Four reasons to choose MDR for dinner

[GUT2407]

I usually mention (casually) on the first night that I don't use salad dressing' date=' but if I could have lemon slices, I would love it. On some cruises, a plate of lemon slices would get placed before me while the assistant waiter is also putting the bread baskets on the table. If not, I wouldn't complain. If I get the plate, I will use the juice on my salad (which I try to get at every dinner) from a couple of slices and drop another slice in my water. Then I'll offer the plate to other diners at my table, and usually they seem very glad to take one for their water glass. I imagine many of the waiters will note these kind of requests on a note card or something.

 

On one cruise, our waiter was our assistant waiter about a year and a half before on a different ship. We recognized each other (we asked about her boyfriend -- we met him on a port shuttle; sadly they had split up in the meantime) and she mentioned remembering that often my hubby will bring his own mug and coffee to meals in the past.[/quote']

 

 

I sometimes wonder if they give them memory tests before they employ them.

 

Three years later still remember what I drink, just amazing.

[TomAceEsq]

I'm not sure what you think you're missing out on that makes you think you have to rush through eating to get somewhere else. Cruising is supposed to be relaxing. Relax, eat, enjoy.

 

 

Maybe I didn't make it clear in my previous posts, but it isn't relaxing for us for a meal to take longer than what we think is acceptable. Time is relative; it might be relaxing for you for a meal to take over an hour and a half, but I've never come across something that I needed cooked for so long, it would make my meal remotely last that long. Ever.

 

Sitting on our balcony with a glass of wine or hitting the piano bar would be much more up our alley than hanging out and waiting for things that should never take so long to prepare in the first place. Plus, we love a good greasy double cheeseburger. To each their own, though. :)

 

I'll actually report back after our cruise to let everyone know how long it took us in the various venues. I'm officially interested enough in dining times to try Giovanni's, Chops, and the MDR at least a couple nights just to time them. I'll also mentally prepare myself for it to take longer than I'm accustomed to at land-based restaurants and enjoy myself. Thanks for the advice, Sew.

[Sea Green]

If time pacing of a meal is important for you, you might actually be better of in the MDR as the sittings are arranged to be served and done in time for the shows? Plus you have the advantage of a set time so the waiters will be ready with your table and to take your order as soon as you arrive. Once you are done, if the rest of the table wants to linger and chat you dont have to stay you can always say goodnight and leave.

 

You also have to ask yourself how relaxing is it going to be to try to chow down a 5 course meal in an hour or less? :eek:

 

Once my ship had a "ship wide open seating night" and oh my word the difference, the dinner was literally thrown at us. Conversely at open sitting lunch we often had to wait ages for a table or to order. Once we had to leave half way through as it was taking so long.

 

It can be useful to have regular waiters if you have a lot of particular likes and dislikes. I once shared with a couple where every night he had mint tea (NOT herbal, fresh mint made in a particular way) and she had no dessert but a fruit salad with ONLY certain fruit, and sorbet NOT ice-cream. They didnt have to explain this to a different waiter every time because they always remembered (and no, they didn't tip them)

 

Golden rul eof cruise ship dining = try every venue at least once:)

[clairebearinaus]

New cruisers for sure ARE missing out on the best of cruising if they get an inside cabin..you should read this & some of the replies:

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1947393

 

What is the point of being on a cruise if you can't see/ feel the sea & don't have that "connection" one has on a balcony? Inside cabins eliminate a part of cruising that makes cruising so special- the connection to the salt air, wind, the whitecaps, waves, sunsets, etc...

As I mention in the post, I don't work all year to spend a week in a broom closet, when I can have sunshine, the sea & nature all in front of me for a few dollars more...

 

Big Al

 

Thanks for the link Big Al, you just cost me a lot of money ;)

 

I barely made it halfway through the thread before calling Princess and upgrading my cabin!

[big al]

Thanks for the link Big Al, you just cost me a lot of money ;)

 

I barely made it halfway through the thread before calling Princess and upgrading my cabin!

 

You are welcome, AND you won't regret it, LOL...just either print my first 2 pages, OR write some of the ideas down ( like breakfast on the balcony on a SEA day..,etc..)..Good girl!!

 

Big Al

[Cruisin' Chick]

If time pacing of a meal is important for you, you might actually be better of in the MDR as the sittings are arranged to be served and done in time for the shows? Plus you have the advantage of a set time so the waiters will be ready with your table and to take your order as soon as you arrive. Once you are done, if the rest of the table wants to linger and chat you dont have to stay you can always say goodnight and leave.

 

You also have to ask yourself how relaxing is it going to be to try to chow down a 5 course meal in an hour or less? :eek:

 

Once my ship had a "ship wide open seating night" and oh my word the difference, the dinner was literally thrown at us. Conversely at open sitting lunch we often had to wait ages for a table or to order. Once we had to leave half way through as it was taking so long.

 

It can be useful to have regular waiters if you have a lot of particular likes and dislikes. I once shared with a couple where every night he had mint tea (NOT herbal, fresh mint made in a particular way) and she had no dessert but a fruit salad with ONLY certain fruit, and sorbet NOT ice-cream. They didnt have to explain this to a different waiter every time because they always remembered (and no, they didn't tip them)

 

Golden rul eof cruise ship dining = try every venue at least once:)

 

On the one cruise that we were stuck with anytime dining (because we booked about five weeks before the cruise and traditional had a waitlist we didn't clear by the sailing date), we felt the times we did go to the anytime dinner (which ended up being 7 nights out of our 14-day cruise -- many times we just ate in the buffet and that's not something we would do if we were in assigned dining), it was often rushed and/or disorganized. A few weeks after our cruise, hubby and I were talking about the cruise and he said he didn't feel anytime dining was the same experience at all. I think if we ever are in that situation again, we'll go to the head waiter desk the first afternoon and see if we can get moved to traditional dining.