Do you ever eat dinner in Cabanas?

[mcurrence]

I think we're going to try it this time. We have late dining and my girls love to swim after dinner and since the pools are closing earlier (on
our first cruise 4 years back, the pools were open til 11:00) this might be a great option!

 

[HappilyEverAfter80]

Hmm interesting.. never tried it but might next time. Love MDRs but they take such a long time...
Question. If you don't go to the MDR do you notify your servers in advance?
Do you tip the servers in Cabanas?

 

[quickcat]

Reading through the posts we are definitely in the minority here, but we tried it and hated it! Must have been a fluke but after sitting with our menus for 1/2 hour trying to get someone to take our order, we left and got food from poolside and ate it in the room. I wouldn't waste my time with it again. Our experience was it was very disorganized.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

Hmm interesting.. never tried it but might next time. Love MDRs but they take such a long time...
Question. If you don't go to the MDR do you notify your servers in advance?
Do you tip the servers in Cabanas?

It's probably a good idea to give your regular servers a head's up. So that they don't wait service at your table (if your sharing).

You can tip the Cabanas servers or not, as you wish.

 

[HappilyEverAfter80]

It's probably a good idea to give your regular servers a head's up. So that they don't wait service at your table (if your sharing).

You can tip the Cabanas servers or not, as you wish.

Cash would be ok I'm assuming?

 

[PrincessShmoo]

Cash would be ok I'm assuming?

Certainly.

 

[joni4122]

On a related note, we are cruising in three weeks and are waitlisted for main dining. If it doesn't clear before we leave and they cannot accommodate us onboard, we intend not to eat in the MDRs at all and choose Cabanas, poolside or room service every night. Late dining is just too late for us. So, would we tell the host to give up our table and can we have the automatic dining room gratuities removed from our account at Guest Services? I usually prepay gratuities but was hesitating this time because of the waitlist.

 

[ludari]

On one of my Transatlantic cruise my TA who was travelling alone ate at Cabanas for dinner every night. He said the food was just as good as in the MDR and the servers seems to work a little harder. I really trust my TA considering he has been on countless Disney Cruises. I plan on trying Cabanas for dinner on my next cruise.

 

[Anchors Away 2016]

So, would we tell the host to give up our table and can we have the automatic dining room gratuities removed from our account at Guest Services? I usually prepay gratuities but was hesitating this time because of the waitlist.

Uh-oh. I'll try to head this off at the pass, by providing some polite information for your consideration.

Even if you don't get off the wait list, you might be able to change it once you get on board (We did for our group of 9)

Second, yes, you should tell your head server if you intend not to eat there all week.

You should also know that your MDR wait-staff will be serving you (and everyone) all week long for breakfast and lunch and other places, so even if you choose not to join them for dinner, you should really consider tipping them the normal amount. They are heavily dependent on tips for their salary, and if you don't tip them, a significant portion of their wages for the week will be lost to them.

Others may tell you this in stronger terms. I'm just stating some information, in the hopes of avoiding 50 posts of "encouragement."

 

[belac]

may be a silly question but anyone know if the servers that serve in Cabanas get pooled tips from the all servers regular tips? It just dawned on me that while our HS,S & AS get the recommended tip (others may tip more in cash or add to it) the ones that are at Cabanas or Quick Serve aren't getting the standard tip. So do they pool the tips or give it a percentage or something? Are they just left out and get lucky if patrons do tip, like Palo/Remy? I never thought once about tipping at Quick Service, but have at Palo. I never ate at Cabanas for dinner so if we do try it, do we just tip the servers there like in Palo?

 

[bbangel]

I assumed that when they recorded our room number at Cabanas that they were shifting the tip from the main dining room server to the Cabanas server for those nights. I feel bad if that was an incorrect assumption as our Cabanas staff were awesome and deserved a tip!

 

[belac]

I know, and they all work so hard, I would hate to not tip them fairly either. So if it is like Palo then great we have no problems at all. It is all so vague when you get outside the regular tipping process. I never ate there but this coming cruise we may because it is the Wonder and although TP gets wonderful reviews the menu to me isn't desirable. So I may opt for Cabanas this time and heck, try something new just because. Would be nice to know before hand so we are prepared with cash for their tip. Just as vague as concierge tipping process, it is almost taboo, to talk about it.

 

[Dug720]

As I understand it, Cabanas is a "training ground" for the servers and they know not to expect tips when working in there. They certainly could accept them (I think), but they are not considered a tipped position until they earn their way into the MDRs.

As far as quick service, I believe many of those are either the servers training in Cabanas at night or sometimes servers (often assistants) from the MDRs.

 

[belac]

As I understand it, Cabanas is a "training ground" for the servers and they know not to expect tips when working in there. They certainly could accept them (I think), but they are not considered a tipped position until they earn their way into the MDRs.

As far as quick service, I believe many of those are either the servers training in Cabanas at night or sometimes servers (often assistants) from the MDRs.

Thanks for info. We will be prepared now

 

[terrybsw]

Does anyone know if the Cabanas menu will be on the Navigatot App? Cabanas would be a good choice if we couldn't make our early seating on a port excursion day and we knew the menu ahead of time had what we wanted on it and we wouldn't need to rush.

I did not find a menu on the app.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

I assumed that when they recorded our room number at Cabanas that they were shifting the tip from the main dining room server to the Cabanas server for those nights. I feel bad if that was an incorrect assumption as our Cabanas staff were awesome and deserved a tip!

They do not "shift" gratuities from the MDR serving team to Cabanas. The ask your room number just for marketing purposes (who goes to Cabanas, how often, etc).

As noted, the Cabanas staff are in training. You may tip them directly, or not, as you wish.

Your "regular" servers get the same gratuity if you eat in the MDR or not.

 

[Bear3412]

Just to clarify; This thread and conversation is about Cabanas dinner.

OP; Yes we eat there once a sailing on average. We do enjoy it. And yes, that is exactly why we eat there, to avoid the MDR's. ... (MDR - main dining room)
Or to have a fresh made steak.
But it comes with caveats. See below.

Cabanas is a great option for those interested in avoiding the MDR's for whatever reason.

They do ask for the KTTW entering Cabanas when dining just for data analysis purposes.
I suppose you could resist, and claim privacy rights. But .... if you are hungry ....

Never seen Cabanas dinner Menu on the Navigator App.
You can ask that day aboard the menu options for that night.

Tell the Hostess you are on recon and they won't scan the card.

As previously noted, Cabanas is not available first and last night for dinner.

You need no reservations for a Cabana dinner.

Cabanas does have operating hours though unfortunately.
They may vary nighty too.

It is definitely quieter than the MDR's. By a huge margin.

You can actually hear your table mate(s) speak during dinner as PP mentioned. This is priceless IMO.
They space groups out early, when possible. Spreading the whole crowd out.
Last time we had 18 pax. lol. But word is getting out. So , .....

It usually is must faster than the MDR , and if requested, can be super fast service.

Table spacing is at least double or quadruple MDR.

Tips are not expected. Trust me. Have ate there umpteen times, left tip once.
They will of course take your cash.
You can also ask for a slip/printed receipt to add tip to onboard account.

If you abandon your MDR servers for a night, it is proper etiquette to alert them prior.
You can call on any ship phone.
They will be waiting for you in the MDR. If you don't show, they may call you.
That can be embarrassing.

Often there are many choices for tables in Cabanas.
Early they block one side of Cabanas. If enough folk show they may open other side of Cabanas.
Never seen that happen. Heard of it happening though.

Cabanas is a training restaurant for new hires as previously noted. We have had mixed experience with this.
Sometimes they're overbearing to prove themselves to the pax, supervisors. ? ? ?
Sometimes they are laid back and possibly less engaging than expected.
My recommendation is speak up, and tell them how you would like the evening to progress.
That is what we have done all but once. Perhaps we learned the first time? ? ?
I don't recall if it was the first time that made me speak up thereafter. It could have been.

If you say nothing, they will continue with there pre rehearsed, patented expose. Which may not fit your families expectations. So speak up and tell them what you like. imo

Although after all these years, sometimes it is just fun to watch the new trainees perform.

If server is over performing the magic, in your kid face, speak up. Etc.

As mentioned up thread, steaks are prepared onsite. As PP noted, and I agree, the best steak I have ever had aboard was in Cabanas at night. .... Repeatedly, over many sailings. .......... Rib-eye and NY-strip.

As mentioned, tips are not expected.
I only left a tip once when every thing flowed perfectly, and the servers were more intuitive the down below in the MDR.
They "worked" the kids and adults perfectly thru all courses, etc. Read the crowd perfectly.
Of course I was cashless, so I asked for a printed receipt, to apply a tip to those servers in Cabanas.
Yes, I asked if that receipt tip would apply just to them, and they said yes.

And I can confirm there is no shifting of tips from the general tips, away from the room stewards, etc. to any specialty restaurant, including Cabanas, Remy, or Palo regardless of where you may eat.

I can confirm, as PP, the general tip fund, does not go to Cabana folk.

But again, they do not expect a tip. They know this, and deal with no tips daily.

Cabanas used to always have a great salad bar, but that seems random lately.
I know many yearn for fresh salad. We often struggle at sea to find a great salad.
We have a 68 % success rate for salad aboard. Just an estimate fwiw.
You can just walk in and do recon, check salad bar, tables, waiters, etc. in Cabanas.
Then walk out. Don't be shy. Oh, take a salad too, if available.
You must at least check it out even after dinner in MDR. Or perhaps prior.

BTW. You can always walk in and get a salad and walk out. Yes. Salad is free aboard, if you can find it. lol

Yes. A couple salad freaks here.

We often have to make salad at the pool food stations.
Lettuce, tomato, olives, pickles, onions, etc. Brought our own dressing. Occasionally our own croutons.
I know it's scary.

TSA stole our salad dressing once. It was devastating.
We hope they don't ban salad ingredients, or we will book another cruise line.

Rant over.

Smooth Seas to All

 

[Dug720]

Just to note: the table spacing is more because that space was designed as a cruise buffet space. The MDRs were designed as traditional cruising style of shared tables, but as more and more people are demanding their own tables, the 8-tops got separated, but there was only so much floor space to use meaning that there is not as much space between tables as if they were together in shared seating arrangements. Check out an area where there is a large group or where the tables are in the original arrangement and there will be more space. (On the Fantasy in 2015, the section that I moved to had my table (a 2-top), an empty 4-top, and a very large table (like an 8-top with a 4-top attached to it) and even if the 4-top had been in its place we would have had much more room than the areas where all the 4-tops had been pulled apart.)

My guess is that on the new ships they will design the MDRs with this demand for separate tables in mind. (Because the servers don't like how close the tables are any more than passengers do. It makes their job harder to efficiently get things to their tables. They do it, but it would be easier if they had more room.)

 

[P'colaBeachBum]

I have seen posted that there is a salad bar and carving station at Cabanas for Dinner. We sail on the Dream and ate at Cabanas once for dinner. No salad bar or carving station. Personally, DH and I found the strip steak to be awful. We like ours med. rare and it was over cooked and leathery and the veggies were cold and also over cooked. We stick to the MDR's or eat heavy tapas style food at the Concierge lounge.

 

[BCV23]

Too bad about your steak. I had the marinated (ribeye?) one night on the Fantasy. It was medium rare as requested and delicious.

We let our servers know we will be dining at Cabanas, add a tip to the chit for wine, and leave a cash tip for the servers.

Have not seen a salad bar nor a carving station. There have been so few diners that both would seem to be a waste. Perhaps those are offered on long port days like the Med cruises, etc., when more people skip the MDRs.

As for the spacing of the tables, they are quite a it more spread out than the normal Cabanas configuration IMO...at least on the Fantasy.