Tableclothes, Whats the big deal?

[cruisinfanatic]

Denny's of the seas.

It's always been that

[Chrisp414]

Well, I like tablecloths in the Main Dining Room. Makes me feel more like I'm in a "nice" restaurant. We use tablecloths at home if we eat at the table and not at the "counter". I think it's my Italian upbringing - ALWAYS used a tablecloth.

[Pine Bluff]

you didn't have a problem with your silverware sitting on the bare table which may or may have not been cleaned properly?

 

I tend to want to throw iup when I see that wet rag come out of that gray tub of dirty water and dishes when they wash down the tables for the next customer.

[fuddrules]

Denny's of the seas.

 

 

Mmmm, I'll take a Grand Slam for breakfast please.

[CrusinCyndi]

I like tablecloths for the fact that if liquid gets spilled or dripped, the tablecloth soaks it up and it's not gonna run off the table and onto my clothes

[wdwcoltsfan]

I like tablecloths for the fact that if liquid gets spilled or dripped, the tablecloth soaks it up and it's not gonna run off the table and onto my clothes

 

Along this thought, I have read people commenting that the tables are increasingly messy because of the condensation from the glasses. I hadn't thought about this, but can see it happening.

[libertyschool]

Can someone fill me in? Are there no more tablecloths in the MDR's on Carnival??

[Pine Bluff]

Can someone fill me in? Are there no more tablecloths in the MDR's on Carnival??

 

Derfinitely on one, possibly on a second, of the 4 ships that have the new menu. The roll out is on hold.

[GatorGirl57]

Here is a link to a table without tablecloths:

 

 

http://www.sunkissedadventures.com/uploads/1/0/8/9/10896706/9895199_orig.jpg

 

I think it still looks nice. I am late 20's, and we have a beautiful wood table in our home with no tablecloth, just placemats. I think it is just the style now. I would never have a tablecloth in my home.

[packedandready]

Has anyone noticed any noise difference? Seems like the clicking and clanking of plates, silverware, glasses, etc hitting the tables all dinner long would make for a noisier dinning room.

[golfadj]

I thought lack of tablecloths would bother me when we were on the Glory last month.

 

They had very pretty tabletops and didnt miss them at all. Thought new menu was fine even if quite a few old davorites were gone.

 

Didnt notice more noise or sweating tables at all.

 

What is much more important to us is the continued cutbacks in entertainment and this will be the cause of us leaving Carnival.

 

Playlist productions was even worse than what people were saying and they are putting this on more ships. Hasbro in the evening for entertainment? Are you kidding me?

[Tapi]

I think it still looks nice. I think it is just the style now.

 

 

It might be the style now of some modern, upscale restaurants on land, but don't be fooled into thinking that Carnival is trying to maintain an upscale, elegant atmosphere in the MDR.

 

On those modern restaurants on land, there are other elements that still make the experience upscale. Not on Carnival. For many years, people have said that the MDR experience now compares to going to TGI Friday's or Applebee's (which I agree with). The new menus, relaxed dress codes and bare tables reflect that. But there's nothing wrong with that. Carnival is solidly the budget price leader in cruising, and their target clientele are exactly people that want a casual, relaxed and unpretentious cruise experience.

 

If the lack of tablecloths bothers some people that much, it should be a clear indication for them that Carnival is no longer a cruise line that fulfills their expectations. It may be time to move on to one that does.

 

 

 

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[TheCalicoCat]

My assumption - 1. could be louder with out the cloth to buffer 2. the sweating glasses could make an unintended water mess. & 3. what do the tables look like?

[meanjean80]

A number of fine restaurants in NYC have been without tablecloths for years. However, these also tend to be places with a number of smaller rooms and alot of sound buffering architectural details. In a single large cavernous room, the tablecloths DO help to buffer sound.

 

I hadn't thought about the spilled beverage factor, but that is a valid point.

 

My biggest issue with the new menus is that there are simply fewer choices each night than on the previous menus (also not a fan of shared anything).

 

(Interestingly, I never used a tablecloth until I finally moved in to an apartment with a separate dining room. Now I never have my table uncovered).

[NavarreCruiser]

We just got off the Glory Sunday. I love the new tables and the new menus. I thought the MDR looked messy with the tablecloths. We've been on 58 Carnival cruises and liked the new options for dinner.

[guxu]

you didn't have a problem with your silverware sitting on the bare table which may or may have not been cleaned properly?

Give them a plastic fork when they enter the MDR. Problem solved:p

[awhcruiser]

This....and pass out paper placemats!

Give them a plastic fork when they enter the MDR. Problem solved:p

[CRUZBUDS]

How many tables are wiped down with the same rag? -- I prefer table clothes because they are more sanitary.

[cruisinfanatic]

How many tables are wiped down with the same rag? -- I prefer table clothes because they are more sanitary.

I agree. The last thing I want to do is sit at a bare table knowing someone else was there 2-3 hrs ago and may have been sick. At least the table cloth helps

[momof4boys]

I like tablecloths. At home, we have a lovely wood dining room table. When we eat there, which is on Sundays and every special meal...birthdays, holidays, special occasions, we use a table cloth. It adds to the occasion.

 

I have noticed some people are in a hurry to eat and get on with other things. Others enjoy the eating and socializing process and consider the meal as part of the evening's enjoyment.

 

Our group always enjoys the meal....that is part of our experience on the ship. We are under no illusion that we are eating at an upscale venue. However, the tablecloth does add to our experience.

 

Personally....during the day, when our group is enjoying the events of a sea day, we eat at the buffet for a "hurry up meal" then are off to other things. We just want a sit down, visit, and enjoy a good meal together at dinner.

 

 

And no....I don't want to share food out of a big bowl. I want to be served.

[maldenmusic]

No table cloths does not bother me in the least. I don't even use them at home.

[JustCruiseMe]

I couldn't care less about tablecloths or not and we do love the new menu but looking at the new tables from that pic I see a problem, it's a table for 2 and I can't imagine where the bread basket, the flat bread and the calamari will sit on that table. They bring smaller portions when it's just for 2 but it still has it's own bowl.

 

You can get individual options too.

 

I will admit this though when we were served breakfast I ordered grits and eggs over light. We mix these together in the south, anyway I went to put my eggs on top of my grits and they slid right off onto the table (cloth) I had no problems with picking it up and putting back on top of my grits, had it been on a bare table I wouldn't have eaten it. I don't lay my silverware down on a bare table I prop it up on a plate.

 

As another poster said some see MDR as part of their experience, we see it as dinner and if they offered the same thing at the buffet we'd go there. We like to get on to other things but we like the food in the MDR and really enjoyed the new menus and the quality of the food from the old menu.

[guxu]

I do not use table cloths at home either. But, when I am on cruise ship, I am on vacation. I want to experience different things. If I wanted everything like home, I would just stay at home.

[James in SA]

I definitely have a problem with the unsanitary aspects of a bare table that has been wiped down with a dirty rag, especially when norovirus is around. If anybody in the section has it the rag will transfer it to every table they wipe down with it. It is an almost perfect mechanism for spreading disease. Yuck!!

[Phlybice]

I definitely have a problem with the unsanitary aspects of a bare table that has been wiped down with a dirty rag, especially when norovirus is around. If anybody in the section has it the rag will transfer it to every table they wipe down with it. It is an almost perfect mechanism for spreading disease. Yuck!!

 

That alone is the reason for a table cloth in a public area. Second would be the acoustics.