Fashionably late ...or just plain rude!

[Desert Cruizers]

Yes 15-20 Min

[VAHockeymom]

I would love to start a poll asking how many people would love to have the maining dining room stop seating people 35-45 minutes after the scheduled starting time.

 

I vote - YES to having a stopping point.

 

Just remember this is "my opinion and my opinion only.":p We are all entitled to our opinions. So lets all play nice. :) I have enough black and blue marks from previous posts. :eek:

 

I just posted a poll on this subject. I too am curious about whether or not there is a consensus on this issue.

[CRUISINGCPA]

Years ago I was a waitress and we were taught not to clear the main dinner plates at the table until everyone was done.

 

Anyway, if you are a slow eater like myself, it makes me uncomforatble when no one has a plate infront of them and I am still eating. Usually, I say take my plate so, I am not the center of attention still eating.

 

When I have a dinner party,the plates are not cleared until everyone is done. :)

One of my favorite things about eating in the dining room on a cruise is that they don't clear the plates until everyone is done. I, too, am the slowest eater in the family & at most restaurants the entire table is cleared before I am finished. (Sometimes at home the kids will even try to clear my plate before I am done - I just threaten them with a fork:p ).

As for late arrivers - we sat at a large table on our 1st cruise with the kids. The family we sat with were late every night & we had to wait for them. It is hard enough to keep the kids from fidgeting during the long dinner, but even harder to keep them still while waiting for other people to show up. Since then we have always requested small tables so as not to run into this problem again.

[Dremac373]

Yes, I think somehow Dremac was confused. Just because there may be some judgemental views on the thread, it doesn't mean that anyone is being judgemental in suggesting the dining room be closed a certain time after the seating time. It's just to allow the dining room to run efficiently. I don't see it as being harsh toward those who are late or inconsiderate of their reasons for being late.

 

No confusion at all, I just don't see where some get off making the decision to tell some one to dine elsewhere thats all...maybe the confusion came from not reading all of my replies cause i clearly stated that being consistently late is in deed not a good thing...and I just did not like how some bashed those that may have a legit purpose for their tardiness thats all.

[Desert Cruizers]

Makin, we all at sometime in our life will encounter a situation causing us to be late. I agree, many will have a good reason.

Last cruise we had a problem where two couples neglected to tell us they wouldn't be to dinner two nights in a row. Imagine how DH & I felt at table of 8 and no company. The head maitre'd came over 2nd night and asked if we wished to be moved. He asked us to remain at door the next evening to see if they show up and if not, he had a table ready for my husband & I seated with 8 others. Well they arrived, telling us they went to open dining so they could see the show.

[Bakincakes]

No confusion at all, I just don't see where some get off making the decision to tell some one to dine elsewhere thats all...maybe the confusion came from not reading all of my replies cause i clearly stated that being consistently late is in deed not a good thing...and I just did not like how some bashed those that may have a legit purpose for their tardiness thats all.

 

 

The late comers are the ones that make the decision for themselves to eat elsewhere. If they can't be on time for their seating they forfeit dinner so that the other people at their table can enjoy theirs.

 

I certainly wouldn't tell them to eat elsewhere. They can always go hungry if they don't choose to exercise that option.;)

[donaldsc]

Turning up very late is bad enough but the worst I ever saw in the Dining Room was when a set of parents and three kids aged somewhere from 5 -10 arrived in the DR. The parents informed the waiter that they had reservations in the specialty restaurant for themselves. They ordered for the kids and left them there to be babysat by the waiter. It was the talk of the room and the waiter didn't seem amused. I can only hope he got a big tip. I can't imagine the gall that took.

 

Hardly likely. They probably left no tip at all.

 

DON

[corkpopr]

just put in anytime dining fleet wide and no one will ever be late!

[sk8man]

just put in anytime dining fleet wide and no one will ever be late!

 

Or, and this is just an idea, how about being on time. :rolleyes:

[beachchick]

Makin, we all at sometime in our life will encounter a situation causing us to be late. I agree, many will have a good reason.

Last cruise we had a problem where two couples neglected to tell us they wouldn't be to dinner two nights in a row. Imagine how DH & I felt at table of 8 and no company. The head maitre'd came over 2nd night and asked if we wished to be moved. He asked us to remain at door the next evening to see if they show up and if not, he had a table ready for my husband & I seated with 8 others. Well they arrived, telling us they went to open dining so they could see the show.

 

That is a bummer, and if my DH and I know we're going to be dining elsewhere the next night, we'll mention it to the table and the waitstaff (so they don't hold things for us). But we might decide at the last minute we don't feel like going to the dining room. Now, we might call to let them know we're not coming so the waiter can be informed, but honestly I don't think it's "neglecting" anything not to tell essentially total strangers whether we've decided to dine somewhere else onboard. Sure, it's polite to mention it if you know in advance, but even that is a courtesy and not a requirement. I remember one time a member suggested that anyone who decided not to eat in the dining room at the last minute should run down there anyway to let everyone know. Sorry, but if I'm napping or not feeling well or just busy, I don't feel obligated to do that. I am sorry that you ended up at a large table without tablemates though. This is one reason we always opt for a table for two or for just our family.

 

beachchick

[Turquoise Sea]

I'm starting to think with all the seating and table mate discussions threads that maybe we should opt for a table for 2. We're seated at a table for 6, late seating.

 

I for one, am always early, seldom late for anything. After reading these boards I now know the importance of arriving on time for diner.

 

How slim are the chances of changing to a table for 2?

[Creeks]

I would love to start a poll asking how many people would love to have the maining dining room stop seating people 35-45 minutes after the scheduled starting time.

 

I vote - YES to having a stopping point.

 

Just remember this is "my opinion and my opinion only.":p We are all entitled to our opinions. So lets all play nice. :) I have enough black and blue marks from previous posts. :eek:

 

 

I vote YES but close the dining room doors 15 minutes after the scheduled starting time, as has been done previously on several

different cruise lines.

 

However, with open seating times coming on all lines,

the scheduled starting time will dissappear with

no shorts no caps etc

[Desert Cruizers]

Beachchick, we really didn't want to move because we had a fabulous staff and didn't want to lose them. Even they told us they would hate to see us go. Ironically, the night before, they had said they had missed the show becasue they were late off a tour. I can't explain why they didn't come the 2nd night. It all worked out in the end, one couple ended up knowing my DH neice and husband in Ca. They lived in same town. Now whats the odds of being seated with someone who knows a family member.

[Jeka]

I vote YES but close the dining room doors 15 minutes after the scheduled starting time, as has been done previously on several

different cruise lines.

 

However, with open seating times coming on all lines,

the scheduled starting time will dissappear with

no shorts no caps etc

 

Actually, the daily Compasses for dinner simply state no shorts including formal night.

[corkpopr]

I wear slacks and a long sleeved dress shirt even on casual nites but am always the last to arrive at my table. But then again we are usually the last pax to board on sailing day and many times the last to board at ports! Not late, just the last on board.

[leoandhugh]

There is no such thing as "fashionably" late. Late is LATE, period. There are some people who never make anything on time and think the world waits for them; those people have no consideration for anyone but themselves. If you notice in the dining room it is usually the same people who are late consistently - night after night after night!:(

[corkpopr]

I wouldn't notice as i am visiting with my tablemates or the serving staff while the late arrivals drift in. I will hold your place though at our table just in case you get stuck in traffic.

[landshark661]

I remember one time on the Dead Walrus from Pirate Cruise Line a scaleywag was late for grub...and the cabin boyz gave him 3 choices...cat o` nine tales while washing dishes..maroonin at the next port o` call..or walkin the plank!!!...gaaaarrrrr...:D

[landshark661]

I'm starting to think with all the seating and table mate discussions threads that maybe we should opt for a table for 2. We're seated at a table for 6, late seating.

 

I for one, am always early, seldom late for anything. After reading these boards I now know the importance of arriving on time for diner.

 

How slim are the chances of changing to a table for 2?

 

 

????...you are joking...aren`t you???...

[cs_ucf]

This is how I had tardiness explained to me once, and its always stuck.

 

You wouldn't be late to meet with the Pope/President (current one maybe not included)/Prime Minister, etc, would you? Why? Because you respect them. So why would you make friends, co-workers, or acquaintances wait? Do you not respect them as well?

 

This is in no way me voicing my opinion on being late to dinner. I don't care. I'm always on time baring any crazy circumstances but I understand those circumstances happen. I just personally come to dinner when it starts and do not make others wait. I'm not on a cruise to be anyone's mother. I get enough of that at home (even though I'm not a mother, I've just got two very immature roommates that sometimes make me wonder if I didn't forget that I had children some time ago...).

[DrivesLikeMario]

I am sure this has been discussed many times in the past but I couldn't just let it go without commenting on it.

 

We have just returned from a cruise and we had a table right by the entrance on the third level. We could not believe how late people turned up for dinner. The table next to us were an hour late one night (9:30)and we saw many, many people (wearing jeans ;) ) walking in at least 40 or 50 minutes late. I asked our server whether the head waiter said anything to them and she said that he had done so but it didn't appear to make any difference. She also told us that the people on our table had not arrived until 7:00 to the early sitting (6.00) which of course really messes up with them getting everything ready for the late sitting. We felt that they should be told that they are too late to be served but obviously they don't. To add insult to injury the people next to us, on the night they were an hour late, didn't like what they were served (lamb) and as we were leaving we heard them ask for macaroni and cheese to be made for them. Amazing!

 

 

It's just plain rude and ignorant. They don't understand that the dining times are set for a reason. It's very hard for the waiters to serve their tables when someone walks in late like that.

 

Sometimes, it might help to explain this to the late-comers. Some people just don't know. Others are just to into "me" to think of anyone else & those people will never change. :rolleyes:

[rednancy1]

We've been fortunate not to have had late comers to the dining room on any of our cruises. If it should happen (blatently late with no apology whatsoever and an attitude) I probably would very politely say "I don't know if you realize this, but we've all been waiting for you for 20 minutes to place our order. I'm sure you didn't mean for this to happen". All with a sweet smile. Then I would ask, "How was your day?"

 

What can they do, bite me?:p