Dining Room Displeasure

[LilLeebird]

Okay, I have hesitated to bring this discussion up because I am sure I am setting myself up for all kinds of comments. But here goes....

My cruising experience is still very limited - 3 cruises (2 Carnival, 1 RCCL). Based on my experience thus far I hate the dining room. There, I said it. Don't shoot me. :( And really it's probably more the dining room staff that is the issue - not the dining room itself.

 

I am a business professional who gets the opportunity to eat nice meals in nice restaurants and settings frequently. So with that said, I don't want to spend my vacation getting dressed up after a hot day on the beach to go to the dining room. The menu offered there isn't that important to me. I'd rather get a shower, throw on a pair of shorts/t-shirt and head for the WJ. I also don't want to be forced to sit with strangers. It's my family vacation and I want to enjoy dinner with my family and have that one-on-one time.

 

I have been absolutely harassed now on 3 cruises by the dining room staff because I skip a night or two and eat in the WJ. I don't get it. They still get their tips - I don't jip them from that. When I say harassed, I really mean harassed...like rude comments, over and over and over, threatening to call my room to ask where I am and more. It's ridiculous. Has anyone else experienced this and are you as frustrated as me?

[LBumb]

no never. wait staff imo could care less if you eat in mdr or not, especially if you still tip. i have been on cruises where people never eat a single meal in mdr. that is the beauty of choices while cruising.

[QueenOfKruz]

I have been absolutely harassed now on 3 cruises by the dining room staff because I skip a night or two and eat in the WJ. I don't get it. They still get their tips - I don't jip them from that. When I say harassed, I really mean harassed...like rude comments, over and over and over, threatening to call my room to ask where I am and more. It's ridiculous. Has anyone else experienced this and are you as frustrated as me?

 

What's up with the harrassment? That is entirely uncalled for! Did you make mention of your issue to the maitre d' or any of the management staff?

 

While we prefer to eat in the dining room and don't feel put upon to dress a bit for dinner, we certainly respect those who would rather just kick back and do their own thing. We've been on a number of cruises where there were tablemates who were MIA almost every night, and when they showed up were NEVER questioned or harrassed by the wait staff. On occasion, we will opt for the WJ for dinner but we will usually try to let our waiter know that we won't be at the table for dinner as a courtesy - not that it's required.

 

I hope this is an isolated incident involving only a few of the wait staff, and I'm sorry that you had that experience.

[SwimnwFishes]

I had a CD chastise me for not eating in the MDR. He was absolutely rude and was incensed that I would go on a cruise and not set foot in the MDR, except to clear customs.

 

Apparently he didn't get the memo that it was MY cruise, and I can eat when...where...and with whom I choose.

[whyrlygig]

We have not even entered a MDR since our first cruise 2002. Only used it twice on that one. We do not care for any part of the experience and haven't spent one second fretting about it. To each his own....

[eal]

We always travel with other couples and request (and receive) a table just for our party. So, we don't experience the MDR eating with strangers. Sometimes, I would like to meet other people, however that is another post....

 

We eat in the MDR, specialty restaurants and WJ for dinner. We try to tell our waiter the night before not to expect us. It's the polite thing to do. We receive comments like - Oh, that's too bad, we'll miss you - On nights were we don't make it to the MDR without notice, the following night we're greeted with just about the thing - How was XXX? We missed you - I asked how they knew where we were and they just smile.

 

It's amazing how they can keep track of you.

[NorbertsNiece]

Ok this bothers me. Of course it's your choice where you eat.... it really is none of their business where you eat other than giving you exemplary service wherever you eat. And they certainly shouldn't be commenting on your decision, that's out of order. I miss my kids, not my waiter. If a waiter would say he missed me I'd be very concerned.

[stretch44]

Okay, I have hesitated to bring this discussion up because I am sure I am setting myself up for all kinds of comments. But here goes....

My cruising experience is still very limited - 3 cruises (2 Carnival, 1 RCCL). Based on my experience thus far I hate the dining room. There, I said it. Don't shoot me. :( And really it's probably more the dining room staff that is the issue - not the dining room itself.

 

I am a business professional who gets the opportunity to eat nice meals in nice restaurants and settings frequently. So with that said, I don't want to spend my vacation getting dressed up after a hot day on the beach to go to the dining room. The menu offered there isn't that important to me. I'd rather get a shower, throw on a pair of shorts/t-shirt and head for the WJ. I also don't want to be forced to sit with strangers. It's my family vacation and I want to enjoy dinner with my family and have that one-on-one time.

 

I have been absolutely harassed now on 3 cruises by the dining room staff because I skip a night or two and eat in the WJ. I don't get it. They still get their tips - I don't jip them from that. When I say harassed, I really mean harassed...like rude comments, over and over and over, threatening to call my room to ask where I am and more. It's ridiculous. Has anyone else experienced this and are you as frustrated as me?

 

My Time Dining might solve some of your problem. You'll not have to sit with others and no waiter will be waiting for you.

[bandman10]

You sound like a advertisement for NCL Freestyle cruising. We have sailed NCL, RCL, and Princess and always choose the dine your time when given a choice. Give it a try next cruise.

[Sarahs_mom]

I rarely eat in the MDR, I like Chops, Portofino and some of the choices on promenade deck. Once or twice the dinning room manager has asked me why I don't show up there for dinner. I simply smile and say, I never know what I'll feel like from day to day. And I really don't. I refuse to tie myself down to a time in my time dinning (which I always book), and sometimes I even eat in my room. No one has ever harassed me, and I do believe you are the exception to the general practice on Royal. I hope you let your feelings be known to Royal Caribbean, as it is important that they know how you honestly feel. I am sorry this happened to you, it should not have.

[Ocean Boy]

We haven't eaten in the MDR for several cruises now and don't plan to in the future. We love the Windjammer and plan to keep right on eating our meals there.

[klingoncruiser]

No idea what you are talking about. NEVER been harassed about where I ate. Never minded "dressing up" to eat. That being said, jeans and t-shirt are fine most nights except formal. I never get to dress up so those nights are a treat to me.

 

Sorry, lost on your grumble. Go try NCL, seems they will be more to you liking. Always go try other lines, perhaps you will find one that better suites your needs.

[JDsafeman]

We like to do the WJ buffet some nights also. The waiters ask about us but only to inquire if everything is OK. The wait staff has always been very friendly.

 

In 13 cruises we have never been harassed about anything.

[reallyitsmema]

You sound like a advertisement for NCL Freestyle cruising. We have sailed NCL, RCL, and Princess and always choose the dine your time when given a choice. Give it a try next cruise.

No need for the OP to go to NCL is they don't want to. They can use My Time Dining or dine in one of the other venues onboard.

 

We also had an aggressive waiter on our last cruise and a head waiter and asst waiter who were nowhere to be seen. The asst waiter brought by DH and DS two sodas at a time and told us he had two big tables and we wouldn't be seeing much of him. The waiter brought the wrong meal to me one night and argued that I had ordered it. He then said well, I will leave it here anyways and go back to the kitchen. He set our table everynight for 4 instead of 3 and then proceeded to grab siverware from that extra setting if he needed it for another table. Another waiter did the same thing. When we commented about the extra setting, he said it was needed for the late seating and if he didn't put it there, he wouldn't have it when he needed it. We told him at the end of dinner one night that we were going to Portofino the next night so not to expect us. He said fine, I will tell you what is for dinner tomorrow. We again said we were going to Portofino and he said he knew but he was going to tell us anyway. We got up and left and never went back to the MDR the rest of the week. We didn't bother finding the head waiter because he wasn't around for the 3 days we ate in the MDR. We just made sure we wrote all of them up on our comment card at the end of the cruise.

 

We ate at Portofino and then the WJ for the rest of the week and really enjoyed the relaxed time. We had excellent service in the WJ from "not the original" Michael Jackson, as he called himself.:)

 

We are going to try a mix of MTD and WJ on our cruise in October but if we have issues in the MDR, we will find someone who will listen this time.

[orville99]

For a moment there I thought you were talking about DCL. We stopped eating in their MDR's midway through our second cruise with them, and haven't set foot in their MDR in the six cruises since. Their Head waiter has tried to track us down every cruise - leaves messages on the phone, even comes up to their casual restaurant, Topsider, to speak to us about why we aren't eating with them. They even sent the restaurant manager up to Palo one evening to find out what our problem with the dining room was.

 

Haven't had any similar experiences since we switched from DCL to RCI.

[Ocean Boy]

No idea what you are talking about. NEVER been harassed about where I ate. Never minded "dressing up" to eat. That being said, jeans and t-shirt are fine most nights except formal. I never get to dress up so those nights are a treat to me.

 

Sorry, lost on your grumble. Go try NCL, seems they will be more to you liking. Always go try other lines, perhaps you will find one that better suites your needs.

 

Is the dining room what RCI is all about? The OP doesn't like one aspect of RCI. He found alternative venues on RCI for getting his meals that he prefers and suits his needs. Why, exactly, should he change cruise lines? I don't like the MDR either. There are alternative venues that I prefer to eat in. So what? And does the fact that you have never been harassed somehow negate the fact that the OP was? Maybe that comes from the same reasoning where you draw the conclusion that NCL would be more to the OP's liking.

[LilLeebird]

For a moment there I thought you were talking about DCL. We stopped eating in their MDR's midway through our second cruise with them, and haven't set foot in their MDR in the six cruises since. Their Head waiter has tried to track us down every cruise - leaves messages on the phone, even comes up to their casual restaurant, Topsider, to speak to us about why we aren't eating with them. They even sent the restaurant manager up to Palo one evening to find out what our problem with the dining room was.

 

Haven't had any similar experiences since we switched from DCL to RCI.

 

Wow! What you described sounds exactly like what we've experienced both with Carnival and RC. The next cruise we are booked on we already have reserved MTD. I am hoping this will solve the problem that we keep experiencing. My only concern is the size of our group on the next cruise. We will be a group of 7 and I am worried that MTD will be a long wait for a table. Guess we will make sure and make reservations.

 

Thanks to all for your replies - I feel better knowing that some others have had some challenges too. I don't want to hate the MDR, I just want to be able to eat with no pressure when we do decide to show up. ;)

[yogimax]

When I say harassed, I really mean harassed...like rude comments, over and over and over, threatening to call my room to ask where I am and more. It's ridiculous. Has anyone else experienced this and are you as frustrated as me?

 

Wow! We have never even heard of anything like this. What was the RCCL ship?

[spanner14]

I'm sure MTD will solve the problem, I really hope it does. Otherwise if I were you I would march straight to Guest Relations the minute you get any questions/messages etc. and say that you do not want that.

 

I love the MDR but we always eat alone as a family and I would definitely not enjoy having to make small-talk with people while I eat. Personally, I like getting showered and changed into something pretty; I don't even mind wearing a dress on Formal Night, but it's your cruise, you paid for it, and you should be able to eat when and where you please with no problem!

 

We've cruised with Ocean Village where there is no MDR, and that was no problem; I like the MDR on RCI but if you don't want to change cruiselines then you don't have to - it's your holiday! :)

[LilLeebird]

Wow! We have never even heard of anything like this. What was the RCCL ship?

 

It was the Freedom of the Seas. :(

But let me just say - we absolutely loved this ship and considered booking it again for next year, regardless of what we experienced in the MDR.

[1lovehols]

be aware with My time as you may still have to share a table unless you tell them you don't want to when you reserve your time.

 

Last week there was a couple of times when I got the evils from the reservations desk because we didn't want to share and was told there was no tables available at our chosen time.

 

wasn't a issue really as we chose whether to eat in the dining room by the menu on the day.

[norcalal]

quote;

We eat in the MDR, specialty restaurants and WJ for dinner. We try to tell our waiter the night before not to expect us. It's the polite thing to do. We receive comments like - Oh, that's too bad, we'll miss you - On nights were we don't make it to the MDR without notice, the following night we're greeted with just about the thing - How was XXX? We missed you - I asked how they knew where we were and they just smile.

 

 

My experience has been that the dining room staff is simply trying to please everyone. We have experienced some wait time as they were simply waiting for other guests to show. They do appreciate your telling them that you will be a no show. They will then be able to serve their other guests without delay. I have never been chastised for being a no show.

As far as being harrassed...it may have been their attempt at humor..not being understood. I have experienced this with folks from other cultures.

[didiaust]

We had our first RCCL cruise in 2008 and love the WJ. Went to the MDR first 2 nights and never returned. We let the staff know we would not be back. I am over the dressing for dinner - although we don't dress formal every night we still felt we needed to put in a effort if in the MDR. In the WJ we were casual & tidy and could stroll up whenever. We sometimes ate a course , went for a walk and returned for the next. That is fun and you enjoy the next course more.

 

On an earlier cruise (P&O) we were stalked for over 12 months by dining sharers who got out phone & address from other table companions. Not nice trying to fend off these people who insist on calling and want to visit. We were ready to change telephone numbers lol.

 

Good on you for posting I know exactly where you are comming from.

 

Di

[lovemylab]

I would also recommend MTD for the OP. We were able to request the same wait staff every night and didn't have to share a table with anyone. Sure out waiters asked how we enjoyed Portofino, but it was to be polite - not to harrass us.

 

When we had traditional dining we would let the waitstaff and our tablemates know when we wouldn't be dining there. That way nobody is waiting for us.

[Aquahound]

We always book a specialty restaurant on our cruises, so there is always at least 1 night we are not in the dining room. I've heard dining room staff make jokes about not being there, but harassment? That's a new one to me. Are you sure you didn't just take what they were saying in the wrong context? That's easy to do with foreign accents.