45 Minute Dinner option

[Sleepyluke]

Thanks for this reply. This is what I have experienced with many current cruisers. MDR has shifted to a quicker format, which some think is still too long as cruiser preferences have changed. I can see the need for early dining to be faster so they can set up for late seating. We always have late seating, and on Disney our son, who was 16 at the time, and into magic, used to trade magic tricks with servers after dinner so we were rarely out of their before 10:30 pm. We usually had a number of servers and other guests around our table for the free show.

I think this is absolutely what people see and freak out about. They read, we did not get out of the dining room until 10:30 PM. The part they don't ever read or comprehend is that somewhere between 30 seconds and probably an hour of this has shifted to entertainment and shocker - human interaction. We have lingered before and had great conversations with crew. Were we in the dining room 2 hours yes, was it a 2 hr meal, no.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

I think the table service for dinner in the buffet should come back. It often was quicker, and quieter.

 

[Joanna71985]

I don't see that happening with the MDR

 

[mamaburrito]

I haven’t seen too many people concern about the length for their reasons about wanting another option for dinner the main dining room. For me it’s the noise level and sometimes just wanting something different than the last 10 years of the same menu.

 

[Dug720]

This has been our normal experience except for our last 7-day cruise in 2024 on the Wonder. We had first seating, and on that cruise, our table we were finally finished with desert between 7:45 and 8pm each night (6 topper table, 2 parties of 2 and a single cruiser). A few times we finished closer to 7:30pm but that was the exception.

It wasn't due any of being slow eaters, our servers were just slow. We watched other tables with different servers, who entered after us, end up with their main dish before we received our soup/salads most nights. We all commented that it was the slowest service that any of us ever had on a Disney Cruise. On our 3 previous cruises, we were done within 75 minutes or so.

Psy

For future reference, any time this happens PLEASE bring it to your head server's attention. It's their job to help with problems - and if they're needed to expedite service they will do so. But if it's not brought to their attention as a problem, they are more likely to think that that is what you requested.

I am kind of surprised that the head server didn't ask you or the servers about it since leaving at 8 barely gives them any time to turn the tables for second seating.

 

[tvguy]

It was table service in Topsider's on our first DCL cruise in 2008.

Okay, so it changed some time between 2004 and 2008.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

What I think more is off is that Carnival would opt to limit the menu. It's to do with staff and number of passengers for sure but at that point you'd think it'd be best to just have a restaurant where you can order certain selections from the main dining room menu as part of the overall menu. I wouldn't want to sacrifice options just because I'm not in it for a long leisurely dinner.

 

[brentm77]

Anyone can request faster service from their server. It’s a bit inconvenient for server and kitchen but possible. One sailing there was a table near us that I’m guessing requested this as they were always done and gone before the entrees for the rest of the tables were being served. No need to change the current offerings for the few who prefer to eat more quickly.

The challenge with adding a Cabanas offering during the dinner period is those crew members are all busy in the main dining rooms. It would require additional staff being hired.

Another option is to eat your main meal in the dining room at lunch and then enjoy the quick service options at dinner.

And yet, they did this for over a decade. I am sure they can handle it and the related expense if they really wanted to do it. It's a factor I consider when booking, and I know it is for some other families. It's not a deal breaker, but something I weigh with other factors when comparing to Celebrity's options for a similar cruise. Particularly in places like Europe where I am less likely to want a full MDR experience.

 

[serrem2]

I voted "other" because I too would like to see a sit-down dinner at Cabanas and Marceline Market.

 

[Girl of the South]

My family sailed on the Magic in 2002, 2003 and 2004. Cabanas had a small salad buffet, but the entrees you ordered from a limited menu. It was never crowded and very quiet. Pretty sure the entrees came from the main kitchen. Only one side (the starboard side was open) and maybe 20 tables? In September 2018, I did a TransAtlantic cruise (westbound) and Cabanas was an option on that cruise.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

In September 2018, I did a TransAtlantic cruise (westbound) and Cabanas was an option on that cruise.

An option as in - it was a buffet? Or still table service?

 

[Girl of the South]

In my experience, the Cabana dinner service was NEVER a buffet - just a small salad bar - and then table service. And I think it was only open from 5 to 7. Maybe they served 60 tables the entire night? But it wasn’t overly “advertised” at that point.

 

[PsylockeSmythe]

For future reference, any time this happens PLEASE bring it to your head server's attention. It's their job to help with problems - and if they're needed to expedite service they will do so. But if it's not brought to their attention as a problem, they are more likely to think that that is what you requested.

I am kind of surprised that the head server didn't ask you or the servers about it since leaving at 8 barely gives them any time to turn the tables for second seating.

We did bring it up with the head server and it did improve as the cruise went on, but we were still one of the last tables out each night. We did like our servers, but we were all pretty sure that the assistant server was pretty new and still learning. Most of our opinion of her being new was based on she just seemed very timid and shy and was slow to bring things out when requested, but this improved near the end of the cruise. Hard to explain, just nowhere near the same experience we had on our previous cruises.

Psy

 

[Dug720]

We did bring it up with the head server and it did improve as the cruise went on, but we were still one of the last tables out each night. We did like our servers, but we were all pretty sure that the assistant server was pretty new and still learning. Most of our opinion of her being new was based on she just seemed very timid and shy and was slow to bring things out when requested, but this improved near the end of the cruise. Hard to explain, just nowhere near the same experience we had on our previous cruises.

Psy

Understood.

I took my parents on one cruise and our service was good - we saw more of our assistant server than our server a lot of the time, but everything was good. Then the last night our server was out on medical (he was back the next morning, so nothing major) so we had a sub pulled from Cabanas, and we learned why we mostly saw the assistant. There were 3 tables in the section - my parents and me, the table next to us with a mom, dad, and son, and a large table of like 8. And that table was extremely demanding. I was seated so I could watch them in action (not planned - we didn't know it had been this way until the last night), and adults all had drinks and then would order refills one at a time knowing there was only like one sip left in the one they had when the assistant was going to get someone else's; the kids were screaming the moment their ketchup didn't look like Mickey (so every time they dipped a fry), etc. It was so clear our main server had kept them in check and they were running roughshod over the assistant and the sub in his absence. Finally we got the head server's attention and he kind of took charge - but it was not a great final night.

Yours does sound like a new server more than one table being demanding though.

 

[cedricandsophie]

We have 25 plus dcl cruises. And we always choose late dining. I like a leisurely dinner where you order wine, eat some bread and then order. We hate it when the service is too fast. Sometimes we are out by 930 but we just enjoy relaxing at dinner. We would never use cabanas because part of the joy of Disney is the rotational dining and getting to know your servers and the people around you.

 

[PsylockeSmythe]

Understood.

I took my parents on one cruise and our service was good - we saw more of our assistant server than our server a lot of the time, but everything was good. Then the last night our server was out on medical (he was back the next morning, so nothing major) so we had a sub pulled from Cabanas, and we learned why we mostly saw the assistant. There were 3 tables in the section - my parents and me, the table next to us with a mom, dad, and son, and a large table of like 8. And that table was extremely demanding. I was seated so I could watch them in action (not planned - we didn't know it had been this way until the last night), and adults all had drinks and then would order refills one at a time knowing there was only like one sip left in the one they had when the assistant was going to get someone else's; the kids were screaming the moment their ketchup didn't look like Mickey (so every time they dipped a fry), etc. It was so clear our main server had kept them in check and they were running roughshod over the assistant and the sub in his absence. Finally we got the head server's attention and he kind of took charge - but it was not a great final night.

Yours does sound like a new server more than one table being demanding though.

We actually found the assistant server from our 2022 Alaskan cruise, he was working the bars this cruise, due to a knee injury kept him from working the MDR's., but he pretty much confirmed that there were lots of new serving staff on this cruise and that there seemed to be teething issues with them. Even in the bar area, the service was slow to forgetful, so I made sure anything I ordered, when in the adult areas, I ordered from him. My wife and I made sure to tip him before we left, since he helped make our Alaskan Cruise so wonderful and improved our experience on this cruise. We are hoping he is still on the Wonder next year for our B2B and when putting in our reservations, we put in a request for him to be one of our servers.

Psy

 

[SnowWhite2]

Okay, so it changed some time between 2004 and 2008.

Our first several cruises in early 2000’s had one side of the buffet set up for the kids club to eat dinner. My kids loved it. It was a buffet. For lunch they took them to Animators Palate. Not sure if it was pick from a menu or everyone got the same thing. I had to force my kids to have dinner with us 2 of the 7 nights. They showed up at the club at 8:45am waiting for it to open and was the last one to leave at night. At some point food policy changed and they brought in dinner to the club but my kids didn’t like it as much so it was easier to get them to dinner in the MDRs.

 

[enzy65]

We have 25 plus dcl cruises. And we always choose late dining. I like a leisurely dinner where you order wine, eat some bread and then order. We hate it when the service is too fast. Sometimes we are out by 930 but we just enjoy relaxing at dinner. We would never use cabanas because part of the joy of Disney is the rotational dining and getting to know your servers and the people around you.

We like leisurely meals and do late dining also, we are lucky to get out of the MDR at 10 each night. Most tables around us on our last cruise were eating dessert while we were waiting on entrees. We ate our desserts in a nearly empty MDR, it was actually really nice.

 

[tvguy]

Our first several cruises in early 2000’s had one side of the buffet set up for the kids club to eat dinner. My kids loved it. It was a buffet. For lunch they took them to Animators Palate. Not sure if it was pick from a menu or everyone got the same thing. I had to force my kids to have dinner with us 2 of the 7 nights. They showed up at the club at 8:45am waiting for it to open and was the last one to leave at night. At some point food policy changed and they brought in dinner to the club but my kids didn’t like it as much so it was easier to get them to dinner in the MDRs.

Our kids signed up for the clubs but my then 12 year old daughter went to Music Trivia and was HORRIFIED that the Castmember running the trivia did not know Paul McCartney has been in a group before Wings! (SMH) So they never went to any other events. Cruises became our family trips where the goal was to spend 24 hours a day for the week with our kids. We left our mom and dad roles in the cruise terminal and just hung out with our kids as their friends for the week. It was a nice change from home life during the school year where we might spend 3 waking hours a day with our kids. They are 34 and 38 now and STILL talk about how much fun doing that was.

 

[Disneyland_emily]

Based on the photo time stamps dinner in AP on the final night was about 29 min from sit down to leaving (no dessert because nothing was wheat free) which thankfully we didn’t need to see Crush for the dozenth time so we left..

So yes I’d prefer a faster service but I felt 29 was too quick