Dining Room Etiquette

[macusa19]

Elation, 12/12/04...

 

From what I have read, it's not o.k. to be late to dinner and it's considered rude (not sure how accurate that is).

 

On that same note, when does everyone leave dinner? i.e. upon completion of their meal, when everyone at the table is done, at your own convenience...

 

Please shed some light on this for me!!

[Cotton]

You're correct about being courteous to your waiter and fellow tablemates. Nice to be on time, so doesn't hold anything up.

 

About leaving - since everybody's usually finished around the same time, unless somebody lingers over coffee, the table is vacated pretty much at the same time. If you don't care for coffee or dessert, however, you certainly won't be considered rude for leaving early. (Just say your goodbyes, so nobody thinks you're leaving mad.):D

[macusa19]

Thanks so much!

 

 

I was hoping I didn't have to wait. We are fast eaters!

[derf5585]

My wife Derfette made comments about people who were late for dinner until we were late ourselves. They were about 15 minutes late (traffic they said). No problem for the waitstaff.

 

Leave whenever you want. We stayed for the speach by "Omar" and the dancing staff

[cali-croozer]

We would like to leave earlier, but had to wait until after the song/dance to get our coffee and dessert. Some tables were served first, but ours was always after. I enjoyed it better when there was "entertainment" only 1-2 nights per cruise, not every night. Anyway, on my next cruise, I'm going to ask to get my coffee, at least, before the lights start flashing. Do you think I'll have any luck?

[davidaperryman]

I think it is very rude to be late for dinner. You force everyone to wait on you. That being said I think it is OK to leave when you are finished after saying your goodbys to everyone at the table.

[GoinCruisin]

Thanks so much!

 

 

I was hoping I didn't have to wait. We are fast eaters!

Macusa, doesn't matter how fast you eat... they bring out each course one at a time...

 

By the time they have served coffee and dessert, most are leaving, so it's not rude, IMHO....

[Laurab23]

On our cruise last May,there was one couple at our table that were 1/2 hour late every single night! It was very annoying but didn't seem to faze them one bit.Even when we started calling them "the late mr. and Mrs........".I thought that was so rude and it always held up our dinner. So everyone,please try to be on time.

As far as leaving,I don't see anything wrong with leaving when you're done with your meal. You can always explain that you want to get a good seat for the show.

Laura

[hstrybuf]

Yes, it's rude to be late to dinner. Since there is usually a line to get into the dining room we try to arrive right behind the "herd". If you know ahead of time that you won't be eating in the dining room on a specific night, it's considered polite to inform your tablemates of this.

 

On our last cruise we lucked out by having great tablemates. One of the ladies was sick most of the cruise so we didn't get to see her but once. Actually, she ended up in the infirmary. Her relatives and friends left before dessert most nights either to get show seats or to check on her. We had no problem with that.

[macusa19]

davidaperryman--

 

Hey neighbor, I live right down across the highway from you...down Sorters Rd. :p

[sgriff17]

We had people that were always late on the first cruise - NEVER held us up, we just ordered and went on our merry way! When they got there, they did the same. No big deal.

[MyImagination]

We had people that were always late on the first cruise - NEVER held us up, we just ordered and went on our merry way! When they got there, they did the same. No big deal.

That has also been my experience, the waiter didnt hesitate to take orders when he came by regardless of who was late.

While people should show up on time, its never presented a problem on any cruise I have sailed on.

[TNtraveler]

We were seated at a table for 10 that never saw more than six at a seating, once as few as four (2 couples). Wait staff just served who was there and didn't wait to see who else would show up later. At the end of a late port day, one couple did show up late, and was served when they arrived.

[L2J]

Elation, 12/12/04...

 

From what I have read, it's not o.k. to be late to dinner and it's considered rude (not sure how accurate that is).

 

 

How would this be any different from a restaraunt in your hometown? IMO it's ok to be fashionably late provided one doesn't make a habit of it.

[cjalphonso]

The system works like this, the kitchen makes the appatizers first then moves on to the next course but never returns to the previous course once they have gone past that part of the meal. So if you are 15 min. late you may not be able to order an appetizer or will have to take whatever is left and so on.

One couple was an hour late and got really mad when they couldn't order the appetizers at all and only had one choice for the entree. Take the galley tour and you will find out how all this stuff works.

[Cotton]

Having been a Food & Beverage director for hotels, I understand perfectly what the kitchen and the waitstaff have to go through for latecomers.:p

 

The most we served for any one function was 1500 at a five-course meal, and if anybody was late, they just missed out on the previous courses, period! I can't even IMAGINE how difficult it would be on a cruiseship with so many passengers to serve, to try to please as many diners as they do.

 

Being late to dinner shows inconsideration (and borders on rude behavior), and nobody should expect to be served appetizers if they're an hour, or even 30 minutes, late. No way.:rolleyes: Thank goodness, most cruisers are conscientious and arrive on time.

[mjmiller]

I guess I've always thought "fashionably late" to be an oxymoron. Being late is rude - not fashionable. Maybe it's different in bigger cities than Milwaukee, or perhaps on the coasts, but around here, most people are on time for appts and reservations. Maybe it's just our good Midwestern sensibility. It's different if it's a party at a friend's house or an open house - then lateness is almost expected.

 

Anyway, your wait staff are usually pretty pushed to the limit with the amount of people they're trying to serve. Even if everyone at your table eats fast, that doesn't mean you will get your next course sooner. So try to relax and enjoy the nummy food! What's the rush?!

[PINEVIEW01]

We would like to leave earlier, but had to wait until after the song/dance to get our coffee and dessert. Some tables were served first, but ours was always after. I enjoyed it better when there was "entertainment" only 1-2 nights per cruise, not every night. Anyway, on my next cruise, I'm going to ask to get my coffee, at least, before the lights start flashing. Do you think I'll have any luck?

I liked it better also when it was just a couple times. I never had any luck, even when I let them know up front.

[rwdtgb]

We always are on time for meals in the dining room.On RCCI Explorer of the seas last year there was a table of 8 that showed up for dinner 30 minutes or more late every night.They weren't seated with us but they did have the same waiter and when they strolled in with drinks in hand the waiter went to there table to get them started and that delayed all our other courses.I believe it is rude.