Ordering in the MDR

[Momtobug2016]

I have been reading these board for a while now, I appreciate all of the tips! My family and I are going on the Southern Carribean cruise on the Wonder in January.

I have an question...probably seems odd, but how do you order in the MDR? Do you order your appetizer, soup, main dish, dessert, etc all at once or do they take the order separate since it is served in courses? Our first cruise for our honeymoon was a different cruise line and was awkward because I wasn't sure how they wanted us to order! Also, how is it done in Palo?




Thanks!

 

[PrincessShmoo]

I have been reading these board for a while now, I appreciate all of the tips! My family and I are going on the Southern Carribean cruise on the Wonder in January.

I have an question...probably seems odd, but how do you order in the MDR? Do you order your appetizer, soup, main dish, dessert, etc all at once or do they take the order separate since it is served in courses? Our first cruise for our honeymoon was a different cruise line and was awkward because I wasn't sure how they wanted us to order! Also, how is it done in Palo?




Thanks!

Your assistant server will take your drink orders first. Then you order off the menu (after your main server gives his/her recommendations). You order appetizers/salads/soups/entrees. As many or as few as you wish. After you finish all that, you will get the dessert menu, and you order dessert.

Pretty much the same in Palo, except, if you are ordering the chocolate souffle for dessert, they like to know that at the start of the meal.

 

[jdb in AZ]

I have been reading these board for a while now, I appreciate all of the tips! My family and I are going on the Southern Carribean cruise on the Wonder in January.

I have an question...probably seems odd, but how do you order in the MDR? Do you order your appetizer, soup, main dish, dessert, etc all at once or do they take the order separate since it is served in courses? Our first cruise for our honeymoon was a different cruise line and was awkward because I wasn't sure how they wanted us to order! Also, how is it done in Palo?

Thanks!

It's o.k. to ask the waiters questions. They're happy to help, and that's what you're paying them for.

 

[aidtrismommy]

Also, you can order more than one appetizer, two entrees, no entrée, etc. I noticed that on our last cruise this past November that if nobody at our table ordered the suggested entrees, our waiter brought one out for everyone to try. One evening, I didn't care for the entrée selection so I ordered two appetizers. It's not strict in any way.

 

[TJ95]

Your children can also order off the adult menu if they choose, instead of or in addition to the kids menu. My DS routinely orders adult appetizers, sometimes as his entree (hey, it's what he wants, and "we're on vacation" to quote Clayton, the Wonder's cruise director last week).

 

[gumbypee]

aaaaaand adults can order off kids menu! Mac N Cheese yum!!!

 

[bumbershoot]

aaaaaand adults can order off kids menu! Mac N Cheese yum!!!

Yep. That was necessary the night I could not handle the vegetarian "choices" on Pirate Night menu. DH (the fool) ordered the tigerlily pancakes and was very jealous of my mac and cheese. He ended up having a long convo with our server about how one does savory pancakes that seem to have an Asian flair to them properly (he's Korean so kinda knows about that), and how the ones their chefs were making were ghastly. And I think he got a quick order of mac.

 

[over50visits]

You will order everything except dessert first. Although the menu is divided into appetizers, soup/salad, and main courses, I've never seen a problem with designing your own meal with selections from everything offered. For example, I've had two appetizers and no salads. Then after the meal out comes the dessert menu.

I've always tried to make sure the servers could handle any special requests, they are very busy (as you'll see). They try to do anything you ask, and a little kindness in not overburdening them seems to go a long way! Let them spoil you and they will.

The adult special restaurant venues might be a little different, but not relevant to the MDR (main dining room) questions you had.

The ship is filled with first time cruisers who don't know the drill. My advice is to not worry about it at all. The servers (and everyone else) are gentle, helpful people who will make this new experience a pleasure, don't worry about the details. They'll worry about it for you!

 

[shelbell77]

And you can mix and match between the kids and adult menus which I do often!!!!

 

[hnthomps]

If you don't order appetizers, but your tablemates do, do you have to wait for them to eat their appetizers before you get your mains?
we're travelling with small children, and definitely won't be having three course meals most nights.

 

[ivanp91]

If you don't order appetizers, but your tablemates do, do you have to wait for them to eat their appetizers before you get your mains?

On the cruises I've taken, yes. They seem to like everyone at the same table to be at the same stage of their meal.

 

[Chilly]

If you don't order appetizers, but your tablemates do, do you have to wait for them to eat their appetizers before you get your mains?
we're travelling with small children, and definitely won't be having three course meals most nights.

Even if tablemates don't they do the whole restaurant together pretty much so you might get your main a bit quicker but not loads quicker.

 

[Maggie'sMom]

If you don't order appetizers, but your tablemates do, do you have to wait for them to eat their appetizers before you get your mains?
we're travelling with small children, and definitely won't be having three course meals most nights.

Yes, they would bring your entrees the same time as your tablemates. You can request that they speed up the meal service, which might help a little, but don't count on it making the meal a whole lot quicker.

 

[over50visits]

If you don't order appetizers, but your tablemates do, do you have to wait for them to eat their appetizers before you get your mains?
we're travelling with small children, and definitely won't be having three course meals most nights.

As other have said, yes you will wait. As I believe you should.

Remember this is not a restaurant where your selections are cooked to order when you order them. This is a mass dinner service, and the incredibly busy kitchen is staging the appetizers, then the salads, then the main courses, then the desserts. There is a well managed gaggle of servers flowing through filling their huge trays with everyone's order. Watch when they come out, it is a sight to behold.

In order to serve hundreds of people at once, they obviously can't rearrange their cooking schedule without having a huge impact on everyone.

Your servers are wonderful, and will do their best to make your meal just right, but I think our side of the bargain is to not expect too much by making special requests that impact their ability to quickly serve everyone. It's a great experience...understand what's going on, and you will enjoy it to the max.

 

[SillyInventor]

At Palo and Remy you just order the way you feel comfortable. So if you wish to order by course, just do so and enjoy the time in between together. If you wish to order all courses at once your server will be happy to accommodate. It's your party and at these restaurants no other guest have to be served in the same pace. Just enjoy, you're on a cruise!

 

[Weedy]

If you don't order appetizers, but your tablemates do, do you have to wait for them to eat their appetizers before you get your mains?
we're travelling with small children, and definitely won't be having three course meals most nights.

The servers can bring your children's meals out when they bring out the appetizers for the adults.
If you have early seating nce the kids are done someone in your party can walk them to the kids clubs then you can finish your meal kid free.
Or if you have late seating the kids club (only for late seating) counselors will come and get the kids and take them back to the club. NOTE you have to keep an eye out for them they won't come to each table and ask because some parents don't want their kids to leave during dinner. They wait by the doors of the restaurant.

 

[hnthomps]

The servers can bring your children's meals out when they bring out the appetizers for the adults.
If you have early seating nce the kids are done someone in your party can walk them to the kids clubs then you can finish your meal kid free.
Or if you have late seating the kids club (only for late seating) counclers will come and get the kids and take them back to the club. NOTE you have to keep an eye out for them they won't come to each table and ask because some parents don't want their kids to leave during dinner. They wait by the doors of the restaurant.

Thank you! Very helpful. I think we will likely have the kids get their food with the adult appetizers, and then alternate who gets to stay for a full dinner and who has to deal with take out on at least some of the nights. Our kids are great in restaurants, generally speaking, but they're 2 and 4 and go to bed at 730pm

And of course I understand having to wait and that it is different from a restaurant on land. Just trying to make sure I know in advance what is possible so that we can prepare the kids. Mostly we want to make sure everyone has fun...which in part means making sure we don't annoy our tablemates with overtired kids!

 

[Weedy]

My kids were a little older 5 &7 when we first sailed and some nights they didn't want to go to the dining rooms so we fed them before hand. Either from room service (there is no charge) or from the fast food restaurants on the pool deck. Then we would drop them off at the kids club and go to dinner.
Your 4 year old can go to the club at anytime but you would need to make a reservation for the 2 year old at the nursery.

You will also find that the bedtime thing changes on a cruise. I was a big bed time person and my kids stayed up sooo late. But they had a great time and slept a lot!!! the next week lol.

 

[Maggie'sMom]

Thank you! Very helpful. I think we will likely have the kids get their food with the adult appetizers, and then alternate who gets to stay for a full dinner and who has to deal with take out on at least some of the nights. Our kids are great in restaurants, generally speaking, but they're 2 and 4 and go to bed at 730pm

Main dining will be finishing up around 7:30, or a little earlier. I would just plan on taking the kids to the Club and nursery after they finish eating, and you and your spouse finish the rest of your meal at a leisurely pace rather than do "take out".