2 dining questions re: Fantasy

[jlay68]

Our family is about to take our first cruise on the Fantasy. We have done 2 cruises on the Dream. I have 2 dining questions.

1. On embarkation day, we have always eaten lunch at Cabanas. Is Enchanted Garden or anything else available for lunch?

2. We have a 7-8 hour excursion in Cozumel. We have first dining seating. I think we may be wiped out and not make our dinner time. Is Cabanas available in the evening? We've never tried it since we always ate in the restaurants on our previous 2 cruises. I don't recall seeing empty tables at dinner. Will the servers know that we are dining somewhere else?

 

[PrincessShmoo]

Our family is about to take our first cruise on the Fantasy. We have done 2 cruises on the Dream. I have 2 dining questions.

1. On embarkation day, we have always eaten lunch at Cabanas. Is Enchanted Garden or anything else available for lunch?

2. We have a 7-8 hour excursion in Cozumel. We have first dining seating. I think we may be wiped out and not make our dinner time. Is Cabanas available in the evening? We've never tried it since we always ate in the restaurants on our previous 2 cruises. I don't recall seeing empty tables at dinner. Will the servers know that we are dining somewhere else?

1. Enchanted Garden also has a buffet, but more limited hours. There are also the poolside quick serve locations.

2. Cabanas is a sit-down table service for dinner. With a menu of selected items pulled from the other MDR menus that evening. The servers won't know you are dining elsewhere unless you give them a head's up (tell them beforehand).

 

[Flossbolna]

Be prepared that your servers might try to convince you to still come to your assigned dining if you tell them beforehand that you are planning on eating elsewhere. In my experience they can be a bit pushy about this. I think partly it is that they are afraid that you are skipping the dining room because you are unhappy with the dining room experience. And if you don't tell them, they might react very worried the day you re-appear. My strategy is to always let them know early on if I am planning on skipping one day and to give them a reason as to why we are planning on a different dinner option - like yours with the long excursion and being tired afterwards. I also try to combine it with a compliment about the dining and the service. That seems to help.

 

[buzzrelly]

Is this something you can call from the room about? Or do you have to actually have to go to the dining room in person to tell them you won't be going? I was thinking we might be in the same boat and may even opt for room service one night.

 

[Flossbolna]

Is this something you can call from the room about? Or do you have to actually have to go to the dining room in person to tell them you won't be going? I was thinking we might be in the same boat and ay even opt for room service one night.

Generally you really are under no obligation to tell the dining room. It is just nice to let the servers know to not expect you. And your table mates, if you are sharing a table with other guests. You could always try to give guest services a call. What we have done is that for days with long excursions, we tell our servers the day before that we might be skipping dinner in the MDR, so they know that we might not be there.

 

[OKW Lover]

Is this something you can call from the room about? Or do you have to actually have to go to the dining room in person to tell them you won't be going? I was thinking we might be in the same boat and may even opt for room service one night.

Its not necessary to call. We normally just tell our servers the day before that we will be dining in Palo/Remy/wherever the next night. They've always appreciated the advance notice.

 

[jlay68]

Thank you!

Does Enchanted Garden offer lunch every day of the cruise or just embarkation day? Sorry, showing my ignorance since I've already been on two 4-night cruises. We just always ate at Cabanas or pool deck for lunch. We have more days at sea this cruise and I want to look into more options.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

Thank you!

Does Enchanted Garden offer lunch every day of the cruise or just embarkation day? Sorry, showing my ignorance since I've already been on two 4-night cruises. We just always ate at Cabanas or pool deck for lunch. We have more days at sea this cruise and I want to look into more options.

No, Enchanted Garden for lunch is only on embarkation day. Royal Court (sit-down service) does serve lunch the other days.

 

[jlay68]

Ok thanks!