Dinning Room service a little down on Oasis

[tomahawk246]

I Just got off Oasis today. This is not a big deal, but a couple of things I noticed about the dinning room service. They did not offer us toast and danish in the main dinning room when we went in for breakfast and it was offered to other tables. The evening in the dinning room we had to ask for bread on most nights, and they never came back again for seconds. We had MTD and I believe that the servers are not happy with the MTD option. The worst thing that happened, one morning at Johnny Rockets we were told we should take an outside seat because they could not guarantee us a seat if we waited for an inside seat and it was 30 min. before they closed. One evening we walked in the main dinning room at 9:15 and the dinning room closed at 9:30, we could visually see that the dinning room staff was not happy with us coming in at that time. This being said, we had a great time and these were observations and did not even bother us at all. I know that these people have a difficult job and try to please everyone.

[cb at sea]

Sounds like it was isolated incidents. As far as coming to dinner at 9:15, that is pushing it, IMO....Those folks would like to get off by 10-10:30....starting dinner that late would totally throw off the schedule, I would imagine.

[cruisingagentone]

I am really surprised you were even seated at 9:15 that is really pushing it IMO. And at JR they were just being honest about the fact you may not get served if you wait.

[tomahawk246]

I am really surprised you were even seated at 9:15 that is really pushing it IMO. And at JR they were just being honest about the fact you may not get served if you wait.

 

The only reason I went at this time was because someone told me they had a 9:30 reservation the previous night which made me think this was OK. If the dinning room is open until 9:30, when is OK to arrive?

[Doc2725]

The only reason I went at this time was because someone told me they had a 9:30 reservation the previous night which made me think this was OK. If the dinning room is open until 9:30, when is OK to arrive?

 

Use your best judgement, but I think it would be pretty clear to anyone that going in right before a place closed would not be appropriate. If a restaurant at home closed at 11:00 PM, you would go in at 10:45. That would mean they need to stay open anything hour minimum just to accommodate one person. That being said, if you like a later dinner, there are plenty of other sit down restaurants on Oasis open past 9:30.

[Luvfuninthesun]

If the door is open, and you are let in, then it's ok to expect good service. It's not your place to try and guess these answers. And the servers were wrong to make you feel uncomfortable.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

[Spurschick]

The only reason I went at this time was because someone told me they had a 9:30 reservation the previous night which made me think this was OK. If the dinning room is open until 9:30, when is OK to arrive?

 

The point is they "stated" they had a reservation, which sounds like they were doing MTD. You don't specify what dining arrangements you had but the hours are clearly stated in the daily compass as to what time traditional dining and MTD are but on our recent cruise MTD closed at 9pm which I would understand as last entry 9pm.

 

Sorry just noticed you had MTD

 

I always make sure we have booking but if within advertised hours you should be okay.

 

If in doubt ask!

Edited July 5, 2014 by Spurschick

[brenderlou]

As a former waitress "way back when" I would not go into a restaurant 15 min prior to close. These people have been working a looong day and putting up with every kind of attitude. Dinner takes approx 1 1/2 hrs so I would go in an hour prior to close and then request fast service so staff can call it a night.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums mobile app

Edited July 5, 2014 by brenderlou

[awhcruiser]

I've been to the dining room...Not sure about the dinning room.

[awhcruiser]

Just curious why someone would eat dinner so late?

IOne evening we walked in the main dinning room at 9:15 and the dinning room closed at 9:30, we could visually see that the dinning room staff was not happy with us coming in at that time. This being said, we had a great time and these were observations and did not even bother us at all. I know that these people have a difficult job and try to please everyone.

[Merion_Mom]

Just curious why someone would eat dinner so late?

 

It is certainly none of our business WHY tomahawk wanted to eat at 9:15. Seriously. :rolleyes:

[mickeysgal]

Even if you went in there 15 min prior to close, you should have not been made to feel uncomfortable. If they don't want anyone there within x amount of minutes prior to their posted OPEN times, they should state, no seatings past xx o'clock.

[toxicfairy]

Open until 9:30 and seating until 9:30 are 2 different things. Open until means at 9:30 doors close which typically means that BY 9:30 the grills are off and clean, food prep stations need to be cleaned, dishes are getting done and put away ect. It can take 2 hours or better to get every thing done so it's ready for the next day.

Seating until 9:30 means just that , they seat until 9:30.

If they close at 9:30 do you expect them to cook and serve you in 15 minutes?? Just because there are others seated doesn't mean anything since they could have been in there for an hour already.

[foxgoodrich]

I've eaten at 9:15 or thereabouts many times on land, both out and at home, though never on a ship, other than one late rezzie at Chops. (but that's really beside the point and not the issue here) And many years ago I worked for a food/drink establishment and I do remember how nice it was to get out early. And that's exactly what we were TOLD - that we needed to be prepared to work until 2:00am, but if we had no late customers we could get out earlier. It was great when we got to leave early, but if we didn't, we were expected to be hospitable and represent the establishment well to the customer. We were 'counseled' by the boss if we were observed or reported NOT being hospitable to late customers.

 

To me the bottom line is simple - open hours are open hours. That's just how the world works. The accurate open hours should be posted and honored by the establishment. If MTD wants to stop admitting diners at 9:00pm, they should say so, make it official, and end MTD at 9:00pm. What they say officially now is that MTD seating is available until 9:30. So if people arrive at 9:15, they should just suck it up and observe their posted open hours with a smile. You can't always get off work early.

Judy

Edited July 5, 2014 by foxgoodrich

[awhcruiser]

They want to close the dining room by 9:30pm. See post #5:rolleyes:

It is certainly none of our business WHY tomahawk wanted to eat at 9:15. Seriously. :rolleyes:

Edited July 6, 2014 by awhcruiser

[LMaxwell]

They state seating until 930; they should have accommodated you same as any other guest. If anyone thinks kitchen is anywhere close to closed and cleaned up by 930 you are dreaming.

 

Sent from my cm_tenderloin using Tapatalk

[BEAV]

They want to close the dining room by 9:30pm. See post #5:rolleyes:

 

if the ship seats guests at 9:15pm, then they obviously don't expect to turn the lights out at 9:30pm. :rolleyes:

[F27TW]

As a former waitress "way back when" I would not go into a restaurant 15 min prior to close. These people have been working a looong day and putting up with every kind of attitude. Dinner takes approx 1 1/2 hrs so I would go in an hour prior to close and then request fast service so staff can call it a night.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums mobile app

 

no .. TOO BAD what some waitress wants or thinks ... if the place THEY WORK IN accepts guests up till a certain time then they should expect to be seated till then ... NOT to finish their shift at their time.

 

and no attitude either .... Buh-Bye. Server easily replaced.

[Langley Cruisers]

...and no attitude either .... Buh-Bye. Server easily replaced.

 

Server not easily replaced on a cruise ship.

[Oville]

Even if you went in there 15 min prior to close, you should have not been made to feel uncomfortable. If they don't want anyone there within x amount of minutes prior to their posted OPEN times, they should state, no seatings past xx o'clock.

 

LOL. Think of breakfast or lunch in the MDR , how many people show up within a minute or two of closing.

 

MTD brags about eating on your own schedule and the cruise line lists the hours available. If MTD is opened for dinner until 9:30 then someone arriving at 9:29:59 should be seated and treated with respect.

[critterchick]

Just curious why someone would eat dinner so late?

 

That's early in many cultures. It's Royal Caribbean INTERNATIONAL, after all.

 

no .. TOO BAD what some waitress wants or thinks ... if the place THEY WORK IN accepts guests up till a certain time then they should expect to be seated till then ... NOT to finish their shift at their time.

 

and no attitude either .... Buh-Bye. Server easily replaced.

 

What a lovely sentiment.

[leaveitallbehind]

We had MTD and I believe that the servers are not happy with the MTD option.

 

The worst thing that happened, one morning at Johnny Rockets we were told we should take an outside seat because they could not guarantee us a seat if we waited for an inside seat and it was 30 min. before they closed.

 

IMO and based on our experience I disagree that the wait staff is not happy with MTD! We have received consistently good service with MTD and your experience is likely and isolated issue with that particular wait staff. Especially as you indicated other tables were receiving the service you were not.

 

Sounds like JR's was just crowded. It is a popular venue with limited seating that is often very busy. This is not an indication of a down turn in service at all IMO.

Edited July 6, 2014 by leaveitallbehind

[tomahawk246]

IMO and based on our experience I disagree that the wait staff is not happy with MTD! We have received consistently good service with MTD and your experience is likely and isolated issue with that particular wait staff. Especially as you indicated other tables were receiving the service you were not.

 

Sounds like JR's was just crowded. It is a popular venue with limited seating that is often very busy. This is not an indication of a down turn in service at all IMO.

 

It looked like they were more service oriented to the large tables and less considerate to the tables for two.

[heyabbott]

That's early in many cultures. It's Royal Caribbean INTERNATIONAL, after all.

 

 

 

 

 

 

.

 

 

Exactly.

 

9-10 pm isn't late for dinner, it's very continental.

 

There's a difference between when a restaurant closes and when the kitchen closes. Restaurant stop seating people when it closes but the kitchen is open until the last customers finish. Many good restaurants and diners are our way have a closing time and when the kitchen closes. Business serves the customer, not the other way around.

 

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

[Beardface]

The worst thing that happened, one morning at Johnny Rockets we were told we should take an outside seat because they could not guarantee us a seat if we waited for an inside seat and it was 30 min. before they closed.

 

I just got off the ship on this past Saturday as well. I'll say this, if you're referring to the Johnny Rockets breakfast on the day of St. Thomas, they were just being honest with you. My wife and I sat down outside and it was a good 45 minutes before we were served. Didn't bother us, as we didn't have anywhere to be for a while, but they were absolutely slammed that morning. We went in on Friday for breakfast, and were served within 10 minutes of placing our order.

 

As for the MDR... We had a 8:30 seating and absolutely loved it. I'll be honest, with the service we got, we actually felt like we made a mistake in eating at Chops and 150 Central Park over the course of the week (especially considering how they upsell and charge you for expensive wine at the 2 specialty dining venues when wines at the MDR are included in your drink package... Those 2 venues alone cost us a pretty penny overall).

 

I will say this. The Windjammer wasn't that great. Breakfast and lunch, the food was no better than your average college buffet, and more than once both my wife and I left it not feeling too great. The food quality in there was very, very substandard based on the rest of the options present on the ship.