Is Dinner Really 2 Hours?

[KeyserSoze]

I saw certain persons of a certain nation scoffing so much food last week. Is there really any need to order 2 starters and 2 mains from the menu ? Is there really any need to have 2 burgers, a hot dog and fries as soon as the WJ opens ? Is there really any need to have a whole plate of bacon at breakfast ? No wonder one looked like she had borrowed a pair of elephants legs for the cruise.

 

And someone who's ideal vacation is backpacking and camping in woods could ask is there really any need to go on a cruise? Different strokes for different folks. If I had a busy day of active excursions and skipped lunch that day, I may order 2 of everything.

 

The whole point of vacation is doing things you enjoy but don't NEED to do. Some enjoy the rock wall and flowrider, others enjoy reading a book on their balcony all day. Some enjoy eating food prepared for them, others enjoy complaining about the food. As long as they aren't stealing an entree off my plate, what do I care?

[Bazzito]

Do they post the menu every day? Is there someone to tell incase you don't go to dinner that night? (not the day before, but the day of the dinner)

 

T

 

They also display the menus (including room service selections) on the in-room T.V.

[hazeleyez3]

It also depends on how timely your tablemates are, and how you react to it.

 

Our last cruise we had a couple who seemed to show up late every night. They were 20 minutes late one night. We ended up getting our waiter's attn and ordered w/o them. We were finishing up our appetizers when they arrived.

 

I know some will say that not ordering at the same time screws up the waiters process; however, we aren't about to wait for people who show up that late.

 

I saw certain persons of a certain nation scoffing so much food last week. Is there really any need to order 2 starters and 2 mains from the menu ? Is there really any need to have 2 burgers, a hot dog and fries as soon as the WJ opens ? Is there really any need to have a whole plate of bacon at breakfast ? No wonder one looked like she had borrowed a pair of elephants legs for the cruise.

 

Is there really any need to make such rude statements?

[negc]

I don't think I was misleading at all. It has been collapsed to three courses or menu categories, which tends to encourage diners to order one item from each category, whereas when it was separated into more sections, it was more "typical" to order multiple "starter" courses. And once upon a time they actually served it as distinct courses. (e.g. They would bring out all the appetizers, then all the soups, then all the salads.)

 

I did not mean to imply that you couldn't order an appetizer, soup and salad. But the separate categories did get collapsed into the one category of "starters." My perception is that this has somewhat decreased the average dining time from what it was, say, 15 years ago.

 

I question your conclusion that it tends to encourage people to limit their selections to one item from the starters category. It certainly hasn't been the case from what I have observed when having dinner in the main dining room and hasn't changed my ordering pattern. Perhaps a novice cruiser might think that their were limitations to what they can order, but that is the same type of first-timer who doesn't realize that they can, if they wish to, order more than one entree or more than one dessert. You may not have meant to imply that you couldn't order an appetizer, soup, and salad, but that is the message I seemed to see in your post.

[tkjohn25]

We never had a meal take less than two hours. If you have good tablemates you'll never even realize how long you are there. On our last cruise we had the best tablemates. We often stayed after dinner and would just talk and laugh. Don't sweat the small stuff and you will have a great time.

[BillOh]

It depends on how many people are at your table, if everyone gets there at the same time, and how quickly everyone eats.

 

I like taking my time and enjoying dinner, so DH and myself get a table for two and enjoy our meal. If we are in a rush, we can make that known and then get out if needed.

 

 

You make an excellent point, waiters are keeping an eye on arriving guests and may delay till everyone is there to avoid repetition. This is why its helpful to tell your tablemates and the staff if you plan on eating at one of the specialty restaurants a day ahead. They do appreciate it.

[Paul65]

I question your conclusion that it tends to encourage people to limit their selections to one item from the starters category.

 

I could be wrong, but I think it does. On my most recent cruise, we were at a table for 10. Everyone knew that you could order more than one starter, but on average, about three or four out of ten people at the table would order multiple starters on any given night. I don't think it's so much a question of whether you can, but rather the power of suggestion that it's one "starters" course. When it was separated into three distinct sections, it seems like I remember most people ordering at least two and a few ordering from all three categories. I don't think anyone at our table ordered an appetizer, a soup and a salad on that recent cruise, even though 3 -4 of us might order two of the three.

[negc]

I'm not a salad person and so I would not normally order one whether they were presented in the old format or the new one. I would probably be one of those who you observed only ordering two of three possible starters, so your observation may be somewhat flawed if you don't account for that possible explanation. My wife on the other hand, rarely orders soup, except for perhaps clam chowder, so again we have someone ordering only two starters but not because of the manner in which they are presented. My primary point is that grouping the appetizer, soup and salad choices does not, of and by itself, limit anyone's choices and calling the meal served a "three" course meal is not an accurate presentation of the situation.:)

[Paul65]

I'm not a salad person and so I would not normally order one whether they were presented in the old format or the new one. I would probably be one of those who you observed only ordering two of three possible starters, so your observation may be somewhat flawed if you don't account for that possible explanation. My wife on the other hand, rarely orders soup, except for perhaps clam chowder, so again we have someone ordering only two starters but not because of the manner in which they are presented. My primary point is that grouping the appetizer, soup and salad choices does not, of and by itself, limit anyone's choices and calling the meal served a "three" course meal is not an accurate presentation of the situation.:)

 

OK. I give up, but my "observations" were not that specific that one or two people who prefer not to have a soup or a salad would skew it. In fact, I believe I said that even when presented as three separate courses, "a few" would order all three. I wish there were some real data to present to you, rather than just my non-scientific observations, but I would be willing to be some real money that the average number of starters ordered per person dropped, when they collapsed the menu categories.

 

Also, they do tend to serve it as a three-course meal. All of the starters come out at the same time. The servers might not put them in front of you at the same time, but they usually all come out from the galley on one big tray of starters.

 

So...sorry to have misled any of you newbie cruisers out there who might have thought that three courses implied that you were not allowed to order more than one item from any given "course." :o

[NewbieCrsr]

So...if you're on My Time Dining and your tablemates are late....do you still have to wait for everyone to show up to order your food?

[LisaH]

I've read several places on here to allow two hours for eating in the MDR, but I'm a picky eater...and don't eat much (I'd never make it through an appetizer, main course, and dessert), so would I have to stay for the whole 2 hours or in theory, could I have my meal and leave in an hour?

 

This is our favorite time of the day - to visit with tablemates, relax, etc. We have a hard time getting out in 2 hours as the conversation is always so much fun and just the atmosphere in general.

[amster65]

You're on vacation.......duh!

[Judi2112]

A great time of day to relax and talk to your tablemates about the things you experienced that day. Don't take much notice what people order or how much. Never notice (nor mind) how long dinner takes.

 

What does irk are people turning up late and those who start eating before everyone has been served - where's your table etiquette? - it's just plain rude - grrr :mad:.

[jerin]

So...if you're on My Time Dining and your tablemates are late....do you still have to wait for everyone to show up to order your food?

 

You don't have set tablemates with My Time Dining. You'll be seated with other people who show up at the same time you do, so they won't be arriving later than you.

 

The late tablemates refers to traditional seating (which, like others here, I prefer ... even if I don't eat much, I like the leisurely pace). With traditional seating, you're eating at the same time with the same people every night.

[cruisenfever]

I remember when we first started cruising........you're sitting at a table for, let's say 8. First "starter" served was the appetizer........but maybe not everyone at the table ordered an appetizer. So those that didn't sat there while those that did ate. Now we come to soup........again, same scenario......and then we come to salad.......again, same scenario. But, everybody was served their entree at the same time as well as dessert.

 

The way the menus are set up now (appetizers are listed first followed by your soups and salads) your "starters" are served as ordered. So at this same table for 8.......everyone is eating something at the same time. IMHO it just makes serving much more efficient.......and you don't have to wait for the appetizer course to be finished to start the sour and salad course.

[lovemylab]

I remember when we first started cruising........you're sitting at a table for, let's say 8. First "starter" served was the appetizer........but maybe not everyone at the table ordered an appetizer. So those that didn't sat there while those that did ate. Now we come to soup........again, same scenario......and then we come to salad.......again, same scenario. But, everybody was served their entree at the same time as well as dessert.

 

The way the menus are set up now (appetizers are listed first followed by your soups and salads) your "starters" are served as ordered. So at this same table for 8.......everyone is eating something at the same time. IMHO it just makes serving much more efficient.......and you don't have to wait for the appetizer course to be finished to start the sour and salad course.

 

I also feel that it is more efficient. Furthermore, it's less awkward for passengers. I would feel very awkward not eating something when everyone else at the table is.

 

I also have to agree with the previous poster who said that the current menu format encourages people to order less. On our first cruise we had no idea that it was acceptable to order two appetizers (and neither did our tablemates who were also on their first cruise) - therefore, we each ordered one even though there was usually 2 or 3 we were debating between.

 

Obviously dinner in the MDR can be more than 3 courses, but I wonder how many newbies know that...

[TahoeBob]

I saw certain persons of a certain nation scoffing so much food last week. Is there really any need to order 2 starters and 2 mains from the menu ? Is there really any need to have 2 burgers, a hot dog and fries as soon as the WJ opens ? Is there really any need to have a whole plate of bacon at breakfast ? No wonder one looked like she had borrowed a pair of elephants legs for the cruise.

And really now just how does someones eating habits in the WJ HAVE ANY EFFECT ON YOU AT ALL? IT SOUNDS LIKE YOU ARE SPENDING WAY TO MUCH TIME JUDGING OTHERS.

[alicam]

You won't (hopefully) just be gulping down food! Dinner is a social time, and having tablemates is what makes it fun! You'll talk, order, talk, eat, order another course, talk, eat...drink, decide on dessert, talk, eat....it's not a "fast food" enviroment!

This is what I look forward to each night...the socialization amongst the table....

[flczr]

The two hours to dine is what I like about cruising. On my job my break time may be 30 min or 5 mins. I am always on call via pager or phone. On our last cruise was a back to back we had a table for two by the window:). And we savioured every minute of it.

[rednancy1]

We really like MTD and a table for 2. The shortest dining time so far was 35 min. :) We are older and don't eat much plus we spend the day talking and socializing with others. Then there is the Concierge Lounge where we chat with upteem people part of the day.

 

Sometimes, it's nice just to have a quiet dinner. :) Then we return to the lounge.

[DonnaK]

Even when we've shared a table with other families in traditional dining, dinner generally lasted 75 minutes, unless we decided to linger and make it longer. Early dining is usually quicker because they need to turn over the dining room for the second seating.

[JCafaro]

I've read several places on here to allow two hours for eating in the MDR, but I'm a picky eater...and don't eat much (I'd never make it through an appetizer, main course, and dessert), so would I have to stay for the whole 2 hours or in theory, could I have my meal and leave in an hour?

 

On our honeymoon, it was just the two of us at our table, and our waitress had us in and out in 30-45 minutes. We felt rushed- my guess is it depends on the size of your table.

[cravingthis]

I saw certain persons of a certain nation scoffing so much food last week. Is there really any need to order 2 starters and 2 mains from the menu ? Is there really any need to have 2 burgers, a hot dog and fries as soon as the WJ opens ? Is there really any need to have a whole plate of bacon at breakfast ? No wonder one looked like she had borrowed a pair of elephants legs for the cruise.

 

 

I thought that was quite rude as well.

 

“Certain persons of a certain nation?”

 

Are only people of this “certain” nation big eaters? When we’re at a buffet at home, we see people of every nation, piling their plates a mile high, but who are we to judge? If the food happens to run out, I’m happy knowing when I come back, I’ll be getting a hot and fresh batch.

 

My husband and I are very normal/average in height and weight, however, we have big appetites and I have no problem with stating that. Heck, we’re real foodies and we’ve even looked at the MDR menus and circled the items we think we’d like to try. We absolutely love food and if I feel like 2 hamburgers, heck I might even eat 3!

 

As for the comment on the person looking like s/he had borrowed a pair of elephant legs for the cruise - do you spend your time on a cruise judging every person, how much they eat, what they eat and what they look like?

[Bound4Bermuda]

Most nights it took about 1 hour, but one night seemed to take FOREVER and probably did take close to 2 hours. I wouldn't say that's the norm, though. I'd say 90 minutes is probably the average window...at least on my ONE cruise on Explorer. :D I'm sure this varies widely ship to ship.

[Bound4Bermuda]

I question your conclusion that it tends to encourage people to limit their selections to one item from the starters category. It certainly hasn't been the case from what I have observed when having dinner in the main dining room and hasn't changed my ordering pattern. Perhaps a novice cruiser might think that their were limitations to what they can order, but that is the same type of first-timer who doesn't realize that they can, if they wish to, order more than one entree or more than one dessert. You may not have meant to imply that you couldn't order an appetizer, soup, and salad, but that is the message I seemed to see in your post.

 

I think the point was feel free to order the 2 salads, 2 soups, and 3 appetizers if you wish, but all 7 plates/bowls are going to arrive at the same time, so it's technically one course. Granted, will it take the diner longer to eat all 7 portions of the first course. However, there is much less "wait time" than if five courses are served individually.