MDR dinners -- long? or are expectations mismatched?

[Naismith]

In the before-Covid times, I enjoyed meeting interesting tablemates.  On our NA cruise last month, we ate alone.  We did both Gala meals and one visit to Tamarind eating inside; all other meals were outside on deck or in our room.  

 

While it is true that a few things (escargot) are not available in the Lido, other things are not available in the MDR.  On a Caribbean-themed night, we noticed that behind the salad station, there was a bin full of rambutan, a wonderful tropical fruit from Southeast Asia.  I pointed and asked for two; she gave me four.  

 

When an (Indonesian) waiter came by to take our plates, he saw the peels and recognized the fruit,  asked if we brought them aboard; he had never seen them on the ship before.  They were surprisingly fresh; I wondered if they may be used for smoothies.  I hope that some of the Indonesian crew got to enjoy any leftovers. 

 

Rambutan are red fruit with various spines sticking out.  The Indonesian word for hair on a person's head is "rambut," to they are "hairy fruit," which is a good description.  

[sciencewonk]

On a recent 34-day cruise on Noordam (sister ship to Westerdam), we had fixed dining at 5:30 in the MDR, table for 4.  The food was excellent, with a couple of exceptions.  The service was outstanding.  Dinner took approximately one hour to 75 minutes.  We were always able to attend the 7:00 concert at the Lincoln Center Stage.

 

I agree with you about MDR vs Lido dining.  I'm on a cruise to relax and be waited on.  I don't want to spend my time dodging other diners while trying to find food I want in a cafeteria, followed by a hunt for a table.  We did eat frequent lunches at the Lido because the sushi was outstanding.  We generally went a little later, after 12:30, after the rush had abated.

[Charlene1985]

We always opt for late seating, table for 2 and have always received our request.  I don’t mind a 1:30-2:00 dinner.  It’s a nice time to sit and relax and people watch.  
 

I am a flight attendant and after making small talk with people while crossing the Atlantic Ocean 10 times per month, honestly, the last thing I want to do is talk with even more strangers during my meal.  Have a pre dinner cocktail and chatting for 30 minutes is definitely much more my preference.  
 

I don’t mind grabbing a quick lunch at Lido, but I don’t want to eat in that type of setting.  It’s not enjoyable for me (much like a lot of new eateries that are opening in my area I call “half serve”- order at the counter and they bring it to you).  I’ll happily do that style dining for lunch, but I  enjoy the relaxation of sitting in a crowded room (especially one with a nice view if on the upper level) and watching the activity around me.  

[iceman93]

This is a fascinating thread, so thanks to the OP for starting it.

 

My most recent experience was on the NS where we felt the MDR was a bit of a chaotic mess.  We always do fixed late dining and are in the "prefer to dine leisurely" camp.  We told our waiters that, but they just seemed to have so many tables to take care of that they were always rushing, including serving our food faster than we preferred.  Luckily we had access to the Club Orange dining room, which, after we tried for dinner as an experiment, became our go-to spot.  In there we got the unhurried, gracious, and relaxing service that we used to expect in the MDR.  But, as others in this thread have mentioned, the dinners we used to really enjoy with live strings providing background music and other elegant touches are most likely nothing but memories anymore.

 

I'm glad to hear that others have found the Lido has stepped up their dinner service.  While I'm not quite ready to give that a shot yet, it's good to know the service is elevated from the lunch buffet.

 

We're sailing on the Westerdam in a couple of weeks and, since there is no Club Orange, we're really hoping for good MDR dinner experiences.  If not, maybe we'll have to give the Lido a try!

[vicd1969]

Those of you fortunate enough to get early fixed dining are more likely to get the «pre-Covid » levels of service. As others mentioned, pacing tends to be better the earlier it is. It got really frustrating for me when they take more than 20 minutes just to get our order in the MDR. It may also be a function of being on a Pinnacle class with almost 1000 more passengers than a Vista class - the Pinnacle class MDR isn’t like 50% bigger, so understaffing is more noticeable. On the Westerdam for a long sailing, the MDR experience may be a better intimate experience.

[REOVA]

3 hours ago, kazu said:

 

No, it doesn’t.  If you want escargots, you need to go to the dining room.  Friends of mine use the LIdo a lot but go to the MDR when there are escargots as they are not in the LIdo.  Not everything is there - most is - but not all.

I've always had escargot in Lido. We used to eat MDR on the older ships years ago. The Pinnacle class we never went back due to the noise and chaos. If on those, we opt for CO or other restaurants. We've dined mostly in Lido on GWCs due to the variety of food, we get to know the staff behind the counter and the servers, who will bring you anything if asked and choice of seating when friends want to join. This is mostly on smaller ships and longer itineraries. Again something about Pinnacle ship Lido is different (smaller seating layout, servers more rushed and not as able to assist you). But as someone said, Lido has the same food as MDR plus more but I understand those that more service. 

[kazu]

2 minutes ago, REOVA said:

I've always had escargot in Lido. We used to eat MDR on the older ships years ago. The Pinnacle class we never went back due to the noise and chaos. If on those, we opt for CO or other restaurants. We've dined mostly in Lido on GWCs due to the variety of food, we get to know the staff behind the counter and the servers, who will bring you anything if asked and choice of seating when friends want to join. This is mostly on smaller ships and longer itineraries. Again something about Pinnacle ship Lido is different (smaller seating layout, servers more rushed and not as able to assist you). But as someone said, Lido has the same food as MDR plus more but I understand those that more service. 

 

I guess it is different on the GWC’s.  I am on the Koningsdam now (and posted the menu for the Lido on my LIVE thread) and was just on the Oosterdam a few weeks ago.  It is Gala night tonight and there is NO escargots on the Lido just as there wasn’t on the Oosterdam.

 

I can only go by my experiences now and in the past, which is all the same but have not been on a GWC.

[REOVA]

5 minutes ago, kazu said:

 

I guess it is different on the GWC’s.  I am on the Koningsdam now (and posted the menu for the Lido on my LIVE thread) and was just on the Oosterdam a few weeks ago.  It is Gala night tonight and there is NO escargots on the Lido just as there wasn’t on the Oosterdam.

 

I can only go by my experiences now and in the past, which is all the same but have not been on a GWC.

We were on Zaandam in July and they had it. Maybe it was leftover from the MDR. 🤔🤣

I bet if you asked Lido manager if they will have some they might bring up a few. I can understand KDam but surprised Oosterdam didn't. 😮 

[12cruise2]

6 hours ago, cruisemom42 said:

 

I was always under the impression that there are supposed to be at least short pauses between courses.  Just looked it up now and various sources say servers should allow a pause, ranging (depending on the source) from 7 to 12 minutes.

 

Whatever the "various sources" say, we don't like to eat that way with 15 mins. between courses; we let our waiters know up front that we'd like to keep moving on; finally, the last fellow got our desserts at his station ready for us while we enjoyed our main course.  As I said, the first three weeks, we didn't have to mention anything to the waiters to be served more quickly, and we were at the same table the entire four weeks. 

And the last week, the people at the two-top next to us wanted to drink and take their meal slowly and told our waiter as much.

Edited December 19, 2022 by 12cruise2

[Florida_gal_50]

Yum, escargot somewhere from the back.  Only if it comes with a side of floor scraps 😉.  

[Mary229]

We are table for 2ers I assume dinner is at least 90 minutes and would be disappointed if I was rushed to eat an evening meal in less. If we have guests joining us for dinner we assume it might even be longer    If I am short on time I simply don’t go to the MDR.

 

I find the MDR slow at breakfast.  We always join other guests at breakfast and sometimes we have to leave early even though we felt an hour was sufficient time to eat and be cordial.  

[shippmates]

I enjoy the slower service in the MDR.  I enjoy being served and meeting new people.  I will once in a while go to Lido for breakfast if I do not want much.  Eating in the MDR is one of my favorite things to do as I eat alone most nights.  

[Hlitner]

I am trying to "digest" the escargot discussion as folks always seem to have much to say about those slugs :).  The truth is that escargot is not very expensive, and it has always mystified me how it generates interest on cruises.  At home you can just go to the supermarket and buy a can and they are easy enough to prepare if you simply drown them in garlic butter.  In fact, cardboard would taste good if drowned in garlic butter. 

 

Celebrity Cruises (we have not cruised that line in a few years) used to have escargot on their "everyday menu" which meant folks could get their fill of those slugs/snails.  I think you can still buy cans for about 50 cents a snail and a cruise line would pay less since they can buy them in big quantities at wholesale prices.  DW actually went out and bought empty escargot shells (available on Amazon) so that she can stuff them with snails from a can (this is what is done in many restaurants).  The problem was that she complained they do not taste as good when you become too familiar with them :).

 

 

[Reds4life]

I am interested in a list of dishes NOT available in the Lido and dishes NOT available in MDR. I do not care about escargot. I am more concerned with beef and seafood. I have always went to the MDR on other lines just because they did not offer much in the way of finer beef dishes and seafood on the buffet. We are on vacation and don't care to pack extra clothes to dress up and from what I can tell, the Lido on HAL has the staff serving and wait service for drinks, which is better than most lines. 

[FlaMariner]

57 minutes ago, Reds4life said:

We are on vacation and don't care to pack extra clothes to dress up

 

No need to worry about packing extra clothes.....Come enjoy the Main Dining Room...for us, it's a great evening with great food and fantastic service.

 

There is really not a strict dress code for the MDR.  Even on "dressy" night. 

 

No jacket or tie is required.  I wear my kaki pants and a collared shirt and I am good to go on "dressy" night. For us, that's not really extra clothes to take.

 

Here is an excerpt from the HAL FAQs about "dressy".....

 

Q: What about ladies’ dressy attire? 

A: Dressy attire is appropriate. Dresses, skirts, and slacks are all acceptable. 

Q: Are a jacket and tie required for men? 

A: A jacket and tie is the preferred attire in all fine dining restaurants on Dressy nights, though this is not required. 

Edited December 19, 2022 by FlaMariner

[Reds4life]

45 minutes ago, FlaMariner said:

 

No need to worry about packing extra clothes.....Come enjoy the Main Dining Room...for us, it's a great evening with great food and fantastic service.

 

There is really not a strict dress code for the MDR.  Even on "dressy" night. 

 

No jacket or tie is required.  I wear my kaki pants and a collared shirt and I am good to go on "dressy" night. For us, that's not really extra clothes to take.

 

Here is an excerpt from the HAL FAQs about "dressy".....

 

Q: What about ladies’ dressy attire? 

A: Dressy attire is appropriate. Dresses, skirts, and slacks are all acceptable. 

Q: Are a jacket and tie required for men? 

A: A jacket and tie is the preferred attire in all fine dining restaurants on Dressy nights, though this is not required. 

I usually do for the upgraded menu, but really I only wear khakis or even a collared shirt when we eat in the dining room. Tee shirt and khaki shorts is my go to. If I can get away with that in the Lido and get all the same dishes then that might be a better fit. Thank you for the information though!

[Wayfairers]

We have always chosen open seating at dinner since HAL starting offering it.  We’ve eaten as early as when they open and been the last people seated before they close for the evening.  We spent around 30days onboard this past July/August (1st sailing since the pandemic) and really didn’t notice a difference in time spent at dinner vs pre-2020 cruises.   
 

But…I also must say I’ve never timed dinner. Obviously, a smaller table is better if you are in a hurry. We always ask for the largest table available because we enjoy meeting other people and many times our dinners stretch longer than 2 hours because the conversation is interesting.  When we’ve had the longer nights some at the table leave to go to the show and that never bothers those of us who stay.  

[cruisemom42]

Thanks everyone. Many of these responses are good info and provide a lot to think about. It seems like many report that service times are more or less what I am comfortable with in the MDR, but also that on some ships or itineraries service may be a stress point -- I'm guessing due to staffing issues related either to COVID or just to getting up to full strength again. Given that many itineraries seem to be sailing full or almost full, I can see how this might cause a few issues.

 

I am still hoping for a very good (if not great) experience onboard Westerdam for 28 days, but also in my back pocket I know I can try the Lido if things really go south, although it would never be a first choice.

 

Edited December 19, 2022 by cruisemom42

[bennybear]

16 hours ago, Naismith said:

In the before-Covid times, I enjoyed meeting interesting tablemates.  On our NA cruise last month, we ate alone.  We did both Gala meals and one visit to Tamarind eating inside; all other meals were outside on deck or in our room.  

 

While it is true that a few things (escargot) are not available in the Lido, other things are not available in the MDR.  On a Caribbean-themed night, we noticed that behind the salad station, there was a bin full of rambutan, a wonderful tropical fruit from Southeast Asia.  I pointed and asked for two; she gave me four.  

 

When an (Indonesian) waiter came by to take our plates, he saw the peels and recognized the fruit,  asked if we brought them aboard; he had never seen them on the ship before.  They were surprisingly fresh; I wondered if they may be used for smoothies.  I hope that some of the Indonesian crew got to enjoy any leftovers. 

 

Rambutan are red fruit with various spines sticking out.  The Indonesian word for hair on a person's head is "rambut," to they are "hairy fruit," which is a good description.  

Our granddaughters call them hairy eyeballs!  And love them,  even saw mangosteen one time onboard.

[The-Inside-Cabin]

1 hour ago, cruisemom42 said:

Thanks everyone. Many of these responses are good info and provide a lot to think about. It seems like many report that service times are more or less what I am comfortable with in the MDR, but also that on some ships or itineraries service may be a stress point -- I'm guessing due to staffing issues related either to COVID or just to getting up to full strength again. Given that many itineraries seem to be sailing full or almost full, I can see how this might cause a few issues.

 

I am still hoping for a very good (if not great) experience onboard Westerdam for 28 days, but also in my back pocket I know I can try the Lido if things really go south, although it would never be a first choice.

 

If you have to make a show or some other event.   Tell the waiter IMMEDIATELY what time you need to finish - they can usually make it happen -  They can combine courses etc - but let them know before you start..

[Reds4life]

Double post sorry

Edited December 19, 2022 by Reds4life

[foodsvcmgr]

Sadly the trend away from fixed dining has exacerbated the issue of people being in a hurry.

Shows and other activities were coordinated around the two seatings, one show for each seating.

Now there are continuous activities and people are rushing to get to them.

[friendswithdave]

Wait staff was great across the board in the dining room. I recommend you let the waiter know your timing expectations at the beginning of the meal, and I'm 90% sure they will be met. Want to be done in an hour, I expect they can make it happen. Want a more leisurely 2 hour meal, they'll do that too. On our recent cruise we usually got 4 courses and a typical meal was 70-80 minutes.

[Mary229]

3 hours ago, foodsvcmgr said:

Sadly the trend away from fixed dining has exacerbated the issue of people being in a hurry.

Shows and other activities were coordinated around the two seatings, one show for each seating.

Now there are continuous activities and people are rushing to get to them.

And this is why we always advise our waitstaff that we are in no rush.  

[LMaxwell]

Try it, you may find it matches your past experiences and desires. If it doesn't, don't be afraid to try something else. Never had a made to order crepe for dessert in MDR. Never sat with condiments missing from my meal for 20 minutes in Lido. MDR gorgeous. At least HAL doesn't stack all the tables 2 inches from one another like some lines do; so it feels spacious.