Speeding up MDR service

[ashmo8]

Hi All,

Not new to cruising, but new to cruising with a toddler! I have long enjoyed my 2 hour meals in the main dining room with a few bottles of wine shared with family. However, we are booked for a March sailing with our 18mo old. I know her tolerance is an hour tops (with some breaks to roam in the lobby of a restaurant). My question is, will the waiters speed your service for you if you ask? I know they did a great job entertaining my 3 year old niece previously, but I don't remember food coming out quickly during that mdr visit. While I like the windjammer for breakfast/lunch, I really dread going there for dinner. So I'd like to see if I can avoid if possible. Help from all those cruising toddler parents!

[Clarea]

The waiters have always been able to accomodate our requests for quick service. Just mention your situation to them.

[Toddcan]

It's easier if you have My Time Dining rather than the traditional seating, but either way, there should be no issues. We've been rushed to get to a show, and they have always been able to speed up the dinner. An hour is very doable.

[cruisenfever]

Hi All,

Not new to cruising, but new to cruising with a toddler! I have long enjoyed my 2 hour meals in the main dining room with a few bottles of wine shared with family. However, we are booked for a March sailing with our 18mo old. I know her tolerance is an hour tops (with some breaks to roam in the lobby of a restaurant). My question is, will the waiters speed your service for you if you ask? I know they did a great job entertaining my 3 year old niece previously, but I don't remember food coming out quickly during that mdr visit. While I like the windjammer for breakfast/lunch, I really dread going there for dinner. So I'd like to see if I can avoid if possible. Help from all those cruising toddler parents!

If you plan to use Adventure Ocean, you can always sign up for My Family Time Dining

[reallyitsmema]

If you plan to use Adventure Ocean, you can always sign up for My Family Time Dining

Since the toddler is only 18 months old, they aren't old enough for Adventure Ocean and My Family Time Dining. They are old enough for the nursery, at a fee, if their ship has one.

[DrD]

When I had my toddler on Grandeur in 2007 staff was great. In fact if we had to leave early, they would arrange to have the rest of our dinner sent to our cabin. How's that for service?

[TBone2K]

You can usually switch to MTD if you start in the MDR. I would think both have advatages.

 

MTD you can get through dinner faster once you order, but getting started might be slower, waiting in line to get in, etc.

 

MDR if you have a good waiter, they can probably have something up and ready for you as soon as they see you have arrived, but the rest of the service might take a little longer as they try to balance out others at your table.

 

You know your child best, bring small toys and other distractions are always a good idea in case the kitchen is slow.

[TheCalicoCat]

My son was 2 on his first cruise & I remember the wait staff being very accommodating & him being pretty well behaved as well.

 

He is 5 now & we leave in 7 days - I can't remember the last time that he ate dinner with the family - I'm probably going to have to go against my gut instinct to have our family eat dinner together & look into the Adventure Ocean Dining - at least a couple times. :o

[cruisenfever]

Since the toddler is only 18 months old, they aren't old enough for Adventure Ocean and My Family Time Dining. They are old enough for the nursery, at a fee, if their ship has one.

Oopsie, I missed the part about the 18 month old toddler and thought she was referring to the 3 year old............which, now when I reread it.......is her niece on a previous cruise.:o

[m*u*g*]

Quickest way to dine is in the smallest party possible. With 3-4, I couldn't imagine it going past and hour unless you have specific requests. If you ask, I'm sure they will speed it up as much as possible, since many items are already prepared or close to being plated by the time you sit.

 

 

Side note: saw a family with two twin boys and they always ordered the pizza and fries, and always ordered a second plate (entire order of pizza fires) for them to only see them maybe eat one fry from the second plate. Never understood that.

[buckirj1]

Good suggestions all, but please don't entirely discount the Windjammer. I ate dinner there several times on my last RCCL cruise, and it was FAR quieter and much more peaceful than the MDR. It wasn't at all crowded, and the staff didn't look like they were being run off their feet. You might want to give it a try to see how you and your toddler get on. You might be surprised. Good luck!

[ashmo8]

Thank you all! I appreciate it. I know RCI is fabulous with kids. So I am confident they will do their best with her. One thing I couldn't find was a kids menu (I have found the MDR menus for adults). Does anyone know where I can find this?

[Clarea]

Thank you all! I appreciate it. I know RCI is fabulous with kids. So I am confident they will do their best with her. One thing I couldn't find was a kids menu (I have found the MDR menus for adults). Does anyone know where I can find this?

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showpost.php?p=40009959&postcount=3

Edited January 15, 2014 by clarea

[cruisenfever]

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showpost.php?p=40009959&postcount=3

It's not only for kids!!:D Love the Chicken Noodle Soup.

Edited January 15, 2014 by cruisenfever

[poncho1973]

We are on a strict MTD-ONLY plan. It really works for us. We don't have kids, but aren't really into spending 2 hours at dinner.

 

We TRY to get a 2-top or sit alone at a 4-top. IF POSSIBLE.

 

If we get put at a big table with others, we usually just skip dessert and bolt. Messing up an entire table's evening by trying to be quick isn't really cool in our eyes. The thought of going "Yeah, could you ignore those people and just work extra hard pleasing us instead?" isn't on our agenda.

 

If we get a table to ourselves (which is probably 90% of the time these days) we just ask the waiter if they are cool with us being on the lightning plan. They usually laugh and say something like "just keep it coming quickly?" and we nod.

 

Our first Enchantment voyage was odd because the menu board outside the MDR was messed up every night. We THOUGHT we came prepared. The wrong menu being up every day made it slower.

 

If we have good service on night #1, we walk in night #2 and ask to have a 2-top (if possible) in _____'s area. We are either lucky or good, because we haven't had any long waits or issues. We come prepared and know basically what we're getting. Just ordering everything at once. Eating at a pace that is still relaxing to US is still way, way, way, way, way, way, way faster than the typical MDR service. We tell the staff not to worry about fussing over us or worrying about the extra things like adjusting silverware or pulling this plate or moving that plate or anything. We have had some insanely good service in that regard.

 

Although, once I did have a head waiter come over and start to make a minor fuss over us, in a kind way, acting like the waiter/AW weren't doing their jobs because there were appetizer & dinner plates on the table. I just told her that they were doing EXACTLY as we requested and were keeping us VERY HAPPY. She kinda just looked at me for a second... smiled and said something like "Well, that *IS* the most important thing" and I replied "They are really giving us excellent service by listening to what we have requested."

 

We don't want to break anyone's routine, but really appreciate the service being about 1/3 to 1/2 as long as a typical dinner service. We try to uphold our end by being good diners, we clean up after ourselves, communicate well with our servers, and always reward that good service appropriately. We do that in various ways: with direct compliments, compliments to the head waiter/host station staff, comments (by name) on the survey, WOW cards, and many times with the language of love... $$$. HAHAHA

 

 

A similar approach would probably work with your toddler!

Edited January 15, 2014 by poncho1973

[joand452]

We've never traveled with children, so don't if this is possible, but... If you have the same table, server and time every night, could you arrange for the toddler's food (or at least something for her to nibble on) to be there when you arrive? I know they're good about remembering soft drinks, maybe this?