Requesting an item not on the menu

[golfadj]

Some of the posts in this thread are a perfect example of why it should be a law that you must wait tables for at least 6 months before being allowed to dine in a restaurant. This should be a federal law, applying to all 50 U.S. states, provinces and territories, and should obviously be extended to include any cruise ship embarking from a U.S. port.

 

Only those who have NOT waited tables for a living will disagree with the above statement.

 

As I was a bus boy for about a week once so guess I would have to stop cruising. Sorry dont think so.

 

Will still consider the people that to do things for me if I ask for anything extra.

[crusinpsychRN]

I have mentioned to our server that I love creme brulee...and lo and behold, she brought it to me every night...without asking...I don't see the harm in asking...all they can say is no...

 

 

I did too! Love that stuff!

[crusinpsychRN]

I make a cobb salad in the Lido salad line.

[cruisinitaliano]

Refer to my previous comment...."why should I tip extra for hot food...that is what I expect"....

Your comment about bribing to get something is sorta what I was refering to, you seem to think you are entiteled to a cold soda, I am thankful to get one.

[going to see the world]

I've never personally asked for anything that's not on the menu because to me, there is plenty...but we sat next to a table once and they NEVER got anything on the menu for the whole week. They always got special rice dishes and scrambled egg dishes.

[golfadj]

Refer to my previous comment...."why should I tip extra for hot food...that is what I expect"....

Your comment about bribing to get something is sorta what I was refering to, you seem to think you are entiteled to a cold soda, I am thankful to get one.

 

Included in the cost of the soda is a tip. The 15% added tip should get me a cold soda. If not they can keep the soda.

[maxamuus]

My wife is a big fan of the shrimp cocktails and would like to have one every night. Would it be possible to order one each night? On our 15-day cruise to Hawaii, the shrimp cocktail was only offered once at dinner! How disappointing!

 

:cool:Bill

 

I am with your wife Bill. I enjoyed them every night with dinner. Now as shrimp cocktails go there were nothing to write home about, yet i enjoyed them so will miss them now that they are gone.

 

Maybe they night they offer them ill just order 12 of them and put em in the minibar :eek:

 

It's actually one of the things i love about Princess, they offer fresh peel and eat shrimp on the Lido quite a few nights. I would go by and have me a snack. Do love me some shrimp.

[mamaskittles]

One time I requested Lobster Thermidor aux crevettes with a Mornay sauce, served in a Provençale manner with shallots and aubergines, garnished with truffle pate, brandy and a fried egg on top. I was told they had just run out.

I had to send my back, my egg was just too hard and the truffle pate was made with Chinese truffles not French.:eek:

[kparc]

Has any one asked for something that was not on the menu in the main dining room? I was wondering if I asked the night before to have a cob salad would they make it for me?

 

 

Slip the waiter a couple of Franklin's, I'm sure they'll fix you up almost anything you want.:D

[maritaysa]

I have mentioned to our server that I love creme brulee...and lo and behold, she brought it to me every night...without asking...I don't see the harm in asking...all they can say is no...

 

I wonder if I can do the same thing with Diet Cheesecake. I read about how wonderful it is on these boards, and tried it on my last cruise. I LOVE IT! Even more than WCMC!!! Do you think I can get it even if it's not on the 3-day cruise menu for my upcoming 3-day cruise? I REALLY, REALLY LOVE IT! How can I get it? Tipping the first night when asking? A ten spot? More? Any ideas on possibly asking earlier? Maybe on the first day when checking out where we're seated for dinner when we first arrive on the ship? Just asking the Maitre D when enquiring about our table? Help please! My next Carnival cruise after this one isn't until next Spring, and I really, really want Diet Cheesecake!

[Tanbella]

Someone told me about that! So this last cruise, 1st night -Chocolate Melting Cake. 2nd night - Banana Split ! Our table mates were what - what did you order - Where is that on the menu - told them it is on the Children's Menu.

 

So for the rest of the cruise, at least one person per night got a banana split. Got to Love It. One time it was 7 out of 8 of us had the banana split. My hubby eats the Choc. Melting Cake every night.

 

On 2 different cruises, And it has been on Thursday nights, I ordered pizza. There was nothing I was interested in getting . The first cruise , went down to the pizza place on Lido deck and brought me back 2 slices. I was fine. Then the 2nd cruise, The chef, bless his heart, made me my own personal pepperoni pizza. Got to Love it.

 

So, I guess if they can find the way and time to accommodate you , they will .

 

:D

Pepperoni pizza is on the kids menu as well as chicken tenders every night. It's a big personal pizza lol

[Sparky2]

Sometimes I order a banana split for dessert, but it is on the children's menu, so I guess is not really special ordered...lol

 

We get one several times during the cruise. Ever since we read about it on CC in 2008.

 

On our last cruise when we ordered it, our waiter said we couldn't order it, & we said we'd been ordering it from the children's menu for years. He said, "Oh" and got it for us. Guess we were the first adults to order it from him.

[TeamZambo]

One time I requested Lobster Thermidor aux crevettes with a Mornay sauce, served in a Provençale manner with shallots and aubergines, garnished with truffle pate, brandy and a fried egg on top. I was told they had just run out.

 

 

:D:D:D:D:D

 

You had me laugh so loud at work ppl are looking at me like im crazy!

[TeamZambo]

I have never had a waiter tell me to push it to the side-my mother-in-law is VERY fussy and they remove things from the plates for her on a daily basis. My husband is high maintenance when it comes to food and never denied a reasonable request. Not sure why for you.

 

I have always wondered why ppl cant just push the food to the side? Is it because they dont want to be wasteful since they dont like that item or just to be fussy?

[WeBeCruisin']

On my first Carnival cruise in 2006, on the first night, there was a woman at our table who asked for some kind of meat which wasn't on the menu. The waiter said he couldn't get it for her and she pitched a fit. She said she wanted it and that she was going to get it. The waiter stood his ground and she got louder and louder and more abusive and was swearing at him and screaming that she would have him fired.

 

Finally, she got up and stormed away, still cussing and yelling. She never came back, but if she got the waiter fired, it had to have been after the cruise was over.:)

 

Some people just feel so entitled and are so full of themselves that they will act like two-year-olds anytime they don't get what they want. It's embarrassing to have to witness.

 

I think the only thing I have ever asked for was some anchovies for my Caesar's salad. They brought me a small bowl of them. They seemed delighted to find someone who loves anchovies. :)

[larkz]

I can see a minor request for something that might be readily on hand in the kitchen, but considering how complicated the process is for kitchen and waitstaff, I think it's selfish and unreasonable to demand special treatment. It's also rude to other guests in the MDR who must put up with screwball requests that bog down the system.

[hill6]

I can see a minor request for something that might be readily on hand in the kitchen, but considering how complicated the process is for kitchen and waitstaff, I think it's selfish and unreasonable to demand special treatment. It's also rude to other guests in the MDR who must put up with screwball requests that bog down the system.

 

 

Very well said. My request was the same dish but without the mussels. Not unreasonable.

 

You can also ask for a garden salad any night it is not on the menu. A number of us did that this past cruise.

[bplazo]

I can see a minor request for something that might be readily on hand in the kitchen, but considering how complicated the process is for kitchen and waitstaff, I think it's selfish and unreasonable to demand special treatment. It's also rude to other guests in the MDR who must put up with screwball requests that bog down the system.

 

Love it!

[Cardancer4]

One time I requested Lobster Thermidor aux crevettes with a Mornay sauce, served in a Provençale manner with shallots and aubergines, garnished with truffle pate, brandy and a fried egg on top. I was told they had just run out.

 

 

LOL - Great joke!!:D:D

[simplelife]

Does Carnival still have the "always available" items (Steak/chicekn salmon, baked potato, ceasar salad. etc?)

[Herfnerd]

Does Carnival still have the "always available" items (Steak/chicekn salmon, baked potato, ceasar salad. etc?)

 

They do

[wmjrdn4ever]

That was a question asked during the Q&A before the Chef's Table on one of our cruises. The chef answered that if it is a menu item they can generally accomodate the request in advance. It is generally very difficult to order off-menu while sitting for service.

 

Our chef said if the request is not on the menu at all it is really hard, but speaking with the maitre d' the first night can help.

[donaldsc]

Has any one asked for something that was not on the menu in the main dining room? I was wondering if I asked the night before to have a cob salad would they make it for me?

 

Can't hurt to ask nicely. May be they will but if you don't ask, you know that you will not get it.

 

By the way, maybe I will try for live (not frozen) Maine lobster every night of the cruise. LOL!!

 

DON

[beckymomof2]

just answering the question, not looking to get criticized...

On the Grand Princess, we had a family reunion..12 of us...a very nice tip to the Maitre 'D and we received a very large plate of Tempura Shrimp one evening. We loooove Tempura Shrimp.

On many cruise lines we ask for whole black olives, carrot sticks, dip, and cubed cheeses to be on the table to eat with our bread before ordering dinner. Even Carnival has met this request each time.

I am ONLY SUGGESTING...but usually a generous tip at the time of the request helps to MAYBE get a special request.

I work in the food service industry, we have a restaurant, I guess I just know that servers will usually be willing to go over and above when a show of gratitude is made at the time of the request.

All too often people ask for special service, but then not show any special gratatitude in the form of what most servers appreciate...CASH.

After reading on these boards so many complaints about warm or even cold food, on our recent Easter cruise, I slipped our waitress a nice cash tip along with the request our food be Hot!!! She responded " Hot, like Me?"....and every dish, every meal was delivered Hot!!!

I kn ow, maybe you are thinking "why should I tip for hot food...that is what I expect!"

I am only saying, we read about how difficult our waitstaffs jobs have become, and delivering hot food has become less likely with all the duties they have...BUT..showing a little gratitude ( read: gratuity)..has resulted in my meals being hot.

 

We have tipped early on in the week. I think they realize how we

appreciate them, and we've received excellent service.