Skipping main dining

[lanejudy]

The other issue is you're spending A LOT on the cruise and to have no other options with kids really stinks.

Maybe that's part of the problem. I haven't been on a cruise for quite a while, but it seemed like there was always something going on (that was also pre-kids so maybe there wasn't as much for families). I figured that would be the case for Disney too but it seems like it's going to be a different vibe than prior experiences.

I hope this doesn't come across the wrong way... but it really sounds like you "bought" a vacation without researching it first. Your last cruise was at least a few years ago and not DCL, but you want DCL to be the same as whatever cruise line you previously sailed. There are positives and negatives with each cruise line and expecting one to be like another is setting yourself up for disappointment.

Try checking the Navigators posted on the DisneyCruiseLineBlog to see what types of activities are offered and when, including activities within the kids' spaces. Menus are also posted so you can see what is likely to be offered at each MDR/night as well as the times alternative options are available. On most itineraries pretty much everyone is back onboard by mid- to late-afternoon. We've always done early dining and never felt like it was an overly-long experience -- 45 minutes to an hour, which is pretty similar to land-based sit-down restaurants for us. The entertainment helps, the serving staff is wonderful with kids. But if that's not your thing, it's ok to plan something else. You are correct that DCL is expensive and part of what you are paying for is the dining and evening shows. You don't want to waste your vacation dollars on an experience you won't enjoy.

 

[Goofy1932]

I think this is a reflection of the changing and evolving demographics that go on cruises and what they want from a cruise vacation.

I could see Disney eventually going to a completely opening dining concept. Where you have to book your preferred dining restaurants yourself and not have a set rotation. But given Disney people I could see a lot of problems and negativity with that

It would help if Disney would make dining rooms much larger than they do given that the ships are becoming larger. This would give them an opportunity to split the tables up better and offer private tables to more people.

 

[Goofy1932]

My biggest issue with being sat with others for dinner is that the serving team often wants to wait for everyone to be seated before they start service, take orders etc. Sometimes other people are late, don’t come to dinner and don’t tell anyone in advance, etc and it really slows the whole process down. I’ve tried to tell the servers to please just start the orders for my family but they don’t like to split up the orders if there are others at the table.

That's why we plan on being considerate and for the two dinners that we're not going to be taking part in we will notify the server team that we will not be there.

 

[tidefan]

My understanding is that when Cabanas was open for dinner, it was still a sit-down meal with a menu of selections from the main dining rooms. The advantage was that dining times were not fixed, so if you wanted to arrive at, for example, 7:15, that was possible.

The trade-off of having Cabanas open is that fewer staff will be available in the main dining room. Given that on each of the 3 post-pandemic cruises I've taken, I've had an alternate server on at least one night, it seems that there is a need to allow for extra staff in case of illness.

If all-aboard time is not until 8 or later, guests can get dinner in port if they don't want to be onboard before for their scheduled dinner time.

Disney Cruise has made a choice over the past few years to add more entertainment during dinner seating and continue prioritizing the ability to have the same servers each night. Other cruise lines have made a choice to allow flexibility and multiple options for dinner. Guests can then make a choice of which style fits their preference as they choose which cruise line to sail, and choose whether enough other aspects of a Disney cruise appeal to them that they will deal with the reduced dinnertime choices.

I wholeheartedly disagree with this. Virtually every other cruise line manages to have plenty of staff both in their dining rooms as well as in the buffet area at night. I feel that a lot of people just want to give DCL a free pass on this, especially when Cabanas, pre-COVID, always had dinner service (not a buffet, but a wonderful alternative). We used it quite often. Didn't seem to hurt the MDR service back then.

I think that people that have cruised DCL many times may also get tired of the MDR and want an alternative. Heck, many people even if they haven't cruised a bunch want an alternative on Pirate night.

Your port comment baffles me. We sailed with DCL in the Mediterranean back in 2022 on the 9-night Greek Isles, while an amazing cruise, it was frustrating to forced into dining times on such a port-intensive cruise. We often just ate room service. Another frustrating thing was that we skipped the MDR 3 nights in a row (mainly because we were in Crete, Athens, and Santorini back-to-back-to-back) and we kept getting calls from the Maitre'd asking what our problem was with our wait team. We had absolutely no problem with the wait team, we just didn't want to sit for a 2 hour dinner after being in port all day long. I don't think he ever really understood because they kept coming by and asking us (almost as though we were offending them by not coming to the MDR). We are going back this year, but on Virgin, in part due to the flexibility (and in part due to it going out of Piraeus, not Civitavecchia, oh, and also the amazing food and hammock on the balcony, but I digress...).

 

[Mommb]

Your port comment baffles me. We sailed with DCL in the Mediterranean back in 2022 on the 9-night Greek Isles, while an amazing cruise, it was frustrating to forced into dining times on such a port-intensive cruise. We often just ate room service. Another frustrating thing was that we skipped the MDR 3 nights in a row (mainly because we were in Crete, Athens, and Santorini back-to-back-to-back) and we kept getting calls from the Maitre'd asking what our problem was with our wait team.

I will grant that port-intensive cruises such as the Greek isles and some other European cruises are a different situation from the Caribbean cruises with lots to do right near the port. But those cruises as a small fraction of what DCL typically does, and guests who are choosing between Disney and Virgin are not the target audience of the latest ships Disney has launched, which are more geared to families with children. That's not to say adults aren't welcomed (my last 3 DCL cruises have been with adults only) but the set-up is designed to work with kids.

I could see Disney eventually going to a completely opening dining concept. Where you have to book your preferred dining restaurants yourself and not have a set rotation. But given Disney people I could see a lot of problems and negativity with that

If one of the new ships focuses on the more port-intensive cruises, I could see that ship having a different dining arrangement with more flexibility. For the majority of current itineraries, though, making everyone select dining for every night would remove a significant advantage of taking a cruise versus another kind of vacation: knowing you'll have a meal available every night (and morning and early afternoon) without having to plan. I understand why people may not want to have an hour-long meal each night, and would be thrilled to see more options around the pool deck. Reopening the buffet for dinner as a buffet or sit-down would be great if that could be done without negatively impacting the main dining rooms. However, there is a major difference between "you have options if you don't want to go to the main dining room" and "you have to decide in advance whether you will want to go to the main dining room each night." One of the reasons I've stuck with Disney cruises even though my kids are grown is that I don't want to have to make choices in advance the way I do at the Disney parks.

As Disney adds ships, I hope they do adjust either the itineraries or the target audience, or both, to differentiate them, and that may include a different approach to dining. I just don't want to lose the value of the dining on the existing ships.

 

[holula]

I will grant that port-intensive cruises such as the Greek isles and some other European cruises are a different situation from the Caribbean cruises with lots to do right near the port. But those cruises as a small fraction of what DCL typically does.

I wish DCL would have some flexibility with this and on Alaska/European cruises have Cabanas open again just for that season. We did late dining which was fine but some of those port times are so long that you either get the choice of early dining OR more itinerary in port. They know what their port times are and if it’s just for May-September on the Wonder/Europe ship they could staff that appropriately.

 

[achinforsomebacon]

I hope this doesn't come across the wrong way... but it really sounds like you "bought" a vacation without researching it first. Your last cruise was at least a few years ago and not DCL, but you want DCL to be the same as whatever cruise line you previously sailed. There are positives and negatives with each cruise line and expecting one to be like another is setting yourself up for disappointment.

Try checking the Navigators posted on the DisneyCruiseLineBlog to see what types of activities are offered and when, including activities within the kids' spaces. Menus are also posted so you can see what is likely to be offered at each MDR/night as well as the times alternative options are available. On most itineraries pretty much everyone is back onboard by mid- to late-afternoon. We've always done early dining and never felt like it was an overly-long experience -- 45 minutes to an hour, which is pretty similar to land-based sit-down restaurants for us. The entertainment helps, the serving staff is wonderful with kids. But if that's not your thing, it's ok to plan something else. You are correct that DCL is expensive and part of what you are paying for is the dining and evening shows. You don't want to waste your vacation dollars on an experience you won't enjoy.

Oh, I already think it's a waste of vacation dollars. If it was up to me, this wouldn't be happening! Unfortunately, at least for me, I was outnumbered this time. When I agreed was forced into this, I incorrectly assumed being Disney that there would be a lot more to do.

Thanks for the blog link. I've been meaning to look up the daily activities.

 

[RedHead0186]

It would help if Disney would make dining rooms much larger than they do given that the ships are becoming larger. This would give them an opportunity to split the tables up better and offer private tables to more people.

The ships are not really becoming larger. The Wish/Triton class has the same passenger capacity as the Dream class, and they're pretty much the same length. The only real difference between the two ship classes is gross tonnage. The class after Triton will be between the Magic class and Dream class in size. The exception is the Adventure, which was already built (at least the exterior was) when DCL bought it and that's sailing in Asia. So the ships really aren't getting larger.

 

[Erica1016]

The ships are not really becoming larger. The Wish/Triton class has the same passenger capacity as the Dream class, and they're pretty much the same length. The only real different between the two ship classes is gross tonnage. The class after Triton will be between the Magic class and Dream class. The exception is the Adventure, which was already built (at least the exterior was) when DCL bought it and that's sailing in Asia. So the ships really aren't getting larger.

I want to double-like your post!!

 

[brentm77]

Oh, I already think it's a waste of vacation dollars. If it was up to me, this wouldn't be happening! Unfortunately, at least for me, I was outnumbered this time. When I agreed was forced into this, I incorrectly assumed being Disney that there would be a lot more to do.

Thanks for the blog link. I've been meaning to look up the daily activities.

Don't be surprised if you still catch the DCL bug when you go. It happens to many people who don't think sailing Disney is their cup of tea. There is something special about Disney compared to other lines, in my opinion. But if not, then at least you know and hopefully will get more say in the next choice.

 

[princesscinderella]

The ships are not really becoming larger. The Wish/Triton class has the same passenger capacity as the Dream class, and they're pretty much the same length. The only real different between the two ship classes is gross tonnage. The class after Triton will be between the Magic class and Dream class. The exception is the Adventure, which was already built (at least the exterior was) when DCL bought it and that's sailing in Asia. So the ships really aren't getting larger.

I believe the Wish is also not as wide as the dream/fantasy at its widest point. I think its only a few feet difference, but you can feel it in the way the interior space is laid out on the Wish doesn't feel as spacious in the main atrium and walkways. It's also noticeable in Marceline Market as the seating area is not as wide on either side of the buffets as compared to Cabanas.

 

[lilsonicfan]

Oh, I already think it's a waste of vacation dollars. If it was up to me, this wouldn't be happening! Unfortunately, at least for me, I was outnumbered this time. When I agreed was forced into this, I incorrectly assumed being Disney that there would be a lot more to do.

I would really like to be forced into going on a disney cruise

 

[dancin Disney style]

With Disney, as the MDR is a main event, other activities around the ship are scaled back between 6pm and 9pm. Pools and the water slides are open but Disney turns its focus to the MDR. The main theatre shows are scheduled around the MDR seatings, theres photo backdrops in the main atrium scheduled before each dining time, theres no trivia or character meets or other activities scheduled between 6pm and 9pm.

I did 6pm MDR and didnt go to the shows on my August 2024 cruise. Walking around the ship during the second dining time and the second theatre show, it was very quiet. I went on the water slide one evening and there were very few people on the pool deck, a few families and the same group of kids doing the water slide multiple time. Once the second theatre show started, there was no one in the shops, and the bars. They dont even schedule the drinks tasting between 6pm and 9pm.

There are things scheduled during those hours. Not a lot but they do happen, including the alcohol tastings. Some of the tastings are right at the diner seating times. It might depend on which ship you were on.

 

[Joanna71985]

Oh, I already think it's a waste of vacation dollars. If it was up to me, this wouldn't be happening! Unfortunately, at least for me, I was outnumbered this time. When I agreed was forced into this, I incorrectly assumed being Disney that there would be a lot more to do.

Thanks for the blog link. I've been meaning to look up the daily activities.

I've never had a problem finding things to do on the cruises

I would really like to be forced into going on a disney cruise

Same here!

 

[anjuan]

There are things scheduled during those hours. Not a lot but they do happen, including the alcohol tastings. Some of the tastings are right at the diner seating times. It might depend on which ship you were on.

I agree that they do offer tastings during dinner. I just booked activities for our upcoming cruise on the Treasure and wasn't able to select some tastings because they conflicted with our dinner time.

 

[asgur5]

I'm sure others really enjoy the sit down dinners on the cruises but I really don't like the idea, at least not every night. It seems like a big waste of time, especially on a shorter cruise.

Maybe I'm way off base (first Disney cruise coming up this year), but I don't see the appeal of this after doing freestyle dining on other cruises.

- who wants to spend an hour+ eating dinner every night on vacation? Especially when there are so many other fun things to do?
- I guess having a set time for dinner is nice so you know when it is but I'm also on vacation. I want to go with the flow and eat when I want (and when I'm hungry)
- don't know how common it is but I really don't want to be forced to eat with another family. I'm on vacation. I don't like talking to people in general. Don't ruin my meal on vacation.
- I think it's weird for the servers to follow you around each night and "get to know you".

Is there anybody out there who skips most/all of the main dinners? Would it be a mistake to only do main dining a few nights or not at all on a 5 night cruise?

What else exactly do you think there is to do during dinnertime? The cruise is geared around everyone doing the dinner/show at the same time and then swapping. There aint much else to do during dinner/show time but swim in the tiny pool or grab a drink (which you can do at dinner).
Sure its fine not to do it every night. But if you skip it every night then you are going to get bored fast.

 

[RedHead0186]

I want to double-like your post!!

Thank you! It's such a common misconception that the new ships are soooo much larger. It bugs me when people say it so I always try to correct when I can. My friend, who's a Disney travel agent, even said to me she didn't want to go on the new ships because they were soo much bigger and she's not a fan of mega ships.

 

[JulieBeeRN]

There are options, and I realize cruising is changing, but a leisurely dinner is as much a part of a cruise as feeling the ship roll with the waves.
Only an hour dinner? That's almost like fast food.
My first cruise, there was just one seating for dinner, and NO other dining options. Dinner started at 6 pm and was a 12 course presentation that didn't end until 9:30 pm. Then you would come back at Midnight for the Midnight buffet. I know, a different time, and a different ship, but the night club on that ship didn't even OPEN until 2 am!

Wow. How long ago was your cruise?

 

[Erica1016]

Thank you! It's such a common misconception that the new ships are soooo much larger. It bugs me when people say it so I always try to correct when I can. My friend, who's a Disney travel agent, even said to me she didn't want to go on the new ships because they were soo much bigger and she's not a fan of mega ships.

The other thing that gets me is when people complain about how many people are on a bigger ship, without acknowledging that the bigger ship is built for more people. People saying "it holds 6000 people, it will be so crowded"...no, not really, it's built for that many people. They're not trying to put 6000 people on the Magic!

 

[Goofy1932]

The ships are not really becoming larger. The Wish/Triton class has the same passenger capacity as the Dream class, and they're pretty much the same length. The only real difference between the two ship classes is gross tonnage. The class after Triton will be between the Magic class and Dream class in size. The exception is the Adventure, which was already built (at least the exterior was) when DCL bought it and that's sailing in Asia. So the ships really aren't getting larger.

So you're trying to tell me that there is absolutely no way they can build a larger restaurant with a larger ship? It doesn't have to be twice the size of the current restaurants. I'm just talking about building one that's a little bit bigger. You're telling me that's impossible?