Half portions

[Tink56]

Sorry, I searched the forums and couldn't find an answer to this question - can I order half portions in the MDR? I love to eat, just not very much. I can obviously order fewer things but I like to try different foods so is there a way to get half or even quarter portions? Thanks in advance.

[Putterdude]

Smaller portion is not in my DNA...but I am certain that your waiter would be more than happy to oblige with a half portion.

[oskidunker]

It makes their job harder. they would rather you just eat half of it and leave it.

[Pam in CA]

I've found it's hit or miss. You can order "appetizer" sizes of entrees such as pasta and you can talk to the Maitre d' and ask for special orders. Most of the time, you can order a variety of dishes but chances are, you'll receive the fully-plated dish.

 

My suggestion is to talk to your waiter and ask his/her advice.

[Loonbeam]

It's certainly doable, but its considered a special request and has to be handled outside the meal flow.

 

The way service normally works is that waiters put in the orders for a full table at a time (or even a group of tables), these plates are staged by the kitchen staff and held in a delivery area based on food type. Anything not on the standard menu has to be handled separately, usually by a sous chef dedicated to special orders (which include everything from allergies to vegan to special requests for escargot). The kitchens are set up to handle it, but it is disruptive to the waiters routine, which is why even though it is certainly possible, I never even consider ordering off menu items unless there is absolutely nothing I would consider on the main menu.

[sultan_sfo]

Never been successful with my perpetual requests for half portions or small portions of any item on the menu. Only been 50% successful with requests for only one scoop of ice-cream in MDR dinner. I admit I am not a pasta eater so I do not know about pastas.

[BratDet]

to ask for the smallest portion of cheesecake.a few times on CB

..half a slice....or ask them to just pick the smallest...and I always got fullsize....

somehow I soldiered on hahahaha

 

Bernadette

[Shogun]

Hi There

 

Like others have said the way the food is set up makes it hard to get

 

smaller amounts, better to leave what you do not want , even if you only

 

want to try something new, they will still bring you a full plate, this

 

happened a lot on my last cruise while someone would request somethimg

 

 

extra only thing waiter could do was bring a full meal and pick off what was requested.

 

yours Shogun

[compozer]

I wish they would offer half portoins. It really bothers me how wasteful people are on cruises. We have stopped going to the buffet because I can't stomach watching people load their plates (platters) high with food and then only eat a small amount. You don't notice it as much in the MDR. The waiters always say "order one of each" when you aren't sure what to order. I can just imagine how much food is tossed on every cruise.

It's kind of the same as an open bar, people try new drinks and if they don't like them, they just leave it and order a new one. They wouldn't do that if they had to pay.

 

Sorry - my morning rant.

[Shogun]

Hi Compozer and all

 

I think food is allowed for at 17 tones per day 21 tones on a sea day,

 

while I agree about the buffet and foof waste, Princess can not re use it

 

or store it so either the passengers eat it or the fishes will.

 

yours Shogun

[ONT-CA]

Sorry, I searched the forums and couldn't find an answer to this question - can I order half portions in the MDR? I love to eat, just not very much. I can obviously order fewer things but I like to try different foods so is there a way to get half or even quarter portions? Thanks in advance.

 

Here is a suggestion but which is applicable to dinner in set seating and/or "reserved" Anytime Dinning. Approach the Waiter Captain of your area. Advise him of your dinning requests and offer him your hand containing a suitable gratuity, suitable defined by length of cruise. We believe he will intercept the delivery of your order to your table at the waiter's station and recompose your dinner plate to your wishes. As your request is not standard procedure and as this is not part of his assigned duties we suggest that these special circumstances be aptly rewarded.

[Tink56]

As usual, you all give excellent answers with lots of explanations as to why - most appreciated. I think I will order only a few items from the menu rather than hope for a half portion on many items. The fact that for a week I will not have to be involved in the purchasing, preparing or cleaning up of a single meal is darn near nirvana so if I taste a few less items, its not gonna kill me!

[Naismith]

When you first get that too-big piece of cheesecake, cut it in half, push half aside, and cover it with salt so that you won't be tempted to eat it later.

[FawnRiver]

We would split dishes with our tablemates, if someone couldn't decide between two dishes, we as a table would order both and pass the dishes around.

The pasta is always available in a half portion. I have some allergy issues (nothing serious - just somethings that I really shouldn't eat), so I would sometimes order the pasta as an appetizer.

[Vikingmum]

We tried to order half portions for our children when they wanted to try something from the regular menu instead of the children´s menu. But no, this was not possible. A lot of food gets thrown away, which I dont like. For many reasons.

[geocruiser]

The only way that I can think that half plates could be done would be to place your order the night before. A next day menu could be brought to you at dinner (for the next night). You could place you half orders for the next night then.

I do this on every cruise because I can't eat shellfish. My food is kept aside.

 

Could the same work for you and would they do it?

 

Maria

[DeepWaterMariner]

My DW always asks for a small portion and it seems that she always gets the largest portion delivered to our table. Doesn't matter what cruise line, its like a law of nature.

[JimnKaren]

Years and years ago, Princess offered a pasta course, to be served just before the main dish. They did away with it, I cannot remember when.

 

However, I still like that, and order a small plate of whatever the pasta is for the evening and then my main dish. I have always received it the way I ordered it.

 

Too bad that my doctor, with her narrow range of vision, believes that carb loading on a cruise is bad for me! Harumph!!

 

Jim

[Pam in CA]

Another thing you can do is share. The waiter will be happy to bring one slice of cheesecake and two or three extra plates and forks. Same for other dishes. We often order less and share among ourselves.

 

I'm one of those who takes a lot of different things in the buffet. I try them all and finish only what I really like. Wasteful? Yes. But if it looks good, it doesn't necessarily taste good so I've learned to take a little of everything I want to try.

[Mindy97]

I often order a cheese plate as an appetizer (I don't drink milk, so I get a calcium boost this way). I also order a regular appetizer sometimes, and occasionally a soup. If I have all three of those, then the entree is going to be too much. Sometimes I have half a pasta, no problem. One night I just asked for a baked potato, which is also no problem. A salad would have worked, as would a side plate of veggies.

 

We had a great waiter (who I rewarded at the end of the cruise, of course). I don't do lobster (I know, I'm a weirdie), so on lobster/prawn night he brought me three huge prawns instead of the lobster/prawn. I also generally ask for one scoop of ice cream, and only one time did I have a problem with that, it was an open seating lunch.

 

I also always specify "crispy bacon." One waiter (the first of the cruise) brought me some floppy stuff and said that was the crispiest the kitchen had. Well, the kitchen must have taken a bacon cooking course, cause the rest of the cruise the bacon was perfect for me. I think he just didn't care.

 

If I go to a buffet, on the ship or at home (Vegas), I always take the smallest portion of everything I want to try, just so I can try a lot of things. Still, sometimes I leave a little bit.

 

M.

[epicTLR]

Has anyone requested "family style" dining in MDR? I guess it will raise a few eyebrows, but I'm going to try it. Our kids are pretty adventurous eaters and like stuff from grownup menu a lot more than kids menu. But adult portions are way too big for them, and honestly too big even for many grownups! I'm going to ask for extra plates to share everything. This may increase the workload of our waiters but not a whole lot, I think. To make it easier for them, I will ask them not to change our plates so often.

[Times Prince]

Each cruise I will order Fetuccine Alfredo in a half portion as one of the "small plates" they have now instead of the many course meal menu. It always comes in a really nice size, smaller than a full order.

 

Dining on board is always a matter of choice. For instance we maintained a South Beach diet on a cruise simply by choosing the things on our plates which matched our diet, leaving the potatoes.

 

But dining on board is also an opportunity to try something new. I had never had Tilapia before trying it on a cruise, and now enjoy it very much. There have, however, been items which did not do as much for our tastes.

[Pam in CA]

I don't do lobster (I know, I'm a weirdie), so on lobster/prawn night he brought me three huge prawns instead of the lobster/prawn. I also generally ask for one scoop of ice cream, and only one time did I have a problem with that, it was an open seating lunch.

 

If I go to a buffet, on the ship or at home (Vegas), I always take the smallest portion of everything I want to try, just so I can try a lot of things. Still, sometimes I leave a little bit.

You're NOT weird. I never do lobster on a cruise because I can have it flown in any time I want. The other night, we had five lobsters flown in from Marblehead (MA) to CA, a neighbor boiled them and we sat down to a wonderful, fresh lobster dinner. The only extra cost is the overnight shipping because I order it directly from a fishing place right at the dock, not a middleman such as a restaurant or company that does clam bakes.

 

We often have an issue of underdone (almost raw) bacon and have been told that's the way passengers like it. I remind them that "this" passenger, and others, don't and have them cook it.

 

Has anyone requested "family style" dining in MDR? I guess it will raise a few eyebrows, but I'm going to try it. Our kids are pretty adventurous eaters and like stuff from grownup menu a lot more than kids menu. But adult portions are way too big for them, and honestly too big even for many grownups! I'm going to ask for extra plates to share everything. This may increase the workload of our waiters but not a whole lot, I think. To make it easier for them, I will ask them not to change our plates so often.

We do this all the time. See my note about sharing above. :) We do it for appetizers, entrees and desserts. Soup is hard to share. :)

[Sapphire723]

If you're cruising with a significant other or a friend who doesn't mind sharing, I highly recommend having them order something different from you and eating half and swapping. That way you aren't being wasteful, you get to try new things, and you don't upset the natural order (pun intended!) of the kitchen.

[maf74dance]

Hi there!

 

My family and I take two to three Princess cruises every year. I eat more than my parents and husband combines...but I like to try everything. I have ALWAYS ordered AND gotten half portions...as has my dad! I even order a half portion of pasta or an additional soup as my dessert...I don't really eat sweets! I have never had a problem...I just get teased about the dessert (teased in the nicest way)!

 

I hope this helps! :)