Eating all meals in dining room?

[cathyz]

We eat dinner every night in the DR, unless we go to the steakhouse. We eat breakfast at the buffet and lunch from the grill or pizza or salad bar or deli so that we can sit outside as much as possible.

[BlueJacketsFan1]

It took my wife and I till our third cruise before we tried having breakfast in the main dining room. It was very nice the first time, we really enjoyed the people that we sat with. We tried it a second time and the food was again very good the the company wasn't nearly as nice. The first time we sat with three older couples. The second time was with people closer to our ages. We will probably tried it once or twice on our upcoming cruise. We hope to sit with some nicer couples again.

[Sangela]

We love our meals in the MDR, we always go to dinner there, we're pretty random about other meals.

We will usually eat in the MDR twice a day, either breakfast or lunch depending on when we're ready to eat and how late hubby slept in, lol.

 

Our little custom on debarkation day is always breakfast in the MDR before being dragged off the ship kicking and screaming (not really, but we sure do feel like throwing tantrums, LOL!).

 

We will do the specialty restaurant one night, usually after a port day, as we don't want to miss our formal nights, but we let our tablemates and waiters know, that we wil be back the next day.

 

Really enjoy the MDR, and IMO the buffet for dinner doesn't do it for me at all.

 

Our first cruise, we didn't know any better and ate in the buffet the first night. I was not real impressed, even though hubby enjoyed it. The next night we did the MDR and had a blast. Great tablemates, great wait staff and the food was excellent.

[rottiemom]

We eat most dinners in the MDR. One time we did eat lunch in the MDR and it was very good, but we sat with angry people. Mostly, we enjoy eating from the buffet because we like being up on deck. For this cruise, I am going to eat from a different place everyday. I haven't done that before and I feel like I missed out. That will be my goal on this next cruise. The Goal of eating different food at a different station everyday. What a life, huh? Is anyone hungry? I am....

[read52]

We eat in the dining for all the meals that they serve. Since the buffet is only open on port days, we are usually back to eat something there. We had room serve once when my husband was sick. We like to sit and talk to the people at our table.

[JackieH]

Wait, so the dining room is not open for dinner on embarkation day?

 

It is open for dinner, not for lunch.

[salty dingo]

We prefer the dining room for all meals. Certainly for all dinners. We like to go to lunch there on sea days (usually not open on port days.)

 

For breakfasts, we only go to the buffet days when we are in a hurry - like if we slept later than we planned and the DR is closed, or if we are ready to get off the ship in port. I don't feel like I am missing much by eating breakfast in the buffet because the selection is mostly the same in the dining room. There are a few items only available in the dining room, but mostly the menu is the same.

[Poomah]

Usually all dinners inthe dining room - room service for breakfast, sometimes the lido. Lunch is a toss up, lido - deli sandwich-pizza-salad-fish&chips - whatever strikes our fancy for the day. Usually the dining room meals are too heavy (for us) at lunchtime.

 

Whatever the decision - there is always plenty and it is always good!

[leadout_kv]

I prefer eating all our meals in the DR although it usually works out due to lack of time that some of our breakfast and lunches are eaten at the buffet. I enjoy the relaxed atmosphere and being served in the DR.

[lifevicarious]

I dont like the idea of getting dressed up to go sit down and wait to be served.

 

Huh?! This makes no sense. Perhaps you just don't like getting dressed up? I've never heard anyone wanting to get dressed up to go to a buffet to serve yourself.

[G'ma]

For me, dinner is always in the dining room. I rarely eat "lunch" because my "breakfast" is late morning right before breakfast is closed.

 

I have had lunch on occasion in the dining room and the buffet. Both equally enjoyable....different atmosphere. I also like the grill with hamburgers, hot dogs, etc.

 

The trick to avoiding lines at the buffet is to arrive a little early or a little late. If you show up right at noon, there will be a line....so try 11:00 or 1-1:30 or so.

[babyher]

So far we have always done dinner in the dining room unless we went to the specialty restaurant.

 

We have done breakfast in the dining room once of twice once just to say we tried it and another time because folks we wre cruiseing with wanted to try it so we tagged along. But usually we do the lido.

 

Never had lunch in the DR because we usually have a very large breakfast (something we ejoy and can't do except on vacation. So lunch for us is usually just grabbing something quick (hot dog, rueben, pizza) later on in the afternoon

 

trust me you won't go hungry and will certainly find something good no matter where you go on the ship :)

[browneyes7]

We did a lot of eating in the dining room on our first 20 cruises. I really don't like meat that much. I would rather eat on the Lido deck where I can eat salads, fruit, and vegetables. On our last eight or so cruises, we have eaten mainly in the Lido restaurant. I like the freedom of eating whenever I feel like it, and not having to dress up to go eat. It works for us!:)

[katiel53]

We eat all dinners in the MDR or specialty restaurants. Most of our breakfasts are in the buffet as I love the freshly made omelets. Even though I can order an omelet in the MDR, it's never as good as those from the buffet. The last morning though, we go to the dining room as I like to order eggs Benedict.

 

I prefer to have lunch in the buffet area too. I love the deli and the Oriental food. The burgers are pretty good too. I haven't seen anything great on the menus for lunch and I really don't want to eat a dinner at lunch time as well as at dinner.

 

Last cruise we did go to the buffet for dinner one night. We didn't want to dress for dinner, so decided to eat at the buffet. It was very disappointing. The buffet had only one section open and it was just a totally cold feeling place. There was almost no one there and the food was just ok. The freshly made pasta was good, but the rest of the food seemed as though it was sitting there for a while. JMO.

[WendyCn]

We prefer to eat our meals in the MDR :D whenever we can. For us it is fun to be waited on and to socialize.

[T. Advisor King]

We always have dinner in the main dining room. I'm not sure I love it that much (i.e., the whole dressing up thing and 90-100 minute meal), but it seems like an expensive meal that is paid for, so shouldn't be passed up.

 

As for lunch, we're always in port or lying by the pool. No desire to head into fancy-ville on sea days.

 

As for breakfast, we tried the MDR one day. It was hysterical. Of course it was slow because it was a sit-down, served meal. But we were really ready to go do something, so it just seemed to take forever. And when my wife ordered the "waffles" (note the plural), she got a serving of exactly two quarter-pieces of waffle. Yes, we could have ordered another serving, but that's really not the point. It took forever and we got such small portions and we never went back. If I could have had a Denny's or IHOP on board, it would probably be a different story.

[davenew]

Does anybody eat all their meals in the dining room? We have been on 3 cruises, and another coming up in Aug 2010 :)

 

I actually prefer to eat the meals in the dining room. Now on the first two cruises, we did a lot of the buffet for breakfast and lunch. Then, one day we did breakfast and I loved it, and then lunch..loved it as well.

 

Last yr when we were on RCCL..we did all meals in dining room, except the welcome aboard buffet and one breakfast. The buffet areas always seem too crowded. The dining room experience is nice, leisurely and doesnt feel rushed or crowded. Many times when we ate at the buffet on Carnival as well as RCCL..sometimes we walked in circles trying to find a table for our party of 7.

 

Anybody else enjoy the dining room experience for all meals?

 

We prefer the meals in the dining room because the meals are served "portioned" thus avoiding over stuffing the plates at the buffet. I always wonder at some of the plates of food that are taken.

Call me old fashioned, but when I'm on vacation, I like to be serve and "looked after".

[leadout_kv]

...but when I'm on vacation, I like to be serve and "looked after".

 

My thoughts exactly. :)

[mnsawyer]

Great post and responses. On our first cruise many years ago, a couple that was part of our group ate every meal in the dining room. Reasons as many have stated above. I couldn't imagine it since we really love the outdoor dining on the ship. I would agree that the lines are long though. We have eaten in the dining room for breakfast a few times for the eggs benedict! We've never eaten in the dining room for lunch with the exception of a several years back on the Celebration they did a buffet in the dining room which was great. Am sure that isn't done anymore just like the midnight buffets each evening.

 

Always have dinner in the MDR and do enjoy that especially when you can snag a table for 2! We did eat on the Lido deck for dinner on our Fascination cruise when we were late in port. It was really neat and many cruisers were doing the same since several tours did not return until after early seating dinner.

[rlkubi]

We eat in the dining room any time it is open. We much prefer the dining room to the buffet!

[Handsome58]

it not all about personal choice, I have been on 8 cruises and I only eat dinner meals in the dinning room. I love it that way. My sister on the other hand loves breakfast & dinner in the dinning room. It is about what you like........

[NanCan]

Dinner ALWAYS in the MDR...Love getting dressed up, even casual dress-up... I do at least two breakfasts in the dining room while kids sleep in... and always make sure to get a seat by a window... nice reflection time for me... but I also love getting cocoa early in the morning and just sitting on the deck ( looking for dolphins lol... I haven't seen one yet) so many different options for lunchtime that I don't have a routine... love the deli though!!! But like others have said... I like eating fast and outside during the afternoon, so I haven't had lunch in the dining room yet...

[SunnyBeachLove]

Dinner is pretty much always in the dining room for us, you're paying for the good food so might as well enjoy it (and we do!). Breakfast is 50/50... if we make it to the dining room, great, but if not we just do the buffet. Lunch is usually the deli/buffet too, I don't think we've ever had lunch in the dining room.

[jayesouthworth]

I like the buffet because of the many choices you have, and the salad bar is my favorite. I can make a salad the way that I want. We only eat in the dining room for dinner. Also, I can control my carbohydrate intake in the buffet and not waste food that I'm unable to eat--like potatoes, rice, etc., that come with lunch, or breakfast in the dining room.

[Luckysll]

I order room service once or twice per cruise, the other breakfasts I'm at the dining room as soon as it opens. It just seems so much more "elegant" to start the day off being waited on and enjoying a little conversation with new people.

 

Might be one night I eat in the Supper Club, but otherwise, it's always the dining room for dinner.

 

Lunch depends on what is being served in the dining room. I prefer the variety in the buffet, but if there's a really good item on the dining room menu, then I'll eat there.

 

I was on the Pride's Panama Canal cruise in March and on the day we transitted the Canal, I decided to eat in the dining room. Got seated at the very back, center table and I had the seat right at the window. The ship was just entering the lock and it was a wonderful spot to be to watch everything that was happening. Would definitely not have been the same if I'd gone to the buffet.