Buffet for Dinner?

[First and Ten]

The one thing that still floors me is how early people line up for the MDR....this past cruise, it must have been about 7:40 and I was at the Atrium Bar, having a cocktail, looking around....I noticed a good crowd of people crowded around, so I went to check it out. I get up there and there had to be at least 60 people, standing around. I asked some random person what's going on...."Just waiting for dinner"....i looked at him and said "Really? Dinner is not until 8:15"....His response was "Yeah...." This was night 3 or 4, so it wasn't new....and it wasn't like these were ATD people, because no staff was there to seat anyone (I assumed ATD was in the other MDR on the ship)....it wasn't like he was the only person waiting, like I said, rough count, had to be 60 or so people....help me, what am I missing? [emoji848]

 

 

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Edited July 7, 2016 by First and Ten

[True Texan]

We used to go to the MDR every night then it started taking longer and longer. Now we go the the Steakhouse one night, the MDR 2 nights and at least one night we do Guys right before they close and maybe pub grub late at night. The rest of the nights are the Lido.

[LMaxwell]

I prefer the MDR for any meals where it is open, wish it was open for embarkation lunch like some lines. I especially like Carnivals SeaDay Brunch. But on my last cruise, different line, we'd leave the MDR after our main course of dinner and go to the buffet for coffee and dessert. Nice sea views, quick and easy variety, let us stretch our legs after dinner. We were finding that ordering dessert and coffee in the MDR seemed to add 30+ minutes to the meal.

 

I'll have to take a pass through the buffet before dinner sometime and see if we want to just do that for dinner. Not opposed to it if they have some of the same food as the MDR menu.

[LMaxwell]

.help me, what am I missing? [emoji848]

 

Nothing. Not missing anything. Kind of absurd to line up before fixed time dinner. I think you and I may have just struck an agreement.

 

On another line the loyalty lounge (free booze) was set to open at 4:30. It was moved to a different lounge (larger), but the doors were kept shut until cocktail time. I passed by at 3:45, people gathering. Walked by at 4:15, mob scene. I returned at 4:35, just five minutes into the 3.5 hour serving window and strolled right in and they handed me a drink before I could even sit down.

 

What the heck were they lining up for at 3:45?!?

[Quilcruisers]

I prefer dining room most evenings. Sometimes we will take a rest and eat a late lunch and skip the dining room. We get the most value, to me, by being waited in and eating multiple courses. We also do not sit down with each other every night at home so this is good for our family. We enjoy our wait staff too and love the long leisurely dinner.

[First and Ten]

Nothing. Not missing anything. Kind of absurd to line up before fixed time dinner. I think you and I may have just struck an agreement.

 

 

 

On another line the loyalty lounge (free booze) was set to open at 4:30. It was moved to a different lounge (larger), but the doors were kept shut until cocktail time. I passed by at 3:45, people gathering. Walked by at 4:15, mob scene. I returned at 4:35, just five minutes into the 3.5 hour serving window and strolled right in and they handed me a drink before I could even sit down.

 

 

 

What the heck were they lining up for at 3:45?!?

 

 

Nice to strike an accord and agree on something....I swore I heard someone say around 7:45, "I'm hungry, how much longer" [emoji32]....I figured I better just shut up instead of telling him that 2 decks up, he could eat to his hearts content and still have plenty of time to get back to the herd that will stampede the dining room....To Carnivals credit, they didn't cave and open the doors early like some theme parks sometimes do....8:15 meant 8:15....not 8:14, it was 8:15 on the nose

 

 

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Edited July 7, 2016 by First and Ten

[LMaxwell]

Another thing I like about the MDR is it is usually scheduled around the theater entertainment. We're not gamblers, and until later at night there isn't much going on before 8pm, so time at dinner is well spent. I feel like if we hit the buffet we'd be in and out in 30 minutes and wandering around waiting for the action to start for the night.

 

Maybe.

 

Maybe not.

[First and Ten]

Another thing I like about the MDR is it is usually scheduled around the theater entertainment. We're not gamblers, and until later at night there isn't much going on before 8pm, so time at dinner is well spent. I feel like if we hit the buffet we'd be in and out in 30 minutes and wandering around waiting for the action to start for the night.

 

 

 

Maybe.

 

 

 

Maybe not.

 

 

I would agree that it should be plenty of time, but we had late seating and the 3 nights we ate in the MDR, we were getting out of there around 10:25, hustle over to the theatre and it was a good 80% full at that point

 

 

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Edited July 7, 2016 by First and Ten

[LMaxwell]

I would agree that it should be plenty of time, but we had late seating and the 3 nights we ate in the MDR, we were getting out of there around 10:25, hustle over to the theatre and it was a good 80% full at that point

 

 

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I've been doing ATD the last few years, but finding that the time that "seems best" is the time that seems best for everyone else too (6:30-7pm) and I don't like lines so for my next cruise switched to early dining. Will see how it works out. Late dining is just too late for us. Well, I'm the night owl, but my wife definitely is not.

 

At the buffet do they tend to have the "key items" from the MDR menu? Kind of surprised they don't serve the signature dessert up there the warm chocolate melting cake.

 

I really think Carnival excels at MDR food (breakfast, lunch, brunch, and dinner) and I'd hate to skip it; I've tried lunch on Lido a few times and have been disappointed, except for the Deli and Wok, those are usually very solid choices.

[First and Ten]

I've been doing ATD the last few years, but finding that the time that "seems best" is the time that seems best for everyone else too (6:30-7pm) and I don't like lines so for my next cruise switched to early dining. Will see how it works out. Late dining is just too late for us. Well, I'm the night owl, but my wife definitely is not.

At the buffet do they tend to have the "key items" from the MDR menu? Kind of surprised they don't serve the signature dessert up there the warm chocolate melting cake.

I really think Carnival excels at MDR food (breakfast, lunch, brunch, and dinner) and I'd hate to skip it; I've tried lunch on Lido a few times and have been disappointed, except for the Deli and Wok, those are usually very solid choices.

The buffet on the Elation was ok....2 carving stations 6 hot dishes, full salad bar, deli, pizza....NO MELTING CAKE!!!! But other cake type desserts and of course, ice cream....the cruise prior, we were on the NCL Epic....it was a monster of a buffet....4 carving stations, had to have 10 hot entrees, seafood station, mega salad bar and an entire section of desserts....food was excellent....I will agree, to get that formal setting and treatment, MDR caters more in the true dining sense

 

 

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Edited July 7, 2016 by First and Ten

[First and Ten]

....

Edited July 7, 2016 by First and Ten

[joeyancho]

I've never tried the buffet for dinner on Carnival, but have been to the buffet on Princess for dinner. It is very nice. Quiet atmosphere. The waiters provide beverage service. Since the room is not crowded, they have lots of time to chat. That never happens in the dining room. Each night is a different theme. German night is especially good. The assortment of desert cheeses is very good. It is a pleasant change from formal dining.

Edited July 7, 2016 by joeyancho

[SadieN]

I've never tried the buffet for dinner on Carnival, but have been to the buffet on Princess for dinner. It is very nice. Quiet atmosphere. The waiters provide beverage service. Since the room is not crowded, they have lots of time to chat. That never happens in the dining room. Each night is a different theme. German night is especially good. The assortment of desert cheeses is very good. It is a pleasant change from formal dining.

 

 

We prefer Princess buffet and Carnival's MDR.

 

 

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[Aldeya]

We used to go to the MDR every night then it started taking longer and longer. Now we go the the Steakhouse one night, the MDR 2 nights and at least one night we do Guys right before they close and maybe pub grub late at night. The rest of the nights are the Lido.

 

Same for us. The meals in MDR are getting longer. I just don't have patience anymore to sit for 2-2.5 hours for a meal.

[golfb4cruzing]

I have no problem going to the buffet for every meal. It's quicker and better variety.I don't need to get dressed up and parade through the dining room so everyone can see me. There are too many things to do instead of wasting 2 hours every night on sub par cold food.

[pusywillow]

We prefer Princess buffet and Carnival's MDR.

 

 

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I totally agree. The buffet on the Royal and Regal are great!

 

Sue

[Viesczy]

I find it amusing that folks rip on the buffet as "low quality" food but are sure the MDR is "high quality" food. Like both aren't mass prepared food! Just too funny!

 

That said, if time is tight the buffet is THE option. You get in, get your food, eat and get on with what you wanted to do/see for that night.

 

Now if your night is your meal as there is nothing else that caught your eye, the MDR is a great place as you get to interact with other passengers and the like.

 

Neither is a bad option and neither offer superior (or inferior) quality.

[It's a Ship!!!]

I prefer the MDR for any meal that it is open, unless the ship has Guy's, Blue Iguana, or the Tandoor available for lunch. I have nothing against buffets, and will happily eat there for lunch on port days. However, if I can sit in a place with a nice atmosphere and have a server take care of me at no extra cost, I will choose that option every time.

[asalligo]

In the evening I prefer a more formal structured meal, but I have no problem eating in the buffet for dinner when anything makes us late for our 6pm seating.

 

Last cruise we were late returning to the port in Port Canaveral after an excursion.. Thank goodness we had booked through Carnival, I was sitting on the Bus in the rain on the stopped interstate thinking I would be losing my mind if this had been a non Carnival excursion. We arrived back at the ship about 6:15 and she was supposed to sail at 6. We ate in the buffet that night.

[First and Ten]

In the evening I prefer a more formal structured meal, but I have no problem eating in the buffet for dinner when anything makes us late for our 6pm seating.

 

Last cruise we were late returning to the port in Port Canaveral after an excursion.. Thank goodness we had booked through Carnival, I was sitting on the Bus in the rain on the stopped interstate thinking I would be losing my mind if this had been a non Carnival excursion. We arrived back at the ship about 6:15 and she was supposed to sail at 6. We ate in the buffet that night.

 

Exactly the reason that you should book excursions thru Carnival as opposed to on your own ;)

Edited July 7, 2016 by First and Ten

[Micahs Grandad]

Exactly the reason that you should book excursions thru Carnival as opposed to on your own ;)

 

Gotta disagree on this one. We would book with cruise line if excursion was going far from the port just in case of traffic but in general we do all privately and schedule it to be back at port 90 minutes at least before sailaway.

 

Can do so much more when you go in a van with say 8 other people than on a bus with 50 or so.

[frangran]

When we first cruised we did strictly MDR then we tried the buffet and it wasn't long before we were buffet for everything except formal night (or elegant night as they call it now). Now if I go without DH it's strictly buffet all week long.

 

To me the food is much hotter on the buffet than I get in the dining room. Anyone that thinks they are getting made to order in the MDR has never seen behind the scenes in the kitchen. Everything is sitting for extended periods waiting to go out in the MDR you are not getting fresh food, you are not getting high end dining. It's a mass dining of course it's sitting on a steam tables and hot trays, how do you think they serve so many at once. Doesn't mean the food is bad at all, just not fresh to order which is why it tends to be warm and not steaming hot.

 

I also don't want to sit 1.5-2 hours during a meal. Others enjoy the whole process, I thought it was cute at first but seeing the singing waiters a few times was plenty for me. I prefer to grab my meal and go do something else so buffet or one of the other stands is definitely my choice. That doesn't mean we don't dress for dinner given the opportunity. The girls and I may still do elegant night with nice cocktail dresses and get all prettied up and have some fun but we won't be sitting for hours waiting on our food during that time.

 

I agree with you entirely! Like you, I also dress up for Elegant Night, go to the Buffet -- then have more time for fun activities!

[nwo4life]

No dinner buffet for me, but I will each a deli sandwich or pizza every night. The MDR just takes too much time.

[gupebreedr]

I like the buffet and will partake in it as much as possible. I do one night in MDR, one night in a specialty restaurant (steak house) and the rest of the nights at the buffet... I like the variety of the buffet and I HATE having to get dressed up for the dining room.....

[cruzeluver]

For us dinner each night is an event, something we very much look forward to and not just something to be gotten through so we can get to the next activity. We enjoy the 1.5-2 hours spent there, chatting with our table mates, whether they are new people we are just meeting or part of a group we are travelling with. We always do late dining so we can linger over coffee.