Question about Dining Team (long)

[DisWonder]

While reading past posts, I've noticed that just about 99% of the passengers aboard Disney love their dining room servers and the crew members, especially when they interact with the guests and kids. When we were aboard or Assistant Server said she loved to wait on our table because we were constantly carrying on conversations with them and enjoyed their company. Is this unusual, or has she not had the pleasure of waiting on friendly tables? Also, do all of you talk to your serving team, or generally enjoy a private dinner?

Last side note, has anyone had Eric (head server from France), Igor (server from Croatia) or Melinda (assistant server from Hungary) aboard the Wonder. I thought they were excellent and would definitely recommend them to anyone sailing aboard the Wonder in the near future. I was just wondering what any of you thought of them.

Thanks,
Nicole

By the way, I'm so jealous of all of you with you clocks counting down to your next cruise, I'm hoping to win the lottery soon and book the Walt Disney suite.

 

[DisWonder]

I also forgot to mention that Balzar...not sure on the the spelling (server from Italy) was also excellent. We did not have the privilege of having him be our server but I did see him quite often at the Beach Blanket Buffet and he would always escort me to our table, so I was on a first name basis with him.

 

[inkkognito]

One of our favorite aspects of cruising is meeting crew members from around the world and getting to know them. I can't even begin to count up all the time we've spend chatting with servers after meals.
The only thing I can think of that your server might have experienced is people who think the crew are beneath them and do not want to have any conversation. Unfortunately, I've seen that happen many times with people interacting with dining staff, stateroom hosts, etc. The attitude of those guests is, "I'm paying a lot to be here, and you are a foreigner anyway, so I can treat you like a servant, not a person." Always makes me want to slap them.
Hopefully they are in the minority. Sounds like you are like us and discovered how enjoyable it is to get to know the crew members. We've met some fascinating, hard-working, intelligent people and always look forward to meeting more new friends every time we cruise.
Barb
Visit the Platinum Castaway Club at: www.castawayclub.com

 

[Mickeyhugger]

I don't know if it's unusual, but I'd like to think that most guests frequently converse w/their servers.

We became so close to our servers on both cruises. They were good friends before we left, and DD cried on the last night (of the first cruise, she was 7) because she was going to 'miss them'

I'm sure though, that some of the servers have had a few patrons whom they hope they won't see again. It's bound to happen in every business that has public contact.

 

[PhotoLisa]

Our 2nd cruise was a non-Disney cruise. What did we miss about not being on a DCL . . . . the dining room staff! Disney knows how to please their clients -- we still talk about our servers from our 7/2001 cruise when we are eating in fine dining restaurants. We have only had one server since leaving the ship that we could recommend to Disney.

I really feel that Disney considers the dining room staff as their connection to clients. Brian (from England) and Jeeves were like our personal guides. They always had great information for us! Brian was supposed to leave 1/2002 but I would be thrilled if he is still there when we board. I'd move heaven and Earth to have them as our servers again.

Lisa

 

[whytcrystal]

We spoke with our servers on our 9/2002 cruise and it was a hightlight of our day seeing their smiling faces. I have considered requesting them for our ypcoming cruise but then again would like to meet some new servers. I will inquire if they are on the same rotation as we are assigned to and if so, leave it to fate. It was Elle from Sweden and Igusti (sorry can not remember from what country :0( ) MacLean was our head server.

 

[Verandah Man]

We had so much fun with our serving team of Roberto from Peru, Prudence from Jamaica, and Tommy from Norway. They each made every night so enjoyable, and our dining time just seemed to fly by. It felt as though we were leaving family the morning we left the ship. We have kept in touch with them since our August 2003 cruise.

 

[rae519]

The best part of the DCL is the Dining Room Staff - those men and women MAKE our cruise memorable. Forget the characters and entertainment (Now that Fidelio and Dueling Pianos is gone - so is our nightly fun!) - but those Servers are fabulous!

I can't imagine cruising without looking into at least one of their familiar faces and seeing recognition and friendship!

God bless all of them!

Rae

 

[markmyboy]

We just returned from the 1/15 Wonder & had the excellent serving team Yere (croatia) and Eva (Hungary). We spoke with them more than we have with any other serving team (and we've had some great ones...).

We only ate with them two nights because we went to Palo's on Friday. They were great, Eva told us about how working on the cruise ship is not for her & told us many funny things about the job, living situation, relationships on board!! Yere did not divulge any personal information except that he does not like to eat breakfast...sometimes he even skips lunch. They were both great & treated our kids like a king & queen!!

When my son was 3 he really fell for our assistant server Virginia from Hungary. Well, when we had to leave & she had to stay he started crying & Virginia got a little upset too ( She really had a blast with him!!) Shortly after we left the ccruise my husband had a business trip to.....you guessed it....VIRGINIA...well, my son was quite upset that he could not go with my husband because of course that is where he thought Virginia from Hungary was!!! He eventually understood she was not there, but we promised to try to find her next time we were on the Magic (sadly, we have not returned yet!!)

We have also sailed on NCL & Carnival & had great servers there as well, but not even close to DCL. It felt like coming home when we stepped on the ship on Thursday, my husband & I were as excited as the kids....I even got a little teary eyed walking off the ship yesterday morning. Though we will be returning to the Magic in April of 2005 & will be excited to meet our serving team, whom we will have the pleasure of dining with for 7 nights!!!

 

[kcashner]

We always request the same server, although he's not always available (they do take vacations....) We've had him with many different assistants, and occasionally completely new teams. Of course, we talk with the servers and have a great time. They always "play" with the kids...some do table magic, etc. They are very friendly, personable, etc....

So, yes, the dining teams are among the best parts of the ship.

 

[DisWonder]

Verandah Man and rae519, I totally agree! The dinners were always the best part of the day, and something we looked forward to each night. They always seemed to go by way too fast, and at the end of the meals, they would tell us where they would be working the next day, so I would find myself looking for their familiar faces at lunch and dinner.

For those who ask if they should skip the debarkation day breakfast, I wouldn't dream about missing our last meal with our awesome dining team and our last chance to say goodbye. Besides actually getting off the ship, saying goodbye to our Servers who have become family is definitely one of the hardest parts about leaving the ship.

Nicole

 

[ELIJAH'S GRANDPA]

we've loved our servers on both our Disney cruises. We've also cruise twice on Royal Carribbean and had excellent servers there also. There is a difference though, Disney servers are allowed to be both "professional" and friends while the expectation on RCL is to be more "professional". However, we couldn't help but fall in love with all of them.
On our second Disney cruise we ran into Mitcho, from Croatia, who was our server 3 years ago. When I explained who I was he said, "Bring your wife by, I'll remember her"
John

 

[disneygal58]

Meeting (and interacting with) the dining room team and tablemates is one of the highlights of the cruise. We have been fortunate to have met amazing people from all over the world.
Our debate is whether or not to request a server from the past or enjoy meeting a new team.
During the past five sailings we have only encountered one team that was not up to par with DCL standards. Even then, the poor assistant server was so frazzled that our hearts went out to him. On the last day he also shared with us that he began his career with Disney as a safari driver at Animal Kingdom - he held the record for the longest outing (nearly 45 minutes). That explained alot...
Enjoy,
Dawn Hope

 

[mmouse37]

We always enjoy striking up conversations with our seving team. The become an integral part of the cruise experience. We also, have had servers say to us that they were happy to have us as guests because we spoke and had a sense of humor...I guess many people to not take the time to appreciate their serving team.

MJ

 

[DisWonder]

I'm with disneygal58, do you request to have an exceptional serving team that you've had in the past and know are still onboard, or do you take your chances with a what will more than likely be another wonderful team? I've read posts where people have requested past servers and they were so thrilled and honored that someone would request them again.

I think the next time I go, if I know that Igor, Melinda or Balzar are on board I would definitely request to have them again. It would be like reuniting with family.

Nicole

 

[NAT&MAGSMOM]

We have loved all of our servers, as well as other cast members we have met on The Magic. On our last cruise, we either looked up old cast member friends or ran into them on the ship....we felt like we were at home.

They make our cruise(s) so much more special...Natalie just said yesterday..."I wonder what Sylvester and Ivan are doing right now?"


Phyllis

 

[disneystyle]

DisWonder

I would request those that you loved.... We've sailed DCL four times and only thought one out of four service teams were indeed "Excellent"!!

Good Luck..

 

[Zapp1213]

We sailed the Magic in Sept. '02. We became very friendly with Ernestina (Croatia), Antonio (Mexico), and Christoph (France). In fact, remember when many of the crew & some passengers got sick on one of the cruises last winter? DD (10) was quite worried that one of "our staff" was included on the sick list!

 

[MiaSRN62]

Giving a "shout out" to our Wonder servers, Witt (China) and Marcello (Italy).....just loved them. They were def a highlight of our cruise. Some of our best cruise video and photos involve them !

 

[kasar]

Here's an interesting server experience: This past December while we were heading to the Emergency Drill (of all places!) with thousands of other people, a man stopped us to tell us he remembered us from Palo the year before! Can you believe that? It was the only time we had ever met him, we were there only once and he remembered us (we're not that memorable-looking, frankly)! How many people do you think these folks meet - especially on the Wonder with it's 2 sailings/week? That's incredible.

If anyone is lucky enough to have Nick and Ive on the Wonder, ask them to dance on the table for you!