Main Dining Room Schedule

[railman]

I don’t know if we are unusual, but we generally are nothappy with the seemingly rigid schedule of dining room hours.

 

 

Breakfast is always from 7:00am to 9:00am. Lunch is always from 12:00pm to 1:30pm on seadays. Dinner spreads out more and is notan issue to us.

 

 

It is the breakfast hours that we are not happywith. For one thing the hours are rigidand not adjusted to port times. Most ofall on sea days it would be nice to sleep in a bit and not have to deal withthe buffet. If you show up at 9:01 youare out of luck.

 

 

On one cruise I had a discussion with the maitred and he gave me a long winded explanation on why they need to cut off breakfastat 9:00 so they can get ready for lunch. I don’t buy the explanation. Isuggested using a different dining room for lunch, and his answer was they alsoneed to consider server hours. I did notask why server hours don’t seem to be a problem in the buffet.

 

 

I have put this issue on the Princesssurveys several times and never got a response.

 

 

In my book we are the customers, and thecruise line should do what is necessary to please us. Do I stand alone on this, or do others agree?

 

[Thrak]

I would greatly appreciate having the breakfast hours extended to 10:00 but I'm not in charge. Princess makes the rules.

[paul929207]

The buffet has breakfast from about 6am to 11 or 11;30am.

 

On the Ocean Princess, they used to have Sunday Brunch from about 10 am to 2 pm whenever Sunday was a sea day. The Ocean is no longer part of the fleet. I do not know if they offer this on the Pacific Princess. Not sure that the logistics would work on the bigger ships.

[DVC Calif]

Princes used to have something called “Late-Late Riser” on select ships. It wasn't the full breakfast menu but some favorites like blueberry pancakes with maple syrup and whipped cream, or steak and eggs could be ordered at lunchtime.

 

Or if your fortunate enough to have a suite, you may dine in Sabatini's. I think breakfast is offered until 9:30 on port days and 10:30 on sea days.

 

Another alternative might be cabin service or International Cafe.

[Thrak]

Of course the title is Main Dining Room Schedule...

 

I believe the OP is aware of the alternatives but would like to have breakfast in MDR extended past 9:00 AM. I don't see it happening. We rarely make it there as we tend to sleep in when cruising so we eat elsewhere for breakfast. If breakfast was extended to 10:00 AM we "might" eat in MDR more often.

[floridalover5623]

Whats really wrong with the buffet? If you don't see what you want , they'll prepare just about anything else if you ask.

9 AM is a decent time to cutoff breakfast for most people so why not give the buffet a chance if you happen to get up late one morning. Even if you get to the DR a few minutes before they close they'll still seat you.

[cr8tiv1]

Several things to consider here:

 

1. They do need to set up for lunch (if sea day). The "other" dining room may have been set up for the outlet sale/everything $10 sale...

2. Some of the waiters are re-assigned to the Buffet to pick up the extra traffic. Or...to the IC/Piazza.

3. The wait staff works on split shifts. They are given time off in-between serving duties.

 

4. Yes, I understand "you" are the customer. But there are other options for a late breakfast.

[railman]

Hi from the "OP". We do know the alternatives. We find going to the buffet at 9:30 on a sea day not a pleasant experience. There are usually lines, than a search for seating walking around with a plate of food. We find It much more civilized to sit down and be served. After all we are on vacation.

 

Sometimes we order something very light from room service and make lunch our meal, espically if there is a pub lunch that day.

[Colo Cruiser]

Many of the breakfast/lunch DR servers staff the buffet so they can't be in 2 places at once.

[Waynetor]

We also find the 9 am cut off early, especially when there is a time change making it seem like 8 am. When possible time changes are sea days, a time a lot of people like to sleep in a touch on what should be a relaxing day.

[need2cruisesoon]

I would greatly appreciate having the breakfast hours extended to 10:00 but I'm not in charge. Princess makes the rules.

 

I agree and don't think the 9:00 am rule is just Princess. The POA cruise we just did was also 9:00am.

 

(Go Wildcats!).

[frugaltravel]

We find going to the buffet at 9:30 on a sea day not a pleasant experience. There are usually lines, than a search for seating walking around with a plate of food. We find It much more civilized to sit down and be served.

 

Wanting to be served is one thing, but I am surprised at how many people first get their food in the buffet line then go searching for a table with a plate of hot food. When I have eaten at the buffet, I first find my seat, put something on the seat (jacket, small bag, etc) then go get my food. I am back relatively quickly (it is a buffet after all!) so it is not like I am "hogging" a seat for a long time like pool chair hogs do :).

[Geobugs]

I think they should open a specialty restaurant from 9am to 10:30am for those who don't want to eat from 7am to 9am. Have a $15 surcharge for people that can't get up. It meets a need and pays for itself.

[Colo Cruiser]

I think they should open a specialty restaurant from 9am to 10:30am for those who don't want to eat from 7am to 9am. Have a $15 surcharge for people that can't get up. It meets a need and pays for itself.

 

 

 

No more surcharges!

[Potstech]

I think they should ask each customer how they would like "their" hours to be along with individual excursion times and special times for all shows. Can not see why that would be a problem for a ship to placate the individual requirements of each and every "customer". That way the OP would be happy as well as all the others on board.

[Pam in CA]

Unlike several other lines I've sailed on, the Princess buffet offers full dining from 6am until 11pm. Most other lines I've been on closed the buffet at about 9:30am and good luck finding the buffet open if you came back from a tour at 2pm.

 

My point is that different cruise lines allocate personnel differently. Staff standing around and food prepped that's not used is wastage and costs money.

[rdsqrl]

This seems like a silly complaint to me. Why you would want to eat breakfast later than 9 -- then, it's practically lunchtime. It sounds like you're the one who's being rigid . . . rigid about having your three squares a day. Why not try living dangerously?: go to the HC, grab some fruit and cheese, and try to dodge starvation until the dining room opens for lunch.

[geoherb]

On the Caribbean Princess last month (British isles itinerary) the breakfast hours did vary. Most days it was 7 to 9. The two sea days it was 7:30 to 9:30. One day was 6:30 to 8:30 (tendering for Edinburgh that day). The last day was 6 to 8:30.

[casofilia]

If we have to go to the buffet for any reason we first find somewhere for the two of us to sit and then one get the tea before the other goes to get food. Then when that one returns the other goes to get food. Works wonderfully well.

[floridalover5623]

Wanting to be served is one thing, but I am surprised at how many people first get their food in the buffet line then go searching for a table with a plate of hot food. When I have eaten at the buffet, I first find my seat, put something on the seat (jacket, small bag, etc) then go get my food. I am back relatively quickly (it is a buffet after all!) so it is not like I am "hogging" a seat for a long time like pool chair hogs do :).

Most people do exactly that-- Put down anything to reserve a table.

Getting your food first is foolish.

 

Several things to consider here:

 

 

4. Yes, I understand "you" are the customer. But there are other options for a late breakfast.

 

Your option is called LUNCH. :D

[Womble99]

If a late breakfast is really an important part of your cruising experience then book a suite. The breakfast in sabatinis is open until 10. If the extra cost isn't worth it there is the option of the horizon court. It just depends what is important to you.

[IECalCruiser]

The buffet has breakfast from about 6am to 11 or 11;30am.

 

On the Ocean Princess, they used to have Sunday Brunch from about 10 am to 2 pm whenever Sunday was a sea day. The Ocean is no longer part of the fleet. I do not know if they offer this on the Pacific Princess. Not sure that the logistics would work on the bigger ships.

As far as I know, they still do that on the Pacific but only on World Cruise segments. On the 50th Anniversary cruise they got special permission to have the brunch on our Sunday sea day. It was an amazing spread with eleven items on the cold buffet, seven items on the hot buffet , ten items that could be ordered from the galley and a wide selection of pastry and bakery items. The hot buffet included North Sea salmon, Virginia ham, stuffed goose, smoked posk loin and Beef Wellington.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

[dd likes to cruise]

I think they should ask each customer how they would like "their" hours to be along with individual excursion times and special times for all shows. Can not see why that would be a problem for a ship to placate the individual requirements of each and every "customer". That way the OP would be happy as well as all the others on board.

 

It does seem like the OP would agree with you. :confused:Obviously the cruiselines have to schedule things that work best for the majority of passengers. I bet if 75 % of the passengers started asking for later breaskfast time they might change it, but not for a few.

[skynight]

Room Service? Ask for breakfast at 10:30 if you like.

[susancruzs]

Everyone has their own style, habits and expectations but I don't understand when those expectations appear to be fairly rigid while on vacation. If sit down breakfast drags on then it becomes an issue in prepping for lunch I would imagine.