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Guests Seated in the Buffet area instead of dinning rooms.


sandpiper35
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I would take the 9:45 seating. Most Latinos eat dinner late - we usually do 8 or 9 PM but I mean I´m on vacation, I could do 9:45. 5:30 is extreeeeeeeeeemely early for us as probably we were probably just done with lunch by 5 lol. 7:30 is also early for us. 9:45 again is a bit late but the ¨least worse¨option of the 3. Specially since we are Bella, if we get to eat at the MDR, it will be at that time as it seems to be the least requested. My only concern with 9:45 is not to find all of the options on the menu available as thousands of people already ate before us.

 

Now here is another question that I don´t think I´ve seen anyone ask, Will the buffet overflow be anytime dining style? I really hope it is, or it would be totally ridiculous to not only assign someone to the buffet, but also a time to go.

Edited by voyager89
typo
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It´s definitely not part of my culture to dine late at 9:45 pm!!! It´s part of my culture to fall asleep by 10 pm.

 

Europe is very large and there is no common culture regarding dining times. Northern Europeans (and I count me into that as German) do tend to eat early - 5 to 7 pm. Southern Europeans (those countries with higher temps like Spain, Portugal, Italy, Southern France, Greece...) tend to dine later and not earlier than 8 pm.

 

It´s like I would say it´s part of the American culture to eat late... That is true for South America and Middle America (Brasil, Argentina, Mexico...) but not for North America (US, Canada).

 

I don´t think that any of the Brits would be happy to be assigned to a 9:45 pm dinner time nor would I.

 

steamboats

 

I see that agree with me that a culture of late dining does in fact exist in some parts of Europe. A late dining option of 945 on the Seaside is not far fetched for those people. Thanks

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I booked Bella on the Seaside without realizing that dining could be an issue, and whether it was an oversight on my part, or the fact that the website sucks, it is what it is. Since I may end up in the overflow area in the buffet, I was wondering if anyone has a picture of it, as this may influence my decision on whether or not to attempt to book a dining package. That is if I can figure out a way to actually see a menu, a price, or to book something (anything) on the website.

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From what I have heard, they do the whole table cloth and table set thing just like the MDRs.

 

I wish MSC from the get go would have just started out by not calling the marketplace a buffet. They should have advertised it as the Marketplace restaurant as a third MDR that happens to serve a buffet for lunch as a buffet overflow. That would change perception for the positive.

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I'm told they offer more than one show per night, each with more than one performance. The shows will also appear on more than one night, so those who didn't get to see a particular one the first time will likely have another chance.

 

 

Ashley, being told is quite different than having seen the daily program that showed the same show being played 3 times per evening. However, I agree with you, since there are supposed to be 7 new shows for the Seaside, and typically there is no official show the first night, they would need to offer multiple per night and stagger them to get them in. When I pointed this out to someone who was actually on board, they told me how it really was, and sent me a couple of dailies to "prove it"

 

I was forwarded two different dailies that had a single show on the schedule 3 times each evening.

 

There is a lot being said, and a lot of extrapolation from those who have MSC experience on other ships, but it does seem that the Seaside has it's own way of doing things. Hopefully common sense prevails and they will get their act together. They sure seemed to have made things overly difficult with different offers or "experiences" being offered in different locales.

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I see that agree with me that a culture of late dining does in fact exist in some parts of Europe. A late dining option of 945 on the Seaside is not far fetched for those people. Thanks

 

As I said... Saying it´s a culture in Europe to eat late would be as wrong as saying it´s a culture in America. Both in Europe and America there are countries who tend to eat late because of the higher temperatures during the day. In other countries in Europe or America people prefer to eat early.

 

steamboats

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I would take the 9:45 seating. Most Latinos eat dinner late - we usually do 8 or 9 PM but I mean I´m on vacation, I could do 9:45. 5:30 is extreeeeeeeeeemely early for us as probably we were probably just done with lunch by 5 lol. 7:30 is also early for us. 9:45 again is a bit late but the ¨least worse¨option of the 3. Specially since we are Bella, if we get to eat at the MDR, it will be at that time as it seems to be the least requested. My only concern with 9:45 is not to find all of the options on the menu available as thousands of people already ate before us.

 

So you are from the part of America which has a culture of late eating ;)!

 

And no, usually Bella has a fixed time for dining. Only Aura has flexible times (and Yacht Club). The difference between Bella and Fantastica is that Fantastica can at least say which seating they want to be in (and in some cases they do get it).

 

steamboats

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Same for the Mexico website. Also, the Fantastica experience does not list the 12 drink coupons, the US one does.

 

It´s not listed on the German website either as an amenity for Fantastica. Never heard of that before. I specifically looked for a Seaside cruise out of the US. And also no mentioning that the buffet restaurant doubles as main dining room for Bella.

 

 

steamboats

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As I said... Saying it´s a culture in Europe to eat late would be as wrong as saying it´s a culture in America. Both in Europe and America there are countries who tend to eat late because of the higher temperatures during the day. In other countries in Europe or America people prefer to eat early.

 

steamboats

 

I agree. Definitely part of some cultures in Europe to eat late. I have also ran into Americans that prefer to eat late just like people in some European countries.

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It´s definitely not part of my culture to dine late at 9:45 pm!!! It´s part of my culture to fall asleep by 10 pm.

 

 

 

 

I do apologize, it was ignorant of me to make such a broad statement. You are completely right. I’ll be better about avoiding blanket statements. Happy sailing....

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

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  • 5 months later...
Divina also had the buffet as an mdr in the evening. I had the Fantastica experience so assigned to mdr restaurant. I was surprised to learn that Seaside is doing the same thing, thought newer ship would have enough seats in mdr. I booked the Bella experience for my upcoming cruise on Seaside for financial reasons (going solo so paying double). I'm aware that I may be assigned buffet but hoping not.

 

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I’m in the same boat (pun intended). Traveling solo in August 2018 on the Seaside so booked Bella experience for economics. Has your cruise happened yet? Did you get seated in the non-buffet MDR?

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I’m in the same boat (pun intended). Traveling solo in August 2018 on the Seaside so booked Bella experience for economics. Has your cruise happened yet? Did you get seated in the non-buffet MDR?

This is old , everyone is in the MDR.

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Having sailed on the Opera, the Lyrica, and the Poesia way before the Bella/Fantastica/Aurea levels, MSC has always closed part of the Buffet and made it into a second Dining Room in the evenings. Usually it is part of the Buffet that is decorated in Darker Woods with better tables and Chairs. On Opera and Lyrica this Dining Room sort of took the place of a Specialty Dining Room.

And most importantly, the Buffet in that part of the Dining Room is closed and shut off from the Diners. You are not being forced to eat a Buffet Dinner, You probably will not even notice that the Table and Chairs are the same as are used during the day. The Buffet Dining Room for the Evening Meal was quiet and professional with appropriate lighting, Service, and Food.

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  • 1 month later...

I may be joining you! I did book through a travel agency and Specifically asked about this. The agent was learning with me so she contacted MSC and, with a 3 way conversation, the MSC rep told me I would not be seated in the buffet?? Really not that big a deal. If it happens, I guess I won’t have to dress up for formal night! Just wish I could find out ahead to make packing easier. :)

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