Royal Caribbean is testing a major change to the main dining room menu. We’ve got all the latest Royal Caribbean cruise news right now!
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36 Comments
I've been watching the price for a cruise on Wonder and the price has not changed. They jacked all the prices up to offer a sale and it's the same thing with drink and internet packages or at least for the things I've been looking at.
I really dislike when a "hand full" of people complain about the MDR eating time is too long. I can't believe Royal Caribbean fell for this. I love and I am quite sure others do too, love the relax feeling of being waited on and served without rushing out of the dinning room. The people who eat out at restaurants know for a fact you must eat and get out. So, when we cruise I don't want that restaurant behavior. Here is a suggestion, if cruisers feel they want to get out quickly, Royal why don't you have one floor for the fast eaters with the change menu and have the other floor for the more relax eaters and keep the same menu.
Those of us with sufficient intelligence to see through the RCCL “trying to speed up the dining experience” smokescreen realize that the MDRs have been extremely understaffed for many years pre-pandemic. Remember when there were Busboys as well as Assistants and Waiters? Remember when your waitstaff didn’t have a dozen tables to administer simultaneously? MDR dining should be a true dining experience. The Windjammer is there for those who wish to partake in a scarf and barf session. The advent and emphasis of “Specialty Dining” is the kryptonite of the MDR and has negatively affected the overall quality of the Main Dining Room.
1 hour max our less for a couple. 1-1.5 hours or less for 4+ is what I feel is acceptable in my opinion.
Cruised on Enchantment this year, and service was fantastic but incredibly slow. They gave us so many excuses (everyone ordering the same thing, covid, etc.).
I don't want to be speeded up when I dine, and I would like there to be something on the menu my husband will eat. Without the classics, there won't be much available most nights. Yes, he's extraordinarily picky, but one of the reasons we cruise is because there is ALWAYS plain chicken available. We're on Enchantment in February, and we'll be really upset if they're doing this, particularly since it's a ship without a lot of specialty options. I did actually email them about this.
NOTTTTT GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOD
13 night Odyssey TA, the chicken was incinerated every night. There was no tender chicken anywhere. It was pathetic.
They could make the onion soup smaller. It’s a chore to eat it gracefully.
The MDR steaks are horrible cuts. Tough, gristly. 🥴.
I’m about to bring my own salad dressing
The menu changes are a cash grab to get you to buy specialty dining.
I’m afraid to see menus on the 10/27/23 odyssey’s sailing. 15 nights of weird meals.
I am definitely not loving the less options in MDR🥺. And I LOVE lobster night. Ugh. I wouldn't mind faster service however there should be no limits on food to achieve that in my opinion. I would be seriously upset if they do what Carnival did also. A huge draw to me on the ship is the idea that I can try new things without consequence.
They do NOT care about expanding customer service. It’s all about money, money, money! What a shame. I love diverse menu.
I would say 75-90 minutes is a decent timeframe for a three to four course restaurant meal
I actually really love the idea of the menu changes. I know how tricky kitchens can be on land and simplification can make a BIG difference in meal times, quality, and service. I think a lot of those 'classics' are better served in the Windjammer.
Getting rid of underperforming food options is also a great financial idea as we head into a period where food prices continue to remain volatile.
We have our 2nd RCCL cruise coming up in January. Our first was 20 years ago. The first cruise was so bad we said we'd never cruise on RCCL again. Time has passed and we've done 20+ cruises with other lines since. So we thought we'd give them another shot due to the itinerary this one had. So after 20 years, to start hearing that they want to charge $17 for an extra puny lobster tail, it's looking like this might be the last one for sure. Are they going to start charging us to use the AC in the room as well?? Where does this cheapness stop? That applies for all cruise lines, not just RCCL. Here's an idea. Give the customer what they want and expect and don't waste money on that stupid new HQ building! Man, I'm already not looking forward to this cruise!
cool
Hi, do you work with royal Carribbian or do you just do a lot of cruising. If so what position are you in.
If you want to eat in a hurry, go to the wind jammer. I do agree with the extra charge for more lobster though. Last cruise I was on a guy ordered 11 – ate 9 and sent 2 back! Our poor server was sweating because he was so demanding. She did her absolute best.
As a vegetarian a reduced menu could mean only 1 option available to me each night, and a ‘get what you get’ mentality. Doesn’t seem fair if I don’t happen to like the 1 option for that night.
I like choices and being married to a somewhat picky eater if the becomes the norm for RCL we will be going elsewhere for future cruise vacations.
Would be nice to have a list of the ports and the current ships assigned.
Royal Caribbean is not the only game in town. We have 15 going on the SOTS. It has to be a great experience for all, if not our next cruise will not be RC. The MDR is part of the the cruise experience.
always want more options, and taking our time for dinner is one of the most enjoyable parts of the cruise. I don't want to be rushed in and out the door
We recently sailed on Explorer. As a rule we enjoy a pre dinner cocktail and asked the waitstaff to hold off our appetizers for a little while but it never went as planned. At least they did arrive after the drinks, so that was something. I never find dinner too long. This past cruise we had 7:30 reservations and always made it to the theater in plenty of time. I recall one night, I ordered the Cod in a lemon butter sauce which I found much too rich for my taste. The following day there were chocolate covered strawberries in our cabin. We went down to guest services to find out who sent them. It was our wonderful head waitress to make up for the fish I didn’t care for. It’s experiences like that that keeps me loyal to Royal.
We just booked a Norway cruise for 2024 on Anthem after watching a video I loved from Views & Queues. We generally book a year in advance for everything besides Caribbean cruises. You’re right about the prices.
I was on the Serenade of the Seas with a large group. The items on the dining room menu were limited. The food was absolutely lousy. Everyone in our group complained about the food. Tough steaks that were overcooked. Chicken that you couldn't cut with your knife. Escargot was cold. The prime rib was tough. I went to breakfast in the Dining Room and waited over 30 minutes for food. ?? They do not care about their customers.
We like to set our own pace. The last thing we want is to wait on the staff.
The dining room is the best dining experience I've had on Royal Caribbean. I don't like being rushed.
How about ask RCCL what is the guest capacity versus staff capacity? I know from my experience RCCL has cut staff by double digits versus running at full guest capacity. Ask RCCL what are their NPS scores for 2019 versus 20,21 and year to date 2022.
They are yet again REDUCING the guest experience to save dollars at the risk of their brand.
FYI name one business that knows exactly how many and what kind of customers are going to use your product or service days before it actually happens? It’s an open book test. As for how long or short dinner should be that never was an issue for 2005 to 2019 for over 30 cruises I have taken as the staff was able to always speed or slow main dining room service based upon the guest request.
The new CEO’s tone deaf strategies have nothing to do with the guest experience and more about cost cutting.
On the new Norwegian Prima, the MDR menu is the same every night. But they may have specials.
We are sailing to Alaska in July 2024 in a 2 BR suite + a balcony. 2 are vegan and 2 are vegetarian. DW hates Cesar salad, risotto and eggplant. So those nights she either starves or needs an accommodation slowing down service. Other nights the 4 all have to eat the same meal with ZERO options. Not ok when we are spending huge amounts for 7 of us. Not well thought out. Plan appears to have developed by accounting to save money with no regard for passengers.
I honestly wonder how much my time dining messes up the whole operation. I remember when the MDR was super fast with way better food. We're talking over 10 years ago. Thinking logically when the main dining room knows they only have to prep for two meal times I think they were easily cranking out quality food and service. Since NCL paived the way for eat when you want I feel like Royal felt like they had to do the same thing and that messes with wait times on even those who choose a seating and those who do my time dining… I have noticed the past 3 cruises I have been on even pre pandemic the service in the MDR had been pretty long. I know it varies but 60-90 min should be the longest. Lately it seems you have to carve out 2 hours for main dining.
Not a fan of cutting the menu selections. As a customer with severe food allergies, I often have to fall back to the four basics. Also, our granddaughter relies on the basics almost exclusively.
Dinner takes as long as it takes. 🙂
Hey Matt, at the end of the video you say it is possible for Canadians to reprice their cruise. Can you elaborate? I tried repricing online and the website said it was only possible within 48 hours of booking. Will they really do it over the phone?
Literally the spaghetti bolognese always being there is the reason i sail Royal Caribbean instead of other lines
The dining room experience has gotten frustrating enough I’m looking to go back to a fixed time, probably late seating. I liked the original flex dining; show up, get a table (shared), and enjoy dinner. Then they wanted reservations.. which they auto-place for every night of the cruise. Then they limit you to a specific section. I got seriously annoyed on my last cruise when I went at my reserved time (8:00), and was told it would be 10-15 minutes and they’d grab me when my table was ready. At 8:45 I’m still waiting, the dining room closes in 15 minutes, and I’m both hungry and annoyed. On my next two cruises I’m going to look into changing to a fixed dining again.
I made a planned cruise ship from canada trying to send it to the royal Caribbean headquarters in Miami called the “Autumn of the seas”
I don’t understand how the classics, which they could probably prepare blindfolded by now, are what is slowing them down. If someone doesn’t get an item from the classics then they are going to get some other dish which will also take time to prepare.