Most popular/desirable dining rotation?

[fljelad]

Understanding that people have different tastes, overall, which rotation seems to be the most popular on the Wonder/4-day cruise? Does it seem to matter how far in advance you book your cruise? Is someone who books 6-8 months in advance more likely to get a desirable rotation as opposed to someone who books a couple of weeks in advance?

 

[suesings]

Hi,
We are going in late May on the 7 day and I don't quite understand the concept of requesting a rotation? What is the benefit of this (i.e. how does it work??)

thanks, Sue

 

[fljelad]

My understanding is that you rotate through the three restaurants on board each night of the cruise and the fourth night repeats the first. Palo (I think that's what it's called) is not included in the rotation.

Apparently, some of the restaurants are more popular than others. This is my first cruise so I'm not really sure! I'm sure someone will be on with a good explanation!

 

[TammiMcMan]

Unfortunatley, you cannot request a specific rotation. Dining is set up 30 days prior to sailing and I honestly don't think it has anything to do with when you booked your cruise. I'm sure it's a computer program that randomly selects staterooms based on occupancy and whether or not they have first or second dining. On the 4 night, I'm going to guess that the LAPL rotation would be a good option as I think that would put you in Parrot Cay for Pirates night.

Yes Palo is not included in the rotation. It is reserved for guests 18 and older and you generally make reservations when you board the ship.

 

[fljelad]

Please, pretty please, could some sweet soul remind me again what the three restaurants on Wonder are? Is there one called Animator's Palette or something like that? Does each restaurant have a different type of cuisine or is it just a variety?

Thanks!!

 

[TammiMcMan]

The only different one is Tritons is on the Wonder and Lumieres is on the Magic, the others remain the same, Animators Palatte and Parrot Cay. You can go to www.dcltribute.com to view some of the menus and I think the DCL website also has a sampling.

 

[Canadiancruiser2]

I think the most requested rotation for the Western 7 days is APLA and for the Eastern 7 days is PLAP. I believe it is because these rotations put you in Lumiere's (a fancy beauty and the beast themed restaurant) on formal nights and Parrot Cay (a tropical themed restaurant) on Pirate/tropical night.

CC

Edit to add:
A= Animator's palate
L= Lumiere's
P= Parrot Cay

 

[chrisn]

Although it is only a request and not a guarantee. You just call DCL and have them pull up your reservation. The CM will make a notation based on what rotation you wish to have. PTAP ect. The three restaurants on the Wonder are Tritons the most fancy with an elegant atmosphere, Parrot Cay which is the most casual with a tropical theme, and Animators Palate which is just a fun kind of in between. I requested and received my preferred dining request on our 7 Night cruise and I have again placed a request for our upcoming 4 night cruise. Your dining rotation does not really matter, although some people like to be in the restaurant that best corresponds with that nights theme, ie Pirate's Night in Parrot Cay. Either way, you will still get the same dinner and theming as everyone else and yes USUALLY you would repeat the first restaurant on your last night however, a recently returned cruiser posted that the rotations had changed to PPTA (so the first two nights in the same restaurant to better accomodate Pirate's night (although I don't understand why)? This is new and the CM's at DCL do not know about this yet (if in fact it is a permanant change). Pirate's Night on the Wonder is the second night (Nassau) so if you wanted to be in Parrot Cay on this night, you would want to request the TPAT (or is it APTA???) or in the case of the new rotation, you would want PPAT. Since there seems to be some confusion on this, I just had them notate that we would like to dine in Parrot Cay the night the ship is docked in Nassau (Pirate's Night). Clear as mud???

 

[MickeyB426]

I've requested twice (and gotten twice) the rotation I wanted.

I asked for APLAPLA for a number of reasons:

1. My favorite restaurant is Animator's Palate so I got to eat there three times;

2. This rotation gets us the Character Breakfast on Sunday morning, our first morning, and

3. I liked having the Animator's Palate show on our first night of the cruise.

 

[RickW]

IMO, Dining rotation is something you really shouldn't be concerned about.

If you are a first-time cruiser, you should not request or care which rotation you get. If you are a repeat cruiser, you may have some specific reasons why one rotation works better for you (like MickeyB426 above), and then, in that case, feel free to make a request.

If you are a first-time cruiser, and you are worried about dining rotation, you are overplanning, and simply setting yourself up for disappointment if things don't go exactly like you expect.

 

[TammiMcMan]

Clear as mud???

I think you've said it perfectly there. On our 4 night earlier this month, we repeated the same restaurant for our last 2 nights and the Pirate night was on Castaway Cay day. Maybe they hadn't yet made a final decision on when it was going to be, or how they were going to arrange dining around it.

I think all the restaurants are great and usually have a big enough variety that you'll find something that you like.

 

[fljelad]

Hey, thanks for your opinion, Rick.

 

[chrisn]

You dined your last two nights in the same restaurant. That just goes to show that with all the switching going on right now, even if you do request a rotation and you get it, it may be the wrong one! Thanks for the info.

fljelad-the reason I requested a rotation on our first cruise is because I knew I wanted to be in Lumiere's the most formal dining room for formal night. We were dressed to the nine's and it just felt good. The reason why I put in a request for our upcoming 4 nighter is because I wanted Parrot Cay (our favorite restaurant) twice. That was until they brought in Pirate Night! You are going to have a great time no matter what rotation you have. If you want to make the request, then make it. Just remember that it is not guaranteed. Yes, I have OCVPD but planning is half my fun!

 

[jrabbit]

IMO, Dining rotation is something you really shouldn't be concerned about.

If you are a first-time cruiser, you should not request or care which rotation you get. If you are a repeat cruiser, you may have some specific reasons why one rotation works better for you (like MickeyB426 above), and then, in that case, feel free to make a request.

If you are a first-time cruiser, and you are worried about dining rotation, you are overplanning, and simply setting yourself up for disappointment if things don't go exactly like you expect.

EXACTLY - this is really one of the areas just to let happen. All of the restaurants are very nice each in their own way. Even if you are on a 7 nighter - the rotation doesn't really matter - every restaurant is great for formal night or priates night.

Don't sweat the small stuff and dinning rotation really qualifies as "small stuff"

 

[pppiglet]

I am taking Rickws advice for my first cruise! I feel I have already overplanned for it, so I am just letting the dinning part of the trip flow on it's own!

 

[my3princesses]

Are you obligated to eat at these dinners each night or can you choose an alternative? It's just that the menus in all places are the same and I do not want to eat the same thing the whole time. As well our family loves buffets as they give you the most choices (which is nice for kids who can be a little picky). As well they are faster. I'd love the Animators restaurant for sure but the rest I am not sure of. I have heard of having the same waiters each night and dining with the same people so it sounds like you would be obligated or that this is your only choice.

Are the buffets even available for supper?
Also how late are the other available restaurants open?

 

[scrapperjill]

EXACTLY - this is really one of the areas just to let happen. All of the restaurants are very nice each in their own way. Even if you are on a 7 nighter - the rotation doesn't really matter - every restaurant is great for formal night or priates night.

Don't sweat the small stuff and dinning rotation really qualifies as "small stuff"

I just wanted to second this opinion...On our first 7 night cruise...i planned and planned...put in my requests and did recieve the request. I wanted to be in Lumieres on formal night and semi formal night...but due to our change in itenairy our formal/semi formal nights were changed. So even though we recieved the dinning request...we didn't end up having formal night in Lumieres...but in PC instead. And you know what....It didn't matter. The night was great. So what did I learn???.....rotation of dinning rooms...doesn't make the cruise....you get to sample each one no matter what one is first.

my3princesses....as for your question...yes you do have choices. You don't have to eat in any of the dinning rooms. You can have room service, go to topsiders/beach blanket buffet, or any of the food places on deck 9 (Pluto's dog house, scoops, PP)...and don't forget Palo's the adult only restraunt. Of course Palo's you have to pay additional for ($10pp) and you can't hop from one dinning room what ever night you wish...if you choose to eat in the dinning rooms you have to follow your rotation.