No more tablecloths in the MDR??

[ryano]

. So, Im thinking of taking my dollar vote elsewhere.

Cruisenurse 1

 

That is exactly what you need to do . :) "The beards" have heard ALL the complaints for months and they have emphatically stated there will be no more tablecloths except on elegant nights. Royal still provides tablecloths in the MDR every night and a pretty decent cruise but in most cases, you will pay quiet a bit extra and if you drink alcohol, be prepared to pay about 40% more for drinks on their ships. Good luck :)

[ryano]

Because it's a luxury we've paid for in the past, they took it away - and our costs have not changed.

 

I cannot even force myself to think of a simple tablecloth as a luxury I pay for when I cruise lol. And I really beg to differ on costs. They have creeped up but it still seems its cheaper to cruise now than it was in 2008 when I first started and its certainly cheaper than 20 years ago :) Im afraid if tablecloths are this big of a deal for everyone, its time to start looking for another cruise line.

[donaldsc]

I was reading a review for the Carnival Fascination cruise I'm taking next Feb and the poster mentioned that there were no tablecloths in the MDR anymore for the "American Table" new menu or something. Umm what?! Is this true? If so that's very disappointing...

 

What next - plastic disposable cutlery. Perhaps I should not have posted this as the Carnival people may read it and think that it is a really good idea.

 

DON

[Can'tWait2SetSail]

Sorry for all of you whose cruise experience is influenced by the lack of table clothes. Life is so hard. You must be so sad.

[DebJ14]

We were eating dinner on the Breeze a couple weeks ago as the ship was leaving Cozumel, the tables were vibrating a little and then the sound of breaking glass as a wine bottle slid off a nearby empty table. A tablecloth would have kept it in place.

 

We were on the Freedom and at breakfast as the ship was docking all the glasses started sliding off the table. The waiter tried to catch them and got a few, but several broke, as did a bottle of A-1 Steaksauce. Glass, water steak sauce and OJ were all over the carpet by our table.

 

I hate that there are no tablecloths. Even our favorite local (cheap) Mexican restaurant has them!

 

The tables get wet with condensation, and I end up with a drenched napkin trying to keep up with it. I do not lay my silverware on the table - I put it on the bread plate.

 

On the Breeze in January our waiter approached us to wipe up the condensation and I could smell the dirty rag coming. I asked him to please get a clean cloth. The MDR tables will soon start smelling as bad as the tables do on the Lido from the dirty rags. ICK!

 

Also, the lack of tablecloths has made the noise level in the MDR worse. The more soft goods there are in a room, the more the sound is muffled. Try eating in a restaurant (not McDonalds) with tile floors, no drapes, tables with no tablecloths that still uses silverware and china. The noise level gets to be painful after a while as people start talking louder and louder to be heard. At least they haven't yet removed the the carpeting from the MDR so they can mop the floor after we eat!

[HectorAchilleus]

How are you thinking they wipe the tables at land based restaurants of which MANY do not have tablecloths any differently?

 

Most land-based places have placemats or have paper napkins so that you can leave one under your silverware.

[BlerkOne]

Sorry for all of you whose cruise experience is influenced by the lack of table clothes. Life is so hard. You must be so sad.

 

Really. I don't know of anyone who eats tablecloths. A number of the fine dining Carnival steakhouses also don't have tablecloths. The CDC is fine with it.

[cruzeluver]

When this change was implemented last year we too initially thought it sounded bad. But we have now experienced two cruises without the tablecloths (except on Elegant nights) and it was really no big deal. Carnival's main dining room was never really all that elegant, what with the waiters dancing to poorly recorded music and the staff dressed much nicer than the majority of passengers.

[vamartha]

Wow, I have to say - I am extremely disappointed. Is this a permanent change? Can we complain to Carnival? I want to dress up each night and enjoy my dining experience - if you want simple and easy go to the lido deck. Very, very disappointed.

 

You could complain, but I can assure you that they didn't listen to the other million people who complained and they've been complaining for well over a year!

[teknoge3k]

ah, the tablecloth thread, version 2.

 

Like most others, I don't see what the big deal is. I can't think of any land based restaurants that use tablecloths. In fact, the only time in my life I've ever eaten on a tablecloth is at my wife's parents house on Christmas Day. That's it. I guess older people like them because that's what they had "back in the day" but this is 2017, times are changing. I suppose they could have them as an option, and allow people to have a table cloth on their table on a request basis, and just charge those people a cleaning fee for those table cloths.

[timeinthesand]

Yes, its truly disappointing to some.

 

To others, not so much.

I suppose one could gather an extra napkin and use it as a place mat, if one was so inclined.

[hftmrock]

I could name dozens of top restaurants in NYC that don't use tablecloths but the one of the most expensive restaurants (Masa) does not use tablecloths. dinner there is between $400 - $800 per person...

 

there are many many many restaurants that dont use tablecloths that are elegant, expensive and does not distract from a fantastic dining experience

[SMSACE6]

When I first started hearing about American Table, Menu, no tablecloth (except on elegant night), I thought that I would not like it. I tend to be a traditionalist, but also realise by now that change is a fact of life, and you just have to go with it, or dont go with it and find somewhere else to vacation.

 

Last September went on my first American Table cruise, and found that I did not miss the table cloths at all, and actually liked the menu a lot. It was nice to get to try new things, and found that there were enough of the old things to make me happy too.

 

But certainly, I did not find the lack of a table cloth to be a problem. Also must say that at home, I dont remember seeing a table cloth on a dining table in a restaurant in a few years now, and I have been to some pretty upscale places in my city. It just does not seem to be the norm now.

 

edit to add; to OP, I understand your reluctance but my recommendation is to go and try, check it out, and see how you feel after. You might find out it is not that big of a deal after all. (like I did) lol.

[Gypsywych]

I hate it. I hate the American Table experience completely. Bare table, louder sounds in the dining room, water condensation on the table, crowded from the bread basket, the water carafe, plates, silverware. It's annoying and feels like a cafeteria, which is what the Lido also feels like.

 

Carnival might not be "fine dining", but it used to be relaxing and enjoyable. Now it's feels cheap and frustrating. We enjoy Carnival. We enjoy a relaxed vacation. The MDR just doesn't add to that any longer.

 

For those of you who are contacting corporate, good for you! The more people who express their disappointment, the more they will hear us.

For those of you who don't mind, no need to stoop to ugly insults over it.

[Thorncroft]

I suspect that tablecloths will make a comeback in a few years when the new table tops are beat all to hell and it's cheaper to throw a rag over the table than to replace them all. Carnival is getting tighter with every passing year. The counting of the beans will be their guiding light.

[Thorncroft]

You suspect right. Voicing displeasure over this is nothing but wasting time IMO. They have already heard it all and John Heald said "the beards" are saying absolutely no tablecloths except on elegant nights.

 

This such a bizarre complaint anyway. This isnt some 5 star restaurant with Michelin Star chefs we are talking about. Nowhere I go on land has tablecloths. Not even some of the higher end places I have frequented. Im not sure why people think a mass market cruise line serving banquet type mass prepared food should be any different.

 

Where do people put their fork at a Longhorn or insert any other chain restaurant that doesnt have tablecloths name?

 

The buffet at the Hard Rock casino that I go to has tablecloths. A modicum of effort wouldn't kill them. It's faster to clean up a table and reset it with a table cloth, too. I watched them re-dress a table in under 20 seconds without having to drag the mop bucket around with them.

[lizzyplague]

I guess I'm a minority but I like the american table menu... and I have no problem with the lack of tablecloths either.

[The4Cruisers]

I didn't think I'd be okay with no tablecloths when the AT was announced. But now I couldn't care less. I'm eating my dinner with my family. The food is good.

 

Gotta' say though, I don't care for how they've understaffed the MDR. Our last two or three cruises have really been a letdown from the attentive service the wait teams have provided in the past.

[mbet]

As I see it, this is a result of passenger demand. Why dress the tables when the diners want to show up for dinner in jeans, shorts, and baseball hats?

[bUU]

Do people really wear baseball hats to dinner? I'd think in the Caribbean it would be too​ hot to wear a hat.

[slo mo]

What I really hated was the beverages left wet marks on the table.I dealt with by using my napkin to

clean the table.I then requested another napkin for dinner use.My wait staff was not that happy to

provide another serving of silver and napkin.To be honest tough luck cut backs make me make these

requests.

[Thorncroft]

What I really hated was the beverages left wet marks on the table.I dealt with by using my napkin to

clean the table.I then requested another napkin for dinner use.My wait staff was not that happy to

provide another serving of silver and napkin.To be honest tough luck cut backs make me make these

requests.

 

Your wait staff has to fight for your silverware with the other waiters. They are undersupplied in the dining room. Your innocent request created a crisis for them for the next serving time.

[gatorinark]

It really isn't that bad. I can't even remember the last time there were table cloths on the table when we went to a restaurant. (And as I said, they are on the tables on elegant night which makes those nights stand out a bit more.)

 

 

 

 

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[johnny75]

When the tablecloths left they also cut wait staff by 30 percent and some kitchen servers.

 

Food now takes an eternity to get to your table. AND is is cold!!!!

 

 

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[cruisenurse1]

I guarantee I will send back my hot items if they are served cold and complain to the dinning room supervisor and corporate too

 

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