Desserts to go?

There is usually at least one night where we skip the main dining room for one reason or another. The "problem" with that that the buffet desserts aren't quite the greatest things on earth...especially compared to the warm chocolate melting cake or bitter & blanc from the dining room.

Can you go to one of the dining rooms at dinner time and simply get a dessert to go? Or if we have YTD, will they let us just order from a dessert menu without having to spend a significant amount of time in the dining room?

Sure, I've done this before. I like to order the cheese plate and take it back to my cabin to nibble on.

I've taken entire meals back to the room. They never make a big deal out of it.

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Wow, I never even thought about doing this....but pretty sure I"ll be eating some desert on my balcony in December.

Depends on the MD whether you can take food out of the MDR.

We've ordered parts of meals in the MDR. Sometimes just dessert, sometimes appetizers and desserts.

I didn't know you could do that. How does it work? Are you seated first or do you ask at the door?

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The desserts at the coffee shop are very good and only a couple of dollars... DBF and I would skip dessert in the MDR and get something there.

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There is usually at least one night where we skip the main dining room for one reason or another. The "problem" with that that the buffet desserts aren't quite the greatest things on earth...especially compared to the warm chocolate melting cake or bitter & blanc from the dining room.

 

Can you go to one of the dining rooms at dinner time and simply get a dessert to go? Or if we have YTD, will they let us just order from a dessert menu without having to spend a significant amount of time in the dining room?

Sure go for it.

I had YTD and went at 5:00 and ordered only the chocolate melting cake to go. The waiter said it would take a little while since it was not time for dessert. It was early dining time no one logically would need dessert for almost hour so they hadn't started baking the cakes yet ( made sense). I just sat and waited ( no one was needing my table) and he brought it in about 20 minutes. Since I had to wait, he brought me 2 which I gladly accepted. Next time I will wait until after 6 to go down.

Depends on the MD whether you can take food out of the MDR.

 

We've ordered parts of meals in the MDR. Sometimes just dessert, sometimes appetizers and desserts.

Very strange how some will allow it and some will not.

A year or so ago cruised with kids and our son wasnt feeling well and we wanted to take his dinner back to the cabin. MD would not allow us to and insisted room service do it.

Explained to him our son was probably sleeping and we didnt want him woken up and he refused to listen. Thought that was rather foolish and even made comment to this effect on survey afterwards.

Very strange how some will allow it and some will not.

 

A year or so ago cruised with kids and our son wasnt feeling well and we wanted to take his dinner back to the cabin. MD would not allow us to and insisted room service do it.

 

Explained to him our son was probably sleeping and we didnt want him woken up and he refused to listen. Thought that was rather foolish and even made comment to this effect on survey afterwards.

Usually whole meals no. but desserts and cheese yes. (the rest is a food safety issue and one that no ship should allow guests to take hot prepared food from the dining room)

A couple years ago on Sunshine, we had late lunch and didn't really want dinner. We couldn't pass on dessert though. Once we were seated in the dining room, we simply asked our waiter for the dessert menus. All of the wait staff and the tables around us thought it was awesome!

Usually whole meals no. but desserts and cheese yes. (the rest is a food safety issue and one that no ship should allow guests to take hot prepared food from the dining room)

I hear you but how come we can take whatever we want from lido deck to our cabin? Asked an assistant MD on same cruise and he had no answer for me.

I would like to suggest that since you are asking for a favor you make it as easy on the staff as possible. The food in the Galley is plated assembly line. It would make the most sense to arrive about an hour after the meal has begun so that there is less inconvenience to the staff.

As to if you can take your MDR meal / parts of the meal "to go"? It really does depend on the maître d. You can ask but don't be surprised if you are told it is not allowed.

And yes we do take food back to our stateroom from the Lido buffet but some line no longer allow this. It does have to due with food safety. You know it has happened that someone took food back to their room and left it sit for hours. Then ate it and blamed the buffet for food poisoning.

Just a side, one of the groups I belong to had someone complaining they got food poisoning on the ship. They refused to even consider the possibility it might have been the ceviche they ate in port. I expect all lines to crack down on taking food from the eating areas because of these type of incident.

I was on the Legend this August and in the MDR and asked about the Bitter and Blanc dessert, since it is only served one day he gave me an extra one to take back to my cabin. So ask for what you want you might be suprised

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And yes we do take food back to our stateroom from the Lido buffet but some line no longer allow this. It does have to due with food safety. You know it has happened that someone took food back to their room and left it sit for hours. Then ate it and blamed the buffet for food poisoning.

 

 

 

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NCL wasn't allowing buffet food back to the cabin. Lasted less than one cruise, have read it only lasted one day.

Have heard another reason for MDR food not to be taken out, dishes. Simply not enough dishes for them to be wandering around the ship. I do know that late seating gets hot dishes because they were just washed after early seating.

I hear you but how come we can take whatever we want from lido deck to our cabin? Asked an assistant MD on same cruise and he had no answer for me.

It really shouldnt be but wait staff has better control over what leaves the area

Just a side note, the chocolate cake from room service is to die for! :D

The dining room may or may not comply. I have read that many of the lines are concerned in that food taken back to the room makes more work from the room steward to clean up, and in addition, often leaves the halls looking cluttered and dirty. That is why some of the lines are adding a surcharge for room service.

Personally I love the chocolate melting cake, but after one, the calories start to pose a problem.

In any case, enjoy.

Any fool who would eat something from the MDR or the lido after it was been out for too long will also leave the room service sandwiches out to long and still get sick. So I dont buy the food safety reasoning.

I can see a little logic in other theory's posted.

I also think it could just be that that they want to give you the full sit down dining experience not people ordering a meal to go. That could interrupt service for the whole waitstaff as well as table mates. However I do think there are some occasions where I think it might be acceptable to get dishes to go.

Like the hubby leaving to care for a sick child back in the room. Or say a child was acting out and a parent took the child from the dining room. I hate they might not get a good meal as a consequence for being a good parent.

Ive gotten seas sick during a meal and had to excuse myself as I was not well and needed to lay down. Would of been nice if my husband could of brought back a meal to my room.

I didn't know you could do that. How does it work? Are you seated first or do you ask at the door?

 

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We've just gone to the entrance.

As many know from reading here the staffing has been reduced in the main dining rooms and the servers now run around like chickens with their heads chopped off. While the servers are still required to dance and sing on " show " nights most no longer have the time to chat with their guests as they did in yesteryear. We refuse to compound their situation by asking for special favors at the entrance to the dining room by ordering items " to go. "

As many know from reading here the staffing has been reduced in the main dining rooms and the servers now run around like chickens with their heads chopped off. While the servers are still required to dance and sing on " show " nights most no longer have the time to chat with their guests as they did in yesteryear. We refuse to compound their situation by asking for special favors at the entrance to the dining room by ordering items " to go. "

Think you are doing the right thing.

As many know from reading here the staffing has been reduced in the main dining rooms and the servers now run around like chickens with their heads chopped off. While the servers are still required to dance and sing on " show " nights most no longer have the time to chat with their guests as they did in yesteryear. We refuse to compound their situation by asking for special favors at the entrance to the dining room by ordering items " to go. "

When you put it this way it makes sense to not ask for to go service at the maitre d' stand. Thanks for your experienced take on the matter.

We have never asked for this service when entering the MDR. We always do your time dining and get a 2 top. Though most nights we stay for the whole meal, some, we just get seated, order an appetizer, salad or soup. At the same time we order a cheese plate, dessert, whatever, to be plated to go. Have never had a problem with this and did not have to go through the MD.