Not going to the main dining rooms?

[pampaul]

Going on a 4-nighter on the Monarch 6/29-7/3. We've decided NOT to go to any of the main dining room meals for those days. Do we have to tell anybody or just not show up? Not sure on this. I don't want the waitstaff to have to set the table all up for nothing if we're not going to be there. And NO, this is not a way for us to get out of tipping or anything (I'm sure there are some people out there that are thinking that) BUT we will be in Disneyworld from 6/23-6/29 and then straight onto the Monarch so we just want to sit back and not worry about anything. We're not doing the main dining & we're not doing any excursions this time. Total relaxation is our main goal. So what should we do?

[rednancy1]

Going on a 4-nighter on the Monarch 6/29-7/3. We've decided NOT to go to any of the main dining room meals for those days. Do we have to tell anybody or just not show up? Not sure on this. I don't want the waitstaff to have to set the table all up for nothing if we're not going to be there. And NO, this is not a way for us to get out of tipping or anything (I'm sure there are some people out there that are thinking that) BUT we will be in Disneyworld from 6/23-6/29 and then straight onto the Monarch so we just want to sit back and not worry about anything. We're not doing the main dining & we're not doing any excursions this time. Total relaxation is our main goal. So what should we do?

 

I would notify the head waiter that you will not be dining in the MDR.

 

I would still give the usual gratuity to the waiters on the last night either automatically or in person.:):)

[Debde]

I'd let them know on day one you will not be using your seats in the dining room. If someone wants your time slot-they can then give it away.

 

That actually sounds like 4 days of Paradise to me!!! :)

[csk]

I am not sure if there is really a right way to do this, but we also do not eat in the dining room, on the first day we go and explain this to the head matire and tell him someone else can have our seats, we just enjoy the buffet or going to a specialty resturant if available at our own time. now some of the ship have my time dining, not sure about the Monarch.

 

We also always put our tips on our seapass card and then usually tip the ones in the Windjammer that have taken care of us during the cruise.

 

Have a great cruise.

[not2old]

When our family was on the IOS in Jan we ate only once in the MDR. Between excursions and other activities, we never seemed to make it on time. We did eat there on the 1st formal night but used the WJ or Promenade for other meals. We left the normal tips, though. Apparently quite a few families skip the MDR for various reasons.

[terri23]

we only went to our table in the MDR once during our recent 7-niter (one dinner with captain, one with chief engineer, 3 in specialty restaurants, one in WJ). we tipped the suggested amount anyway.

[missbogota]

I was on the Monarch in March (4 nighter) with a girlfriend. We had Anytime Dining (so tips were pre-paid), but never made reservations and never went into the Dining Room. It was fantastic eating in the Windjammer or ordering room service for dinner each evening! We enjoyed the relaxation so very much!!! Have fun!!

[boop3]

We ate a number of tiems in the wind jammer. We were sure to let our table mates and the staff know when we were not going to be there.