10 Big Dining Mistakes NOT to Make on a Cruise
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- Опубликовано: 28 сен 2024
- Cruises are different that other types of vacations, & this includes food & dining. These are the dining mistakes that cruise passengers are making, that you want to avoid!
Whether you're going on a cruise for the first time or you're a frequent cruiser, these cruise tips will help you have the best cruise main dining room experience. Good tips and cruise information for Carnival cruises, Royal Caribbean, Princess Cruises, Celebrity cruises & more. If you're cruising with food allergies & restrictions, this video is full of helpful cruise advice & cruise mistakes to avoid.
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ABOUT ME
Hi! I'm Ilana! I live in Montreal, Canada with my husband Frank. We can often be found dreaming about and planning future cruises, ideally to hot and sunny destinations! I believe in having fun, being kind and that you are never too old, or too young, to live the life of your dreams!
Please note that I do not sell cruises on Life Well Cruised. This and all other videos are for entertainment purposes only. I share my own opinions, personal experiences and information with other cruise travelers, which I hope can be helpful. Please contact your travel agent or the cruise line directly for advice and any information specific to your booking.
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We are seasoned cruisers. I’ve been on 35+ cruises. We always select open time dining, *but*, did you know that on the first day, you can request to have the same wait staff?! You may not sit at the exact table every night, but you will be placed within their section, so you will have the best of both worlds! We have done this for years! It always works ❤️. Pro tip! 😉
Ordered you planner
@@michealmeyer822 thanks for your purchase:)
Great video. I’ve never been on a cruise and I am thinking about finally going but I have a question about the menu’s. Are the menu’s always in English or do they also have menu’s in Spanish, Italian or Portuguese?
@@carlospadilla1642 I believe they do have various languages probably depends on the ship you are on. I would guess the Spanish is most common though.
My son is a foodie, and at 6 years old was sick of the kids menu on night two in the main dining room. Our server asked if he wanted an adult menu and the boy was in heaven. Escargot, calimari and a cheese plate for dessert. I’m so grateful to that server because we were first time cruisers and didn’t even think to offer my son that. Meanwhile, my 8 year old ordered the same thing every night with perfect happiness.
my daughter was 3 when we went on one (After having her) and she ordered from the adult menu all the time. They were surprised that she DOWNED the chicken plate like a champ. Even on land she doesnt like chicken nuggets, etc. Though mac and cheese sometimes calls her name
My wife and I cruise Royal Caribbean. They use to have shrimp cocktails on the menu, then we noticed they were no longer on the menu. So we asked the waiter if they had them any more, and he said sure if you want them they would make them up for us. Some of the other guests asked us how we got them and we told them all they had to do was ask. After that night they were always at our table when we arrived. To me that was extra tip worthy. Many of the other guests were ordering them as well.
Royal Carribean is horrible on many levels
We are older and prefer early fixed time dining and then go to the show.
@@kathrynstewart5863 How so? Cruise newbie
@@fredrosenbaum8630on our Celebrity cruise in a few days shows are at 7 and 9 so unless you eat at 5:30 it’s going to be tough to make the early show. Esp because I’ve heard you should go 30 min early.
And when you have excursions?@@fredrosenbaum8630
We Were eating in the main DR on Royal Caribbean. I wanted the Surf & Turf but it cost extra. Our waiter suggested ordering either the steak or lobster tail and getting the other as a side dish. No extra charge. It was great and he got a little extra at the end of the cruise. So if you want two main meals you can order one as a side dish.
What an amazing idea
What cruise line was this?
Cruise lines have started charging for good meals, just like the "specialty restaurants" for about $40 each. Wine extra of course.
My sister, niece, and I sailed on the Navigator of the Seas on November 11 and had a wonderful experience in the dining room on Deck 3. When the Head Waiter stopped at the table I asked about the cold soups they used to offer as appetizers - strawberry, peach, watermelon, etc. I would always order if they were available. He did remember them and noted that the menu had changed. The next night, and every dinner after that, our waiter brought me a different cold soup. I was very surprised and thankful. I also received Grand Marnier Soufflé on nights when it wasn't on the menu as I had told our waiter that it was one of the favorite things I love about RCCL. The collaboration between the HW and waiter was obvious; I made sure to thank them for their extraordinary effort. Many smiles all around this cruise!
Wow! Amazing
Thanks for your review my husband and I will be on that ship next month for my 60th birthday!
@@Stacie_Edwards2001 You're welcome! This was the first time I have ever posted a comment. In the 20 years that I have been cruising I have never been disappointed in the dining room on RCCL. My husband will sometimes just order multiple appetizers rather than an entree. If a food choice wasn't what I expected, the wait staff will happily exchange it for something else. We also enjoy the dining room for breakfast and lunch. The wait staff and crew work very hard to make our vacation a pleasant experience and I truly appreciate all their efforts. I hope you have a wonderful birthday!
I worked with many Filipinos over the years as I have run call centers. I noticed that my waiter on a Carnival ship was a Filipino and after a while, I asked him what night would abobo (the national dish) be served. On the last night, we were served a plate of chicken adobo which I thought was pretty cool.
Do you eat to live, or you only live to eat ? 😢
Love Carnival because they have your time dining where you can check in and they send you a message when your table is ready
We loved this last cruise, we literally would get the text and by the time we came down they were ready for us. I think we are going to try the MDR out for brunch.
I totally agree that cruising is a great time to eat what you usually wouldn't eat. As a solo traveller who lives alone, there's some dishes I just wouldn't cook at home due to waste, so it's amazing to get some of these meals on the ships!
So true!!
Shorts, a wife beater t shirt and sandals with socks is not a good look clean it up next time
Adventure of the seas March 😀
Can't wait
Woo Hoo !!
what I still can't understand is why there isn't a big 20-30 seat table always set for singles to come and go as a meet and greet situation.
... sure beats eating the same entree for three meals ...
I think cruise ships are missing a great opportunity to reach out to single people by not have a "singles meet and greet" table that is always set where singles can meet and at least have a meal with some conversation. Just keep the place setting ready and people can just sit down, maybe do something like that green/red coaster thing to alert the server you are ready or need attention.
They do have that on Carnival. I haven't participated, because I am usually with a group of singles already, and I like hanging with my own group.
@@elouise5593 well, I'm not single as it happens, but I wasn't aware of it being a regular thing. So if you are with a group of singles, why wouldn't you want to sit at the mingling table to eat even if it is as a group. The best I've seen on cruise is when they get busy they will ask you if you want to share a table with other people. Not the same thing, but we have always enjoyed that, and we still have the option to dine at a table for two if we don't
@@elouise5593 I guess my point is, they don't really reach out to the singles community as a place to meet people.
I think you can probably reach out to the cruise program director and ask to have the single meet up on the itinerary. Like using the conference room
@@youbyoubalancedliving9700 that is not the point. I'm pointing out that REGULAR things on the cruise do not cater to singles. They already have single meetups, but what about the regular stuff like meals?
I was turned away on a HAL cruise at the MDR because I had on shorts. This was my fault, totally. I had worn shorts to dinner on embarkation day and there was no problem because our suitcases had not arrived at our cabin. This turn away happened the next day. I was not mad and didn’t complain. Just went back to our cabin and changed. Problem solved. Rules have reasons.
Thanks for sharing
"Rules have reasons". You are paying thousands for a cruise. Sometimes tens of thousands, yet your happy to have the cruise company pontificate to you about what you should wear! Seriously.
@@lizzy9975 ✅️
I appreciate this. A simple thing to separate the beach from nice eating venues.
@@lizzy9975your comment is the definition of entitlement. If you're paying that much for a cruise, I'm sure you can afford a pair of pants.
Often for desert my husband will say "what kind of ice cream do you have?" They name 3 and he says, "Yes". They happily bring him a scoop of each.
So many things vary with different cruise lines. One hint--find out in advance what the policy is about changing reservations, as well as whether those reservations need to be made in advance or after you board. We were encouraged to make dining reservations in advance of embarkation for our recent cruise, but the show schedule wasn't available till after boarding. However, there was no problem with altering our dining reservations and the app let us see what was available as well as times. We couldn't always get the "perfect" restaurant and time, but could move things around across a couple days to make it all work out. In addition to dietary issues, DO make the Maitre'd aware of any physical needs you might have. These may include a chair without arms so facilitate transferring from a wheelchair or a chair with arms to help an older person get out of the chair...or, in one case, "not one of those bar stools without a back." No matter what the "standard" chair in that dining room, there are a few "other" chairs that can be brought for people who need them. If you do traditional dining, you should only have to make them aware on embarkation day. But don't limit yourself to traditional; this is a simple request that should be met at any restaurant whether thru choice of table or them bringing a chair that will work. Sorry--I've cruised with 2 people with physical limitations.
Yes, I have seen 2 cruise line menus--one was a special vegan menu, the other was a primarily vegan/vegetarian menu with a few meat dished listed separately. Every menu on that ship noted items that were "gf" for gluten free, "v" for vegetarian, and something else for vegan.
And yes, DEFINITELY try breakfast and lunch in the regular dining rooms, MDRs, or whatever your line calls them. Again, depending on the line, we've found little things that make a difference. For instance, the MDRs served real brewed iced tea while the buffet area only had the stuff made from syrup. And the food in the MDRs is typically wonderful! Also, tell your server if there is something you or your child really likes. For instance, my daughter had something that came with broccoli one night and mentioned to the server that it was her favorite vege. EVERY night, there was a bowl of steamed broccoli for her, even when it wasn't on the menu.
...look at shore excursions too. book them along with the cruise if they let you ... cxcl later if you have to ...
My last cruise we ate in the MDR every night and I ate strictly Carnivore. I spoke to our waiter the first night about my preferences and he told me to order my meals "naked"...that means just the featured meat dish with no sauces or sides (the meat is naked, not me 😉).
Every night I had the beef entre, the fish or seafood entree and a NewYork Strip steak, all on one plate with a little dish of melted butter to pour over everything. Then 2 pieces of cheese for dessert. They were very accommodating and everything was delicious and satisfying. Because we told them not to serve us any bread or sides, nothing was wasted.
Lots of great options for lunch at the buffet too....they got to know me very well at the Carvery Station.
A cruise is a terrific place to stick to your preferred way of eating... amazing professionals preparing and serving you exactly what you ask for. I can't wait for my next cruises coming up in Jan & Feb 2023. (Note: I lost 5.5 lbs on that 2-week cruise eating that way which is way preferable to the 5-10 lbs I used to gain eating all the things on previous cruises).
Thanks so much for sharing! I know a lot of people worry about how they can keep up their dietary lifestyle on a cruise. Smart to mention so you don’t waste as well
I prefer the traditional dining at the same time each night.
I like that there's a dress code in the main dining. There's casual areas in plenty other places.
I traveled around the Mediteranean with MSC (around 2017) and told them beforehand that I needed a gluten free meals. Each time I visited the main dining room they would come to me to talk through the menu to tell me which items would be good choices. After a couple days they came to me without asking. Then they offered things that weren't on the menu that the chef was very proud to cook. My table mates started joking that I had my own 'waiter and chef' and that's how it felt. Speak, be nice and the staff will be much more receptive. Much better than I could have imagined. After this P&O and Cunard were a let down.
We always try to have breakfast in MDR..absolutely worth the effort. Buffet seems easier but there’s no comparison.
I love the Your Time/Any Time dining option. It allows for flexibility in planning your evenings on the ship. If you make a reservation in the morning for a specific time that evening, most times they can accommodate your request. Love it.
I must not get this right! I cannot get the time I wish to dine on a recent Celebrity cruise and found that I had to line up to enter the dining room. Having cruised for many years and never have I been subjected to this. I prefer a fixed time dining and efficient service!
I try to come back home after a cruise around the same weight that I arrived at. Working out at the ship gym, walking a lot, ordering all sauces and butter on the side and eating fruit 90% of the time for dessert has helped a lot!
That fruit has as much sugar as that dessert.
That’s an awesome goal. Though I enjoy a delicious man-made sugar filled desert too.😂I’m going to include more fruit on my next cruise since fruit has nature’s sugar and not man-made sugar. Thanks for sharing.
@@ladyc3205 It's still glucose and sucrose. The chemistry is the same. Have the Cheese as the dessert.
We were on a recent cruise where my husband commented to the head waiter how he loved Indian food. On our Italian cruise there were Indian dishes on the menu every night. Next night at dinner we were treated to a feast! So much food, we literally ate like kings that week. Every night he brought us small samples of Indian food, it was great. You just have to ask!
Our last cruise on Serenade of the Seas I told our Indian server that I wanted to try more Indian food.
He was overjoyed at describing dishes and making recommendations. It was phenomenal ❤
Detailed dress codes would be great! Thank you for all that you do to make our cruises more enjoyable!
I think using the traditional dining if you have a group of 8 or more, or if you have younger children, is definitely the way to go. We used to cruise with our sons a lot, even when they were very young. The wait staff was always fantastic and would bring their favorites even if they were not on the menu that evening. For instance, on Princess, they would bring out the alphabet soup for them as soon as we were seated because the boys were always hungry after playing all day. Then a bowl of strawberries for younger son and a bowl of broccoli for older son because it was their favorites and helped us get something healthy into them right away. I even have fantastic pictures of my young boys asleep at the table, laying across two chairs each, with tablecloths draped over them. The amazing waiters saw them nodding off at dinner and rather than my husband and I having to rush through dinner, they wanted us to enjoy our meal and let our little guys get some sleep. I can’t say enough wonderful things about our waiters on Princess! Sorry so long.
i was on my first cruise at age 10. The family next door had a kid who discovered ripe olives and he kept that waiter hopping.
How nice of these waiters to be so.,helpful.
Love it!!
In our 70’s and usually cruise just the 2 of us. After many cruises, we have developed a dining system. We book in advance so we get Early Dining and a table for 2. This way, we know where our table is and have the same waiters. Usually take in the show after, so I can ask for expedited dining and the wait staff will really help. Take a book and get to the theater early to have a good seat. Have cruised with a group and have found that the larger the group, the longer the time in the MDR. Then you are late for the show. We tip our waiter on the 2nd night for taking care of us during the cruise. Also address them by name. Goes a long way. Same with cabin stewards. This may seem anti-social, yet we really enjoy the intimate dining experience, with just the 2 of us. Your suggestion of asking the waiter to honestly suggest a menu item is spot on. They know what is good and what’s not. Especially soups. Fruit plates are great if you are starting to gain weight! After the show, I escort my wife to the cabin where she picks a movie and I hit the casino. Works for us! Keep up the enjoyable videos, Ilana!
Wait, u put her n room for Movie, you hit casino for fun? What’s up with that? Nope! Watch a movie at home! Go have fun! Don’t have to spend lot of money, play nickel machine or watch others. Listen to music, meet new friends, Karaoke, piano room etc. Look at amazing stars. And No, don’t have to drink Alcoh to have fabulous time. I tried silent disco 1st time alone, was a blast! And even More fun watching others. If staying n room is what u want/need, ok, but have fun like spouse. Hell, (whoops) beat him in poker :) watch TV later. Get out, Live! If not feeling great, rest, isolate. Have room service, deliver Free items. Feel special! So many great shows, music, games and fun on ships. 🚢 Even Bingo gives away Free cruise if win. We’ve Never had a bad cruise, been on many! If middle age +, Last one, MSC, loved it!! RC, Norwegian, Princess, fabulous too, Carnival is reasonable, crowded, younger crowd seems, mostly partiers may or may not remember their cruise😳, kidding, kinda. 😂. Save for MSC private island, not crowded, Hawaii Islands or Alaska someday! Fantastic! I’m Thinking I should be a cruise agent love so much. They could send me to review all, I tell all about? Have fun, be safe, be smart on excursions. And most important, Take care of those that care of you on ship! They work so very hard to make all have a great memory. Lovely people from all areas.
Another important tip:
Purchase travel insurance! It’s SO worth it if anything happens. Know a young family that needed. Was a Save money big time and get treated promptly!
Have Fun All!
I’m looking forward to my next cruise. My parents are octogenarians and do not want to leave the ship at port… fine with me. I do not like casinos as I have never been lucky. I’m going to enjoy just sitting on balcony with my Parents and help them as needed. My idea of cruising isn’t all the stuff going on it is the beautiful scenery and no phone calls. That’s why they offer something for everyone. My last cruise with friends, we watched an old black and white movie and sang the song the rest of the trip. It was a fun memory.
@@toddylu6869We are taking my 89 yo parents on a cruise, too. We will celebrate their 65th Anniversary 🎉. Same plan, to just spend fun, quality time together! It’ll be different than our previous cruises, but I think will be more special ❤️❤️❤️❤️
We took our 8th Holland America cruise over Christmas this year. Fun to have all those decorations up without having to do it - or out them away - including the gingerbread village with the model train. The first night people were dressed very casually in the main dining room (MDR) but the second night was Christmas Eve and a sea day, “gala night” so the expectation was higher. There were still a few men who showed up in tank tops for that, but starting Christmas Day they were turned away. We enjoy sitting at a table for two, having a relaxed dinner, dressing up, and not having to put up with people who don’t understand dress codes. We always enjoy eating there, including occasional breakfasts and lunches. The variety and freshness are superb.. thanks for focusing on MDR and possibilities.
We had breakfast in the main dining room one morning on our most recent cruise, and it was the best one of the trip. It was lovely and relaxed, much more enjoyable than going to the buffet. Our package included a couple of specialty restaurants, and those were outstanding. The lobster bisque was the best I've ever had, and we came home with the recipe.
We're trying the breakfast this cruise at Christmas, always wanted to, but never had. Thanks for the tip!
I love breakfast in the dining room. I have never waited for a table and not have to deal with the crowds and finding a seat is wonderful
i had the opposite experience myself haha I found myself really missing the speed and flexibility of being able to get up and get my own refills on my water/lemonade/iced tea and get myself things like extra napkins / ketchup / hot sauce the one morning I did breakfast in main dining. I also missed being able to pick my own portion sizes and take little bits of lots of different foods. I liked having people to sit with though as the buffet can get a little lonely as a solo traveler but I wish we could refill our own beverages so we don’t have to sit there thirsty waiting if the servers are busy.
Our last cruise on RC we had breakfast in the main dining room on debarkation day and it was incredible!! Wish I had realized it sooner. Agree about lunch-/had several outstanding lunches there too. Had to drag my husband but he loved it. At home we sacrifice not going out to eat and it’s our favorite part of the cruise.
@@susancook1448 we did the same on our cruise in June - every other day we were happy to go to the buffet restaurant for breakfast but we saw how busy it was on the last morning so went off to the calm of the dining room!
Hey Illana - something I did on my HAL cruises - there was a fantastic white chocolate mousse offered on the Main Dining menu (dinner) on our first evening yet it didn’t appear the next night, I asked about it and our server said “no problem, we can definitely get that for you if you’d like” - absolutely and I was able to have it, upon request each addt’l night, if desired. Thank you for reminding folk to “ask servers” for items on/off menu.👌🏻
What is HAL? Holland America?
Wow!! Nice to know
I wish that was an option on our recent RC cruise. I was hoping for more basic appetizers - a simple shrimp cocktail - but was told I was only able to get what was on menu for the night.
Three things:
1. We always book the 8:00 seating because we found that on port days it gave us time for a nap and to get a snack on some buffet items that were in the MDR menu as a preview.
2. If you're sharing a table with others at a fixed seating time and will either be late or not attending dinner that night, please do let the head waiter know so that it doesn't hold up dinner service for the rest of your tablemates.
3. How can we preview menus either before the cruise or at the very beginning for the entire cruise? We're on Princess and knowing this in advance would make planning for a specialty restaurant much easier. TIA.
We really like the traditional dining and prefer the early seating around 5:30 or 6 because by the time we finish the show, I’m ready for another little treat. 😊
That's exactly what we do. I often see the same people from the show and then at the buffet again. LOL
We were recently on Symphony with the family, one daughter in law is vegan, they were so helpful with her meals. The head waiter would come every night after our meal to get her to decide what she wanted to eat the next night. It was excellent service, that is why we always do Celebrity or Royal. Their service is exceptional!
Thanks for sharing!! Great to hear 👏
I saw someone do this on my MSC cruise with a person at the table next to me who was gluten free. I’m regular vegetarian & they just told me to order off the regular menu haha which is fine for me though as I like to jet off to the evening show right after dinner & wouldn’t have enjoyed having to linger. As a solo traveler whose usually really eager to make friends on the ship, I probably wouldn’t want to back myself into the hole of having to pre order - I’d feel guilty if I wanted to stay in bed and order room service or made a new friend on an excursion or at the club or something and went to the buffet with them instead. The best part about solo traveling for me is the spontaneity you can have when you don’t have to okay the days plans with anyone except yourself and can do what you really want to do (or not do) every day. I did enjoy eating most days in main dining with the other solo friends I made but I did spend 2 days in bed on my last cruise and I loved having the flexibility to do that.
As a vegan I had that same experience with Princess. I couldn't believe the level of personal attention night after night!
@@glendacollins2898 I’m glad to hear they accommodated you! I hope to be able to take a cruise with them soon!
Something I enjoyed and strongly recommend is if you are a Solo Cruiser to have open booking and get the Mixed/shared table. It is so nice to meet different people and hear there stories compare how many cruises people have done what they do and after 7nts of Breakfast and Dinner you start to have a large number of people you'll recognise and talk with.
On my first cruise, my friend and I only went to the dining room once. That was a mistake in and of itself because the food was as good as any fine restaurant I've been to. The people at my table were so nice and very interesting as some of them were veteran cruisers with good advice and stories. I just booked a second cruise and I won't make those mistakes again.
When you eat with other solo diners, you may discover WHY they are solo.😮😮
Was not really a solo because my husband was second engineer and had to eat in officer's mess. Due to scheduling, I was usually seated with a family which was fine. Thankfully, they opted to sleep in one morning so I was alone. Ordered a baked apple and it exploded - red juice everywhere.
😂😮😅 wow
I told my late husband when we go on a cruise, I want to meet new people. I cannot wait until my sister and I go.
I’m a pretty good home cook and I agree completely with choosing dishes you wouldn’t have at home. Lamb, short ribs, cold soups, salads with unusual ingredients are always on my radar since those are things my husband doesn’t really care for so I don’t make them at home.
I like the fact that they put a dress code I've taken over 35 cruises on I don't know six different Cruise Lines it's just kind of part of the ambience of the cruise get with it
My husband is country. Formal wear is a new pair of jeans. It was our first cruise so I told him no jeans. He got these nice jean like pants that were in khaki, black, dark gray and dark blue. He loves them and they looked very nice with a collared shirt.
We’ve seen the dress code change a great deal over 40 years of cruising and years ago really enjoyed dressing every night and the gowns & tuxes but even us old folks find lessening up a bit on formality makes it nice as well. We will dress on formal nights now but leave the tux & gowns in storage.
I love the dress code. I cruise on Oceania. I have casual wear for day trips, the cocktail dress for high tea. Then I enjoy going formal for supper. One of the things I love about Oceania is that you aren't stuck at one table with the same people. You sit wherever you want.
I have always preferred the main dining room at 6pm. That way by 8pm I’m off to all the night life activities. I still make sure that I experience a couple of specialty restaurants as well.
We definitely prefer set dining although we have open dining on our next cruise. My husband has multiple food allergies and we need to get to know our waiting staff so they can familiarise themselves with his requirements. We have always found them to be very helpful and give us a menu a day in advance for planning purposes. He has had a card printed with his allergies on it to save time.
I did have the “My Way” dining years ago. It was alright but at the same time, I do like traditional dining. I enjoy having the same waiter or waitress every day. I love that they remember your name, your preferences (Coke, iced tea, etc). It takes special people to be able to do that. I love it!
Also, I do like earlier dining. My first cruise, it was 7 day cruise and we had late dining. And it seemed like most shows were at 8pm and we always stayed late, eating and talking, etc. that was nice, but we missed out on shows and special events.
About 6 years ago on Royal Caribbean we noticed people underdressed for dinner even though there was a sign at the door. The head waiter told us they have difficulty enforcing it. Our last cruise even on dress nights there were people with hats, shorts, t shirts and it really took away from the special feel of the evening. I remember my first cruise which was Celebrity every night people were dressed up. Now you are hard pressed to find a tux, suit or gown/fancy dress. I know people want to be relaxed on vaca but if you choose not to dress up on the fancy nights hit the buffet. We primarily cruise Royal Caribbean and I do wear jeans with heels or sandals with a nice blouse/ shirt to dinner but I miss the elegance of those dress nights. I still bring a fancy dress or gown and my husband wears a suit.
I absolutely agree with you %100 on all points. And you’re right, it takes away from the ambiance of the entire evening. We go all out for formal night and it chaps my ass when people stroll in with a Tommy Bahamas tshirt, cutoff shorts and flip flops. Go up to the buffet or the pizza place on formal night if you choose to dress like that. 😡
You sound so stuffy and out of touch with anything of value. God forbid cruise ships really change their procedures for people who are not old. I don't mind wearing nice pants and a nice shirt but having to pack a damn tux or gown for dinner is wasteful in so many ways. You want formal stick to Cunard.
I always wear what I call casual work clothes ( pants with a nice shirt) in the dining room, never shorts, halters or bathing suits, but on 20+ cruises I’ve never worn a formal & I never intend to. I could care less what others wear. I love a drama free life & I don’t sweat the small stuff.
We just went to our very first cruise last week with RCCL. We had an amazing time and plan on going on a cruise again. A month before our cruise I started watching your videos and truly helps my family (party of 11) on our first cruise. Thank you so much & more power to channel!
We’re you able to sit your party of 11 at one table?
I like the more relaxed dress codes, but am fine with defining what 'relaxed' or casual means. Trust some would show up to the dining room with wet bathing suits or no shirts, not considering how long it takes for that type of seating to dry...But not having to be formally dressed for dinner every night thankfully cuts down on the amount of clothing I have to pack.
I definitely prefer traditional dining. We’ve tried both and the 8:00 dining seems to work the best for us. I love getting to know our waitstaff. I would love to see the dress code video! Royal has a separate vegetarian menu as well as a kids menu.
I’d love to see some of the vegetarian menus on Royal! I hope to be able to afford to cruise with them one day. They seem to never give us solos a break on the supplement.
Is it less crowded at that time?
@@AceGoodheart No it’s about the same. All the tables are full usually.
My wife and I went on our first cruise and assumed we had to have a table for two. One of the most fun we had was to ask to be seated with other people. We often sat with four strangers. We were all friends by the end of the meal. Great fun.
Was recently on a Carnival cruise in Oct to the Mexican Rivera. My husband and I were not sleeping well so we were up early every day and had to have breakfast at the buffet because breakfast wasn’t served until 8:30am in the MDR. We were able to eat and then find prime seating in the serenity section of the boat. I’m hoping on our next cruise in June we are able to have at least a couple of breakfasts in the MDR.
Have had crazy experiences on my time dining and we always love a table for 2. Last week on explorer of the seas a man shows up on formal night with a bathrobe running shorts tank top. I try to imagine that his luggage was stolen so he had no choice. We also saw him by the pool in same outfit with a bottle of champagne……. That was his attire for the week.😊
I love having breakfast in the dining room. It is the best!
I ♥️ the main dining room for breakfast and lunch! I usually order a light breakfast and coffee delivered to my room to nibble on while I'm getting ready. Then head to the main dining room for a regular breakfast. On HAL I also love the afternoon tea offered in the main dining room.
I am going on my first cruise as a vegan on RC Oasis of the Seas & I’m very excited to see they have an all vegan separate menu in the MDR. It makes my dining experience so much easier as I am allergic to dairy.
there is a place on your cruise planner on most lines that asks about allergies, Kosher, vegan etc meals. The waiter will ask each day, but I'd be sure to mention it if it's really a health issue.
I am sensitive to dairy and gluten. I had a fantastic server on the Oasis in May. Let your server know on day one. He took extra care concerning my food choices the entire trip and even had menu items prepared specifically for me. He even had a dessert prepared for me each night. Another great tip. Bring a shelf stable carton of your dairy free milk and take it to the drink cafe by the spa. They made me a smoothie every morning using my milk for breakfast.
We just two weeks ago went on Holland America to Alaska, on a smaller ship (2100 passengers). I’ve been on larger Royal Caribbean ones before. 4 in our group, and we ate breakfast open seating and 5:30 seating in main dining. To me breakfast is best there, more relaxing and you can get what you want. I think we did that every day. So nice.
Going on our first cruise in February. We have booked traditional dining, but we'll miss the formal nights and go elsewhere on those nights. Very excited.
Which ship are you on as formal nights are not what they use to be.
@@julianigoe1291 We will be on the Grand Princess sailing from Melbourne to NZ. According to the app, there will be 2 formal nights.
@@queenslanddiva me to out of Melbourne. Just got off the majestic last week the formal nights are not that formal. Men can get away with Slack and a shirt. And the lady's basically the same. It's not like the old days of gowns and tails. enjoy your cruise.
We always do traditional dining. We love the MDR you don't have to dress fancy but you do need to wear clothes that cover your body. (Lol) If you choose to not want to cover up then eat at the buffet.
I went on the Pacific Jewel (ret) in 2014, and I tried snails for the first time. It was so good, and though I've not had snails since, due to where I live, it was a dining experience to remember. As for dining times, I find traditional times are either too early or too late, so go for "my time".
Love escargot! I didn't see it on my cruise on the Paradise, though. I hope it was only because it was one of Carnival's smallest ships and not because Carnival has stopped serving it!
Cruising from San Diego on Princess Diamond...a disaster on boarding, standing in line 2 hours. I tried following your suggestions, most of them worked, the magnets, etc. Overall the ports of Hawaii were great, disembarking was efficiently handled. My roommate began coughing on 3rd day out, I noticed others coughing as well. She went to medical care, $100.00, told she had a cold, no problem with upper respiratory but her coughing was deep. She was given a covid test 2x, sent on her way. We visited 4 Islands of Hawaii, Hilo being the 1st. On our way out of Ensenada, the last port of this 16 day cruise, the captain announced there are people in isolation for covid. There are at least 100 in quarantine SINCE HILO!!!!! Our 1st stop 10 days ago!! We feel deceived by staff and dishonest to the islanders with whom we have been in contact.
We mix it up between Main dining and buffet, based on our schedule and just what we feel like doing that day. We choose a dining time for the main room and request a table for two at the beginning of the cruise, but we don’t go every evening.
Great way to plan 👏
Are gratuities still required for buffets?
Gratuities are for each day of your cruise, so there are no extra gratuity’s for the buffet.
Should we let the staff know in advance if we are not going on the selected time? I like to have the early seating time but not sure I'll be there every night.
This is our first cruise for both of us. I went on a princess cruise when I was 12. Sooo this is really our first adult cruise you can say
Princess has relaxed their dress code in the main DR for the ships we've sailed recently. On casual evenings shorts are commonly seen while on formal nights even jeans & a polo shirt are being allowed. Suit & ties & gowns are still being seen but people are turning to casual dressing much more than in the past.
Which is a pity. I’m an absolute pro at casual dressing. I have both long and short sleeve tshirts in a wide array of colors to go with my jeans. My husband is equally well practiced. We mostly work from home but neither of us need to “dress” for work on the occasion we go to our offices.
Getting dressed to the nines for dinner is fun! You don’t have to wear a tux and gown every night…. But putting on slacks and sport coat or dressy pants and top? Not a big ask. If you can afford a cruise, you can get down to Walmart for “grown up clothes”. I mean…. My husband got tux pants there…..
No one is required to eat in the MDR…….
@@NancyD2 Agree 100% . It is such a disappointment for me
I can see both sides of it. I think it is nice that people can dress how they want. I wish they would have more formal nights honestly like every 3/4 days and not only on the 7+ day cruises because I enjoy formal night and dressing up, but it’s also nice sometimes to be able to wear whatever (especially when you don’t have any time dining and are in a rush after waking up late from a nap or getting back from a long day / long excursion)
yay
Food doesn’t taste any different wearing a tux or a polo and nice pair of shorts . Why does anyone care what someone else is wearing or doing. Sitting at a table you don’t know what someone is wearing on there legs . I’ve seen women that shouldn’t be wearing short dresses .and men who should be wearing pants all the time . I’m on a cruise to get away ,not pack clothes I’m wearing for an hour just to eat a meal
I went on the cruise and did my time dining. Our waitstaff was amazing. It was wonderful seeing the same people every night. It was a wonderful experience.
I went on a solo transatlantic cruise and I almost always ate breakfast in the main dining room. The hostess even sat me at the same table every morning near the window. I also had the same waiter and as soon as he saw me he immediately brought me coffee and orange juice.
I prefer traditional dining….you have your consistent staff, table and you can always do something different if you prefer ie:buffet, specialty. Less confusion and disruption to your cruise.
Leaving in 2 weeks from today on a 11 day celebrity cruise! Been watching all your videos to prepare. Thanks!
How exciting!! Have fun!!
Hope you enjoy it!
I like cruises where there are formal nights because our children are always with us and it is a good training ground for what we teach at home on use of cutlery as well as table manners. While they are enjoying their vacation they have a sort of dress rehearsals for special occasions at home or at a party when certain foods like seafood, escargot, or artichokes will be served and a knowledge of table manners and cutlery are important.
Very wise parents! I always felt I needed to teach my children how to act so they would be comfortable no matter the situation, good for you!
Thank you for your video- One hint that I learned on my first cruise when dinning in the main dinning room is that it was different than eating in a restaurant on land in regards to taking food leftover “ doggy bags. I had purposely left a little of my food on my plate the first time I ate in the main dinning room because I was planning on enjoying it for a little snack later on in my cabin. I was then very surprised when I found out that that they did not have take out containers nor did they want leftovers taken on the dishes back to the cabin. I felt like a silly newbie.
Really? Not sure which line you cruised on but on Royal Caribbean, my table mates took plates back every night from the main dining room claiming that they are their evening snacks (whether those were extra appetizers, entrees or desserts, etc). They had that covers on the plates that you see often for room service.
@@Gybing Interesting- I guess maybe it varies by cruise line then( I was not on Royal Caribbean then). I was told by the server at that time that it was not allowed. Happy future cruising
We’ve been on Disney, Royal Caribbean and Carnival, but gravitate toward Carnival. Carnival has never let me down on food quality, choices and dining experience.
The steak house on Carnival, Fahrenheit 555, is excellent. For the price, you can’t beat the quality and quantity of the food you get.
On sea days, they have a brunch that is phenomenal. On port days, if we’re not in a hurry, we’ll do breakfast in the dining room. It’s a very relaxing way to start the day as the dining room is t very crowded.
We were on Zaandam up the east coast of Canada over Labor Day, 2022. I fell in love with the portion size in the MDR and the speciality restaurants. At home, I frequently complain about portion sizes at local restaurants. I cannot possibly eat that size of meal at one sitting and have to get a "doggy bag" and finish it later. On HAL, the portion sizess are alway reasonable and I never feel wasteful with food left on my plate.
I do sometimes order from the kids' menus! There are times I just want a good old grilled cheese sandwich or a corn dog. You are so right about off menu items, too. We went to the casual 24- hour restaurant for breakfast on my first cruise. (This was not my hubbys first but was my first. L) They did not offer fruit on the menu. I asked for a side or a bowl as my husband told me they had ordered things like that in the past off menu. I was provided a lovely platter of fruit with a small side of cottage cheese and a small side of plain yougart. The presentation was beautiful and it was delicious 😋 We shared it. It never hurts to ask. I was very impressed, lol. This was my very first breakfast onboard.
On our last Carnival cruise, there was a very young couple sitting right next to us. It was their first cruise. Every night, they wore cut off shorts and tshirts to the dining room. We are in our 60s and have been cruising for 25 years or so, so we are old school and, at the very least, wear pants and nice tops to the dining room every night. Even on the “dress up” nights, they wore shorts and athletic like shirts. It was a bit disappointing for us, but they seemed quite comfortable!😕
We have enjoyed our dinner, gone to a show and then the buffet for dessert. I asked the waiter at dinner if he could send my dessert to the room and yes he did so happily.
On our recent cruise on Norwegian, we foolishly made our specialty dining reservations only a few days before the cruise, with the result that all our reservations were at 7:30 p.m., which is a lot later than we prefer. We were able to dine earlier than that in two ways. First, immediately after we got back from a port day, at 5:45 P.M., I called up the restaurant reservation line and was able to get a table for 6 P.M. Second, on another day where we had a 7:30 reservation, and the people on the reservation line had told me that nothing earlier was available, we went to the restaurant and asked if we could possibly get in earlier. They seated us a few minutes later, at 6:30. Both of these were at Cagney's, the steakhouse, which I strongly recommend.
My wife and I cruise about once a year. We like the open dining option, and will typically eat at the main dining area. We’ve never had a problem asking the hostess to seat us at a server’s table that we have gotten to know. It sometimes takes a few minutes more after arriving, but we are always seated with the serving staff we’ve asked for. We’ve also asked to sit at a particular table as well, and the hostess has been able to make it happen most of the time. We also like to eat at the specialty restaurants at least once on a cruise. The food and atmosphere are usually amazing at these restaurants, and we love the experience of this fine dining.
Hi! We love to cruise with Saga (we’re in the U.K.) - and we always book into the specialty restaurants during our cruise. The bonus with Saga is that their specialty restaurants (which are intimate, so really nice) are at no extra charge! We love it!
Carnival has the Menu Mate program. I did keto for 2 weeks by involving the wait staff and chef the day ahead for my specific dinner choices. They prepared me berries and cream for dessert!
Since I'm on my own, I like the flexibility. I'm willing to wait to be included at a larger table.
I like dressing up a bit for the diningroom. Formal nights are fun too. Why dress down for a white tablecloth service?
Pick one specialty restaurant just to spoil yourself. They are worth it!
When I go in for dinner, I specifically ask to be seated at a large table to meet other people. It's nice to have someone to talk to!
I used to always feel rushed when choosing fixed dining especially on port days. I Love having the flexibility!
Congratulations on reaching that magical 100,000!! You deserve many more! I really enjoy your channel!
Thanks so much!
We cruised with our 3 year old grandson who wanted pizza or mac 'n' cheese every night, so we requested them. Our waiter was fantastic and would automatically bring them to Landon. Plus ice cream.
I wish I had this before I cruised haha! I think my biggest confusion about the main dining room still is I’m not 100% clear on what beverages you can order unlimited free refills if you have no drink package - on some lines it seems to be only water and on some it seems to be water / lemonade / iced tea and on others still it seems to be water / lemonade / iced tea in the buffet only and only water in main dining room and then another option seems to be that some give the juice in main dining for breakfast and lunch only, and I’ve heard of orange and cranberry and some other juices being supposedly included in some lines for breakfast too. So I would love more transparency about this as for many of us budget cruisers we have to stick with the included beverages at dinner :) I do budget in a few cocktails a day but would always rather save those for the club, don’t tend to enjoy mixing alcohol with my food as water / lemonade / iced tea are perfect for me (just hate being that poor girl whose always asking everyone what’s included it always gets rude looks from the staff lol ugh). & with cruise lines making a lot of changes like the lobster up-charges and 3rd entree upcharges I’m sure this changes but it would be awesome to have a video like for current 2022 rules of how many of each appetizer / entree / desert you can order on each line & what drinks are included without a package & the cost of drinks in main dining without a package (popular drinks like a glass / bottle of house wine, a domestic beer, a can of Coke, etc). I feel like everyone is so gunshy to explain this stuff to us new cruisers & knowledge is truly power. I learn a lot from your videos truly & the stuff I do know is pretty much all learned from RUclips so thank you!
I wish I had the guts to order more appetizers & deserts & frankly more entrees sometimes lol on my next cruise I will be a lot more brave I think. Got to just keep reminding myself I’ll never see any of these people again and live my best life because I held back a lot last time! I would have loved another plate of shrimp and grits on Caribbean night of my last cruise and was so afraid to ask and next time I’m gonna just say the heck with it I’m on vacation lol. And while most lines seem to be up charging for a second or third lobster tail I am guessing that I’ll still be able to always get a second one if I tell them I don’t want the steak as I don’t eat that so I just need to be more vocal. I’m very extroverted and not shy at all so I can only imagine that it’s probably 100% more intimidating for introverted / shy folks to speak up & guessing most people don’t order more even when they want to. (Im so confused when I hear about people ordering a third entree like I’m too shy to ask for a second and I’m the most extroverted person I’ve ever met lol)
Be Brave. Although some lines are cutting back on 3rd entrees they are still allowing extra appetizers and desserts. A lot of diners order multiple dishes. Get to know your staff on the first night. First night I always have a shrimp cocktail and joke with the waiter that I will start every meal with one. The first dish at my table each night is that cocktail without me even having to order it.
If we don't kmow, we can ask. Waiter will tell you what's complimentary.
@@sariel8406 I’ve actually had most waiters tell me it’s only water but then seen other people who don’t have the drink package order lemonade and iced tea and not get charged on the same cruise so I think a lot of the waiters either don’t know or give the wrong information about this unfortunately
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@@mdduet I hope I have more courage to be more extroverted and ask for more things on my next cruise! I did pretty good on my first two but found a lot of the staff either didn’t know or pretended they didn’t know what we were entitled to especially on drinks - food seemed to be more laid back!
I heartily agree about the MDR for breakfast and lunch. I’ve been on cruises where I’ve never even been to the buffet. I’m on vacation and I want to relax and have someone bring me food. I don’t want to carry my own food around
I love eating in the MDR for Breakfast. It’s so nice!!
My mother and I prefer the Flexible DIning option to the more traditional one. We can eat whenever the mood strikes--even though there may be a bit of a wait, it's usually not a long one. At least not on the non-huge ships.
Plus, that way, we can usually get seated with other passengers that we don't know and we can get to know them! That's a huge plus for us.
We love open dining! I do make reservations for 2 out of 3 or 4 of our specialty dinners (we usually do 4-6 meals in specialty depending on the length of cruise), but the rest is when we feel like eating! If we have a full day of excursions, I do make reservations on those nights because we will be kinda tired and not feeling like waiting and often famished. Even for specialty, we have never waited longer than 30 minutes for our table.
I always ask for baked potato, and have gotten it every time I ask for it. Or when they meal I want has rice, I just say, give me some type of potato instead. One Cdn Thanksgiving we were on a cruise and the the chef prepared a special turkey just for us on that day
Sounds great!
We love the MDR and don’t bother with speciality restaurants unless they’re something really special. We always do ‘anytime’ dining and do our own thing. Sometimes we just eat Pizza under the stars with some cocktails or hit the buffet.
It all depends on how quickly the waitstaff can serve everyone at your table. If you want to see a show, some people who has cruised with me, simply went to the buffet on that night. But I always go for set dining as opposed to walking in. It's always good to know exactly where your table is.
Great points
We like to have a set table and make friends with the people around the same table. We have always been lucky with the people we have been seated with - apart from the occasional ignorant New Yorker! I like dressing up for the formal nights but sometimes wonder if it is really worth the effort - no special dinner, no special show, nothing different really. Then have to take it all off again 3 hours later!
Traditional dining is all me and my honey do. Tip big in advance for better service.
My wife and I just got back from taking a Liberty of the Seas cruise to Bermuda and they had no issue with us wearing shorts on any non-formal dinning nights. It was nice not having to stress so much about what we were having to wear, but I still kept it a nicer casual dressing by wearing a polo shirt with some nicer golf type of shorts that I had, instead of just regular summer street type of shorts. Either way, it was just nice not having to feel so restricted as to what we wore in the dining room.
My husband and I prefer the 'open or anytime' dining and sharing a table with others.. we get to meet different people that way. We noticed that if the same group of people tend to dine around the same time we may share a table again or be with the same waitstaff. We prefer breakfast in the MDR (unless it is not open early enough as we need to be off for an excursion - then upstairs to the buffet) as it is also portion control 😎 and the lunches have been really delicious when open during sea days.
Congratulations on 100k. Love the videos. Perhaps I'd like to see parking at the ports.
Thanks so much! What ports do you have in mind?
@@LifeWellCruised I am cruising out of NY on New Years Eve, it's our first cruise, I have no idea where to park!
My husband was turned away from the MDR on Norwegian Epic last month. I told him, but do husbands listen?
I appreciate the tip about checking out your table ahead of time. I love sitting next to a window if I can get it
Congrats on 100k!!🎉
Thank you so much!
I prefer traditional. Only once was I "forced" into anytime dining and I requested the same table,time and waitstaff anyway.
We usually do specialty dining nearly every night(or room service)…we have upcoming first cruise on HAL 3 weeks from today..so will probably give the buffet at least one try, since the staff serves the food as opposed to most other lines where I avoid the buffet like the plague.
Very interesting. I didn’t try the buffet at night. Loved Canelletto btw
Just disembarked last week from the HAL Westerdam. I can vouch for Canaletto’s went there twice.
Also the Lido buffet is excellent and yes in general the staff behind the counter serve you, there are some things that you can serve yourself, but it is usually already apportioned out on a plate. I thought it very well done.
We are creatures of habit and always eat on the earlier sitting in the main dining room. We also choose to sit at a mixed table as we love to meet other cruisers and love to learn about other areas and customs.
I'm so happy to find out about the fruit plate!
On a Celebrity cruise this past summer, I was appalled when someone from a nearby table showed up for dinner in basketball shorts. I can't imagine ever going to the main dining room dressed like that. I don't think formal dress is required, but basketball shorts????
We just came back from Celebrity cruise and I was not impressed seeing people in teeshirts and shorts or looking like they are dressed for the backyard party. I understand that not everyone likes to dress up, but dining room is a place of more formal set up and if not suite and tie , at least formal casual dress code should be in place
Surprising, but I guess it can happen
I'm a traditional diner as well. It's easier to plan your evening, if you know you won't have to wait to eat. I'm am early diner, so the 6pm seating is perfect for me. I also agree about scoping out your table early. I have minor mobility issues, and I prefer to be close to the main entrance and off to the side. I don't want to have to hike across the length of the ship to eat my meal.
On the Norwegian line, the Brazilian steak house is priced at $70pp. Similar Brazilian steakhouses on shore (Texas de Brazil and Fogo de Chao) are cheaper in most locations at $54 and $62 but also higher rated. Also, the more average Brazilian steakhouses are close to $30-40pp. The on-shore Brazilian steakhouses offer a lighter option of the buffet only priced around $30 that my wife chooses as she is not a huge meat eater.
I want to correct this post. I DID see that they raised the price on their website. However, when I arrived at the ship, the price was back to $59.
I prefer traditional dining. It depends though on who I am with. Lol, as long as I can get a filet or sirloin in main dining, I am good. Buffet puts me off.
I hear you 😂
Why is that?? u look down on people who eats at buffet? 🙄
Hello Ilana! Thanks for all of your helpful information. I just got back from my cruise aboard the Holland America Nieuw Statendam. One evening, we had just returned to the ship from a port, and I heard dinner dress was casual, so I made my way to the dining room while wearing shorts. A head waiter stopped and told me: "Sir, you cannot wear shorts in the dining room!" I could see a troubled look on his face, so I decided I would have some fun with him. I said: "Ok" and I began to take off my shorts in front of him. "Sir! Sir! You need to wear trousers! Long pants!" I laughed, then went back to my stateroom to comply. A few tips you could also include: With regard to the menu, you can also order more than one appetizer, entree, or/and desert. The salmon portion is very small, and I always ordered two entrees when ordering salmon. I disagree with paying more for some of the upscale selections. They are NOT better, and the food on the normal menu is more than adequate. Ditto for the specialty restaurants. Also, you can also request items not on the menu (like a scoop of ice cream with your cake). Thanks again!
I like traditional dining. We learned fir ourselves we like the 6pm seating. It allows you to make shows.
After 25 cruises, I prefer open dining, but seldom eat in the dining rooms anymore. We always choose two specialty dining nights during a seven day cruise. Most of the time we eat in the buffet or other informal food options, because we can eat ‘on the fly’, when we feel like it. Also, as a KETOvore, I feel like I have more control in what I eat then when ordering off a menu, however when on a cruise, I do cheat and will have pizza a few times when lounging around during the day. On the flip side, rarely do we order food in our cabin, but we will order coffee, tea or drinks.
Wow! I didn’t think my experience at the MDR being turned away because of wearing shorts would create such a verbal firestorm. To Lizzy: If you don’t want to dress appropriately for the MDR, dine at the buffet. No one will care or complain. No too many people want to see shorts and tank tops in the MDR. No need to use profanity in the comments here. My opinion on the MDR dining rules is that the majority of cruisers would like to dine in an atmosphere that is clean and appetizing. That is why you have several dining options on a cruise ship. To be clear, I was at fault for showing up at the MDR on the second night wearing shorts. I just forgot.