Poll: Table cloth or NO table cloth ?

I was wondering how to tell the difference. WOW , problem solved.

Look to the tablecloth my good man, it will always lead to civilization. :)

Look to the tablecloth my good man, it will always lead to civilization. :)

and I always thought it led to the washing machine. I have learned so much today.:)

My wife is more of a table cloth gives the dining experience a nicer feel group. I don't really care as long as it looks nice and the food is good. We will get to try it out on the Liberty in June and can then make a more educated decision of whether we like the tables or new menus. I can't see it being a deal breaker for us on whether we sail Carnival or not. We do enjoy other lines and when we get a hankering for a table cloth I am sure they will be glad to take our money.

I like the tablecloths. It doesn't make the food any fancier, but it does lend a little elegance to the dining room. Over the years, the place settings have become smaller, the crumb sweeper is no more.

The waiters all wear those little vests, not t shirts with logos on them. I wonder what will be next.

That would be eating, not dining.

I agree

On the other hand perhaps the new carnival can lead it dinner with

Thru the lips , past the gums look out stomach here it comes .... Yea food"

Now I can play paper football.

So, they are on the first sailing with this experiment right now. If you wish to make your voice heard on this matter, then book a sailing with it where I am sure they are listening to the guinea pigs.. erm, customers/guest/passengers... and make your opinion heard.

If you cant do that, then arguing about it on here will not achieve anything. You will just frustrate yourself and those around you.

When I first saw the photos of the bare, cold tables I said "oh no". I subsequently found they may be used for dinner on five of our seven nights on our upcoming Glory Cruise. Give me a cozy booth, provide a nice meal in a classy setting with a tablecloth. Please charge me five bucks on top of the fare and provide us with a tablecloth. Don't be cheap Carnival, many of us have travel options.

I have seen larger people try to move into the booths or the two people tables and they almost wiped out the tablecloth and place setting .

The experience is more than the food served but the setting, presentation, and company. There is eating, and one can eat good food anywhere, then there is dining experience, a combination of elements. Yes, sometimes it's worth getting dressing up for and therefore the table should be dressed. If not, ti cheapens the looks and therefore affect the ambiance and the level of enjoyment. Maybe I will pack a white gown that can double as covering for the table. It's not about elegant dining but hey, we are not in the buffet anymore feeling.

What's next, simple throw the food on the plate and say, hey it tastes good (that would be nice) so looks doesn't matter?

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I have seen larger people try to move into the booths or the two people tables and they almost wiped out the tablecloth and place setting .

Have come close myself. :o

Food and ambiance are both subjective, however the food is real. The rest is part of an illusion/fantasy/whatever.

Food and ambiance are both subjective, however the food is real. The rest is part of an illusion/fantasy/whatever.

Yes, and you know what is said about a good fantasy;)

Yes, and you know what is said about a good fantasy;)

actually I don't, but am pretty sure a shipload of people don't share the same one.

I would prefer they keep the tablecloths. I just think it looks nicer and more elegant.

If it looks ok I have no issue. However based on photos posted, it didn't look ok.

I agree. From the pics I've seen, I don't like the look of those shiny tables at all. It looks like a cafeteria. I don't mind the lack of a tablecloth if its done right. Someone somewhere on these boards posted an example a pic of a fine dining restaurant with no tablecloth on the table and it was just gorgeous. Not so much that pic of Carnival's shiny tables. It just made the MDR pretty cafeteria-like. Just my opinion. This won't stop me from cruising Carnival. However, the new menus are a welcome change! They look great.

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Don't be cheap Carnival, many of us have travel options.

Many cruise Carnival because of the 'cheap' fare. Yet many don't want Carnival to be 'cheap'. ???

"... have travel options"? Yes you do. ;)

Said it before and I'll say it again. Carnival should do away completely with the MDR. They should turn the MDR into 4 or 5 paid restaurants and have the buffet as the only free dining option. This way they can finally do away with the pretence that they have elegant dining in the MDR and for those willing to spend a few dollars more they can really enjoy elegant dining anytime they wish.

The experience is more than the food served but the setting, presentation, and company. There is eating, and one can eat good food anywhere, then there is dining experience, a combination of elements. Yes, sometimes it's worth getting dressing up for and therefore the table should be dressed. If not, ti cheapens the looks and therefore affect the ambiance and the level of enjoyment. Maybe I will pack a white gown that can double as covering for the table. It's not about elegant dining but hey, we are not in the buffet anymore feeling.

 

What's next, simple throw the food on the plate and say, hey it tastes good (that would be nice) so looks doesn't matter?

 

 

To me this looks like a banquet hall for a wedding. It does not look like an "elegant" restaurant or a fine dining experience.

I will miss the tablecloths. Personally I do not care that all the upscale land based restaurants have gone this route. I do not expect upscale when I cruise on Carnival. When I cruise, it is more about the fantasy/romance of the seas. A throw back to times gone by.

Also if it is no longer upscale to use tablecloths, then why are they still going to use them on formal nights?

When you serve thousands of people at a meal, or perhaps millions on Royal's leviathans, it IS banquet food.

No table cloths? Will my fare be cheaper since Carnival will cheapen my dining experience? There's no table cloths in the buffet, so it doesn't really make a difference. It won't make the food taste any better that's for sure.

No table cloths? Will my fare be cheaper since Carnival will cheapen my dining experience? There's no table cloths in the buffet, so it doesn't really make a difference. It won't make the food taste any better that's for sure.

No, but they also aren't raising fares to cover the cost of the new tables.

There are no tablecloths in several of the steakhouses, but people still pay $35pp extra to eat there.

I don't eat tablecloths so they have no impact on the taste of my food.

Said it before and I'll say it again. Carnival should do away completely with the MDR. They should turn the MDR into 4 or 5 paid restaurants and have the buffet as the only free dining option. This way they can finally do away with the pretence that they have elegant dining in the MDR and for those willing to spend a few dollars more they can really enjoy elegant dining anytime they wish.

On our last cruise, we ate 99% of the time in the buffet. More food choices, didn't have to dress up. We did not eat in any of the paid restaurants. Would not bother us if they did away with the MDR. We sat by ourselves, but in the buffet we shared a table with others. Worked out okay.

To me this looks like a banquet hall for a wedding. It does not look like an "elegant" restaurant or a fine dining experience.

I never associate table cloth with elegant just proper/nice. Clearly looking nice is something Carnival gave up on. I cruise Carnival so my budget could not allow for 'elegant' restaurant but I know nice looking. I would never put real plates on a table without a piece of cloth, heck sheet if necessary. Clothes made the man and cloths make the table setting. JMOP!

Aside, won't the spills and hot plate ruin the wood or are they going to plastic tops. I use a table pad to protect my 'formal' table plus runners and place mats for the regular one.