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How The Whiners Ruined Dynamic Dining

Merion_Mom

By Merion_Mom,
in Royal Caribbean International

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OfTheSeasCruiser

OfTheSeasCruiser

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Posted

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:

 

I don't understand your point. The "new" menus are set up almost exactly like the menus from the rest of the fleet. All of the old menus on non-Quantum ships have had the upcharge section for a long time, and it does not impact the "free" section.

 

The menus really aren't that new... Yes, there are some new entrees and visually they look the new, but they are exactly like the old menus from the rest of the fleet.

 

I'm sure you'll be able to make your own surf and turf with prime rib and the broiled lobster tail ... Just like I have been doing on other ships, even though "real" surf and turf is available for an upcharge.

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Merion_Mom

Merion_Mom

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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:

 

Or, as they say, "Be careful what you wish for."

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gc

gc

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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.

 

You make very valued points...I also experienced this first hand .....but as any new concept there will be kinks ....that have to be worked out over time.

Right from the beginning the Quantum was under the microscope.

When the Anthem took over its been a public relation disaster from passenger complaints to virus outbreaks to extreme weather.

The concept did not stand a chance.

This new innovation required the passenger to be some what tech savvy with the reservation process and be able to be flexible when issues would arise. Many seasoned long term cruiser's could work through the glitches with some patience.

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Ocean Dancer

Ocean Dancer

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I don't understand your point. The "new" menus are set up almost exactly like the menus from the rest of the fleet. All of the old menus on non-Quantum ships have had the upcharge section for a long time, and it does not impact the "free" section.

 

The menus really aren't that new... Yes, there are some new entrees and visually they look the new, but they are exactly like the old menus from the rest of the fleet.

 

I'm sure you'll be able to make your own surf and turf with prime rib and the broiled lobster tail ... Just like I have been doing on other ships, even though "real" surf and turf is available for an upcharge.

 

Luke, I hope you are right. :) But I do see this going in a different direction than what we have come to expect.

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Merion_Mom

Merion_Mom

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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.

 

The word you want is "disingenuous." :)

 

My intent was not to "throw a tantrum" but to point out a huge sea change that is coming. It was brought about, as you say, by people loudly saying that they didn't like whatever dining plan they chose on the Anthem.

 

We don't know if those people had DD Classic or DD Choice.

 

We don't know if those people just didn't like the food or the service or the temperature of the food or the placement of their table or the time of their meals or their tablemates.

 

Dissatisfaction on the survey may not have been that specific and could have been interpreted many ways.

 

Yes, you can form your opinion based on what you read, to guide your own choices and decisions, but it is wrong to broadcast your opinion as persuasion for others. IMO. Apparently YMV.

 

I am currently ON the Grandeur. Many people are complaining about the food. Choices, temperature, service, quality. But they are not blaming it on the STYLE of dining.

 

That's sort of my point.

 

But....................................

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Merion_Mom

Merion_Mom

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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

 

q.e.d. :)

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Merion_Mom

Merion_Mom

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And the main point: Anthem was the only ship in the North American and European market with this dining style.

 

Anyone who doesn't like it can choose a different ship.

 

But the complaints have stopped the one new thing that RC has done with dining.

 

And that's a shame.

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gc

gc

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And the main point: Anthem was the only ship in the North American and European market with this dining style.

 

Anyone who doesn't like it can choose a different ship.

 

But the complaints have stopped the one new thing that RC has done with dining.

 

And that's a shame.

 

You are so right on!!!

 

The same old gets very boring when you cruise a lot.

We had something new and fresh and we did not embrace it!!

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BNBR

BNBR

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It was just those loud whiners... I'm sure the meeting at RCI went something like this:

 

"Sir, we have complaints about dynamic dining"

- "How many?"

"4, sir."

- "4 out of 10 passengers?"

"No sir, 4.... 4 passengers"

- "How loud are they complaining?"

"Very loud, sir. Very loud"

- "Get rid of dynamic dining"

 

Yup. I'm sure it was just a very small portion of the passengers, maybe 5, maybe.... No other factors are all. Just a few loud whiners. Nothing from the staff or onboard management. No studying, no nothing. Just a few loud whiners who got their way.....

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Guest maddycat

Guest maddycat

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I share your observation that the servers were harried. But I don't believe this is a function of the concept of DD, it's the result of not having a sufficient number of staff.

 

Exactly, the dining rooms are under staffed. We've sailed on both the Quantum and the Anthem and really liked DD choice. We'll miss going to different restaurants every night with different decor and different menus.

 

Luckily, we have one more Anthem cruise booked before DD is eliminated. As far as the planning goes, it was no big deal. It took me about 20 minutes to make reservations for our 9 night Oct. cruise.

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Cindy

Cindy

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Count me as one who is sorry I didn't get to try it. My cruise dining habits have certainly evolved over the years, and I think my husband and I would have enjoyed it. We like variety and trying new things, because we find it helps keep cruising fresh even if we've been to the ports before.

 

As it is now, we more or less create our own "Dynamic Dining" by purchasing dining packages, booking special events like Chef's Table, or making a meal from the Tapas menu in Vintages. When we were on the Oasis we only ate in the MDR one time, and had a fantastic culinary experience. Our plan for the Liberty in November is to do the much the same, but we'll see how that goes. It might be harder without Coastal Kitchen and with fewer choices, but I have my eye on all three specialty restaurants, Chef's Table, the Wine Pairing Dinner, a Tapas and wine dinner:D, and we'll see about #7!

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dswallow

dswallow

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I must say I am rather happy to not have to experience Dynamic Dining. I didn't like the concept of it when I heard about it. And I'm very glad to hear I was not alone, and that RCL apparently listened and adjusted appropriately.

 

That said, I also do believe there's more wrong here than just Dynamic Dining, but the capacities of the dining venues. I'm not sure simply getting rid of Dynamic Dining addresses what appears to be the real problem behind the issues.

 

The "upcharge" dining experiences aren't exactly something I like either. Same with some of the "extra cost" facilities outside the main dining hours... But I do enjoy the idea of being able to laugh at (with a huge dose of pity) the folks that pay for Johnny Rockets; what a complete dump of a menu and lack of any sort of quality control. A horrible, horrible restaurant that's entirely flash and zero substance. If the thing onboard Anthem is anything like the Johnny Rockets on land, I'd be ashamed it was there on the ship. But if it keeps people who think it's great out of the main dining room, I'm OK with it. :)

Edited by dswallow
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gaylemh

gaylemh

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I'm guessing that part of the problem was also crew complaints. I would think a lot of wait staff didn't want to be assigned Anthem because they lost out on extra tips they received on other ships. It was also hard on guest services, and staff in the DL and CL. Many times when I was in the DL people were complaining that they wanted a certain time and restaurant for dinner, and they weren't taking no for an answer. I know one time I was feeling very sorry for Andrew in the DL.

 

Also part of the problem was with RCCL and TA's, not telling people when they booked that they needed reservations for dining and shows. I know, because my aunts are on Anthem right now, and if I didn't tell them awhile ago, that they needed reservations, they would have had no idea. Not once when I booked was I ever told about making reservations by either different TA's or RCCL. What happens is a lot of people get on the ship without reservations.

Edited by gaylemh
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