Quickest service you've had in MDR

[AidenandCasensMommy]

Our first night is going to be jam packed. I'm afraid I can't fit in everything I want to do. Early dining, martini tasting (6pm-?), liquor tasting (7pm) in another part of the ship, Welcome Aboard show (7:30). I'm not sure that we can make all of that happen. We are a party of 2 but I'm not sure if we will be seated with others or if we would need to wait to order with table mates.

[coevan]

This is why we always choose YTD, eat around the activities.

[AidenandCasensMommy]

This is why we always choose YTD, eat around the activities.

 

I know, we are Waitlisted for YTD! 😭😭😭 I'm so sad about it!

[A&Jfamily]

Our first night is going to be jam packed. I'm afraid I can't fit in everything I want to do. Early dining, martini tasting (6pm-?), liquor tasting (7pm) in another part of the ship, Welcome Aboard show (7:30). I'm not sure that we can make all of that happen. We are a party of 2 but I'm not sure if we will be seated with others or if we would need to wait to order with table mates.

 

Let me see if I can help out. Alchemy bar usually opens at 5, and they should offer the martini tasting then. Just go have drinks before dinner. Do not worry about the liquor tasting - it is JAM packed - for tiny samples. Dinner in the MDR can be done in 1 hr 20 min, if you don't fuss with coffee and whatnot. You should be able to get to the show by 730.

 

If you are seated with others, and everyone is on time, yes, you will order together. But, if you arrive first, you can't count on anyone else joining. Just tell the staff you really want to see the show at 730 and they can get you out the door.

 

My best advice for cruising is do not try to cram to much in. I know it feels a lot like Disney - I paid for this dang it so I am gonna go til I drop. But really, a cruise is supposed to be fun and relaxing, and it isn't either when you are too focused on moving from one thing to another. If you like cruising, this will not be your last, so there is will be plenty of other cruises to fill in what you missed.

[nwo4life]

This is why we eat pizza and from the deli, we rate activities and entertainment over dining room service.

 

 

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[HawkIVette]

The key words are "everything I want to do". Maybe you could go to martini tasting-6:00, liquor tasting-7:00, Welcome Aboard show-7:30, then make a reservation for the steak house for just the 2 of you- 9:00.

Edited November 1, 2016 by HawkIVette

[BoDidly]

Never had quick service in the MDR :eek:.

[Banditswife]

You can fill up on pizza or burgers earlier, then do everything you wish, later have a snack from Lido or room service.

[AidenandCasensMommy]

You can fill up on pizza or burgers earlier, then do everything you wish, later have a snack from Lido or room service.

 

That's what we're leaning toward! I don't think we will be onboard until after 1:00 for lunch so we probably won't even be hungry again at 6:00. Too many other fun activities going on that night!

[Nic6318]

Hi

 

I agree with A & J Family, get your drinks early and go to your early seating dinner. You do know that they usually have the martini tasting more than once.

 

Instead of grabbing hamburgers and pizza on Lido have a nice dinner (unless you really prefer hamburgers/pizza) in the MDR. If you see that service is slow, just skip desert and coffee, have that at the Lido buffet after the show. That way you are not rushed.

 

I also agree that the liquor tasting is a waste of time for the thimble full of alcohol they are giving you.

 

don't try to do everything at once, pace yourself

have a great cruise

[The4Cruisers]

Interesting thread...

 

I'd be ticked if my DW had the cruise activities planned out before we even left the house! I hate having to book shore excursions that early too.

 

We get the Fun Times each night on the way to dinner and then map out the next day with our cruise partners while at the MDR or while lounging afterwards.

 

Even though there's lots to do and plan (if you want to), I will not be having a preset schedule for the cruise. :cool:

[AidenandCasensMommy]

Interesting thread...

 

I'd be ticked if my DW had the cruise activities planned out before we even left the house! I hate having to book shore excursions that early too.

 

We get the Fun Times each night on the way to dinner and then map out the next day with our cruise partners while at the MDR or while lounging afterwards.

 

Even though there's lots to do and plan (if you want to), I will not be having a preset schedule for the cruise. :cool:

 

Funny how everyone's different. My husband is as laid back as they come & would never be ticked off that I want to do tasting, which only happens the first night of the cruise. I am a planner by heart but that's all I know for sure I want to do so far. So the rest is very relaxed... So far! 😜

[GROUCHPUSS]

You can correct me if I am wrong but aren't most welcome aboard shows at 10:00pm. Just looked at last 4 cruises from this year and each one was at 10pm

[Micahs Grandad]

Have dinner the first night at lido.

 

And generally welcome aboard show is much later than 7 30.

[louanne93]

Have dinner at the steak house the first night. You will also get a free bottle of wine! I am a planner too, and after 10 cruises still like to get everything in.

[summersigh]

To speed up MDR dining ask your waiter for the desert menu when you get the main menu. Tell the wait staff you're in a hurry. Order desert when you order your meal. It will cut down on that wait time between entree and desert.

[coevan]

This is why we eat pizza and from the deli, we rate activities and entertainment over dining room service.

 

 

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You seriously eat pizza and sandwiches for a week and never sit down and have dinner served? In 21 day B2B we never ate in anywhere but the MDR and Steakhouse 4 times.

[coevan]

This is why we eat pizza and from the deli, we rate activities and entertainment over dining room service.

 

 

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You seriously eat pizza and sandwiches for a week and never sit down and have dinner served? In 21 day B2B we never ate in anywhere but the MDR, Steakhouse 4 times, and one Chef's table

[nwo4life]

You seriously eat pizza and sandwiches for a week and never sit down and have dinner served? In 21 day B2B we never ate in anywhere but the MDR, Steakhouse 4 times, and one Chef's table

 

 

Seriously, this is what we do. Our first 10 cruises or so we never missed a night in the MDR. Then once we missed one night and saw how much more time we had to enjoy the evening, we have not returned to the MDR.

 

 

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[tef43]

we rate activities and entertainment over dining room service.

In all our years of cruising, we've *NEVER* found an activity worth missing a meal over.

[Cruzin2paradise09]

To speed up MDR dining ask your waiter for the desert menu when you get the main menu. Tell the wait staff you're in a hurry. Order desert when you order your meal. It will cut down on that wait time between entree and desert.

 

 

Would only do this if there were no others at the table.

 

To the OP, not being critical but if you want to be on a strict time schedule, the MDR isn't for you. Do leisurely meals at the buffet, pizza, etc. The waitstaff have MANY tables now and have a rhythm so to speak. If they have to hurry your table up, then someone else's table ma be subjected to wait longer than they should have to.

 

 

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[AidenandCasensMommy]

We found a solution! We are getting Cheers, so we won't have to worry about rushing to any tasting events. We can enjoy the MDR & maybe some wine. Can you believe I've never had wine & I'm in my 30's?! Never too late to start, right?

[coevan]

WOW, pizza and sandwiches for a week, hard to fathom. Steak, lobster, prime rib, shrimp, appetizers, soups, and chocolate melting cake with an extra scoop of ice cream. No thanks, i'll have slice of pepperoni pizza, to each his own.

[kenrad]

One time in the MDR on early seating...with full meal (bread and salad to dessert) we were in and out in 45 minutes. Yes this was a huge anomaly...not sure how this happened but it did. Top notch wait staff...the other nights it was more like 1 hr 15 minutes.

[LMaxwell]

About 50-60 minutes. Just let them know you want service sped up and order multiple courses at once. We had a baby with us and knew that was about the limit for good behavior. Was not a problem at all.