MDR no-shows

[calliopecruiser]

I am finding this concern about no-shows rather interesting and somewhat puzzling.

If I had not seen this thread, it never would have occurred to me to care in the slightest where some stranger I have never met has chosen to eat, or why. :)

 

Me as well......it's something that never occurred to me to be bothered about (and I'm still not bothered by it).

[VillaHappy]

I wish the main dining room would give more flexibility. No wonder the flexible or "my time" dining is so popular!

[1025cruise]

I'll give you my take. Of four cruises I have been on recently, three of them were anytime dining. The reason for selecting anytime dining was for the flexibility. We usually went late enough that the waits weren't very long, plus we usually didn't insist on a table for 2. With that being said, we got tired of doing the "hello, who are you, what do you do, etc.." conversation every night, so our request would always be for a table for two, if available. The only time I insisted on a table for two was on our second cruise when we had just had our vow renewal.

 

On our last cruise, for a change of pace, we decided to do late traditional dining. We chose late since we normally were eating around that time, anyways. We asked our TA to request a table for 6. On the first night, we sat down at a large table, and waited for tablemates. We gave up waiting and just ordered. Our reason for requesting a large table was to enjoy other people's company, not just eat on our own. I figured if we were alone the second night, I would speak up and see what could be done. The next night, we were joined by another couple who were in the same predicament that we were in the previous night, large table all alone. They spoke to the Maitre' D who placed them with us. Supposedly there was supposed to be another couple to join us, but it ended up always being just the four of us (with the exception of two nights were they overslept and just went to the buffet and one night where they had specialty restaurant reservations).

 

Our normal cruiseline is Princess, where there is normally always a waiting list for traditional dining. I can't help but wonder if all the empty seats (and yes, there were many empty seats in the dining room) were people that didn't know they could get anytime until they were on board, or people that had no intention of using the dining room. I agree, there should be an option for people to select that they won't use the dining room, so that those of us who wish to do so won't have to worry about invisible tablemates, if that is the reason we go there in the first place.

[okgirl]

I'm always surprised at the number of new cruisers who think that food in the MDR will cost them more money. There are times that we choose not to eat in the MDR, but we have Your Time Dining on Carnival and usually ask for a table or booth for 2.

 

I don't mind eating with others at breakfast and lunch, but like the flexability of not showing up for dinner and not having to let anyone know that my plans have changed.

[jamiebytes]

Anyone that doesn't have the intention of showing up at the MDR at a specified time every night should choose Anytime/My Time dining. That would be so much more pleasant for those of us who wish to dine with interesting travelers and enjoy more depth of conversation than where you live and what kind of work you do! :)

That poster's point was that if everyone who didn't want to frequently go to the MDR at all chose Anytime/My Time then people who DID really want to go go the MDR at flexible times using Anytime/My Time wouldn't be able to because all the spots for Anytime/My Time would be full. There's no option to "opt out" of the MDR at all when booking a cruise. Perhaps there needs to be. :)

[LHT28]

There's no option to "opt out" of the MDR at all when booking a cruise. Perhaps there needs to be. :)

 

If you have no intention to eat in the MDR can you not just tell the Maitre'd so he can free up your spot for someone you might be on the waitlist for your seating time??

 

I know some people you eat in the buffet only

[NoobCruise]

If you have no intention to eat in the MDR can you not just tell the Maitre'd so he can free up your spot for someone you might be on the waitlist for your seating time??

 

I know some people you eat in the buffet only

 

I think a lot of new cruisers don't realize that other people will be sitting at their table waiting for them, not ordering or eating, sometimes waiting 20 or so minutes.

[jsmeeker]

If you have no intention to eat in the MDR can you not just tell the Maitre'd so he can free up your spot for someone you might be on the waitlist for your seating time??

 

I know some people you eat in the buffet only

 

There should be a way to inform the cruise line before you even get on the ship that you have no intention of going to the MDR. This is why I suggested the cruise line should allow an "opt out" option when asked about dining preferences.

 

Doing this would be good for everyone. The cruise line knows who won't go to the MDR. The Maitre'd doesn't waste time assembling tables with people who won't show. He won't waste as much time re-arranging tables once the cruise begins.

 

 

To be honest, the cruise lines have brought this issue upon themselves by adding all the alternative dining options. They are strongly encouraging people to dine out of the MDR, yet they still cling to this idea you MUST pick a MDR option.

[LHT28]

There should be a way to inform the cruise line before you even get on the ship that you have no intention of going to the MDR. This is why I suggested the cruise line should allow an "opt out" option when asked about dining preferences.

 

Doing this would be good for everyone. The cruise line knows who won't go to the MDR. The Maitre'd doesn't waste time assembling tables with people who won't show. He won't waste as much time re-arranging tables once the cruise begins.

 

 

To be honest, the cruise lines have brought this issue upon themselves by adding all the alternative dining options. They are strongly encouraging people to dine out of the MDR, yet they still cling to this idea you MUST pick a MDR option.

Might be a good thing to put on their comment cards ;)

[Husky61]

I think a lot of new cruisers don't realize that other people will be sitting at their table waiting for them, not ordering or eating, sometimes waiting 20 or so minutes.

 

Maybe I don't have a lot of sophistication, but if I am at a table like that, and for the reasons you mentioned, I don't wait for the other couples to get there before I order my meal. :)

[susie8862]

Maybe I don't have a lot of sophistication, but if I am at a table like that, and for the reasons you mentioned, I don't wait for the other couples to get there before I order my meal. :)

The problem is that most of the time the waiter will not take the tables order until everyone is there.

[Husky61]

The problem is that most of the time the waiter will not take the tables order until everyone is there.

 

Do you really think the waiter will not take my food order when I ask he/she to do so?:)

[susie8862]

Do you really think the waiter will not take my food order when I ask he/she to do so?:)

Oh...of course they would...but, so many times we have experienced this. What happens is, the waiter will go to the table that is "full" first. He/she will not even come to your table for about 10 or 15 minutes, giving everyone a chance to sit down. It makes it much easier on the waiter by taking everyones order at the same time instead of going back and forth.

[Husky61]

Oh...of course they would...but, so many times we have experienced this. What happens is, the waiter will go to the table that is "full" first. He/she will not even come to your table for about 10 or 15 minutes, giving everyone a chance to sit down. It makes it much easier on the waiter by taking everyones order at the same time instead of going back and forth.

 

I have never had a waiter ignore me for 10 to 15 minutes in the dining room. As soon as we sit down the waiter/s are there to say hello, and at that time I can indicate I would like to place my food order.

 

Quite frankly now when we cruise, we always get a table for two, and we have switched to any time dining. :)

[michmike]

There are 4 of us who travel together (friends of 40+ yrs) We enjoy the larger tables, but always tell our TA that if he can't arrange a table of 8 or 10, then give us a 4 top, as it is just not comfortable for many folks to be seated as a couple at a table with us where the others have known each other most of their lives.

 

On our recent Nieuw Amsterdam trip we had a table for 8. Only 6 of us the 1st nite but they were a couple from Britain who wanted late seating and told us that they would be getting w/ the maitre 'd to accomplish that. Whoever was assigned the other 2 seats never showed. We had drinks w/ the Brits a couple nights in the Ocean Bar and enjoyed each other's company. Then on day 3 we had a couple seated with the 4 of us at the Mariners' Luncheon.

 

Turned out that they had wandered in unaware that it was by invitation and had only been looking for lunch in the dining room. They were 1st timers on HAL. We enjoyed them and invited them to join us for dinner that nite and they ended up staying the rest of the week. They were delightful folks and we all had a good time. So I can relate to the poster who suggested meeting some sympatico folks onboard and then arranging to be seated together for the balance of the trip. Certainly better than the luck of the draw.. although in 11 cruises now we have only had one set of "duds" and their shortcomings paled in comparison to some of the tablemate stories I've read over the years.