So what if you want to stay at the resort a little longer, drink another pina colada on the beach or watch the sunset into the ocean….. will you miss dinner totally?

This post comes from a phone call I received today asking about the dining options.

First off let’s get the jargon straight.

My Time Dining: Royal Caribbean’s phrase for flex dining between 6:00 pm and 9:30 pm. RCCL offers My Time Dining on the following ships: Oasis of the Seas, Legend of the Seas, Enchantment of the Seas, Brilliance of the Seas, Freedom of the Seas, Serenade of the Seas, Monarch of the Seas, Jewel of the Seas, Radiance of the Seas and Independence of the Seas.

Your Time Dining: Carnival coined this phrase for their flexible dining option. You can walk up and eat pretty much at any time between 5:45 pm and 9:30 pm. Currently Your Time Dining is available on the following ships: Liberty, Legend, Sensation, Fantasy, Paradise, Miracle, Conquest, Ecstasy, Elation, Pride, Spirit, Dream, Victory and Freedom.

The menus for these dining options are typically the same as the main seating, the meals are served in the general (main) dining area and once you started eating, no additional guests will be seated at your table (awesome). There is also a maximum guest limit for flex dining, so book early!

You must sign up for these dining options and pre-pay your gratuities.

Anne sits down with us and chats about her weekend voyage aboard the Oasis.  Find out the pro’s and con’s of this mammoth ship!

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  Both Royal Caribbean International and Holland America Line have noted a shift toward more beer consumption and are responding accordingly.

“Due to the economy, one trend we are noticing is that many guests are opting for beer as their beverage of choice rather than wine, champagne and mixed cocktails,” said Oliver Hammerer, director of beverage and signature services at Holland America. “We still see a high consumption of wine and mixed drinks, but not as much as in the recent past.”

To compensate, Holland America has increased happy hours fleet-wide every day in two bar locations, lowering prices and offering daily specials at various times during the day and evening. The line has also added more packages and programs, such as the Girl’s Night Out or Guy’s Night Out packages, and has increased its number of mixing classes and tastings, Hammerer said.

Royal Caribbean has “seen a shift to more beer consumption when guests’ decision processes are unaided,” said Beverage Manager Bob Midyette. “So we have further strengthened our onboard beverage marketing to help drive guest awareness of other beverage items we wish to target.”

Likewise, Carnival Cruise Lines has seen a decrease in consumption of super premium wines and spirits, “but overall consumption remains consistent,” said Paul Shea, director of bar operations at Carnival. “So people are trading down a bit.”

Carnival has responded with the introduction last year of larger, premium-branded cocktails, which Shea said have met with “tremendous success.” Nevertheless the old standby, beer by the bucket, is still very popular, he added.

At Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL) the shift has led guests away from the mainstream. “Over the past couple of years more and more guests are moving away from the norm and trying something different and unique,” said Corporate Beverage Specialist Eric Brown. “Two years ago you would only see strawberry daiquiris and pina coladas on the pool deck. Now you see mangopolitans, fresh lime margaritas and sparkling fresh fruit spritzers.”

Royal Caribbean Evolves Culinary Experiences With Al-Fresco Seating, Gourmet Venues And My Time Dining

Oasis of the Seas will set the stage for Royal Caribbean International’s culinary innovations. The world’s most revolutionary cruise ship will offer guests more variety and flexibility than ever before, thanks to 24 distinct dining experiences, ranging from an exclusive signature restaurant, to neighborhood-specific themed venues and new twists on the global brand’s traditions.

“Oasis of the Seas showcases the evolution of Royal Caribbean dining,” said Adam Goldstein, president and CEO, Royal Caribbean International. “Both the new concepts and the established Royal Caribbean offerings found throughout the neighborhoods are designed to meet contemporary dining standards, cater to individual preferences and schedules and foster epicurean curiosity. With so many options, guests could choose a new place to dine for every meal.”

Fleetwide, Royal Caribbean strives to deliver the best dining experience possible by continuously developing innovative programs and upholding the highest culinary standards. As guests expectations continue to rise, the global cruise line introduces new elements of variety and flexibility, such as My Time Dining and My Family Time Dining. In addition, Royal Caribbean trains and certifies all culinary chefs through the American Culinary Federation’s accredited education program and implements U.S. training standards of safe alcohol service.

From breakfast to late night snacks, guest’s onboard Oasis of the Seas can find an extensive variety of food and beverage offerings, available at no extra charge, that will satisfy any craving, providing more options for breakfast, lunch and dinner than Royal Caribbean guests have ever had before.

Central Park
150 Central Park – The most exclusive dining venue on Oasis of the Seas, 150 Central Park will provide an intimate dining experience that will combine leading-edge cuisine with modern design, creating a trendy upscale ambiance. Signature features will include a tasting menu with customized wine pairings. Open for dinner; $35 cover charge.

Giovanni’s Table – This Tuscan countryside influenced trattoria will be a more-accessible, casual Italian restaurant featuring both indoor and al fresco seating. Giovanni’s Table will offer rustic dishes with a contemporary flair, including toasted herbal breads, pizzas, salads, pastas, Italian sandwiches, braised meat dishes and stews, all served family-style. Open for lunch and dinner; $10 lunch and $15 dinner cover charge.

Park Café – A casual dining choice providing a high level of variety and flexibility, Park Café will be an indoor/outdoor gourmet market with walk-up counters. From freshly prepared salads and madeto- order sandwiches, to paninis, crepes and hearty soups, guests will order directly from the chefs behind food stations. European pastries, sublime chocolates and decadent fudge will round out the offerings. Open for breakfast, lunch, snacks, dinner and late night treats.

Vintages – Always a popular hot spot for Royal Caribbean guests on Voyager- and Freedom-class ships, the Vintages wine bar will evolve into a larger space on Oasis of the Seas. Great for a pre-dinner rendezvous, Vintages will provide a selection of cheeses and a broad tapas menu to accompany a robust selection of fine wines, from a tropical white Riesling to a mocha-inflected Merlot. Open for lunch and dinner; á la carte pricing.

Chops Grille – Continuing the tradition, Royal Caribbean’s popular signature steakhouse will offer premium cut, quality meats. Guests can choose to enjoy the upscale, contemporary setting indoors with views of Central Park or al fresco. Open for dinner; $25 cover charge.

Boardwalk
Seafood Shack – The indoor/outdoor casual family restaurant will bring the surf style of beach side amusement parks to the Boardwalk, serving a variety of seafood, as well an extensive beverage menu of non-alcoholic cocktails and over-sized desserts. Open for lunch and dinner; $7.95 lunch and $9.95 dinner cover charge.

Boardwalk Bar – The main bar in the Boardwalk will offer on-the-go snacks and a variety of prepackaged sandwiches, fruit and salads. Open for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Donut Shop – Guests can stop into the classically styled shop for a casual snack any time of day. Open for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Ice Cream Parlor – The 1950’s styled ice cream venue will display classic sundaes and a variety of ice cream flavors and toppings to choose from and then mixed-to-order on a frozen slab. Open throughout the day; á la carte pricing.

Johnny Rockets – Extending the signature “eat-ertainment” hours, a diner breakfast menu will be introduced. Open for breakfast, lunch and dinner; $3.95 breakfast and $4.95 lunch and dinner cover charge.

The Royal Promenade
Mondo Cafe – This new addition to the Royal Promenade will feature coffee, sandwiches and pastries native to countries such as Italy, Spain and Cuba. Steps from Boleros and open around the clock, it is sure to be popular after an evening on the dance floor. Open for breakfast, lunch, snacks, dinner and late night treats.

Sorrento’s Pizzeria – The New York style pizzeria will feature a more extensive menu with madeto- order pizza pies and slices, in addition to the ready-made selections introduced with the Freedomclass ships. Open for lunch, dinner and late night snacks.

Café Promenade – Located on the opposite end of the Royal Promenade from the Mondo Cafe, the popular café will continue serving Seattle’s Best Coffee, fruit shakes, pastries and sandwiches throughout the day and night. Open 24 hours; á la carte pricing.

The Pool and Sports Zone
Solarium Bistro – Located in the Solarium the contemporary bistro will offer health-conscious dining for breakfast and lunch in a casual setting. In the evenings, Solarium Bistro will transform into a romantic and intimate dining setting for specialty healthy-fare dinner and dancing under the stars. Open for breakfast, lunch and dinner; dinner has a $20 cover charge.

The Wipe Out Café – The casual self-service buffet will offer a variety of options from pizza, hamburgers, sandwiches and fresh salads to quick snacks and desserts, for young cruisers on-the-go. Open for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Vitality at Sea Spa and Fitness Center
The Vitality Café – Located at the entrance of the Vitality at Sea Spa and Fitness Center, the Vitality Café will feature healthy snacks, sandwiches, wraps and fruit, in addition to refreshing juices and smoothies from the Vitality spa menu for the calorie conscious guest. Open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

New Twists on Fleet Fixtures
Opus Dining Room – The three-level main dining room will revive the grandeur of the 1920s and feature French art deco design. Catering to guests’ varying preferences, the newly introduced My Time Dining and My Family Time Dining, as well as the traditional main and late seating options will be offered. My Time Dining provides guests with the option to enjoy the dining room ambiance with Royal Caribbean’s renowned Gold Anchor Service whenever they wish during dining hours. Guests choosing My Time Dining will not have a pre-assigned table, but will be seated in the ships main dining room and will order from the same traditional dinner menu. My Time Dining guests can make daily reservations for specific seating times or choose to walk in. My Family Time Dining accommodates parents and children by offering an expedited 40-minute dining service for young cruisers, ages 3-11. Open for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Windjammer Marketplace – Offering the utmost flexibility for breakfast, lunch and dinner, this next generation of the brand staple will feature multiple islands, each serving a variety casual buffet fare.
Izumi – The new Asian cuisine restaurant will feature a sushi bar and hot rock cooking, as well as other Asian fare in a more formal setting. Open for lunch and dinner; á la carte pricing.

In-Stateroom Service – Guests wanting to enjoy a meal in the comfort of their staterooms will be able to choose from the complimentary breakfast, lunch and dinner menus, as well as the recently introduced Dine in Delights menu, which offers name-brand culinary options ranging from the Original Johnny Rockets hamburger to Ghirardelli Chocolate Cookies. Open 24 hours; á la carte pricing for Dine In Delights and $3.95 service charge for in-room deliveries between 12:00 a.m. and 5:00 a.m.

Courtesy of Royal Caribbean

Royal Caribbeans new marketing campaign

Royal Caribbean has a new marketing campaign, calling themselves the “Nation of Why Not.”   Well starting today Royal Caribbean is putting a twist on things and not helping the crazy cruisers like me!

Starting today Royal Caribbean will film and debut a series of television spots starring real guests enjoying a variety of “Why Not” experiences on board Liberty of the Seas during a seven-night Western Caribbean cruise, sailing July 11 to 18. Dubbed “Postcards from the Nation of Why Not,” this series of commercials will mark the first time television viewers on land can experience an actual cruise while it is happening. Great idea, sure. To me a lot things that happen at sea….. should stay at sea!! haha

We heard the ship docking about 6 am and it awoke us so we knew our journey was almost over. 

 If you want to carry your bags off, RCCL offers express departure between 730-830 am, so we decided to take advantage of that.  Breakfast was available in both dining rooms, we skipped it though to give us more time. If you check your bags, RCCL offers something that other cruise lines I have traveled do not offer, you can stay in your room until your bag tag is called. Usually you have to be out of your room by 8:00 am.  That alone sells me to come back to RCL… moving on. 

 About 7:45 we grabbed our bags and headed to deck four.  Getting off the ship was well organized and flawless. We proceeded directly through the terminal and onto customs. Customs officials had two lines, one line for non citizens and the other for US citizens.  We showed the paperwork and by 8:15 we were in the car and headed home. Stopped at cracker barrel to grab some breakfast and back home in Jacksonville by 11:00 am.

Overall it was a great cruise.  One again the staff at RCCL outdid themselves. The staff was super friendly, acknowledged you by name, the ship was very clean, and the excursions were great!

Thanks to a fellow cruiser Meghann for the picture. She has a cool blog about all the food on the cruise ship… check it out ! http://graduatemeghann.com/

View of ship from Senor Frogs

After a fun afternoon and evening of meeting people yesterday, day two is here. Destination Nassau, Bahamas.  We woke about 8 am, had breakfast at the Windjammer cafe. Went for a little walk to let the food settle and then headed to the gym about 9 am.  The gym is in the very back of the ship overlooking the stern of the vessel, great view!  A lot of people had the same work out idea that I had, the gym was packed.  After the gym, being a workaholic, I had to stop and check my email. The internet on the ship is .55 cents a minute, you can also choose a pre-paid package for 28 bucks, that prorated to .47 cents a minute. Either or, you gotta have it.

Early morning showers gave way to a beautiful day on the island. We arrived in Nassau right on time. Can I just say the navigation skills of the captain docking the ship is amazing. The captain backed the ship into a small berth like it was nothing.  We were all tied up and ready to leave the ship from deck 1 at noon.  Before leaving the ship make sure you have cash, your ID, and your sea pass card to get back on. Swiping the sea pass card lets the ship know whose on and whose off. 

We didn’t eat lunch on the ship and went straight to Senor Frogs.  Country music superstar, Reba was  at the Atlantis Resort for a private concert so all my co workers were already on the island for the show, they flew in on Thursday.  

 If you have never been to Senor Frogs, its a party atmosphere with live dancing,conga lines, free shots, etc. If you plan to go there, you may want to eat lunch on the ship first. We had lunch there with the coworkers, two entrees and two drinks was 70 bucks.  See the video a couple posts down for our time at frogs!

About 5 pm we said farewell to the coworkers and made our way back to the ship. It took a while cause there was a big festival set up on the pier for July 4th. I believe its a week long celebration cause Bahamas celebrates its Independence day July 10. 

Back on the ship we went to the room and took a cat nap and woke back up at 6 pm to get ready for the captains cocktail party, which is formal attire.  The cocktail party was at 7:30 pm is a welcome reception that the captain throws complimentary drinks and snacks are included.  The captain did a speech at about 8:15 and than it was time to head to the dining room for the captains formal dinner. A variety to choose from on the menu, I had the Caesar salad, shrimp cocktail, sirloin, and banana cake with a scoop of ice cream for dessert.

After dinner, we went up to the viking lounge, which remember is a 360 degree unrestricted view, about 140 feet above sea level, from there we watched the fireworks from the Atlantis Resort on Paradise Island. Very cool!  We eased onto the room and changed for the midnight buffet. You want to talk about a spread. There was every kind of food imaginable on the buffet all the way to a roasted pig, poor piggy.  We ate entirely too much but well worth it. Finally after lots more food and a couple pineapple drinks we called it a night.  In bed by 2 am.

To be continued…

Noon on the Monarch of the Seas

We got to the cruise port at 11:30, checked in, which was a breeze, and went to deck 11 to grab lunch.  There was plenty of food and a huge assortment.  A salad bar, carving station, dessert station, and hot bar.  We were one of the first people on the ship.  At 1 pm the door barriers were rolled back and we went to our room and then onward to scope out the rest of the ship.  We received our luggage about 4 pm.  At 5:30 the casinos and the gift shops opened.   Dinner for us was at 830 pm on deck three in the Vincent dining room, which was the late seating. After dinner we enjoyed the sounds of Phil Anderson in the piano bar (deck 5)  and walked the ship. In bed by 1 am. Next stop Nassau, Bahamas!!

To be continued….