Another strong rumour is that both ships will have a Jamie Oliver Italian alternative restaurant on-board. (UK Celebrity Chef).

There's a piece on my blog about RC's new 'Dynamic Dining':

http://malcolmoliver.wordpress.com/2014/03/25/will-quantum-have-virtual-dining

[ 03-26-2014: Message edited by: Malcolm @ cruisepage ]

Oceania has no assigned seating and we had great mates every night of both cruises.

On a 14 day voyage different dining venues is good, but on a 5 day milk run?

Even the oldest of the Royal Caribbean and Carnival ships have at least 2 dining choices: Buffet and dining room.

The LoveBoats with one dining room had a different ethnic theme every night, but the unadventurous could still order from the Ruby Tuesday or Wimpy's menu.

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Originally posted by Mattsudds:

This also means RCCL move away from the social aspect of shared tables. So will Carnival react with the Vista?

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I see the massive buffet areas with sections cordenned off with table cloths and waiter service, like the Kings Cross on QM2. With each section a different theme.

As to $$$ dining --IMHO NOT WORTH the extra cost!!! You have already paid for your meals as part of the cruise fare!!

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Originally posted by Mattsudds:
The Dynamic dining concept is a massive change for RCCL.

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Yes Matt, this is like the fall of communism (MDR) and the triumph of Capitalism (Freestyle)!

The problem is that 18 dining options means ship packed with dining rooms, galleys and entertainment venues. There's no room for the "Wow" spaces that we associate with RCL: No Central parks, Tall Atriums, Ice Rinks, Royal proms or many double height rooms.

If we forget the kids-gimmicks on deck, why should us grown-ups cruise on quantum over Breakaway/Getaway? They have the lovely 'Waterfront' feature, after all.

NCL's Waterfront is nice but it was a major bust all winter on the Breakaway with the cold and snow and wind and all. Passengers can not use those spaces for the first day or two and the last day or two of the cruise and even then the wind at sea sailing from New York makes the spaces less attractive.

Royal Caribbean seems to be planing to take the whole dining concept up a notch. Compare NCL's Olive Garden / Spaghetti House Italian to Jamie Oliver's Italian for example. However I agree the whole idea of having to make reservations months in advance and plan out cruise day by day that early is the least exciting part of the idea.

Maybe I am spoiled because living in New York and traveling you get the opportunity to have good food on a regular basis. But for me the dining in general is for "middle America" where all of this seems to be a lot more exciting.

Specifically on NCL some of the locals have impressed me with good food and a nice concept. I liked the cook to order in the lido on the prior generation but the newest ones seem to have forgone that I guess because of the numbers they have to serve at lunch time for example. I saw much less cook to order versus the Norwegian Pearl and Gem for example.

Some of the restaurants seem to be homogenized to produce food that suits the general public's tastes. The Italian is one example for me. We get much better Italian food at our local Italian grocery than on the NCL ships. To me it seems like and looks like a Spaghetti House (or in the USA we have Olive Garden). Sort of bland and sort of what the mass audience imagines should be Italian food. I have not had the opportunity to try Ocean Blue and at $50 a head I am not sure I would .... it seems simply too expensive for a cruise but maybe the food is worth it. It would be a "special occasion" local and I know getting reservations has been very hard.

Cunard hosted an event that I attended in the QM2's restaurant and I was under-whelmed. Service was slow, the food was luke warm, etc. When I crossed on QM2 I did not go because I was happy with the Grill and people from my table went and came back saying the same about the food, etc. They had a second reservation which they canceled.

I like the ideas and where NCL, Royal Caribbean generally are going but I still like to have a main room as well. I wonder if they will be able to join people up or have communal tables going in at least some of the restaurants? Especially since both are trying to encourage single travelers, what do they do? If I am traveling single how do I make reservations months in advance? Or do I just get the "left over" spots if I wait till I get on the ship?

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Originally posted by SSTRAVELER:

I have to wonder if it works on Quantum will it be retrofitted to the Allure, Oasis and the older ships quickly?

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Originally posted by Frosty 4:
Consider this. what is purposed is a 50/50 split between the free venues and $$$ venues.
When the free ones are booked solid this leaves only the $$$ dining. Just another way to get your money.
If this happens RCL will be placed on my list of cruise lines NOT to cruise on.
Not WOW RCL but BOW WOW!!!
Frosty 4

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We heard many complaints about the Oasis class before they entered service and there were no issues and those ships have been some of the most popular ships in service.

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Originally posted by Frosty 4:
Consider this. what is purposed is a 50/50 split between the free venues and $$$ venues.

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It's worse than that - I believe there are 18 dining options and only 5 are included in the fare.

I've cruised with both NCL and RCL and my on-board account always has a bigger total, when I disembark an NCL ships!

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Originally posted by Atlcruiser:
At this point RCI has not released the size of the four main non fee dining rooms.

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I believe there are five which are classed as 'main' dining rooms. Four at located together on decks 3/4. There's not a lot of windows (or not very big windows) I note. The 5th 'Costal Kitchen (deck 14) is for selected cabin grades.

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Originally posted by Malcolm @ cruisepage:

Personally I find with NCL that you have to pay for alternative dining if you want an evening meal and service better than mediocre.

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Originally posted by PamM:
They will be similar - re your other post, NCL already have Hot Dog carts.

Pam

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Last summer I saw it outside Ocean Blue and a little bit to the aft on the Norwegian Breakaway's waterfront. But a friend who was on the ship this winter said it was no where to be found.