Way to many things being done for me/to me when getting seated at a Regent Restaurant.

[irishwitchy]

After spending 32 days on the Explorer,  I really would like to see some changes when getting seated for dinner.   Would also like to see if others on this site, have a solution and/or disagree.  Scenario:  I walk into any restaurant for lunch or dinner,  as we get led to the table the following happens in a very bad succession:  my seat gets pulled out and pushed in, sometimes I’m not quite in it.  A napkin is dragged across my lap and a very big over sized open menu is handed to me.  I find this whole mess, not to be fine dining, at all.  
 

My scenario would look like this:

 

1) Waiter asks if either one of us need help with the chair.

2) I put my own napkin on my lap - no need for additional hands on the napkin or hitting my breast! 

3) I would prefer that the menu is presented when I ask for it and it is closed.  I can also ask for the premium wine list at this point.  Getting that wine list requires beating off the staff, that just wants to fill up my glass with the wine of the day.  
 

When I get seated,  the first thing I need to do is get my eye glasses, so I can read the menu.  Second is to put the hand bag someplace.  Instead,  I have this big open menu to deal with.  Lately, I have been closing the thing and putting it on the floor, so glassware doesn’t go flying!  
 

Thoughts on improvements? 

[pappy1022]

Oh my I don’t know what to say. I guess just tell them directly and politely how you want to be seated and served. I’ve never been turned off by the way Regent staff treated me in a restaurant. I guess different stokes for different folks.

[WNcruiser]

Is this is a serious post? That is exactly what they are supposed to be doing, as do all other luxury or fine dining restaurants do around the world. I am at a complete loss of understanding of your complaints. In over 100 cruises I have never seen glassware "go flying" because of an open menu. 

 

 

[irishwitchy]

This is completely serious!   I have eaten multiple dinner at Per Se, Eleven Madison Park, Daniel, French Laundry, Jean George, etc.  I know fine dining quite well.  No one ever picks up the napkin and throws  it across my lap or hands me an open oversized menu as soon as I’m seated.  I have been handed many open desert menus, which I normally close, because they are  trying to rush me. 
 

Are you male or female?  Trust me, my husband broke a glass as soon as he sat down because of the big menu, on this last cruise.  

[KenzSailing]

13 minutes ago, irishwitchy said:

This is completely serious!   I have eaten multiple dinner at Per Se, Eleven Madison Park, Daniel, French Laundry, Jean George, etc.  I know fine dining quite well.  No one ever picks up the napkin and throws  it across my lap or hands me an open oversized menu as soon as I’m seated.  I have been handed many open desert menus, which I normally close, because they are  trying to rush me. 
 

Are you male or female?  Trust me, my husband broke a glass as soon as he sat down because of the big menu, on this last cruise.  

 

But never at Waffle House?  Well, I just can't take you seriously then.

[wcsdkqh]

Ridiculous complaint.

[mrlevin]

All you have to do is ask.  When being seated next time in Compass Rose waiter will be given slip of paper with your preferences not to have napkin placed on your lap nor opening your menu.  If you prefer to have menus provided to your cabin in advance and no menu be given to you that can be arranged too.

[pappy1022]

I think that when we are asked on these discussion boards if the passengers are easy going and fun to be around and invariably the responses are that 99% of them are great and just a very small percentage come across as privileged and entitled. Just sayin’

Edited February 14, 2023 by pappy1022
Finish thought

[Roccaforte]

I love the fuss!  It’s such a pleasure to be there with attentive staff.  I just relax and let it happen.

[mj_holiday]

I am sure part of their attentiveness is from experience.  My DH and I am sure other men over 70 will quickly say no if asked for help with his chair, then you have a man over 70 trying to walk his chair into place, give up and drop food on the floor because he is too far away from the table.  The first couple of times on each cruise, when we are seated, I pause the helpfulness by saying let both of us get where we need to be for help with the chair.

 

I am sure the menu is offered opened, because opening that big menu on the table will break glassware.  There are times when we ask not to get the menu until we have a chance to have a glass of wine while settling down and chatting a bit.

 

Now - let me start something.  Why do people bring purses to the dining room anyway?

[John Cruise]

Unbelievable complaint IMHO.

What would happen if they were ignored?

Soon they might be.

🤬

[Catlover54]

9 hours ago, irishwitchy said:

After spending 32 days on the Explorer,  I really would like to see some changes when getting seated for dinner.   Would also like to see if others on this site, have a solution and/or disagree.  Scenario:  I walk into any restaurant for lunch or dinner,  as we get led to the table the following happens in a very bad succession:  my seat gets pulled out and pushed in, sometimes I’m not quite in it.  A napkin is dragged across my lap and a very big over sized open menu is handed to me.  I find this whole mess, not to be fine dining, at all.  
 

My scenario would look like this:

 

1) Waiter asks if either one of us need help with the chair.

2) I put my own napkin on my lap - no need for additional hands on the napkin or hitting my breast! 

3) I would prefer that the menu is presented when I ask for it and it is closed.  I can also ask for the premium wine list at this point.  Getting that wine list requires beating off the staff, that just wants to fill up my glass with the wine of the day.  
 

When I get seated,  the first thing I need to do is get my eye glasses, so I can read the menu.  Second is to put the hand bag someplace.  Instead,  I have this big open menu to deal with.  Lately, I have been closing the thing and putting it on the floor, so glassware doesn’t go flying!  
 

Thoughts on improvements? 

 

You are reading my mind and am happy to hear that it is not just me who dislikes excess manipulations when I am trying to sit down and get situated in my seat!  This also happens on other luxury lines and/or specialty restaurants on not-so-luxury ships, less so in upscale land restaurants.  I've developed a bit of dread going in to get seated, as with Pavlov's dogs.

 

Typically the waiter enthusiastically attempts to push my seat in more than I like it pushed (I sit further away from the table than most, for various reasons), and/or, depending on the table configuration, he pushes so hard he lands up bumping my thighs against the bottom of the table (I have chronically sore muscles, which makes it worse). I have learned to ask not to be pushed, but I have to be quicker than they are.

I am also not ready for the napkin until I have set my purse down, after taking my glasses out.

I am also not ready for the menu until I am done with situating the purse and glasses.

And we have to remain alert to avoid having generic included wine and regular water dumped into our glasses when we want a wine list and sparkling water.

I have learned to say "just a minute, I'm not ready yet thank you" .

DH and I have joked that problems with this rushed and stereotypic sequencing could make a SNL skit.

 

They are in a hurry, but want to come across as providing luxury, so they go through these motions -- luxury involves individualizing desires, but they prefer  a one size fits all because it is faster. If you get the same waiter every night (which we almost never do, with open seating), they can learn. 

 

I like your proposed approach, but based on the borderline hostile comments, we are in a minority. 

 

Edited February 14, 2023 by Catlover54
Typo

[Catlover54]

51 minutes ago, mj_holiday said:

 

 

. . . .Now - let me start something.  Why do people bring purses to the dining room anyway?

 

Some of us bring purses to the dining room because we may need some of the contents of them while on the go (e.g., from the pre-dinner bar, to the dining room, to the show directly afterwards, and back to the bar or for a stroll on deck).  Unlike men's trousers and jackets, women's clothing is not equipped with handy pockets.

These items include:

 

1.  Kleenex -- so we don't have to use our sleeves.

2.  An iphone -- first,  it is a camera, and in the course of the activities outlined on an evening, DH and I often want to take a photo of something  (e.g., of a lovely flower arrangement in the hall, of a staircase, of the view out the window-side table, and yes, even of some of our food so we can post on CC)

3.  A small notepad and pen (to exchange names and contact numbers with fellow passengers, it is easier than trying to verbally recite and spell a complicated last name, and if they give me theirs, I am not going to instantly memorize them).  I could also records  such things on the iphone but paper is quicker.  

4.  Room card (e.g., for women's clothing that has no pockets )

5.  In my case, a small hand fan (in case I land up in a venue that is stuffy -- I get hot a lot due to my medications)

6.  I don't carry lipstick or other vanity stuff, but women have been known to carry them in the course of history, and then use them after dinner before going to the show, so their lips remain just as ruby-red and voluptuous looking as they did prior to dinner 🙂

[cwn]

First off Compass Rose is not the French Laundry. If that is the service you are looking for you will not find it in a restaurant that serves several 100s of people in a 4 hour time frame. 
As has been suggested make you desires known so they are in your record … like a food allergy. 
Or as we do asked to be seated with the same server each night. We do and our request is honored.

[rcandkc]

1 hour ago, mj_holiday said:

I am sure part of their attentiveness is from experience.  My DH and I am sure other men over 70 will quickly say no if asked for help with his chair, then you have a man over 70 trying to walk his chair into place, give up and drop food on the floor because he is too far away from the table.  The first couple of times on each cruise, when we are seated, I pause the helpfulness by saying let both of us get where we need to be for help with the chair.

 

I am sure the menu is offered opened, because opening that big menu on the table will break glassware.  There are times when we ask not to get the menu until we have a chance to have a glass of wine while settling down and chatting a bit.

 

Now - let me start something.  Why do people bring purses to the dining room anyway?

“Why do people bring purses”

I carry a small purse everywhere on the ship to always have several day supply of essential prescriptions and a small flashlight in case of a ship emergency.  That’s my reason. 

[Catlover54]

20 minutes ago, rcandkc said:

“Why do people bring purses”

I carry a small purse everywhere on the ship to always have several day supply of essential prescriptions and a small flashlight in case of a ship emergency.  That’s my reason. 

 

If you have an iphone and already carry that, you could use the flashlight app function on it as a flashlight, and skip the flashlight.

 

DH just takes an iphone, in his pants or jacket pocket (because men's clothing has pockets, so that is easy ), and anything else bigger  he wants carried, he just gives to me, to put into my purse 😃

 

On SB a few months ago a female staff member came up to me at dinner and offered me a handy "purse hook" as a gift, so I could hang my purse off the side of the dining table instead of having to put it on the floor when there was no other space near the table and the back of the chair was not suitable.

 

Apparently purse-carrying to meals  is popular even on luxury lines for women, for various reasons (and on the German luxury line Hapag Lloyd I have even seen a few men with chic murses)

 

[Gpilon]

11 hours ago, irishwitchy said:

After spending 32 days on the Explorer,  I really would like to see some changes when getting seated for dinner.   Would also like to see if others on this site, have a solution and/or disagree.  Scenario:  I walk into any restaurant for lunch or dinner,  as we get led to the table the following happens in a very bad succession:  my seat gets pulled out and pushed in, sometimes I’m not quite in it.  A napkin is dragged across my lap and a very big over sized open menu is handed to me.  I find this whole mess, not to be fine dining, at all.  
 

My scenario would look like this:

 

1) Waiter asks if either one of us need help with the chair.

2) I put my own napkin on my lap - no need for additional hands on the napkin or hitting my breast! 

3) I would prefer that the menu is presented when I ask for it and it is closed.  I can also ask for the premium wine list at this point.  Getting that wine list requires beating off the staff, that just wants to fill up my glass with the wine of the day.  
 

When I get seated,  the first thing I need to do is get my eye glasses, so I can read the menu.  Second is to put the hand bag someplace.  Instead,  I have this big open menu to deal with.  Lately, I have been closing the thing and putting it on the floor, so glassware doesn’t go flying!  
 

Thoughts on improvements? 

Did you mention you being uncomfortable with these things during your 32 days onboard? Will only speak for myself, but if I were to find things being done with/for me not to my liking, I would mention it within the first couple days. 

[puppyluv1]

On our recent Splendor cruise my husband on occasion liked to snatch the napkin from the table and put it on his own lap right before the hostess or waiter did it. That would get a chuckle from the staff. 
One night I wore a black dress to dinner and the hostess grabbed a black napkin from behind the hostess stand and placed that on my lap at the table. I thought that was a nice touch. 

[Techno123]

1 hour ago, Catlover54 said:

Apparently purse-carrying to meals  is popular even on luxury lines for women, for various reasons (and on the German luxury line Hapag Lloyd I have even seen a few men with chic murses)

 

 

Otherwise known as a manbag 😁 (very popular with European men).  For us in the UK a purse is a small zipped/clasped wallet that we keep money in and a handbag contains the purse and other very necessary paraphernalia 😜.

[Smitty A]

4 hours ago, Catlover54 said:

 

 

4 hours ago, Catlover54 said:

And we have to remain alert to avoid having generic included wine and regular water dumped into our glasses when we want a wine list and sparkling water.

I have learned to say "just a minute, I'm not ready yet thank you" .

In all My 20 years on Regent, I have never seen anyone dump wine or

water into glasses.  The wait staff always ask if you want still or sparkling.  Only the wine staff serve wine and ALWAYS ask what you would like.  I think there is quite a lot of exaggeration here.   
 

“Throwing a napkin across my lap”.   Never seen that either.    
 

very little respect shown by these comments for the staff.  Sad.  Very sad

Edited February 14, 2023 by Smitty A

[red1head]

Why didn't you mention it when checking in to be seated. It would only take one time as they would make a note of your preferences and no more fussing. For a cruise of 32 days surely you made your preferences known so they could be accommodated. 

[pappy1022]

Sometimes complex problems (perceived or real) have easy solutions. 

[irishwitchy]

Well,  at least there is one person that feels the same way, as I do.  Yes, the hand bag is needed for the phone, room key, glasses and teeth picks (food gets stuck in there).  I also collect the cork of the wine I drink.  Since, one of gifts that Regent gives out with Regent points is a purse hook - lots of people must use a hand bag! 
 

As to the French Laundry comment,  if Regent is acting like luxury,  then at least the service should be,  not expecting the food to be!   Yes,  in Prime 7, i did have a black dress on and my napkin was replaced with a black one. 
 

Yes,  very consistent on asking for the still or sparkling - no issues with that.  However,  getting the wine list and actually getting the wine before ordering the food was consistently an issue.  That in my opinion is a service issue.

 

Actually,  we spend little time in Compass Rose and had a different waiter every time.  The same in the other restaurants,  so “training”  someone wasn’t reasonable.   However,  if I told someone not to push in my chair,  put the napkin on my lap and hand me the open menu - that would have been noted on my record and everyone would follow that?   Ok,  but I doubt it.   
 

Glad, I started a new topic and new folks jumped in with their opinions.  

[RELS]

54 minutes ago, irishwitchy said:

one of gifts that Regent gives out with Regent points is a purse hook - lots of people must use a hand bag!

 

If only! I had oodles of points at the end of my last cruise, but there was no purse hook in the trinket selection.  They change the trinket selection every so often. I hope the purse hook rotates back into the selection by the December, when we have our next cruise.

[Portolan]

3 hours ago, irishwitchy said:

Since, one of gifts that Regent gives out with Regent points is a purse hook - lots of people must use a hand bag! 

As RELS said, if only!.  We are inveterate trivia players and the redemption options on our last cruise (and never in the previous 20+) had a purse hook.  We'd opt for one of those (in case Regent is listening).  As it was, we gave away 35 points.  But for us, it's the fun of the trivia competitions (and Mensa).