Dinner out

[CMDE]

My husband took me out to a nice restaurant last night for me birthday. Food was good and we had been there before for a really nice dinner. But cruising may have ruined me for land based restaurants - nobody poured me a second glass of wine, they didn't know my name, they didn't refill my water glass, they didn't bring me an extra appetizer! After my last cruise on Freedom of the Seas in May, where I was completely spoiled by our MDR stewards(Simone and Juan) I may never enjoy dinner out again !

 

So does cruising ruin the restaurant experience or do we just pick bad restaurants?

[DaNana]

We just had dinner at a very nice upscale restaurant that poured the wine out of the bottle we bought. Did not know our names but did stand and talk with us. Enough that we will go back for the atmosphere, even if they don't know my name!

We know we can go to the local Pei Wei, Genghis Grill and several other places that do know our name and will never pour us a second drink as they are not that sort of eating establishment.

We go on the cruise for the experience we can't get anywhere else!;)

[bigkauhuna]

You should have tried the Chef's Table if they have it onboard. Then you would know that you were spoiled, it is a five coarse diner with wine paring.

Enjoy cruising.

[Scrapnana]

My husband took me out to a nice restaurant last night for me birthday. Food was good and we had been there before for a really nice dinner. But cruising may have ruined me for land based restaurants - nobody poured me a second glass of wine, they didn't know my name, they didn't refill my water glass, they didn't bring me an extra appetizer! After my last cruise on Freedom of the Seas in May, where I was completely spoiled by our MDR stewards(Simone and Juan) I may never enjoy dinner out again !

 

So does cruising ruin the restaurant experience or do we just pick bad restaurants?

 

Not only is cruising addictive, it spoils you for anything else.:D

[Clarea]

My husband took me out to a nice restaurant last night for me birthday. Food was good and we had been there before for a really nice dinner. But cruising may have ruined me for land based restaurants - nobody poured me a second glass of wine, they didn't know my name, they didn't refill my water glass, they didn't bring me an extra appetizer! After my last cruise on Freedom of the Seas in May, where I was completely spoiled by our MDR stewards(Simone and Juan) I may never enjoy dinner out again !

 

So does cruising ruin the restaurant experience or do we just pick bad restaurants?

Cruising certainly changed our perspective on service.:)

 

It does not take us very long after we get off a cruise to say "I can see we're not on the ship anymore!"

[macruisefan]

Honestly, I think you just pick bad restaurants. I have found dining room service on board to be "acceptable" but not anything exceptional. I frequently find far superior service at land based restaurants.

 

But the commute from my stateroom to the dining establishments on board trumps the better service I get on land!:)

[couple_cruisers]

My DH just said yesterday that he doesn't like going to out eat after our recent cruise because he can't order more than one app or dessert, I told him he can but at a cost ;). For me it's the room steward that I miss love having my room made up twice a day :D

 

 

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[bouhunter]

Hasn't ruined it for us, in fact we rarely go to the MDR anymore. We got burned out on routine every night - same bread, same servers, same table, same time........ Also it got to the point where on most nights we didn't see many entree's that we'd really want to order. Now on a 7 night cruise we usually go to MDR once, specialty dining 3-4 and the balance at Windjammer.

[orville99]

I guess it all depends on how you choose to dine. We've experienced less than stellar service both on land and onboard. One interesting and refreshing thing that happened to us on our last cruise (FOS in May) was that our MTD server told us that they had been instructed on how to treat MTD as a "fine dining" restaurant, and not just an extension of the MDR service model. They were arguably among the best servers we've had on any cruise (and better than most we've encountered on land). Why was that refreshing. We cruise on FOS 2-3x a year, and the service in MTD had become so bad that on the two cruises previous to the one in May, we opted for the WJ almost every night. Our comment cards were full of negatives about the decline in service, and we met with both the maitre' D and the food services director while onboard to express our dissatisfaction.

 

Fast forward four months, and the service has done a complete 180.:) And yes, I tracked down both the new maitre' D and the food services director, and thanked them for their hard work to improve the dining experience.

[paul929207]

I don't think you picked a bad restaurant.

 

At the ones we frequent, if we order a bottle of wine, they will pour refills until the bottle is empty.

Water glasses certainly should be refilled in any nice restaurant.

Do you want them bringing a second appetiser? It will go on your bill.

At our favorite places, they know our names

[sail7seas]

Thankfully for us, we enjoy whatever experience we are involved in at the moment.

We've had over 90 cruises but still greatly enjoy our restaurant evenings at home as much as ever, love our fine hotel stays, and have nothing against a 'burger and fries' when that is what we feel like.

 

We find it's only a matter of knowing your realities. :D

 

[sail7seas]

I don't think you picked a bad restaurant.

 

At the ones we frequent, if we order a bottle of wine, they will pour refills until the bottle is empty.

Water glasses certainly should be refilled in any nice restaurant.

Do you want them bringing a second appetiser? It will go on your bill.

At our favorite places, they know our names

 

 

Ditto

In restaurants we frequent, they know our names.

If we don't get good service in any restaurant we visit, we don't return.

We expect our water glasses refilled and our wine poured until it is gone. If it isn't, we speak up.

 

And yes, if we want dessert, we pay for it........ but we have paid for it on the ship, as well. It isn't free. ;)

 

We either pay for things at the time of use or consumption or we pay for it in our cruise fares but there is nothing free on a cruise ship.

[John Bull]

My DH just said yesterday that he doesn't like going to out eat after our recent cruise because he can't order more than one app or dessert, I told him he can but at a cost ;).

 

 

Ooopps, sounds like me :o:D

 

But I hate waiters pouring wine, we can just about figure how to do that for ourselves.:rolleyes:

On a ship we may choose to keep some for next evening, or take the part-used bottle with us to finish in bar or cabin. Dammit - didn't notice the waiter emptying the bottle by filling our glasses to the brim.:(

 

Ashore, usually I drive - and I need to know how much I'm drinking. So I insist on pouring myself rather than the waiter topping up. And have gotten very uptight when a waiter tries to top-up after being told not to.

 

JB :)

[orville99]

Ooopps, sounds like me :o:D

 

But I hate waiters pouring wine, we can just about figure how to do that for ourselves.:rolleyes:

On a ship we may choose to keep some for next evening, or take the part-used bottle with us to finish in bar or cabin. Dammit - didn't notice the waiter emptying the bottle by filling our glasses to the brim.:(

 

Ashore, usually I drive - and I need to know how much I'm drinking. So I insist on pouring myself rather than the waiter topping up. And have gotten very uptight when a waiter tries to top-up after being told not to.

 

JB :)

 

When the waiter brings the bottle, they leave the cork. If you don't want them to top off your glass, simply re-insert the cork in the bottle;)

[John Bull]

When the waiter brings the bottle, they leave the cork. If you don't want them to top off your glass, simply re-insert the cork in the bottle;)

 

 

Must try that next time.:)

Stabbing the waiter with a fork is so unseemly ;)

 

JB :)

[Keith1010]

For us because of the cruising we are far less impressed with land restaurants then we use to be.

 

It is rare that I can find a land restaurant that when you combine the service, cuisine and the ambience can exceed what is offered on some of the lines we sail. I don't think that is the case for all cruise lines.

 

Keith

[nyllrap]

I always miss being called "Madame" when I get home.