New to RCCL and am completely confused, what are all these different dining plans?

[sam_gordon]

RC newbie here sailing on the Navigator in November. With MTD, are you seated with other people? If we want to avoid that, what's the best eating strategy? We're only a party of two.

It's up to you if you're seated with someone else. When you make the reservations, you should have the option to select 'with others' or 'by ourselves' (I don't remember the exact wording). You can change your mind if you'd like also, just let them know when you check in at the dining room.

I will say DW & I sat "alone" on the Oasis, but another couple were very close by (just enough width between tables for the waiter).

 

[ThistleMae]

Royal is also in the process of abandoning the MDR on some ships. This morning I booked Allure for May 2016, and they told me that she will not have the MDR when we sail her. It will be replaced by at least 3 no-fee restaurants and the entire ship will be Dynamic Dining like Quantum is rolling out with.

Good to know. I've been looking at RCCL and did not care for their dining options. I did see they are changing to Dynamic Dining on Quantum but couldn't find the right cruise port for me on this ship. Also, what about the dress code? Are they becoming more flexible?

 

[sam_gordon]

Good to know. I've been looking at RCCL and did not care for their dining options. I did see they are changing to Dynamic Dining on Quantum but couldn't find the right cruise port for me on this ship. Also, what about the dress code? Are they becoming more flexible?

How much more flexible do you want them to be?

FWIW, I've also heard plans for Dynamic Dining have been shelved (maybe it was just on a single ship).

 

[Patience]

Do all MDR tables have to share with strangers? We are a party of four or five (still undecided) and prefer to sit by ourselves.

On our cruise last week, we had the early seating in the main dining room. About a week before we sailed, our travel agent requested that we be assigned a four seat table for the four of us. We were assigned to a lovely four seat table right beside the windows.

 

[bumbershoot]

I've been looking at RCCL and did not care for their dining options.

What don't you like about the dining options? Dynamic has been, at the very least, pushed out until later on the ships they were talking about it on. But there's two main seatings, and also "my time", which means you can book whenever you want ahead of time or once on the ship or as each day comes, or you can just go and be seated whenever you wish. (remembering that there might be people in front of you)

Also, what about the dress code? Are they becoming more flexible?

I just read that on one ship, at least, they are enforcing the "no shorts in the dining room" rule after the first night. They *have been* flexible, but it sounds like you're just going to miss that.

 

[MinMou]

Royal originally had 2 dining times with set tables, like Disney. Then to compete with Norwegian, and other cruise lines that have open seating, they instituted My Time Dining, where you can make a reservation for dinner at different times every night, or you can show up and take what table is available. On ships where they do this, they normally have one floor of the dining room dedicated to people who have a set dinner time, and the My Time Dining on a different deck. (If you don't want to sit with people you don't know, I recommend making a reservation and stating that you want a table just for your party.) This is now very common on major cruise lines.

Now with the new Quantum of the Seas, I guess Royal decided that it is too hard to schedule a set dining hour with set tables, so they have instituted Dynamic Dining, which was explained in a previous post. I have not cruised on a ship with this, but I would guess that you could request a table just for your party when you make your reservation for dinner.

 

[ThistleMae]

What don't you like about the dining options? Dynamic has been, at the very least, pushed out until later on the ships they were talking about it on. But there's two main seatings, and also "my time", which means you can book whenever you want ahead of time or once on the ship or as each day comes, or you can just go and be seated whenever you wish. (remembering that there might be people in front of you)



I just read that on one ship, at least, they are enforcing the "no shorts in the dining room" rule after the first night. They *have been* flexible, but it sounds like you're just going to miss that.

 

[ThistleMae]

Sorry if I am unfamiliar with RCCL's dining and dress protocol. I've been a NCL cruiser and dinning is just so easy. The dress expectation is casual. I would really like to try RCCL's Quantum ship but was concerned that it would be too formal and that I'd have to make every dining reservation. Planning around shows and activities makes your time less flexible when you are restricted to eating at particular times. So...I read that they are going to be implementing new dining protocol on the new ships. I'm curious as to how this compares to freestyle dining?

 

[MinMou]

Quantum will probably be the least formal of all the ships, since they don't have one main dining room. They may still have a formal night, but if you don't want to dress up, you don't have to. Except for the first night, they do not allow shorts at dinner at most venues except for the buffet, but that is true of most cruise lines. There are people who like to dress up, so a formal night is something for those people. And to be truthful, my DH likes renting and having a tux brought straight to our cabin, since that way he has less to pack. But that's not for everyone, and Royal Caribbean is one of the cruise lines that understands that. You will see people in tuxes talking to people in shorts at bars and in the casino, and no one thinks twice. After all, we are all on vacation!