Would the dining room let me do this?

[VABeach]

The table isnt large enough to bring everything out at once, plus it would really throw off the schedule of the waiter. He will have other tables to care for.

 

I agree. They bring things out in shifts for a reason.... first the appetizers, then the salads, etc.....

 

What they do behind the scenes is AMAZING. It's somewhat of a well orchestrated ballet, and throwing a wrench into the system, really is throwing a wrench into the system. It messes everyone up because they bring the food out in the kitchen that way. It's a highly organized process and breaking the "flow" can make them have to litterally work twice as hard.

 

Yes, they will do it for you if you ask, but it really causes so much more work for them.

 

If you do, PLEASE remember to compensate them for all the extra trouble when you tip! (They work their TAILS OFF at dinner!)

 

Thank you for being conciderate. ;)

[BND]

You know - I am really not trying to make trouble. I was asking a question. If the idea was silly or stupid - say that. But to become mean and vicious - why?

I was upset on RCCL when I ordered room service at 5:00 am and it was delivered at 7:30. Or, when I went to the dining room and dinner took 3 hours.

But really, do you have to be so mean. Every questioned I have asked has been to insure we have a good time and cause as little trouble for other guests as possible. My oldest is three - he isn't strange, weird, or insane. He was 14 months old on that cruise.

Secondly - not all steak is a porterhouse. That have ground sirloin and stir fry meats are very tender. Yes, a child with ten teeth, including molars, can eat them.

 

Um, ground sirloin is a HAMBURGER.

 

I do agree kids need to learn by doing and a cruise dining room is a great place to learn to sit through a meal. Other 3 year olds do it. I've seen them.

 

Dinner has never, in 4 cruises taken us more than 1.5 hours.

[Nanatochase]

I think the OP had every right to ask her questions. It may have made sense to her, and as everyone knows, we all have opinions. Why keep putting her down because her lifestyle may be different from yours? Sure, the kids should be made to behave at the table, but I've seen adults in the dining room that were acting like 2 yrs old. If she wants to feed her 2 yrs old steak, let her. My God, it's HER child. I've learned a lot on these boards, but I cannot stand it when a person asks a question and gets nothing but ridiculed. That's why I've been hesitant to ask anything, for fear that my question would get turned and twisted and I'd be made to look like a "freak". Someone once told me that no question is stupid if you don't know the answer. Leave the poor woman alone, let her feed her child what she wants and when she wants. OP...do your thing and have a great cruise.

[dan40]

I think the OP had every right to ask her questions. It may have made sense to her, and as everyone knows, we all have opinions. Why keep putting her down because her lifestyle may be different from yours? Sure, the kids should be made to behave at the table, but I've seen adults in the dining room that were acting like 2 yrs old. If she wants to feed her 2 yrs old steak, let her. My God, it's HER child. I've learned a lot on these boards, but I cannot stand it when a person asks a question and gets nothing but ridiculed. That's why I've been hesitant to ask anything, for fear that my question would get turned and twisted and I'd be made to look like a "freak". Someone once told me that no question is stupid if you don't know the answer. Leave the poor woman alone, let her feed her child what she wants and when she wants. OP...do your thing and have a great cruise.

 

Come on, she says her 2 yo can eat steak, but she means hamburger. She says they are well behaved, just uncontrollable after a second or 2.

She says she wants them to be able to eat fast, but she will not utilize the fast food venues. [buffet, room service] And she wants the cruiseline to ADJUST the dining schedule of the other 3000 people on the ship to accommodate her and her kids.

 

Ridicule is as ridicule does!

 

Dan

[Karysa]

To help make meal times go smoothly may I suggest asking for "babysitting" in the evening as a Christmas present from hubby or your parents. You could feed the kids at the buffet and eat later while they are sleeping and you have an experienced qualified, ship approved sitter watching over them.

Karysa

[Kurbanfan]

Dinner has never, in 4 cruises taken us more than 1.5 hours.

 

You have been lucky.......

[Vanessa L]

Come on, she says her 2 yo can eat steak, but she means hamburger. She says they are well behaved, just uncontrollable after a second or 2.

She says she wants them to be able to eat fast, but she will not utilize the fast food venues. [buffet, room service] And she wants the cruiseline to ADJUST the dining schedule of the other 3000 people on the ship to accommodate her and her kids.

 

Ridicule is as ridicule does!

 

Dan

 

Exactly why I suggested the smaller ships (Regent, Crystal, Seaborn). As a side note to the OP however, one of her main gripes is that there are not any "healthy" food options on the menu for kids. Have you seen the nutrition content on red meat??? :eek: Yes, it's got a lot of protein, but, unless her kid is eating filet mignon each time, the fat content of any other cut of meat is ridiculous. Red meat is NOT a "healthy" option, that's why you never see it in the "spa" section of the menu.

[BullDogChief]

What I don't get is the unease of sitting through a 3 hour dinner. Maybe it's because we lived in Europe but we love long dinners like that. In Italy when one goes to a restaurant and get a table, that table is one's own for as long as one wants it; the food is brought out at a leisurely pace so one may savor each course.

 

I have seen young children in these restaurants and the majority of them have no trouble sitting and behaving through a 3 hour meal.

 

Not saying you're a horrible mother or anything like that and I certainly would not wish ill will toward you or anyone in your family but you really need to get real; you are cruising with 3,000 other people, the dining room staff have a set schedule to make sure everyone gets to eat what and when they choose, expecting them to go out of their way to make accomodations for you is unreasonable...JMO

[Kurbanfan]

What I don't get is the unease of sitting through a 3 hour dinner. Maybe it's because we lived in Europe but we love long dinners like that. In Italy when one goes to a restaurant and get a table, that table is one's own for as long as one wants it; the food is brought out at a leisurely pace so one may savor each course.

 

 

I am one of those people........and I certainly can't understand putting a toddler thru that......pure torture for both parents and child:D

[BullDogChief]

I am one of those people........and I certainly can't understand putting a toddler thru that......pure torture for both parents and child:D

 

To each his own I guess...I think maybe I feel that way simply because I lived in Italy for a while...:confused:

[Vanessa L]

To each his own I guess...I think maybe I feel that way simply because I lived in Italy for a while...:confused:

 

You are absolutely right. We noticed the same in Paris last year. The Europeans just eat slower. A few times at a restaurant I found myself thinking, "OK, bring the next course already!!" But quickly quieted those thoughts and reveled in the beauty around me. We Americans are so used to quick, quick, quick, that a 3 hour dinner would probably render no tip for "slow service". As for kids, if they are raised being used to 3 hour meals then that is what they know. American kids would never be able to handle it.

[trock]

Coming from an Italian family who used to have marathon Sunday dinners

no thanks

I can not sit still that long lol

I can not wait to get out of the dining room!

[Kurbanfan]

As for kids, if they are raised being used to 3 hour meals then that is what they know. American kids would never be able to handle it.

 

Oh puleeze......no toddler should be expected to sit at a 3 hour meal:rolleyes:

[BullDogChief]

Oh puleeze......no toddler should be expected to sit at a 3 hour meal:rolleyes:

 

go anywhere in Europe and you just may be surprised...

[Kurbanfan]

go anywhere in Europe and you just may be surprised...

 

Believe me nothing surprises me...........

[TrinaLC]

Two of my kids are too young for camp carnival, so that is not an option. We are also not going to do the buffet every day - not what we signed up for.

I will find a compromise. Maybe have my hubby go put in the order and I bring the kids in when the first course comes out (we have two way radios).

 

Why not start getting your kids used to dining in restaurants? It is a question of training them to behave, to be patient, to use restaurant voices.

 

Frankly, cruise dining is probably the one of the best to do this - it really is very fast, and will be especially so if you have decided ahead of time what your orders will be.

 

Bring coloring books or other small toys, and teach the kids to entertain themselves quietly.

 

Obviously, if one becomes disruptive, you will need to remove the child, but really, why not start the "training" now?

[aggieastrosfan]

You have been lucky.......

 

I guess we've been lucky, too, because in 11 cruises our longest dinner was 2 hours, and we were frequently one of the last tables still there.

[CarnivalCruiseLover]

Come on, she says her 2 yo can eat steak, but she means hamburger. She says they are well behaved, just uncontrollable after a second or 2.

She says she wants them to be able to eat fast, but she will not utilize the fast food venues. [buffet, room service] And she wants the cruiseline to ADJUST the dining schedule of the other 3000 people on the ship to accommodate her and her kids.

 

Ridicule is as ridicule does!

 

Dan

Perfectly said! The O.P. is either joking, or so out of touch for asking about these requests that it is sickening. Forget about the other 3000 + guests that need attention, everything should stop when her and her kids walk in the dining room. I mean I have seen some crazy requests and posts, but hers takes the cake! And with the history of the o.p.'s other postings, I can see it isn't a joke, and the o.p. is actually wanting these requests fullfilled. Take a look at her other posts, they are just as bad, or worse than this one. I see these kind of people on every cruise. Always wanting something extra, extra attention, free stuff, run the staff until they are half dead, then stiff them on the sail and sign tips, and not to mention, never leave extra to the wait staff and cabin staff.

[OceanLover2]

What cruise are you on????

[VABeach]

There IS an option for the OP - NCL. That's what they do. (I don't personally know anyone who actually enjoyed it, but it is available so I'm sure someone does.)

 

People should understand that all cruises are not alike and take the time to find the one that is right for them so that they don't have to spend their entire vacation complaining and making everyone else miserable in the process.

 

Find the shoe that fits and wear it.

 

It's NCL for you girl!

 

Go. Enjoy.

 

But please don't go on Carnival and complain that their processes don't work for your situation. It won't. So adjust or make another choice. It's the choice that will make everyone happy and that is what vacation is all about. :)

 

(I'm just saying this because I read the thread that was posted about how unhappy you were with RCI over similar issues.)

[Vanessa L]

There IS an option for the OP - NCL. That's what they do. (I don't personally know anyone who actually enjoyed it, but it is available so I'm sure someone does.)

 

People should understand that all cruises are not alike and take the time to find the one that is right for them so that they don't have to spend their entire vacation complaining and making everyone else miserable in the process.

 

Find the shoe that fits and wear it.

 

It's NCL for you girl!

 

Go. Enjoy.

 

But please don't go on Carnival and complain that their processes don't work for your situation. It won't. So adjust or make another choice. It's the choice that will make everyone happy and that is what vacation is all about. :)

 

(I'm just saying this because I read the thread that was posted about how unhappy you were with RCI over similar issues.)

 

NCL lets you preorder for the dining room so that it is on the table and ready when you get there??? I had no idea. I should meander over to those boards once in a while I guess.

[VABeach]

NCL lets you preorder for the dining room so that it is on the table and ready when you get there??? I had no idea. I should meander over to those boards once in a while I guess.

 

They allow you to be more flexable and not have to wait to be brought out your dishes one at a time.

[jonathansburden]

Why not start getting your kids used to dining in restaurants? It is a question of training them to behave, to be patient, to use restaurant voices. Obviously, if one becomes disruptive, you will need to remove the child, but really, why not start the "training" now?

 

Best idea on here! This is what we are doing with my son right now. We usually go at like 3 when it's slow, he's up to about 1 1/2 hours without fussing! :D

[petro772]

This is a good time to teach your "mature" kids some manners. Like don't expect the maitre d' to take a little chart with your orders. Good grief. ;)

[CarnivalCruiseLover]

JS: I have noticed that the O.P. is not responding on this post. Maybe the truth hurts, and she realizes that if her kids can't behave during dinner, her parenting skills are now being questioned.