Buffet food vs. MDR food

I am strongly considering skipping the MDR altogether on the Fascination in August. First time cruising with my two boys without their Mom. I would love a very casual cruise with no stress. I don't care to dress up, or sit down to be served. But I do like my warm chocolate melting cake and quite a few of the entrees.

Do they serve any of the same food in the Buffet as the MDR? On virtually all my cruises I've done MDR for all dinners so I really have no idea.

On our recent Dream cruise, I was surprised to see that most of the dinner offerings at the buffet were exactly the same as what was offered in the MDR. Even the desserts were mostly the same. But no warm chocolate melting cake in the buffet. :(

On one cruise, about 8 of us went to the MDR one evening just for dessert! Specifically, the melting cake. So you might try that option. It would work better if you'd signed up for Anytime Dining, vs. the Traditional Early/Late dining times.

Have fun on your cruise!

You would need to do my time dining for dessert only or have late dinner seating because Carnival is now asking people who show up 30 or more minutes late to go to the dining options.

We have gone to the MDR and just ordered appetizers and dessert. This usually happens near the end of the cruise when we are just plain tired of eating so much food.

I think with kids, the lido buffet is a great option. And yes, they do serve many of the same entrees as the MDR. (Maybe not as fresh, or maybe fresher). I suggest that you plan to eat in the MDR one night of the cruise (sea day, assuming it's not formal night), and then wing it at the buffet the rest of the night.

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For many reasons we rarely attend the main dining room. We've found plenty of choices at the buffet and find it generally has many of the same entrees that you would have in the dining room. Also you have the deli and pizza available if your interested. We've only found warm chocolate melting cake a few times at the buffet, though, so you might have to consider that. Try the chocolate cake from room service - it's wonderful.

Have a great cruise!

If we do this we will likely stay out of MDR altogether. This is simply for packing purposes. We could go with just carry on luggage if we don't need long pants, shoes, etc. Shorts and tee-shirts would be great.

I have the recipe for warm chocolate melting cake and have been pretty successful so I may be able to suffer the cruise without it. LOL :D

The problem I would have is the buffet items are hanging around in warming tray for a long time sometime hours and food in the DR comes out a lot faster and fresher.

If we do this we will likely stay out of MDR altogether. This is simply for packing purposes. We could go with just carry on luggage if we don't need long pants, shoes, etc. Shorts and tee-shirts would be great.

 

I have the recipe for warm chocolate melting cake and have been pretty successful so I may be able to suffer the cruise without it. LOL :D

Packing light... Now that's a great reason to avoid the MDR! Good strategy. Shorts, t-shirts, flip-flops, extra bathing suits... ;)

You may already know this (and you may not care!) but the Fascination has self-service laundromats. You could pack even less stuff if you spent a couple hours doing a load of laundry. Or not. :)

Have a great time!

Packing light... Now that's a great reason to avoid the MDR! Good strategy. Shorts, t-shirts, flip-flops, extra bathing suits... ;)

 

You may already know this (and you may not care!) but the Fascination has self-service laundromats. You could pack even less stuff if you spent a couple hours doing a load of laundry. Or not. :)

 

Have a great time!

Awesome. I'm gonna talk to the kids this weekend and see what they prefer. I'm willing to bet they will love skipping the clothing changes for dinner. I'm also sure their mom will pack them appropriate stuff which we will leave at my place. :)

Granted I only have the two cruises under my belt but I did not find the same items offered on the buffet. I found the MDR food to be much more refined then what was offered at the buffet. The buffet food was more middle of the road, steakhouse buffet food.

That said, it may be easier to eat at the buffet with the kids but I wouldn't expect the same level of fare. There may be a few repeats but not the whole menu.

We almost always skip the MDR.

Buffet makes great sense. I t think though the reservation asks you for a type of dining. Choose Your Time Dining. That way if you or your boys see something on the MDR menu you'd like to try and it's not at the buffet that night, you can scurry on down and grab a seat. Also not all desserts and appetizers are offered in the evening buffet. So YTD is another way to enjoy something you'd like to try. Just be sure it's not on elegant night where you'll have to dress up.

I'm not a fan of doing the buffet for dinner but if it's just you and the kids, it's a good option. The pizza and deli counters should be operating too for even more variety.

I'm not a fan of doing the buffet for dinner but if it's just you and the kids, it's a good option. The pizza and deli counters should be operating too for even more variety.

Yeah, we like the pizza, the deli and the wok assuming they are the same as we've had on other ships. Haven't had the rotisserie so that may be an option too. I don't think we'll have a problem finding options to eat. Kids probably would prefer the options outside of MDR more anyhow.

When they serve lamb shank in MDR the buffet had leg of lamb. I've been told this won't be done in the future but got the leg of lamb again after hearing that.

One Halloween I dressed as a tour guide on cave tubing and had an inner tube on and a fake butt in a thong bikini bottom. Couldn't go to the MDR like that!

The problem I would have is the buffet items are hanging around in warming tray for a long time sometime hours and food in the DR comes out a lot faster and fresher.

The MDR food also sits around for some time period before serving

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Usually the day you board is casual in the MDR.. That would be the best way to get your cake.. It is far more relaxed for everyone. Buffet has variety and usually easy to find things that appeal to everyone. My one pet peeve though is the amount of food people waste on the cruise vacation. MDR has more reasonable portions but very time consuming.

The MDR food also sits around for some time period before serving

 

 

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From my experience not as long as buffet food.

What is a buffet I keep hearing people talk about? That self serve place, where food sits out, people sneeze on it, and handle all the serving utensils. Than you must balance your plates and find a table, only to discover, you forgot something?

I rather take 5 minutes to change into different clothes and have someone serve me.....since I'm in no rush to go anyplace, I'm on a ship.

What is a buffet I keep hearing people talk about? That self serve place, where food sits out, people sneeze on it, and handle all the serving utensils. Than you must balance your plates and find a table, only to discover, you forgot something?

 

I rather take 5 minutes to change into different clothes and have someone serve me.....since I'm in no rush to go anyplace, I'm on a ship.

Agree 100% !

What is a buffet I keep hearing people talk about? That self serve place, where food sits out, people sneeze on it, and handle all the serving utensils. Than you must balance your plates and find a table, only to discover, you forgot something?

 

I rather take 5 minutes to change into different clothes and have someone serve me.....since I'm in no rush to go anyplace, I'm on a ship.

I guess it's all planning and perspective. If you eat at the buffet when they first bring the food out or eat the popular dishes that are refilled often then they don't sit out. I don't recall if utensils are wrapped in a napkin or not but would be better if they are.

In any case it's just an option for us. While changing in and out of dinner clothes isn't that big of a pain, consider that I will only need carry on luggage if we don't have dinner clothes. That will save me over $100 in baggage fees, plus the time and lugging that stuff around. For 3 guys, not really a bad option.

I am strongly considering skipping the MDR altogether on the Fascination in August. First time cruising with my two boys without their Mom. I would love a very casual cruise with no stress. I don't care to dress up, or sit down to be served. But I do like my warm chocolate melting cake and quite a few of the entrees.

 

Do they serve any of the same food in the Buffet as the MDR? On virtually all my cruises I've done MDR for all dinners so I really have no idea.

I would highly suggest hitting the MDR at least one for breakfast. The Froot Loop crusted French toast is to die for. :D Plus, every time I order it (at least once per cruise) I get a lot of "Holy crap on a cracker, you're going to eat THAT?" looks from diners around me which is fun.:D

But I do like my warm chocolate melting cake and quite a few of the entrees.

 

Do they serve any of the same food in the Buffet as the MDR? On virtually all my cruises I've done MDR for all dinners so I really have no idea.

Maybe it was an off night, but the warm choc melting cake is not what is used to be. We were very disappointed in it.

I have found the foods to be the same.

The problem I would have is the buffet items are hanging around in warming tray for a long time sometime hours and food in the DR comes out a lot faster and fresher.

I avoid the MDR at all costs. The key to eating dinner at the buffet is to get there when they begin dinner service. Everything is new and fresh.

In my experience if the MDR food is bad, the Lido buffet is worse. If the buffet food is good, the MDR is usually terrific! If I had my choice I'd do MDR most of the time, and Lido or a specialty restaurant (does your ship have a Cucino del Capitano? More casual than other places) for convenience.

Also remember that in the MDR you can wear shorts and nice t-shirts any night but elegant night- no need to dress up.