First Night - MDR or Buffet?

For the first night of your cruise, which is best to do, MDR or Buffet? What would be your preference and why?

Thanks!

For the first night of your cruise, which is best to do, MDR or Buffet? What would be your preference and why?

 

Thanks!

I would eat in the MDR as its nice to get to know your waiter and table mates early on. If you have ATD I would still eat in the MDR especially if the ship has had the 2.0 upgrade as they have no MDR lunch's except the comedy brunch on sea days.

First night it is buffet or pizza. Zero interest in worrying about the MDR during this particular day.

Always the DR. A nice sitdown meal getting to know my neew tablemates always beats a buffet.

We like to try the steakhouse the first night to kick off the cruise!

We like to try the steakhouse the first night to kick off the cruise!

And, the best part of the Steakhouse on the first night is the free bottle of wine that comes with your dinner.....

We always try to eat in the MDR for dinner. The only time we didn't, my wife started feeling a little sick after we boarded and didn't feel like eating at all. If you don't want to eat in the MDR every night, at least by going the first night, you will learn where your table is, and you get to meet your table mates and your waiter.

I would eat in the MDR as its nice to get to know your waiter and table mates early on. If you have ATD I would still eat in the MDR especially if the ship has had the 2.0 upgrade as they have no MDR lunch's except the comedy brunch on sea days.

Not sure what the 2.0 has to do with anything. Lunch in the dining room I believe has only been on sea days. The 2.0 upgrades didn't really change this, and you can continue to get lunch items in the MDR even though they are now calling it brunch.

You can go to the buffet anytime. Go to the MDR.

If you are concerned about "dressing" on the first night for the MDR...do not be concerned. Carnival is VERY laid back with attire to begin with....and on the first night...even more so. They understand that people are tired and some people do not even have their luggage delivered to their cabin in time to "dress".

It is pretty much "come as you are". No one dresses up. Go the the MDR. The experience is so much nicer than the yucky buffet.

Have a great cruise.:o

I always choose to eat in the MDR for as many meals as possible. I do not like buffets. I unashamedly love to be waited upon as if I were a queen.

Dinner in the MDR from start to end for us. The buffet is almost always open. Relax and enjoy dinner in the MDR or one of the alternative restaurants if your ship has one.

MDR Hands down, I pay to cruise and enjoy down time with family. Dont like the Golden Coral idea for dinner when we can be in MDR. The MDR also has a few more selections.

To me the whole pomp and circumstance of eating in the MDR is one of the highlights of cruising (Although it is a lot more casual these days). Same reason I don't care for Anytime dining

For the first night of your cruise, which is best to do, MDR or Buffet? What would be your preference and why?

 

Thanks!

MDR. We like meeting our table mates, service staff, and getting the MD week overview.

MDR, most definitely. Never pass up a chance to have someone else do up dinner after the all the hecticness of embarkation day.

Another vote for the main dinning room. Basically for 4 reasons...

1) Most of the time, during the embarkation process, you are requested to remain on the Lido deck or other upper decks (at least until the cabins are ready). So that means lunch was eaten there and though the dinner menu is different it still feels the same to us.

2) We are somewhat tired and would prefer to be seated and served rather than have to serve ourselves then hunt for seats while our food starts to cool off.

3) It gives us a chance to find our table and meet the dining staff before the first Elegant night (set dinning) or get to know the process for that ship's YTD. This also allows for the drink staff to know our preference to have soft drinks along with our wine. That way on subsequent nights they are at our table soon after we are seated to take our drink order.

4) Allows us to meet our table mates (if we have set dinning). Though it has yet to happen, if there is not a good fit in personalities the sooner in the cruise that a decision is made to change tables the easier it is for the Maitre'D to affect the change.

On the two ships that did not have a steakhouse, I went to the MDR on the first night. If there is a steakhouse, I go there on the first night and enjoy the free bottle wine with dinner. :)

Another vote for MDR for the same reasons mentioned: getting to know the wait staff, table mates, being pampered, etc.

MDR or steakhouse as well, although after my last two steakhouse experiences it will just be MDR. I don't do buffets when I can help it. I'm glad it's there in case I'm late getting back from port or when I want a snack later but I'd never choose to eat at a buffet. Land or sea :)

Secondly, as mentioned above, after traveling and hauling luggage on embarkation day it's nice to just sit down for a real inch meal.

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We've only eaten in the Lido for dinner once, and that was when we had a night port/excursion and missed the MDR seating (before anytime dining).

I love a sit down meal in the MDR. With anytime it is even better.

You can go to the buffet anytime. Go to the MDR.

This is how we feel as well;)

I can eat at a buffet (or pizza) anywhere! I am on vacation, I am at sea, I want the whole experience! :) So it the MDR for whenever I can.

If you're on a 7 day -- Creme Brulee in the MDR :D

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We're first night Steakhouse visitors! Love the free bottle of wine and it'a a great way to celebrate being on a boat!

MDR or steakhouse as well, although after my last two steakhouse experiences it will just be MDR. I don't do buffets when I can help it. I'm glad it's there in case I'm late getting back from port or when I want a snack later but I'd never choose to eat at a buffet. Land or sea :)

 

Secondly, as mentioned above, after traveling and hauling luggage on embarkation day it's nice to just sit down for a real inch meal.

 

 

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Just wondering what your experience in the steakhouse was. I have already booked it once again for our first night but I have been hearing mixed reviews lately and have even seen someone post a different menu than I am used to. This will be my parents first cruise and I really want them to have a great first experience the first night. Thanks!

Since the first night is pretty casual, we go to meet our wait team and table mates for no other reason but as a courtesy to inform them that we won't be eating in the MDR every night, so if we're not there when everyone is seating not to wait for us. Each cruise dining experience is different for us on whether to eat in the MDR or not, as we choose to a less timely experience.