Dynamic Dining - Your thoughts!

[savage1]

I was finally able to make reservations for 5:30pm for American Icon and Chic for the November 18 cruise. I had an issue adding my in-laws, who are in another stateroom to the reservations but a phone call fixed that.
Hopefully they can fix this glitch with reserving online and multiple reservation numbers.

I asked about the 2-hour block of time that the reservations are for. He told me that he did not think the meals would actually take that long. I hope not - I don't want to be tied up for 2 long meals on a 3-day cruise.

 

[mcd2745]

I've cruised RCCL twice before, never on NCL. I really like the idea behind "Dynamic Dining" (and understand it is a take on NCL's "Freestyle" cruising). My one concern would be, and some of the posts here confirm it, about it being executed smoothly.


What I like:

- That they designated one restaurant as formal every night. This way, the people who like that crap can go there as much as they want, and folks like me can avoid it (and forml wear) altogether.

- The idea of not being tied to the same dinner time every night. A given day's schedule might make your dinner time very incovenient. For example, what if you have a lot of time in a particular port, and don't have to be back onboard the ship until the evening? Normally, you'd feel like you need to rush back to the ship early to make your dinner time. In that scenario, you can make your reservation later for that night. With the standard dining times, sometimes your daily schedule gets a little monotonous.

- I like that if you know you enjoy a particular restarant or a particular dish (and aren't the most adventurous eater), you can return multiple days for what you know you will enjoy. And you can avoild certain restaurants/cuisine you know you do not like.

I'm also not that hung up on the whole "same servers every night" thing. I don't get attached to them. I've never become pen pals or Facebook friends with my servers like some people on these boards have done.


I was serously considering a cruise on Quantum, especially since they were supposed to only sail from NY/NJ. But then they changed their minds on that. Plus, there was a little sticker shock anyway on the sailings they are doing out of here. Same thing happened with NCL's breakway. I was hoping the competition of having a second big, new ship sailing exclusively out of NY/NJ would allow for some better pricing. But now that may have to wait until the Anthem comes to town.

 

[fluffysue]

My issue with the formal restaurant concept is that I have the feeling that it is the one that will most replicate the main dining room experience a lot of people enjoy, and I am not packing 8 formal dresses so I can eat there every night! I hope the other restaurants have a similar nice atmosphere and level of service we typically experience. And shrimp cocktail. The one thing I like to have every night, because I don't eat it often in real life between the cholesterol and the fact that it is usually outrageously priced for the few shrimp you typically get. I only saw it on the menu at the formal restaurant (of course it says "prawn" which I was pretty sure was a fancy word for shrimp, but had to google to make sure. ).

 

[WDWFANCBIIIME]

This is not an innovation RCCL has dreamed up - it is a straight up imitation of NCL's Freestyle Dining. Many dining venues to choose from; some included in the base fare and some with upcharges.

I have to say I apologize you are RIGHT about NCL Freestyle being essentially the same concept!

I hadn't researched NCL a ton however now that I have I realized that I sounded like a fool... So please forgive me and my arrogance!

 

[gracie1]

When can you start making online reservations? Does it open up so many months prior to your sailing date?

I just booked Anthem of the Seas - so this dining is new to me!

 

[WDWFANCBIIIME]

When can you start making online reservations? Does it open up so many months prior to your sailing date?

I just booked Anthem of the Seas - so this dining is new to me!

From what I've read its really random to when it opens up... I've heard 50-90 days (If your on Anthem I'm sure you have plenty of time)

 

[Laz]

I am an old time cruiser, so most of you would correctly assume that I prefer traditional dinning. We just got back from a 2 week B2B cruise on the Jewel of the Seas. We had 6 pm traditional dinning and during the first week we had a GREAT experience with our server. When we found out that she would not be our server the next week (our table was the same, she was to be rotated), we talked to the head waiter and he made it happen--she was not rotated! What a GREAT dinning experience. A couple of days before the 4th of July, our table was talking amongst themselves that it would be wonderful to have apple pie and ice cream for dessert in celebration of Independence Day. Low and behold, she made it happen! We were the only table in the dinning room with warm apple pie and ice cream. The last night was hugs and pictures all around (along with an extra gratuity for her, of course) This is what traditional dinning on a cruise ship is all about.

If you want a specific dinning times/days/locations, you can use an age-old cruise technique: As soon as you can, go see the Matre' De (SP?) and ask. Just make sure that when you shake his hand at greeting, you palm a bill with I nice-size dollar amount into his hand. I have been cruising since 1982, and this has never failed for me

 

[woody73]

I think the worst part is, that I apparently need to decide NOW where and when I want to eat in January.

Really?

We have cruised many times on NCL and RCI (as well as DCL and several others).

Dynamic Dining is modeled after NCL's Freestyle Dining. The advantage to these programs is the flexibility -- no set dining times or location.

While we like DCL's rotational dining, it is very inflexible. After a full day in port, if we are hungry and have late dining, it can be a long wait until dinner. And too often we would "snack" on chicken tenders and fries while waiting for our dining time, spoiling our appetite.

With NCL's Freestyle Dining (and RCI's My Time Dining), we could simply eat when we wanted to. This flexibility is especially nice on port-intensive cruises. We also like that NCL and RCI both offer a full buffet as another dining option.

Our most recent NCL cruise was a 12-night Mediterranean cruise. We ate in the non-upcharge restaurants, made no reservations, and only waited once -- for about five minutes -- for a table.

YMMV

Woody

 

[gracie1]

So my next question - the cruise we were previously on we prepaid gratuities and they left the envelopes in our room at the end of the trip to give to the waiters, etc. How does it work with the prepaid gratuities now? If we are dining at a different place each night does RC just distribute gratuities or do we have to give envelopes each night?

 

[woody73]

. . . How does it work with the prepaid gratuities now? If we are dining at a different place each night does RC just distribute gratuities . . .

Yes.

Woody

 

[WDWFANCBIIIME]

I love hearing everyones opinions on the Dynamic and Freestyle dining options -

I like the idea of planning ahead and making reservations in advance but not for every night - I also really agree with what others said about DCL having a lull in the evening if you will, in March I was late dining on the Magic and every night it was pretty boring from 6:30 or 7:00 to 8:30...

I can't wait to sail RCCL in February and NCL to Alaska in July I think at that point I can really compare every experience from the traditional Dining at DCL to the Freestyle on NCL

 

[WDWFANCBIIIME]

Did everyone see that RCCL is bringing Dynamic Dining to Oasis of the Seas!?!

Really surprised me as they have just put most of their ships through Dry Dock and no Dynamic dining? Must be keeping it to Oasis class and Quantum class ships