MDR complaint, who in Miami do you contact?

[mcatmcat]

There were 2 issues you mentioned that I think were seriously bad - the serving of entrées to only two at your table, then serving another whole table before serving the others at your table; and the fiasco with the drinks and sea pass cards. Those are both examples of poor service, bad training, and inadequate supervision. I would have complained onboard and I would definitely follow up and write a letter. (And if I were a manager I would appreciate hearing about these issues so I could correct the problems with training and supervision.) If complaints onboard just resulted in worse service, I'd be frustrated too.

 

 

 

During the years since our first RC cruise in 2004, the MDR service has definitely changed. It seems that now they are doing the job with fewer employees than they had years ago. My impression is that our wait staff have to cover more tables than the wait teams we had years ago.

 

 

 

As for the spotty service of coffee and bread, that's something we've just learned to deal with - I guess we've lowered our expectations. We've had wait teams on several cruises who didn't offer coffee, so we've developed a habit of just ordering coffee when we give them our dessert choices. And with the bread service, DH and I are addicted to those yummy little 'savory bites.' So…on the first night we make sure the server knows that's what we'll want (2 apiece), and that we'll want a second round with the entrée. We know this request creates extra work because the bread trays are made up according to a daily plan that specifies how many of each roll/slice should be on the tray. There's a list complete with photo in the galley each day to show the waiter how to set up the bread tray, and each tray has only 4 savory bites. So our server will have to add extra savory bites daily to his tray, since others at the table will want them too. A great wait team gets this after the first night…some have taken another night or two to get it.

 

 

 

One thing I miss from the old days is the ease of ordering a drink in the MDR. Nowadays you have to ask your wait team to send you a bar waiter. In the old days there were numerous bar waiters who circulated and took your order. And they used to come around after dinner selling cordials - seems like now you have to ask for that too.

 

 

 

I have to tell you our story about the most awkward assistant waiter ever on a cruise out of Galveston. He was a young man from Russia, and he was visibly nervous and sweaty on the first night. He brought our water/tea/coffee, etc and served the bread. He was awkward. He served from the wrong side and mixed up the drinks, pouring iced tea for the wrong person. He missed serving bread to one person at the table altogether until it was pointed out. The waiter corrected him a couple of times and told us he was new. The guy was clearly embarrassed and uncomfortable, but he was trying. So we decided not to complain to the headwaiter that night. We all lightened up and tried to put him at ease. By the 4th night he had improved, seemed more confident and less awkward, and we praised him. He told us this was his first cruise, his first contract, and his first job ever on a ship. He thanked us for our patience. At the end of the week we complimented him, tipped him, and let him know he was doing well.

 

 

 

Fast forward a year or so. We were back on the same ship and I was having a problem logging off the ship internet. (I have a Macbook and in those days Mac users had to do something in addition to the normal instructions to log off.) So I went running to Guest Services for help…stood in line for a few minutes as my internet minutes burned…and finally stepped up to the counter. I looked up at the young man in the blue uniform and suddenly he broke into a huge smile, grabbed my hand and shook it, and exclaimed loudly "You were my first guest! Hello! I'm so happy to see you again!" It was our assistant waiter! He solved my logoff problem and even gave me an internet credit to make up for my burned minutes. He told me that he had hated working in the MDR and couldn't wait for that contract to end, but that our group's patience and encouragement on his very first cruise had convinced him that he could do the job so he stuck it out. He was able to move to a Guest Services position and he loved his job now.

 

 

 

The moral of the story is that we probably would have complained about this guy if we hadn't found out he was a newbie. I'm glad we didn't complain, although there surely were several things that were complaintworthy on those first few nights. When we lightened up, he got better. (The reward for our patience was that I got the absolute epitome of fabulous service from GS the few times I needed help on that cruise. That was great!)

 

Judy

 

 

Omg what a nice experience !!! I mean not at the MDR but a year later when the same employee recognized you.

I had an amazing assistant waiter on the oasis and I saw him again on the independence. I was happy to see him and he genuinely recognized us. We spoke like real friends and we know he speak from the heart and no fake and some do

We are now best friends [emoji4]

[pjnj40]

you are right. I forgot about that on the Allure They place one bread on your dish. Like i said i was on the Anthem few days ago. I think on Allure they only offer you one bread, unless You ask for more. But still , you can ask for more no matter whose job is whose. A diners and waitstaff have to be a good communication to each other to make it satisfy. In this case the person think the wait staff know what on there mind when they are not mind reader. Like i said before , if you don't speak, you never get what you need. Sort of if you see something say something.

[foxgoodrich]

I've actually had that happen a couple of times.

 

Ray, I think there used to be a primarily Italian menu one night when they served salad family style in a big bowl left on the table, and also there was a basket of bread on the table. Seems like I haven't see this for awhile, though, since they've updated the menus.

 

There may have been a few other times when we've had a basket of bread, but the norm for us has been for the assistant waiter to come around the table with a bread tray.

Judy

[Cenamenya]

I've actually had that happen a couple of times.

 

I have as well. Most recently, on my July cruise on Indy. However, I typically am used to seeing the assistant waiter come around with it.

Edited January 20, 2016 by Cenamenya

[beshears]

Even though, my question is a little different, but in regard to the MDR, I thought I would ask.

 

We have ask our TA for a large table. We "prefer" men and women. Once before they gave us an all women table. We would prefer not to have that again. Do you know who to contact, so we could change tables if necessary?

[davekathy]

Even though, my question is a little different, but in regard to the MDR, I thought I would ask.

 

We have ask our TA for a large table. We "prefer" men and women. Once before they gave us an all women table. We would prefer not to have that again. Do you know who to contact, so we could change tables if necessary?

 

Whenever I have a request for table size or location I email RCCL at rcldining@rccl.com. However your request is a little different. You may want to try that or when you first board the Adventure go speak with the Maitre d and tell her/him of your request. If you decide to use the link make sure to include in your request the name of the ship, the sailing date, your dining time, and your preferred table size with your request.

Edited January 21, 2016 by davekathy

[beshears]

DaveKathy, thank you for that website to write about the MDR, or if we have a request. I don't know if I will get a reply back, but I just wrote them now. :)

[grand isle joe]

OMG!!!!!!:eek:......D+ and those serfs could not do their lousy jobs. "OFF WITH HER HEAD!".......and if they don't understand your frustration with poor service than "let them eat cake" as it has been said and you know what happened to her?................Oh the humanity.............:rolleyes:

[Host Star]

on a recent RCI cruise we had a similar MDR situation on the first nite.. we sat for 45 minutes before anyone asked if we wanted something to drink or saw a bread person... we were a table of 7...I found the head waiter and every nite thereafter there was 2 baskets of warm rolls on our table when we arrived.. ice tea was on the table and refills were attentive... and every nite the head waiter was there to ask if we needed anything and if everything was ok.. there were no excuses given and the matter was taken care of...if the head waiter didn't .. there is always the hotel mgr..in fact our head waiter did over kill.. also on our table every nite waiting for us was a platter of fresh crudities... we made sure to let them know which nites we were going to the specialty restaurants...lol

[foxgoodrich]

Even though, my question is a little different, but in regard to the MDR, I thought I would ask.

 

We have ask our TA for a large table. We "prefer" men and women. Once before they gave us an all women table. We would prefer not to have that again. Do you know who to contact, so we could change tables if necessary?

 

I'm not sure how much luck you'll have making that request ahead of time, but I definitely get it! You're looking for a compatible group of diners. If it isn't a good fit on the first night, just go see the headwaiter and ask to change tables.

 

We did this once. We had requested to be at a large table and found our table for 8. We quickly figured out everybody spoke Spanish except us!:eek: There was 1 person with good English and 1 other that understood some English. We went to the headwaiter after dinner and changed to another large table for the rest of the cruise. It was language-friendly and worked much better for us!

Judy

[beshears]

DaveKathy, once again, thank you for that website. I did use it, and I got a reply back. :) The lady told me to contact her in about 50 days from our cruise, so I marked my calendar to contact her back.

 

 

Foxgoodrich, yes you DO understand where I am coming from, and that is why I ask not only for a large table, but "both" men and women. One time we did have all women, but there were two men too, so that was fine, and it worked out good.

[davekathy]

DaveKathy, once again, thank you for that website. I did use it, and I got a reply back. :) The lady told me to contact her in about 50 days from our cruise, so I marked my calendar to contact her back.

 

 

Foxgoodrich, yes you DO understand where I am coming from, and that is why I ask not only for a large table, but "both" men and women. One time we did have all women, but there were two men too, so that was fine, and it worked out good.

 

You're welcome.

[emdia43]

I have the email of the ships dining people but would like to copy Miami so the ship doesn't just brush our concerns under the rug.

 

Our service in the MDR on the Alure Jan 3rd was just awful! Just a couple examples, no coffee offered with dessert one night, two people served their main dish at our table of 8 then the waiter served another table of 6 before returning with meals to the rest of our table :eek:, however they were all on her cart as we all ordered at the same time, bread only offered once every night, drinks came one night and one person at the table was given all of the sea passes & drinks to pass out :eek: These are just a few of the things we experienced. Being Diamond + I have been on quite a few cruises and have NEVER experienced such terrible service. I was genuinely embarrassed as I was the leader of our group and always push Royal over other lines. Not a good first impression of Royal for a few to say the least.

 

TIA

 

BonVoyage

Dawna

 

What do you hope to achieve at this late date, other than getting the servers in trouble? :eek: Unless the servers were deliberately ignoring your party, I think I'd put it down to inexperience/ having a bad day/week and let it go..

[JVilleGal]

1st World Problems!

[LMaxwell]

1st World Problems!

 

3rd Rate Comment!

 

OP: Did you get contacted back by Royal on these issues?

[JVilleGal]

Here are all the RCCL contacts including executives. This info come from the Elliott.org website.

 

http://elliott.org/company-contacts/royal-caribbean/

[beshears]

My thinking on this is YES in the MDR, sometimes the servers don't get everything to us when WE would like it, but............you have to remember, we are NOT the only table they take care of. I think sometimes I is not always their fault, but it could be the "kitchen" waiting for the food to be prepared (yes I'm sure a lot of it is already), etc. I sure you know, if your at a large table, everyone doesn't always want the same, and one person may want the same thing as you, only WITHOUT salt, etc., in other words, some people make it a little MORE difficult for the services to get their job done.

 

I have cruised over 25 years on various cruise lines, and with all the cruises I have done, there are very few where the servers did not TRY to make the people at their tables happy.