Onboard MDR menus online only?

[gazingm42]

All, So have not been on a cruise in awhile...

 

When we normally cruise the phones go off and into the safe.  After all I am on vacation!

 

So I have read a post on a review and there was reference that MDR menus are only available via a QR code as well as the  fun times.

If you don't have your phone with you in MDR can you still get a paper copy in the MDR?  What about fun times?  Can you get a copy in at the

purser's desk?

 

Thanks in advance,

 

 

[Jamman54]

3 minutes ago, gazingm42 said:

All, So have not been on a cruise in awhile...

 

When we normally cruise the phones go off and into the safe.  After all I am on vacation!

 

So I have read a post on a review and there was reference that MDR menus are only available via a QR code as well as the  fun times.

If you don't have your phone with you in MDR can you still get a paper copy in the MDR?  What about fun times?  Can you get a copy in at the

purser's desk?

 

Thanks in advance,

 

 

Yes to both questions, but utilizing the Hub App is advisable. 

[Wanna_Cruize]

You can get a 1-page fun times daily at the guest services desk. They post the menus outside the dining rooms a so you can look anytime during the day. At dinner, you can get a menu on request. 

[Cruise, J.D.]

10 minutes ago, Jamman54 said:

Yes to both questions, but utilizing the Hub App is advisable. 

Yep, the Hub App makes it worth keeping your phone out. I used to keep my phone in the safe too, but on our last cruise I thought the Hub App made it easy to find things and save them as a reminder.

[PlanoTim]

We ate in the MDR three times on our Carnival Vista cruise in April.  We were asked every time if we wanted paper menus.  They were presented on a big menu board that was maybe 10x15 inches or so.

[Wanna_Cruize]

What's nice about the Hub App is that you can see the menu for every day of the cruise, so you know in advance what days you might want to arrange/adjust alternate dining. 

[mz-s]

I'm a millennial but I'd still prefer a phone-free cruise. I tried phone-free for the first day of my cruise after the restart, but had to give in. Been using it since, still begrudgingly. I just loved an unplugged cruise vacation. I find myself tapping icons on my phone mindlessly even though I don't buy an internet plan. I hope we can eventually get back to that but I doubt we will.

[PlanoTim]

We don't mind using our phones on a cruise and we thought the Hub app worked well for us.  I suspect that we may have been asked about paper menus because when we were seated by the host/hostess, we usually just chat some and don't whip out our phones right away.  We try not to rush dinner if possible.  But we do prefer a paper menu, so we were glad it was offered.  We had super service in the MDR.

[Joe817]

2 hours ago, Cruise, J.D. said:

Yep, the Hub App makes it worth keeping your phone out. I used to keep my phone in the safe too, but on our last cruise I thought the Hub App made it easy to find things and save them as a reminder.

^^^^^This. I at first, hated the HUB App. It was technology advancements that I did not ask for and did not want. Then.....I started using it and fell in love with it.  It has EVERYTHING, and then some all right on your phone. Of course, I carry my phone everywhere I go, if nothing else to take pictures. I have fell in love with the convenience on being to read the daily MDR menu from the poolside bar, or anywhere on the ship. As the old saying goes: "try it. You'll like it!" 

Edited May 2, 2022 by Joe817

[Elaine5715]

I get paper menus at every sitting and eating

[Illbcruzn4life]

2 hours ago, mz-s said:

I'm a millennial but I'd still prefer a phone-free cruise. I tried phone-free for the first day of my cruise after the restart, but had to give in. Been using it since, still begrudgingly. I just loved an unplugged cruise vacation. I find myself tapping icons on my phone mindlessly even though I don't buy an internet plan. I hope we can eventually get back to that but I doubt we will.

I was just at Sams Club today. I forgot my phone so I used my plastic card which is almost broken in 2. I got in and asked the girl at the front desk for a new card and she said, "unfortunately, everything is electronic now and we don't offer the plastic cards anymore."

 

It's the future. Might as well embrace it I guess.

[Moviela]

You can see the menu posted outside the venue. You can also see the next days menu, on paper, while dining, and consult with your waiter about any dietary needs. They are glad to help. 

 

However, I could not find a way to register for a table at anytime dining without using the app last week. 

[Illbcruzn4life]

1 minute ago, Moviela said:

You can see the menu posted outside the venue. You can also see the next days menu, on paper, while dining, and consult with your waiter about any dietary needs. They are glad to help. 

 

However, I could not find a way to register for a table at anytime dining without using the app last week. 

On the Horizon the menus were posted on the wall inside the restaurant. Unfortunately the doors to the restaurant were closed so I didn't bother looking further.

 

When we went to dinner my wife pointed out the menus on the wall inside the doors which were now open. 

[Elaine5715]

3 minutes ago, Moviela said:

You can see the menu posted outside the venue. You can also see the next days menu, on paper, while dining, and consult with your waiter about any dietary needs. They are glad to help. 

 

However, I could not find a way to register for a table at anytime dining without using the app last week. 

I just walk up, say "no phone", they ask my cabin number and seated me immediately.  By the 3rd time, they recognized me. 

[EarloftheSeas]

I don't mind using the app for reservations, previewing menus etc.   However, I do not want to sit down to any meal with my better half and both of us stare at our phones. 

 

I am happy to learn paper menus are available and will be asking for them next cruise. 

Edited May 2, 2022 by EarloftheSeas

[Elaine5715]

17 minutes ago, EarloftheSeas said:

I don't mind using the app for reservations, previewing menus etc.   However, I do not want to sit down to any meal with my better half and both of us stare at our phones. 

 

I am happy to learn paper menus are available and will be asking for them next cruise. 

Same.  I took family on their first cruise and they had a 15 yr old and a 12 yr old.  I tell folks I am phone free onboard so the parents told the kids there would be no phones onboard. Parents were happy, kids were sad.  Then they find out that the HUB is suggested, menus and Fun Times on the phones, so the parents end up uploading the HUB and the kids have the excuse they needed to stay on their phones.

[Joe817]

42 minutes ago, EarloftheSeas said:

I don't mind using the app for reservations, previewing menus etc.   However, I do not want to sit down to any meal with my better half and both of us stare at our phones. 

 

I am happy to learn paper menus are available and will be asking for them next cruise. 

I understand your distaste for having to look at your phone to choose your meal. Then I wonder, what's the difference between staring at a paper menu and the menu on your phone? To me, they seem the same. I save time by not asking for a paper menu, and by the time a paper menu is brought to me, I would have already decided what my menu choices were, by looking at the menu on the phone. It IS a time saver. And it saves the server a little time by eliminating to go have to hunt up a paper menu for you. Just my opinion. YMMV.

[Destiny0315]

If before you sit down you have already seen the menu on your phone or on a paper copy and know exactly what you want how about going real old school and just jot down on a crib note your choices and hand it to the them and see if they can figure out your writing.😀

[relmondcrsise]

If you want to see all the menus in advance, they are posted here: Carnival Dinner Menus 2022

[Top_of_the_Cube]

I don't mind using the HUB and the QR codes, but for the most part, I just hate having to keep up with my phone.  For the most part, when roving the ship, I leave it in the cabin out of convenience. 

 

When dining in the MDR, folks that sat down and did not have phones out were presented with a physical copy without having to request one.

 

Menus at walk-up venues were displayed on boards behind the counter and/or on little placards sitting on the counter or nearby tables.

 

I also heard from people with Anytime Dining who said they walked up to the maître d station to get put on a list for a table at the MDR, or walk by the specialty restaurants to make reservations.

 

And, of course, paper copies of the Daily Schedule were made available at the Guest Services desk and maybe one or two other locations.  I just can't refer to those abbreviated schedules as "Fun Times", as they aren't near as fun as the originals.

 

So, on our sailing, it was extra work to go phoneless, but hardly any more effort than prior to the restart.

 

To be fair, I do believe other accounts on some Carnival ships where it seemed that there was a concerted effort to try to force passengers to go completely paperless.  That just wasn't my experience.

 

 

[nlktx49]

You'll have to use your phone to check in for Anytime dining and for breakfast and Sea day Brunch. You'll get a message when your table is ready, you have to show this at the door so they can see your table number. Most ships it's 10 minutes or less to be notified your table is ready and the number, however on the Dream last week waits for Anytime dining were over an hour. Don't know why - less than 10 minutes on other ships.

[Tradestock]

On 5/2/2022 at 10:20 AM, Destiny0315 said:

If before you sit down you have already seen the menu on your phone or on a paper copy and know exactly what you want how about going real old school and just jot down on a crib note your choices and hand it to the them and see if they can figure out your writing.😀

We do not carry the phone with us and this is how we order.  This old school style makes the servers very anxious and wary.  I was surprised after one meal the server told me that he had worked for Carnival for over seven years and he was nervous about waiting on us. He thought our sheet of paper was a long list of special requests. Once he found out it was just our meal order, he lightened up and could laugh about it.