Main Dinning room vs the Steak house on night 1

[cruisenurse2]

Hello Experienced Cruisers,

 

This is my second Princess cruise, we did the Emerald to Alaska in 2016. When we were on that ship the food in the main dinning room was so fantastic we cancelled our reservation three times for the steak house. One of the things we loved about the main dinning room was that our waiters and his team, knew us and could almost guess what we wanted before we could tell them. We loved them so much, we cried on the first night. Anyway will it ruin things if we go to the steak house  night? We are traveling with a group and I think we will get a coupon for a discount. So, I was thinking we would do things differently. Would we end up in a different assigned table. Please tell the advantages to going this route on the first night. We had steak in the MDR> I thought it was pretty good. But, I im not much of a steak person. Your insight is gladly appreciated. On a side note the dinning room is one of the main reason I love cruising. Thank you

[geoherb]

It won't ruin things if you go to the steak house the first night. When we did that once on a cruise, we stopped by the dining room to let our waiters know and to meet our tablemates. The funny thing is that they weren't there the second night. We had two new couples at our table. But if it's not convenient, you don't have to do that.

[cr8tiv1]

Point 1:  They used to have a decent prime rib on the first night of the cruise.  That has since gone by like many other things.  

 

Point 2:  The Crown Grill (steak house) has many other options besides steak.  They have lobster or Sea Bass/Halibut.  

 

Point 3:  You will keep your assigned table (if you are doing traditional).  I have stopped by to let my wait staff know that I would be dining elsewhere. They will inform your  table mates.

 

[crystalspin]

Having done specialty on first night on HAL, it's almost like first night is better than later -- esp, if you have time to stop by and let the Md' and/or wait staff know. After all they haven't started to get to know you yet!

[skynight]

I am assuming you have fixed first or second seating seating. Not showing up on the first night will not change anything. Your table will still be there on night two. Many people skip the DR on boarding day for many reasons. It's not uncommon. If you can fit it in just stop by and let the waiters know so they don't hold up dinner for others at your table waiting for you.

If you are in anytime dining it's a good choice to go elsewhere on boarding day. Anytime dining is kind of confusing on the first evening.

[Steelers36]

Trivia Time:  I am curious why so many different folks on here spell "dining" as "dinning".

 

We have only eaten in a Specialty Restaurant on first night when we had a 2-for-1 coupon.  I prefer to wait until later in the cruise and then enjoy it more.

[JF - retired RRT]

49 minutes ago, steelers36 said:

Trivia Time:  I am curious why so many different folks on here spell "dining" as "dinning".

👍

I blame it on our school system.

[MissP22]

3 minutes ago, JF - retired RRT said:

👍

I blame it on our school system.

A simple spelling mistake perhaps. 

No need to criticize mistakes. 

[voljeep]

dinner ... dinning

[Steelers36]

14 hours ago, MissP22 said:

A simple spelling mistake perhaps. 

No need to criticize mistakes. 

On the second line, I understand, but it was multiple times in that post and I see a lot of people doing the same, so it puzzles me.  I do know it is "dining" for sure.  @voljeep probably has the explanation for the mental slip.

[CruiseVA]

If you have a set dining time, then you should always let them know when you will not be dining in the main dining room that night, this is so that your servers & dining mates don't sit around waiting for you to not arrive. 

[Ldyandrea]

On 11/20/2019 at 10:18 PM, cruisenurse2 said:

Hello Experienced Cruisers,

 

This is my second Princess cruise, we did the Emerald to Alaska in 2016. When we were on that ship the food in the main dinning room was so fantastic we cancelled our reservation three times for the steak house. One of the things we loved about the main dinning room was that our waiters and his team, knew us and could almost guess what we wanted before we could tell them. We loved them so much, we cried on the first night. Anyway will it ruin things if we go to the steak house  night? We are traveling with a group and I think we will get a coupon for a discount. So, I was thinking we would do things differently. Would we end up in a different assigned table. Please tell the advantages to going this route on the first night. We had steak in the MDR> I thought it was pretty good. But, I im not much of a steak person. Your insight is gladly appreciated. On a side note the dinning room is one of the main reason I love cruising. Thank you

 

Personally, I enjoy doing specialty dining on the first night, since it tends to not be very busy at all that night. You can usually walk right in, even without a reservation, I have found. I sail solo a great deal, and prefer to 't tend to plan a lot ahead in terms of dining choices.

[KevintheIrishDJ]

For whatever reason, the first night in the MDR can have lots of problems.  Wrong orders, "cold" food, etc.  I never figured out why.  Also, the coupon is only good for the first night.  What cruise are you on?

[jennybenny]

We book specialty dining the first night of every cruise because we don't care for the menu that first night in the MDR.  We have a table for our family of 4.  Have never thought to notify the MDR, as they can see we have a RSVP in another venue, but I can see where it could be helpful.  On nights when we do specialty dining mid cruise we do notify our waiters that we won't be there the next night 

[MissP22]

1 hour ago, jennybenny said:

We book specialty dining the first night of every cruise because we don't care for the menu that first night in the MDR.  We have a table for our family of 4.  Have never thought to notify the MDR, as they can see we have a RSVP in another venue, but I can see where it could be helpful.  On nights when we do specialty dining mid cruise we do notify our waiters that we won't be there the next night 

If you always are at a table for 4 there's no need to notify them you won't be there.

[c-boy]

1 hour ago, jennybenny said:

We book specialty dining the first night of every cruise because we don't care for the menu that first night in the MDR.  We have a table for our family of 4.  Have never thought to notify the MDR, as they can see we have a RSVP in another venue, but I can see where it could be helpful.  On nights when we do specialty dining mid cruise we do notify our waiters that we won't be there the next night 

as my good friend Martha would say, " it's a good thing to do ".  It's called consideration.

[jennybenny]

1 minute ago, c-boy said:

as my good friend Martha would say, " it's a good thing to do ".  It's called consideration.

Well, we do it mid cruise If we won’t be there, they have the ability to figure out, I have a RSVP At a restaurant, that’s good restaurant management skills 😉. It’s not like I’m headed to the buffet and not telling them. Ps that would never happen 

 

 

[KevintheIrishDJ]

Many people don't go to the MDR the first night.  I guess they are tired after getting to the pier from where ever.

[Gracie115]

6 hours ago, Ldyandrea said:

 

Personally, I enjoy doing specialty dining on the first night, since it tends to not be very busy at all that night. You can usually walk right in, even without a reservation, I have found. I sail solo a great deal, and prefer to 't tend to plan a lot ahead in terms of dining choices.

 

Oh my goodness....I couldn't disagree more....our 2 cruises on the Regal the Crown Grill was completely packed with people that 1st night.  We've decided in the future we will go to the steak house later in the cruise as the service was so rushed and spotty, the meal was only enjoyable because we were with friends we hadn't seen in months.  

[USCcruisecrazy]

We love the Traditional MDR where we get the opportunity to see the same wait staff each night, so we rarely miss out, but never so far on the first night. 

 

Curious though, for anyone that may have tried this, I understand you can order the Crown Grill Steaks/Lobster from the MDR now at an upcharge.  So, sort of like having the best of both worlds!  Thoughts?

[jondfk]

2 hours ago, USCcruisecrazy said:

We love the Traditional MDR where we get the opportunity to see the same wait staff each night, so we rarely miss out, but never so far on the first night. 

 

Curious though, for anyone that may have tried this, I understand you can order the Crown Grill Steaks/Lobster from the MDR now at an upcharge.  So, sort of like having the best of both worlds!  Thoughts?

 

To the OP's question, we very much prefer using the MDR on the first night and getting to know our wait staff.  Oh, and the flourless chocolate cake is a first night only thing and the best dessert on the ship IMHO.

 

As for Crown Grill in the MDR.  You are correct, this is an option certain nights (on some ships every night) the upcharge is, as I recall, $19 which struck me as not entirely unreasonable.  We each typically do this once each cruise when nothing o the main menu particularly appeals.  The quality of the meal has been reliably high.  We do find ourselves using Crown Grill less frequently as a result.

[bemis12]

On 11/21/2019 at 8:34 AM, steelers36 said:

Trivia Time:  I am curious why so many different folks on here spell "dining" as "dinning".

 

 

I can’t speak for everyone, but I would do it just so somebody could feel superior

Edited November 23, 2019 by bemis12

[Papa Yoda]

 

I think a lot of folks believe you have to double the last consonant when making a gerundive.  The gerund of dine is dining, gerund of din is dinning.  Win is winning, wine is wining.  Engrish are confusering.

[geoherb]

On 11/21/2019 at 9:34 AM, steelers36 said:

Trivia Time:  I am curious why so many different folks on here spell "dining" as "dinning".

 

 

One reason people misspell "dining" as "dinning" may be that the spell checker on their computers doesn't alert them since "dinning" is a word.

 

Suite passengers get to eat for free in a specialty restaurant on the first night of a cruise. That may be one reason it's the steak house is crowded. 

 

I'm sailing solo on my next cruise. I may splurge one night and order the steak from the Crown Grill in the dining room. I don't want to eat there solo.

[Steelers36]

8 hours ago, geoherb said:

I'm sailing solo on my next cruise. I may splurge one night and order the steak from the Crown Grill in the dining room. I don't want to eat there solo.

I don't sail solo, but did order a filet mignon steak from the CG in the MDR one evening on our recent Crown cruise.  It was very good and worked out well (once our waiter understood what Applewood Smoked Salt was - 😉).