How Late is Too Late to Arrive for Dinner in the MDR?

[steveru621]

Fired off an email to Adam Goldstein to let him know that Dynamic Dining cannot possibly work on the Quantum OTS. All 4,000 cruisers must show up to their respective dining rooms at the same time because the waitstaff can't handle 4 people that arrive late. I also let him know that MTD is simply out of the question without reservations. You cannot show up for dinner whenever you want. The chaos it causes is just too much for the waitstaff and fellow passengers to bear. No more mixing MTD and traditional dining on the same floor because the kitchen has a schedule you know, and who knows what will happen... There may be some problem with the space-time continum if a waiter picks up an entree and a dessert at the same time!

 

I went to dinner last night at our favorite restaurant and hugged our waitress, and apologized because I didn't show up at the same time as her other four tables. She did make me promise that next time we will call each other and make sure we show up at the same time. She is amazing though, she serves drinks, appetizers, entrees, and desserts for five tables all by herself.

 

Come on people, the professional RCI waitstaff can handle it, IMHO.

[Theodorable]

That the days are gone where they used to close the dining room doors 15 minutes after the start of dinner? That made things pretty easy for the waiters. If the doors were shut then you went to the windjammer.

[negc]

That the days are gone where they used to close the dining room doors 15 minutes after the start of dinner? That made things pretty easy for the waiters. If the doors were shut then you went to the windjammer.

Unfortunately those days are long gone and there are some passengers who regularly arrive much more than 15 minutes late and expect to be served - and they are!:rolleyes: I feel very badly for the service staff who need to serve these inconsiderate guests and yet have the dining room ready for the next seating.

[negc]

Fired off an email to Adam Goldstein to let him know that Dynamic Dining cannot possibly work on the Quantum OTS. All 4,000 cruisers must show up to their respective dining rooms at the same time because the waitstaff can't handle 4 people that arrive late. I also let him know that MTD is simply out of the question without reservations. You cannot show up for dinner whenever you want. The chaos it causes is just too much for the waitstaff and fellow passengers to bear. No more mixing MTD and traditional dining on the same floor because the kitchen has a schedule you know, and who knows what will happen... There may be some problem with the space-time continum if a waiter picks up an entree and a dessert at the same time!

 

I went to dinner last night at our favorite restaurant and hugged our waitress, and apologized because I didn't show up at the same time as her other four tables. She did make me promise that next time we will call each other and make sure we show up at the same time. She is amazing though, she serves drinks, appetizers, entrees, and desserts for five tables all by herself.

 

Come on people, the professional RCI waitstaff can handle it, IMHO.

 

Not sure where you got your information but it is definitely not correct. We often arrive in MTD without reservations and have yet to incur a lengthy wait to be seated and the staff in MTD is not out of sorts. Since reservations in Dynamic Dining are accepted in fifteen minute intervals, much as is the case in the specialty restaurants at the present time, the likelihood that all guests will have to arrive at the restaurants at exactly the same time is remote but should not create the chaos that you are predicting.

[ryano]

Not sure where you got your information but it is definitely not correct. We often arrive in MTD without reservations and have yet to incur a lengthy wait to be seated and the staff in MTD is not out of sorts. Since reservations in Dynamic Dining are accepted in fifteen minute intervals, much as is the case in the specialty restaurants at the present time, the likelihood that all guests will have to arrive at the restaurants at exactly the same time is remote but should not create the chaos that you are predicting.

 

Your sarcasm detector must be broke this morning :)

[NJcruisenewbie]

Interesting. On the Legend we noticed our early seating was changed from 6:00 to 5:30 when we got our Sea Passes. We immediately went to the MDR and requested late seating or MTD for our table of 4 as this was just too early. They couldn't accomodated us given the scarcity of 4 tops - so they said. The Compass said early seating was 5:30 to 6:15 so we went to dinner at 6:00 each night and had no problems with the wait staff. Everything was set up on our table each night and they were quite accomodating to us and it didn't appear to interfere with the other tables in the section. Would I normally do this? No, but 5:30 is too early for us and there was nothing we could do. We did eat in the WJ on several nights which apprently upset our waitstaff much more than us being late, or so they said.

 

I'll freely admit to being a bit cynical but I can't help get a chuckle everytime someone goes on and on about how much the MDR staff or cabin attendant cared so much about them. Of course they do, that's their job. To think anything else is just humorous to me.

[Folk Singer]

If you are going to be 30 minutes late, I'd say you either do Windjammer or a specialty restaurant that night, or change to MTD so you can show up when you want.

 

 

good advice.:):)

[steveru621]

Not sure where you got your information but it is definitely not correct. We often arrive in MTD without reservations and have yet to incur a lengthy wait to be seated and the staff in MTD is not out of sorts. Since reservations in Dynamic Dining are accepted in fifteen minute intervals, much as is the case in the specialty restaurants at the present time, the likelihood that all guests will have to arrive at the restaurants at exactly the same time is remote but should not create the chaos that you are predicting.

 

Exactly my point! From my sarcastic point of view.

 

With MTD, and soon Dynamic Dining, waitstaff and kitchen are already dealing with their tables being seated on a staggered basis. These 4 are expected to be at their own table. If they were part of a larger table I agree 100% with the other posters, even 10 minutes is too late. They also can't be sitting there at 8PM!

 

To suggest that a table being seated at a different time is somehow a huge problem is beyond me. But this is what is great about CC, different opinions and points of view! My opinion is definitely in the minority, but I'm a big boy and can take the flak.

[Miss Vickie]

I would discuss your plans with your waiter before you make any decisions. If your family has their own table then you won't be disrupting anyone's dinner but your own. However, the problem may be the second seating time. Your waitstaff needs time to clear and reset tables for the traditional second seating.

 

I have seen 2&4 tops show up 30 minutes late for the second seating. But IMHO it would be very rude to show up more than 10 minutes late if you are seated with others.

 

Enjoy your cruise.

 

Absolutely not true - they switch lines over in the galley, and having people come in late makes it difficult for the waiters and galley. And it does affect the other tables the waiters are serving - they have to work harder to "catch up" the late comers, and it affects their service to the other tables in their station. We know; we've had it happen to us.

[LetsGetWet!]

Personally, I think if the OP & family are 30 minutes late *once*, have their own table and let the waiters know a day ahead, they'll be accomodated fine. If that 30 minutes stretches to 45 or 60, than I think you're really starting to make things difficult for the staff to prepare properly for second seating - especially since you noted that you like to "relax and be served", which implies to me plans for a leisurely dinner time.

 

On the other hand - the poster who said they *routinely* showed up 30-40 minutes late for early seating - the *height* of inconsiderate and rude! Why you'd sign up for early seating instead of MTD and then *routinely* show up at least 30-40 minutes late is completely beyond me. I'm guessing its an attitude of "its all about ME" and if they had MTD and had to wait 15 minutes that's unacceptable, so they made sure their table was ready, waiting and sitting empty for them for half an hour or more every night before they made their late appearance.

Edited April 16, 2014 by LetsGetWet!

[Langley Cruisers]

Just wanted to say here that OP has replied several times in this thread and realizes that the situation s/he posted about initially is obviously not optimal. They said they will make other plans. I just wish people would stop ragging on him/her. :o

[ryano]

I'm guessing its an attitude of "its all about ME" .

 

Or just someone trolling trying to get a rise out of people :o

 

Unfortunately we have quiet a few of those around here. :rolleyes::)

[ryano]

Just wanted to say here that OP has replied several times in this thread and realizes that the situation s/he posted about initially is obviously not optimal. They said they will make other plans. I just wish people would stop ragging on him/her. :o

 

True. I think a lot of people just read the title and put in their two cents without evening bothering to read any of the posts before theirs :o

[Minij83]

Would you show up to a normal restaurant thirty minutes late for a reservation? With an incomplete party? And then expect to be immediately seated?

[Langley Cruisers]

^^

 

True. I think a lot of people just read the title and put in their two cents without evening bothering to read any of the posts before theirs :o

 

Absolutely true Ryan and it's still happening! LOL but not really. :D:p

[ryano]

Would you show up to a normal restaurant thirty minutes late for a reservation? With an incomplete party? And then expect to be immediately seated?

 

See what I mean? ^^^^^^^^^

 

True. I think a lot of people just read the title and put in their two cents without evening bothering to read any of the posts before theirs :o

[Toddcan]

I get a chuckle out of this thread

 

I've done traditional dining, and had bad experiences every time(no shows, or people showing up late, or odd table mates), so our last two cruises, we did MTD. It works perfectly for us.

 

Two years ago, we had our kids with us, and wanted the same waiter, so we put a standing reservation each night for the same table - perfect.

 

Last month, it was just my wife and I, and we tried Chops and Portofino's, so we decided on just a walk up MTD option - worked well for us that cruise.

 

I've never going back to traditional dining.

[AmberCascades]

Wouldn't the ultimate answer come from the MDR itself? i.e. if the doors are closed when you get there then too bad, so sad, you missed it. And if the doors are wide open and welcoming, then you can feel free to go on in? I think the MDR, like most places involved in high volume food service, would be able to deal with it. I'm not saying it's right or wrong for them to show up 30 minutes late. My point is, he won't know for sure until he either speaks to his servers or shows up in the MDR.

 

And yes, some people around here don't seem to be happy until an innocent-question-asking OP is flogged and beaten and used to mop the floor. It makes them feel better, I guess.

[critterchick]

Thanks for this and others for your replies. We have requested a table for 4, like the timing of the early seating and the idea of having the same servers. On Freedom, our Server Hunny, added tremendously to what was already an amazing experience. She took a genuine liking to our kids and treated them like royalty (and got teary when our son did not show up for dinner the last night and gave him a huge hug when her surprised us (and her) by arriving after all). The reason I asked the question was to be sure we showed respect to our severs. My wife worked as a waitress in her younger days and was a flight attendant before we had kids and my son currently buses tables, so we are very much on the side of showing respect to who wait on us. If we get the table we requested, I'll talk it through with our waiter. If too late is too late, maybe I'll look into Izumi for the family. Thanks again all!!

 

We had a Med cruise years ago with early seating at 7:00pm. We were in port in Villefranche sur Mer until 10 and decided on the spur of the moment to stop at a café for wine and appetizers, ended up not returning to the ship until 7:30, so skipped dinner (we were full, anyway:D). The next evening our waiter told us to come up until 8:00 and they could accommodate us with no problem (late seating was 9:30). We did not ask, he volunteered, and we took him up on it on a couple of evenings where we didn't leave port until after 7:00pm.

 

Now, the difference is that your cruise will likely be full - ours was about 1/3 empty (it wasn't long enough after 9/11 for Americans to fill the ships overseas and the international market had not yet been developed) and the Spaniards, who were the majority onboard, were eating late. So we had many empty tables at early seating. So arriving late was fine under those circumstances, since they only had 4 tables to deal with, but that was an extraordinary event. And it was in the good old days where RCI actually had enough waitstaff to cover the MDR - they have cut back a lot, and I find the service to be rushed and harried most of the time because IMO the staffing is inadequate.

 

Your servers will never say "don't come, it's too late" - they don't want to jeopardize their gratuities and so will work around your schedule. But 30 minutes is too late in my opinion, and staggering arrival times would disrupt their routine even more. Plus Izumi is really good, so I would vote for that option.:)

[AeroBaldness]

And yes, some people around here don't seem to be happy until an innocent-question-asking OP is flogged and beaten and used to mop the floor. It makes them feel better, I guess.

 

:D its funny, I really tried had to choose my words wisely (and honestly) so as to not have this devolve into one of those polarizing topics. Good news is, I really did get some quality replies on both sides that helped with my question and some perspective I would not have had, had I not asked.

[iheartbda]

True. I think a lot of people just read the title and put in their two cents without evening bothering to read any of the posts before theirs :o

It seems there are many times when people read the title and immediately hit reply. So many times I want to ask the person if they bothered to read anything first but I bite my fingers.:D

[steveru621]

Absolutely not true - they switch lines over in the galley, and having people come in late makes it difficult for the waiters and galley. And it does affect the other tables the waiters are serving - they have to work harder to "catch up" the late comers, and it affects their service to the other tables in their station. We know; we've had it happen to us.

 

How does MTD work? They use the same galley as traditional dining. Absolutely!

 

As far as trips to the kitchen, what if I don't like my appetizer or entree'? Is a new one beamed in or does the waiter return to the kitchen?

[UNV-IT!!!]

While it's not the norm I have shown up almost a full hour late on more then one occasion. The key is when I arrive I make it clear to my servers. I was late. No need for all the show and dance. Grab a menu and have them bring me everything at once. That way they aren't having to worry about bringing me each item when finished. I usually let them finish up their other tables and then will have them clear mine. I also try and stack things just to make the clean up easier for them. There is nothing wrong with showing up late. Just understand your service will suffer. If you can make it easier on the server they usually will accommodate anything.<br/>

 

Sorry, you can justify it if you want but being an hour late to dinner is just plain rude. Your servers may not say anything, but they definitely don't like it. I have been told this personally from a server that is a personal family friend.

 

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I wasn't trying to justify it. I was saying I make it a point to make things easier on them. I don't walk in an hour late and expect to eat as if I walked in on time. I condense everything and make their process easier.

[yj2cute]

I wasn't trying to justify it. I was saying I make it a point to make things easier on them. I don't walk in an hour late and expect to eat as if I walked in on time. I condense everything and make their process easier.

 

Then why don't you just do MTD?

 

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[UNV-IT!!!]

Then why don't you just do MTD?

 

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Because typically I am always on time to dinner. I don't like mtd. I'll continue to do things the way I do.