Turning down food at dinner?

[Karin1984]

Servants are trained with the thought "more food = better experience". It also increase the chances that you will like something if they bring you all the dishes. And they are judged by your experience.

Sometimes that is just the opposite of what you want. I had it a bit on my Alaska cruise that they pushed for dessert. But a firm "no", usually shuts them up.

There is so much food waste on a cruise, I wish there were better ways. I already get annoyed with the pictures of the plates with the word nothing" written in chocolate For when they are joking with someone who said they wanted nothing for dessert. It is just wasting a spoon or two of chocolate sauce.

 

[Donalddidwhat…?!]

I figured I’d put this in a separate post…
On our DCL cruise, our 3 grown children and our SonIL surprised DWifey and myself with a Palo brunch for our 34th wedding anniversary.
Atmosphere (at-Mousephere ), service and food were excellent…!!!!!
Never, ever thought we’d be able to eat there, so a very cherished memory…!!!!!

 

[MsSimone]

The portions aren't that big. The appetizers are normally just a couple of bites. You don't have to clean your plate I rarely do, but I like to try something from each course.
I'm not sure why you would feel pressured into anything.

I agree that the portions are not terribly large for the starters. We also never had a super pushy server (three cruises so far). While it's true that there's a lot of timing to get down, every table is already on a slightly different clock so you foregoing the soup/salad course doesn't really present that big an issue.

Order or don't order as much or as little as you like

 

[Lucien Franciosa]

Honesty. And clear communication - politely.

Maybe you just look like you need to eat. Not me, so maybe that’s why I don’t get extra, unrequested food. ☺

We also request things like, “don’t wait to bring out the other person’s next course, as I am a slow eater.”

“Tonight I”m only having apps (or entree, whatever).” You can mix and match any combination of items. Always available are things like regular salad, Caesar salad, various fruits. Some people order more than one order of an app to serve as the entree. I sometimes order two different soups.

I have said “the food’s fine, I’m just full now.” Because I was.

This. Exactly what you said. I have zero problems with what we order, even outside the norm, but I am not shy when I communicate. If I do or want something out of the routine I just say so and the staff are great at accommodating.

And like you, they may not feel they need to encourage me to eat

 

[brentm77]

In my experience, the servers are just fine in serving you one or two dishes and not the full courses. In fact, I have the impression that they like that, since it is less to do in a very tight window. On the other hand, whenever we skip dinner, they seem to take personal offense, even though I always give them a heads-up so they don't expect us, and make it clear that it has nothing to do with the service or food quality. It's sort of frustrating to have those awkward moments when all you want to do is have a low-key dinner by the pool one night.

Our server did bring us a surprise dessert on the last cruise, when he suspected we wouldn't love one we ordered. He was spot on and we loved the surprise one. That was excellent service. He had 15 years of experience and just knew. If I didn't like or want it, I would have just left it.

 

[PsylockeSmythe]

So, questions:
1) Do they still serve that much food or are the portions such that 3-4 courses is manageable?
2) Has anyone found a polite and effective way to skip courses here and there?

Thanks!

We just got off the Wonder on Sunday and I would say the portions are manageable, but that is always subjective. As to your second question, just let them know. I won't eat 90% of what they were offering, so I just let them know I would like something like a Ceasar Salad or an Iceberg Wedge and then the main course item I would like. For desert for me, it was either an ice cream and brownie or Micky Bar. The servers will work around what you like and don't like and should not be bothered if you don't eat or order each course.

Psy

 

[Lucien Franciosa]

On the other hand, whenever we skip dinner, they seem to take personal offense, even though I always give them a heads-up so they don't expect us, and make it clear that it has nothing to do with the service or food quality.

Yes! this has been our experience too... and the funniest/saddest was when we skipped the first night to go to Palo's...they acted very upset we didnt have dinner with them. oh well!

 

[auntlynne]

…For desert for me, it was either an ice cream and brownie or Micky Bar. The servers will work around what you like and don't like and should not be bothered if you don't eat or order each course.

Psy

Don’t forget you can order from the kids menu, too. And any night, you can get a Mickey Bar - with or without sprinkles.

Many of us have learned how to navigate cruise dining by experience - glad to see you are willing to ask for our ideas.

 

[71 Truck]

On our 2022 cruise we askes our server if they still did one or two Indian dishes each night, we were told yes. So for just about every night we might have an appetizer then what ever the Indian dish was then desert.

This was on a seven night cruise. At one point on Thursday the Head chef came out to meet us and asked why we were only eating Indian food for dinner, we told him we liked it and we were un able to find good Indian food back home. He was from India and I think he was happy to hear this.
He told us he was going to make a couple of special dishes for us the following night. Boy were they good.

After reading this post I wonder if the servers mentioned this to their manager and they were wondering why we were not ordering off the regular menu. I remember the servers asking on the first few night if there was anything else we might want off the menu other than the Indian Food.

On our 2023 cruise we still ordered Indian food every night but we asked for smaller sample size servings my wife an I shared and we also ordered regular dinners each night.

 

[brentm77]

On our 2022 cruise we askes our server if they still did one or two Indian dishes each night, we were told yes. So for just about every night we might have an appetizer then what ever the Indian dish was then desert.

This was on a seven night cruise. At one point on Thursday the Head chef came out to meet us and asked why we were only eating Indian food for dinner, we told him we liked it and we were un able to find good Indian food back home. He was from India and I think he was happy to hear this.
He told us he was going to make a couple of special dishes for us the following night. Boy were they good.

After reading this post I wonder if the servers mentioned this to their manager and they were wondering why we were not ordering off the regular menu. I remember the servers asking on the first few night if there was anything else we might want off the menu other than the Indian Food.

On our 2023 cruise we still ordered Indian food every night but we asked for smaller sample size servings my wife an I shared and we also ordered regular dinners each night.

Indian food came up the first night with our server on the Magic last week. I mentioned I loved it. So he started bringing it every meal for the rest of the cruise. It was really good. But the first night he brought it, he didn't warn me, so I ate an entrée and then he brought it out, so I ate some. Then, as I was leaving the restaurant, the assistant server ran up with a dessert she had obtained from another MDR because I had mentioned that she had made a great recommendation the night before. I was so full, there was no way I was going to be able to eat it, so she packed it up to go. And yes, I ate it later that night. Each night after he brought enough Indian food to feed an entire family, so I learned quickly to not order and entrée, which I was just fine with. It was better than most of the other food options in my opinion. But, fair warning - if you don't want it every night either request it close to the end (they need to put in the order the night before you get it), or make it clear you only want it one night.

The server was Gabriel if anyone wants to request him. He was the best server we have had on DCL to date.

 

[DCLMP]

I agree that the portions are not terribly large for the starters. We also never had a super pushy server (three cruises so far). While it's true that there's a lot of timing to get down, every table is already on a slightly different clock so you foregoing the soup/salad course doesn't really present that big an issue.

Order or don't order as much or as little as you like

None of the courses are that big. I eat what I want and don't think twice about leaving something on my plate. I'm not really concerned with what anyone thinks about it especially the server. I'm thin to normal weight. I love food, but cleaning my plate has never been a priority. Cruise food is just ok at best.

Give me a plate a nachos with guac or carne asada fries and I'll bet's are off.... it's game on. Dare me not to clean my plate.

 

[PsylockeSmythe]

Don’t forget you can order from the kids menu, too. And any night, you can get a Mickey Bar - with or without sprinkles.

Many of us have learned how to navigate cruise dining by experience - glad to see you are willing to ask for our ideas.

I know, I had the brownie and Ice cream from the kid's menu once and a Micky Bar twice at dinner

Psy