Place saver sign for Lido restaurant

[Badfinger]

I did a search and could not find any postings. I am thinking about bringing a computer printed sign to hold our table at the Lido Restaurant. In the past we have had to take turns getting food which is a pain. We have also had our table cleared by the bussers even though we had only gone for dessert. My husband has back issues so he wants to sit as soon as he gets his food. He hates having to look for me or a table. So I would prefer to pick out table before getting our food. We normally eat early to avoid the crowds. I know guests leave books to save a table. I just thought a sign would be better. Any thoughts?

 

Except for embarkation day lunch, I have never seen every table occupied in the lido buffet. Sure there might be two people sitting at one end of table for 6, you just sit at the other end. Not a big deal. But as others stated, if I saw a sign, I would take it even if I already had a table.

[comiso13]

All of this makes me wonder, how polite are people about sharing their table when there is an empty seat or two. On another cruise line, people were Very polite and sharing, but I don't have experience with Carnival. Is it true as Badfinger stated above that seldom are every table in the Lido buffet occupied?

[Elaine5715]

Yes! Perfectly put!!! As long as they are using that table to eat, they are entitled to it! Snobs move on! Talk about decency!

A sign on the table alone doesn't mean they are getting food. It could mean they are still at the pool or taking a nap.

[zackarykeef]

Realistically, you could print a sign that simply said, "We're still here, just getting more food. Please don't clear our table :)"

 

There's nothing you can (or should) do to prevent other cruisers from simply taking the table since it's not occupied if both of you are up. But at least the sign may prevent staff from clearing the table. I've had that happen to me a couple of times & it's mildly frustrating. But the way I see it, I can just go back & get fresh food/drinks if mine are cleared away.

 

I agree with this. I think it all depends on what the OP meant/intended to put on said sign. I agree that a sign saying "RESERVED" would be pretentious. I don't think it's fair to walk into the buffet, pick out an empty table, and place the sign (or belongings) on it before eating/sitting down and leave it unoccupied to get food. However, if the concern is the server's clearing the table while you're just getting seconds or dessert, by all means, have a sign for the servers. As a guest, I personally am not going to walk up to an unbussed table anyway to notice it.

 

...especially if OP is looking for a "good" aka window table. I agree with what others have said--there are always tables available. They may not be the ones you want (which is why people overlook them and say there are no tables), but they are available. I've also never had issues with my table accidentally being cleared, so I really have nothing to complain about (knock on wood).

 

I'm sorry your husband has back issues.

 

you say he wants to sit as soon as he gets food, but complain because the table is emptied while you are both gone

 

Also this. We're not minimizing your husband's back issues, OP...just trying to point out how people saving tables is frustrating for everyone, not just you. It's frustrating when there are no tables for your husband to immediately sit at after getting food, just as it would be frustrating for someone else with mobility issues coming across your saved table when all they are doing is looking for an empty seat as well.

 

 

And I agree with the posts about the card players...WORST. There's a card room for that. Or like...any other place on the ship maybe? :cool:

[Shaded Lady]

OP, I agree that you can't enjoy your meal together, if one of you is alwawhen the other returns. Even though posters here claim they would rip up the sign, or would sit at the table regardless.....bravado from behind keyboard is easy, confrontation face to face is much harder and most will walk away to avoid it.

 

Personally, I like the idea of a little placard that says, "still eating...please don't bus our table...." or, "Round two...brb!" "hitting the buffet hard...brb!" However, it appears we are in the minority on this one.

I suspect however that those who would sit there and/or remove the sign are the most likely to be confrontational... not something I'd like to risk, especially when the Lido is rarely crowded at dinner.

 

I do acknowledge that going to get a refill on a drink or seconds of food is a pain when you have to split up... those servers are pretty quick to remove a half-eaten plate, even if you're just getting more lemonade! I really like your idea of a card that says 'hey- still eating, please don't take this away'!

[Badfinger]

Sometimes a problem doesn't exist until someone tries to solve it.

[A&Jfamily]

Call me dense but how is putting a personal item or such to hold a table any different from a sign? Regardless what item you leave the end result is the same, a table being saved until someone in your party plants their butt there.

 

It is a perception thing. A sign suggests an elitist or entitlement attitude - someone would have to plan ahead and prepare such a thing as Carnival does not issue them. It screams the possibility that someone is trying to claim the table for themselves for the cruise. Putting a hoodie or a book is much more casual and shows that this is just a quick, short term thing.

 

I think people are really overthinking this. Set your pool bag, book sweater etc on the table. Walk and get your drink. Put it on the table. Go grab your food and sit. This isn't rocket science.

 

Or - even better - avoid the Lido entirely, especially for breakfast and eat in MDR where you will have everything you desire prepared and brought to you.

[Lovefuninthesun]

Oh, wowzers -- please don't do this!

It takes boorish chair-hog behavior to a whole new level!

Then people will start having signs in the comedy club and the theater.

Ack.:rolleyes:

[sprint180]

OP, I agree that you can't enjoy your meal together, if one of you is alwawhen the other returns

 

Goodness How fast do you eat that you can't enjoy your meal together if you take turns getting food?

[christyran1228]

Goodness How fast do you eat that you can't enjoy your meal together if you take turns getting food?

 

Seriously.

 

 

Maybe it's just the mom in me that isn't bothered by lukewarm food, but I have no problem waiting for my husband to get back with his food so we can eat together. lol

[2wheelin]

Even if he has to stand in a half hour line? And don’t just tell him to go get something quicker.

[memoak]

Even if he has to stand in a half hour line? And don’t just tell him to go get something quicker.

 

I have NEVER stood in line for a half hour on any cruise line - 36 cruises over 30 years

[sturderick]

I have NEVER stood in line for a half hour on any cruise line - 36 cruises over 30 years

 

I haven't either. I have also always found a table. It might not have been a window seat, but if you go upstairs on a lot of ships, there a ton of seating!

[Cabokalz or Ma-n-Pa]

When lines are long, it usually is under 5 minutes, but sometimes seems like a half hour! LOL.

 

 

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[jagsfan]

My DH takes what seems like forever while I wait, but it’s because he walks around to see what’s available, then can’t remember what he saw where, so goes looking again.

Then he comes to the table with a salad. I go and fill my plate and he’s ready to start getting serious. No quick buffet meals for him.

 

 

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[NavyEmt]

Take your food back to your room if you feel like you can't get a seat.

 

 

BOOM problem solved.

 

 

If you feel like you need to eat on the lido and you don't want to wait for an open table just think about all the sailors on an aircraft carrier who have to wait 2hrs in line for a hot meal and than can't find a seat right away.

[CruisinCrow]

I'm usually the hungry one and my husband eats faster so he lets me get my plate first while he has a beer and holds the table. It works just fine for us. :)

[Doggielover68]

Buffets aren't usually the best setting for quality time anyway. We take turns getting food. I start eating before my husband gets back to the table. Does he care? No. We are together 24 hours a day on a cruise. It doesn't really make a difference if he is sitting at the table to watch me shove fries into my mouth.

 

This is also why we like to go to the MDR for dinner. That's where it is easier to talk and relax after a busy day.

 

 

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[aggieamy55]

I really don't see what the difference is in leaving a sweater, book, bag, cups/silverware on the table to claim it before getting food versus a "reserved" sign except that the reserved sign is a little more "in your face." Either way someone is reserving the table prior to getting food. It seems many take offense to this sign so maybe a sweater or book would be better though? I've been on numerous cruises and have always placed my sweater on the top of the table prior to us getting food at the buffet. I've never once encountered an issue. I often do this at places where it gets pretty busy at lunch time back at home such a Chick-fil-A. Again, no one has ever said anything and it's never been an issue. If everyone wants to do this before placing their order there, than more power to them. Just my opinion...

[nealstuber]

I'd be surprised if this were to work for you... the servers would likely remove it if they saw it, and there's no guarantee that other cruisers would even heed the reserved sign, since it's not really allowed...

 

 

 

so now, instead of Chair Hogs, we'll have issues with Table Hogs? New threads everywhere, complaining about THOGS!!!!

 

 

 

What is being suggested is nothing like chair hogging.

Your butt does not have to continuously be on the pool chair either, you can go to the pool restroom, even grab a snack a the lido.

 

It’s not like OP is suggesting that she would get up early in the morning to save the table then come back hours later to enjoy it.

 

I really don’t understand the vitriol here. The fact of the matter is that if one person stays to save a table, that person starts later than the others and finishes later so the whole table is occupied longer - so those people might be the “Thogs”.

 

I don’t personally like the buffets either, but when we do go, it’s nice to go together, share the experience, someone to talk to if the line is long, the food presentations are sometimes interesting and more so when shared with your traveling companion.

 

Don’t do many buffets on land either, but most of them you get seated, order drinks, and that’s your table until you leave. You can go together, separately or any combination.

 

So those of you on your high horse on this issue need to get off it. You don’t make the rules either. Just because you weren’t smart enough to realize that what OP proposes actually saves table time for all Vs Your “Butts in seat” model, does not give you license to be far ruder than the sign proposed by OP.

 

We get our drinks and silverware first and pick our table and will usually leave anything we’re carrying (that’s not expensive) at the table. Makes it easier to get food and if everyone did this, the line would move more smoothly.

 

 

 

 

 

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[texasgirl73]

When it’s just myself and my husband we don’t get the table until we get the food- it seems wrong to hold up a table until you actually need it. But when the children are with us and we need a larger table, we find the table first- the kids get their food while we wait and then we go after they are sitting down eating. Works for us.

 

 

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[Harrier1961]

Placing a sign on your table that says you are just up getting seconds relies on the wait staff to read it. You are assuming they all read English?

 

 

 

Um, all crew are required to have a knowledge (read/write/speak) English.

 

 

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[jerrya72]

What is being suggested is nothing like chair hogging.

Your butt does not have to continuously be on the pool chair either, you can go to the pool restroom, even grab a snack a the lido.

 

It’s not like OP is suggesting that she would get up early in the morning to save the table then come back hours later to enjoy it.

 

I really don’t understand the vitriol here. The fact of the matter is that if one person stays to save a table, that person starts later than the others and finishes later so the whole table is occupied longer - so those people might be the “Thogs”.

 

I don’t personally like the buffets either, but when we do go, it’s nice to go together, share the experience, someone to talk to if the line is long, the food presentations are sometimes interesting and more so when shared with your traveling companion.

 

Don’t do many buffets on land either, but most of them you get seated, order drinks, and that’s your table until you leave. You can go together, separately or any combination.

 

So those of you on your high horse on this issue need to get off it. You don’t make the rules either. Just because you weren’t smart enough to realize that what OP proposes actually saves table time for all Vs Your “Butts in seat” model, does not give you license to be far ruder than the sign proposed by OP.

 

We get our drinks and silverware first and pick our table and will usually leave anything we’re carrying (that’s not expensive) at the table. Makes it easier to get food and if everyone did this, the line would move more smoothly.

 

 

 

 

 

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Well said.

[Elaine5715]

What is being suggested is nothing like chair hogging.

Your butt does not have to continuously be on the pool chair either, you can go to the pool restroom, even grab a snack a the lido.

 

It’s not like OP is suggesting that she would get up early in the morning to save the table then come back hours later to enjoy it.

 

I really don’t understand the vitriol here. The fact of the matter is that if one person stays to save a table, that person starts later than the others and finishes later so the whole table is occupied longer - so those people might be the “Thogs”.

 

I don’t personally like the buffets either, but when we do go, it’s nice to go together, share the experience, someone to talk to if the line is long, the food presentations are sometimes interesting and more so when shared with your traveling companion.

 

Don’t do many buffets on land either, but most of them you get seated, order drinks, and that’s your table until you leave. You can go together, separately or any combination.

 

So those of you on your high horse on this issue need to get off it. You don’t make the rules either. Just because you weren’t smart enough to realize that what OP proposes actually saves table time for all Vs Your “Butts in seat” model, does not give you license to be far ruder than the sign proposed by OP.

 

We get our drinks and silverware first and pick our table and will usually leave anything we’re carrying (that’s not expensive) at the table. Makes it easier to get food and if everyone did this, the line would move more smoothly.

 

 

 

 

 

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Like deck chair hogs, a sign as proposed may be sitting there for 5 minutes or 2 hours.

[theboatahoy]

If you feel like you need to eat on the lido and you don't want to wait for an open table just think about all the sailors on an aircraft carrier who have to wait 2hrs in line for a hot meal and than can't find a seat right away.

 

Kind of like comparing an apple to the printing press.

 

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