Skipping main dining

[SnowWhite2]

The Wish was designed by a team who had never been on a cruise. Nuff said!

 

[jwalk03]

The Wish was designed by a team who had never been on a cruise. Nuff said!

It wasn’t that the entire team had never been on a cruise- just the lead designer, Laura Cabo, who said she had never been on a cruise ship before.

 

[princesscinderella]

It wasn’t that the entire team had never been on a cruise- just the lead designer, Laura Cabo, who said she had never been on a cruise ship before.

It didn’t seem like she had control over the entire layout of the ship. I think she was lead on all the interior design elements and themes within the ship, from the Disney plus special.

 

[hardcorestitch]

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?

You didn’t factor the ambience and immersion of the said main dinner in this case. The main dining rooms are kind of the bread and butter (in my opinion) of a Disney cruise.

 

[jwalk03]

It didn’t seem like she had control over the entire layout of the ship. I think she was lead on all the interior design elements and themes within the ship, from the Disney plus special.

That’s right- but everyone that hates the wish class likes to blame it on her lack of cruising experience- and I’m sure that was a factor in some of the design elements. How much we will never know.

 

[Dug720]

It wasn’t that the entire team had never been on a cruise- just the lead designer, Laura Cabo, who said she had never been on a cruise ship before.

To be fair, the imagineer who was put in charge of the Magic had no cruise experience either (learned that on the Imagineering story) but he freely states that he sought out people with that knowledge to help him with it.

It didn’t seem like she had control over the entire layout of the ship. I think she was lead on all the interior design elements and themes within the ship, from the Disney plus special.

From the special on the making of the Wish it certainly seemed like she had a lot of involvement the way she was traipsing all over the ship. (Not that her "Look at the sweep of that staircase. So elegant." didn't come off as totally begging "Please praise me for my design" at all. LOL.) In fact when she was helping to take garbage or something somewhere she was like "Who designed this ship??" From something else I saw somewhere she had a lot of say - and "They don't like to say no. They might say let's see how we could make this work..." certainly seemed like she was given a good deal of control.

 

[Cheburashka]

Wow, thanks for all of the replies! As far as the shows go, does the Dream do much? I thought I read it was mininal. And if so, would it be the same each time you're in the same restaurant?

The biggest issue I have is there's no other option for sit down if you have kids. You have to go when and where they tell you or just do quick service. Kids have late day at pool and need a later nap? Eat a big lunch and aren't hungry? Sorry, you have to be at dinner at 5:45. Missed lunch and want an early dinner? Nope, you can't eat until 8:15.

I can see how some people would like not having to think about dinner on vacation. Everything is planned out for you. I think it would just add stress, which I don't want on vacation.

It's actually pretty low-stress, knowing exactly where and when dinner will be, that you don't have to make special plans for it each night, see if they have openings or wait for a table, that the servers know your dining restrictions and preferences, etc.

Occasionally we skip main dining to dine at Palo or some other reason, but it definitely isn't stressful.

 

[jwalk03]

You didn’t factor the ambience and immersion of the said main dinner in this case. The main dining rooms are kind of the bread and butter (in my opinion) of a Disney cruise.

I agree completely. The main dining rooms and the rotational dining concept is a signature element of a Disney Cruise. Nightly dining in the MDR is a must do daily activity for us.

Even the night my wife and I had Palo dinner on our most recent cruise we still went to the MDR after and sat with our kids while they ate. (We were entirely too stuffed to eat anything, but we still went!)

 

[tidefan]

I agree completely. The main dining rooms and the rotational dining concept is a signature element of a Disney Cruise. Nightly dining in the MDR is a must do daily activity for us.

Even the night my wife and I had Palo dinner on our most recent cruise we still went to the MDR after and sat with our kids while they ate. (We were entirely too stuffed to eat anything, but we still went!)

Well, after so many Disney cruises, you tire of the same menus. Also, especially for cruises such as Europe or Alaska with later all-aboard times, it can just be easier to eat casually.

In addition, we just don’t do the Pirate night menu anymore, so it would be nice to have an alternative.

 

[bbn1122]

I am taking my first solo cruise this fall and decided I am skipping the main dining room for the first time in 11 cruises.
I am sure DCL sit me with some great guest, but for this cruise I am decompressing and chilling after a chaotic year.

I have booked 2 Palo dinners and 1 Remy. It's my first Platinum cruise, so I dinner is covered. I figure the last night I wil just eat from pool deck or get room services.

I cannot not wait to experience solo cruising. I have solo vacationed before, but being confined to the ship may be a little different.

Happy sailing to Everyone!

 

[RedHead0186]

I am taking my first solo cruise this fall and decided I am skipping the main dining room for the first time in 11 cruises.
I am sure DCL sit me with some great guest, but for this cruise I am decompressing and chilling after a chaotic year.

I have booked 2 Palo dinners and 1 Remy. It's my first Platinum cruise, so I dinner is covered. I figure the last night I wil just eat from pool deck or get room services.

I cannot not wait to experience solo cruising. I have solo vacationed before, but being confined to the ship may be a little different.

Happy sailing to Everyone!

I have cruised solo and requested a private table. It wasn't granted ahead of time, but when I went to dining changes they made it happen.

Sounds like you have some great dining plans already, but I wanted to note that anyway. Have fun!

 

[bbn1122]

I have cruised solo and requested a private table. It wasn't granted ahead of time, but when I went to dining changes they made it happen.

Sounds like you have some great dining plans already, but I wanted to note that anyway. Have fun!

I was going to maybe request a private table. Thanks for the info.

But I figured why not treat myself.

 

[Girl of the South]

When I cruise solo I always skip the MDR. I am decompressing too and happy to NOT be tied to a specific time to eat. Never gone hungry! Love my alone time. ENJOY!

(I did go to the “dining desk” and let them know, and I did tip a little more than the suggested amount.)

 

[dreamer17555]

I am taking my first solo cruise this fall and decided I am skipping the main dining room for the first time in 11 cruises.
I am sure DCL sit me with some great guest, but for this cruise I am decompressing and chilling after a chaotic year.

I have booked 2 Palo dinners and 1 Remy. It's my first Platinum cruise, so I dinner is covered. I figure the last night I wil just eat from pool deck or get room services.

I cannot not wait to experience solo cruising. I have solo vacationed before, but being confined to the ship may be a little different.

Happy sailing to Everyone!

For some reason, I thought you could not book Palo dinner more than once before boarding. It’s not allowing it for my sept sailing at least

 

[jwalk03]

For some reason, I thought you could not book Palo dinner more than once before boarding. It’s not allowing it for my sept sailing at least

If one of your bookings is for the 1st night of the cruise then you can also book a 2nd night- but that is the only exception I am aware of for pre-booking.

 

[Dug720]

If one of your bookings is for the 1st night of the cruise then you can also book a 2nd night- but that is the only exception I am aware of for pre-booking.

This.

 

[RedHead0186]

If one of your bookings is for the 1st night of the cruise then you can also book a 2nd night- but that is the only exception I am aware of for pre-booking.

Yes, this. You can book two ahead of time if one of them is the first night. You can book more once onboard if there's availability.

 

[bbn1122]

For some reason, I thought you could not book Palo dinner more than once before boarding. It’s not allowing it for my sept sailing at least

If you book 1st Night, you can book again.

When I went to book first night, I had already booked Palo. It will says "First Night Palo".

I think its because most people do not book the first night. This been available for awhile.

If I tried to book the my last night at Palo, while having a reservation for the 2nd night, I would not been able to do that.

So, this is away you can book Palo twice if you want to go more than once. It works for experinced DCL cruisers, "who have been there, done that".