2 Hour Meals in MDR---too long?

[wytygr8]

1 hour ago, pyropoodle said:

like I said, there is something for everyone in the cruising world.

 

Yep, totally.

 

Except for the people who want to bash on those who want something different from them. 🙄

[pyropoodle]

nobody in this thread is 'bashing' on anyone else.  you do you. 

[pacruise804]

On 2/6/2019 at 8:21 PM, bakersdozen12 said:

I agree. I think it’s completely ridiculous how much of a rush people are in these days. And it’s definitely an American thing. We were in Europe last spring and the difference is night and day. You have to chase down the waiters for the check because they are used to people sitting down, eating and having good conversations for hours. We Americans seem to forget how to have a conversation with people.  Everyone is too much in a rush to get to the next thing. Or too busy scrutinizing what other people are wearing instead of actually enjoying the company of the people they are dining with. It’s sad. 

 

I had a conversation recently with someone who served in Greece years ago and he stated the same thing about dining - that it was an occasion and he sometimes did have a difficult time getting a check.

 

On 2/6/2019 at 8:29 PM, pyropoodle said:

 

it's been a minute since i've cruised, but do they do this every night or just a couple of nights on the cruise?  i think elegant night they do it (because nothing says 'elegant' better than waiters dancing on the wait stations)..and some other night.   it's been too long between cruises and i'm getting older, so my memory isn't what it used to be. i just thought it was 2 or 3 nights (on a 7 day cruise) 

I think it varies by ship.  On the Pride when the Maitre 'd is Ken Byrnes (sp?) he sings every evening, and the crew does their dancing at least 3 nights.

On 2/7/2019 at 10:32 AM, pyropoodle said:

I see an opportunity here for Carnival to open another dining option..the "it takes longer than the lido, but less time than MDR, not an upcharge like the steakhouse, but  in at 7 out at 8" dinner option.   🙂

NCL has this with some of their no-charge options like O'Sheehans.  They had a noodle place that was also quick service if you wanted it to be.  They both have more of a restaurant feel than the banquet hall feel of MDR (for what it's worth).

 

On 2/7/2019 at 12:13 PM, wytygr8 said:

Make it the exact same food as the MDR but cafeteria style (grabbing a plate from the line instead of serving oneself directly). This can also fix the dress code squabbles.

I doubt that would fix the dress code issues.  Many posters who wish to dress casually also want table service, not "grabbing a plate."  Something like O'Sheehans might help, but there will always be people complaining on both sides.

 

 

[pacruise804]

I also consider the MDR evening meal to be a dining experience, not a restaurant.  I don't think it is fair to compare it to land based restaurants since it is much more a banquet hall.  If you go to a wedding reception, retirement dinner, or holiday party - do you expect to just order and eat your food, or do you expect an evening where food is a large portion of the event, but not the only thing.  

 

Tea time has a similar feel that the food is part of the experience, but not the sole event.  It is a bit different for breakfast or Sea Day Brunch - those feel much more like table service restaurants including subtle (or not so subtle) hints that it is time to leave.

 

I enjoy a leisurely dinner, either with just my husband watching the ocean or conversing with others.  I don't enjoy slow service for the sake of slowness.  My last two Carnival cruises both seemed to suffer from this, unfortunately.

 

 

[ray98]

15 hours ago, pacruise804 said:

I also consider the MDR evening meal to be a dining experience, not a restaurant.  I don't think it is fair to compare it to land based restaurants since it is much more a banquet hall.  If you go to a wedding reception, retirement dinner, or holiday party - do you expect to just order and eat your food, or do you expect an evening where food is a large portion of the event, but not the only thing.  

 

 

 

You really think people would realize that.

[quickrate]

On 2/6/2019 at 4:41 PM, pyropoodle said:

I have been reading review after review, in sweet anticipation of my cruise that is coming up in 190 some odd days, and the recurring theme that I keep seeing when people complain about the MDR is "the meal took almost 2 hours".   The food was good, the food was bad, the servers were slow, the servers were fast, but the complaint that the meal took almost 2 hours is kinda bugging me. 

Bear with me as I try to put this into words....

 

I will concede that the waiters have more tables with less staff, so that might add to the length of the dining experience, but honestly, (and yes, I realize that Carnival's MDR is not on par with what some might consider to be 'fine dining', but still....) dinner in the MDR is supposed to be an experience.  at least, I think it is.  It is supposed to be as close to a fine dining experience on the sea as you can get without the upcharge of the steakhouse.   You are supposed to have the feeling of sitting down, having your appetizer, your main course, your dessert, all in a non-rushed fashion.   it's not applebees fcol!   

 

I don't have a lot of experiences to compare it to, but I have been to a few 'fine dining' eateries in NYC: Per se, Strip House, Bobby Van's (well, they were expensive if not technically 'fine dining' and in each case, the meals took at minimum and hour and 45 mins.  it's about the experience.   I think we are too focused on trying to get out early to see a show or do other things, but I feel like while 2 hours might seem like a lot, it is kind of on par with the time it takes in other land based 'fine dining' restaurants.  it's not something you rush, but enjoy.

 

am I completely off base here? am I missing something?    I don't recall a time when I was out of the MDR in less than an hour or 1 1/2 hours.   might just be me though.  

 

**not looking for a debate or hating on how much cutbacks have affected the line.  we all know about the cutbacks, but just in general...I feel like the MDR meal is an experience, and one I thoroughly enjoy.

I agree with everything you are saying. We look at dinner each evening as an event and we don't want to be rushed. We have many friends we cruise with and we use the dinner hour to socialize, drink wine, catch up on each others day, and savor the experience. We always select late dining as the staff does not feel the need to rush us as they don't have to get ready for the next seating.

Pat

[quickrate]

On 2/6/2019 at 4:50 PM, bury me at sea said:

I agree with the OP.  I chose my sailing mates because I enjoy them.  We may go our separate ways throughout the day, but dinner in the MDR is when we share our day and delight in a leisurely meal, wine, good conversation, and generally an after dinner drink.

 

There are other options for people who are in a hurry.

Exactly!! I love everything about the evening meal and we don't want to be rushed. We consider 2 hours to be the appropiate time for dinner.

Pat

[mpcaruth]

My family prefers the dinner to be 1 hour. We are very close nit and spend amazing quality time at home (yes, even in today's time, we eat together at the dinner table 3-4 nights per week with our active teenagers). For us, the cruise is an adventure, and we want to take in all the things offered on the ship that we cannot do at home: shows, comedy, casino, teen club, live music, etc.  On rare occasion,  we have had long dinners... and ended up missing shows, which threw the whole night off.

 

If everyone liked the same things, what a boring world it would be.