Dining Room--If you're not eating there one evening...

[MD VBMom]

are you supposed to let your waiter know so he/she doesn't end up waiting for you and holding up your tablemates? I know our last cruise the waiter waited about 5 minutes then began taking orders whether everyone was there or not. One couple showed 20 minutes late 2 nights--they were always one course behind the rest of us!

[superjerryw]

You could do it just to be polite and make things a little easier for the waiter. I'm sure your tablemates would appreciate it.

[wraithe]

Like superjerryw said, it's the polite thing to do, if you know in advance, or you can call the maitre d' if you just decide you'd rather nap and go to the Jammer

[springtxbill]

Even if you are going on an excursion and think you may be late it is good to let them know you may be late and to start without you.:)

[BobBeaSea]

Traditional dining on cruise ships seems to be one of the times when it is considerate to let tablemates and wait staff know when you are not going to be there. Personally, I have no idea of where/what we will be doing all week so the first night we mention if we don't show within 10 - 15 minutes, we won't be there. Pretty simple and you don't have to worry about it the rest of the cruise.

[cb at sea]

It's nice to do, if you know in advance--especially if you're at a smaller table--but if you don't, no one will come looking for you--you won't need to walk the plank!!!!

[BobbyK]

I always let the waiter and the rest of the table know when I won't be there or might even be late. Ironically, on my last cruise I made a point of telling the waiter I'd be on a shore excursion and probably would get back on time for dinner. As it turned out, there were so many on shore excursions instead of in the dining room that they assigned some of the waiters to the Windjammer. Ironically, when we showed up at the Windjammer there was our waiter. It was nice. We got to talk to him a little bit more informally. Of course, he made sure we had our drinks and everything else. :cool:

[MD VBMom]

Thanks for all the insight and opinions. I think I would let my tablemates or waiter know if we knew in advance that we'd be missing a meal in the dining room. It does seem to be the considerate thing to do!

[pinkrosesdeb]

We are going to do Chops & Portofino's 3 or 4x on our Brilliance cruise. I think I will book upon boarding and let them know first night. There will be 3 of us so I don't know how many more may be at our table anyway. We may end up at a table for 4 but I do think it is polite not to make people wait on you.

[BPWJR]

We will let them know if we are not going to be there and if kids may not be with us. On nights daughters do meal with Advt Ocean staff let the waiters know night before. Waiters are great getting items ready for the nights when we have the girls (chocolate milk, fruit cups when we arrive, etc...) that just want to let them know do not need to that extra effort on those nights. Been lucky with great service on RCCL cruises, just do not need to put the staff through the extra work when DDs not with us.