Main Dining Room Gluttony

[LarryL]

Hi All,

 

Not a joke and why did the waiter play along very simple,

 

look at things from his point of few,

 

they place their order,

 

then as the meal starts, they request an extra starter, may be two,

 

then with their meal dish over be it meat, they then ask can we have the fish as well,

 

then at the end they start asking for everthing possible,

 

now if they had requested everything at once may be that would be OK

 

but they were making the poor waiter run back wards and forwards to fetch all their extras,

 

so I think the waiter thought if he feed them more than normal he would

 

have less running around, remember even with double amounts these folks

 

still cleared everything, to me its not normal to stuff yourself with food

 

at one sitting like this, may be it was wrong, after all it was my first

 

cruise, however at that time there was not food 24hrs a day, so folk

 

did arrive at diner wanting to eat. Plus I was a lot younger then might

 

have even been the youngest onboard.

 

yours Shogun

 

I understand the logic completely, although I would probably not conspire with a waiter to do so myself.

 

While I have been known to possess a very healthy appetite I learned long, long ago how to manage that. While in the military service a chow hall at one of my duty stations had a sign that read: "TAKE ALL YOU WANT, EAT ALL YOU TAKE". I have taken said advice since then and now when I place my order I let my waiter know, in advance, if I want extra portions.

 

After a few days, they will often offer more food when I am finished with a course. :p

[Shogun]

Hi LarryL

 

I have found some waiters that if you clear your plate and are first finished they would arrive withan extra plate saying you must have liked that have another one,

 

then if I have ordered an extra something one week without asking the following week an extra amount arrives when the same item is ordered.

 

yours Shogun

[Corinda]

Next time I read something about the MDR - I'll eat first....coffee and yogurt don't look like much when compared to the memory of fettucini and shrimp cocktail

[jeromep]

Considering that if you order something from each category; appetizer, soup, salad, main course and dessert, then yes it would be a reasonably amount of food...but who goes on a cruise ship to limit them selves and not overeat? :D Not many.

 

I wouldn't say that I go on a cruise to limit my eating, but why change healthy eating practies because you are on vacation. It isn't like I starve myself in my regular course of living.

 

When we sat down for dinner on our first cruise and noticed how long the menu was, we understood completly how dinner would play out. Smaller portions, but lots of different flavors to sample. If you choose one item from each section of the menu you will be plenty full by the time you leave the dining room.

 

My wife and I can't convince ourselves to eat in the buffet on board for many reasons, the biggest of course is that we do not eat in buffets at home on a regular basis. Why would be change this behavior on vacation? I can't recall a single ocassion where we have been on a land vacation and ever eaten at a buffet.

 

The real gluttony on board still remains at the buffet. I distinctly recall passing through the HC on our last cruise on embarkation day and almost everyone in there had this heaping pile of food on their plates, for lunch! And when you heap food on a plate it no longer has any visual appeal and doesn't even appear good to eat. That's gluttony.

[skf]

As for specialty restaurants... I'd be surprised if you asked for more. The dishes are huge. If you ask for another entree of what you just ordered, there will more than likely be an additional charge.

We ate at Crown Grill w/ our MDR tablemates, one of whom had a steak, paid for the lobster entree, & then asked for & got a huge Porterhouse. The only extra charge was forr the lobster.

Steve

[Shogun]

Hi There

 

At Crown grill there are no extra charges if you want two of everything on the menu, charge for lobster is a one of you could order six if you wanted.

 

yours Shogun

[luvtheships]

Here's one...not the best picture, but representative..

Shrimp Cocktail by RickEk, on Flickr

thanks this is what I was hoping it would be like:)

[mr green]

I understand the logic completely, although I would probably not conspire with a waiter to do so myself.

 

While I have been known to possess a very healthy appetite I learned long, long ago how to manage that. While in the military service a chow hall at one of my duty stations had a sign that read: "TAKE ALL YOU WANT, EAT ALL YOU TAKE". I have taken said advice since then and now when I place my order I let my waiter know, in advance, if I want extra portions.

 

After a few days, they will often offer more food when I am finished with a course. :p

 

First time I saw that sign was in a prison museum, some place in Montana, about 30 years ago, nothing new.:)

 

john

[VibeGuy]

So, a) I'm a glutton and b) I like traditional cruise dining (multiple courses, lots of silverware - I miss the 'silver service' from the 70s where the sides were presented on platters for guests to select from, but I digress).

 

We boarded Sapphire for a two-week Van-Whittier-Van sailing, and had the good luck to be seated in Savoy and get a fantastic server. I ordered my typical Sailaway dinner (melon, mushroom soup, "a half-portion of the barramundi as a fish course", prime rib) and was delighted. Every night after that, I ordered a half-portion of the finfish entree as a fish course between the soup and entree, and each night it was delivered with a gracious smile.

 

Flash forward four months - same ship, same dining room, same server. I order my typical Sailaway dinner, and out comes a full-sized entree portion of the barramundi. Our server checks in, and says "What's wrong, Mr Eric?" I say, "Oh, you're slipping! I only want a half-portion of the fish as a fish course".

 

"Oh, Mr. Eric, I always give you the whole fish entree - I was just putting it on a smaller plate to make you feel better!"

 

Talk about wanting to melt into the floor. It didn't slow me down any, but I *do* have some shame. ;0)

 

E

[cruise pup]

I love their Eggplant Parmesean, which is an appetizer, so I usually just order a few of those and just a small meal.

The will do all they can to satify you.

 

Don't get me started on that, please. I just loves it.

[cruise pup]

No takeout container but they will wrap up some leftovers for you if they are wrap-able (not soup or salad but they will wrap steak, other meat or even cake in foil.)

 

If you want more of something, just ask. I sometimes ask for a double order of shrimp cocktail.

 

I've seen some of the more talented waiters wrap the desserts with foil and make them into swans.

[cruise pup]

I was looking over the sample menus for the main dining room and have some questions about portions. It seems like a lot of food that is offered. If you are unable to finish your portion and you like the dish will the staff give you a take home container for your room. Also, if you like a dish but the portion was not big enough, is it okay to ask for more. Just seems like it would be a waste of food if you cannot. Is this allowed in the specialty restaurants as well?

 

Thanks. I have found this board very helpful in our planning.

 

Other than dessert, what would you take back to your cabin? They can always give you a cover so you can take back practically everything but I don't know what I would want to bring back and eat cold.

[highheel girl]

Other than dessert, what would you take back to your cabin? They can always give you a cover so you can take back practically everything but I don't know what I would want to bring back and eat cold.

 

I agree its just not the same once its in the little fridge for several hours. :eek:

[Infi]

Hi All,

 

Not a joke and why did the waiter play along very simple,

 

That still doesn't make it "funny" or an appropriate thing to do. :rolleyes:

[trailgirl]

I've seen some of the more talented waiters wrap the desserts with foil and make them into swans.

 

You're right! I got a Princess Loveboat Dream in a swan-shaped foil wrapping! It was pretty squished by the time I got it back to my cabin, but it was neat!

 

My husband has been disappointed in the shrimp cocktail, as the size of the shrimp are not very big at all. They aren't even the size we get normally on a shrimp ring. And he can get twice the size shrimp at a local restaurant, although he does pay $10 for only five of them. On the Ruby this past Feb he started ordering two orders to make up for the size.

 

I found when I tried ordering just part of an order - for instance just the lobster tail to go with my beef medallions, they insisted on bringing the whole plate, with the prawns and some kind of rice thing. I think it must be easier for the cooks to prepare the whole order than mess around with custom preparing plates. It didn't go to waste - my husband ate the prawns, and my friend's husband ate the rice thing. We ordered doubles of lots of the appetizers, the entrees and the desserts. There was eight of us at the table and rarely did anything get wasted. We would laugh though as I am sure people were looking at us going thinking "oink, oink, oink" but what the heck? We are all VERY active though (think marathon and half marathon runners) and didn't gain much weight, if any. Some of us even lost weight. Between going to the gym in the morning, walking the decks and walking on land, taking part in the Zumba and line dancing, and never taking the elevator, we managed to wear it all off. Better than loading up plates at the buffet, eating half of it and tossing the rest out.

[Jasperdo]

Better than loading up plates at the buffet, eating half of it and tossing the rest out.

My wife and I like eating at the buffet, but I know what you're talking about. Some people will have a mountain of food on their plate, salad, pasta, meat, fruit, cake, all mixed together. Then they leave half of it.

 

I always get a sample of things that look good. Then I go back for seconds of what I liked. Here's what my buffet plate usually looks like:

 

 

Golden Princess - Alaska by Jasperdo, on Flickr

[cruise pup]

You're right! I got a Princess Loveboat Dream in a swan-shaped foil wrapping! It was pretty squished by the time I got it back to my cabin, but it was neat!

 

My husband has been disappointed in the shrimp cocktail, as the size of the shrimp are not very big at all. They aren't even the size we get normally on a shrimp ring. And he can get twice the size shrimp at a local restaurant, although he does pay $10 for only five of them. On the Ruby this past Feb he started ordering two orders to make up for the size.

 

I found when I tried ordering just part of an order - for instance just the lobster tail to go with my beef medallions, they insisted on bringing the whole plate, with the prawns and some kind of rice thing. I think it must be easier for the cooks to prepare the whole order than mess around with custom preparing plates. It didn't go to waste - my husband ate the prawns, and my friend's husband ate the rice thing. We ordered doubles of lots of the appetizers, the entrees and the desserts. There was eight of us at the table and rarely did anything get wasted. We would laugh though as I am sure people were looking at us going thinking "oink, oink, oink" but what the heck? We are all VERY active though (think marathon and half marathon runners) and didn't gain much weight, if any. Some of us even lost weight. Between going to the gym in the morning, walking the decks and walking on land, taking part in the Zumba and line dancing, and never taking the elevator, we managed to wear it all off. Better than loading up plates at the buffet, eating half of it and tossing the rest out.

 

For my shrimp fix on a Princess cruise I head to the seafood buffet on the first night. Mountains of shrimp there. I was told once (don't remember which cruise line) that the galley is required to prepare the entire platter for presentational purposes. Chefs and their egos, I guess.

[LarryL]

First time I saw that sign was in a prison museum, some place in Montana, about 30 years ago, nothing new.:)

 

john

 

Maybe that's where our cooks got the idea. I first saw it over 40 years ago.:rolleyes: I'm sure the phrase is ageless.

Larry

[trailgirl]

For my shrimp fix on a Princess cruise I head to the seafood buffet on the first night. Mountains of shrimp there. I was told once (don't remember which cruise line) that the galley is required to prepare the entire platter for presentational purposes. Chefs and their egos, I guess.

 

I'll have to remember that! Thanks!!

[Loonbeam]

That;s part of it, but the big reason is really that many of the entrees are pre-plated and kept in warming stations, especially items like steak and chicken. It usually just a lot easier for the server to take one out the station. Items that are not pre-plated as far in advance such as stews and pastas are easier to get in smaller portions.

 

For my shrimp fix on a Princess cruise I head to the seafood buffet on the first night. Mountains of shrimp there. I was told once (don't remember which cruise line) that the galley is required to prepare the entire platter for presentational purposes. Chefs and their egos, I guess.