I wonder if the Waiter thought it could've been Noro Virus, in which case packing a heavy meal would be the wrong thing to do? My experiences on Cruise Lines is that they're always great at accommodating dinner guests. Example: on one cruise when I was too full for dessert, the Waiter insisted I shouldn't miss and gave it to me in a takeout container.
It's possible, but only one child was feeling ill (though both were exhausted beyond belief) and they would be literally causing a 70+ year old woman (who wasn't feeling ill) to go without dinner because it was late seating and she wouldn't be able to get to Cabanas before it closed (unless she left the sleeping kids, and that wasn't going to happen). It was the last night of the cruise, too.
I wonder if this experience was due to the fact that the food wasn't ready yet and there wasn't another person to bring it to your aunt if she left the MDR right away? It does sound like people are reporting others in the their party bringing food back if for someone who couldn't make it/had to leave the MDR quickly. But if there isn't anyone remaining at the table, I don't think the MDR servers will bring food to your stateroom later and room service will not deliver MDR meals to regular staterooms (I think this is a perk for concierge).
It's possible it was a staffing issue, but everyone talks about (and had talked about it to her) how
Disney cruise staff are top notch and will bend over backwards if you need help, etc etc, and she was left in a very touch position.
Since her daughter and son in law were unreachable (they were not answering their Wave phone) and since my aunt didn't think to contact us (we were in the same dining room at the same time, but dining separately for the sake of the kids/cousins actually EATING their meals) she was being sent off without food for anyone, without the ability to GET food.
I hate that she had to experience that! Maybe it was just the difference in dining staff.
I do, too. She was talked into the cruise based on the service, and just when she really needed the help the service was lacking. The staff didn't know we were all traveling together, either, so no one thought to even tell us she and the kids were leaving. Then she had to pack and it was all just rotten.
On the up side, she realized she LOVES being at sea. Like really really loves. We were trying to think of jobs she could go for on the ship that wouldn't be overly taxing at her age and physical ability level. Decided she should try for a ship's photographer position.
We had great service on the ship, and it's funny how some people just get lousy service while others are fine (my aunt is one who gets the bad meal, the bad service, the things spilled on her, etc), and so I'm not angry with the staff...I'm just SAD that she had to deal with that. And super-bummed that she didn't think to call us or stop by our table on her way out, because we would have been totally happy to help out.