DCL Food - What to expect?

[TCups4Me]

It would be nice if the servers asked if we would like our child’s meal first. Our sons are 8 and 11. And we were not interested in sending them to the kids club after dinner.

The sales pitch was for tips. They wanted to make sure we ate in the dining room and not elsewhere on ship. I understand that they may think we might reduce our wait staff tips if we aren’t dining there, but that wasn’t the case.

 

[starvenger]

The sales pitch was for tips. They wanted to make sure we ate in the dining room and not elsewhere on ship. I understand that they may think we might reduce our wait staff tips if we aren’t dining there, but that wasn’t the case.

They must have been burned before, and want to be proactive about it. Given how their pay is structured, I can see how this might be a point of concern. They could be a bit more subtle about it I guess.

 

[aseal]

I agree with the description of wedding food or seminar food. It’s mediocre with a pretty presentation. We first sailed on the Wonder and disliked the dining rooms because of the food and the high pressure sales pitch from the staff for tips. 15 years later, we sailed on the Dream (this month) and felt the same about the dining room.

Ate there once and opted for chicken fingers and burgers or Cabanas after that. Castaway Cay, comfy stateroom, and cleanliness is why I would go back.

Our head server wouldn’t bring us drinks because that was the “beverage server’s” job. But that guy was scarcely to be seen. Then my son’s meal came 15 minutes before the rest of the family. And then came the sales pitch. Ugh. Spare me the Dining rooms! They are painful.

Just curious what is the sales pitch you are referring to, I have been on 8 cruises and am not sure what you mean.

 

[Numtini]

Were they encouraging you to eat in the dining room or asking if that was your plan? And were tips actually mentioned or is this just something you're reading in? Had you skipped a meal or something?

This is just a new one on me. I've heard a lot of complaints about the last night rating card and occasional ones about the flashy cups, but nothing about where anyone eats.

 

[TCups4Me]

On our first cruise on the Wonder, tips were specifically mentioned. We got a whole lecture about how they don’t get paid much and they rely on our tips to survive. Turned us off on cruising for 15 years. I felt guilty for supporting an industry like that.

We decided to try it again. On this latest cruise on the Dream, tips were not mentioned. That was me reading into it based on our last experience. I’ll admit, that’s on me.

We chose to eat poolside the first night and our server mentioned the fact that we missed several times that evening. He wanted to know if we’d be Dining the other nights in the dining room. We said we weren’t sure because we were taking it one day at a time. But he really wanted to know and kept asking why we wouldn’t and what he could do to get us back and it got awkward for me. I just wanted to eat and enjoy my family. I’ve read on the boards how some guests want to be friends with their servers. I don’t. I just want to have a nice dinner with my family.

 

[hnthomps]

We chose to eat poolside the first night and our server mentioned the fact that we missed several times that evening. He wanted to know if we’d be Dining the other nights in the dining room. We said we weren’t sure because we were taking it one day at a time. But he really wanted to know and kept asking why we wouldn’t and what he could do to get us back and it got awkward for me. I just wanted to eat and enjoy my family. I’ve read on the boards how some guests want to be friends with their servers. I don’t. I just want to have a nice dinner with my family.

While our servers haven't pressured us for tips, I agree that I do not want to be friends with the servers. I am willing to have a short polite conversation, but I do not want to have elaborate interactions. I think they are trained to be over-helpful and over-interactive, and that works for many. I've found that being polite but not engaging usually gets the point across.

 

[DietCokeMommy]

We chose to eat poolside the first night and our server mentioned the fact that we missed several times that evening. He wanted to know if we’d be Dining the other nights in the dining room. We said we weren’t sure because we were taking it one day at a time. But he really wanted to know and kept asking why we wouldn’t and what he could do to get us back and it got awkward for me. I just wanted to eat and enjoy my family. I’ve read on the boards how some guests want to be friends with their servers. I don’t. I just want to have a nice dinner with my family.

For our next cruise we're already intending to eat at the pool one night and maybe try Cabanas for dinner too. I'm somewhat of an introvert and I hate the idea of a server hounding me for explanation of why we missed a particular meal in the MDR. I just want to have my vacation, I want good service at dinner, and I don't want to be friends with the servers either.

 

[eeyoreandtink]

It would be nice if the servers asked if we would like our child’s meal first. Our sons are 8 and 11. And we were not interested in sending them to the kids club after dinner.

The sales pitch was for tips. They wanted to make sure we ate in the dining room and not elsewhere on ship. I understand that they may think we might reduce our wait staff tips if we aren’t dining there, but that wasn’t the case.

What you see as a sales pitch, I see as a request to let them know if service needs improvement. Their job depends on the ratings they receive on the comment cards, and if someone is eating elsewhere the assumption is they aren't happy. Not everyone is trying to con money out of people.

 

[TCups4Me]

What you see as a sales pitch, I see as a request to let them know if service needs improvement. Their job depends on the ratings they receive on the comment cards, and if someone is eating elsewhere the assumption is they aren't happy. Not everyone is trying to con money out of people.

That is certainly a fair assessment. Clearly, the main dining rooms are not a place where I am comfortable eating, due to the service and food. Thankfully, there were other options that we were perfectly happy with for the way we travel at this point in our lives. We walked away with amazing memories of a fantastic vacation.

One thing I would point out is that I was told the servers at the quick-serve windows and Cabanas are not included in the tipping pool that you pay. We started carrying cash to leave on tables but I would love to know what the generally accepted protocol is for tipping these staff members.

 

[eeyoreandtink]

That is certainly a fair assessment. Clearly, the main dining rooms are not a place where I am comfortable eating, due to the service and food. Thankfully, there were other options that we were perfectly happy with for the way we travel at this point in our lives. We walked away with amazing memories of a fantastic vacation.

One thing I would point out is that I was told the servers at the quick-serve windows and Cabanas are not included in the tipping pool that you pay. We started carrying cash to leave on tables but I would love to know what the generally accepted protocol is for tipping these staff members.

Based on what i have been told onboard, breakfast and lunch at cabanas is handled by MDR servers as part of their duties, and dinner is for servers in training who are not yet on a tippable wage. If you are leaving cash on the table it isn't going to that server, but rather to a general fund for cast events, similar to what happens when someone forces youth activities staff to accept cash. Servers at windows aren't tippable either.

 

[TCups4Me]

Based on what i have been told onboard, breakfast and lunch at cabanas is handled by MDR servers as part of their duties, and dinner is for servers in training who are not yet on a tippable wage. If you are leaving cash on the table it isn't going to that server, but rather to a general fund for cast events, similar to what happens when someone forces youth activities staff to accept cash. Servers at windows aren't tippable either.

This is great to know. Thanks

 

[Anthony1971]

IMO- RCCL had the worst food of all the cruise lines I have been on the star was always the appetizer for dinner but the rest well not that great... the biggest loser was always breakfast...but they did have a good late night buffet (only a few times) but who can screw up tacos... DCL I always found the breakfast to very good especially considering you can a sit down if you want every day. Lunch you can also do a sit down but the buffet was always good again nothing fancy just good.. the dinner I always though they try to hard but I would compare the quality to what you get in the parks and would rather they went to back to having exactly that as they did in the past and bring back lobster night... a whole one... Celebrity the shinning star was always dinner it was good and definitely above and beyond what the serve on Disney-on the other hand the lunch buffet was not ok at best and some days wandering to find things I wanted... the breakfast was just ok as well but they had some fresh made things like waffles that were very good.... as other have said you are not paying for the food but I have always found the food good and by far nothing to complain about... and as I said you can do a sit down for every meal if you want...

 

[Numtini]

That makes a bit more sense. I think they were just concerned that you weren't enjoying yourselves. I know they are also on the looking for guests who might be intimidated by the fancy-appearing menus. I remember our server trying to assure some poor guy that really, a steak was a steak, and it wasn't going to be weird. They may also be looking at trying to plan for future nights--I know from the "can I get first dining" thread that they are sometimes on a the lookout for spare tables they can reassign if people know they are going to eat elsewhere. I can see how that would seem intrusive though.

 

[Lisa F]

On our first cruise on the Wonder, tips were specifically mentioned. We got a whole lecture about how they don’t get paid much and they rely on our tips to survive. Turned us off on cruising for 15 years. I felt guilty for supporting an industry like that.

We decided to try it again. On this latest cruise on the Dream, tips were not mentioned. That was me reading into it based on our last experience. I’ll admit, that’s on me.

We chose to eat poolside the first night and our server mentioned the fact that we missed several times that evening. He wanted to know if we’d be Dining the other nights in the dining room. We said we weren’t sure because we were taking it one day at a time. But he really wanted to know and kept asking why we wouldn’t and what he could do to get us back and it got awkward for me. I just wanted to eat and enjoy my family. I’ve read on the boards how some guests want to be friends with their servers. I don’t. I just want to have a nice dinner with my family.

Did you also not go to restaurants for that 15 years? because that industry is exactly like that. Food service people rely on tips pretty much across the board. that said I have never heard a server mention tips except to thank us at the end of a cruise after being tipped... that would make anyone uncomfortable and I'd be complaining and asking for a different server team rather than listen to that nonsense.

In addition to what others have said about servers relying on ratings and being worried that you are having a bad time, it also throws a curveball in their service to not know what people are doing. Many people are courteous enough to let their servers know if they won't be there, so they don't hold service for others waiting for them to show up. I'm sure they were just confused because the typical guest considers the multi course and sometimes accompanying show of the MDR to be part of the value of their cruise and is not likely to skip it to eat poolside... they were probably trying to figure out what was going on and if it was their fault.

Of course you're not obligated to be a typical guest but you can't really blame them for trying to figure out how to make you happy.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

If you are leaving cash on the table it isn't going to that server, but rather to a general fund for cast events, similar to what happens when someone forces youth activities staff to accept cash.

I have never heard that explanation. I've always been told that the servers in Cabanas (for dinner) are in training, and, if you tip them, they get to keep it.

 

[Dug720]

Based on what i have been told onboard, breakfast and lunch at cabanas is handled by MDR servers as part of their duties, and dinner is for servers in training who are not yet on a tippable wage. If you are leaving cash on the table it isn't going to that server, but rather to a general fund for cast events, similar to what happens when someone forces youth activities staff to accept cash. Servers at windows aren't tippable either.

This. The servers at Cabanas at breakfast and lunch (and on Serenity Bay for that matter) ARE the MDR servers. So eliminating your automatic tips to them because you're not doing dinner in the MDR DOES affect them.

 

[KashasMom]

We are foodies and hit up amazing restaurants in NYC all the time. Obviously completely different thing when you're cooking for the masses. We've never been fans of the food on Disney (and it seems to have gone downhill over the years). IMO the breakfast buffet is pretty gross (my least favorite on any cruise line). My daughter thought the veg options in the MDR were pretty bad. She eventually pre-ordered a veggie burger each night. Best cruise food ever was specialty restaurants on Allure of the Seas. We don't do Disney specialty restaurants because daughter is not welcome there. I wouldn't go in with high expectations. In any case, you won't starve. Oh...the Mickey Bars are excellent! ;-)

 

[hubbard53]

"foodies" would only be offended, disgusted, or turned off by the food on DCL is they CHOOSE to be. "Foodies" would also understand that all food / flavor is subjective and also appreciate the chefs & line cooks must appeal to a large number of people when composing & preparing dishes. "Foodies" could also make a tasty meal out of the variety presented at the Cabanas breakfast/lunch buffet (breakfast - corned beef hash from the buffet, with a cooked-to-order fried egg from tghe omlette bar, topped with hollandaise) and MDR menus in the evening. As others have said, the appetizers are usually more 'adventurous' then the main courses and I've often made a meal from those alone. Standouts include the escargot, tuna tartar (our favorite DCL app - we often eat several of these ), and cold asparagus soup.

Those vaunted 5-star restaurants in the urban 'utopias' are meant to appeal to a smaller population of diners - not the masses. Chefs/cooks for the masses are no less skilled than specialty chefs - their skill set is simply different but no less valuable.

 

[tinkerone]

While our servers haven't pressured us for tips, I agree that I do not want to be friends with the servers. I am willing to have a short polite conversation, but I do not want to have elaborate interactions. I think they are trained to be over-helpful and over-interactive, and that works for many. I've found that being polite but not engaging usually gets the point across.

On one of our B2B's, 14 days, we had servers who felt they were our buddies after the first few days. We are much like you, while I want friendly I don't want friendship. They were very nice with us however the problem was that they complained to us about each other. At first we found it funny but a week into it it got old. If you have a problem with your partner we are not the people to fix it. Take it up with the boss.

As to the OPPs concern, my penny and a half says if you didn't like the offerings on RCCL you will not like the offerings on DCL. We spent 14 days on the Symphony recently and found the food in the buffet very good. Good to the point where we stopped going to the MDR for dinner after the third night. The offerings were very vast, they even had a Mongolian station every night. And it was HUGE. The stations never stopped. It looked like you would be at the end then you would turn a corner and bam, more choices. DCL has stations for breakfast and lunch but it seems a bit limited. Not bad just not a wide variety.

Its nice to have the choice of a dinning room OR buffet for dinner which is not something DCL offers unfortunately. Also not something everyone would be interested in but I liked it.

 

[KashasMom]

I was really annoyed by the beverage division of labor on our cruise as well. But bringing the kids' meals out early is a feature, not a bug. Many families prefer it that way. And that way they're done eating when the kids club counselors come to pick them up.

I just read something interesting in a family travel group about kids getting served first. If you're traveling with young kids (or any who aren't going to a kids club) have them served when you are so they are not done and ready to go before parents are even served. Since we're cruising with a toddler in Nov, we're going to try that out. Seems to make more sense to me. (Easy to keep kids entertained when none of you are eating than while parent is trying to eat.)