Dining Room - Discovery

[lakegirl16]

Just booked first cruise on Discovery.  Would love some thoughts on the three dining rooms for dinner.  Traveling with another couple, will be choosing a table for 4.

 

Thank you.

[Steelers36]

9 minutes ago, lakegirl16 said:

Just booked first cruise on Discovery.  Would love some thoughts on the three dining rooms for dinner.  Traveling with another couple, will be choosing a table for 4.

 

Thank you.

Same menus.  Just different locations (check out the ship deck plans on Princess.com).  One location or other may suit you depending on cabin location, etc.  When you book your Private table in DMW app, you won't be locked into same table and waiters for full voyage.  If you want that traditional experience, you need to speak with DR Mgr or Host on Day 1.  I'd go with a DR where they can set you up in the same place and you just head straight to your table each evening.  That may be different than the one you book ahead of time in DMW.

[lakegirl16]

15 hours ago, Steelers36 said:

Same menus.  Just different locations (check out the ship deck plans on Princess.com).  One location or other may suit you depending on cabin location, etc.  When you book your Private table in DMW app, you won't be locked into same table and waiters for full voyage.  If you want that traditional experience, you need to speak with DR Mgr or Host on Day 1.  I'd go with a DR where they can set you up in the same place and you just head straight to your table each evening.  That may be different than the one you book ahead of time in DMW.

Thanks!  Wondering if anyone likes one dining room over another and why?. Location doesn't really matter.

 

We were on the Ruby this past May, we dined in Botticelli and it was very noisy.  Maybe they all are, depending on time and crowd.

Thank you!

[Mike45LC]

3 hours ago, lakegirl16 said:

Thanks!  Wondering if anyone likes one dining room over another and why?. Location doesn't really matter.

I have not noticed any substantial difference in the various dining rooms.  Decor is basically the same -- I don't care if the theme is Michaelangelo or Botticelli!  Menus are the same; waitstaff are all the same quality.  Put me in any of them! 

 

Which is why Steeler told you that location is the main difference.

[lakegirl16]

5 minutes ago, Mike45LC said:

I have not noticed any substantial difference in the various dining rooms.  Decor is basically the same -- I don't care if the theme is Michaelangelo or Botticelli!  Menus are the same; waitstaff are all the same quality.  Put me in any of them! 

 

Which is why Steeler told you that location is the main difference.

I've sailed Princess before, am aware the menus are the same.  But on past ships I have seen cruisers like one dining room over another, which is why I asked.  

Thanks very much!

[Thrak]

Ketchican will be all the way aft on Deck 6 and, looking at the deck plans, appears to have the same "issue" as on the older ships. It can only be reached by taking the stairs down from a higher deck. If there is a big "scrum" of people trying to get in there will likely not be a lot of room for them to wait.

 

Skagway is mid ship Deck 6 and one can hang out at Crooner's while awaiting dinner.

 

Juneau is midships on Deck 5 and one can hang out at Good Spirits at Sea while getting ready for their dinner.

Edited September 15, 2023 by Thrak

[Steelers36]

5 hours ago, Thrak said:

Ketchican will be all the way aft on Deck 6 and, looking at the deck plans, appears to have the same "issue" as on the older ships. It can only be reached by taking the stairs down from a higher deck. If there is a big "scrum" of people trying to get in there will likely not be a lot of room for them to wait.

 

Skagway is mid ship Deck 6 and one can hang out at Crooner's while awaiting dinner.

 

Juneau is midships on Deck 5 and one can hang out at Good Spirits at Sea while getting ready for their dinner.

Only if they are giving out pagers for walk-ups.

[startedwithamouse]

Love the decor on Discovery.

 

We like Juneau. 

[TxChick51]

I thought Skagway was especially beautiful. We had a great experience there, sometimes just the two of us and some with new table mates. One evening we dined in Ketchikan.  Still nice, but more subtle, understated decor. It did not feel as intimate, so I think it depends on atmosphere you're looking for and location in proximity to your stateroom.

[desertdwellingsailor]

I've been in Skagway and Ketchikan. There was vibration in the middle of the floor in Ketchikan because of the propeller shafts or whatever. That only happened once out of 5 nights there. The rest of the time we were on the edges. There is kind of a weird layout on Discovery where you cannot get everywhere from all the stairways/elevators on some levels. So, to get to Ketchikan I think we had to go to the elevators near the back of the ship before going down. I would pick one of the two dining rooms in the middle in the future but we had a nice time both trips.

[wineglass]

The dinning rooms are basically the same. We dislike the aft dinning room because you sometimes feel vibrations from the propellers and you must first go up to deck 7, walk all the way aft and join the crowd at the elevator to get back down to deck 6. Foods the same thought.

[Thrak]

24 minutes ago, wineglass said:

The dinning rooms are basically the same. We dislike the aft dinning room because you sometimes feel vibrations from the propellers and you must first go up to deck 7, walk all the way aft and join the crowd at the elevator to get back down to deck 6. Foods the same thought.

 

There are stairs and it's only one deck down...

[1emerald1]

I've eaten twice in Skagway as I like club class minis due to the larger balcony for my long legs.  One night I went to Ketchikan to check it out and much preferred the decor, I thought it was beautiful.

[NavyVeteran]

2 hours ago, Thrak said:

 

There are stairs and it's only one deck down...

If you don't have mobility issues and you can do stairs. But stairs are not an option for some people.

[Thrak]

43 minutes ago, NavyVeteran said:

If you don't have mobility issues and you can do stairs. But stairs are not an option for some people.

 

Agreed but many can do stairs going down for one deck even if they can't do stairs going up. (Me on our last cruise.) Some, of course, can't do stairs or even small steps. (Our oldest son.)

[FairSkySmoothSeas]

My vote is for the Ketchikan. It’s at the back of the ship. We chose Traditional Late Seating Dining. This gave us plenty of time to relax and get ready for dinner after the day’s excursion. We had the same window seat and waiter throughout the voyage. Watching a pod of humpback whales as we ate dinner was magical. Ask the maitre d for Ronaldo to be your waiter. You won’t be disappointed.

[Steelers36]

On 9/22/2023 at 8:19 PM, FairSkySmoothSeas said:

My vote is for the Ketchikan. It’s at the back of the ship. We chose Traditional Late Seating Dining. This gave us plenty of time to relax and get ready for dinner after the day’s excursion. We had the same window seat and waiter throughout the voyage. Watching a pod of humpback whales as we ate dinner was magical. Ask the maitre d' for Ronaldo to be your waiter. You won’t be disappointed.

That is a nice referral, but all should be aware that the waiters are rotated around periodically and do not work the same DR or section all the time.

[figmentdj]

Please remind me:

With most everything being moved to the app, does the MD still hold court in one of the dining rooms on embarkation day?

[deltahog]

Regarding service, make of this what you will:

 

First night MDR Ketchikan, extremely slow, our help staff would disappear for long stretches of time. Even mentioning something about it did not help speed up the process. Over 2 hours for dinner.

 

Tea MDR Skagway: we were seated in an area that was never serviced. We sat and watched platters of sandwiches go multiple times to the same tables. Over and over and over and over, with literally our 1/3 of the dining room not being served afternoon tea food. We mentioned something to the head man, and he sent TEA over. Not sandwiches or desserts. Eventually, a second complaint brought food to our table, and the two or three right around us. However, the sandwich guy then left and went back to the other side of the room. Tables near us were never, ever served. After about 30 to 45 minutes they left. Even while we were watching other tables being serviced over and over again. It was very strange.

 

2nd night MDR Ketchikan: very quick and efficient service with a different set of wait staff. Dinner completed in 1 hour.