Food & Service - Anyone else disappointed?

[frank2271]

MY GOD!!! I hope we don't experience these things. I am also a vegetarian and a picky one at that. I usually end up ordering from the childrens menu at restaurants. Mac & Cheese, spaghetti, a big salad and any kind of potato and I am happy as a pig. I'm a little worried about the restaurants on the cruise. I hope the chefs & servers are very flexible with me.

What do you guys think? Will I be running for the buffet every night?

Frank

 

[Contrariwise]

For those of you that have received bad service have you left the recommended tip?

We left the recommended tip and no more for the waiters. Now... our room steward, who was charming, sweet, and great with our DS- we gave him more. Going into the cruise I expected to do the opposite! But even getting poor service I wouldn't leave them less- we still got our food after all- they weren't doing nothing (and they'd get paid from Disney like they did )

 

[hereigns]

We weren't happy with our wait staff on our last cruise (July 23). He just didn't care, at all. He was in such a hurry but had time to push that expensive wine! We had wonderful servers the first cruise and tipped them more than the recommended amount. This time we weren't sure but finally my husband said "just give them the recommened amount, we may come back and I'll bet Disney keeps track of tips!" Next time I'm going to be more assertive if we have an unfriendly, rude server.

 

[DisneyMom13]

We too were on the 7/30 Magic and loved our food and servers. We had Roberto from the Phillipines and Sara from the UK. Sara knew the kids drinks by the 3rd night, she didn't have to ask. They knew what kind of dressing we liked, who liked pepper on their meal, etc. We took many pictures with them and they interacted with both our teenage girls and ourselves. The food was as good as our last trip in 2001, different things, but still good.
Debi

 

[clten]

In the six cruises I have taken with Disney, I have found the food to be hit or miss. The menus seem to be improving over the years with better selections. I have to say on our last cruise in May the food was some of the worst we had - food delivered cold, steak ordered well done served very rare not once but twice in the same night and other problems.

As far as serving staff, we have had all ranges. We have had the disappearing assistant server so one glass of water was all we got thoughout the meal. I know that some servers bring you the drink you ordered the first night thoughout the cruise. This is great if you want the same thing but it's usually a problem if you want to vary it. But we have also had great servers as well. On our Christmas cruise, our server promised he was going to make dinner a great experience for us. He took excellent care of us and more than fulfilled his promise (unfortunately he was on leave during our May cruise!).

It wasn't until our cruise in May where I also had a problem with a server bringing me something I wanted. I had asked how something was served because I am not a big mushroom fan but usually just pick them out with no problem. As this was a new item on a new menu, I had no idea how it was served, I asked so I would know if it was possible to eat around the mushrooms. My server didn't know how do describe it (even though we were on late seating and he had to have served it to someone on early seating). I asked him to bring it anyway and he said that he didn't think I would want it and insisted on bringing me something else. When he brought it out for others, the mushrooms were only in the sauce on the plate and very easily could have been left off my plate. Instead I was stuck with a bland piece of chicken. The servers may make recommendations but you know what you will like better than they will. My advice is to order what you want, if you don't like it, they can bring you something else.

 

[goofymama]

But they did know how to repeat the line about "excellent" service.

this would irk me so much. I hate when waiters/servers beg, hint, whatever about getting excellent comment cards etc... That is a sure way to get me to leave a negative comment card. ARGH!

And for those worried about being talked out of something that you really want to order - Be insistent that you really want to try it anyway. If it turns out that the waiter was right and it wasn't very good, they should have no problem bringing you a replacement entree.

And for those of you with bad experiences, please please let DCL know. I feel certain that your feedback will make things better for future cruisers!

 

[branv]

I have a stupid question.

If you want a different drink/new drink/refill...why are you waiting until you can get the assistant server? Can't you ask your other waiter for it?

I mean, if I can't find my waitress at a restaurant and am dying of thirst, I'll grab the first one that passes and say, "I'm sorry, I can't find our waiter, could you ask him to bring us some drinks?"

Or is this just "not done"?

 

[hawaii5o]

Our service wasnt the best, but I am sure it wasnt the worst either. No extra special attention. Our waiters seemed to be busy all the time and we were always their last table. We were in the back of every restaurant. I cant remember the table. I think it was 32 maybe or 36... cant remember

 

[mmouse37]

I have a stupid question.

If you want a different drink/new drink/refill...why are you waiting until you can get the assistant server? Can't you ask your other waiter for it?

I mean, if I can't find my waitress at a restaurant and am dying of thirst, I'll grab the first one that passes and say, "I'm sorry, I can't find our waiter, could you ask him to bring us some drinks?"

Or is this just "not done"?

The server handles the main food items....the assistant server usually handles the bread & drinks. Of course you could let your server know that you need a refill, but he will in turn tell the assitant server....this is the model that most cruiselines use and it works well....but of course there are those times that you need/want something immediately and the assistant server is the back handling something else...

MJ

 

[swandiverpatt]

I've only sailed with a Cast Member and they group CMs together at dining. I don't think the waiters exude as much "magic" at the CMs' tables. I know I repeatedly asked for a Mickey ice cream bar for dessert and never got one. But that's such a small complaint. Our cabin steward, OTOH, has always been excellent.

 

[Jsme]

I hope no one will flame anyone for their opinion on this thread.

I have yet to experience bad service or just so so food. Thank God! But it can happen.

 

[frank2271]

I have a stupid question.

If you want a different drink/new drink/refill...why are you waiting until you can get the assistant server? Can't you ask your other waiter for it?

I mean, if I can't find my waitress at a restaurant and am dying of thirst, I'll grab the first one that passes and say, "I'm sorry, I can't find our waiter, could you ask him to bring us some drinks?"

Or is this just "not done"?

I'm with you, if I'm thirsty at dinner nothing will stand in my way of getting a Coke. If my server is making himself scarce I have no problem asking the first on I see for help.

Frank

 

[callahanjulie10]

On our last DCL cruise (over July 4, 2004), we had the WORST servers ever. In fact, during the 2nd night dining, we left the meal and did not go back to the dining room. The others who dined with us opted to do the same. Our servers were horrible. We couldn't get drinks, our food was cold two nights in a row, our servers would leave and NOT come back! We were the last ones out of the dining room the first night and we were just very disappointed. This was the first time we haven't LOVED our servers in 6 DCL cruises. I did not contact the Head Server of whoever you are supposed to contact just because I felt that I didn't want to waste my time complaining. We ate in Topsiders and really enjoyed it. We cruised RCI after this and enjoyed dining again. We are going to go back to DCL though, you can't let one bad experience (or dining servers!) leave a bad taste in your mouth!

 

[dukenukkem]

We just returned home to Las Vegas from our latest Disney cruise on July 17th. I have taken several DCL cruises now and I can't say the food has been impressive on any of them. In fact, we took the Carnival Pride the previous week on the same itenerary to Mexico. The food on the Carnival ship was absolutely fantasic!! From casual dining options to their exclusive supper club, David's, every meal was truly something to look forward to each day. The service on Carnival is another matter entirely. I can sum up service on Carnival with one word-POOR! Our servers on DCL have always been exceptionally hard-working and really help make up for the food quality. I love Disney and the cruises are great fun for my family. I just think the food quality on the DCL cruises could be greatly improved.

 

[atakaratemom]

After reading these posts I feel so fortunate that we had excellent servers on our July 23 west coast cruise. I guess I just assumed everyone has the same great experience which is obviously not the case. We also had the APL rotation with late seating and our servers (San and Sandra) were amazing. Our drinks were always replenished, we never felt pressured to purchase wine and our food was always delivered warm and to our expectations. Although San made recommendations, he never questioned our choices. Our children loved them and to this day still talk about them on an almost daily basis. San did magic tricks and Sandra poured the ketchup in a Mickey shape for my daughter and always made sure they each had extra cherries in their drinks. During interactive portions of the floor shows they pulled the kids out to make sure they participated. At the Pirate night buffet we were just getting our desserts from the buffet on deck 9 when the fireworks started. San happened to be there working at the buffet and he took my daughter by the hand and led her to where she could see the show while I got the desserts. If not for that she would have missed the whole thing. They were both so wonderful and we love looking at the pictures we took with them. I hope we are assigned to them again on our cruise next year!

 

[JPC]

food was good. animator's palette was just ok. my servers worked their butt off but they seemed very over worked which is probably the case. they seem too stressed out but they were at the end of the 6 month shift. i would give them high marks just because they have a tough job with high disney expectations.

 

[wendilyn]

We were aslo onthe 7/20 cruise. our servers Alex and thersea were fantastic! The only meal that we were disapointed with was on thursday. I thought the menu choices were not varied enough and I did not like any thing, so Alex was able to get me a chicken ceaser salad instead! We did have to wait for second orders of drinks at times, but remember, everytime the waiters go into the kitchen they must wash their hands! I took the gallary tour and it's a long process just to get a soda refill!
This was our 5th cruise and I thought it was the best food yet! My mother who has been on RCL and Holland America said this was better!

 

[Cindy72]

Haven't cruised since 03 and I'm hoping for better quaility food. The service was fine but I thought the food was just okay, nothing great. Actually I was dissappointed, you always here great things about the food on cruises. But it sounds like the menu has changed, and for the better. I'll find out this Feb.

 

[Jillie]

We cruised this past April 23 and it was by far the worst servers out of three DCL cruises. These two guys obviously did not like one another (we could see them arguing) and just could not get it together. The assistant server was very nice and could have been good but the server just gave him a hard time every night. I am allergic to mushrooms, which I told our server about on our first night but twice I was brought out a meal with mushrooms I reminded him each night too!). The server would seem to be upset with me when i told him there were mushrooms on the plate and then he would proceed to take it out on our poor assistant server (who was only on his third cruise)!

 

[Vanvmom]

MY GOD!!! I hope we don't experience these things. I am also a vegetarian and a picky one at that. I usually end up ordering from the childrens menu at restaurants. Mac & Cheese, spaghetti, a big salad and any kind of potato and I am happy as a pig. I'm a little worried about the restaurants on the cruise. I hope the chefs & servers are very flexible with me.

What do you guys think? Will I be running for the buffet every night?

Frank

Frank- There is a vegetarian entree available on each night. I don't remember the night, but it was likely day 5 or 6 of the 7 night cruise... either way, there was an incredible risotto dish one night (so good I would have been willing to eat it several nights in a row)! Just a recommendation!