Room service for 2 couples in different cabins

[NoWhiners]

Hi all you experienced HAL cruisers

 

I know we can order room service in our cabins for dinner but can we order dinners in a cabin for 2 (or maybe more) couples to be delivered to a single cabin? We are going on a cruise in April and will be travelling with several members of the family and would like to have a private dinner (with our own wine) in one of the cabins. Is there a way for us to order our dinners and have them delivered to one cabin (not ours)? i am thinking we could talk to the room service folks or dining room staff in advance of trying to do this but maybe some of you know the best way to do this?

 

thanks for any advice

ML

[andeesue]

Easily done... just order for the amount of people. If you have a set dining time, let the dining room you won't be eating there that night.

Give them the stateroom number and approximate time you'd like dinner and voila! Sounds like a nice change of pace. We often order several cheese plates, fruit, shrimp cocktail for our cabin in the late afternoon with wine. A nice tip is always appreciated for room service. Enjoy!

[NoWhiners]

Easily done... just order for the amount of people. If you have a set dining time, let the dining room you won't be eating there that night.

Give them the stateroom number and approximate time you'd like dinner and voila! Sounds like a nice change of pace. We often order several cheese plates, fruit, shrimp cocktail for our cabin in the late afternoon with wine. A nice tip is always appreciated for room service. Enjoy!

 

andeesue

 

Thank you for this post. Just to clarify--are you saying if we just call and place our order for 6 for whichever cabin, we are good to go? this is so simple it seems too easy!!

 

And I never thought of creating our own 'happy hour' by ordering appetizers before dinner for the whole gang! thanks also for the note about the tip. We always offer one but they rarely take it--practically had to force the guy to take it last time!!

 

ML

[andeesue]

Yep, just call Room Service ahead of time and arrange it.

Easy peasy! :p

 

Tips were always gratefully accepted, never a refusal.

 

Happy Sailing!

[photomikey]

We had adjoining balconies on the Oosterdam in Nov '10, and ordered dinner for 4 several nights in a row to one room. It was close quarters getting all those plates handed out - you basically had to nominate someone the "expediter" for your group. I can't see how you'd do 6 in one room.

 

Best part is on HAL the room service crew are included in the service charge, no tipping necessary!

[Krazy Kruizers]

I agree -- having appetizers and dinner for 6 people in one cabin is going to be very close quarters for everyone. Most cabins can not handle that many people eating a dinner in them.

 

Does one couple in your group have a Deluxe Suite? If so -- you can pull it off.

[HAL4ME]

I agree -- having appetizers and dinner for 6 people in one cabin is going to be very close quarters for everyone. Most cabins can not handle that many people eating a dinner in them.

 

Does one couple in your group have a Deluxe Suite? If so -- you can pull it off.

 

I agree...I think after having all the plates, cutlery and 6 people in that cabin you wouldn't be able to Swing a Cat in that cabin!:D:eek::D

[kazu]

room service for dinner can be a wonderful experience if you have the right room or the right verandahs. It is definitely easy to do. In the Penhouse, it's glorious. In the Deluxe Verandah Suites, do-able. If you have either of those at your disposal, they will even serve it course by course. I would think anything smaller than that, and there would not be enough room for 6 people. JMO

[cruisin'girl]

Don't know what cabin category you are in, but if not the Penthouse then I think 4 people would be max to eat comfortable.

[sail7seas]

Another vote for uncomfortable and cramped.

 

You all want to sit on the floor with your plates? Or on the bed with dishes in your laps?

Where will you put your wine? :D

 

If one has a Deluxe Verandah Suite then it could work with four sitting at the table on the Verandah if you are sailing the Caribbean and it's a pleasant night....two could sit on the chairs with the ottoman as 'tables'.

 

Really doesn't sound like all that much fun to me but your choice if you think it will work okay.

 

[IRL_Joanie]

Hi all you experienced HAL cruisers

 

I know we can order room service in our cabins for dinner but can we order dinners in a cabin for 2 (or maybe more) couples to be delivered to a single cabin? We are going on a cruise in April and will be travelling with several members of the family and would like to have a private dinner (with our own wine) in one of the cabins. Is there a way for us to order our dinners and have them delivered to one cabin (not ours)? i am thinking we could talk to the room service folks or dining room staff in advance of trying to do this but maybe some of you know the best way to do this?

 

thanks for any advice

ML

 

ML, What a great idea!! I have no idea how to do it or whom to contact to make it happen, but I hope you can do it, no matter what the stateroom category:)

 

Please let us know how it works out.

 

Joanie

[Assateague Island Princes]

We did it on the Oosterdam in adjoining verandah cabins with our sister and brother-in-law. Opened the adjoining balcony doors and the adjoining interior doors, passed out everyone's dishes, and set up each desk area to hold the things we weren't using at the time - course by course. Then we each took our plates to the balcony, and enjoyed an impromptu picnic of crab legs - wonderful! Of course, we're all very resourceful and campers from way back. Thus, none of us gave a hoot about having our plates on our laps. It was fun, easy, and quite an adventure to be whale watching from our balconies in Alaska, while eating our dinner. Different strokes for different folks. It is what you make of it! Hey, anytime we don't have to cook or clean-up is a good day for us;)!

[NoWhiners]

We did it on the Oosterdam in adjoining verandah cabins with our sister and brother-in-law. Opened the adjoining balcony doors and the adjoining interior doors, passed out everyone's dishes, and set up each desk area to hold the things we weren't using at the time - course by course. Then we each took our plates to the balcony, and enjoyed an impromptu picnic of crab legs - wonderful! Of course, we're all very resourceful and campers from way back. Thus, none of us gave a hoot about having our plates on our laps. It was fun, easy, and quite an adventure to be whale watching from our balconies in Alaska, while eating our dinner. Different strokes for different folks. It is what you make of it! Hey, anytime we don't have to cook or clean-up is a good day for us;)!

 

We have done similar things in the past, when cruising with friends to alaska, with adjoining balcony cabins and the wall between them opened.. We each ordered our breakfasts, then met up outside to eat and enjoy the view. For this cruise, we all booked guarantees, and are all different categories. One cabin is a suite, so we would use theirs--I just wondered if we could even do this. We are all also campers, so I'm sure this will help!!

 

So, thanks everyone for the info and suggestions. We will give it a try!

 

ML

[NoWhiners]

ML, What a great idea!! I have no idea how to do it or whom to contact to make it happen, but I hope you can do it, no matter what the stateroom category:)

 

Please let us know how it works out.

 

Joanie

 

Hi Joanie

 

Yes, I learned something via this post--always good:)! I will post after we get back and let you know how it worked out.

 

ML

[LoyHAL]

Oh my, what a great idea! I never thought of this before. Now DH can have his shrimp cocktail in the cabin before dinner! -- And we can invite our kids to lunch or tea, as well.

 

Thanks to this group for all the terrific ideas!

LoyHAL, counting the days to the cruise!

[sail7seas]

The sirimp cocktail served for room service is small salad shrimp.... it is not large shrimp cocktail size.

 

[CowPrincess]

One formal night on an Alaska cruise, we had room service in an OV cabin, 3 of us, and it was wonderful. One of the best memories of that "girls" cruise -- a pyjama party with lobster :) It was a bit crowded with room service trays :) but lots of fun.

[localady]

We had adjoining balconies on the Oosterdam in Nov '10, and ordered dinner for 4 several nights in a row to one room. It was close quarters getting all those plates handed out - you basically had to nominate someone the "expediter" for your group. I can't see how you'd do 6 in one room.

 

Best part is on HAL the room service crew are included in the service charge, no tipping necessary!

 

Have to disagree with you here. We use room service a great deal when we are cruising but we always tip in cash for that over and above our daily charge.......

[HAL4ME]

Have to disagree with you here. We use room service a great deal when we are cruising but we always tip in cash for that over and above our daily charge.......

 

Localady is ABSOUTELY right!

Tipping is always appreciated by the Room Service staff as they are not part of the tipping pool.

[jcrandle]

Localady is ABSOUTELY right!

Tipping is always appreciated by the Room Service staff as they are not part of the tipping pool.

Uh, Oh, not another tipping thread. Now it's time for folks who don't know the facts about tip pooling to weigh in!

 

Who brought the popcorn?

[HAL4ME]

Uh, Oh, not another tipping thread. Now it's time for folks who don't know the facts about tip pooling to weigh in!

 

Who brought the popcorn?

 

Well I am not to make this into a tipping pool thread but I will CORRECT you that ALL Carnival owned brands operating under the banners of HAL, Princess Cruises, Costa CruiseLine, AIDA, P&O UK and Australia and Carival CruiseLines Room Service Attendants do NOT share from the tip pool but rather have a higher guarantee wage that they pool from onboard and the other part comes from the expected tips to make up for there salaries. please go ahead and ask me how I know this?

The only exception to this is Seabourn as there size of ships prevent this type of arrangement.

Besides what I said, it's just customary and good manners IMHO to offer a tip for the service.

 

Anymore questions or would do you want to pass along the popcorn now?:eek:;):eek:

[bepsf]

Its certainly do-able - and it can be quite fun!

 

We were so wiped out from a day ashore in Norway that we just didn't feel like dressing and going to the dining room that night, so I called room service and rather than figure out what everyone wanted I simply had them send two of each appetizer and entree off the dinner menu which arrived on a nice rolling table - we passed plates around the suite as the 6 or 8 of us sat around on the sofas, chairs and stools sharing off the various plates...

...and when it was time for dessert - I rang them and they again brought two of everything!

:)

[localady]

Uh, Oh, not another tipping thread. Now it's time for folks who don't know the facts about tip pooling to weigh in!

 

Who brought the popcorn?

 

Not meant to start a tipping thread, just common courtesy IMHO.......;) :rolleyes:

 

When my best girl friend and I cruise, we often will have dinner in after a long day of swimming, sunning and snorkeling, it is so lovely

to have room service.

[palmera]

Would this work? Try having it "progressive" style: Appetizers in one cabin, main dish in another and dessert in a third cabin.

[HAL4ME]

Would this work? Try having it "progressive" style: Appetizers in one cabin, main dish in another and dessert in a third cabin.

 

One thing for sure would happen ...it would be a good cardio workout in between courses and help you digest your food better!;):eek:;)