Main Dining Room for Dessert Only

[TMS MT]

We leave on Carnival Freedom in about two weeks. We usually eat in the dining room about half the nights and in the buffet the rest of the nights. But one thing my husband and mother-in-law really miss when we eat in the buffet is the chocolate melting cake. They love it! This cruise we're thinking on the nights we eat in the buffet, if they are craving their chocolate melting cake, we would just go to the main dining room for dessert and coffee after we eat in the buffet. We'd be going in later than the normal dinner rush. Have any of you ordered just dessert in the MDR? Do they frown upon it? I can't imagine why they would care, but maybe there's something I'm not thinking of. Just looking for some thoughts on it before we try it and find out it is a big taboo! Thanks!

[ccletzgo]

We leave on Carnival Freedom in about two weeks. We usually eat in the dining room about half the nights and in the buffet the rest of the nights. But one thing my husband and mother-in-law really miss when we eat in the buffet is the chocolate melting cake. They love it! This cruise we're thinking on the nights we eat in the buffet, if they are craving their chocolate melting cake, we would just go to the main dining room for dessert and coffee after we eat in the buffet. We'd be going in later than the normal dinner rush. Have any of you ordered just dessert in the MDR? Do they frown upon it? I can't imagine why they would care, but maybe there's something I'm not thinking of. Just looking for some thoughts on it before we try it and find out it is a big taboo! Thanks!

 

The waiters adjust there service nightly for the tables with guests that show up. They clear a table that is not in use. When seats set empty, they move there service. I would imagine it throwing off the service.

[tef43]

If you have Main or Late seating in the MDR:

 

I would explain the situation to your headwaiter and give them a heads up the night before you were to do this.

 

 

If you have YTD:

 

I do not see how it would matter.

[Rowan555]

If you do anytime dining, I can't see that this would be a problem - but I'd advise against showing up before 7 PM or so, as they probably don't have the desserts ready to go until 6:45. I would NOT think this would be an acceptable practice with assigned dining, UNLESS you let the servers know the first night that you intend to do this.

[Rowan555]

You know, I'd never thought of doing this - we actually normally have dinner in the MDR and skip dessert because we're simply too full. On our upcoming cruise, we'd already decided to skip the MDR on all but 2 nights and just eat on the Lido deck. I think we may keep your idea in mind, as I do enjoy Warm Chocolate Melting Cake very much - if we have a light dinner at 6, we'll be ready for dessert by 9 or so - perfect idea! I'm glad you posted.

[WetToes]

We've asked for the WCMC at the entrance to the MDR to go. Didn't seem to be a problem.

[askimdog]

Probably not a problem. We eat nearly all are meals in the buffet (inattentive waiters, to long to wait for each course, dressing up, etc..). We noticed the melting cake served in the buffet several times during the cruise, not every night but atleast twice.

[Rowan555]

We've seen it in the Lido buffet, but it's not the same - always cold and kind of tough.

[QLUVS2CRUZ]

I agree that with anytime dining it's probably fine, and if you have traditional dining, definitely communicate with your waiters prior to doing it. It will probably be an inconvenience, but if they know you are coming, they will expect it. And it actually lightens their load a bit during the appetizer and main course.

[TMS MT]

Thanks for all the quick replies! We do have anytime dining. I hadn't thought of just asking for it to go at the entrance. That would work just as well for us. Then we could just grab our cup of coffee at the self-serve and go find someplace to sit down and enjoy it! Hmm. Decisions, Decisions!

[Beebob1]

We've asked for the WCMC at the entrance to the MDR to go. Didn't seem to be a problem.

 

On the Dream in Nov we asked for it to go and that upset the staff :(

[LOVECRUISING100%]

We leave on Carnival Freedom in about two weeks. We usually eat in the dining room about half the nights and in the buffet the rest of the nights. But one thing my husband and mother-in-law really miss when we eat in the buffet is the chocolate melting cake. They love it! This cruise we're thinking on the nights we eat in the buffet, if they are craving their chocolate melting cake, we would just go to the main dining room for dessert and coffee after we eat in the buffet. We'd be going in later than the normal dinner rush. Have any of you ordered just dessert in the MDR? Do they frown upon it? I can't imagine why they would care, but maybe there's something I'm not thinking of. Just looking for some thoughts on it before we try it and find out it is a big taboo! Thanks!

I've always wanted to do this since my Hubby doesn't like eating in the MDR .. I'm leaving in 5 days on a B2B cruises .. I'm going to try and ask the person at Desk in the MDR and see whats my best option. Wish me luck.. I've had many cruises without the Delicious Chocolate Melting Cake and I really don't want anymore!!! LOL

[cbr929rcr]

Me and my wife did this a couple of times on the fantasy. We had sushi and then to the mdr for the cake. No problem they said

[Starlight Durban Cruising]

If you are seated at a sharing table it might be considered rude if you appear half way through the session to be seated. Not only will the MDR staff have taken their time getting the other peoples' orders taken down (thinking you were running a few minutes late), but also that when they did take everyone else's orders they might have taken dessert orders at the same time (so your later order would throw a spanner in the works). It might work better if you had your own table or if you were able to get this to-go.

[roxiebarclay]

We eat in the MDR everynight- just to relax and be together as a family. That being said not everyone is hungry at the same time and sometimes nothing jumps off the menu.

 

A couple of nights we just ordered salad or soup and then warm melting cake. Later when we were hungry we would grab a sandwich from the deli.

 

So that might be a way to do it as well.

[HeatherC430]

I've done it several times. They didn't seem to have a problem in YTD.

 

Also, I've ran into the situation where I didn't want any of the main courses & just had appetizer & dessert. Again, I've never had a problem not getting all the courses.

[serene56]

I hope you took any time dining if your plans are to eat in the buffet area most of your meals.

 

I agree that it will be a lot easier to get dessert and coffee by using anytime dining

[Earthworm Jim]

...and sometimes nothing jumps off the menu.

 

I never have that problem. My problem is there are always about three things jumping off the menu I'd like to have!

[Jasonmom]

You have YTD. Just tell the seating hostess your plans and ask for a table to yourselves. My Mom and I have done this and it was no problem.:D

[fireofficer5]

This seems like the reason the service has slowed down at dinner, cold food, wrong orders etc................:(

[momladybug]

Does room service offer this dessert?

[TMS MT]

Does room service offer this dessert?

 

We were just now talking about getting to have this dessert very soon and wondered that same thing. If so that would be a good way to get it without causing any issues. My husband and MIL are the ones excited about this dessert. I'm more excited to have learned from this board that I can order a banana split off the kids menu! What a treat that is going to be. Can't remember the last time I had one.

[fuddrules]

This seems like the reason the service has slowed down at dinner, cold food, wrong orders etc................:(

 

Could you expand on why you think this? On the surface your response seems really dumb.