Has anyone seen a cockroach in an MDR?

[FigmentSpark]

The problem is this may be a joke, but it gets people thinking about bugs in the restaurant. People should never be wondering if real bugs live where their food is being prepped. It's off-putting, at best.

 

[Lisa F]

The other problem is that this is something that people have real phobias about. I would let out a blood-curdling scream about it and then be completely humiliated in the MDR for the rest of the time. Way too much chance of people NOT finding it funny. What's next, a pile of dog poop on your chair? I would be inconsolable at guest services if this happened to me. They would at a minimum be changing my rotation and server team but I might even demand room service the rest of the time and not bother with the MDRs at all.

This is a very very poor decision on the part of the servers.

 

[Bridgett_Anna]

I have experienced this. I was so upset that I vowed to never EVER go on another cruise AGAIN. Those MONSTERS! Just Kidding!

My amazing, wonderful, funny, sweet, server did this to me. I freaked out, and it was so funny! It was a JOKE. I have friends who work on DCL and they said that the pranks and puzzles are part of their training. It’s entertainment. It’s 100% not the servers fault. It’s part of their training. This is a situation that no one should ever take away someone’s tip for. They work so so SO hard and have to deal with crazy people all of the time. If you have a problem with it, kindly tell them no more jokes. They won’t mind. But complaining to guest services is wayyyy too much.

This reminds me of whispering canyon when people complained about the gags. Disney had to take away the best part of the restaurant because of the crazy people.

Ugh.

 

[Princess Angela]

In one of my recent cruise meet groups (the cruise ended a week ago) a woman said she was served a chocolate chip cookie that was fake and had a fake cockroach in it/under it. It was a “prank” pulled by the servers. Like.....instead of crayon puzzles they did this. A few other people came forward in the group and said their servers (different servers, btw) did the same thing.

The absolute last place a cockroach, fake or otherwise, should be is in a place where you eat food.

I can tolerate spiders, snakes (I pull them out of my pool barehanded all the time), and even mice. But I will absolutely lose my &$#@%! over a cockroach - especially on my dining table! If this ever happens to me, I will have everyone’s head on a platter, I swear to god. We have 2 more DCL cruises coming up and I’m already starting to stress over it.

So, I’m left wondering how prevalent this is. Anyone here (not on the Fantasy 8/7 sailing) experience this? I’m also formulating how I warn them not to do this to our table. I am super casual and jokey with the servers and I don’t want them to misinterpret that as permission to do something stupid. But I also don’t want to come out of the gate with stern warnings about heads and platters. Lol

Happened to me last cruise! It was so funny! My whole table laughed. The table behind also had the same prank and the little girl who was 6 laughed as well and rolled her eyes. It was a very funny prank and I think we all survived.

 

[Ro<3]

While I appreciate some people found this funny and laughed- I have a genuine phobia of bugs... especially near food. Whether you agree or not, this would most definitely negatively impact my trip. Some people may view it as me overreacting but I can assure you that phobia and anxiety is real- now I'm actually considering how I can alert head server and server to not do this...

 

[insureman]

Never seen this and really not funny in my opinion.

 

[FigmentSpark]

I like a good joke. I don't like being humiliated and made to feel stupid for reacting to what is not a joke. You may find it funny. I would not. I guess I'll just be one of those crazy people they will have to deal with.

 

[Maggie'sMom]

I have experienced this. I was so upset that I vowed to never EVER go on another cruise AGAIN. Those MONSTERS! Just Kidding!

My amazing, wonderful, funny, sweet, server did this to me. I freaked out, and it was so funny! It was a JOKE. I have friends who work on DCL and they said that the pranks and puzzles are part of their training. It’s entertainment. It’s 100% not the servers fault. It’s part of their training. This is a situation that no one should ever take away someone’s tip for. They work so so SO hard and have to deal with crazy people all of the time. If you have a problem with it, kindly tell them no more jokes. They won’t mind. But complaining to guest services is wayyyy too much.

This reminds me of whispering canyon when people complained about the gags. Disney had to take away the best part of the restaurant because of the crazy people.

Ugh.

I can appreciate a good prank and loved our meals at Whispering Canyon, but a prank about cockroaches around food is not funny. It's extremely inappropriate. DCL management needs to hear this is occurring and put a stop to it. Complaining to your head server and guest services is the very minimum that should be done.

 

[MomOTwins]

Yeah, if it was a fake spider I would most likely throw up. I am not surprised there are people who feel the same about cockroaches. What’s wrong with whoopie cushions?

 

[Carrie in AZ]

That’s a bit of a bizarre prank. I’ve never witnessed anything like that but come to think of it, I did see a server with a fake rat toy at another table. It wasn’t in or under food though. He removed the metal plate cover/stacker and it was just on an empty plate... everyone seemed to be having a good time though.

I’ve seen servers have some sort of squeaker toy so when they go around the dining room u hear all these strange squeaking noises. It’s actually pretty funny but not everyone is amused so the server doing it was told to stop. That was on the Dream but they were doing it on the Fantasy as well so it must be somewhat common. The last night of the cruise everyone at the table told the head server to give the guy his squeaker toy back

Fake Bugs in food...NOPE. Definitely crossing the line. New dish please.

A rat or roach? Absolutely not. No way in heck. Nothing funny about this. Our family would flip out.

 

[DayOhDisMom]

Interesting
We have sailed several times we have seen lots of puzzles, jokes and ketchup bottle prank. Not sure how I would feel about bugs and food as a joke. At first I don't think I would like it. Giving it a second thought I have never seen a bug in any of MDR and dont expect to see any. So freak out would be out of the question. Just a bad joke in bad taste that we may smile about later.

 

[Bridgett_Anna]

I can appreciate a good prank and loved our meals at Whispering Canyon, but a prank about cockroaches around food is not funny. It's extremely inappropriate. DCL management needs to hear this is occurring and put a stop to it. Complaining to your head server and guest services is the very minimum that should be done.

Well if you saw the prank, you can tell it’s a fake cookie. It’s super small too. Your server stands with you the whole time for the prank. You pick up the cookie and see a fake cockroach that is obviously not real. People are acting like the brought over a plate of cookies with a fake cockroach hidden in them. But that’s not the case. That’s why I don’t see it as a big deal. Because it looks so fake. The six year old next to me didn’t even blink and knew it was fake by just looking at it.

 

[DayOhDisMom]

Thanks for the clarification I didn't want to start looking for bugs pranks.

 

[DietCokeMommy]

Wow that is so not funny. I don’t care how fake the thing looks, I am super phobic about bugs. Is this seriously a thing where I have to tell our servers no pranks? Absolutely ridiculous and tasteless.

 

[MomOTwins]

Well if you saw the prank, you can tell it’s a fake cookie. It’s super small too. Your server stands with you the whole time for the prank. You pick up the cookie and see a fake cockroach that is obviously not real. People are acting like the brought over a plate of cookies with a fake cockroach hidden in them. But that’s not the case. That’s why I don’t see it as a big deal. Because it looks so fake. The six year old next to me didn’t even blink and knew it was fake by just looking at it.

But people were freaked out and did scream so maybe some are more realistic than orhers or eyesight is a factor or people are on autopilot but it did seem real to the people who got upset.

 

[MouseinMelbourne]

I refuse to feel belittled by the “it’s just a prank” or “it looks so obviously fake” comments. Just no. No bugs in MDR.

How would you like this “prank?” You’re enjoying a quiet drink someone on board and a kids programming CM comes running in yelling that your kid fell over board. A few seconds later, your kid pops out from behind the door - surprise! Hahaha, so funny! NOT!

 

[matthew517]

They wouldnt get their tips. I would go to customer service right away and change it.

 

[FSU Girl]

Well if you saw the prank, you can tell it’s a fake cookie. It’s super small too. Your server stands with you the whole time for the prank. You pick up the cookie and see a fake cockroach that is obviously not real. People are acting like the brought over a plate of cookies with a fake cockroach hidden in them. But that’s not the case. That’s why I don’t see it as a big deal. Because it looks so fake. The six year old next to me didn’t even blink and knew it was fake by just looking at it.

It doesn't matter if it looks fake. Some people have severe fears of bugs. I know if it was a fake spider I would literally scream and probably cry my fear is another level. And it's not like the MDR's are known for pranks and that's a part of the theme like at Disney, it's the dining room on the ship. I would never go in thinking something like this would happen and would not be prepared for it and it would ruin my meal.

 

[Bridgett_Anna]

I refuse to feel belittled by the “it’s just a prank” or “it looks so obviously fake” comments. Just no. No bugs in MDR.

How would you like this “prank?” You’re enjoying a quiet drink someone on board and a kids programming CM comes running in yelling that your kid fell over board. A few seconds later, your kid pops out from behind the door - surprise! Hahaha, so funny! NOT!

That would be awful if they did that. And they would never do that because the second they do, they will lose their jobs for something as awful as that. Plastic cookies and a child’s life doesn’t seem the same to me. I apologize if you feel belittled.

 

[Bridgett_Anna]

It doesn't matter if it looks fake. Some people have severe fears of bugs. I know if it was a fake spider I would literally scream and probably cry my fear is another level. And it's not like the MDR's are known for pranks and that's a part of the theme like at Disney, it's the dining room on the ship. I would never go in thinking something like this would happen and would not be prepared for it and it would ruin my meal.

I just don’t agree with people wanting to instantly take away their tips. The pranks and jokes are part of their jobs. They should tell the head sever how they don’t find it funny, and they won’t do it again. If the severs will go out of their way to bring you something that’s not on the menu, then they will go out of their way to make you comfortable.