When I first started cruising one of the selling points was, "you can order anything and as much of it as you want." I have indeed ordered both the Beef Medallions as well as the Lobster (maybe ala carte), but I can't help but wonder is this still or was it really ever considered as proper behavior by the cruise lines? I never have been refused but I still always wonder....
Most cruislines want to do anything they can to make you happy and if that means giving you more than one meal they will do it. Rcl is a big one on pleasing you one time I didn't eat all my food and right away the waiter thought something was wrong and was ready to bring me out something else. You paid good money for the cruise if you want to order 2 meals go ahead and do it trust me your not the only one that does it.
I do this occasionally when I find it hard to decide between two entrees. Or sometimes I like the soup so much I just order two bowls of soup and a salad. They will usually not bring two dinner plates out at once though. They will wait for you to finish the one entree before bringing the next.
I think it's probably acceptable behavior, according to the waiter's reaction. I was having a differcult time making a decision between Chateau Briand and Seafood Bisque. As I was trying to decide, the waiter made the decision for me by saying he would bring me both. It was so much food that I shared the Chateau Briand with my tablemates. They were both fantastic dishes. It would have been nice if those choices were on different nights, but I have no complaints about it.
Just returned from the Carnival Elation. Our waiters practically insisted that we order double entrees and desserts. A tablemate had 3 lobsters on one of our formal nights. You order WHATEVER your tummy desires!
Our last cruise was on Orient Lines Marco Polo, and we never asked for seconds, as getting firsts wasn't always that easy..
One night several people at our table asked for extra onion rings with their steaks. The waiter brought a plate with six onion rings, and said the kitchen had run out.
The night filet mignon was on the menu, no one at our table (late seating) got any, because they ran out.
One day at liunch, I ordered a BLT, and they ran out---of what? The bacon? the lettuce? the tomato? the bread?
I made the mistake of mentioning to our server how much I loved the next night's dessert, Grand Marnier Souffle. When he took the dessert orders, he passed me up, but then served me not one, but two souffles. While I love that dessert, a little bit goes a long way with me! It's all good, though!
Just got back from West. Caribbean, Celebrity Horizon and one of my tablemates asked the waiter how we could get shrimp cocktails every night and he said just ask 1 day in advance and they would bring them. So we told him we all wanted them every night for the rest of the cruise. We got them and never asked again. Also she told him we all also wanted 2 lobster tails each on Saturday night and he brought those. His name was Sandor and he was great. Anyway, just ask and you will probably receive more than you really wanted. They are very accommadating. He also always brought 2-3 extra desserts for us to try.
I was on a cruise in the Black Sea some years back and the waiter came around with Russian Caviar. He served me some and I asked for more. He was very polite, but stated that the captain said only one scope. I thought it was kind of funny. My wife doesn't like it so I got hers.
For our family it is a great way to try new food that we would not have had at home. I tell my kids to order something new and different and if they don't like it ... so what.. order something else. We pay good money to gain 10 pounds. lol
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I never order seconds as it makes me feel like a glutton (and I don't like wasting food--I can't eat two full entrees). But I love to graze off the left side of the menu--order an appetizer, a soup, two salads and skip the entree. One night I had three different salads for my whole dinner. NCL never blinks an eye.
I also love the way NCL's portion sizes in the main (free) dining rooms are on the small side, so you can try more things. In an average restaurant with average American portion sizes, no one could eat a starter, soup, salad, entree *and* dessert. There, a lot of people do.
My fiancee had three entrees one night on the Grand Princess lol...I was cringing with embarassment, but our tablemates and the waiter didn't even flinch
The proper ettiquette would be to order whatever you want when they are taking orders, not by asking for seconds after the meal has been served... as it is much easier to cook all the items at the same time.
When we were in the Western Carribean on the Carnival Paradise, our waiter insisted that I have 2 entrees (I am rather a big guy). Everyone else at the table started ordering 2 entrees or two desserts, it was hilarious. At the end of the week, we gave him and his assistant $20 each for thier extra effort.
RCL is very good about getting you anything you want and as much as you want. If they think you will know like some dish they will bring you something else. They went out of their way to please my daughter and her 2 friends last year. My son liked the tomato soup so much the Maitre d had the cook make some the next night for him at dinner. Can't ask for more than that.
Many times we skipped the salad & ordered 2 appetizers because everything looked so good. They didn't have any problem with it. In fact - the lobster nite - our waiter just kept bringing us more lobster! The nite I had lambchops - of course they were small but rich & filling - I look up & there was our waiter with more lambchops. No - they didn't have a problem bringing us more food!
The Maitre 'd had the "cook " make some each night for your son? Nope didn't happen like that. the soup is in a big vat, each night your waiter scooped out some and had it microwaved. The chef does not make a special dish for one person, remember he is cooking for THOUSANDS. The maitre'd has no control over the chef. The chef is senior to the maitre'd in his own kitchen.
Sorry I just couldn't let that go, it amazes me what people think actually happens in those kitchens.
We just got back from Celebrity Constellation and had no problem ordering as much food as we wanted. One woman at our table ordered 3 servings of escargot with her meal and loved it so much she had another order along with her desert! I would guess that out of the 6 people at our table at least 4 would order 2 entrees every night (along with the soup, salad, appetizers, desert). They didn't even blink an eye.
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Navigator of the Seas Jan 06
Grand Princess Jan 05
Constellation Jan 04
OMG anytime I cruise, I eat as much lobster as I can handle, so far my personal record is 10 tails in one sitting, plus an salad and appitlzer and desert
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