Greedy in the dining room ?

[ottmar]

OTT, what hotel did you stay in in San Juan? I am going out of SJ in Dec... I don't want a fleabag place or the NoroVirus

 

It was the Hotel Miramar. Biggest problem was that we had to change rooms, or better said, refused rooms three times because the smoke residue was so bad we couldn't breathe and one room was not made up. We finally found a room where we could sleep with the window open.

 

There is a nice breakfast room down stairs where we ate. What the doctor on the ship told me was that I must have contacted the virus on shore since it was too soon to be sick at the start of the first day had I contacted it on the ship.

 

That not necessarily means that you would get the virus since about a dozen folks at breakfast were also on the same ship and apparently stayed healthy. Or maybe not, I don't know.

 

....Ott

[cullinp]

Do you think there is possibly a transatlantic correlation to the views on what does and does not constitute being greedy and acceptable levels of waste?

 

To be clear, as has already been stated in previous posts.......IMHO having a second dish or third to try a new food and expand your palette........no problem. But as quoted on Discovery Channels documentary on Building Freedom of the Seas the chap ordering 10+ lobster tails.......plain wrong. Ordering everything on the menu, then leaving the majority after a couple of handfuls.........again wrong.

 

Also agree with Dorset Cruiser with regards to Merion Mum's comments about nasty posts? I haven't read any? Just different people with different opinions.

 

(please note all comments above are the personal opinion of this member of cruisecritic and are not intended to offend)

[50cruiser]

I think the cruise lines have all made portions smaller . AS such I see no problem anyone taking all they want as long as they eat it . Last year on Princess my waiter encourged everyone at our table to try diferent items. I ordered the fruit plate 1st as an apitiser and also as a desert . I also ordered 2 shrimp cocktails at every meal as you only got 3 small shrimp. After the 3rd day he brought me a shrimp cocktail with 7 shrimp. Im on vacation and the food is a large part of my cruise so I defy anyone to tell me what to eat. I eat very little sweets and very little starches so I pick and choose what I want at each meal . NOT once in 15 cruises has any waiter ever said anything to me about any meal. The waiters Ive had will do anything to acomadate you . I also tip well. So order anything you want just as if you were in a nice restrant.RELAX , Enjoy your self. CARL

[SimplyAddicted]

I would love to be able to order a couple of different items (mainly desserts-yum!), but I just can't eat that much! I usually skip the salad and only eat 1/2-3/4 of my entree (except, of course, lobster night:D )to save room for the 1 dessert. The waiters always ask if I am enjoying the food and even try to push more dishes, but I simply do not have enough room in my tummy....sigh....

[LostAgain]

We were seated at dinner with a mom and grandmother, and two little girls. To keep the kids busy and quiet, the mom ordered one of everything. The kids' food took up a lot of the table, and the kids ended up switching seats sometimes to get to it all. Pretty funny, but it does make one feel a little sick to see such excess and think of all those starving children in China that our parents told us about.

[cruiserbryce]

not sure doing this makes me greedy...but I have ordered multiple desserts and multiple entrees before:D

[Jean17]

My husband asked for a little extra asparagus and the waiter brought him a huge serving dish full. He was in 7th heaven.

[mmejj]

i think you should be able to order whatever you want who cares what people think you are on vacation!! you pay way too much money to enjoy yourself so go do it I know I'm gonna get what ever I want on my cruise because it is VACATION!!! have fun enjoy life.

[mmejj]

My husband asked for a little extra asparagus and the waiter brought him a huge serving dish full. He was in 7th heaven.

 

 

HOLY COW I LOVE ASPARAGUS!!!!!!! I mean really I really love Asparagus. and dessert I love dessert! Italy here I come!!! Ciao

[50cruiser]

I totally agree have fun, its vacation . CARL

[ottmar]

The way it's going it wont be long before additional entrees or deserts will have an extra charge, my question was never answered if at Chops one could do the same thing, like ordering two or three Fillet Mignon.

 

....Ott

[moofus]

I don't know for sure, but I seriously doubt they would do that.

I can tell you that the portions at Chops are enormous( and really good)

I think they have a 24 oz Porterhouse or something like that. The baked potatoes are about 2 pounds( that was when I was there the last time on Mariner and/ or Explorer) Don't know if they have downsized the meals or not. When I was there it was my DH, DS and his girlfriend, DD and me.

DS and DH ordered a large steak, maybe a rib eye or strip, DD remember what she ordered. We all had salads or appetizer ( I don't think you can have both) and then a vegetable dish or two and each had a baked... I actually couldn't finish my potato( And I am a potato addict). I finished the filet and was definately NOT hungry afterwards... and I can eat a lot of steak and potato. I think we never ever got to dessert we were all so stuffed.

Hope this helps.

[moofus]

I just googled the menu and the largest steak is 16 oz t bone. the filets are 7 and 10 oz. They also have veal chop, lamb chops and halibut and scallops, and chicken.

I did look like the pre-entrees were either a salad( caesar and others) OR an appetizer. I don't think you can have both, but maybe someone in your party could order the appetizer and someone else could do the salad and you could ask the wait staff to split them.

If anyone else knows for sure let us know.

ALSO, the price is 25.00 pp. I am told that is the " that the 25.00 is the

"tip" and no other tipping is necessary. However we didn't feel comfortable with that and we figured out that it would have easily been 50-75 PP in a restaurant, and we tipped according to that 20% 50.00 per person. That was over and above the 25.00 pp that we also paid. I think My DH was maybe a little too generous... but he always tips big.

I have heard others say that they left nothing but the 25.00/PP.

I surely don't know what is more correct, but it is a wonderful meal and atmosphere,,, be prepared to spend a few hours there.

[MarinerBride]

On one of our Mariner cruises, our waiter told us that she (and the other crew members) got to eat what was left over for dinner. She told us if they didn't have very much left over, she didn't get to eat much. I would hope they feed their staff better than that!

We sailed on Mariner in December, and we were told the exact opposite. The crew is not allowed to eat any of the leftover food - anything that has not been eaten by passengers within 4 hours of being made gets thrown away. The crew had separate dining options.

[yellowbird23]

Hi Patty! We are going out of NJ on the Explorer for 9 days Caribbean over Thanksgiving. Would you know who has any of the pictures that were shot at the M&M, was it? where we had so much fun, there should be one of me with Babie's head dress.:D

 

Anyhow, we are driving from Ohio directly to the ship, that way I should avoid picking up the norovirus as I did in that San Juan fleabag of a hotel.

 

....Ott

Have a wonderful cruise! Yes, I think I may have the picture you are talking about. Need your e-mail though... proos at ptd dot net

[kingsgirl]

Maybe a bit of an odd question.

For example - There are two desserts you really want - could you order both? For yourself? :o Anyone had experiences where they or table mates have done this?!

 

Any replies muchly appreciated.

 

Done this twice!

 

First time my friend and I couldn't decide and our waiter said not to worry about it. He brought us both 2 desserts out! Second time I joked that I would take two key-lime pies...he brought two. I tried to eat as much as I could so it didn't look "rude'...lmao ...that's the excuse I"m going with anyways !!

[bajathree]

Just got off SOS...just like all other cruises I have been on I ordered just what I wanted....if it meant 2 entrees and 2 deserts, so be it.....no problem...they were happy to oblige.....hey after all I was ordering a $65+ bottle of wine per night that meant a VERY nice extra 15% gratuity added on to it automatically;) The table next to ours cought on after the first night as their eyes almost popped out of their heads when they saw I had 2 entrees.....well for the next 2 nights their entire table did the same....boy were they in heaven.

[aloha of the seas]

If I order a second of something, and usually it is desert, it is because I like it or the helping is too small. Last cruise I had 2 deserts with every dinner. Sometimes the second desert was only an ice cream ( which I thought was very good). One gentleman had three lobsters one night because they were so small. The waiters are always eager to help. So enjoy yourself and pack some larger clothes. Good Sailing, Murf

[ottmar]

If I order a second of something, and usually it is desert, it is because I like it or the helping is too small. Last cruise I had 2 deserts with every dinner. Sometimes the second desert was only an ice cream ( which I thought was very good). One gentleman had three lobsters one night because they were so small. The waiters are always eager to help. So enjoy yourself and pack some larger clothes. Good Sailing, Murf

 

On our last cruise on lobster night one of our table mates wanted three lobster tails, the waiter said "no problem" just not at the same time, he could have as many as he wanted one at a time. After the second one he didn't want any more. Myself, I don't eat that vermin.

 

...Ott

[yellowbird23]

Hi Patty! We are going out of NJ on the Explorer for 9 days Caribbean over Thanksgiving. Would you know who has any of the pictures that were shot at the M&M, was it? where we had so much fun, there should be one of me with Babie's head dress.:D

 

Anyhow, we are driving from Ohio directly to the ship, that way I should avoid picking up the norovirus as I did in that San Juan fleabag of a hotel.

 

....Ott

I have the picture you are asking for but have no way of sending it to you...need info. proos at p t d dot net

[Lightsluvr]

Why would you want two desserts - even if you liked the look of them both. Just choose one or the other:confused:

 

It was inevitable. Somebody always has to ask this question...

 

Why can't people just answer questions and not pontificate?

 

LL

[RIO77]

not sure doing this makes me greedy...but I have ordered multiple desserts and multiple entrees before:D

 

I thought that was the whole point!:p I plan on ordering multiple everything and i don't think that's greedy.....we are on vacation right?

[Lynnees]

This thread should be combined with the $14.95 steak thread. I believe this thread is the answer to that one.

[cullinp]

I thought that was the whole point!:p I plan on ordering multiple everything and i don't think that's greedy.....we are on vacation right?

 

You guys just don't get it do you. :(

[BadBoysDriveAudi]

Maybe a bit of an odd question.

For example - There are two desserts you really want - could you order both? For yourself? :o Anyone had experiences where they or table mates have done this?!

 

Any replies muchly appreciated.

 

I have ordered multiple appetizers, multiple main courses and multiple desserts without issue. Each time, they've been more than happy to oblige; you won't have any issue doing the same.