Heard Suggesting Now Calling the MDR a Restaurant

[USNUZULOOSE]

I guess your sail and sign card will now say restaurant instead of MDR?

[marshhawk]

As long as they don't charge extra to have someone actually bring the food to me, or have to pay extra just to eat. They can call it the greasy spoon as far as I am concerned., just don't charge me extra. FYI -OMG the food on the lido was better than the food in the MDR.

[wanderingjew]

The MDR will now be called >>>>>>Mickey D's

They would have to IMPROVE the FOOD in MDR to do that LOL :D

[berrieh]

Didn't I read somewhere that part of the point of American Table was to make it feel more like a restaurant? I'm assuming that someone just thinks "restaurant" sounds more appealing and less old-fashioned than "dining room." I don't think it means they'll start charging separately for the MDR. The day that happens is the day I stop cruising.

 

I think it's basically exactly this. I also like the look of the new American Table menus and think they seem more updated (especially with some favorites added back). I ALSO like the idea of "no tablecloths" (IF the tables aren't getting too beat up - which is why I was skeptical they could make "no tablecloths" work in this setting, especially with older ships) as tablecloths seem old-fashioned to me. We eat at places with $50 plates sometimes without tablecloths - they seem stuffy to me, not classy. They don't BOTHER me (honestly I never would've even come to this opinion because I don't actually care, but I've been thinking about it with all the controversy). Tablecloths just seem a little 80s/90s to me.

 

Which starts at the source. Why do THEY think they need to change it. This is not the first time the topic has come up.

 

And in perusing the active cruise discussion boards around the net, many are concerned.

 

It seems like a silly thing to be worried about. Like I don't care that Subway calls its sandwich makers "Sandwich Artists" now (I swear that wasn't always a thing) or whatever. People in corporations change the name of things for branding and positioning reasons more than anything else. The American Table menus make the branding/positioning goals clear, it seems. I saw the trend as being less about family style and more about creating a crisp, casual, accessible venue instead of something that seems a little old-fashioned. (I haven't tried the new menu and probably won't anytime soon unless they do a faster roll out, as our next ship still has the old ones. BUT I want to try them and think they look nicer/cleaner/better/more interesting, especially the Port Selections with a drink special. The old menus do seem dated/old-fashioned to me.)

[honestguy]

both mean the same thing. some people get some hung up on stupid things. They pay 500 dollars a person take a 7 day carnival cruise, and think MDR is fine dining, and if you take the tablecloths away it isn't. These folks need to go the there closest big city drop over 200 dollars for dinner for them and their SO and learn what fine dining is. Its not a freaking tablecloth, and carnival, and any other mainline cruise ship has nothing close to fine dining to offer.

[aflyingbuttress]

My husband just said "They could call it 'The Slop Hole' and you're still going to get the same food."

[aflyingbuttress]

Not quite. Just like in a bed and breakfast, you eat in the dining room, not a restaurant. You are not presented with a bill.

 

Actually, many bed and breakfasts call their dining rooms restaurants. One of my close friends owns a B&B, as do her parents, both have "restaurants". I prefer B&Bs to hotels and have stayed at many with "restaurants". Not all do this, but it's certainly not always called a "dining room".

[buddylover]

Silly beards.

Definition of restaurant:

a place where people pay to sit and eat meals that are cooked and served on the premises.

Definition of dining room:

a room where meals are eaten

 

Just a perfect summation.....totally AGREE! Keep it a Main "DINING ROOM" gets our vote for sure (and sounds nicer/classier too).

[twoboysforme]

Of all the things to worry about, this is not making the list.

 

Amen!!! People worry about the silliest things. They can call it whatever they like in my opinion. As long as they still serve food I am good to go ;)

[Towel Critter]

These folks need to go the there closest big city drop over 200 dollars for dinner .

 

Well said.;)

[welldone60]

Silly beards.

Definition of restaurant:

a place where people pay to sit and eat meals that are cooked and served on the premises.

Definition of dining room:

a room where meals are eaten

 

Maybe this is what the "Beards" have in mind.

[LMaxwell]

I think it would just be a change to the image and getting away from old fashioned, or that cruise stigma that it is like a floating old age home (not Carnival so much, but cruising in general has a bit of that flavor to non-cruisers).

 

I don't for a second think Carnival would change the actual dining format / concept. They've built an empire sticking to tried and true...maybe sticking a bit much in some areas. But I don't foresee them making a radical, drastic change in how food and service is incorporated into the cruise fare.

[mousey]

As long as I don't have to pay for the food (unless I want to get a special item)...they can call it whatever they want. Could care less.

[golfb4cruzing]

From JH's postings, it sounds like the beards are fairly young now. They want to change things.

 

It's supposed to be stateroom now instead of cabin.

 

Now they want restaurant instead of dining room.

 

Most of the time I still call the Customer Service Desk the Purser.

 

I don't know why it is, but when I worked in banking, every time we got a new supervisor, their first order of business was to change the name of the department.

 

Today's business model:

 

Let's play some ping pong, take a nap then screw with something that's not broke.

[carsastic]

Today's business model:

 

Let's play some ping pong, take a nap then screw with something that's not broke.

 

if you listen carefully one could hear carnival blowing air into to trial balloons

that's is the value of a fan base and social media , see what floats

the slow march to a la cart cruising.

[jimbo5544]

Maybe this is what the "Beards" have in mind.

 

Me thinks you have Carnival confused with NCL and RCCL.

[jimbo5544]

if you listen carefully one could hear carnival blowing air into to trial balloons

that's is the value of a fan base and social media , see what floats

the slow march to a la cart cruising.

 

As long they are the last one going down that path I am fine with all of the hot air blowing around here. They might be the last cruise line holding the line on traditional dining. I doubt very much Carnival makes wholesale changes based upon the gibberish mentioned here and FB.

[Papa_Bear_]

His last post yesterday said that the "beards" had agreed to keep calling them dining rooms.

[davy jones]

Of all the things to worry about, this is not making the list.

 

I fully agree, but some beards have to justify their salary somehow.

 

(The above comment can apply to many businesses and industries)

[jimbo5544]

I fully agree, but some beards have to justify their salary somehow.

 

(The above comment can apply to many businesses and industries)

 

I would love to be a fly on the wall for some of these meetings to get a better read on how "it works".

[Towel Critter]

if you listen carefully one could hear carnival blowing air into to trial balloons

that's is the value of a fan base and social media , see what floats

the slow march to a la cart cruising.

 

I agree. Heald's real job is to test the waters. Carnival probably has no intention of going al a carte suddenly, but why not do a litmus test on occasion and see if the climate is right for a first step? Name changes are easy, seemingly innocent first steps on the road to major change.