Bourbon tasting timing question

[dreynolds1982]

I just booked by activities today and times were limited for the bourbon tasting. I got a 9:30 pm tasting, but we have the late dinner time. I'm assuming I could tell our server that we have the 9:30 tasting and they'd help keep things moving so that we don't miss it. How long does dinner normally take? Does that sound feasible to do the tasting at 9:30 pm?

 

[Marc D]

If you warn your server, they will make it happen. Of course, you should be at your table immediately when the MDR opens, so they don't start serving you after receiving the drink and meal orders from the other tables. Dinner duration varies based on many factors : number of people at your table or at the other tables of your serving team, number of courses ordered, the theming of the night - some dining shows slow down the pace of service, especially in Animator's, since they can't bring plates during parts of the shows - and efficiency of your team.

 

[dreynolds1982]

If you warn your server, they will make it happen. Of course, you should be at your table immediately when the MDR opens, so they don't start serving you after receiving the drink and meal orders from the other tables. Dinner duration varies based on many factors : number of people at your table or at the other tables of your serving team, number of courses ordered, the theming of the night - some dining shows slow down the pace of service, especially in Animator's, since they can't bring plates during parts of the shows - and efficiency of your team.

Thanks! Yeah I don't yet know what our dining order/rotation will be. If we have the 8:15 dining time, I'm guessing be there right at 8:15, or should we even be early? Not sure when you can actually show up.

Figured that warning the server is the best bet. There's just two of us so if they are still seating just one party per table (our cruise is last week of March) then should be pretty quick. If we have to skip desert I wouldn't be super torn up about it.

 

[Marc D]

Historically, being there early wouldn't change anything since they opened the doors at the posted time. The line to get in would form about 15 minutes early, but would clear in about five minutes once they opened the doors.

I believe they are doing staggered dining times at the moment, so the doors could be opened for the previous group at 8PM. Showing up a bit early might get you out a few minutes faster. Unless you end up with a very slow serving team, you shouldn't have to skip dessert to make the tasting. It takes about 5 minutes to get there from any of the dining rooms, and the server hosting the tasting usually waits a bit before starting.