Letting folks know we won't be dining--how?

[gerryl12]

Bottom line.

 

I think we all got sucked into a ridiculous aguement.

 

Of course anyone with a drop of common sense would see that only showing up for the last two nights out of seven is not acceptable.

[SKOOKUM]

If you go to anytime dining, and you will however miss the Baked Alaskan. Hmmm.

[karatemom2]

If you go to anytime dining, and you will however miss the Baked Alaskan. Hmmm.

 

Not true. We have had the baked Alaska parades in Anytime.

[donaldsc]

To clarify, we would not be attempting to use an ATDR on the nights we don't dine traditional. That behavior just adds to the wait times that make Anytime less appealing to us.

 

On those other nights, we would be dining on shore, or just catching something light at the buffet after arriving back on board after our early dinner time has passed.

 

While the upcoming cruise is to Alaska, I can imagine this same issue arising in a few years when we go to the Greek Islands, which have a similar port-intensive feel to them. So the question is, what percentage of nights does one have to show up for traditional in order to NOT be offending other passengers?

 

There are only six nights of assigned seating on this itinerary. We are firmly committed to two of them, might do another. If we did, that would be half. Is that not enough?

 

I have read that a lot of people skip MDR on formal nights, which is 2/6 nights. Add another for a trip to a specialty restaurant, and that is also half.

 

This will be our only trip to Alaska, so I think it would be ridiculous to hurry back aboard for the same food that we could have on (yet another) cruise to the Caribbean. This isn't a situation in which the ship itself is the destination. I hate to be crass, but for Alaska, we are just using the ship as a floating hotel to take us to the places that are the real point of the voyage.

 

For the 2-3 nights that we do eat in the MDR, we absolutely enjoy the experience. But we are not particularly interested in doing it night after night, especially not when there are more compelling things to do during that time frame. With the MDR, we know what we're getting, the service is prompt. People tell us that the waits for anytime dining are "no worse than a restaurant at home," but that doesn't really compute for us since we don't eat out at home.

 

So if we booked early enough to get our preferred TD time (which likely means paying more than someone who booked last-minute), and we'll really enjoy it on the nights we do use it, why can't our wishes be respected as well? Where is the line between us getting the cruise we paid for, and being considerate of others?

 

If you came to the table on night 4 or 5 and sat down, I would call the Matre'd and tell him that someone who was not assigned to our table was sitting there.

 

Sounds like your mother taught you that selfish behavior trumps good manners.

 

DON

[SiBreeze]

Bottom line.

 

I think we all got sucked into a ridiculous aguement. AMEN!!

 

Of course anyone with a drop of common sense would see that only showing up for the last two nights out of seven is not acceptable.

 

The responses are pretty unanimous. No need to beat a dead horse.