Dining Etiquette

[happyiam]

Had this happen on our first cruise and wanted to check before our second cruise. My DH & I went for breakfast in the MDR. They sat us at an empty large table, and took our orders. Just before our food arrived they brought 6 more people to the table. Our food arrived before theirs and we went ahead and ate, not wanting it to get cold. We had obviously finished before they did. Should we have stayed until they finished eating? I felt awkward leaving when others at the table were still eating. My guess is that this is okay at breakfast time, but I want to be sure we didn't do something improper. Thank you.

[Keith1010]

You did fine.

 

In that situation we would just say it was very nice meeting you and sorry we are not able to stay with you longer.

 

Keith

[cruzeluver]

You were fine! I don't think anyone would fault you for leaving when you were finished. If the others were just before your food arrived then you could have been sitting there for quite some time after finishing breakfast. When we have been in your position, we have simply wished the others a lovely day and politely excused ourselves.

[Clarea]

Had this happen on our first cruise and wanted to check before our second cruise. My DH & I went for breakfast in the MDR. They sat us at an empty large table, and took our orders. Just before our food arrived they brought 6 more people to the table. Our food arrived before theirs and we went ahead and ate, not wanting it to get cold. We had obviously finished before they did. Should we have stayed until they finished eating? I felt awkward leaving when others at the table were still eating. My guess is that this is okay at breakfast time, but I want to be sure we didn't do something improper. Thank you.

No problem, happens all the time.

[KirkNC]

That's fine, it can be a tad awkward but it's fine at breakfast.

[happyiam]

Thank you all so much. I feel better now. :)

[Krazy Kruizers]

You did fine.

The person seating people really should have sat you at a smaller table or taken those 6 people to a different table seeing that you were already eating.

[paul929207]

As the others have said, no problem.

[happyiam]

Why would they seat 2 at a large table? Should I ask for a smaller table if this happens again?

[spookwife]

Why would they seat 2 at a large table? Should I ask for a smaller table if this happens again?

 

Breakfast and lunch is open seating.. you get seated as you walk in, your order gets taken and you get fed . as opposed to set dining when the table is on a schedule( everyone's order gets taken at the same time, served and etc). the OP just happened to be seated during a lull in others arriving for breakfast.

 

the last few cruises they were VERY reluctant to sit people at 2 and 4 tops. they really want to leave those clean/unused for dinner. it is easier to turn over a big table less often than it is to turn over a lot of smaller ones.

[navybankerteacher]

Why would they seat 2 at a large table? Should I ask for a smaller table if this happens again?

 

Rather than making people wait for small tables, they usually seat people as they come in wherever there are seats. MDR breakfasts do tend to overlap - however, there have been times when we have gotten into enjoyable conversations with late-comers and have dawdled over second or third cups of coffee.

[cb at sea]

What you did was fine. Even though you may be seated with others, if it's a random seating, like at breakfast, you are under NO obligation to let your food get cold! Now, if it had been your own party, and you arrived before the rest...you should have waited to order...but that was NOT the case! No worries!

[Rala]

You did fine.

The person seating people really should have sat you at a smaller table or taken those 6 people to a different table seeing that you were already eating.

 

They were not already eating. They had only ordered their food and it arrived before the newcomers food. The OP was fine eating their food before it got cold . They fill up large tables at breakfast , i think, so there are less tables to reset for lunch/dinner. If you want a table for just your party, you can request it. It sometimes takes a few minutes to be seated, but not a big deal.:)

[pris993]

Why would they seat 2 at a large table? Should I ask for a smaller table if this happens again?

 

We would... had similar experience when I went for tea with my sister... if I had known (had not done tea in years) would have asked for a table for 2, I had wanted some private time with my sister. Did not get it.

[happyiam]

Thanks again. I recognize many of your names as being very helpful to those of us new to cruising. I used this forum obsessively before my first cruise. All the help you give everyone made our cruise so easy. We felt very comfortable in this new world. This was the only time I wasn't quite sure of protocol. I am glad to know that what we did was okay. I didn't want to be the 'newbie' that stood out. We don't mind sharing a table at all. Now that I understand that it makes it easier for turn around, I won't hesitate to share and know I can be polite and still leave before others.

[BallFour4]

We never wait for breakfast and give people 10 minutes for dinner.

 

On the Magic last week we're a couple seated with four other couples traveling together. They were 15 minutes late the first night, and these were veteran cruisers.

 

The second night at 6:10pm we ordered and asked our waiter to not hold or order. We were finished with dinner before they had polished off the appetizers.

 

Mix in one of the women in the group scolding my wife for salting her food (she's a 1/2 marathoner and had ran 6 miles on the ship that morning) and we asked to be moved to another table.

 

We don't owe each other anything except to be timely for fixed time dinner. If I'm not there by 10 minutes eat your meal. I will.

 

.

Edited February 15, 2016 by BallFour4

[cruisejunkie76]

You did fine.

 

In that situation we would just say it was very nice meeting you and sorry we are not able to stay with you longer.

 

Keith

 

Agree. they should have placed you on a smaller tabel to begin with as you were "only" 2 people

[marshhawk]

Since breakfast is not assigned, when we walk in we ask to be seated alone for breakfast (especially if we are hungry, and suffering from Morning grumpy):eek: When Carnival did seat lunch in the MDR, we always asked to be seated with other people. We like meeting new people, but more than likely you wont want to be seated with us at breakfast (takes us a while to wake up):o.

 

The late comers to dinner however do screw up the assigned dining experience, once our waiter insisted on waiting on the last group to come in, and they never did, we all left the table, no service and ate on the Lido deck. There are some nights when we know we wont be there, so we do tell the waiter, and the rest of those at the table, that we wont be in on the next night. It is common courtesy.

 

Breakfast is a totally different creature, they seat you, they take your order and you eat. If they seat folks after your order has been taken, no, you don't have to stay seated with your table mates. If you haven't ordered, and they were seated with you, then it would be nice, but that was a party unto itself, no need for you to stay there. Just the "have a nice day!"