Dining explanations needed.

[cruisentn]

First time cruiser. I'm a little confused about dining.

This is what I know, or think I know. Please add to or amend.

Serenade of the Seas

MDR means main dining room?

Windjammer.. It's sort of just another restaurant?

Other restaurants?

There's a buffet somewhere? Is that synonymous with Main Dining Room?

Then dining times? I think I signed up for a dining time when I booked but can't remember which one. Can I change that? Different times each night? What about where and with whom we dine?

The buffet comes with the cost of the cruise.?

The other restaurants are not included and we have to pay separately for those?

I now know enough to ask stupid questions.

Thanks!

Mark

Edited December 30, 2013 by cruisentn

[Clarea]

Windjammer is the buffet. The MDR is not a buffet, you order from a menu. The MDR has a small buffet for breakfast with fruits, cererl, etc., but you can still order from the menu. The MDR als has a salad bar for lunch in addition to ordering from a menu. The MDR usually only has lunch on sea days.

 

Ships have different specialty restaurants. What ship are you on?

 

The buffet and MDR are included in the cost of the cruise. Some other food venues are extra cost and some are included.

 

Regarding dining times, if you have traditional (set) dining, you can try to change that once on board. If you have My Time (MTD), you can show up whenever you want.

Edited December 30, 2013 by clarea

[138east]

The OP is on Serenade.

 

The Serenade should also have a Park Cafe as a free eating venue. Room service is also free, but should be tipped for. It appears that the pay restaurants are Chops, Giovanni's Table, Izumi, Rita's Cantina, and Chef's Table.

 

Cruisentn - you should verify your dining time arrangements now. For early or late dining it is likely you will be put at a shared table even if you requested a table for two. The best guarantee for a table for two is to prepay the tips for My Time Dining and make a daily reservation. As clarea pointed out, your dining arrangements can be changed on board, but quite frankly it can be a huge hassle on the sailaway day.

[dacsmom]

Welcome to cruising, there are no stupid questions. Everyone had these questions at first. Log onto the RC website and check your dining reservation. Even if you did not book through the cruise line all of your information should be there. Your dining information should be towards the bottom of the page. That website also has an overview of all the included and upcharge dining options. I hope you will be as addicted to cruising as many of us.

[cruisentn]

Thanks for all of these great replies.

I had no idea that I could login at RC and see my cruise info. I have done the paperwork and setsail pass and all that is ready, but didn't know I could check status of things.

Says this:

Room Arrangement: Together/Both Together

Dinner Seating: My Time Dining , No Waitlists

Cruise Celebrations: Anniversary

Linked Reservations: None

 

So..what is 'My time dining and No waitlists?'

Clearly, there is a cruise lingo I need to get my head wrapped around. lol.

Thanks!

Mark

[Clarea]

Thanks for all of these great replies.

I had no idea that I could login at RC and see my cruise info. I have done the paperwork and setsail pass and all that is ready, but didn't know I could check status of things.

Says this:

Room Arrangement: Together/Both Together

Dinner Seating: My Time Dining , No Waitlists

Cruise Celebrations: Anniversary

Linked Reservations: None

 

So..what is 'My time dining and No waitlists?'

Clearly, there is a cruise lingo I need to get my head wrapped around. lol.

Thanks!

Mark

My Time Dining is the dining you are assigned to. No waitlists means that you are not on any other dining wait list. Sometimes a particular dining type is filled, and people can get on a wait list for a different dining type.

[KBD1516]

Go on line and make reservations for the my time dining Precruise planning. You will get a confirmation email

 

 

Sent using the Cruise Critic forums app

[138east]

Excellent advice. You are already in MY Time Dining, which means you have prepaid all your tips for your head waiter, waiter, assistant waiter, and cabin steward. If you want a table for two, now is the time to make reservations for each night.

[xxoocruiser]

First time cruiser. I'm a little confused about dining.

This is what I know, or think I know. Please add to or amend.

Serenade of the Seas

MDR means main dining room?

Windjammer.. It's sort of just another restaurant?

Other restaurants?

There's a buffet somewhere? Is that synonymous with Main Dining Room?

Then dining times? I think I signed up for a dining time when I booked but can't remember which one. Can I change that? Different times each night? What about where and with whom we dine?

The buffet comes with the cost of the cruise.?

The other restaurants are not included and we have to pay separately for those?

I now know enough to ask stupid questions.

Thanks!

Mark

 

Following list shows which Serendae of the Seas food venues are included and which have a charge ($)

 

Park Café - included

Windjammer ( Buffet) – included

MDR – included

Room Service - included but usually tip a few $. Note there is a service charge of $3.95 for room service between the hours of Midnight and 5:00 A.M.

Latitudes – Specialty coffee Shop- Drinks $, Pastries free

Vintages – $

Chops Grille - $

Giovanni’s – S

Chef’s Table – S

Rita’s Cantina - $

Izumi - $

Edited December 30, 2013 by xxoocruiser

[cruisentn]

Wow, what great answers! Thanks a lot, Ima have to check into how to make those dinner reservations.

[Langley Cruisers]

Just so you know, you do not have to make dining reservations. You can go to dinner whenever you want and still be seated, although you may be subject to a short wait (but not always). A table for 2 is not a problem in MTD - they have lots of them, but it is my experience that they are very close together. We just gave up on the 2-tops for this reason. :rolleyes: :)

[cruisentn]

Just so you know, you do not have to make dining reservations. You can go to dinner whenever you want and still be seated, although you may be subject to a short wait (but not always). A table for 2 is not a problem in MTD - they have lots of them, but it is my experience that they are very close together. We just gave up on the 2-tops for this reason. :rolleyes: :)

 

Good to know. Sometimes it's better to just fly be the seat of your pants. :)

Thanks!