Funny thing happened on the way to the forum-i mean dinner

[swimsimcoe]

Wanted to share this with other cruisers.Had a few minutes to spare until I was expected at dinner so sat and listened to lovely music in the Piazza on the Ruby.A lovely lady started talking to me and asked me where I was eating dinner,etc.I told her and she asked me if I had 'discovered' the fantastic free restaurant.She said the service was great and they served very fancy food and you could order right off the menu.They liked it so much they went back every night.Yep,you guessed it.She and her hubby were eating at the anytime dining room.It was nice of her to want to share her private place with me.

[Pam in CA]

Wanted to share this with other cruisers.Had a few minutes to spare until I was expected at dinner so sat and listened to lovely music in the Piazza on the Ruby.A lovely lady started talking to me and asked me where I was eating dinner,etc.I told her and she asked me if I had 'discovered' the fantastic free restaurant.She said the service was great and they served very fancy food and you could order right off the menu.They liked it so much they went back every night.Yep,you guessed it.She and her hubby were eating at the anytime dining room.It was nice of her to want to share her private place with me.

ROFL!!! It would be interesting to know whether they had been assigned to Traditional and leaving their seats empty for the week (or more). It's hard to believe that someone would be that clueless but I guess they are.

[Toto2Kansas]

Wanted to share this with other cruisers.Had a few minutes to spare until I was expected at dinner so sat and listened to lovely music in the Piazza on the Ruby.A lovely lady started talking to me and asked me where I was eating dinner,etc.I told her and she asked me if I had 'discovered' the fantastic free restaurant.She said the service was great and they served very fancy food and you could order right off the menu.They liked it so much they went back every night.Yep,you guessed it.She and her hubby were eating at the anytime dining room.It was nice of her to want to share her private place with me.

 

Oh, now that is adorable. Maybe it was her first cruise and she didn't know that dining was included. Thanks for the giggle! :)

[jfv379]

You didn't mention the age of the women.:confused: Maybe not clueless, just at that age.:rolleyes: I can say that after just having spent a week with my 80 year old brother and his wife.:D

[Clutterlady]

Too cute.........perhaps she was imbibing in a little too much bubbly:)

[Sincity]

Thanks for the giggle. Must be her first. When we took my parents on their first cruise, they were surprised that the dining room (anytime) food was included!

[pamwinn]

That reminds me of something that I have wondered about to this day. When we took our first cruise, we called room service around 2AM and whoever it was that answered the phone told us the 24 hour room service was not available. We didn't know any better.:confused:

[caribill]

That reminds me of something that I have wondered about to this day. When we took our first cruise, we called room service around 2AM and whoever it was that answered the phone told us the 24 hour room service was not available. We didn't know any better.:confused:

 

On Princess it should have been.

[caribill]

.A lovely lady started talking to me and asked me where I was eating dinner,etc.I told her and she asked me if I had 'discovered' the fantastic free restaurant.She said the service was great and they served very fancy food and you could order right off the menu.They liked it so much they went back every night.Yep,you guessed it.She and her hubby were eating at the anytime dining room.

 

This may have been a first time cruiser.

 

On another thread the poster told of a couple who ate at the buffet every night because they thought all of the dining rooms were extra charge.

 

With so much nickle-and-diming on board, some people may not realize what is included in what they already paid.

[Pam in CA]

This may have been a first time cruiser.

 

On another thread the poster told of a couple who ate at the buffet every night because they thought all of the dining rooms were extra charge.

 

With so much nickle-and-diming on board, some people may not realize what is included in what they already paid.

True... and is a good reason to book with a TA who will educate first-time cruisers. :)

[Cruisin' Chick]

True... and is a good reason to book with a TA who will educate first-time cruisers. :)

 

So true. And even better yet, with a TA who's been on cruises. Too many people in the business don't know anything about cruises.

 

Fortunately on my first cruise, I was with hubby (then bf) who had already been on a cruise. So he told me all I needed to know.

[Colo Cruiser]

It is amazing what we know, every aspect every angle of cruising inside and out, and we want to know more and more everyday. ;)

People come along and give things an innocent new look with first time stories like this.

I agree Toto it is adorable. :D

[pamwinn]

On Princess it should have been.

 

I agree and have no idea why that happened it was 21 Princess cruises ago. I still wonder about that from time to time.

[LittleCruiser1]

I too ran into someone who was complaining about the food on the Caribbean Princess. They were surprised that the only dining options were the buffet. I just couldn't believe that they never knew about the dining rooms. It sure pays to do some research.

[S.S.Oceanlover]

Wanted to share this with other cruisers.Had a few minutes to spare until I was expected at dinner so sat and listened to lovely music in the Piazza on the Ruby.A lovely lady started talking to me and asked me where I was eating dinner,etc.I told her and she asked me if I had 'discovered' the fantastic free restaurant.She said the service was great and they served very fancy food and you could order right off the menu.They liked it so much they went back every night.Yep,you guessed it.She and her hubby were eating at the anytime dining room.It was nice of her to want to share her private place with me.

 

LOL! I've read in the past that some people ate in the buffet every night because they thought they had to pay to eat in the MDR.

 

Bill

[Umbarger]

I too ran into someone who was complaining about the food on the Caribbean Princess. They were surprised that the only dining options were the buffet. I just couldn't believe that they never knew about the dining rooms. It sure pays to do some research.

 

Exact same thing happened to me. I was talking to a lady on the Emerald Princess in the buffet on the last morning of the cruise. It was her first cruise. I asked her how she enjoyed the cruise. She said she was very tired of the buffet day after day for every meal. I said why didn't you go to the dining room. She said, "Dining Room, What dining room?" She had no clue there was one. She thought she had no choice. It was the buffet or nothing. :eek:

 

Do these people not have travel agents? Or read their brochures? I hate to be critical but before my first cruise I read every word of the brochure cover to cover.

[Sailaways_]

LOL! What a cute story...first time cruisers (I hope that's what the lady was, hehe :eek:) are adorable. Thanks for posting it.

[Coolmama_1]

On our first cruise we met up with a couple who were on their honeymoon and had been eating their dinners in the horizon. They had signed up for anytime dining but were too intimidated to try it for some reason. We invited them to eat with us on the first formal night and had a delightful time.

[Contessa30]

There should be an orientation session for new cruisers the first day of the cruise.

I can understand how a new cruiser would not know about the Dining Room. We all take it for granted, as we have been cruising for years.

 

That was a cute story.

[Northender]

There should be an orientation session for new cruisers the first day of the cruise.

I can understand how a new cruiser would not know about the Dining Room. We all take it for granted, as we have been cruising for years.

 

That was a cute story.

 

I think this is a great idea,:) they could do it right after we are called to our Mustard Station:D

 

Great story

[rome2009]

Yes, what an adorable story. Even though I am not a truly seasoned cruiser, I too have trouble figuring out what is included and what is not. There is sooooooo much that is not stated or obvious.

[Cruisin' Chick]

Exact same thing happened to me. I was talking to a lady on the Emerald Princess in the buffet on the last morning of the cruise. It was her first cruise. I asked her how she enjoyed the cruise. She said she was very tired of the buffet day after day for every meal. I said why didn't you go to the dining room. She said, "Dining Room, What dining room?" She had no clue there was one. She thought she had no choice. It was the buffet or nothing. :eek:

 

Do these people not have travel agents? Or read their brochures? I hate to be critical but before my first cruise I read every word of the brochure cover to cover.

 

Before every cruise, I read that answer book. Just in case, there's new info, and it also is part of the docs dance for me.

[SingerEsq]

It may be first-time cruisers, but we used to hear some zingers when I worked on board that had nothing to do with being a first time cruiser:

 

"What's the exchange rate here?" -- It was an inter-island cruise around Hawaii. I used to answer, it's pretty good today. 1:1

 

"How much does it take to mail a letter to the United States?" Again, Hawaii.

 

"Do you live on the ship?" They actually helicopter us in.

 

Upon arriving into port, "Did it rain here last night?"

[grandmato4]

Loved your story and will add our own.

 

Will always remember the young couple that was on their first cruise which was a 7 night cruise that came to dinner in the DR for the first time on the first formal night and didn't come back again until the second formal night. They were seated at a table for two beside us. We overheard our waiter saying very nicely to them on the second formal night that he had missed not having them at dinner since the first formal night but hoped they had enjoyed their dinners elseware. The look on their faces was priceless as they said they thought the Formal Dining Room was only for Formal Nights and hadn't known they could come every night. They were the first people in the dining room the next night that was also the last night of the cruise.:):D

[custompcsys]

There should be an orientation session for new cruisers the first day of the cruise.

I can understand how a new cruiser would not know about the Dining Room. We all take it for granted, as we have been cruising for years.

 

That was a cute story.

 

I've never taken it on any of my cruises, but as I recall don't they have a ship's tour on embarkation day or the following morning? I think that's kind of an orientation. I would think they show you were the dining rooms are too :D