I, myself, enjoyed the entertainment. At our seating, our servers only had us and one other table to attend to. We got to know our servers quite well and our kids participated in the entertainment with them almost every night. It was a great photo op!! Also, since there were only 2 tables for them, we had already been served our dessert and coffee so we didn't have to wait for anything. After the entertainment, we would have a second cup of coffee and chit chat with our servers for awhile. Dinner was over for us by 7:00 every night. We enjoyed it all!!
I agree with you, too. While a few people have made lifelong friends (or even husbands or wives, and you in AZ know who you are ), with their room stewards or waiters, it's very obvious to me that most of them are being "friendly" because that's part of their job.
I enjoy making a "friend" of a staff member onboard, but I also know that when the cruise is over they'll be someone else's "friend"
I also agree about the music. I'm tired of be bombarded by music everywhere I go A quiet dinner with friends (or even strangers) is too often interrupted by loud music
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Fern
"A truly happy person is one who can enjoy the scenery on a detour."
Carnival Inspiration 2002 Carnival Elation 2004
Grand Princess 2004 NCL Sun 2005
Sun Princess 2006 NCL Dream 2007
Caribbean Princess 2007 NCL Dawn 2008
Island Princess 2008 Island Princess 2009
Golden Princess 2009 Carnival Conquest 2010
Grand Princess 2010 Island Princess 2011
Grand Princess 2011 Carnival Magic 2012
Carnival Dream 2012 Island Princess 2013
I really find the nightly entertainment by the wait staff in the dining room tedious.
Once would be fine but every night just about the time I'm ready for my coffee and chocolate goody, here come the dancing waiters. I've never spoken to people who thought that doing this every night was necessary.
Carnival, give your poor waiters a break.
I realize it is not exactly refined but I always enjoy it-I think this is for the kiddies guys- and if you don't enjoy that you probally don't enjoy other things that are really for the kiddies-so maybe it is best you book a slightly more upscale line like Princess, HAL or Celebrity which do not cator so much to families.
I know I read alot of bashing of Carnival over this, on another message board including from some die-hard RCCL lovers- I knew they had did this on Sovereign of the Seas in 99- we tipped our waiter like double because he was so sweet to dance with our then 15 yr. old daughter-so I figured their policy had changed. So I was really surprised when I saw all this on Mariner of the Seas this past Oct.-no congo line though on MOS-instead it was guests dancing the "Macarena" with the waiters. And though one RCCL cruiser complained about Carnival and the song HOT-HOT-HOT-guess what? Tthe calispo band played HOT-HOT-HOT in the promenande area of MOS.
So I guess if you hate that don't go on Carnival or RCCL.
Location: Wisconsin....about 100 miles south of the Frozen Tundra and 70 miles east of Camp Randall
Posts: 9,382
momofmeg - it's not that they do it at all.....it is that they do it almost EVERY night! Once or twice during a cruise is ok - I can live with that and even participate if the mood strikes me (and on the Carnival Legend in 2003, it did!) That being said, almost every night is a disruption - especially since my wait staff had MORE than 2 tables to wait on....invariably some passengers had their service interrupted and delayed. I personally have missed the starting of the late seating show in the main showroom because of the "entertainment" in the dining room. I just wish Carnival would learn the adage that "less is more."
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Crown Princess 1/18/14....the NEW Me, Myself and I cruise!
momofmeg - it's not that they do it at all.....it is that they do it almost EVERY night! Once or twice during a cruise is ok - I can live with that and even participate if the mood strikes me (and on the Carnival Legend in 2003, it did!) That being said, almost every night is a disruption - especially since my wait staff had MORE than 2 tables to wait on....invariably some passengers had their service interrupted and delayed. I personally have missed the starting of the late seating show in the main showroom because of the "entertainment" in the dining room. I just wish Carnival would learn the adage that "less is more."
Like I said it is very easily fixed-just go on an more upscale line like Princess, HAL or Celebrity.
I don't plan on cruising Carnival or RCCL anymore myself. My daughter is now an adult an ddoes not cruise with us that often and hubby and I are now middle-aged-so neither Carnival or RCCL fits what we want anymore.
Our next cruise is Celebrity-we are doing this along with 2 other middle aged couples. The youngest one among us is 46.
Location: Wisconsin....about 100 miles south of the Frozen Tundra and 70 miles east of Camp Randall
Posts: 9,382
momofmeg....I have been on 13 cruises with 4 more booked. Of all those cruises I have been on Carnival twice.......so I do cruise other lines. When I sail Carnival it is because what my friends and I have chosen for that particular period of time for various reasons (fares, itinerary, ship, etc.) So, please don't lecture me. I prefer the way other cruise lines handle their dining.........but I will cruise on Carnival from time to time, but it is my right to say that I don't like the nightly entertainment in the dining rooms.
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Crown Princess 1/18/14....the NEW Me, Myself and I cruise!
momofmeg....I have been on 13 cruises with 4 more booked. Of all those cruises I have been on Carnival twice.......so I do cruise other lines. When I sail Carnival it is because what my friends and I have chosen for that particular period of time for various reasons (fares, itinerary, ship, etc.) So, please don't lecture me. I prefer the way other cruise lines handle their dining.........but I will cruise on Carnival from time to time, but it is my right to say that I don't like the nightly entertainment in the dining rooms.
Lisa I was not lecturing-just stating a fact- the differant lines have differant things to attract differant cruisers-some people like the nightly dinningroom entertainment- and pick Carnival for that and the silly pool contests etc.
I did feel it was a good line to cruise when I and hubby were younger and our daughter was a kid-not really our fit now.
We may cruise Carnival again next fall/winter but we are going with a younger couple who has to budget-so we need to go on a cruise less expensive. Also my husband had been to Turk and Caicos and loved it and he likes the fact that Carnival is doing an inexpenisvie 5 day cruise out of Port Canaveral-but we will only book this cruise if this couple goes with us. If they decide not to book we will do a Princess cruise that goes to Turk and Caicos.
...and there-in lies the problem (along with the frequency). It is in a formal dining room with the staff in formal attire and the guests are expected to adhere to a dress code that includes 2 formal nights. Sounds like "refinement" is expected. If I go to the opera or a play I have certain expectations on the refinement, e.g. I'm not expecting it to become a sing-along. Anyway, I can tolerate it, but would prefer its practice limited to the casual nights.
...and there-in lies the problem (along with the frequency). It is in a formal dining room with the staff in formal attire and the guests are expected to adhere to a dress code that includes 2 formal nights. Sounds like "refinement" is expected. If I go to the opera or a play I have certain expectations on the refinement, e.g. I'm not expecting it to become a sing-along. Anyway, I can tolerate it, but would prefer its practice limited to the casual nights.
I guess I have to keep repeating myself-as I said to Lisa if you really hate it THAT BAD don't cruise Carnival.
If you are going with friends and they want to go with Carnival then you have to give a little I guess-but guys it would really be boring if all the cruiselines were the same-at least to me-I like cruising differant lines-and which line I cruise I pick by as Lisa said-whom I am with. When you are cruising with younger people Carnival is a good match for them-if you are with a bunch of middle aged folks then yes Carnival is a poor choice of line.
The reason there are so many cruiselines and so many choices even in cruise companies is people are differant and differant people need differant things.
And browzella formal night on Carnival and RCCL is not the same as formal night on Princess, Celebrity or HAL-maybe the word "formal" should not be used-it would be closer to call it "dress up" night or even better "oh boy we get lobster" night- as many do not even dress for formal nights whatsoever - hense the reason I do not cruise Carnival any more unless as Lisa said- I am cruising with a young family with children.
Irish, the R,W,B comp was an idea of Mark Price, one of the CD's for CCL. He was allowed to try it and it really became a huge hit with lots and lots of positive comments on the comment cards. That is why is has gone almost fleetwide from what I have heard. When we were on the Glory last Sept. I saw it for the first time and I can tell you that this was the most excitement on a deck party that I have ever seen with even the elderly jumping right in and giving it their all. I thought that was just great!
Jim
LOVE - LOVE - LOVE the singing and dancing waiters. We get up and join the conga line with them and have a ball. At a table of 10 on last cruise, only one lady did not like this. After all Carnival is the FUN SHIP! We just wanna have fun.
As far as the Team Color competition, I liked it better when various members of the audience either in the lounge or lido deck could get involved in skits, games, etc., to their liking instead of sectioning off huge crowds of people into a team. On the last night out on the Conquest, we did not join the team party but we HEARD it well into the night. When we were waiting for elevators, it sounded like stampede coming towards us. It was actually a bit frightening to us.
I do not think the dining room is the place to announce the points though. It should be done in the lounge or the lido deck or in the daily Capers.
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), with their room stewards or waiters, it's very obvious to me that most of them are being "friendly" because that's part of their job. 
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