How Late is Too Late to Arrive for Dinner in the MDR?

[AeroBaldness]

Our entire family is compulsively early to most things. We have the 5:30 seating for an upcoming cruise and I have a private excursion booked that has an open ended time frame and we may not want to rush back. But, we really want to eat all 7-nights in the MDR. We've had exceptional service on our last 2 RCCL cruises and enjoy the relationship we've built with our servers. So, how late is too late? If, say my son and I, who can get ready in minutes (no hair helps) can get in the MDR around a 1/2 hour late and my daughter and wife join shortly after; would this work? Out of courtesy, I would let the servers know the evening before its a possibility we'd be late. If a 1/2 hour is acceptable, is 45 minutes to an hour?

[Clarea]

If you are going to be 30 minutes late, I'd say you either do Windjammer or a specialty restaurant that night, or change to MTD so you can show up when you want.

[PhotoBob2011]

So, how late is too late?

 

I think you're going to find that most people will say that being late at all is unacceptable. The wait staff has thousands of people to feed. I think if you know you're going to be late on certain nights you should plan on eating at the Wind Jammer on those nights.

[killtheump]

I agree with Bob. That is too late.

[racerxspeedy]

Why not just switch to my time dining with a standing reservation at 6:30? You could possibly have the same table or servers every night.

 

Are you assigned to your own table now? If you are then I would discuss your plans with your waiter. I imagine that 30 minutes might be ok with them.

 

If you are assigned to a table with others this would not be good.

 

Have a great trip

[edjny]

Anyone who knows that they will be more than about 10 minutes late should make other plans for dinner such as WJ. People who are late screw up the waiters schedules as well as others at the table. Many of the same menu items served in the MDR are also served in the Windjammer.

Edited April 15, 2014 by edjny

[AeroBaldness]

Why not just switch to my time dining with a standing reservation at 6:30? You could possibly have the same table or servers every night.

 

Are you assigned to your own table now? If you are then I would discuss your plans with your waiter. I imagine that 30 minutes might be ok with them.

 

If you are assigned to a table with others this would not be good.

 

Have a great trip

 

Thanks for this and others for your replies. We have requested a table for 4, like the timing of the early seating and the idea of having the same servers. On Freedom, our Server Hunny, added tremendously to what was already an amazing experience. She took a genuine liking to our kids and treated them like royalty (and got teary when our son did not show up for dinner the last night and gave him a huge hug when her surprised us (and her) by arriving after all). The reason I asked the question was to be sure we showed respect to our severs. My wife worked as a waitress in her younger days and was a flight attendant before we had kids and my son currently buses tables, so we are very much on the side of showing respect to who wait on us. If we get the table we requested, I'll talk it through with our waiter. If too late is too late, maybe I'll look into Izumi for the family. Thanks again all!!

[cruisinfanatic]

Our entire family is compulsively early to most things. We have the 5:30 seating for an upcoming cruise and I have a private excursion booked that has an open ended time frame and we may not want to rush back. But, we really want to eat all 7-nights in the MDR. We've had exceptional service on our last 2 RCCL cruises and enjoy the relationship we've built with our servers. So, how late is too late? If, say my son and I, who can get ready in minutes (no hair helps) can get in the MDR around a 1/2 hour late and my daughter and wife join shortly after; would this work? Out of courtesy, I would let the servers know the evening before its a possibility we'd be late. If a 1/2 hour is acceptable, is 45 minutes to an hour?

1/2 hr is WAY too late.

Plan on windjammer that night

[ryano]

Our entire family is compulsively early to most things. We have the 5:30 seating for an upcoming cruise and I have a private excursion booked that has an open ended time frame and we may not want to rush back. But, we really want to eat all 7-nights in the MDR. We've had exceptional service on our last 2 RCCL cruises and enjoy the relationship we've built with our servers. So, how late is too late? If, say my son and I, who can get ready in minutes (no hair helps) can get in the MDR around a 1/2 hour late and my daughter and wife join shortly after; would this work? Out of courtesy, I would let the servers know the evening before its a possibility we'd be late. If a 1/2 hour is acceptable, is 45 minutes to an hour?

 

Do My Time Dining. Problem solved. You can keep the same servers each night if you wish.

 

I hear of stories about cruising "in the good ol days" that if you were 15 minutes late, you were out of luck as far as the main dining room goes.

 

I say anything over that is too late. In fact, if I was gonna be even 10 minutes late, I would dine elsewhere.

Edited April 15, 2014 by ryano

[onthelake]

Since you are at first seating, you have to remember that they have a schedule to keep so that you are not at the table when second seating arrives. Usually, the doors to the main dining room will be closed approximately 15 min. after the scheduled dining time and that is the indicator that you are too late.

[gerif]

Particularly with early dining where they need to get the dining room cleared and reset for the next group, it would be rude to show up more than ten minutes late. I know your waiter will tell you to come whenever you like but that's only because they will do and say anything to make you happy. Don't believe it - being late really screws things up for everyone.

[Retired LEO]

Thanks for this and others for your replies. We have requested a table for 4, like the timing of the early seating and the idea of having the same servers. On Freedom, our Server Hunny, added tremendously to what was already an amazing experience. She took a genuine liking to our kids and treated them like royalty (and got teary when our son did not show up for dinner the last night and gave him a huge hug when her surprised us (and her) by arriving after all). The reason I asked the question was to be sure we showed respect to our severs. My wife worked as a waitress in her younger days and was a flight attendant before we had kids and my son currently buses tables, so we are very much on the side of showing respect to who wait on us. If we get the table we requested, I'll talk it through with our waiter. If too late is too late, maybe I'll look into Izumi for the family. Thanks again all!!

 

You're not only putting a burden on your servers but also to the other tables around you that your server takes care of. Please be considerate and find an alternative dining option for that evening.

[cruisinghawg]

You got em....great job!!!!

[steveru621]

I would discuss your plans with your waiter before you make any decisions. If your family has their own table then you won't be disrupting anyone's dinner but your own. However, the problem may be the second seating time. Your waitstaff needs time to clear and reset tables for the traditional second seating.

 

I have seen 2&4 tops show up 30 minutes late for the second seating. But IMHO it would be very rude to show up more than 10 minutes late if you are seated with others.

 

Enjoy your cruise.

[Langley Cruisers]

...I know your waiter will tell you to come whenever you like but that's only because they will do and say anything to make you happy. Don't believe it - being late really screws things up for everyone.

 

Agree completely, with my elaboration to follow...

 

....so we are very much on the side of showing respect to who wait on us. If we get the table we requested, I'll talk it through with our waiter. If too late is too late, maybe I'll look into Izumi for the family.

 

Understand how you would feel this way, but you did ask for advice. To talk it through with your waiter would seem like the logical thing to do, and as stated by gerif, s/he will absolutely tell you to come by anytime. Please don't do this. Anything more than, say, 15 minutes late is too late, it just is. Of course the wait staff want you to be happy, but it will come at the expense of everyone else in their station, their own stress level and organization, and could jeopardise the second seating.

 

.

[Scotty G]

If we get the table we requested, I'll talk it through with our waiter. If too late is too late, maybe I'll look into Izumi for the family. Thanks again all!!

 

It's not just your table but all that are served by your waiter and assistant that will be effected. Your waiter may say it will be OK but that is what would be expected from him/her as they will not want to offend you. I recommend MTD as it is a more flexible solution.

Edited April 15, 2014 by Scotty G

[steveru621]

You're not only putting a burden on your servers but also to the other tables around you that your server takes care of. Please be considerate and find an alternative dining option for that evening.

 

It's not just your table but all that are served by your waiter and assistant. Your waiter may say it will be OK but that is what would be expected from him/her as they will not want to offend you. I recommend MTD as it is a more flexible solution.

 

I don't understand how this happens. If 20-25 people all show up at 5:30 and all expect to be served at the same time won't that put a tremendous burden on your servers? What am I missing? Someone needs to be more specific as to why, and not just say because. People eat in stages and at different paces. I'm not saying you are wrong, how is it a burden on other tables?

[uksimonusa]

I would discuss your plans with your waiter before you make any decisions. If your family has their own table then you won't be disrupting anyone's dinner but your own. However, the problem may be the second seating time. Your waitstaff needs time to clear and reset tables for the traditional second seating.

 

I have seen 2&4 tops show up 30 minutes late for the second seating. But IMHO it would be very rude to show up more than 10 minutes late if you are seated with others.

 

Enjoy your cruise.

 

I don't understand how this happens. If 20-25 people all show up at 5:30 and all expect to be served at the same time won't that put a tremendous burden on your servers? What am I missing? Someone needs to be more specific as to why, and not just say because. People eat in stages and at different paces. I'm not saying you are wrong, how is it a burden on other tables?

 

If all 5 or 6 tables that the server serves, show up together, it is a very easy routine for the servers to follow, they will bring out the appetizers for the first 2 or 4 tables, then bring them out for the remaining tables, shortly after this, the kitchen will switch from serving appetizers to entrees and the process starts again. If late, then that table has to be served on their own, which means more trips to the galley for the servers, they may then have to wait for the galley to prepare appetizers, as they are now serving entrees. All this puts them behind their schedule and causes disruption for their other tables. Been there done that and it is not nice to have the flow of your dinner halted and being made to wait, just because 1 table wanted to eat later that night.

[steveru621]

If all 5 or 6 tables that the server serves, show up together, it is a very easy routine for the servers to follow, they will bring out the appetizers for the first 2 or 4 tables, then bring them out for the remaining tables, shortly after this, the kitchen will switch from serving appetizers to entrees and the process starts again. If late, then that table has to be served on their own, which means more trips to the galley for the servers, they may then have to wait for the galley to prepare appetizers, as they are now serving entrees. All this puts them behind their schedule and causes disruption for their other tables. Been there done that and it is not nice to have the flow of your dinner halted and being made to wait, just because 1 table wanted to eat later that night.

 

Now that makes sense. More trips to the Kitchen. But it also explains why my entree' is usually cold!

[cruisinfanatic]

I would discuss your plans with your waiter before you make any decisions. If your family has their own table then you won't be disrupting anyone's dinner but your own. However, the problem may be the second seating time. Your waitstaff needs time to clear and reset tables for the traditional second seating.

 

I have seen 2&4 tops show up 30 minutes late for the second seating. But IMHO it would be very rude to show up more than 10 minutes late if you are seated with others.

 

Enjoy your cruise.

Absolutely not true. When someone troupes in late, especially a whole table, the servers have to drop what they're doing and take care of them instead of the ones that showed up on time

[akcruz]

I agree with the others here, 10 minutes, maybe 15 minutes past go ahead and try the MDR. Any later than that make other plans.

 

Your wait team will tell you no problem, but as others have stated they are trying to make everyone happy and really don't want to disappoint so they will tell you it is ok and rush rush that next night impacting everyone in their station to fulfill that promise to you. Not really fair to them.

[steveru621]

Absolutely not true. When someone troupes in late, especially a whole table, the servers have to drop what they're doing and take care of them instead of the ones that showed up on time

 

This thread is hilarious! I believe it absolutely is true!

 

So if they arrive 10 minutes late the servers don't have to drop everything, but if it's 30 minutes they sprint to the new table? 4 whole people are going disrupt the entire dining room by showing up late? So if I show up late I can expect preferential treatment?

 

You have your own opinion on what's true. I have seen people show up 30 minutes late and the waiter finishes what they are doing then hands the new people a menu. I's a ten foot walk!

[OCruisers]

30 minuets is entirely too late.

You might actually enjoy having dinner elsewhere that night so NO ONE has to RUSH to get ready. :)

LuLu

~~~~

[FirstAlto]

I think it would be totally disrespectful to the other diners in your waiter's section - the only way I would even consider it would be to be seated and tell our waiter no apps or salads, we just wanted to order main course and desert.

Jane

[NemoCrownie]

Interesting. On the Legend we noticed our early seating was changed from 6:00 to 5:30 when we got our Sea Passes. We immediately went to the MDR and requested late seating or MTD for our table of 4 as this was just too early. They couldn't accomodated us given the scarcity of 4 tops - so they said. The Compass said early seating was 5:30 to 6:15 so we went to dinner at 6:00 each night and had no problems with the wait staff. Everything was set up on our table each night and they were quite accomodating to us and it didn't appear to interfere with the other tables in the section. Would I normally do this? No, but 5:30 is too early for us and there was nothing we could do. We did eat in the WJ on several nights which apprently upset our waitstaff much more than us being late, or so they said.