I think all of life continues to get more complicated. I'm honestly glad I'm a senior citizen and was able to enjoy a great deal of the less complicated normal.
You might consider a video on the subject “Has cruising become too complicated?” What line? What type of room? What level of luxury? Drinks package? Specialty dining ? Entertainment reservations? Excursions?
I go on holiday for ease of, well everything, when I can... I find reports of most cruising becoming more and move complex off-putting and a step backwards. I don't want to have to make decisions and plan and have to decide if I want to add cost or not... Yes, I am self admitted traditionalist and like to just have my seating for dinner, my table for dinner, my waiter/s for dinner and that is that. I can plan my days around it and make sure that I am ready to enjoy my evening meal at the time that I am expecting. What I also find funny these days, is that for years, Cunard was lambasted for operating a "class based" system onboard... shock horror, all the big lines now operate class based systems depending how much you want to pay and how far you want to keep other people away from you. And, part of that is now the myriad of dining options too.
Thank you for this very helpful video. Although we’ve probably only been on five cruises in the past 30 years, we have definitely seen a change in how dining has been provided now versus when I was a child. I can speak very highly for the Disney experience having that same weight staff rotate from restaurant to restaurant with the guests, although not a picky eater, my son just happens to love salmon and would eat it every meal if he could. Our waiter made sure he got it every meal whether it was on the menu at that restaurant or not.
Hi Gary. To your point about ordering off menu: We've just got back from a cruise around east Asia on the Cunard Queen Elizabeth. In the Queen's Grill restaurant one evening, the sommelier suggested we ask for a curry for the following evening (there's nothing like that on the menu). On the evening, we were surprised to be served the most amazing top quality four course curry!! We would never have guessed such a thing was an option without that suggestion.
Thank you, Gary. Another great video. Everything you present convinces me that luxury cruising (Silver Seas, Seabourn, Regent) real value is the all inclusive simplicity.
Good point! It does make life much easier! The mix of lines trying to build in new revenue and give choice does seem to be making things too complicated
As a “budget” cruiser, I always eat in the MDR, buffet and the quick serve Lido places and I never feel like I’m missing out. The only exception is the Palo brunch buffet which is spectacular.
You’re videos are extremely helpful. Thank you! Have you done a video on onboard medical care? I think there’s a lot of misconceptions about it. I also used to work on a cruise line and I still don’t understand how it works for passengers.
I long for the days when there was the main ding room and 'maybe a breakfast and lunch time' buffet - and that was it. I do not need 25 different dining venue choices and 37 different cocktail bars. I want to take a cruise to enjoy being on a ship, relaxing, visiting places - not trying to figure out where to eat, when to eat and what is and is not included in my fare.
I know you're not a fan of Carnival, but they, in my mind, have the best anytime system. When you are ready for dinner you open the app, select who in your party is going, and request a table. You'll be given an ETA between < 10 minutes and 30 minutes. Then you go about your night, when your table is ready your phone will go off. You are then given a table number that will be held for 10 minutes for your party. Just walk up to the MDR, give your table number, and be seated immediately. Fantastic!
@AmberMac Just send another request if you somehow are too late to claim the table. Which unless something major comes up, would be pretty hard to do. You have a live ETA on when it will be ready and 10 minutes to grab it once it's ready. You'd have to be rather bad at time management to miss your table.
Very informative video. Personally, since I travel solo I prefer “anytime dining” when I travel. I always cruise on Princess cruises and thankfully I’ve been able to do anytime dining. There have been some times where I had to wait but really the wait time has not been all that bad… maybe the longest I’ve had to wait was 30 minutes. Most times though I get in almost immediately because I’m flexible enough to share a table. I’ve met so many great people while sharing a table.
I to mostly solo cruise also, and for evening meals ask for sharing table but since I usually dine early I would suggest be willing to start sharing table, and as you mention one does meet interesting people to share tales with and cruise experience , I'm also an early riser , so go straight to buffee to fix cup coffee and get table near by and by the third day I have a coffee club going usually from 630am to 730. SPECAIL NOTE, Celibrity newer ships has Bakery located in the buffee line and best time to have a cinnamon role is when it fresh & warm out of the oven and that is EARLY morning.
I'd like you to consider labeling your videos to identify what dining room on what ship, on what cruise line. The dining rooms look very opulent and it would be nice to know what/where I'm seeing, even if only a brief video. Same goes for the food dishes you show. Thanks!!!
We cruised on the Queen Elizabeth in 2023 and there were only 2 main sittings for dinner. We were also were not able to select our table size and dining time in advance and when we boarded discovered we had been allocated the 2nd sitting at 8.30pm which was too late for us, and a table for 2. It wasn't a problem to change it to 6.30, but it would have been better to have the option to select it prior to boarding.
You should do a video on how room service varies wildly in food availability, cost, times and quality among different ships and cruise lines--from being allowed to order off any menu and get as much caviar as you want on Silversea for free to being limited to continental breakfasts in the morning, limited day and evening menus and room service charges on other lines.
Great video and 100% true! Absolutely talk to the maitre d’ if you have any issues with food. So very helpful and they keep checking with you everyday to make sure all is to your satisfaction. I can see why new cruisers have difficulties figuring this all out.
I was in the Navy too and resisted my wifes attempts to go on a cruise, but once I did it, we now go almost every year...On NCL you do what you want when you want, completely casual and relaxing...try it, you may like it
Thank you for this video, Gary. We’re only a year into our cruising adventures, and we have to wonder what we missed by not cruising earlier given all the changes. We still love it, though!
Those who cruise on Carnival or Royal Carib. before 1985 should recall venue that been discontinued, which is Midnight Dinning Buffett, which was dine room would open its door to huge center display of carved fruits, chocolate creations , just a created art display of using fruits,vegetables chocolate, and sweets, Just challenges one imagination, Rather other cruise lines also follow this tradition is unknown to me, thou I sail with 7 cruise lines, this didn't happen till after Midnight Buffee tradition has ended. But still remember the deserts servings on Carnival that one can choose before retiring for the night. Abone 50 year of Carnival annesversity I was aboard one of thier ship that did set aside one night for this special event in memory of this past venue. 🎉
Gary! You look great in a tux!! Thanks for all the great tips - I am always forwarding your videos to my cruise buddies. This one will definitely make the cut.
Love the channel. We sail Disney a lot. The Palo bookings are limited online prior to cruising, but once you embark, you can walk to Palo and then we booked every single day of our cruise. By the way, 5 times in Palo over 5 days is too many - we proved that to ourselves. Keep cruising.
The silly complicated dining room times and types is the reason we only eat at the buffets. The Norwegian line ships we sail on have always had three meal buffets.
I prebook what I can bc I know I can change it onboard most times. I know that the steakhouses will book up so sometimes I will book for the first night bc its usually the slowest night. I definitely avoid the ice cream machine for that region. Ill go to the area where they scoop it for you.
AboutPalo on Disney cruises: if interest check to see if you can go 2 nights if one of them is the evening of embarkation. Also you may be able to do a brunch in addition to a dinner.
Again Gary, your video's are so good! May I please add something to one of your videos. You make it clear that picking the RIGHT cruise line for you, can mean the difference between a fantastic experience and one that make you wish you were back home. Now this is so true, but it is also a question of what you want to get out of your experience. During a live session here on you tube (with yourself and your partner) it was clear that you two have slightly different priorities when it comes to choose a cruise line. Your partner said that the ship experience usually came first, and ports visited secone (Im the same) while you were leaning towards ports visited first, and then what cruise ship/ line to pick... no, I don't think it is that clear cut, but it is a valued issue. I have been on two identical HAL cruises in western Med, but the second cruise I only left the ship in one port... my holiday was the ship!
Great video as usual! When we cruised on the Celebrity Apex in December, we were told that the main dining room was gone & replaced with the 4 you mentioned. However, we were told that the menu would be the same in all 4 dining rooms. You just got to choose which decor you liked better! It doesn't really matter for us because hubby eats 3 buffets a day for the entire cruise! He would be miserable if we got on board only to find out there's no dinner buffet!!
Rather sad, all cruise lines at the MDR provide sub par quality and force you pay for premium entrees or push you to the specialty dining at inflated prices. You paid for your fare and expect quality MDR food or a decent buffet, not just carbs and fillers and cheap outside round cheap beef cuts. Good old days are long gone !
On your list of cruise vlogs, you should add TravelTouristVideos which has 31k subscribers and 1300 videos which are mostly on cruising. Their specialty is filming and reviewing the MDR, buffet and specialty dining options on the cruises they are on.
I miss the extended hours and greater offerings of the cruise buffets of old. Because when you are exhausted after a long day at port, sometimes you don’t want to worry about what you’re wearing and you just want the ease of a buffet dinner.
Thank you for the plug on specialty dinning. Your outline was right on. You don’t need the pay to dine so much good food without paying extra. Cruising since I was a teen in 68 only been to two. Tamarin is on my list. If I am going to pay extra I splurge on chef table when I am on princess
I am hyperfocusing af on his vids. Input! I❤this. Works for me. Give me all the details. Bye bye anxiety. To me this is relaxation. Every detail included. Thanks Gary.
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Not happy when we returned to sailing in 2022 on HAL after covid and the lobster was gone! Thanks for sharing
Most large cruise ships have ONE main kitchen, while say an Asian specialty restaurant might only get prepped ingredients to finish cooking, burgers and pizza might be cooked at the serving location. Most of the food is mostly cooked or at the very least prepped in the main kitchen and distributed to the various service locations. This is also why you see things from the main DR the following day on the buffet, whether they be starters, entrees or desserts [even some salads]. They didn't "sell" the day before and they don't want to throw it away. Better to give you the option to taste it and eat it or throw it away if you don't like it because it increases the variety of options on the buffet. It looks "richer, fuller, more varied". We took the "backstage tour" on the [Norwegian] Epic on our first cruise and basically EVERYTHING was made in the central kitchen, including the hot dog buns in their bakery [I should have asked about English Muffins, which aren't quite crumpets, more an American thing]! Yes, Eggs Benedict is eggs cooked on the line and assembled just ahead of being needed on the buffet or in some satellite cooking station for the main DR, but the Hollandaise Sauce was made in the main kitchen. And think about smaller ships: say a Viking Longboat. There is the DR and the Aquavit Terrace and cookies [biscuits] at the coffee station. There's only one kitchen. Perhaps the Titanic had multiple kitchens for the various classes of passengers, but modern, industrial food isn't done that way. It is too wasteful of both food and labor and bulk refrigerator and freezer space. Modern hotels even [and I last worked in a Westin in the early 80's], also had BOTH the main restaurant kitchen and the banquet kitchen in the same massive "kitchen". There wasn't a "banquet" refrigerator. there were just walk in's at various temperatures from just cool enough to keep produce perfectly held, for dairy & cheese, for wine, and freezers. If the hotel is FULL with a convention, the WHOLE kitchen becomes the Banquet Kitchen because then almost nobody eats at the restaurant [and most of the service and kitchen staff moves over to produce the banquet]. Likewise if the hotel is simply booked by individual guests, there is NO banquet activity, unless there is prep for a near future event, and as much available space is taken up by the production of individual restaurant offerings. Cruise ships have a more "captive audience" but they create "interest and variability" by having various food outlets. But, behind the scenes, all the food is coming from the same place.
Great tips Sir Gary. Trying the 3 restaurant dining package on Royal this August. I like buffet for breakfast and sometimes lunch. Am fine with the MDR and 1 specialty restaurant but looking forward to trying 3. Thanks again and see you next video.
Gary thank you …. Soooo much great valuable lessons….it’s happening again, hooked watching your videos, now been 2 hours. Just like good potato chips- can’t eat just one. Bestest
Thank you Gary for another excellent video. We just returned from a HAL Westerdam cruise to Japan & Taiwan. In the main dining room they had two additional menus available every night, apart from the main menu. You could ask for the vegetarian and/or the Indian menu.
Hi Ronald, That's very interesting. Is this the first time you have encountered additional menus in the MDR and/or ones as specific in cuisine as Indian? Were they as extensive as the main menu? Also, how did you find the food generally?
@@lesleywaghorn1627 Hi Lesley. My wife is Coeliac (gluten free) and one night in the MDR there was nothing on the main menu that my wife fancied. This is when they offered the vegetarian and Indian menus as alternatives. The Indian menu was not extensive, but she loves Indian food and it is mostly gluten free. My wife used the Indian menu a number of times during our two week cruise. The food in general is very good. Some nights it was excellent and some night it was okay. There is an element of personal taste and preference.
@RonaldS Hi Ronald, Thanks so much for the additional information. Very useful. If I could ask two more questions. How did you find the Westerdam for that itinerary? Were the ports close to the destinations?
Great overview! I've liked the flexibility of Your Time Dining on Carnival. You can book each night dynamically on the app and there is seldom a wait. On the new Excel-class ships, two specialty restaurants, the Italian and the Asian, are complimentary...and for YTD folks, they are the second and third part of your dining options with the MDR being the first.
I've never encountered any dining issues like these, closest was choosing the one included night at the upscale venue during embarkation with Windstar.
At first glance, dining is mainly about the quality of the food. But it can become a crucial part of your entire cruise if you end up having to sit at the same table every day with people who you are absolutely not compatible with. I speak most EU languages and when I go on an EU cruise I enjoy meeting local people and talking to them in their local language. Most Americans have no opportunity to speak with anybody outside other Americans on the cruise. Getting bombarded during the entire time at a table with people who consider you a "captive audience" with whom they share all their life experiences -is simply not my cup of tea.
I experienced the recent dining changes on Princess Cruises. Smaller portions, steak and lobster on menu for fee and crazy confusion and crowds with reservations, tables and waitstaff. I trying again with later set dining time and a met and great with the dining room staff. I hope they can allow me to dine in the same place each night at the same time❤and also accommodate my special diet requests😊
Heading out on a Mediterranean cruise in two weeks and I am traveling solo, however I didn't book any specialty dining because I expect at those venues I would be dining alone. I prefer to eat with others and meet new people while dining so I will be taking advantage of the main dining room.
I really like fixed time dining as I like the service from the waiters as it’s more personal. As cruises move towards anytime dining (and it seems passengers other than me) tend to prefer this but to me the cruise experience becomes more and more impersonal. I wonder if anyone else will miss fixed time dining?
I recently started Wegovy, and am down 50 pounds in 4 months, and have been struggling with booking my next vacations; not necessarily from a dietary stand-point alone... but it's been a concern. I am now super sensitive to 'heavy' food, I can handle it in moderation, but knowing I can get menus ahead of time, is a great sigh of relief. NCL has canceled on me twice within week of booking (3 if you include needing to rebook the second attempt because they canceled due to a recycled booking number from the first) and I will not be giving them another try; I'm kinda bummed, because one was going to be Trans-Atlantic from Miami to Southampton and the other was a Mediterranian hitting the Canary Islands. So I just booked us on Discovery Princess for Alaska, splurging for a forward facing Mini-Suite with a wrap around balcony. I'm spending more overall than I would have with NCL for now... but figuring gratuities, wifi and drink package upgrades with NCL versus Princess Premier... it's going to balance out around the time I book the flights.
We pick the main dining room because there aren’t hundreds of unwashed hands holding the tongs to get food out of a tray. Anytime works for us because some days we are hungry early, some later.
I was aboard Celebrity Millenium on its first cruise out of San Diego, after covid Oct 2021. Half the buffee line was not use , and what was open, you would tell what you want and servers would dish it up for you, This actually work well but ONLY BECAUSE for a ship that can handle over 2500 passengers their was less than 400 onboard . Week after I return from this cruise I am now on Princess first cruise out of San Francisco, and same situation. My Last cruise past December aboard Beyond, buffet line dish up hot dish for you but cold dish, desert, etc .was displayed in cup, bowl, or small plate so as to grap individually. But again this ship capcity was 3500 and was barely over half full. However YOU do make valid point on concern of how passengers served themselves. I have pass and do havea food certification certificate and cross contamination was well noted in our studies. Done 26 cruise so far and pay attention to display line and found ships do better job than MOST resturants In keeping serving lines clean and presentable .
We are first time cruisers and I haven’t found the dining options (Holland America) difficult to understand at all. Their FAQ section combined with promotional emails have helped us stay on track and understand our options easily. The only thing I was confused about and had to call to ask someone was how to know how many and when our Dressy nights would be. The rep said they’ll tell us when the dressy nights will be once we are on the cruise ship. I wish that wasn’t the case so we could plan our speciality dining on a night we know won’t be dressy so we can enjoy dressy night in the MDR. My current plan is just to switch our speciality dining if we find out they will overlap. Personally, I love doing vacation research and heavy prep/daily plans before a trip. Then when we show up there’s no worry or discussion about what to do today or the fear we missed something great. This is part of my favorite things about visiting Disney parks too- intense planning that really pays off!!
This sounds so confusing and difficult to navigate that you’re proving to me that my decision to NEVER go on a cruise is correct! I keep looking at these videos to see if maybe I’m missing something and cruising is actually fun but no everyone’s videos make it look horrible.
My wife and i started watching cruise videos a few years ago. It sounded complicated then. No it sounds like hell. There is no way im going on a cruise ever. This does not sound like a vacation.
I wish people would learn to use utensils. In a dining room experience, they would realize it's not your home. Please use forks and knives, not eat with your fingers, and touch all the bread to see what it is.
I can’t believe how particular people are about man handling of food. You don’t know what happens to food when the waiter brings them either. The key is quick turnover. Fresh food don’t have time to get rotten or dirty. The bigger concern is the novo virus.
Gary: A way to a man's heart is thru his stomach....so true for me. Thanks for the tips! BTW---any tips, food or otherwise, on cruising around Japan (on Princess)?
We’re setting sail in June on a 7-night Caribbean cruise onboard Caribbean Cruise Lines Wonder of the Sea . It’ll be our first cruise (we’re in our late 40s/early 50s); we’re traveling with six others: 2 of our 3 adult children and their partners, and my sister-in-law and her husband. Only my son and his girlfriend have been on a cruise before. My wife is going to have a challenge getting cooked food that conforms to her various allergies. Shellfish, sesame, pine nuts, kiwi, all forms of dairy, all mammal meat/byproducts (she has alpha-gal syndrome from a tick bite); on top,of all that, she has an stomach ulcer and is supposed to avoid acidic (citrus, onions, garlic, alcohol, fried food, etc…). It’s not matter of avoiding those types of foods, it’s the cross contamination of the foods she can eat. Something as simple as cut up fruit may have been prepared on the same cutting board as kiwi…or the salmon (which she can eat), may have been prepped on the same surface as shellfish…or kitchen staff may not change gloves/wash hands after handling an allergen.
We always book Club Class (Princess) Gary, ensuring anytime dining and absolutely zero wait times. On occasion we go to the buffet but the quality and variety of food has definitely dropped off since Covid cruising began post covid - not sure if that's noticeable on other premium cruise lines though.
I've never cruised, but I can definitely say that a main dining room situation sounds like it really would be the best way to be certain your food has not had any cross contamination. I'm sensitive to gluten, allergic to tree nuts, and allergic to dairy. I can't even have something cooked in butter - something that might otherwise be called "dairy-free" like protein at a steakhouse. It's important to be super clear with anyone who serves you about your needs! I miss buffets, alas :( Thanks Gary, your videos are always so well-presented and informative.
Not on cruises but I remember in one hotel in Mexico which was all inclusive , there were 5 or 6 theme restaurants and the buffet was not always open every evening or close very early like 8pm, this suited me and my parents some of the specialist restaurants we been to Mexico and Cuba included in the price, there were a limited of one time per week. On cruises me and my parents prefer walk in basis for main dining room during the evenings, pre covid19 for captain/dress to impress evening we asked could we switch from 2nd sitting to 1st sitting with the cabin steward and this was not a problem on one cruise there were two restaurants in one, upper, lower and you pick from both menus and one was mainly Italian and one international style
I’ve been spoiled. I’ve only cruised Disney. Imagine my surprise when I found out that other lines have only one MDR and the rest are a premium price. 😮🙅🏼♀️
I'm going to be cruising with a kid with some nut allergies, and I'm quite pleased with how willing they are to accommodate things like that. Luckily he's not wildly sensitive and he's only allergic to the expensive nuts so they're less likely to show up.
I think all of life continues to get more complicated. I'm honestly glad I'm a senior citizen and was able to enjoy a great deal of the less complicated normal.
Yes , I’m in my early 80’s and it seems like the last 2 to 3 years some thing have become more stressful.
You might consider a video on the subject “Has cruising become too complicated?” What line? What type of room? What level of luxury? Drinks package? Specialty dining ? Entertainment reservations? Excursions?
Cruising reminds me of going to Disney. I need a PhD to figure out how to get the most out of the experience.
Scares me, no way would I go on a cruise, I might do something wrong 😀
And all the apps and booking required for this and that now. Would rather just be able to turn up...
Having to use the app for the correct cruise line was scary for me and I’m good with technology. But I do want a key to get into my Room!!!
@@janiekcarney5482 Why would you want a key
I’ll stick with Viking Ocean & avoid these dining complications. Thanks for pointing them out!
Cruising seems to have become alot of work.
Agreed. I'm listening to all this and thinking that it might not be worth it.
To be honest it always was. And us becoming more demanding does not help either.
I go on holiday for ease of, well everything, when I can... I find reports of most cruising becoming more and move complex off-putting and a step backwards. I don't want to have to make decisions and plan and have to decide if I want to add cost or not... Yes, I am self admitted traditionalist and like to just have my seating for dinner, my table for dinner, my waiter/s for dinner and that is that. I can plan my days around it and make sure that I am ready to enjoy my evening meal at the time that I am expecting. What I also find funny these days, is that for years, Cunard was lambasted for operating a "class based" system onboard... shock horror, all the big lines now operate class based systems depending how much you want to pay and how far you want to keep other people away from you. And, part of that is now the myriad of dining options too.
Thank you for this very helpful video. Although we’ve probably only been on five cruises in the past 30 years, we have definitely seen a change in how dining has been provided now versus when I was a child. I can speak very highly for the Disney experience having that same weight staff rotate from restaurant to restaurant with the guests, although not a picky eater, my son just happens to love salmon and would eat it every meal if he could. Our waiter made sure he got it every meal whether it was on the menu at that restaurant or not.
Hi Gary. To your point about ordering off menu: We've just got back from a cruise around east Asia on the Cunard Queen Elizabeth. In the Queen's Grill restaurant one evening, the sommelier suggested we ask for a curry for the following evening (there's nothing like that on the menu). On the evening, we were surprised to be served the most amazing top quality four course curry!! We would never have guessed such a thing was an option without that suggestion.
You've gotten me interested in researching Cunard now!
Thank you, Gary. Another great video. Everything you present convinces me that luxury cruising (Silver Seas, Seabourn, Regent) real value is the all inclusive simplicity.
Good point! It does make life much easier! The mix of lines trying to build in new revenue and give choice does seem to be making things too complicated
Your videos are sooo helpful, but I want a nice cruise to be uncomplicated but elevated dining and services. Viking is my choice.😊
As a “budget” cruiser, I always eat in the MDR, buffet and the quick serve Lido places and I never feel like I’m missing out. The only exception is the Palo brunch buffet which is spectacular.
Agreed! I’ve been able to do Palo brunch twice now. Loved it!!
You’re videos are extremely helpful. Thank you! Have you done a video on onboard medical care? I think there’s a lot of misconceptions about it. I also used to work on a cruise line and I still don’t understand how it works for passengers.
Hi. I am a vegetarian and I found it to be very easy to locate foods, on the Norwegian Bliss cruise, especially at the Taste of India buffet. Yum!
I long for the days when there was the main ding room and 'maybe a breakfast and lunch time' buffet - and that was it. I do not need 25 different dining venue choices and 37 different cocktail bars. I want to take a cruise to enjoy being on a ship, relaxing, visiting places - not trying to figure out where to eat, when to eat and what is and is not included in my fare.
I know you're not a fan of Carnival, but they, in my mind, have the best anytime system.
When you are ready for dinner you open the app, select who in your party is going, and request a table. You'll be given an ETA between < 10 minutes and 30 minutes. Then you go about your night, when your table is ready your phone will go off.
You are then given a table number that will be held for 10 minutes for your party.
Just walk up to the MDR, give your table number, and be seated immediately.
Fantastic!
That sounds great. But what if you can’t get there in 10 minutes??
@AmberMac Just send another request if you somehow are too late to claim the table. Which unless something major comes up, would be pretty hard to do. You have a live ETA on when it will be ready and 10 minutes to grab it once it's ready.
You'd have to be rather bad at time management to miss your table.
@@Bahamut_Mega I think I could manage to be there on time. But my husband… he is HORRIBLE with time management. 🤦🏼♀️
Very informative video. Personally, since I travel solo I prefer “anytime dining” when I travel. I always cruise on Princess cruises and thankfully I’ve been able to do anytime dining. There have been some times where I had to wait but really the wait time has not been all that bad… maybe the longest I’ve had to wait was 30 minutes. Most times though I get in almost immediately because I’m flexible enough to share a table. I’ve met so many great people while sharing a table.
I to mostly solo cruise also, and for evening meals ask for sharing table but since I usually dine early I would suggest be willing to start sharing table, and as you mention one does meet interesting people to share tales with and cruise experience , I'm also an early riser , so go straight to buffee to fix cup coffee and get table near by and by the third day I have a coffee club going usually from 630am to 730. SPECAIL NOTE, Celibrity newer ships has Bakery located in the buffee line and best time to have a cinnamon role is when it fresh & warm out of the oven and that is EARLY morning.
I'd like you to consider labeling your videos to identify what dining room on what ship, on what cruise line. The dining rooms look very opulent and it would be nice to know what/where I'm seeing, even if only a brief video. Same goes for the food dishes you show. Thanks!!!
We cruised on the Queen Elizabeth in 2023 and there were only 2 main sittings for dinner. We were also were not able to select our table size and dining time in advance and when we boarded discovered we had been allocated the 2nd sitting at 8.30pm which was too late for us, and a table for 2. It wasn't a problem to change it to 6.30, but it would have been better to have the option to select it prior to boarding.
You should do a video on how room service varies wildly in food availability, cost, times and quality among different ships and cruise lines--from being allowed to order off any menu and get as much caviar as you want on Silversea for free to being limited to continental breakfasts in the morning, limited day and evening menus and room service charges on other lines.
If anyone argues they want more food on a cruise ship they should be made to walk to get it. Nobody will starve on a cruise
Great video and 100% true! Absolutely talk to the maitre d’ if you have any issues with food. So very helpful and they keep checking with you everyday to make sure all is to your satisfaction. I can see why new cruisers have difficulties figuring this all out.
My reply
Gary is a treasure. His explanations are intelligent, clear, and concise.
And to the point.
Dining is my favorite part of cruising Thank you for the tips Gary! You rock!
Thank you. A great overview of the new ins and outs of cruise dining.
I love your videos! Thank you so much for your insider tips. My first cruise (with NCL) is in less than 2 weeks! Yay!
Great video Gary - as you mentioned, things are changing so it's good to be aware and plan for that. Good tips!
My reply
After years in the USN, I can't imagine traveling on a ship for fun.
Thank you for your service. My dad felt the same way about camping. He had 20 years in the Army.
I was in the Navy too and resisted my wifes attempts to go on a cruise, but once I did it, we now go almost every year...On NCL you do what you want when you want, completely casual and relaxing...try it, you may like it
Thank you for this video, Gary. We’re only a year into our cruising adventures, and we have to wonder what we missed by not cruising earlier given all the changes. We still love it, though!
My reply !
Those who cruise on Carnival or Royal Carib. before 1985 should recall venue that been discontinued, which is Midnight Dinning Buffett, which was dine room would open its door to huge center display of carved fruits, chocolate creations , just a created art display of using fruits,vegetables chocolate, and sweets, Just challenges one imagination, Rather other cruise lines also follow this tradition is unknown to me, thou I sail with 7 cruise lines, this didn't happen till after Midnight Buffee tradition has ended. But still remember the deserts servings on Carnival that one can choose before retiring for the night. Abone 50 year of Carnival annesversity I was aboard one of thier ship that did set aside one night for this special event in memory of this past venue. 🎉
Can’t believe dining has changed so much. Thanks for the update.
Gary! You look great in a tux!! Thanks for all the great tips - I am always forwarding your videos to my cruise buddies. This one will definitely make the cut.
Love the channel. We sail Disney a lot. The Palo bookings are limited online prior to cruising, but once you embark, you can walk to Palo and then we booked every single day of our cruise. By the way, 5 times in Palo over 5 days is too many - we proved that to ourselves. Keep cruising.
I’m a Palo fan. But yes, 5 times would be too much for me. 😂
The silly complicated dining room times and types is the reason we only eat at the buffets. The Norwegian line ships we sail on have always had three meal buffets.
I prebook what I can bc I know I can change it onboard most times. I know that the steakhouses will book up so sometimes I will book for the first night bc its usually the slowest night.
I definitely avoid the ice cream machine for that region. Ill go to the area where they scoop it for you.
AboutPalo on Disney cruises: if interest check to see if you can go 2 nights if one of them is the evening of embarkation. Also you may be able to do a brunch in addition to a dinner.
Again Gary, your video's are so good! May I please add something to one of your videos. You make it clear that picking the RIGHT cruise line for you, can mean the difference between a fantastic experience and one that make you wish you were back home. Now this is so true, but it is also a question of what you want to get out of your experience. During a live session here on you tube (with yourself and your partner) it was clear that you two have slightly different priorities when it comes to choose a cruise line. Your partner said that the ship experience usually came first, and ports visited secone (Im the same) while you were leaning towards ports visited first, and then what cruise ship/ line to pick... no, I don't think it is that clear cut, but it is a valued issue. I have been on two identical HAL cruises in western Med, but the second cruise I only left the ship in one port... my holiday was the ship!
Great video as usual! When we cruised on the Celebrity Apex in December, we were told that the main dining room was gone & replaced with the 4 you mentioned. However, we were told that the menu would be the same in all 4 dining rooms. You just got to choose which decor you liked better! It doesn't really matter for us because hubby eats 3 buffets a day for the entire cruise! He would be miserable if we got on board only to find out there's no dinner buffet!!
Rather sad, all cruise lines at the MDR provide sub par quality and force you pay for premium entrees or push you to the specialty dining at inflated prices.
You paid for your fare and expect quality MDR food or a decent buffet, not just carbs and fillers and cheap outside round cheap beef cuts.
Good old days are long gone !
On your list of cruise vlogs, you should add TravelTouristVideos which has 31k subscribers and 1300 videos which are mostly on cruising. Their specialty is filming and reviewing the MDR, buffet and specialty dining options on the cruises they are on.
I love buffet and I don't like to be too demanding. I like kitchens to improvise and food to not get wasted.
I miss the extended hours and greater offerings of the cruise buffets of old. Because when you are exhausted after a long day at port, sometimes you don’t want to worry about what you’re wearing and you just want the ease of a buffet dinner.
Buffets are open in the evening
Excellent vlog. This would make your dining a lot better.
Thank you for the plug on specialty dinning. Your outline was right on. You don’t need the pay to dine so much good food without paying extra. Cruising since I was a teen in 68 only been to two. Tamarin is on my list. If I am going to pay extra I splurge on chef table when I am on princess
Too much hassle now.
Puts me totally off cruising.
I cruise (cruised) to relax, not rush about like a headless chicken.
Thank you Gary for ensuring I continue to only cruise on Viking. What a freaking mess these other cruise lines are.
Yep - definitely complicated 😱 dining options!
I am hyperfocusing af on his vids. Input! I❤this. Works for me. Give me all the details. Bye bye anxiety. To me this is relaxation. Every detail included. Thanks Gary.
Not happy when we returned to sailing in 2022 on HAL after covid and the lobster was gone! Thanks for sharing
Most large cruise ships have ONE main kitchen, while say an Asian specialty restaurant might only get prepped ingredients to finish cooking, burgers and pizza might be cooked at the serving location. Most of the food is mostly cooked or at the very least prepped in the main kitchen and distributed to the various service locations. This is also why you see things from the main DR the following day on the buffet, whether they be starters, entrees or desserts [even some salads]. They didn't "sell" the day before and they don't want to throw it away. Better to give you the option to taste it and eat it or throw it away if you don't like it because it increases the variety of options on the buffet. It looks "richer, fuller, more varied".
We took the "backstage tour" on the [Norwegian] Epic on our first cruise and basically EVERYTHING was made in the central kitchen, including the hot dog buns in their bakery [I should have asked about English Muffins, which aren't quite crumpets, more an American thing]! Yes, Eggs Benedict is eggs cooked on the line and assembled just ahead of being needed on the buffet or in some satellite cooking station for the main DR, but the Hollandaise Sauce was made in the main kitchen. And think about smaller ships: say a Viking Longboat. There is the DR and the Aquavit Terrace and cookies [biscuits] at the coffee station. There's only one kitchen. Perhaps the Titanic had multiple kitchens for the various classes of passengers, but modern, industrial food isn't done that way. It is too wasteful of both food and labor and bulk refrigerator and freezer space.
Modern hotels even [and I last worked in a Westin in the early 80's], also had BOTH the main restaurant kitchen and the banquet kitchen in the same massive "kitchen". There wasn't a "banquet" refrigerator. there were just walk in's at various temperatures from just cool enough to keep produce perfectly held, for dairy & cheese, for wine, and freezers. If the hotel is FULL with a convention, the WHOLE kitchen becomes the Banquet Kitchen because then almost nobody eats at the restaurant [and most of the service and kitchen staff moves over to produce the banquet]. Likewise if the hotel is simply booked by individual guests, there is NO banquet activity, unless there is prep for a near future event, and as much available space is taken up by the production of individual restaurant offerings. Cruise ships have a more "captive audience" but they create "interest and variability" by having various food outlets. But, behind the scenes, all the food is coming from the same place.
Great tips Sir Gary. Trying the 3 restaurant dining package on Royal this August. I like buffet for breakfast and sometimes lunch. Am fine with the MDR and 1 specialty restaurant but looking forward to trying 3. Thanks again and see you next video.
Love the main dining room early sitting, table of six with the same people every night. Very social and great fun.
Thank you, Gary! yet another valuable take.
Having to make all these dining decisions whilst on a holiday would be my worst nightmare!!!!
Which is why I only cruise with Seaborne!
Someone recommended bringing disposable gloves to wear while going through the buffet, so hands stay clean while touching those serving utensils.
Cruising for the first time in August. Your videos are gold! Thank you.
Gary thank you …. Soooo much great valuable lessons….it’s happening again, hooked watching your videos, now been 2 hours.
Just like good potato chips- can’t eat just one. Bestest
On the Disney Fantasy, we were encouraged to order multiple dishes if we wanted.
Thank you Gary for another excellent video. We just returned from a HAL Westerdam cruise to Japan & Taiwan. In the main dining room they had two additional menus available every night, apart from the main menu. You could ask for the vegetarian and/or the Indian menu.
Hi Ronald, That's very interesting. Is this the first time you have encountered additional menus in the MDR and/or ones as specific in cuisine as Indian? Were they as extensive as the main menu? Also, how did you find the food generally?
We are headed to Alaska on Westerdam in 2 weeks. Would be very interesting to see if this is the case stateside as well!
@@lesleywaghorn1627 Hi Lesley. My wife is Coeliac (gluten free) and one night in the MDR there was nothing on the main menu that my wife fancied. This is when they offered the vegetarian and Indian menus as alternatives. The Indian menu was not extensive, but she loves Indian food and it is mostly gluten free. My wife used the Indian menu a number of times during our two week cruise.
The food in general is very good. Some nights it was excellent and some night it was okay. There is an element of personal taste and preference.
@@baroo52 Hi Caitie. I would fully expect that the same options are available during your Alaska cruise.
@RonaldS Hi Ronald, Thanks so much for the additional information. Very useful. If I could ask two more questions. How did you find the Westerdam for that itinerary? Were the ports close to the destinations?
Great info Gary, as always.
Thank you for your guidance. Finally, we will cruise again on QM2.
Great overview! I've liked the flexibility of Your Time Dining on Carnival. You can book each night dynamically on the app and there is seldom a wait. On the new Excel-class ships, two specialty restaurants, the Italian and the Asian, are complimentary...and for YTD folks, they are the second and third part of your dining options with the MDR being the first.
I too love that on Carnival.
I've never encountered any dining issues like these, closest was choosing the one included night at the upscale venue during embarkation with Windstar.
Just curious.... which cruise line has the best food? :) I've only ever cruised with Norwegian, as we like the casual, laid-back approach
At first glance, dining is mainly about the quality of the food. But it can become a crucial part of your entire cruise if you end up having to sit at the same table every day with people who you are absolutely not compatible with. I speak most EU languages and when I go on an EU cruise I enjoy meeting local people and talking to them in their local language. Most Americans have no opportunity to speak with anybody outside other Americans on the cruise. Getting bombarded during the entire time at a table with people who consider you a "captive audience" with whom they share all their life experiences -is simply not my cup of tea.
I experienced the recent dining changes on Princess Cruises. Smaller portions, steak and lobster on menu for fee and crazy confusion and crowds with reservations, tables and waitstaff.
I trying again with later set dining time and a met and great with the dining room staff. I hope they can allow me to dine in the same place each night at the same time❤and also accommodate my special diet requests😊
Thanks Gary great information 😊
I been on cruises where I could change potatoes to chips in the main dining room . I prefer crew serving us on buffets
Heading out on a Mediterranean cruise in two weeks and I am traveling solo, however I didn't book any specialty dining because I expect at those venues I would be dining alone. I prefer to eat with others and meet new people while dining so I will be taking advantage of the main dining room.
I really like fixed time dining as I like the service from the waiters as it’s more personal. As cruises move towards anytime dining (and it seems passengers other than me) tend to prefer this but to me the cruise experience becomes more and more impersonal. I wonder if anyone else will miss fixed time dining?
I recently started Wegovy, and am down 50 pounds in 4 months, and have been struggling with booking my next vacations; not necessarily from a dietary stand-point alone... but it's been a concern. I am now super sensitive to 'heavy' food, I can handle it in moderation, but knowing I can get menus ahead of time, is a great sigh of relief.
NCL has canceled on me twice within week of booking (3 if you include needing to rebook the second attempt because they canceled due to a recycled booking number from the first) and I will not be giving them another try; I'm kinda bummed, because one was going to be Trans-Atlantic from Miami to Southampton and the other was a Mediterranian hitting the Canary Islands. So I just booked us on Discovery Princess for Alaska, splurging for a forward facing Mini-Suite with a wrap around balcony. I'm spending more overall than I would have with NCL for now... but figuring gratuities, wifi and drink package upgrades with NCL versus Princess Premier... it's going to balance out around the time I book the flights.
We pick the main dining room because there aren’t hundreds of unwashed hands holding the tongs to get food out of a tray. Anytime works for us because some days we are hungry early, some later.
I was aboard Celebrity Millenium on its first cruise out of San Diego, after covid Oct 2021. Half the buffee line was not use , and what was open, you would tell what you want and servers would dish it up for you, This actually work well but ONLY BECAUSE for a ship that can handle over 2500 passengers their was less than 400 onboard . Week after I return from this cruise I am now on Princess first cruise out of San Francisco, and same situation. My Last cruise past December aboard Beyond, buffet line dish up hot dish for you but cold dish, desert, etc .was displayed in cup, bowl, or small plate so as to grap individually. But again this ship capcity was 3500 and was barely over half full. However YOU do make valid point on concern of how passengers served themselves. I have pass and do havea food certification certificate and cross contamination was well noted in our studies. Done 26 cruise so far and pay attention to display line and found ships do better job than MOST resturants In keeping serving lines clean and presentable .
We are first time cruisers and I haven’t found the dining options (Holland America) difficult to understand at all. Their FAQ section combined with promotional emails have helped us stay on track and understand our options easily.
The only thing I was confused about and had to call to ask someone was how to know how many and when our Dressy nights would be. The rep said they’ll tell us when the dressy nights will be once we are on the cruise ship. I wish that wasn’t the case so we could plan our speciality dining on a night we know won’t be dressy so we can enjoy dressy night in the MDR. My current plan is just to switch our speciality dining if we find out they will overlap.
Personally, I love doing vacation research and heavy prep/daily plans before a trip. Then when we show up there’s no worry or discussion about what to do today or the fear we missed something great. This is part of my favorite things about visiting Disney parks too- intense planning that really pays off!!
This sounds so confusing and difficult to navigate that you’re proving to me that my decision to NEVER go on a cruise is correct! I keep looking at these videos to see if maybe I’m missing something and cruising is actually fun but no everyone’s videos make it look horrible.
Completely agree. They all look like hell to me, they seem to spend so much of their life figuring out all the deals etc 😂.
My wife and i started watching cruise videos a few years ago. It sounded complicated then. No it sounds like hell. There is no way im going on a cruise ever. This does not sound like a vacation.
I wish people would learn to use utensils. In a dining room experience, they would realize it's not your home. Please use forks and knives, not eat with your fingers, and touch all the bread to see what it is.
2:12 To be fair, on Cunard Britannia Club, Princess Grill, and Queens Grill are all anytime only but you get the same table each night.
I ask myself: "Am i a conniseur? Do I really have a $45/meal pallet?" Truthfully, I love a really good burger!
Hi Gary, I love your channel. I recently started wondering about racism on cruise ships. What's your opinion? Thank you.
On P&O Australia the Buffet was served by staff before COVID and they are still doing it.
I have food allergies so I thoroughly enjoy a set dining time with the same server
I can’t believe how particular people are about man handling of food. You don’t know what happens to food when the waiter brings them either. The key is quick turnover. Fresh food don’t have time to get rotten or dirty. The bigger concern is the novo virus.
The dining is getting more and more convoluted indeed. It can be intimidating for newer cruisers.
Totally agree, I find the complicated dining and the whole tipping culture has put me off trying a cruise
Gary: A way to a man's heart is thru his stomach....so true for me. Thanks for the tips!
BTW---any tips, food or otherwise, on cruising around Japan (on Princess)?
Well, this is enough to turn me off going on a cruise. I'm not into "Dining", but rather eating a simple meal at night when or if I'm hungry.
We’re setting sail in June on a 7-night Caribbean cruise onboard Caribbean Cruise Lines Wonder of the Sea . It’ll be our first cruise (we’re in our late 40s/early 50s); we’re traveling with six others: 2 of our 3 adult children and their partners, and my sister-in-law and her husband. Only my son and his girlfriend have been on a cruise before. My wife is going to have a challenge getting cooked food that conforms to her various allergies. Shellfish, sesame, pine nuts, kiwi, all forms of dairy, all mammal meat/byproducts (she has alpha-gal syndrome from a tick bite); on top,of all that, she has an stomach ulcer and is supposed to avoid acidic (citrus, onions, garlic, alcohol, fried food, etc…). It’s not matter of avoiding those types of foods, it’s the cross contamination of the foods she can eat. Something as simple as cut up fruit may have been prepared on the same cutting board as kiwi…or the salmon (which she can eat), may have been prepped on the same surface as shellfish…or kitchen staff may not change gloves/wash hands after handling an allergen.
Evening buffet on Oceania is terrific….lobster, steak, lamb chops, GIANT shrimp. Good option if you don’t want to dress up.
On Holland America all dining was closed from mid-morning until noon. I couldn’t find anything to eat at 11 am
Thank you. Can you please make a video about internet access on cruises.
We always book Club Class (Princess) Gary, ensuring anytime dining and absolutely zero wait times. On occasion we go to the buffet but the quality and variety of food has definitely dropped off since Covid cruising began post covid - not sure if that's noticeable on other premium cruise lines though.
I've never cruised, but I can definitely say that a main dining room situation sounds like it really would be the best way to be certain your food has not had any cross contamination. I'm sensitive to gluten, allergic to tree nuts, and allergic to dairy. I can't even have something cooked in butter - something that might otherwise be called "dairy-free" like protein at a steakhouse. It's important to be super clear with anyone who serves you about your needs! I miss buffets, alas :( Thanks Gary, your videos are always so well-presented and informative.
I enjoyed watching this video. Thanks for sharing!!
Very helpful, thank you.
Oh my gosh, this sounds so complicated!
Good information Gary, whatever happened to "just eat"!!!
Nice video. Thank you for sharing tips.
May our choice of a Seabourn cruise eliminate some (all?) of the confusion.
Not on cruises but I remember in one hotel in Mexico which was all inclusive , there were 5 or 6 theme restaurants and the buffet was not always open every evening or close very early like 8pm, this suited me and my parents some of the specialist restaurants we been to Mexico and Cuba included in the price, there were a limited of one time per week.
On cruises me and my parents prefer walk in basis for main dining room during the evenings, pre covid19 for captain/dress to impress evening we asked could we switch from 2nd sitting to 1st sitting with the cabin steward and this was not a problem on one cruise there were two restaurants in one, upper, lower and you pick from both menus and one was mainly Italian and one international style
7:30 You look very handsome in your tuxedo, Gary 👍
Do you know if all Cruse Lines are back to ' help yourself ' in the buffets, or have some ships kept the Covid type of 'being served' Buffets?
Thank you for another valuable video.
Would love it if you could do review on ambassador . It is so new into the market
I’ve been spoiled. I’ve only cruised Disney. Imagine my surprise when I found out that other lines have only one MDR and the rest are a premium price. 😮🙅🏼♀️
I'm going to be cruising with a kid with some nut allergies, and I'm quite pleased with how willing they are to accommodate things like that.
Luckily he's not wildly sensitive and he's only allergic to the expensive nuts so they're less likely to show up.