Question (actually 2) from those on Dream Aug 14-21st and a small review

[osucruise]

First off, I had a great cruise....we had a cove balcony and one awesome thing was the Pilot Boat coming to pick up the guy from our boat----right below us. This was leaving Nassau. Also, loved Bernards tour (St Martin)...very worth it. In St Thomas we had a mishap, and from talking to excursions, others did as well. We booked the Trunk Bay snorkel beach the night before, got our tickets and went downstairs off the boat. Made sure we were at same locotaion, oops...........goof up. The excursion lady took our tix and told us to follow her. Got on a Catamaren and after a few minutes sailing asked someone on the ship which island was St Johns..pointed half way across...we were going to buck cove or island..not sure which. Anyway we went with flow and enjoyed our snorkel. Went back to excursions desk when we arrived and the lady said it happened to a few people also and their fault. Gave us the buck island excurion price, erased trunk bay, and a 20% credit...hey, I was there to have fun and people make mistakes so I was OK with it and she thanked me over and over for not griping. Did this happen to anyone on this board also?

 

My Main question is I think either Thursday or Friday around 9 am (half awake) heard the captain come on and say something about anchoring and letting someone onboard, I thought nothing of, but looking at map it looks like we made a backtrack....anyone know what this was about?

 

Once again, I have so many positives, from the casino staff to the shows and all the workers, I will answer any questions. My only drawback was we did anytime dining, which I wanted, just so we could enjoy by our selfs....well 1st formal night they sat us down for a table of 2 and had a table like 2 inches away (closer than mcdonalds)...and within 2 minutes sat another couple down next to us ...this would be no big deal, if it was full, but there were way to many 2 seat tables available. This couple went on swishing their wine in the mouth and talking about their success and money (everytime wife and I tried to talk, they talked louder)...enough to turn me off the rest of week for MDR. I wish I could have taken off tip and gave to others, but we tipped well for them.

 

My suggestions, and I was timid at 1st, each name tag tells where the workers are from. Ask about their country, they love to talk about it and you will get an A plus of what they have gone through and their culture....All in all cruising is for us, but MDR is not unless you have more than 2 people.

[firefly333]

All in all cruising is for us, but MDR is not unless you have more than 2 people.

 

What didnt you like about the MDR? We have only gone with two and like eating in the MDR?

[osucruise]

It is just my opinion and many will disagree, but some will side. I did not like the fact that I requested a table for 2, which they gave. It was pretty much a table next to us (for 2) was no less than inch or two from us (and was not the fellow patrons fault). I would not have a problem if full, but they sat them down directly next to us very early and other 2 person tables. With a larger table we would have had more room. Plus we were one course ahead of them so felt bad to leave early. They were a couple of 2 also, so I know they felt the same, but they kept talking about their big business and wine tasting so much it made us feel uncomfortable. After the waiter started catering to them more than us because we did not brag about our status it just got more bad vibes. Seems crazy we were there about 5 to 10 minutes early and very simply ordered what we wanted, but they show boated about there wine and even ordered more entrees but were out earlier.

 

I have not a problem and maybe should have taken a pic but people need their privacy.......sorry on formal nite, I did not have a tux and wife a fromal gown and they did, but yet I was in khakis, long sleeve shirt & tie, and wife in nice dress. Is there really a problem with this??????? I am just saying thats my opinion and I had a bad experience in the MDR.....loved eating there for breakfast and lunch though.

 

Why do you point out what I hated???? the pros outweighed the cons by a ton and I mentioned how much I loved the trip....be open minded...its called cruise critic for a reason

[mountainbreeze]

First off, I had a great cruise....we had a cove balcony and one awesome thing was the Pilot Boat coming to pick up the guy from our boat----right below us. This was leaving Nassau. Also, loved Bernards tour (St Martin)...very worth it. In St Thomas we had a mishap, and from talking to excursions, others did as well. We booked the Trunk Bay snorkel beach the night before, got our tickets and went downstairs off the boat. Made sure we were at same locotaion, oops...........goof up. The excursion lady took our tix and told us to follow her. Got on a Catamaren and after a few minutes sailing asked someone on the ship which island was St Johns..pointed half way across...we were going to buck cove or island..not sure which. Anyway we went with flow and enjoyed our snorkel. Went back to excursions desk when we arrived and the lady said it happened to a few people also and their fault. Gave us the buck island excurion price, erased trunk bay, and a 20% credit...hey, I was there to have fun and people make mistakes so I was OK with it and she thanked me over and over for not griping. Did this happen to anyone on this board also?

 

My Main question is I think either Thursday or Friday around 9 am (half awake) heard the captain come on and say something about anchoring and letting someone onboard, I thought nothing of, but looking at map it looks like we made a backtrack....anyone know what this was about?

 

Once again, I have so many positives, from the casino staff to the shows and all the workers, I will answer any questions. My only drawback was we did anytime dining, which I wanted, just so we could enjoy by our selfs....well 1st formal night they sat us down for a table of 2 and had a table like 2 inches away (closer than mcdonalds)...and within 2 minutes sat another couple down next to us ...this would be no big deal, if it was full, but there were way to many 2 seat tables available. This couple went on swishing their wine in the mouth and talking about their success and money (everytime wife and I tried to talk, they talked louder)...enough to turn me off the rest of week for MDR. I wish I could have taken off tip and gave to others, but we tipped well for them.

 

My suggestions, and I was timid at 1st, each name tag tells where the workers are from. Ask about their country, they love to talk about it and you will get an A plus of what they have gone through and their culture....All in all cruising is for us, but MDR is not unless you have more than 2 people.

 

You made me LOL when you wrote about them swishing their wine in their mouths and boasting about success and money! Too funny, and you painted a great picture!

We have never cruised before, but planning a B2B. I am also wanting to be seated at a table for two for a bit of privacy in the MDR. I did read here that the tables are close together, and it's too bad they seated you so close when it wasn't really necessary.

We plan to try to MDR, but we may find we feel the same way you felt, and we will use other options and skip the MDR if we have to.:)

[Savs]

First off, I had a great cruise....we had a cove balcony and one awesome thing was the Pilot Boat coming to pick up the guy from our boat----right below us. This was leaving Nassau. Also, loved Bernards tour (St Martin)...very worth it. In St Thomas we had a mishap, and from talking to excursions, others did as well. We booked the Trunk Bay snorkel beach the night before, got our tickets and went downstairs off the boat. Made sure we were at same locotaion, oops...........goof up. The excursion lady took our tix and told us to follow her. Got on a Catamaren and after a few minutes sailing asked someone on the ship which island was St Johns..pointed half way across...we were going to buck cove or island..not sure which. Anyway we went with flow and enjoyed our snorkel. Went back to excursions desk when we arrived and the lady said it happened to a few people also and their fault. Gave us the buck island excurion price, erased trunk bay, and a 20% credit...hey, I was there to have fun and people make mistakes so I was OK with it and she thanked me over and over for not griping. Did this happen to anyone on this board also?

 

My Main question is I think either Thursday or Friday around 9 am (half awake) heard the captain come on and say something about anchoring and letting someone onboard, I thought nothing of, but looking at map it looks like we made a backtrack....anyone know what this was about?

 

Once again, I have so many positives, from the casino staff to the shows and all the workers, I will answer any questions. My only drawback was we did anytime dining, which I wanted, just so we could enjoy by our selfs....well 1st formal night they sat us down for a table of 2 and had a table like 2 inches away (closer than mcdonalds)...and within 2 minutes sat another couple down next to us ...this would be no big deal, if it was full, but there were way to many 2 seat tables available. This couple went on swishing their wine in the mouth and talking about their success and money (everytime wife and I tried to talk, they talked louder)...enough to turn me off the rest of week for MDR. I wish I could have taken off tip and gave to others, but we tipped well for them.

 

My suggestions, and I was timid at 1st, each name tag tells where the workers are from. Ask about their country, they love to talk about it and you will get an A plus of what they have gone through and their culture....All in all cruising is for us, but MDR is not unless you have more than 2 people.

 

I'm not sure about the guy they picked up on Sunday when leaving Nassau???....but the one Early Thursday morning was a passenger that needed medical attention and so they had to detour the ship down to San Jaun and airlift him up to a helicoptor and then head back up to our course. So that is why the caption came on the PA system and sent a note to all cabins letting everyone know that is what happened and that is why we were off course...but not to worry we would still be in port on Saturday on time.

 

 

Sorry to hear about your dinning experience. We had the late seating for a table of 5 (2 adults, 3 kids) and were seated all by ourselves with no other family and had a wonderful wait staff.....which we tipped extra to on the last night, because they were so good.

[mississauga]

Sorry to hear about your less than desirable experience in the MDR. IMHO, the main problem was your next table neighbors. We have been at tables for 2 or 4 on different ships or cruise lines and the tables for 2 seem to be close together and we have never had a problem having our own conversation ( maybe because we talk a lot...lol:p ). No one should be trying to talk over each other. Sometimes we do socialize with the next table too...either they overhear something we say or we initiate a conversation. It has never been a problem. It all boils down to the courtesy of other passengers. Yours were show offs and probably would have behaved that way at a larger table.

 

IMHO, the dining experience in the MDR should not be avoided because of this one incident. I don't know the setup on other ships besides the Dream and the Liberty but on the Liberty, the tables for 2 are set up around the railing and are set up back to back so it affords more privacy. You probably noticed on the Dream that those seats around the railing were set up for tables of 4. We always said we were wiling to share and got seated on the Dream at tables for 4, usually at the booths around the railing and were always happy with our tablemates.

 

Hope your next experience in My Time Dining will be better next time.

[skewsus]

One of the highlights of cruising for me is meeting the interesting people from different places. While cruising with our kids we met some awesome families and have learned a lot from them, especially the international families. However now that we travel more without our kids we haven't had as much luck and have been sat with many oddballs. I also get very turned off by people who feel they must share their fabulous stories about their previous world travels, the kind of cars they drive and their wealth. Sometimes it can be entertaining, others just repulsive. We cruise next week and for the first time will be utilizing anytime dining. I don't want to sit at a table for two but will be happy to know that if we sit with some fools we won't have to endure them again.

 

We have also been lucky enough to sit with some people that we bonded with and kept in touch with over the years.

[UpstateCruizer]

It is just my opinion and many will disagree, but some will side. I did not like the fact that I requested a table for 2, which they gave. It was pretty much a table next to us (for 2) was no less than inch or two from us (and was not the fellow patrons fault). I would not have a problem if full, but they sat them down directly next to us very early and other 2 person tables. With a larger table we would have had more room. Plus we were one course ahead of them so felt bad to leave early. They were a couple of 2 also, so I know they felt the same, but they kept talking about their big business and wine tasting so much it made us feel uncomfortable. After the waiter started catering to them more than us because we did not brag about our status it just got more bad vibes. Seems crazy we were there about 5 to 10 minutes early and very simply ordered what we wanted, but they show boated about there wine and even ordered more entrees but were out earlier.

 

I have not a problem and maybe should have taken a pic but people need their privacy.......sorry on formal nite, I did not have a tux and wife a fromal gown and they did, but yet I was in khakis, long sleeve shirt & tie, and wife in nice dress. Is there really a problem with this??????? I am just saying thats my opinion and I had a bad experience in the MDR.....loved eating there for breakfast and lunch though.

 

Why do you point out what I hated???? the pros outweighed the cons by a ton and I mentioned how much I loved the trip....be open minded...its called cruise critic for a reason

 

Please understand that when someone asks for more information about what made your experience less than desirable it is NOT because you are being picked on because of your opinion. Many of us that have sailed several times can actually help you and offer advice so that this doesn't happen to you in the future. Had I been on this sailing with you and had you mentioned this issue to me I would have told you to see the Maitre`D and ask for a new table. Most of the time they are able to accomodate you with this and it would have made your experience more to your liking. I'm glad you enjoyed the other meals in the dining room and suspect if you give it a try again for dinner you will enjoy that as well. I too think the tables for two are too close to other tables making it seem as if you are dining with whoever is sitting close to you.

Now that you are home and have shared what you didn't like about dinners in the MDR you are going to get alot of suggestions to help you avoid a similar issue in the future :) Who knows one of them just might help make your next cruise all that you hoped for :)

[osucruise]

Thanks for the replies, hope the person airlifted was ok. Like I said the MDR was my only big deal, which was nothing....My only other problem I had was finally figuring out that the Crimson seperated you from the encore on the 3rd floor and I had to go one more exit down from my location to get there...if that is my biggest worries than that should say I had a great trip. I did not have a problem eating in the buffets, the other days...on a positive it gave me less time in the eating and more exploring the ship. I am sure next time we go we will be with another couple or more and will really enjoy eating with them.

 

As for meeting other people, I found it awesome and even more, chatting with the workers and about their life...I met maybe at most, 1 that was not eager to talk, but by no means rude.

 

Dream......2 thumbs up!