NOt eating in dining room

[imnance]

lots of people dont like to eat in dining room because it takes a couple of hours

 

This ^

[jcallcut]

I am confirmed for late seating on my upcoming cruise. If after the first Night or so I decide I would rather be ATD is it possible to switch or do i need to make that decision before I board?

 

Thanks,

Jim

[larkz]

I am confirmed for late seating on my upcoming cruise. If after the first Night or so I decide I would rather be ATD is it possible to switch or do i need to make that decision before I board?

 

Thanks,

Jim

 

I've made the switch from late to early dining while on board. I believe getting ATD is a little more difficult after the cruise has started. In fact, you might find yourself waitlisted in the Cruise Manager if you try changing now, depending on how far out your cruise is.

[SUSIEK]

I don't eat in the buffets because it reminds me of a school cafeteria (no matter how fancy they try to make them)....LOL! Hubby like to get snacks there.

 

We like to eat in the MDR because it is slower. It's date night each night of the cruise!

[keith75]

I think lots of folks don't like the idea of being assigned to share a table with strangers. Simple as that.

 

Bingo!

[sjcruiser]

We prefer to eat in the buffet as we can take our time, or grab something quick to eat over the extended dining time and wait in the MDR. We also prefer to not bring extra clothes for formal night, which we have skipped on most of our recent cruises. We do eat in the MDR on casual nights, but also inform our wait staff and table mates of our dining plans the first night.

[misstopgun]

Sound? The sound on the Lido is worse than the sound in the dining room. I think people don't want to stop their informal day, to spruce up a little, to go eat, and then change back down for the rest of the night. If I didn't dress for dinner, I might never change clothes. But I like being waited on, so I dress up and off I go. but I do admit to liking the anytime dining more than the selected dining time.

I agree to liking the ATD better with the exception of not always getting the personalized service you get with assigned dining.

 

I know you can ask for the same server every night but the whole purpose of any time is to get in and get out, and to be honest, though I have had some good service with ATD, there have never been any that were outstanding enough to request again. All adequate, but not outstanding.

[Wennfred]

I have my Breakfast. Lunch & Dinner in the MDR, don't skip out, ESP for Breakfast & Lunch, nice menu, no lines.

 

Fred

[Tapi]

lots of people dont like to eat in dining room because it takes a couple of hours

 

Hours in the MDR? It's more like Bam! Here's your food, Wham!

[Nonna50]

We love the MDR. We have been on 2 cruises. The first we only went to MDR once and didn't really enjoy the total cruise very much on RCCL.. The second cruise on Carnival we went to the MDR every night except one we went to the specialty steak house.. Our waiters new our names by the 2nd night and what we wanted to drink and that we wanted sour cream for our potato and tht we needed extra cream for our coffee after dinner... It was great..

 

As far as dressing up on elegant night I wore a maxi dress and some sparkly flip flops and my DH wore a short sleeved button up shirt (no tie & untucked) and a pair of black slacks.. He hates dressing up but he didn't consider that dressing up.

 

We wouldn't miss the experience.. and as for the waiters dancing and singing that was a highlight.. I video taped every performance...

[awval999]

This is kind of a Pepsi or Coke question.

 

I always like the MDR because I like to be served and I like to make new friends--- and drinking buddies for after dinner and whatnot. I've been fortunate that they seem to pair young professional couples with other young couples.

 

I'm glad the unsociables in this thread are choosing the buffet because they don't seem any fun and I definitely wouldn't want to be at their table. But it's good that they know what they like and it's their vacation. If they want to buffet it every night good for them!

[mikel24m]

You don't like to sit with strangers? Thats ok I guess. I never thought of it that way. You are the first I have heard it from.

 

We dont like to sit with strangers either.Maybe I am strange but I want to talk to my family/friends about our day or plans for tomorrow at dinner and not total strangers.We have met some great friends on cruises dont get me wrong but dinner is for family or friends

[mikel24m]

This is kind of a Pepsi or Coke question.

 

I always like the MDR because I like to be served and I like to make new friends--- and drinking buddies for after dinner and whatnot. I've been fortunate that they seem to pair young professional couples with other young couples.

 

I'm glad the unsociables in this thread are choosing the buffet because they don't seem any fun and I definitely wouldn't want to be at their table. But it's good that they know what they like and it's their vacation. If they want to buffet it every night good for them!

 

I am one of those unsociables

 

I love talking to my wife or family or friends that sail with us.We dont need to be entertained at dinner ;)

[monkeyluis]

This is kind of a Pepsi or Coke question.

 

I always like the MDR because I like to be served and I like to make new friends--- and drinking buddies for after dinner and whatnot. I've been fortunate that they seem to pair young professional couples with other young couples.

 

I'm glad the unsociables in this thread are choosing the buffet because they don't seem any fun and I definitely wouldn't want to be at their table. But it's good that they know what they like and it's their vacation. If they want to buffet it every night good for them!

 

We have fun with our families. We don't need to talk to everyone or talk just to be heard to have fun.

[MrPete]

Hi all.

I read these boards a lot. quite a few people mention NOT eating in the MDR. Can I ask why?? What are some reasons you have for not eating there.

Just curious.

 

I think you are combining two different terms.

 

There's eating, and dining. If I were just interested in eating, I would probably grab something and scoff it.

 

But we enjoy the social interaction of dining. Still have never had a dinner in the bistro.

[WetToes]

Hours in the MDR? It's more like Bam! Here's your food, Wham!

 

That has not been my experience.

[jpurdy]

This is not a right or wrong question. We stopped going to dining room years ago. Eases up on what to pack drastically. We love doing what we want, when we want in the comfort of shorts/t-shirt. We always get a table by the window and actually it is far more relaxing for us. We don't go on cruises to specifically meet new people and no we don't remove tips for wait staff either as it is obvious they work all over the ship. Whoever painted with that broad brush is very wrong.

[Florissouri]

Hi all.

I read these boards a lot. quite a few people mention NOT eating in the MDR. Can I ask why?? What are some reasons you have for not eating there.

Just curious.

 

I've done 24+ cruises and I'm one of those who dislikes eating in the MDR for several reasons. I've spent half my life in the restaurant industry and the MDRs, in general, is simply not a good dining experience in my professional and personal opinion. NCL MDRs are a bit more pleasant with their Freestyle Dining which means I can go when I want and sit by myself if I so choose, but no matter how you dress it up scheduled dining, it's still clank, clank noisy, institutional, mechanical, on the clock, hurry up, turn the tables, group dining. And if you have some boorish people at your table, it's an even more unpleasant experience.

 

I much prefer the peace and quiet of the buffet (even though Carnival's buffets are weak) where I can leisurely spread out, camp out, chat, go back and choose an appealing looking 2nd desert (or 3rd or 4th) on my own schedule when I feel like it. And the folks at the buffet don't care if I wear shorts.

[vols_159]

I'd book anytime dinning. Don't wanna be stuck for 2 hours in the mdr

[Isa65]

We never start out deciding against eating in the MDR. It all depends on the table location and the waiters.

If the table is crowded or near a noisy area and we can't get it changed by the Maitre 'D, we skip the MDR altogether for dinner.

As we eat out quite often, the dinners in the MDR are not extremely special to us. I found that the waiters make the cruise dining experience special as well.

On most (not all) cruises we've been treated exceptionally well and look forward to dining in the MDR.

 

For us, the best on a cruis is combining the MDR with a local dinner in port as well as a salad + dessert from Lido on lazy days.

[Florissouri]

Sound? The sound on the Lido is worse than the sound in the dining room. I think people don't want to stop their informal day, to spruce up a little, to go eat, and then change back down for the rest of the night. If I didn't dress for dinner, I might never change clothes. But I like being waited on, so I dress up and off I go. but I do admit to liking the anytime dining more than the selected dining time.

 

Sound?

 

You "sound" like someone who has never been on the Lido during dinner. Yes, it's noisy and crowded during breakfast and lunch, but at dinner time it's the most quiet place on the ship. Most evenings I could fire a double barrel, 12 gauge shotgun across the room and not pepper a soul.

[azpilot]

We split up different meals to different area's on the ship (MDR, Buffet, Pizza, Sandwiches, etc) during our cruise. That way it makes it so we don't get stuck doing the same thing over and over. Works out pretty good.

[MsTabbyKats]

OMG...where do I start why we don't eat in the MDR

 

1. Buffet....pick what you want...and the amount you want...and if I want "something else" just go and get it

2. Buffet....better selection...more variety

3. Buffet...no waiting for service

4. Buffet...you can easily change your seat if someone near-by is smelly, obnoxious etc..and you can always change your seat to be near someone you would like to talk to

5. Buffet...I don't feel like I'm in a surrealistic "Great Gatsby' scene on formal night.

6. Buffet...I can dress in any mode I want....any time I want

7. Buffet....you can always get a ocean view seat for dinner...and it's so nice and quiet

8.Buffet...it's when I want....and for as long or as short as I want

 

I eat out 7 days a week. "Being served" isn't a novelty to me. Actually, just walking over and taking what I want is the novelty.

[Donna_In_India]

OMG...where do I start why we don't eat in the MDR

 

1. Buffet....pick what you want...and the amount you want...and if I want "something else" just go and get it

2. Buffet....better selection...more variety

3. Buffet...no waiting for service

4. Buffet...you can easily change your seat if someone near-by is smelly, obnoxious etc..and you can always change your seat to be near someone you would like to talk to

5. Buffet...I don't feel like I'm in a surrealistic "Great Gatsby' scene on formal night.

6. Buffet...I can dress in any mode I want....any time I want

7. Buffet....you can always get a ocean view seat for dinner...and it's so nice and quiet

8.Buffet...it's when I want....and for as long or as short as I want

 

 

 

Agree. I really like the variety of a buffet. Other reasons...if I just want an entree and dessert, I don't like waiting while all the other tables my team is serving catches up to those courses. I don't need to form any type of relationship with a dining team. It's my vacation - do I really have to make small talk with strangers? My almost 4 year old daughter is a wonderful traveler but why make her sit for 90+ minutes if I don't even want to?! Early seating is too early and late is too late - at least more lines are borrowing freestyle from NCL. I find the whole MDR thing more stressful than relaxing - and we NEVER eat breakfast or lunch in the MDR. (The only line I'll eat dinner in the MDR is Disney.)

[The4Cruisers]

We enjoy the dining room experience. It wouldn't kill us to eat at the Lido either.

 

The big thing though is that dinner is for family. We are not there to make new friends or entertain our assigned tablemates.

 

The first thing I do on each cruise is to meet the Maitre D' to take care of our seating arrangement so our family sits together and on our own. If it doesn't work out that way, then we make other plans.