How "stuffy" are the dining rooms?

[madelinerose]

Yes, from the left...work your way toward the dinner plate.

 

Have a ball - wow! What a first cruise!!!

 

 

Karen

 

Carnival Miracle 10/24/04

[rocketcat]

We are from East Texas and my husband DID dress up in his "weddin' and burying suit" for the formal night--though the jacket couldn't quite button (it had been a while since he attended the last funeral)--we really had fun. All the other nights that we ate in the dining room he wore a very nice western shirt, bolo tie and his best dress boots. I think he wore either his slacks or new dark jeans with them--can't remember--didn't matter either. We had our waiter have a big pitcher of Iced tea ready every night (there were a couple from Arkansas on their first cruise also that were big tea drinkers also). Hubby did spring for a good tasting bottle of wine to toast my 50th birthday on the last evening for the table. We had ate at some very very nice restaurants thru the years and had never seen so much silverware set before us. After everyone at the table shared the same sentiment and had a good laugh--we just relaxed and truly enjoyed the whole cruise dining thing every night. A nice black street lenght dress with a sparkly pin or fancy scarf is plenty formal for the Carnival cruise out of Galveston. (Hey, I COULD wear it to funerals too!)

Happy Cruisin

[whm]

This day and age most teenagers like to dress up and be included in an environment such as the dining room. It's a treat for them to be included, not entertained. Lord knows, some could use the culture!

[sandytoesrose]

The formal dining room is not uptight at all! We look forward to all of our dinners in the dining room including formal night! Hey, we love to eat and try new or favorite dishes that we might have to pay a small fortune for at the finer restaurants at home. Carnival seems to have more singing waiters - I loved being part of the conga line! Celebrity might be more subdued, but the dinner conversation kept us laughing and on the Horizon we had a Polish waiter who had a couple of jokes for us every night! One night on the HAL Oosterdam our tablemates didn't show up and the head waiter felt it was necessary to keep us entertained with card tricks! Stuffy it ain't!

[NeedAVacation!]

Ms Neurotic:

 

Oh boy! Have you opened a can of worms!!! Let me assure you, the "dining" experience on these boards is NOT a topic you want to pursue! Some of the posters can be absolutely ruthless!!! While this is my first virgin cruise, I have traveled extensivly, US and Europe and have had the advantage of frequenting some of the classiest restaurants and clubs in the world. You can forget about all that - because apparently dining on a cruise ship is likened to an experience you have, or will never encounter again! I am frugal with my money and always want the most I can get for my hard hard earned dollar - so I booked Carnival - mostly for the activities for my son because as I stated, I have the advantage of travelling alot (for business) and he does not. But based on various posts, responses, arguments, etc., I have already formed the opinion that the dining rooms are, in fact, stuffy and stodgy and it appears, somewhat snotty at times. Now I have excellent table and general manners as does my son (I taught him young - I thought that was what parents did). And I fully intend to eat each and every meal in the dining room, regardless of who, or what, my dining companions happen to be that evening. But I also have no intention of pretending to be something, or somebody, I certainly am not.

 

By all means, take yourself and your kiddos to the dining room each and every chance you get. My sister, who is far from a cruise virgin and cruises, literally, for a living, has told me that the food is really not that great, but the surroundings can be down right hilarious and give y'all something to talk and laugh about later on in the evening!!

She has affectionatley referred to it as "the herding". I, for one, can't wait!!! *rolling eyes......

 

Who knows? Maybe I will get so inspired I will actually climb on top of a table or two and sing along!!!!

[trish1c]

NeedaVacation

 

Huh?

 

You say "But based on various posts, responses, arguments, etc., I have already formed the opinion that the dining rooms are, in fact, stuffy and stodgy and it appears, somewhat snotty at times."

 

Many of the posts talk about card tricks at the tables & singing waiters. Your own sister calls the process "the herding" and you joke that "Maybe I will get so inspired I will actually climb on top of a table or two and sing along!!!!"

 

I am sincerely confused as to how you can say the dining rooms are "stuffy, stodgy & snotty." Other than having subdued lighting, various servers and multiple utensils, I didn't get that impression at all. What am I missing?

 

Trish

[mafig]

Need a Vacation

 

For someone who has travelled the world, you have spent months asking what to wear in the dining room on various boards. On the fashion board, you told everyone that you would be "classy" and others would be in CZs, looking like they were going to a prom.

 

Sometimes when people are very unsure of themselves, they become defensive and act like they are laughing at others, like teenagers do in an unfamiliar situation.

 

A very quick search of your previous posts suggest that you are in no way a world traveller.

 

Just relax, and enjoy your first cruise.

[rocketcat]

The food was very good on our Jubilee cruise..

The waiters were nice and very friendly..

The people at our table were "just folks" like us..

Nobody that I saw looked liked that they just met up with the Queen of England at a ball either.

For heaven sakes, just have a stiff drink and go with the flow-literally-you ARE in a big FLOATING hotel--don't sweat the small stuff.

Hope EVERYONE has a happy cruise and laughs large.