Carnival Dining Room Shows - Yay or Nay?

[Rena921]

We enjoy the shows, but we do ATD and usually miss them. I don't have a problem with the napkin twirling, but I do have issues with the waiters dancing on the same pedestals they place the trays of food on while sorting the orders.I assume these are the same shoes they wear into the restrooms. Gross!

Don't think this would be allowed in restaurants in the United States.

 

Oh, but it is allowed in many restaurants...

[CatgirlNC]

We just disembarked the Pride last week and we suffered through SEVEN nights of this nonsense. While the waitstaff were 'getting ready' for their performance, the Maitre d' inflicted his uneven singing voice on us. ALL SEVEN NIGHTS!

 

I was just on the Pride, and my mother absolutely HATED the singing Maitre’D. It was more entertaining to watch her sitting there making faces than to listen to him sing.

As for the show, I could take it or leave it. I don’t mind it as long as I’ve gotten my dessert. I hate when you’re still waiting to order or get your dessert, and then you have to wait while the waiters dance. But I wouldn’t miss it if it goes away. I have gone on plenty of cruises with no show in the MDR, and had just as good a time.

[RobinKY]

I do not like the shows and I am pretty sure the wait staff doesn't like doing them.

 

I am there for a nice meal with good service. My last cruise was on CCL and was my first on CCL. While the food and atmosphere were great the service was very regimented. Water guy - take drink order - bread guy - take entrée order. If you wanted more bread (my kids loved the bread) you were lucky to get it. Also the bar service was very very slow.

 

I want the wait staff focused on making my meal enjoyable, not all this other hijinx

[cruizinisthebest]

Don't mind the dancing. It's the (used) napkin twirling that bothers me. We call them 'Dirty Napkin Dances'

 

With many germ-o-phobes on here I'm surprised this in never mentioned.

Germs are all over in every air space. And many more in that seat you take in the MDR and on the menus everyone touches.

Edited March 5, 2015 by cruizinisthebest

[cruizinisthebest]

It truly baffles me when people who don't like something with the dining room in particular (elegant night, dancing) suggest separating out the wants from the want nots. The answer to everything isn't segregation. It's all or nothing. No wonder the world is getting more divided every day.

I totally agree.

[Sparky2]

Love the entertainment in the MDR. We are usually at a 2-top when we cruise by ourselves so are through with dessert before the 10-tops receive theirs. However, we ask if there will be entertainment, and if so we wait patiently for it.

[SadieN]

Germs are all over in every air space. And many more in that seat you take in the MDR and on the menus everyone touches.

 

 

Ever see the stuff that flies out of those things.[emoji33]

 

we don't sanitize anything upon boarding but.....

[wrigley80]

The singing and dancing is the MDR is probably the only reason why I go to the dining room for dinner

[The4Cruisers]

I would like to know what the staff would wish and go alone with them, I never asked them ,how or why would they enjoy that when they over work under paid?

 

You don't have to ask. There are plenty of "experts" on here that know the wait staff is mortified, etc. :rolleyes:

 

Yeah, right! ;)

[srlafleur]

You don't have to ask. There are plenty of "experts" on here that know the wait staff is mortified, etc. :rolleyes:

 

Yeah, right! ;)

 

Yup. While there are usually a few among the waitstaff who look like they can't wait for it to be over, there seem to be many who look like they're loving it. And, yes, I'm aware that it's their job to look like they're not miserable, but if they're faking it, some of them deserve Academy Awards...

[camarowesley]

Oh, but it is allowed in many restaurants...

Doesn't make it any less nasty.

[GottaLuvCruising]

I'm OK either way. I've seen them all so many times; songs don't change often enough for frequent cruisers. I agree that the wait staff are rushed as it is. The frustration for me is getting a table way off to the side, down a couple steps from "the action" so we can't see it anyway. If we're in the center of the dining room, then at least we feel included.

[Raven Days]

Just read Nancy's post to John on FB. I felt the need this morning to tell the truth and call her out. Basically, I said that she lies. I even posted the grand total of our poll which is 158 - far from the hundreds she claims are responding.

 

I never do things like that, but I am so tired of seeing CC people be bashed on FB because of an exageration or out right lie that someone tells. Whoever Nancy is, I sure hope she responds to my comment - or that she shows up here and tries to explain her lies. :D

 

I saw the same thing. I was amazed. So I came back to CC to see for myself the "hundreds" of Cruise Critic cruisers who hates the dancing and swinging....

 

Boy was I surprised when I saw the TRUE results of the poll. Now, not sure who wrote to JH, could have been the OP and it could have been another poster who wanted to stir the pot, so to speak. But who ever it was, did what they set out to accomplish. There is certainly a lot of discussion over there about it and us. I posted the true results as well to show that it was not hundreds opposed but actually it was over 100 in favor. But on the positive side, the dancing and swinging isn't going anywhere....Not yet at least....:D

[2chilover]

I voted "other" - I could take or leave the show and it only lasts a few minutes so what's the big deal? But please stop the napkin swinging. Gross.

[angela12345]

I was just on the Pride, and my mother absolutely HATED the singing Maitre’D. It was more entertaining to watch her sitting there making faces than to listen to him sing.

As for the show, I could take it or leave it. I don’t mind it as long as I’ve gotten my dessert. I hate when you’re still waiting to order or get your dessert, and then you have to wait while the waiters dance. But I wouldn’t miss it if it goes away. I have gone on plenty of cruises with no show in the MDR, and had just as good a time.

 

We like the dinnertime fun show. And, we all loved the singing Maitre'D. In fact, the first night, we thought it was a recording and he was lip-syncing (which we realized he wasn't). He even sang with the Embers a couple times. BUT, I wish we were sitting at your table so I could have seen your mom's faces, haha. Had a lot of fun meeting you guys this week. We have been exhausted since we got home, might have something to do with only a few hours of sleep each night. Everyone here has been suitably impressed with our Solid gold plastic ship on a stick. : )

[renebfl]

haven't been on Carnival for a while, but I am anxiously awaiting to return this May. We look forward to our late dining and being entertained at our dinner. It gets the place rocking and bring me great energy to make me want to party more. Memories were made during our past Carnival cruises at our dinners. Its just different than any other cruise line.

[josiemartinez]

I truly enjoy the MDR singing and dancing. I was just on a RC cruise and it was just conversation. Not bad in the beginning but after a while, it would have been refreshing to wave a napkin and sing along with the servers.

[MsFox]

I love the singing and dancing. It's entertaining. Although, I did ATD, so my last Carnival cruise, I just saw it one time.

[mzloolue]

I have been on cruises on which the staff was obviously having a good time with the dancing.

 

However, now that I think about it, the cruises where the folk were having fun was back when the waiters had fewer tables and had a bit of time to visit with passengers.

 

I remember waiters from cruises way back when while I don't remember the ones from recent cruises.

And I think it is because there is no time to talk and joke with those folk now.

[k2excursion]

Don't mind the dancing. It's the (used) napkin twirling that bothers me. We call them 'Dirty Napkin Dances'

 

With many germ-o-phobes on here I'm surprised this in never mentioned.

 

I do agree with that. With all the crumbs flying through the air off the napkins and landing on your plate, I just try to guard my plate when the napkins start twirling.

 

I think that it's fine to have differences of opinion. I find more often that the people who don't like it are way more vocal and are more demanding that it be put to death. There are plenty of people who don't like it, yet they tolerate it because others are enjoying it. I commend them. I've had a few tablemates like that. People like that are not grumpy. But some people want to rob others of having the fun just because they themselves don't like it. I've had a few tablemates like that too. But it is interesting to take these kind of polls to see where the majority actually stands on the subject. If it were overwhelming that it needs to end, then sure, it would make sense to look into ending it. I'm happy to see that this hasn't been the result.

Edited March 6, 2015 by k2excursion

[Rosefloater]

I love the shows and after 28 cruises with Carnival have yet to run into staff that seem "mortified". Once or twice we've had some crappy dining staff that had crappy attitudes about the show, but trust me, that also spilled out into their job as servers too. Wasn't just the show, believe me.

 

We've had some waiters hide in the kitchen when they know the show is about to start. It is really funny seeing the waiters standing by the kitchen doors. We've also had a few waiters hide by their stations until they got caught by the maitre d's. These were great waiters, not crappy ones.

[Rosefloater]

Don't mind the dancing. It's the (used) napkin twirling that bothers me. We call them 'Dirty Napkin Dances'

 

With many germ-o-phobes on here I'm surprised this in never mentioned.

 

Germs are all over in every air space. And many more in that seat you take in the MDR and on the menus everyone touches.

 

Yes germs are all over the menus. But, having food (either crumbs or food that was spit out) or snot flung onto your body or onto your food, is just as bad as being sneezed/coughed on.

 

I do agree with that. With all the crumbs flying through the air off the napkins and landing on your plate, I just try to guard my plate when the napkins start twirling.

 

I always want to leave when I see people starting to twirl the dirty napkins, but my family get upset when I do. So I just cover my plate or my face.

[MCFTJCH2V]

Yes germs are all over the menus. But, having food (either crumbs or food that was spit out) or snot flung onto your body or onto your food, is just as bad as being sneezed/coughed on.

 

 

 

I always want to leave when I see people starting to twirl the dirty napkins, but my family get upset when I do. So I just cover my plate or my face.

 

I do agree with that. With all the crumbs flying through the air off the napkins and landing on your plate, I just try to guard my plate when the napkins start twirling.

 

I think that it's fine to have differences of opinion. I find more often that the people who don't like it are way more vocal and are more demanding that it be put to death. There are plenty of people who don't like it, yet they tolerate it because others are enjoying it. I commend them. I've had a few tablemates like that. People like that are not grumpy. But some people want to rob others of having the fun just because they themselves don't like it. I've had a few tablemates like that too. But it is interesting to take these kind of polls to see where the majority actually stands on the subject. If it were overwhelming that it needs to end, then sure, it would make sense to look into ending it. I'm happy to see that this hasn't been the result.

 

I'm spending very little trying to imagine how crumbs got into my napkin, or worse, germs. By the time twirling starts, I may have wiped the corner of my mouth, but never brushed my teeth with it.

 

The dancing on the serving stations which may contaminate the bottom of the tray was an interesting scenario as well. My food nor even my plate ever touches the bottom of that tray.

 

Most will get more contamination from a simple cough.

[iluvit!]

We sneak out when they dim the lights

[Rena921]

I guess we just enjoy having a great time, my family often dances with the waitstaff. ;)