Order from any menu

[_auroraborealis_]

Banquet style meals aren’t served like “normal” restaurants. They do start plating ahead, often in predicted amounts. Serving 200,300 or 500 meals in a short time means planning. I worked a banquet for 600. Servers went out to take orders, the kitchen was plating already. The chef predicted 50% chicken, 30% beef, 15% fish, 5% veg. About 500 plated in this ratio. When the servers returned, numbers were tallied for the exact count and the last 100plates were completed to meet the exact orders

This is also why many weddings ask entree choice as the RSVP. Serving that many, at roughly the same time, is not done ad hoc.

 

[over50visits]

Why wouldn't you ask for Mickey Bars? They are on the kids dessert menu....

Good catch, my bad example!

 

[IrishEye]

OP asked about from another restaurant, remember the time it takes to retrieve from that other restaurant is time your Assistant Server will not be available to the rest of your table or the other 3 tables they are serving. It will extend everyone else's meal time. I respect all the comments about we will do what we want to do, I just hope we all consider others. And as far as going to your local restaurant and modifying your meal, they will not go to the restaurant next door to get you something off of that menu. Asking for a vegetable instead of a potato or no sauce on your entrée are expected, sending someone down to another restaurant is not planned. Before I get burned, my niece spent two years on the Wonder, did not return after a co-worker came up missing off the California coast. I am not suggesting what anyone does, just noting there are other people at your table section.

 

[Intr3pid]

While I appreciate how folks would not want to "break the routine" for the servers or the head server, this is my vacation - not the servers' - and I am paying plenty of premium, tips, and time to be in a dining room where I would like to eat what I like. If I go to a restaurant and don't like their menu, I have complete freedom to walk over to the next one. If I take a premium cruise with another line, I may even have the freedom of anytime or open dining - or to dine at any restaurant.

Food is one of the biggest pieces of a premium cruise experience, and why would I want to compromise it just so that an easier routine can be followed by the people who are being well compensated to do their job?

OP: I believe if you don't go overboard, arrange it with the head server with some notice, and tip them appropriately, you need not fret out what anyone else should think of it.

 

[MPS516]

While I appreciate how folks would not want to "break the routine" for the servers or the head server, this is my vacation - not the servers' - and I am paying plenty of premium, tips, and time to be in a dining room where I would like to eat what I like. If I go to a restaurant and don't like their menu, I have complete freedom to walk over to the next one. If I take a premium cruise with another line, I may even have the freedom of anytime or open dining - or to dine at any restaurant.

Food is one of the biggest pieces of a premium cruise experience, and why would I want to compromise it just so that an easier routine can be followed by the people who are being well compensated to do their job?

OP: I believe if you don't go overboard, arrange it with the head server with some notice, and tip them appropriately, you need not fret out what anyone else should think of it.

Perfectly stated. It is your vacation and if you had purchased on Norwegian you can pick open dining. You did not, you chose DCL so you paid for what they offer. I am not judging the order off the menu question more just to the whole concept DCL needs to accomidate my no conforming desires, shorts at Palo, water wings in the pool, saving seats or any other policy I don't like.

 

[Deb T.]

This thread makes me sad. The days of tradition and respect are gone. They've been replaced with self-imposed entitlement and a "me first" attitude. From the beginning of cruise ships, MDR's have always been considered banquet-style restaurants because of the sheer volume of passengers that need to be accommodated, all at the same time. This is nothing new. They are not, and have never been, "cook to order" restaurants. And even some land-based restaurants have "no substitutions" printed on their menus. It's just like going to a wedding reception - you would not be able to switch out vegetables just because you felt like eating something else that day. You have at least 5 meal choices every night in the MDR. There are also many choices at all of the walk-up dining options on the pool deck, Cabana's has dinner hours on all but the first and last nights, and 24-hour room service. You will not starve if you received peas instead of green beans one night. I can't even imagine how awful it would be if all 2,700 passengers on the Magic/Wonder and all 4,000 passengers on the Dream/Fantasy decided to ask for substitutions every night. It's no wonder DCL has removed the option of seeing all of the dining menus each night on the app - I imagine substitutions have already gotten way out of hand with public blogs and discussion boards promoting it. I would venture to guess that DCL is already trying to figure out how to combat special requests while still wanting to provide an excellent dining experience. I would not be surprised to see "no substitutions" printed on menus in the future.

 

[Travel60]

this is my vacation - not the servers' - and I am paying plenty of premium, tips, andtime to be in a dining room where I would like to eat what I like.

This thread makes me sad. The days of tradition and respect are gone. They've been replaced with self-imposed entitlement and a "me first" attitude.

Yes, first quote is perfect example of self entitlement. "I don't want to dress properly, I don't want to be on time, I don't want to eat what is on the menu....me...me...me. Forget about everyone else." .Sadly, reflects a growing segment of our society.

 

[Dug720]

this is my vacation - not the servers' - and I am paying plenty of premium, tips, andtime to be in a dining room where I would like to eat what I like.

This thread makes me sad. The days of tradition and respect are gone. They've been replaced with self-imposed entitlement and a "me first" attitude.

Yes, first quote is perfect example of self entitlement. "I don't want to dress properly, I don't want to be on time, I don't want to eat what is on the menu....me...me...me. Forget about everyone else." .Sadly, reflects a growing segment of our society.

And there are cruiselines where you CAN eat on your time. If you want that kind of flexibility, choose one of them. (You meaning the “my vacation I will do what I want” people.)

 

[PrincessShmoo]

It's just like going to a wedding reception - you would not be able to switch out vegetables just because you felt like eating something else that day. You have at least 5 meal choices every night in the MDR.

Yes, at a sit-down wedding banquet, the guests have already chosen their food. There's no other option.

With 5 choices on any given menu, it's not the same thing. If I request the sweet potatoes off one dish in place of the corn on the cob that comes with the meat I'm choosing, both on the same menu, same dining room, I've always been able to get it. With no delay to others in in my server's area.

Now, getting a different entree, from a different dining room, that's a bit more of an issue. But, if you feel that you're going to do that, you can let your server know the evening prior and there shouldn't be any delay in getting the item.

But, to go totally off menu, and ask for a substitution that's not available anywhere that night, that's an imposition. IMO.

 

[Intr3pid]

This thread makes me sad. The days of tradition and respect are gone. They've been replaced with self-imposed entitlement and a "me first" attitude.

Yes, first quote is perfect example of self entitlement. "I don't want to dress properly, I don't want to be on time, I don't want to eat what is on the menu....me...me...me. Forget about everyone else." .Sadly, reflects a growing segment of our society.

And there are cruiselines where you CAN eat on your time. If you want that kind of flexibility, choose one of them. (You meaning the “my vacation I will do what I want” people.)

There are three MDRs on, say, Disney Magic and one specialty restaurant. You are on a 7-day cruise. You try out Palo one night. You are in one of the MDRs the second night, and you really like a meal that is on the menu. On two of the other nights, your MDR menus are so-so and you really feel like going back to one of the dishes you liked - which is already being prepared, probably in the same shared kitchen. Your servers want you to have a great time, and you will be glad to compliment them officially (and tip them appropriately) if they treat you to that meal.

DCL loves this because they can make you happy with your food options without having to invest a single cent in any other specialty restaurant or MDR. Compare with the likes of the "traditional" premium cruiselines, such as Cunard, which must offer several more MDRs and specialty restaurants to justify the premium.

You return to DCL every six months because you love this "accommodation" and service. DCL loves you for your loyalty, and your servers love for your compliments and gifts.

Could have been a happy ending.

Yet - there are folks sitting in the same MDR seeing this, shaking their heads and thinking "good grief, look at all this self-entitlement". They would like you to have your vacation the way THEY want it - what unwritten rules they follow and what "traditions" they have.

I respect the thoughts here, but I must point out what is "self-entitlement" can look very different from where you are sitting.

 

[Dug720]

There are three MDRs on, say, Disney Magic and one specialty restaurant. You are on a 7-day cruise. You try out Palo one night. You are in one of the MDRs the second night, and you really like a meal that is on the menu. On two of the other nights, your MDR menus are so-so and you really feel like going back to one of the dishes you liked - which is already being prepared, probably in the same shared kitchen. Your servers want you to have a great time, and you will be glad to compliment them officially (and tip them appropriately) if they treat you to that meal.

Only problem with this theory is there are only 3 nights that the menus are different in the MDRs. The others (Pirate, Prince/Princess, etc.) they are all the same. So no. They are NOT preparing things from the first 3 non-specialty nights on those other nights.

 

[Minnie & Daisy]

The main difference between eating at a local restaurant and eating on the cruise ship is that on the cruise ship there are just two assigned dining times. There is a huge roomful of guests all ordering and eating at the same time, as opposed to customers trickling into a restaurant, where everyone is not ordering at the same time and eating at the same time. Along with that, DCL servers also have to adjust their time for shows in the dining room that evening, i.e., Animator's Palate. They also have to turn the dining room completely over from one seating to the next. I would prefer that servers devote their time and attention to those guests with legitimate allergies, even though I am not one of those people. Cabanas is always an option, as well as options onboard deck. This is not a privately chartered yacht where your every whim is catered to.

 

[gotomu212]

I feel like this is a thread that goes to both extremes. No you shouldn’t be self entitled and act like everyone must bow down to unreasonable requests and you shouldn’t be customizing ten different things or have servers running to different kitchens.

However the other side of arguing that making a substitution to a different available side makes you a self entitled jerk is too dramatic. This is not a wedding with free food and three meal choices.

Disney bills themselves as a premium cruise line with premium meals. The servers actively encourage you to order what you like off the menu or to order multiple entrees and sides. Asking to swap sides is not bringing the kitchen to a screeching halt. Disney is quite staffed to scoop a spoon of peas onto a side plate. The servers are not the ones back there making up plates so you are not taking up their time.

You should always be polite and reasonable, and if you are told something is not possible than you should smile and take that in stride. However as a customer you do have the right to ask for minor accomodations- especially on a cruise billed as premium.

 

[DisUniversal]

Most requests I've seen have been more than reasonable. I don't think it's too often that someone orders from another dining rooms menu, but as long as they are willing to accommodate then there's no harm done. It's up to DCL to decide what requests are reasonable and can be accommodated and which they should politely decline. It's up to DCL decide when to put limits and restrictions in place, if and when things get out of hand. Unless someone is directly involved in that decision making process it's none of their business whether someone else would rather have peas instead of beans, would like their meat cooked a certain way or would even like their favorite entree from another dining room. Disney cruises command a price significantly higher than other cruise lines and that is at least partially justified by them always being willing to put a little extra effort into making sure each guest is happy.

 

[magrudersmakes3]

On the Magic, our server, who was absolutely amazing, heard me tell my sister that I wished I could have the creme brulee from last night. I would never have asked for it and didnt realize he was listening and even though I tried one of the desserts on the menu, he brought me a creme brulee and told me to enjoy it. I felt bad and apologized, I was hoping it was a shared kitchen.

 

[Kirsty_Lou]

I've been on Disney cruises and have had no issues swapping food out, ordering multiple entrees etc. When travelling with my auntie who is quite fussy with food, she would order off the children's menu each night or have simple chicken. After a couple of nights, the head server pulled me aside and asked me if there was a problem. I said of course not (my auntie totally didn't mind ordering mac and cheese and definitely didn't want to cause an issue) but that she preferred simple food. After a nice chat about what she liked, each evening he would bring her a surprise meal - we had everything from shepherds pie and baked potatoes to the most amazing pasta carbonara I have ever tasted! We never asked for it, but they were more than happy to go out of their way. He said, if they have the ingredients they will make it. Another couple I met, while working on the Magic, mentioned they liked curry one night and then had a different curry every night - not on the menu. This is quite often becoming the norm.....especially on the European cruises where the demographic is changing.

 

[cyclenut]

Wow this thread has taken a few turns. Just got off the Wonder from a two week glorious vacation. Our servers were amazing. Lito and Kris with head server Dusanka. They made it a point every meal to ask us to tell them if there was anything we wanted. They would try to accommodate and let us know if they could not. We had commented on how much we loved the french onion soup served in Triton's the night before and he said that he could order it for us for the next night if we wanted, but that he had to put in the order in advance and they would prepare it. We didn't ask. He offered. We agreed and it was great! One of our table mates substituted a side a few times due to preferences and it was accommodated by bringing it by itself on another small plate. The original item was not on the main plate.

Asking your server if they can do something for you that would help you enjoy your meal a bit more is not being self-entitled. Demanding they do so or berating them when they can't is. Yes, it is more work for them and they will never complain so it is good manners to recognize this and tip extra when they go out of their way. It's also an opportunity to recognize them on the comment card with excellent ratings and maybe even a shout-out. Asking for something you desire gives them a chance to do something special to make you feel special and they like that. It's what they are trained to do and it gives them an opportunity to boost their tips. Just always be polite, be willing to accept a no and be willing to recognize the actions as above and beyond when it comes time to tip and rate the servers in the comment card.