Should cruise lines offer a dining option that does not include the MDR?

[akcruz]

16 minutes ago, MicCanberra said:

the issue being that they normally split the dining room by upper and lower levels. I think they should be able to split it by x amount of sections for Traditional and the rest by Traditional and this may need to flexible and happen during the cruise.

 

While adjusting the percentage of each dining time cruise to cruise or within a cruise could solve a lot I think that would be a logistical nightmare.  I am pretty sure the my time and traditional kitchens are separate and the staff may not be trained on both so would not be able to switch back and forth easily.  

[FionaMG]

I totally agree with the opt-out option and have been advocating it myself for some time now.

We like traditional late dining and a huge part of the experience is the atmosphere of being in a big fancy dining room surrounded by other diners. Nowadays that experience is lessened by the large numbers of empty seats on most nights.

I believe there are lots of people who are not interested in the MDR and who know in advance that they will not be using it, but they are allocated there anyway precisely because no opt-out option exists.

Having an opt-out option would help avoid some of those empty seats and give more people the chance to get their seating preference.

[1025cruise]

I should point out that I'm not against tablemates spending a night at a specialty or the Lido if they so desire. My point is that if they just don't intend to show up at all, they should have that option.

[davekathy]

1 hour ago, 1025cruise said:

I should point out that I'm not against tablemates spending a night at a specialty or the Lido if they so desire. My point is that if they just don't intend to show up at all, they should have that option.

They already do have that option.  Out of courtesy we would let someone from the dining staff know sometime prior to our MDR scheduled time. 

[MicCanberra]

2 hours ago, akcruz said:

 

While adjusting the percentage of each dining time cruise to cruise or within a cruise could solve a lot I think that would be a logistical nightmare.  I am pretty sure the my time and traditional kitchens are separate and the staff may not be trained on both so would not be able to switch back and forth easily.  

The MDR despite being split, usually only has the one kitchen/ galley on most ships, which serves both Anytime or Traditional seatings at the same time.

[navybankerteacher]

I’ve been on several cruises where the split has not been just by level - I’m pretty sure most recently was on  Zuiderdam from Quebec to New York a couple of years ago when the same level was split.

 

Of course, no matter what the ship does, there will be snags if people keep changing their minds about when/where to eat.

[BlueRiband]

To each his/her own but there is a difference between dining and getting fed.  Dining sensibly and getting served can be one of life's little pleasures.  To opt out of a civilized dining room and only eat in the buffet doesn't sound very attractive to me. 

 

Unlike land-based all-inclusive resorts, on a ship space is precious.  Allowing an MDR opt-out would widely vary the dining room demand according to the itinerary, passenger mix, and time of year.  There is no way consistent service could be offered. 

[Sancho_proudfoot]

I don't really get the opposition to those who (like me) prefer fixed time dining ("anachronistic" "outdated" "dwindling" "forced").

By all means go to the buffet restaurant, eat in your cabin, go to a speciality restaurant. I have always chosen fixed time (second seating) MDR evening meals. To me, why pay all that money to queue up in a long line to serve myself my dinner onto a plastic plate, and then wander around trying to find somewhere to sit?

Far from fixed time being outmoded and dying out, l am willing to bet that on my next cruise - 20 days time! - the MDR will be pretty busy at fixed times.

[DarrenM]

I loved the MDR fixed time eating on Edge.

 

We did 6pm every day, and had the same table every day. We also had 30 minutes grace to get there.

 

Sometimes 5:50pm others 6:30pm, proper rebels us.

 

Seriously though, we got to know our waiters, and by about the third night didnt need to ask for drinks, my beer was waiting for me.

 

And it gave us plenty of time to see a show, and then have more beer later, without eating too late, which frankly isnt good for anyones health.

[DarrenM]

But if we wanted to eat elsewhere we could. So whats the issue?

[Texas Tillie]

11 hours ago, davekathy said:

They already do have that option.  Out of courtesy we would let someone from the dining staff know sometime prior to our MDR scheduled time. 

 

Unfortunately, there are people (too many these days) where courtesy isn't in their vocabulary in many circumstances. 😱

[davekathy]

1 hour ago, Texas Tillie said:

 

Unfortunately, there are people (too many these days) where courtesy isn't in their vocabulary in many circumstances. 😱

Agree. That's why it's important for those of us that are considerate and respectful continue doing so. 

[julie3fan]

3 hours ago, Texas Tillie said:

 

Unfortunately, there are people (too many these days) where courtesy isn't in their vocabulary in many circumstances. 😱

 

It's the Me, Me, Me generation, shared by a wide range of ages!

[iancal]

I don`t get it.  In 25+ years of cruising we have never felt obligated to dine in the MDR nor has there been any cruise where we have not been able to dine in an alternate venue.  Did not or does not depend on whether we are slotted into an specific MDR seating time or have selected anytime.  What is the big issue..semantics.

 

Why make an issue out of a non issue.

Edited July 1, 2019 by iancal

[c-boy]

iancal perhaps read the o p's  post that spurred this on. 

 

[iancal]

I read it.  I see a distinction between the ability to dine in multiple venues and the good sense and good manners to advice your tablemates and or speak with the Maitre D to change your selection.    This is not rocket science.

 

We have been assigned to specific times on several cruises but found that the Maitre D was more than happy to switch us to anytime.

[TxCityKat]

17 hours ago, 1025cruise said:

I should point out that I'm not against tablemates spending a night at a specialty or the Lido if they so desire. My point is that if they just don't intend to show up at all, they should have that option.

 

15 hours ago, davekathy said:

They already do have that option.  Out of courtesy we would let someone from the dining staff know sometime prior to our MDR scheduled time. 

 

4 hours ago, Texas Tillie said:

Unfortunately, there are people (too many these days) where courtesy isn't in their vocabulary in many circumstances. 😱

 

2 hours ago, davekathy said:

Agree. That's why it's important for those of us that are considerate and respectful continue doing so. 

 

Amen! 👍

 

If we know we will not be at our MDR table on a particular night, it is common courtesy & good manners to let the dining staff as well as our tablemates know at least the night before. If it is a last minute change, one of us will boogie on down to the MDR to let the staff know. And if we see one of our tablemates, we let them know too.  

 

Since the staff usually does not start taking orders until all are seated at our assigned table, we want to make sure there will be no delay on our tablemates' orders being taken if we are not there. They or the staff will already know we will not be there so they do not have to wait & wonder.

[clo]

8 hours ago, Sancho_proudfoot said:

I don't really get the opposition to those who (like me) prefer fixed time dining ("anachronistic" "outdated" "dwindling" "forced").

By all means go to the buffet restaurant, eat in your cabin, go to a speciality restaurant. I have always chosen fixed time (second seating) MDR evening meals. To me, why pay all that money to queue up in a long line to serve myself my dinner onto a plastic plate, and then wander around trying to find somewhere to sit?

Far from fixed time being outmoded and dying out, l am willing to bet that on my next cruise - 20 days time! - the MDR will be pretty busy at fixed times.

Reading these replies has been very interesting to me.  We're going to be on Oceania's Marina with I believe seven no extra charge restaurants and we get four reservations at the four specialty ones.  With 12 nights we'll be dining all over the place but  don't see the buffet for dinner.  We'll only have one sea day so maybe the buffet for lunch that day.  I'm guessing these big ships must almost have to do this?

[George C]

Love all the options we have , only option was mdr when I started cruising in 70’s but mdr was so much better in old days . If we are assigned a table in mdr we try to remember to tell waiters we will not dinning there which is for most of the meals, rarely effect others since we almost always get a table for two. 

[1025cruise]

50 minutes ago, iancal said:

I read it.  I see a distinction between the ability to dine in multiple venues and the good sense and good manners to advice your tablemates and or speak with the Maitre D to change your selection.    This is not rocket science.

 

We have been assigned to specific times on several cruises but found that the Maitre D was more than happy to switch us to anytime.

 

In my situation, my other tablemates never showed. When the Maitre D contacted them, he was told that they had kids and couldn't do late dining, so were eating in the buffet. By that point, we were stuck. We wanted tablemates. I had asked earlier in the cruise, but was told that there was no place to move us. All I'm saying is that there needs to be another choice. I saw a post I believe on a FB group for the cruise where one family was planning to eat in specialty every night. Great, no issue with that. However, this family still had seats held for them in the MDR. If they were in anytime, then it meant that its possible someone that wanted anytime didn't get it. That meant that they had seats in traditional. If they ate early, then someone that wanted early got stuck in late. And at that point, its possible they said late was a no go, so ate elsewhere, but if they had early dining, would have been in the dining room. So, if the first family could have selected as their dining option "No MDR, we will eat elsewhere", then family 2 could have gotten their preferred dining in anytime, with family 3 getting their preferred time of early. 

 

In case I'm not clear, I'm not advocating for doing away with the choice to eat elsewhere. Just as the bigger ships are coming out, with more specialty dining options, it is extremely possible that someone might take advantage of all of these options and not utilize the MDR at all. All I'm saying is that perhaps its time for the lines to recognize this and offer the option of "Don't plan to use the MDR this cruise" so that they don't have seats held for them.

[navybankerteacher]

5 hours ago, Texas Tillie said:

 

Unfortunately, there are people (too many these days) where courtesy isn't in their vocabulary in many circumstances. 😱

 

1 hour ago, julie3fan said:

 

It's the Me, Me, Me generation, shared by a wide range of ages!

Aaah!  A common denominator.  It seems we could save space if this thread were to be merged with the “awful table mates” one.

[ontheweb]

51 minutes ago, 1025cruise said:

 

In my situation, my other tablemates never showed. When the Maitre D contacted them, he was told that they had kids and couldn't do late dining, so were eating in the buffet. By that point, we were stuck. We wanted tablemates. I had asked earlier in the cruise, but was told that there was no place to move us. All I'm saying is that there needs to be another choice. I saw a post I believe on a FB group for the cruise where one family was planning to eat in specialty every night. Great, no issue with that. However, this family still had seats held for them in the MDR. If they were in anytime, then it meant that its possible someone that wanted anytime didn't get it. That meant that they had seats in traditional. If they ate early, then someone that wanted early got stuck in late. And at that point, its possible they said late was a no go, so ate elsewhere, but if they had early dining, would have been in the dining room. So, if the first family could have selected as their dining option "No MDR, we will eat elsewhere", then family 2 could have gotten their preferred dining in anytime, with family 3 getting their preferred time of early. 

 

In case I'm not clear, I'm not advocating for doing away with the choice to eat elsewhere. Just as the bigger ships are coming out, with more specialty dining options, it is extremely possible that someone might take advantage of all of these options and not utilize the MDR at all. All I'm saying is that perhaps its time for the lines to recognize this and offer the option of "Don't plan to use the MDR this cruise" so that they don't have seats held for them.

I think you articulated perfectly the reason that this option should exist.

 

I hope everyone who does not see a reason for it reads your post carefully.

[MicCanberra]

2 hours ago, TxCityKat said:

 

 

 

 

Amen! 👍

 

If we know we will not be at our MDR table on a particular night, it is common courtesy & good manners to let the dining staff as well as our tablemates know at least the night before. If it is a last minute change, one of us will boogie on down to the MDR to let the staff know. And if we see one of our tablemates, we let them know too.  

 

Since the staff usually does not start taking orders until all are seated at our assigned table, we want to make sure there will be no delay on our tablemates' orders being taken if we are not there. They or the staff will already know we will not be there so they do not have to wait & wonder.

I think the issue that the OP is making reference to is not missing the one night but every night, and they would like it sorted pre cruise to help the cruise line have it sorted before people have even boarded, as there will then be more seats in all categories of dining due to those who opt out.

[XBGuy]

OP, I stumbled onto this thread within minutes of your initial post.  To be honest, I could not understand your issues or goals.  I was intrigued, though, and, so, I clicked the "Follow" button for this thread.

 

Your subsequent posts have clarified those for me.  Thank you very much.  With that clarification, I now understand your proposal.  If a cruise line wants to try it, let's see if it helps.  It may even address other situations that neither you nor I have considered.h

 

However, I have doubts that it will completely solve your situation.  If the typical cruise consumer is asked if he/she wants to opt out of dining room privileges, what incentive would he/she have to do so?  As somebody above has posted, he/she is paying for the dining room privilege in the passage fare.  Not many people are going to walk away from that.  Even in the case of the family that you cited, they might have been OK with Early Dining but not Late Dining,  Also, there may have been a scenario where the adults would want to have a dinner without the kids one or two evenings.  So, they might want to keep that dining room option available,

 

I really think that your only hope for success is for these other passengers who are no-shows for the Traditional Dining seatings to be more conscientious when they make their dining choice and select the Anytime/FreeStyle/MyTime option.

 

I've been wrong before, though.

[legaljen1969]

On ‎6‎/‎30‎/‎2019 at 6:44 AM, spookwife said:

they already do.   My time dining or whatever  each line calls it.   

I thought My Time Dining was just more flexible times in the MDR, and then most ships offer Specialty Dining venues.  
And even with the traditional dining options of early or late, there is usually an option to make a reservation for a smaller table that seats just your party (2, 3, 4 or whatever).