined Dynamic Dining

[grandgeezer]

In my opinion, the first mistake that was made was to introduce Dynamic Dining Classic. The number of tables in the four free restaurants is less than what would normally be in a traditional MDR. However, it was expected that each table would be turned over for more than two sittings unlike in an MDR and this would result in all those wanting a table to be able to be seated throughout the evening. When they then went to DD Classic they took half those tables and pretty much guaranteed that they would only have two sittings at those tables, thus effectively reducing the available seating significantly. This then led to all the favorable non-classic times to be booked very rapidly and leaving people complaining about having nothing available except 5:30 or 9:00 or being told to eat in the Windjammer. They should have left the four restaurants as reservation only as that is what they were designed for.

 

I've sailed on both Quantum and Anthem and have read numerous revues of both. The biggest complaints that I recall reading were about slow or poor service, food quality, and the "loss" of reservations, especially in the early reviews for each ship. I think the service issues were primarily caused by the line trying to cut staff, especially with the elimination of assistant waiters. As for food quality, that's been a complaint of many people on every ship and one can find as many revues where people have loved the food as those that hate it. In regards to the loss of reservations, I fortunately have never lost a reservation on a Royal Caribbean ship. That is not to say that it never happens and with new systems it could happen more than it should, but this is something that should get less and less assuming any effort is made to debug the system.

 

There is one more thing I must add. I strongly believe that those who have a complaint about something are more likely to make their feeling known that those who do not have a complaint. Satisfaction statistics will always be skewed towards the negative.

 

Really?? How do you explain Allure 80%, Oasis 79%, Celebrity Equinox 87%, Celebrity Eclipse 86%, etc. Anthem 49%. It is what it is.

[johnjen]

I would gently point out a few things in your post.

 

1. Most people would KILL for a table for two and rant and rave when they get "stuck" with strangers.

 

Some of us don't like to be seated at a table for two. I like eating with strangers. You get to meet new people.

 

2. If there are four complimentary restaurants and each has three menus, that's 12 different menus. How is this not more than "standard" dining on other RC ships? And are those menus not much more different from each other than "standard" menus are?

I didn't like the idea of moving to different restaurants. I preferred traditional dining.

3. You complain about Chops, which has NOTHING TO DO WITH DYNAMIC DINING.

 

You're right. I hope I didn't confuse you with that addition to topic. I didn't mean to piss you off in the process, specifically, but with your capital letters, you sound angry because my opinion differs from you. Get a bottle of cold, refreshing water.

I am sorry that your experience with DD Choice was not good. DD Classic gives passengers the traditional dining experience with fixed times, while still giving the variety of different restaurants with different menus. Of course, I should say "GAVE". :mad:

 

Still though, it's a very subjective issue - but at least we can still enjoy our cruise without it bothering us enough to ruin a good vacay. Seriously, relax. You own a trend of trying to get into it with other posters; that's not very good.

[TC1957]

What do you think DD Classic was? You sit at a table with strangers and move with them every night and your waiters.

:rolleyes:

 

Could they guarantee, with 100% certainty, that every person on the ship that wanted DD Classic would get DD Classic? Nope...limited number of spaces. We were not willing to gamble our limited vacation time. Roll your eyes all you want.

 

As much as many here hate to admit it...the majority did not want/like DD.

 

Fortunately for those that did, they can follow the advice they often give others...book with a different cruise line.

[jezthepuff]

This is really disappointing. I was hesitant about DD due to the reviews, and I did have some problems with getting reservations prior to our cruise in April. However, once we got on board, we had very little issue with changing our reservations around. We enjoyed all of the different dining rooms and liked the variety. The service was great in all of them. We did "choice," which is more like MTD, and what we prefer. I've never done an early/late seating because we don't know when we'll actually be hungry! :p

[steamboats]

Wait, I'm confused... I'm booked for a Feb 2017 HOTS cruise, and they say I have dynamic dining. Are you saying that this is not true? I've reserved all my times for each night...:confused:

 

You might have reserved times but not a restaurant - meaning American Icon Grill, Silk or The Grande ;-). So you´re on MyTime Dining. Unfortunately the CruisePlanner is still saying "Dynamic Dining" in the overview page but it says My Time in the booking area.

 

steamboats

[steamboats]

I agree with Mattsudds, the implementation was the problem. They started with the idea the waiters are taking the orders on a tablet PC but that never worked. Then they had the system that you have only a waiter and the assisstants were working in the background doing all the running between the galley and the restaurant. But then they only had one person taking care of beverages, serving food (even on a larger table) and more... That whole system never worked like they thought it would.

 

steamboats

[BILLP1]

Our cruise on the Anthem is in January. When will we be able to make reservations for MTD?

[Big_G]

Could they guarantee, with 100% certainty, that every person on the ship that wanted DD Classic would get DD Classic? Nope...limited number of spaces.

 

Could they guarantee everyone got what they wanted with traditional dining or MTD? Nope!

[Biker19]

Our cruise on the Anthem is in January. When will we be able to make reservations for MTD?

 

Varies for Anthem and especially with this change, it could be at anytime. Ensure you are subscribed to your sailing roll call thread - someone there is bound to be looking every day and will announce it.

[Biker19]

Could they guarantee, with 100% certainty, that every person on the ship that wanted DD Classic would get DD Classic? Nope...limited number of spaces. We were not willing to gamble our limited vacation time.

 

There's no gambling, at the time of booking you ask for DD Classic - if you don't get it you don't book. Simple.

[Desert Cruizers]

Biker19, thank you for the comparison. With other cruises on the books we won't be cruising the Anthem or Oasis Class Ships however would like to experience an Oasis Class. Our largest Class was on the Liberty back in 2011 and will be on her again next July then off to the Freedom in April 2018.

[Ocean Dancer]

Why doesn't Royal do what DCL does, or a completely DD classic? They can just rotate through the dining rooms with their respective different menus and themes.

 

For example these could be the rotations for a hypothetical 4 night cruise:

Traditional Group A:

Silk

Grande

Chic

AI

 

Traditional Group B:

AI

Silk

Grande

Chic

 

MTD Group A:

Chic

AI

Silk

Grande

 

MTD Group B:

Grande

Chic

AI

Silk

 

This way, you don't have to eat in the same atmosphere with the enhanced menu. And half of the restaurants are still available for MTD like the new system will be.

 

Sorry if I'm confusing, but y'all know what I mean?

 

I used my phone to type this, excuse any typos please!

 

This IS what they HAD, it was called Dymanic Dining Classic and this will be discontinued along with Dymanic Dining Choice which I think WAS the real PROBLEM:cool:

 

It was crazy to make reservations 90 days out for each and every night, but we made it work and loved it.

 

Going forward, it you click on sample of new menu in Mom's first post...it appears that it is a menu for a new formal night. On the right side bottom you may purchase surf and turf. Will I be able order two entrees like the lobster and the prime rib for free? You will most likely only be able to order one lobster.... or maybe only one entree

reading between the lines.

 

This isn't over with all you "whiners" You may have just shot yourself in the foot along with the rest of us.:mad:

[Biker19]

This IS what they HAD, it was called Dymanic Dining Classic and this will be discontinued along with Dymanic Dining Choice which I think WAS the real PROBLEM:cool:

 

DD Choice = MTD (with different menu). How is that solving any problem?

[nelblu]

UOTE=Royal Fun;51036301]We sail on Anthem in March. This will be our second sailing on Anthem, and we also sailed on Quantum. We are disappointed with the decision to do away with DD. We loved it. That being said, I do not want to be put into MTD, and would like to request traditional late seating. Would someone know the email address? I knew at one time..but couldn't find it. TIA

 

E-mail at RCLdining@rccl.com or contact Cruise Planner dept. 800 398=9819.

[Biker19]

E-mail at RCLdining@rccl.com or contact Cruise Planner dept. 800 398=9819.

 

I don't think that e-mail address can change the dining type, only RCI can if booked directly or the TA if booked with a TA.

[Florida Fan]

I was on the Quantum inaugural, which had DD. I didn't like it, but I didn't whine. I just made an on-board reservation for our next cruise and chose a ship that didn't have DD.

 

A side point: As a vegetarian, I know I am in a very small minority; however, I was paying the same as everyone else and deserved a decent meal. On Quantum I had unacceptable dinners 3 nights, including a meal of cucumber & carrot on a roll in Silk. My husband loves his meat & potatoes, but he also was disappointed.

 

Nonetheless I'm sorry for those who enjoyed DD and those who wanted to try it. I can't be happy at your loss.

[kwazi07]

This IS what they HAD, it was called Dymanic Dining Classic and this will be discontinued along with Dymanic Dining Choice which I think WAS the real PROBLEM:cool:

 

I agree.

 

It seemed confusing having both the Classic and the Choice. Especially to the staff!

 

I think if they kept it just to the classic that it would offer the change that DD offers while still making it easier logistically!

 

The only change they would need to make is the replacement of DD Choice with MTD. They would just need to emphasize to guests that they only choose the time not the venue.

 

This is honestly the way it's done at DCL forever...and they seem to have no issues. However I don't think they have MTD.

 

I used my phone to type this, excuse any typos please!

[Colonialdame]

I guess I'm a whiner according to the OP. I'd rather characterize myself as having a difference of opinion. I certainly don't challenge anyone's actual experience with DD as being wrong, be it good or bad. Where I agree with the OP is that one shouldn't weigh in unless experiencing it. That said, our family's experience was dreadful for many of the reasons expressed by others. We were fortunate to have access to Coastal Kitchen and the assistance of Juan Diego in recapturing lost reservations. We enjoyed our cruise and may return to Anthem in the future. We didn't complain to RC but many people must have. I don't like being scolded for not agreeing with frequent posters. We are D+ if that means anything. Just saying that Anthem wasn't our first rodeo.

[egh170]

Why don't you post how the whiners tried to ruin traditional dining?

[somerandomidiot]

Not everyone wants to rotate to all four restaurants. I would skip Silk and go to Grande twice or even try the restaurant in the Solarium that gets forgotten in all this craziness.

 

They tried to make a compromise when they added classic and it made the issues worse. Royal Caribbean has enough trouble dealing with MTD and DD was just too confusing for them. The managers that run the dining rooms are stuck on the thought that there are two seatings no matter what you book and have issues managing the flow of diners who are looking to eat at other times. Many tables sit empty because they are being reserved for a specific time and do not get turned over as frequently as they could.

 

I saw that quite a few times as well. There would be a large section of the room, 10 -12 tables all set up but empty. Meanwhile 40-50 people are on line outside waiting impatiently to get in.

 

Same thing with the solarium bistro. Only ate there a few times. The room was always at least half empty but when people walked in they were usually told that there was no space.

[jeditden]

Well, we're leaving this Saturday, so I'll be sure to ask the wait staff is they think this change will alleviate some of the issues onboard. We were able to book DD Classic Late Seating, so we'll at least get to experience the foods in each restaurant before it's changed over. I'll withhold judgement until we get back on whether it's a good idea or not. We've never had subpar service from any waitstaff we've had on RCCL with traditional dining though.

Edited September 12, 2016 by jeditden

[John Reid]

It is unfortunate for those who have enjoyed dynamic dining or wanted to try it that it will no longer be offered. But to direct blame for the change on "whiners' seems tantrum-like.

 

People cruise Anthem. They fill in post-cruise ratings on the online surveys. They write reviews. They post to this community. This is just like any other ship. Why is it whining to report that they didn't like the dining experience? It is their valid opinion.

 

I also find the belief that one cannot have an opinion if one hasn't tried the ship a bit ingenuous. We all make purchase decisions regularly based on features we want and ratings by others. This is how Consumer Reports exists. We evaluate the information provided and make a choice. You can return a TV, but you cannot return cruise.

 

I don't see the logic in a $3,000 plus experiment when you don't think you will like the features. It's not as if people are making the choice between cruising Anthem or not cruising. The choice is cruising Anthem or cruising another ship that experience or research leads you to believe you will enjoy more.

 

It is also ingenuous to think that RCCL is reacting to the "whining" of a minority. They are reacting to perceived Benjamins. Alternative dining was abandoned on Oasis class, so they have already experienced what the change did for ratings. Anthem is one of their crown jewels; it must be very difficult to face a 49% approval rating for the investment they have made. THEY have made a choice, not who is perceived to be whiners.

 

I'm sailing RCCL this January on a 12-night Caribbean. The price on Grandeur and Anthem are about the same. I do my research, focusing on deck plans. I'd love to try a new ship, but there are some things I would miss that are on Grandeur but not Anthem that are important to me. And there are many things on Anthem that I would never frequent. I can drive to either port and we have chosen Grandeur - again.

 

By the time the cruise is done, we will have spent about $4,000. I want to make it well-spent for our preferences.

[K1200S]

We did not like DD because we didn't like the menu choices and the service was slow and the food was not hot. When we got off our 12 day cruise a RCCL employee asked how we liked the ship. We told him we loved the ship but did not care for DD. He said that was the response of most guests he spoke with.

 

 

Pete

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[Baron Barracuda]

The whiners didn't ruin dd, the whiz kids at Royal set it up to fail. Three main reasons.

 

1. The undersized dining rooms. Needing to do almost 3 turns a night forces lots of people to either eat at undesirable times or go to the Windjammer. Giving half the space to classic with only two turns only exacerbated the problem. Hard to adjust reservations onboard when there aren't enough dining slots to begin with.

 

2. Balky reservation system. After over two years it still doesn't work right. It loses reservations (all mine disappeared twice before my last sailing) and often double-counts, keeping both old and new reservations when you make a change. Also, in setting two hour slots for dinner when it actually only takes around 1 1/2, the system gives the impression that restaurants are full while they actually aren't.

 

3. Lack of staff. After placing our orders we barely saw our waiter. Difficult to get drink and bread refills. Food was often delivered to table by food runners or hw's. Really kills the passenger/waiter connection.

 

None of theses issues has anything to do with menus or food quality and none will be addressed by merely switching to traditional dining. Yet all are major irritations that could prompt a negative review.

[njm5378]

The OP posted a graphic on another thread today directed at that OP asking "Would you like some cheese with your whine", Ironic. Pot or kettle?