'Freestyle dining'..is RCCL going to follow..other though-provoking ?s..

[Disneycruisers]

Long story short (well, hopefully.) I booked our family for Princess' new Crown Princess next March. I booked second seating for 'traditional' dining. This new ship has only one traditional dining room and two 'personal choice' venues. Fast forward, the cruisers on the Princess boards stated that one has to practically book a year in advance for traditional dining, otherwise they have to clear a waitlist and dine 'anytime' between 5:30-10:30? at the 'personal choice' restaurants. One said it's Princess' way of forcing people into the new 'personal choice' dining.

 

In a nutshell, I'm afraid I see major change coming for the cruise industry. Does anyone else agree? It's not an optimistic change, IMHO. As a former airline industry employee, (numerous airlines) I saw what happened with deregulation, (won't even get into that, too long.) Offices in which I worked started with casual Friday, (now it's casual, every day, everywhere it seems.) I'm not trying to spark a debate either. I know that many agree some changes are for the better (I agree.)

 

Over the years, our family's vacations attire consisted of shorts, t-shirts and flip-flops, while we dined at places in which we waited in the lounge for our number to be called. We now (last few years) finally have the time and money for cruise vacations, which gives us more opportunities dress nicer and enjoy traditional dining. But for how long? NCL'S website states it's all freestyle dining, and 'wear what you want, it's your vacation.' (Yes, it actually does state that under the FAQ.) Does anyone here, think all cruiselines will eventually do the same?

 

And please, I hope no one here misses my point. Point being that our family enjoys the traditional way of cruising. Formal nights and set dining times. We still take the land vacations where we dress very comfortably and eat where we want when we want. It just sounds as if the cruise industry is headed towards 'land vacations at sea.'

 

Would love to read other peoples thoughts. Happy cruising!

[wrp96]

I hope Royal Caribbean never goes to personal choice or freestyle. In fact, I've made it a point to start putting it on my guest satisfaction surveys that I do not want freestyle dining, that I love traditional dining. I even told one of the Senior Officers on the Brilliance the same thing when he asked what I liked about cruising Royal Caribbean and if there was anything I wanted RCCL to change.

[gambler]

Another vote for traiditional dining here..

[lawsoncd3]

I hope not. I personally feel that so many things around us change. For example, I live in Las Vegas (for nearly 35 years now) and I've seen a change from the classic hotel/casinos to the mega strip resorts. It's kind of sad when "new and improved" move in and replace "traditional" settings. My dad use to say that in "the olden days..." :D women would wear formal dresses to the shows/casinos and men in tux. Now, you see barely any clothing:eek: .

 

IMHO there's so many changes that we forget what it was like to dress for dinner. (When my parents took my sister and I out, we wore dresses)... it's another age now. How can we know where we're going, if we don't know where we've been? Some tradition is a good thing:D

 

Dona :)

[wraithe]

I would probably opt for another line that still had traditional dining with formal dress and set times and tables if RCL changed. Personally, I like the idea of knowing what to look forward to each night for dinner, ie, same table mates and particular dress. JMHO, but I would like to see RCL stay like it is.

[KAYEF]

I was SO disapointed when we, too, were waitlisted on a Princess cruise (we "always" cruise HAL) because I was taking my grown kids on their first cruise.

BUT WE LOVED ANYTIME DINING!

It was just GREAT!

We never had to wait.

You can call in the morning and request a time. You can even request a certain table.

Some days, when you're on shore, you may want to dine later............you don't have to rush back.

I surprised myself by REALLY ENJOYING the new style of dining........we ate at different times, met different people, etc.:)

The dining room was the same, beautiful room and the menus were the same as in the traditional dining room.

A couple of times just the two of us dined alone and that, too, was nice.

When I think of it, if it was a long cruise.............you could take fewer clothes because you don't dine with the same folks every night (HA!)

Try it with an open mind and I bet you will enjoy it............

The only drawback I see with anytime or freestyle dining might be for a person traveling solo.............

[flagger]

I hope they start offering it as an option.

[hdawson]

Another vote for traditional dining.

[RED318is]

It is so nice to have the same server everynight who actually cares about you and knows your preferences.

[syndyj]

The idea of freestyle dining appeals to me, I agree that it should be made a choice. I like having dinner in the main dining room, but I also like choice of not having to eat there every night. Plus, I am not too big on large tables and meeting lots of people, I quite enjoy dinner with just my husband and me.

[Nitra]

I hope not! My hubby has worked on both RCI and NCL and from the stories he has told me and what I have read on the NCL boards, I will stick with it the way things are.

 

If I want freestyle dining I will go to a line that offers it, I choose RCI because I like the way things are done, such as set dining times, I know when I show up to eat I am not going to have to stand around waiting an hour for a table to get ready. If I want to have to make a reservation to eat, that is too much like being at home. I dont want to plan or think or anything when I cruise, I do it to get away and just be. Tell me where to be when and Im there, no thought, no worry.

 

I too love formal nights and the same table and waiter every night and all the other things that come with the traditional cruise experience. I wish they would go back to enforcing the dress code in the dining room personally.

[AFT_LOVER]

When we cruise it is the ONLY location for me to wear my gowns. I enjoy being a "Queen" each of those night. Here in Cleveland the opera, the Cleveland Orchestra at Severance Hall was all formal wear, now jeans & T-Shirts.

 

So there are cruiselines for the folks that are flip flop happy, but please leave well enough alone with a good thing & formal nights are a necessity.

People's demeanor changes when they are all dressed up. Having an officer at the doorway to the dining room to tell folks not dressed formal to go do so or eat in the buffet is a compliment to me. When the Matre D greets us, my arm must go into his to escort us to the table, but now it is first night only.

 

SO LEAVE IT ALONE RCCL!

 

 

 

I hope not. I personally feel that so many things around us change. For example, I live in Las Vegas (for nearly 35 years now) and I've seen a change from the classic hotel/casinos to the mega strip resorts. It's kind of sad when "new and improved" move in and replace "traditional" settings. My dad use to say that in "the olden days..." :D women would wear formal dresses to the shows/casinos and men in tux. Now, you see barely any clothing:eek: .

 

IMHO there's so many changes that we forget what it was like to dress for dinner. (When my parents took my sister and I out, we wore dresses)... it's another age now. How can we know where we're going, if we don't know where we've been? Some tradition is a good thing:D

 

Dona :)

[AFT_LOVER]

Large bed, small table. That is what we get each cruise. So get your TA involved in getting you what you want.

 

The idea of freestyle dining appeals to me, I agree that it should be made a choice. I like having dinner in the main dining room, but I also like choice of not having to eat there every night. Plus, I am not too big on large tables and meeting lots of people, I quite enjoy dinner with just my husband and me.

[BobBeaSea]

Traditional or freestyle, probably wouldn't matter much to me. RCI already has experience with freestyle; on charters the main dining room can be freestyle and they way RCI does it is pretty efficient; pretty much like breakfast or lunch only all dining room levels are used..they fill up the bottom first, then the second, then the third (if Voyager class) and just keep using the same cycle. They CAN do it..it's just a matter of will they do it, depending on passenger demand.

[hygienist]

PLEASE don't change a thing! We have only been on 1 RCCL cruise, and we loved EVERY minute of it!!!!!

I look forward to the formality of the dresses and suit/tux nights! I can wear sneakers and flip flops ANYWHERE!!!!

[grandsix]

We enjoy NCL's Freestyle and it has been a big hit with passengers, but we prefer traditional dining. RCL and other lines may try it. It will only be successful if the majority of the passengers like it. After all this is a service business.

[jazz1180]

My first cruise was with NCL last year. While I did like eaeting whenever I wanted to, I did miss the personal service one gets when they know their server (I've stayed at an all-inclusive where we had the same waitstaff every night). As for the dress, we always dressed up for dinner when we ate in the main dining room. Just because it's freestyle cruising doesn't mean you can't go to dinner wearing something nice. Actually, many of the same standards applied... when in the dining room, shorts, jeans and other casual dress were discouraged.

 

Anyways, I guess my point is there are pros and cons to both types of dining and allowing cruisers to choose isn't a horrible thing, as long as they are given a true choice in the matter.

[Weez]

I would love to see RCCL offer freestyle dining.

[MGoBlue2]

I hope they start offering it as an option.

I would love to see RCCL offer freestyle dining.

They do - It's called the Windjammer.

[bug18]

I would also vote for traditional dining. For those that don't care for it, I believe that RCCL does offer another option with the windjammer and the specialty restaurants.

[crusinmama06]

Oh I certainly hope NOT! That's the main reason I don't cruise NCL. I don't like the whole freestyle cruising. I don't like that my waiter doesn't know who I am because I never get the same waiter twice. I like to dress up for dinner. I don't like to look like I just walked off the beach and into dinner. And If I wanted a beach atmosphere, then I would book an onland vacation (which I do book at least 3 other times per year...so I don't need the same experience on my cruises)

 

I think NCL needed to find its marketing niche because RCCL and Carnival was taking a fair amount of the revenue. So they developed freestyle cruising in an effort to get their own piece of the pie and carve out their own identity.

 

That's great for NCL, just BAD for RCCL.

[DonnaK]

It is so nice to have the same server everynight who actually cares about you and knows your preferences.

 

This is how I feel too, and traditional dining is one of the reasons I stick with RCCL. I have no interest in a freestyle dining cruise.

[suet]

Hi,

 

I love tradional dining. Having the same wait staff every evening. I love the formal nights and getting dressed up for dinner. It has been such a special time before a cruise when my daughter and I go shopping and parade around in a dressing room trying on all the preety gowns.

 

I hope they don't change that.

 

Sue

[threeofus]

I've done all three...freestyle, traditional and princess' personal choice. The personal choice is clearly the winner. You can request a table with the server you want every single night but opt to dine at different times depending on what is going on with your day. So it really is the best of both worlds. All you have to do is make a call in the morning. So you look at your schedule for the day and pick a time.

 

You don't miss out on anything because you get the personal service from your server - if you want it- but you win because you don't have to be there at 6 pm every night.

 

It was wonderful.

 

For those that really like traditional...what would you be missing with this system???

[TEXASMUNK]

As a once a twice a year customer of NCL, I truly enjoyed their service and attitude. Now, they have become a fast food line when it comes to dining.

 

We have moved on, RCI and Celebrity as our choices.

 

Here is one more vote for retaining the traditional two seating dining arrangement.