Question about the MDR

[Canadian Cruiser98]

Forgive if this is a stupid question, we just booked a cruise with Princess and it will be our first time sailing with them. I noticed that the MDR menu is split into "small plates" and "soups and salads", whereas most lines we've been on just have "appetizers". Does this mean that the appetizers consist of 2 courses, where we order one small plate, followed by a soup or salad? Or is this just that you have a choice of one or the other?

Thanks!

[Murphey]

You can have either or all.....:) Your choice, whatever you want.

[shredie]

You can have either or all.....:) Your choice, whatever you want.

 

Yep. You can have one of each or none or all of them. You don't need to order just one thing from a category. I've known people to have several appetizers and no entree. Once cruised with a lady who always had the Fettuccine Alfredo and then two deserts.

[paddingtonbear]

If it's a big table it's a good idea to specify if you want whatever you order (your choice entirely) as a starter or a main. They generally bring the starters, wait for everyone to finish, bring the mains, wait for everyone to finish etc.

 

We had a couple on our table who had two of each and we all had to watch as the consumed them all.

Made a long drawn out dinner. We ended up asking for a table with no more than six.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Edited May 8, 2016 by paddingtonbear

[geejay]

Yep. You can have one of each or none or all of them. You don't need to order just one thing from a category. I've known people to have several appetizers and no entree. Once cruised with a lady who always had the Fettuccine Alfredo and then two deserts.

 

OMG, was that me??

 

:rolleyes:

[SadieN]

OMG, was that me??

 

 

 

:rolleyes:

 

 

I've been known to do that.

One time it was appetizer, dessert in the MDR then the carved lamb at the buffet.

Waiters were totally confused, lol.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums mobile app

[shredie]

OMG, was that me??

 

:rolleyes:

 

LOL. No, I think the lady was from Quebec. She said she dreamed about the fettuccine for weeks before she cruises.

Edited May 8, 2016 by shredie

[skynight]

Order as many items from the any section of the menu as you can eat. Really no limits.

[Alaskan Joe]

Even in the specialty restaurants you can get anything from any section of the menu. My wife and I was in one of the steak houses and we wanted 3 different veggies so we were trying to decide which 2 to get??? The waiter was like why not all 3:D, we were like sounds awesome. However this was a mistake, we could not move afterwards we were so full it was not funny. Next came dessert :eek:...LoL. Just a friendly reminder if you go hungry on cruise ship it your own fault.

[Pam in CA]

Plus, you can have an appetizer version of an entree, such as fettuccine Alfredo, or an appetizer in an entree size. I often order a salad with grilled chicken for my entree.

 

All you have to do is ask. :)

[azbirdmom]

I've had the fettuccine with grilled chicken and broccoli on top when nothing else has looked good on the menu. They are very accommodating most of the time.

[OCruisers]

No Limit! You certainly may order everything you please. :)

Adults may also order from the Kid's Menu. DH loves the Love Boat Volcano (Banana Split) on the Kid's Menu. :D

LuLu

[Eaglecw]

Every night I always have an appetizer portion of Fettuccine Alfredo with a grilled chicken breast sliced on top, the main entrée and a cheese cake with strawberries on top for desert.I sometimes will order from the children's menu.

[shredie]

I recently converted our table to kids' menu fans when they found out about the garden salad. It's just your basic salad with no fancy stuff and with your choice of dressing. My SIL has asked for shrimp on his fettuccine and gotten it. Really, there are endless choices.

[OCruisers]

I recently converted our table to kids' menu fans when they found out about the garden salad. It's just your basic salad with no fancy stuff and with your choice of dressing. .

 

That kid's garden salad works because it's not so big.

Another from the kid's is the spaghetti & meatballs which is way better than you might think it would be. ;)

[KruzPrincess]

I recently converted our table to kids' menu fans when they found out about the garden salad. It's just your basic salad with no fancy stuff and with your choice of dressing. My SIL has asked for shrimp on his fettuccine and gotten it. Really, there are endless choices.

 

Thanks for the tip. I love salad, but I don't always want the fancy one. I have ordered from the kids' menu for other things, but I never thought about the salad there. I'll have to try that. I met some people on a cruise and one of them is a very plain eater. I introduced him to the kids' menu and he loves it. He loves the volcano, too!

[dizlove]

That kid's garden salad works because it's not so big.

Another from the kid's is the spaghetti & meatballs which is way better than you might think it would be. ;)

 

The kids chicken fingers are SO good!! they will bring you a double order as a full meal! and the fries too yum!

[Pam in CA]

Thanks for the tip. I love salad, but I don't always want the fancy one. I have ordered from the kids' menu for other things, but I never thought about the salad there.

I've ordered a plain salad with grilled chicken as my entree for years. You don't even have to ask for the kids' menu. I love the honey mustard dressing. It's relatively light and delicious.

[shredie]

Another from the kid's is the spaghetti & meatballs which is way better than you might think it would be. ;)

 

Yes to the spaghetti. I've found it to be identical to the adult version they serve on Italian night. The fish and chips are also good. (I think we've turned this thread into a kids' menu fan club.):D

[IECalCruiser]

On the Princess dinner menu there will typically be three different appetizers every night and the always available shrimp cocktail followed three different soups, one salad and the always available Caesar salad followed by one different pasta and fettuccine Alfredo. You waitstaff will attempt to bring the food out in courses with the appetizer selection first, then the soups, than the salad and then the pasta before the entree. It can be long night if a number of people order many options, especially if you order just one or two.

 

On our last cruise, one of our table mates ordered three to four items every night while the rest only ordered two at most. It wasn't a problem because all six of us wanted to leave before 7:00 to get good seats in the Cabaret Lounge for the early show. He told our waiters to bring his choices quickly and we were done and off to the show within 90 minutes each night.

[Cruise Raider]

On the Princess dinner menu there will typically be three different appetizers every night and the always available shrimp cocktail followed three different soups, one salad and the always available Caesar salad followed by one different pasta and fettuccine Alfredo. You waitstaff will attempt to bring the food out in courses with the appetizer selection first, then the soups, than the salad and then the pasta before the entree. It can be long night if a number of people order many options, especially if you order just one or two.

 

On our last cruise, one of our table mates ordered three to four items every night while the rest only ordered two at most. It wasn't a problem because all six of us wanted to leave before 7:00 to get good seats in the Cabaret Lounge for the early show. He told our waiters to bring his choices quickly and we were done and off to the show within 90 minutes each night.

 

If we are seated with others, we always ask, 'how many courses' is everyone getting? This way, we can be in sync with the others at the table and aren't holding everyone else up. Many times, I like 2 appetizers, one salad and one soup ... no entrée. They usually ask me in what order they should bring them and which one I would like as my main course.

I never thought about ordering off the kids menu but it sounds absolutely fabulous. Thanks to the post that suggested this.

I also love ordering a salad with chicken on it. I may never go back to the buffet again.

[Wolfhunt]

Haven't cruised Princess yet (will be in less than a week) but it sounds like they are the same as other lines we have cruised.

 

If I order two apps and notice that some others at the table only order one I'll ask the servers if they could bring them both at the same time or at least don't wait in me to bring everyones entrees.

 

On our last cruise I couldn't decide on which dessert, the waiter said try them all, so I did! I had five desserts that night and they brought them all at the same time. I'm usually not much of a dessert person so the look on my wifes face when she saw what I ordered was priceless. We had a great wait staff and dinner mates on that cruise, I'm not sure who was having more fun at our table, us or the wait staff. :)

Edited May 9, 2016 by Wolfhunt

[KruzPrincess]

I've ordered a plain salad with grilled chicken as my entree for years. You don't even have to ask for the kids' menu. I love the honey mustard dressing. It's relatively light and delicious.

 

I've read that you order salad and chicken before, but I always thought you meant Caesar. I've ordered that myself, but I don't always want Caesar. I will have to give this a try. Something new to look forward to. :)

[GUT2407]

Forgive if this is a stupid question, we just booked a cruise with Princess and it will be our first time sailing with them. I noticed that the MDR menu is split into "small plates" and "soups and salads", whereas most lines we've been on just have "appetizers". Does this mean that the appetizers consist of 2 courses, where we order one small plate, followed by a soup or salad? Or is this just that you have a choice of one or the other?

Thanks!

 

As many, or few, of whatever as you want.

[Eaglecw]

I’ve only ordered from the children’s menu at dinner. Has anyone ordered from the children’s menu at lunch in the MDR? Sometimes the look I get when I ask for the children’s menu is priceless.