How to handle not dining in dining room

[Sweetspot]

We are going on a 9 night on the Explorer. We did the same cruise last year and found we never wanted to eat in the dining room. I think we went twice. No one in my family is a big dinner eater. We found getting something small from the buffet and eating while watching the ocean in a much less formal manner so much more relaxing than the dining room experience. This year we all decided not to even pack for dinners and just go to Windjammer if we are hungry at night. I seems less stressful than trying to explain to your servers that you don't want several courses and when your don't finish everything on your plate have them get upset that you didn't like it even though you were just full.

 

How do we handle this. Do I tell the dining room manager so they don't make up a table everynight or they can let someone else have it if they are unhappy with their assignment? Who do I tip. The people in Windjammer, the dining room staff, both (which doesn't seem right even though we did this last year)? We are really looking forward to a peaceful, no stress, don't have to be anywhere at any set time vacation. Since not caring about food on a cruise isn't common anyone know how to handle this?

[The Viking]

I would inform the MD that you will not be dining. This way your seats can be assigned to someone else and your "tablemates" will not be left wondering when you may arrive for dinner.

[cb at sea]

I agree--inform the dining room that you won't be there! We had a table for 6--only 4 of us ever showed! The 1st couple days, we waited and waited for the other couple.

Then, we were stuck with only the 2 couples--(much more fun with a larger table).

We couldn't help think how rude the 2 missing passengers were!

[sunnyshine]

I dont think it's rude at all to not go to dinner. There's no rule saying you're required to go to dinner in the dining room. Some people are just too busy or dont like formal meals every night on a vacation. If you're concerned you can let the dining room know, so that they could give your seats to others, but I wouldn't worry about it too much. If you dont want to have dinner in the dining room, dont go!

[raina*faith]

As the op said " I don't think there's a rule about going or not going to dinner.

[caviargal]

I think it would be considerate to let the Maitre D know. We did this on Jewel in December, preferring CHops and Portofino every night of the cruise as opposed to the main dining room. Opposite of your situation, as we preferred the more formal atmosphere and the leisurely dinner pace, but the end result was the same as we never visited the dining room - or the buffet - for the entire week.

 

We had been given a table for 2 and know these are in high demand. So we let the concierge know on the first day that he should release our table and allow someone else to enjoy it.

[BobBeaSea]

There are lots of cruisers who don't use the dining room every night. You are on the right track with your thinking of how to handle it, if you intend to never go to the dining room, on embarkation day just call the F & B management and tell them you don't intend to use your spots in the dining room. Chances are they will call you anyway after you miss the first couple of nights or so.

 

The tips for the wait staff traditionally are given to the dining room personnel on the last night however you can ask the F&B management the best way to handle this. The crew doesn't care as the tips are for the sailing, regardless of where you choose to eat.

 

P.S. We are thinking of trying the Windjammer a couple of times on the next sailing, I have read it can be a much nicer experience than I would have thought. :)

[Sweetspot]

I did request a table for 5 when I booked because I knew we wouldn't go everynight when I booked and didn't want to have others who wished to dine with others dining alone. I am trying to do this in the best way not to infringe on others as I know we are in the minority not caring about eating on a cruise.

 

BobBeaSea: I did find the Windjammer to be much more relaxing. We went when we wished, if we wished, ate what we wished with such a beautiful view of the ocean.

 

caviargal: How did you handle tipping? We tipped the servers in the dining room full amount even though we only went twice. We also tipped the server in the buffet we had every time who brought our drinks and cleared our plates. Didn't seem right to have to double tip but it didn't seem right not to tip the Windjammer staff either.

[caviargal]

We tipped people individually, preferring to take care of those who took care of us. Our room steward, our preferred servers in Chops and Portofino, the Concierge, our favorite bartender, etc. We tipped as we went just as we do at home.

[Sweetspot]

We were just concerned that people who get paid with tips we going to miss part of their weeks wages. But I guess if the ship doesn't sail full that can't be controlled either. We really got to know the person in the section we liked at Windjammers and felt as if we should tip him the same as we did the servers in the dining room. I'm glad to know that it is acceptable to not tip the dining room servers that you won't even meet.

[katiel53]

I agree with telling the Maitre 'd that you won't be eating in the dining room. That way if there is a waitlist for your seating, others will be able to use your spots at the table.

 

I don't know how you can really decide on the tipping if you eat all meals in the buffet. The reason is that the regular dining room staff also work in the buffet for breakfast and lunch. I guess if I were going to not ever eat in the dining room, I would probably do as you do at night, but then if someone "helped" me in the buffet at breakfast or lunch, I would probably tip him/her.

 

I don't believe you should tip the regular amount when not eating in the dining room. I would feel differently if you ate breakfast or lunch there though. I'm sure you will do what you feel is right.

 

Enjoy your cruise.

 

Katie

[Sweetspot]

At breakfast or lunch noone really helps you as they do at dinner. You generally go up and get everything yourself, they do clear your tray when you are done though. At dinner someone gets your drinks even though it was a buffet we had a decent amount of contact with him. Since we would get a drink we would always have a slip to sign which made it easy to add an additional tip everynight.

[BethCarp]

I assume I should do the same for my children who won't be eating in the dining room with? Can I request beforehand that they'll just be two of us or will I just have to let the MD know when we get on board?

[Sweetspot]

I don't think they will let you not a place for all in the party when you book or before you get on the ship. They are covering themselves in case you change your mind when you get on the ship. I know on DCL it's common for adults to come to dinner without their kids since they can eat with their clubs. On RCL they close the clubs down at dinner hour so the kids would be on their own if not eating with their parents. Our kids are young enough that we require them to still eat meals with us on the ship we just prefer to not force them to get dressed up every night and eat a long meal. We do on DCL but on RCL it wasn't the same.

 

I will definately tell the head waiter that we won't be using the table so that someone else can have it.

[SeaSeaRiders]

We thought of this idea also. It should be added as a choice when booking. I believe it would really help out the managers, especially on the day you set sail and everyone is at the dining room complaining about their table assigments.

 

On our 8 day jewel cruise we had gone to the Windjammer one night & Chops on 2 nights. We tipped the Main Diningroom staff accordingly.

 

The Windjammer is great. Not crowded and if you don't want to sit there for an hour and a half, head out when you want and come back later for dessert or whatever. If someone helps you out and gives you extra attention and service, then they need to be tipped. No mater what dining area they are in.

[alexkrn46]

Are you saying you tip the same in the Windjammer as you do in the dining room?

If you prepay your tips do you give this person the voucher?

I can see why you would get excellent service since you are paying the server the head waiter, assistant waiter, and bar service to one person. Plus I am assuming you are also giving this person the extra tip we usually give our servers since we always get excellent service. If there are five in your party this makes serving you special in the windjammer - since this person would get a hefty tip.

 

My only concern that there seems to be a system, the waiters work hard to get certain assignments and now you are rewarding the most junior person, but that is certainly your right. But when RCCL automatically puts the tips on everyone's account, you won't be surprised.

[SeaSeaRiders]

No, not like in the dining room. We just figure a tip as though we were at a cafeteria/buffet type restaurant on shore. Depending on the service. In the dining room, just remember the per person PER DAY, when you are figuring out how many nights you were there and what to tip or not.

[kiwiwoman]

I have a question along the same lines as OP. My SIL says that when they cruise that when they do not dine in the dining room some nights, that they do not tip the waiters for those nights. Am I alone in thinking that is a bit cheap? I was thinking that you are holding up their table when someone else could have had it and they could get their full tip amounts. That's one reason we really like the tips automatically added to our account for the standard amt. On a couple of cruises, we did not go to the dining room once or twice and didn't have to worry about it because of the automatic tip thing.

[BobBeaSea]

I have a question along the same lines as OP. My SIL says that when they cruise that when they do not dine in the dining room some nights, that they do not tip the waiters for those nights. Am I alone in thinking that is a bit cheap? I was thinking that you are holding up their table when someone else could have had it and they could get their full tip amounts. That's one reason we really like the tips automatically added to our account for the standard amt. On a couple of cruises, we did not go to the dining room once or twice and didn't have to worry about it because of the automatic tip thing.

 

No, you are not alone in thinking "that is a bit cheap". The tips are for the sailing. The only way I could see not paying the tips is if one NEVER ate on the ship - something that is not likely to happen.If you never go to the dining room just add them to your Seapass bill. If you want to "hand them over" personally, call the F&B manager, they can direct you on how to do it.