Limited to one entrée only in fixed dining room- how did I miss this rule?

[DMRick]

Just on the Caribbean. On lobster night we were told when we ordered two plates, they would need to bring them one at a time, which he did.

 

 

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[geoherb]

I forgot about the pasta. I frequently ordered an appetizer size portion of it in addition to my entrée on our August cruise.

[dickinson]

oh so it is just ice cream! Sweet as I don't care for the bananas...I wanted just the ice cream. There was another one I thought I heard about it was an ice cream sandwich, 2 cookies and vanilla ice cream...I totally forgot about ordering those when we were just on the cruise......darn it!

 

Sorry, but it IS a banana split. My dh has had it a couple of times. Luckily he never got strawberries as he does not like them.

[cruzrbachoua]

Sorry, but it IS a banana split. My dh has had it a couple of times. Luckily he never got strawberries as he does not like them.

 

oh ok bummer.. guess I will try the cookie sandwich one...have to go back and see what its name is. I forgot to ask on this past cruise on the crown but it might have been a good thing as our waiter was not the best. Every time he filled the water glasses he spilled water on the table, my bread, me, my chair and my DH. When we asked for ketchup for the fries that came with the burger my DH ordered he brought the bottle out but wouldn't let us have it...he insisted on pouring it out on the plate or shall I say shaking it out...and then took the bottle with him......***. My DH had to hold up his napkin as he thought he would end up with ketchup in his lap. I had to ask for the fresh parmesan on the fettuccini. When something was forgotten that we ordered he huffed and walked away. I have never had this kind of service on a princess ship before and was appalled and amazed. Princess heard about it on our review and he felt it in the extra tip we gave. DH insisted we give something since he did get us out on the couple of nights we said we had a show etc.....but then again he seemed to rush us out no matter what as he didn't want to deal with us...but I let my DH handle it since he is in the food service industry.

[dickinson]

Oh my! I hope we don't get that waiter on our upcoming Crown cruise.

 

As for the volcano dessert.... you could always try asking for it without the bananas or just take them off . On second thought... what would be left is really just a similar sundae that is offered on the MDR menu every night anyways albeit probably a little smaller.

[hm9912]

Question on the volcano...what is in it beside the ice cream I can see..is it bananas as well?

 

You tell the waiter what you would like on it.

 

Volcano on the Children's menu by Howard , on Flickr

 

Volcano on the Children's menu by Howard , on Flickr

 

Volcano on the Children's menu by Howard , on Flickr

 

Volcano___0943 by Howard , on Flickr

 

Volcano on the Children's menu by Howard , on Flickr

[cruzrbachoua]

Oh my! I hope we don't get that waiter on our upcoming Crown cruise.

 

As for the volcano dessert.... you could always try asking for it without the bananas or just take them off . On second thought... what would be left is really just a similar sundae that is offered on the MDR menu every night anyways albeit probably a little smaller.

 

We were in Davinci dining room and his name was Deepak. The assistant Maria was amazing! She had just come from the Pacific Princess so she said this ship was HUGE...helped me understand why she seemed a bit rushed and crazed some days...but she went above and beyond even going to another area of ship to find me lemons for my tea as the dining room ran out one night. The next night she couldn't find more so she knew to just leave the tea plain...too bad Deepak never got that concept.

[cruzrbachoua]

hm9912 oh yum!! now I have 292 more days til my next cruise...

[Optotronics]

There is a difference between offering information, or offering a differing opinion, and issuing judgment.

Def. some judgement going on here.

This is a cruise, and in my opinion, food that is on offer, except for the 'extra charge' restaurants should be available.

Why should one be able to pile up three or four entrees at the Buffet, and not try, or indulge in, an extra course in the MDR????

 

Which entrees, or how much of different entrees, that another person chooses to enjoy is simply none of anyone else's business.

I agree, a lot of judgement/ shaming around here lately.

[srpilo]

There is a difference between offering information, or offering a differing opinion, and issuing judgment.

Def. some judgement going on here.

This is a cruise, and in my opinion, food that is on offer, except for the 'extra charge' restaurants should be available.

Why should one be able to pile up three or four entrees at the Buffet, and not try, or indulge in, an extra course in the MDR????

 

Which entrees, or how much of different entrees, that another person chooses to enjoy is simply none of anyone else's business.

Yes..

Another way of seeing it is a purely economic transaction, in as much as Princess has collected their stated fee for the cruise, a fee that Princess itself has promised all meals are included, and within Princess's promise for all meals, they provide a daily dinning room menu in which are the only 5 or 6 selections and entrée sizes available that day to virtually every person on the ship, so how does Princess justify limiting your dinning choices to only one entrée among only 5 entrée choices ?

They Can't

.

If Princess promise's all meals are included in amount of their collected fee, then ALL meals are included, and are not specific to size or quanity as long as you are selecting from Princess's available options that day.

 

When you collect money in advance for a included service that spans 2000 different possible tastes and appetites , you must provide the widest possible availabilities to satisfy those 2000 different appetites.

 

 

Princess has never advertised they're one-meal fits all cruise line, have they ?

Srpilo

[Ravensbourne1960]

The assistant Maria was amazing! She had just come from the Pacific Princess so she said this ship was HUGE...helped me understand why she seemed a bit rushed and crazed some days...but she went above and beyond even going to another area of ship to find me lemons for my tea as the dining room ran out one night.

 

On every cruise I've been on, I've always found the assistant waiter to be outstanding.

[Itchy&Scratchy]

oh ok bummer.. guess I will try the cookie sandwich one...have to go back and see what its name is. I forgot to ask on this past cruise on the crown but it might have been a good thing as our waiter was not the best. Every time he filled the water glasses he spilled water on the table, my bread, me, my chair and my DH. When we asked for ketchup for the fries that came with the burger my DH ordered he brought the bottle out but wouldn't let us have it...he insisted on pouring it out on the plate or shall I say shaking it out...and then took the bottle with him......***. My DH had to hold up his napkin as he thought he would end up with ketchup in his lap. I had to ask for the fresh parmesan on the fettuccini. When something was forgotten that we ordered he huffed and walked away. I have never had this kind of service on a princess ship before and was appalled and amazed. Princess heard about it on our review and he felt it in the extra tip we gave. DH insisted we give something since he did get us out on the couple of nights we said we had a show etc.....but then again he seemed to rush us out no matter what as he didn't want to deal with us...but I let my DH handle it since he is in the food service industry.

wow, he was that bad and you still gave him an extra tip????????? That'll show him.

[keithm]

Don't worry about justifying yourself. Some people are just so judgy (and on a regular basis), and will put out their opinions about you no matter what. Just ignore them and do what makes you happy.

Let's see...What was that Alan Sherman lyric? Ah yes.. "Eat Mrs. Goldfarb, daily, nightly. Eat though your chair is bending slightly. Love of my life, I'm glad I found you! Each day I take a walk around you!"

[mr green]

Once, several years ago I ordered two entrees. I finished both, and on the waiters return her offered me a third dish, crab as I recall, which I also consumed. I don't believe that this could be done today, since crab it seems is no longer on a 'regula'r menu.

One story I recall from a few years ago, was about a lobster dinner on a Norwegian Cruise Line ship:eek: They ran out of lobster on 'lobster night', it included the story that one 'gentleman?' boasted of consuming fifteen of them.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

i

[geoherb]

On every cruise I've been on, I've always found the assistant waiter to be outstanding.

We have had some duds for assistant waiters. The worst was on the Grand Princess many years ago. We were happy when she did not show up the last night and we had the assistant who had been assigned to us four months previously on the Star Princess. He was great. It was amazing we had been on the ship a week without seeing him until then.

[cruzrbachoua]

wow, he was that bad and you still gave him an extra tip????????? That'll show him.

As I stated I wanted to give him nothing but my dh said that was disrespectful since he did do several things we asked for. For an 11 day cruise he got way less then we give for a 7 day. I chose to just let my dh give the pittly amount he wanted vs arguing with my dh over it and let it ruin our cruise. But with it was a copy of the complaint card we dropped off at the service desk and then also wrote him up on the online review.

 

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[Steelers36]

As I stated I wanted to give him nothing but my dh said that was disrespectful since he did do several things we asked for. For an 11 day cruise he got way less then we give for a 7 day. I chose to just let my dh give the pittly amount he wanted vs arguing with my dh over it and let it ruin our cruise. But with it was a copy of the complaint card we dropped off at the service desk and then also wrote him up on the online review.

 

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IDK why people put up with this for the cruise and then fill out the comment. If there is a service issue that is obviously out of the norm, I would speak to the HW right away and either get it fixed or request a new table (I have done the latter only once). Never had the kind of "service" depicted here.

[diane.in.ny]

Just got off the Royal and anyone wanting a second entree had no problem getting it.

[cruzrbachoua]

IDK why people put up with this for the cruise and then fill out the comment. If there is a service issue that is obviously out of the norm, I would speak to the HW right away and either get it fixed or request a new table (I have done the latter only once). Never had the kind of "service" depicted here.

 

Before you judge...the friends we were traveling with did speak to the head waiter, it was a bit better but by then he had already done his damage. We had a special table for the 4 of us by the window and we did not want to lose that table as the only other table was not in a desirable place, so yes we chose to stay there. This was the first time I have ever had this kind of service as well and thought it was a fluke, having a bad day perhaps, but when it continued one of our group complained, it got better for a bit but then went back down again. He should know what his job is and how to do, shouldn't need to be told by the HW...yes we dealt with it as dinner was only a brief moment on the cruise, did it ruin our cruise no, did we go hungry no, did we still get the food we wanted yes...luckily other than the ordering and delivering of food he just stood off to the side no interaction so we didn't have to deal with him except on ordering and near the end after the HW was told others came to fill glasses and serve the food. I didn't want to disrupt our entire group by demanding a new table when we loved our table and window view for the sailaways, but felt headquarters needed to know about his attitude which is what we did as well as telling the HW. People can be told what to do but if they don't care they don't care and he obviously did not care so no matter what happened he was going to be that way. We loved our Assistant Maria and she made it better along with our fabulous view.

[The Wilkies]

Am I alone, only ever have 1 course at dinner - one main (entree). Sometimes only soup if it's the French Onion. Means I sit a while whille others are eating, but I don't mind. Have the main when others have theirs.

 

The vast majority of waiters and assistants are really good, had very few problems and nothing serious.

[EastBay Cruisers]

Am I alone, only ever have 1 course at dinner - one main (entree). Sometimes only soup if it's the French Onion. Means I sit a while whille others are eating, but I don't mind. Have the main when others have theirs.

The vast majority of waiters and assistants are really good, had very few problems and nothing serious.

___________________________________________________________________________________

No. You are not alone. My husband and I did exactly the same thing. And, our waiter and jr. waiter were outstanding.

 

I think that in figuring out the pricing for each cruise, the company bases that on each passenger eating one appetizer, one entree, one dessert, and maybe two beverage servings per meal. Providing more than one entree per passenger per meal, is probably not cost effective, but they will do it.

 

We went to Anytime Dining at 5:15 each night, the MDR was completely full ( cruise was sold out), and the waiters worked as fast and efficiently as they possibly could to get the appetizers served, cleared away, then get the entree on the table by 6:00 P.M.

If one passenger is allowed to order 3 entrees, then of course every passenger is allowed to order 3 entrees, and for a table of 10, that equals 30 entrees. I can't imagine the work or logistics on behalf of the wait staff required to serve multiple entrees to an entire table.

 

In addition, they need to have enough lobster, or shrimp cocktails, or beef wellington, or crab legs, etc. to serve the second sitting, or the passengers that are scheduled to eat at 7:00 P.M.

 

I can understand why a passenger might complain that she paid her cruise fare for "all I can eat, and therefore I will have all I can eat", but in reality, I don't think that is the way the costs are structured. .

 

When we went on the ship's tour, we met with the Provisions Officer, who is in charge of ordering all the food for the entire cruise. He told us that for a 7 day cruise, he orders 3,000 kilos of chicken alone.

One pound equals 2.2 kilos, so that is 6,600 pounds of chicken.

Cannot imagine how much beef or lobster is required.

 

Because of the production-line manner in which the entrees are plated, it does make sense to bring the entrees one at a time. ( just my opinion). - EBC

[Optotronics]

Really the cost of food for the cruise lines is only a small percentage... just read a breakdown based on costs and earnings reports and food comes in at about 6% of your cruise fair. Avg cost of 7 day is about $1700 (avg of all cabins)/ person. That makes food cost per person at about $106 for 7 days or just over $15/ day they spend for food on each passenger.

They don't need to have 3 entrees for every passenger for every meal. Everyone can have as much as they want, if they run low they will get more at the next port. Some people will eat 2 entrees every meal, no skin off my back. Some will eat 10 eggs a day or lobster/seafood for every meal and someone else may live on fruit the whole cruise. Others will skip meals altogether and or eat at a restaurant in port like we do many times.

Many only eat one or two meals a day while others might have 5.

I do think it's wrong to order more than you can eat or to order an entree just to taste it. I don't like to waste, but if they want it and can eat it that's their choice.

I do find it amazing how they can plan and have enough every time, they must have it down to a science.

Don't worry about you ccl stock value going down from people's eating habits. If the cost of fuel goes up a nickel a Gallon, that cost would probably be more than all the food costs for the entire cruise.

[memoak]

My only issue is that I usually go with late traditional seating at a 6-8 top. When someone orders 3 apps or 2 entrees that usually holds up everyone else when they serve course by course.

[Optotronics]

My only issue is that I usually go with late traditional seating at a 6-8 top. When someone orders 3 apps or 2 entrees that usually holds up everyone else when they serve course by course.

So now it's the speed at which courses can be brought?

Do they really wait until everyone is finished with the current course before the next is brought out? I didn't really notice, it seemed pretty fluid to me. Someone who is Quite the talker may only order one of each course, but yak so much everyone else has finished the course before them... I don't worry about, if I were in a hurry and didn't have 60-90 minutes to spend in dining room, I would just hit the horizon court.

People have different styles and tastes, sometimes I'll have an appetizer and an entree. Other times it may be 2 apps and no entree or other times 2 entrees and no app and rarely soup, salad or desert. I need an hour or two after dinner before I need something sweet:)

Edited October 25, 2017 by Optotronics

[SuiteTraveler]

Got off the Regal October 7. In the MDR Concerto, they allowed just one FREE entre, if you wanted more, it was $10. Might also mention that the amounts of food were very, very small. Make sure you order appetizer, soup/salad, entre and dessert! What we got was very good though.

 

We were on the Regal Oct 14 cruise and it was the same but I found the portions to be on the large side - some ridiculously large like the prime rib which I could only manage to eat 1/2 of it. Also, we went to the Chef's Table dinner and I got full before the main course even came out and barely ate any of it and couldn't even touch the dessert. I mentioned that it was too bad no one had a child they could take my fancy dessert to (no one at the table had a child with them) and the waiter told us that they are not permitting people to take food from the MDR to their cabin or elsewhere on the ship, especially if it is something that can spoil.