Tablecloths in MDR.

[CorvetteLady]

Do they no longer use tablecloths in the MDR every night?  Someone posted that they liked the 80's night because they used tablecloths, fancy glasses and silverware in the MDR like they use too.  Now we haven't been on Carnival since 2012 but we've been on Royal and NCL and they still use that stuff every night in the MDR, so just curious if Carnival has stopped doing it.

[Organized Chaos]

No, they no longer use tablecloths on cruise casual nights. They're now only used on elegant nights (formerly known as formal nights).

[ParrotRob]

Honestly?  I just got off a seven night cruise and I could not even tell you what, if any, evenings featured a tablecloth and which did not.

 

[FSHLOT]

Just another little cutback, nothing new. Like the above cruiser, we never even noticed them gone. Not a big deal at all.

[ParrotRob]

16 minutes ago, FSHLOT said:

Just another little cutback, nothing new. Like the above cruiser, we never even noticed them gone. Not a big deal at all.

 

Just because something's a change I wouldn't call it a "cutback".  Wouldn't a "cutback" entail removing something with some sort of value?  What value are they taking away by changing the way tables are dressed?

[FSHLOT]

7 minutes ago, ParrotRob said:

 

Just because something's a change I wouldn't call it a "cutback".  Wouldn't a "cutback" entail removing something with some sort of value?  What value are they taking away by changing the way tables are dressed?

 Lets see, how about the cost of cleaning them everyday and the time it takes to replace them all. That all COSTS money and time. Pretty simple really. It's a cut back, imo.

 

[ray98]

LOL.....now a tablecloth has 'value'.  

 

 

Carnival is matching the new norms in society.  Table cloths are no longer commonplace.

[HillBilly Bob]

We always enjoyed a "white linen" breakfast in the MDR.  There are some traditions that I will be willing to pay for.  

[FSHLOT]

18 minutes ago, ray98 said:

LOL.....now a tablecloth has 'value'.  

 

 

Carnival is matching the new norms in society.  Table cloths are no longer commonplace.

Are tableclothes cheap? I dont think so when you have hundreds of tables to do. Besides that, i hear people saying only CCL doesnt do them every night. I havent sailed another line in a few years so i cant say for sure if they use them or not. It's really not a big deal though. I'm just saying it is a cutback,imo.

[Stick93]

28 minutes ago, ParrotRob said:

 

Just because something's a change I wouldn't call it a "cutback".  Wouldn't a "cutback" entail removing something with some sort of value?  What value are they taking away by changing the way tables are dressed?

 

Don't know if it’s a cut back or an environmental decision  but I will make one point -if you spill on  the table - you pants will get the brunt of it. Nowhere for the liquid to go on the table but down. 

 

I am not not a fan of the no tablecloth because it makes the feels cheaper and less sanitary eating on the bare table - but it doesn’t change the cruising experience too much. 

[ray98]

4 minutes ago, FSHLOT said:

Are tableclothes cheap? I dont think so when you have hundreds of tables to do. Besides that, i hear people saying only CCL doesnt do them every night. I havent sailed another line in a few years so i cant say for sure if they use them or not. It's really not a big deal though. I'm just saying it is a cutback,imo.

I still don't see this being about $$$.

 

The cruise industry is changing.  When we started cruising the industry still held on to many of the traditions from a century earlier.  They wanted to an environment to model the transatlantic voyages of the past from times when passengers were still divided into classes.  Now the feel on a cruise ship is meant to be a floating Caribbean resort that moves you from place to place.  If it is a common practice that sundresses and shorts are acceptable to be worn when dining then the white table cloth atmosphere clashes.

[Lottacruises]

3 hours ago, ParrotRob said:

Honestly?  I just got off a seven night cruise and I could not even tell you what, if any, evenings featured a tablecloth and which did not.

 

 

You probably need a sign.

[cruizergal70]

Plenty other cruise lines use tablecloths for the evening MDR. Feel free to try them.

[LMaxwell]

1 hour ago, ray98 said:

I still don't see this being about $$$.

 

 

 

Everything about a cruise is always about money. 

[ray98]

10 minutes ago, LMaxwell said:

 

Everything about a cruise is always about money. 

As a business owner I can tell you everything comes with a price but not every aspect of the customer experience is based solely on financial considerations.  I may decide to remove an aspect like table cloths but choose to add a carafe and serving dish to the table to create the desired atmosphere.  Not everything exists in a vacuum and you can't always focus only on one aspect..

[LMaxwell]

2 minutes ago, ray98 said:

As a business owner I can tell you everything comes with a price but not every aspect of the customer experience is based solely on financial considerations.  I may decide to remove an aspect like table cloths but choose to add a carafe and serving dish to the table to create the desired atmosphere.  Not everything exists in a vacuum and you can't always focus only on one aspect..

 

It's all about the money.  I didn't say they haven't "changed" "added" "replaced" "substituted" one item for another.  I am just saying it is all about cost.  In this case they determined guests aren't willing to pay additional; therefore they can reduce costs.  

[Cushing985]

When they first got rid of the tablecloths except for the "formaI" nights I was devastated and had to receive counseling for a bit.  Some here reported the water condensation from drinking glasses was a problem but there weren't any reported drownings in the MDR so I guess they figured out how to deal with it.

Honestly, the way most of us dress for dinner makes tablecloths look out of place.

[ray98]

9 minutes ago, LMaxwell said:

 

It's all about the money.  I didn't say they haven't "changed" "added" "replaced" "substituted" one item for another.  I am just saying it is all about cost.  In this case they determined guests aren't willing to pay additional; therefore they can reduce costs.  

 

Is that what they determined, or did they determine their business model and the mainstream industry itself is trending in a direction where the average cruiser prefers meals served in a more casual atmosphere similar to land based restaurants where 99% of the public choose to dine on a daily basis.  Eliminating table cloths in no way correlates with reduced cost unless you can see the overall cost of the service environment.

 

 

Edited September 3, 2019 by ray98

[indygirl76]

35 minutes ago, Cushing985 said:

When they first got rid of the tablecloths except for the "formaI" nights I was devastated and had to receive counseling for a bit.  Some here reported the water condensation from drinking glasses was a problem but there weren't any reported drownings in the MDR so I guess they figured out how to deal with it.

Honestly, the way most of us dress for dinner makes tablecloths look out of place.

This is true - the water pitcher makes a drippy mess. I'm hoping to remember to snag a bunch of drink napkins from the nearest bar on my next cruise.

[LMaxwell]

34 minutes ago, ray98 said:

 

Is that what they determined, or did they determine their business model and the mainstream industry itself is trending in a direction where the average cruiser prefers meals served in a more casual atmosphere similar to land based restaurants where 99% of the public choose to dine on a daily basis.  Eliminating table cloths in no way correlates with reduced cost unless you can see the overall cost of the service environment.

 

 

Both; following trends has decreased their costs and increased their audience.  So...all about money 

[sparks1093]

2 hours ago, FSHLOT said:

Are tableclothes cheap? I dont think so when you have hundreds of tables to do. Besides that, i hear people saying only CCL doesnt do them every night. I havent sailed another line in a few years so i cant say for sure if they use them or not. It's really not a big deal though. I'm just saying it is a cutback,imo.

I think the question is do the table clothes add value to the customer, not whether or not they cost the company money. I can't remember the last land based restaurant that I went to that had table clothes. 

[sparks1093]

22 minutes ago, indygirl76 said:

This is true - the water pitcher makes a drippy mess. I'm hoping to remember to snag a bunch of drink napkins from the nearest bar on my next cruise.

The staff did a nice job of keeping things clean.

[indygirl76]

2 minutes ago, sparks1093 said:

The staff did a nice job of keeping things clean.

I'm glad to hear that! I've been on two cruises since the no tablecloth thing went into effect, and the staff totally ignored the problem. So if they're now staying on top of it, that's great!! (Still going to bring drink napkins, just in case...)

 

Please note, I have no problem with it other than the mess. I can't think of a local restaurant that still has tablecloths.

[sparks1093]

10 minutes ago, indygirl76 said:

I'm glad to hear that! I've been on two cruises since the no tablecloth thing went into effect, and the staff totally ignored the problem. So if they're now staying on top of it, that's great!! (Still going to bring drink napkins, just in case...)

 

Please note, I have no problem with it other than the mess. I can't think of a local restaurant that still has tablecloths.

It is possible that some wait teams are better at it than others.

[ray98]

1 hour ago, LMaxwell said:

Both; following trends has decreased their costs and increased their audience.  So...all about money 

 

Yet the price of a cruise adjusted for inflation is 1/2 of what it was 2 decades ago.