Your really dumb cruise ship dining questions
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- čas přidán 31. 07. 2024
- What food is included? Can you eat as much as you want? How many restaurants are on a cruise ship? We're here to answer all your really basic cruise questions!
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One question I had while on board was: "Where do I refill my water bottle?". There are signs near every water station saying "don't refill your bottle here" implying there is a place (there's not). What they actually mean is: "Use a cup to refill your bottle, rather than risking touching your bottle to the water dispenser.". You can also drink the tap water from the faucet in your stateroom, but that tends to be warm and taste like chlorine, whereas the water in the dispensers is cold and filtered (to avoid scale from chlorine on the equipment).
One thing I would like to add. Wash your hands before you go anywhere to eat! If you wash them at home or not is none of our business. But on a cruise, it's such a must! Sadly there's been a few cruises recently where half the people are coming down with the Norovirus. 11 ships have been confirmed this year alone! It's easier to take a few seconds to wash your hands (which they have stations at the buffet) then to spend your entire cruise in the bathroom.
I spoke to a young couple on day 8 of a 10 day cruise, and they were saying they were sick of the buffet food for 3 meals a day but were putting up with it to save money. They were astonished to hear me tell them the MDR was included.
That’s sad…some people don’t know and don’t ask 😢 however my parents love the buffets, they rarely visit MDR.
The main dining has terrible food in my opinion! On my last cruise I choose to eat at the buffet everyday.
RCC are to blame for not making such details clear.
I go to the MDR just for supper, breakfast and lunch I do the Windjammer. 😊😊😊
@@Brittanyb0509 definitely slower…we usually eat early at MDR, then check out buffet 😅
Only 69 more days to go until our very first cruise 🚢 with Royal Caribbean going on Independence of the sea to Coco Cay.
Enjoy 😊
I think you’ll love it. We’re going at the end of this month, and all we’ve ever cruised with is Royal. Love em!
I am SO jealous! Have a fabulous cruise!!! Remember, if the ship has a helipad, you can go there to see the sailaway. They have benches.
@@pharmatographistI’m going at the end of the month too.
@@kellyr4479 Sweet!! Have a great time!
I recently stayed in a suite on the Serenade of the Seas and had a standing room service order delivered to me each night. It was nice to come back from the bar, casino, show, etc and have some food show up. Just a little tip that you can have your concierge set this up more than likely. My concierge Christian did a great job of this for me. When you pay the extra for a suite, you should take advantage of the perks. Happy cruising.
My first cruise I used the Main Dining Room. The last 3 I’ve used the Windjammer. I prefer to go when I want and there are more choices. Even with my time dining there are long waiting times for seating. I’m glad there are so many options!
10:18 Vegan, and no-added sugar have icons on the menu in main dining (there's usually one of each), but other than that, they don't mark things like "is this vegetarian", so you may have to constantly ask staff -_-. It is also worth noting that they hardly serve nuts and other meat replacements with vitamins like B12.
Your videos are so informative! My husband and I will be on Independence in February!
This is awesome! I really wish all of these helpful videos were available when I started cruising.
In May Johnny Rockets was not free. dinner was $12.99 per person this was on the Harmony
Johnny Rockets is free but only for Breakfast (on oasis class ships). For lunch and dinner it will cost extra but on all oasis class ship including your ship breakfast is free
For food restrictions take some responsibility for yourself. Don't expect to tell the line before I can't eat this or I don't eat that and then expect them to take care of you.
Loving these videos on the dumb questions. Doing our first cruise out of Brisbane in December on Quantum of the Seas. Can you do a video on the shows/entertainment? What time do they start so you can plan dinner? Can you book? Etc, etc.
Thank you so much! I have food allergies and have been trying to let RC know. This is a HUGE help!😊
Good info as always. In addition to the Cruise Compass found on your site, you can find menus, in the App. by changing the date? You also find the compass. You don't need to bee booked on the sailing to review the info.
4:57 Worth noting: the official rules say a lot of things about not being allowed to bring food off the ship etc. I don't know if this is enforced elsewhere, but it definitely wasn't in Norway. Not when embarking nor when disembarking. We were quite stressed about how to deal with lunch on shore days, until we saw a bunch of people casually eating their windjammer muffin ashore.
Well done Matt. I shared this with my first time cruiser friend. 😎
I think you said Johnny Rockets is complimentary. It's $7.99 I think.
They have complimentary breakfast
@@KathyLofmyshipiscalling Only if they are open for breakfast. On Mariner OTS they did not have breakfast. :(
@@KathyLofmyshipiscallingonly on Oasis class ships
Be sure to check the time of your dining. When I booked my Allure cruise, early dining was set at 5:30pm. When I checked in, the app said 5:15pm. When I got on the ship and got my table assignment, dining changed to 5pm. I like eating early, so this was fine with me, but I heard some grumbling. I also noticed that when fixed dining people around me did not show up (I assumed they went to specialty dining or WJ) they placed MTD people there. So we often had new people around us each night.
5pm seems very early for at shore days. I like to have enough time to clean up and change before dinner after my excursions.
The best Cruise Blog. Excellent information. I will be going to my first cruise in January in Rapshody of the Seas with my wife and 12 years son.
Some quuestions. 1. Where I can find the exact Breakfast, lunch and dinner time. No information in the app or in the RC web site and the travel agent does not know. I need the exact time, since we are trying to book the excursions but we did not want to miss the lunch.
2. In relation to excursions in Cartegena, Aruba and Curazao any suggestions? The information in the RC app and in the website of RCC is very basic. Thanks in advance. God Bless.
Back on Royal in September!
We enjoyed sharing a table most of the time. It can be a bit hit and miss, but we made friends with a couple last year, stay in touch, and are sailing with them again next year.
In sharing a table with people who do not know on a cruise making friends is great a Reminder in what you say about others countries leave politics out of it you just don’t know how they made me feel about it, things going on in the World. Just keep it friendly, if you’re are a People Person.
😊
I'm old school when it comes to the dress code in the main dining room. Shorts, t-shirts and ball caps shouldn't be allowed.
Helpful. My only other cruise was on Disney and there is no main dining room. I did not know what it was on RCL.
Matt r u board out in the woods. Lol love your videos. U make them so fun
Can you book a specific time for the main dining room and choose not to go on a given night? Do you lose your future spots?
Excelente vacaciones en Royal Carribean agenda presente
I guess we've been pretty lucky because we usually pick My Time Dining and are seated at the same table with the same waiters every time. Probably because lot of ships you can book which nights you want to be in the Main Dining Room in advance.
It's nice, until you get the downside like I did. Reservation at 8:00; no table in that section at 8:00, tell me to sit down at a bench and they'll call me when a table is ready. At 8:45, 15 minutes before dining room close, I'm still waiting.
@@jeffreyclinard2002 yikes that would definitely be annoying and disappointing. Hope you have better future experiences with dining.
@@jeffreyclinard2002 Which ship?
@@lynneshapiro3248 Voyager of the Seas
In MTD, you MIGHT have the same waitstaff every night. Especially if you pre-book for the same time every night. But no guarantees.
Some of our best experiences are sitting with strangers, out of 9 cruises one one turned out less than fantastic
Can you get in the my time dining if you miss your dining time and don’t want windjammers for dinner?
I have the exact same question. I will be returning from an excursion after my set dining time and was wondering if I should book a specialty restaurant? For us the buffet is a nice option for lunch but helping myself for diner feels a bit too much like being at home :- )
Johnny Rockets was not included in my cruise fair when I sailed on Liberty last February. The MDR was good, not great, and the other complementary offerings were rather disappointing, including the buffet, and the pizza. Had I taken a longer cruise, I would have splurged for the specialty restaurants. They do seem affordable compared to land based dinning. Full disclosure, I spent about a decade in the food service industry, and am probably pickier than most.
My experience has been that the food is good not great in the MDR but, the reason I prefer it to the buffet is the experience. Being served several courses in a leiserly manner is nice. On my past cruises I felt very pampered by our two waiters. In fact it is one of the things that makes cruising special for me.
Is lunch and dinner complimentary at Johnny Rockets? On my August 2002 cruise, only breakfast was free.
Answer one: Just don't be like the person who asked for one of everything on the menu in the Dining Room (can't remember other details). The chef for the entire ship came out and said he wasn't doing it.
Is bringing a large bag of pre-popped popcorn on board allowed? not microwave popcorn. It is non-perishable but it is also a semi-homemade good. Reason asking, My last RC cruise I had a hard time finding freshly popped non microwave popcorn.
First cruise coming up in two weeks going on 7 night Greek isle any more pointers ?
Matt, when did Johnny Rockets become a free dining venue? Breakfast was free but not lunch and dinner. What ships are they free on?
Just breakfast is free
Dose the deluxe drink package work with room service?
I am going on my first cruise in a week on Navigator of the Seas. Last thing I am worried about is anything that has to do with food. I just want to enjoy and relax on my cruise!
35 minutes for dinner!? What ship was this!? Our shortes lt was maybe 1.5hrs...and thats because we had to speak up several of times
Going on my first cruise. What device do I need to charge my iPhone ? Normal 3 pin plug? uK 🇬🇧 thanks
Hi! If I have a fixed Time for dinner, could I change to My Time Dining?
Chino shorts on MD with a polo or a nice shirt?
Is there gluten-free pizza at Sorrento's or the Windjammer? TIA
I go on my first rc cruise in 16 days 😊is johny rocket free because I herd mix reviews
I’m Diamond, so I have cruised a lot. However on my last cruise I heard someone say their cruise friends (retired) show up to port without a booking and ask if there were any cancellations to see if they can get on for cheap. They said they have gotten on a few cruises that way and only had to pay port fees and taxes! Have you ever heard of that’s and/or a process to try it? My mom is flying out to visit me near Galveston and we figured we might as well try. Thanks for any advice or help. I know most of the time last minute cruises can be expensive
That used be the case before 9/11, now the cruise lines have to submit the passengers manifest to DHS for screening a certain number of hours (I.e. 24 to 48 hours, depending on MarSec level) before boarding. This is why they ask you to “check in” online and have your Sea Pass ready when you arrive at the port. One of things I know does work is to ask if there are “upgrades” available soon after sailing on boarding day, as just like flying, there will be people who do “miss the boat” and if the guest has confirmed they will not be catching up with the ship, they will sell you the upgrade for a reduced cost. We were able to upgrade from an inside to a balcony for a total of $200 dollars late last year, where the Royal Up wanted $300 more person for upgrades before cruise. We are Diamond Plus and my cousin was the Assistant Hotel director, currently on Allure in Galveston, but we were full paying guests and they didn’t know he was a family member until after our upgrade. We wanted a balcony, but we booked last minute, they were all sold out.
I know this is a dumb question but how is the water kept hot for everyone’s showers/laundry etc?
Johnny Rockets isn’t free. There is a flat fee of $6.95 and includes almost every item on the menu except shakes, ice cream, alcohol and soda.
I leave tomorrow on the Freedom of the Seas and the RC app says that Johnny Rockets is not free. Curious if it's free on other ships?
Hi Matt, Have a My Time Dining question for you: We have a cruise booked for Thanksgiving week (Nov 24-Dec 1) on Harmony OTS. When I went in to reserve My Time Dining this week, only 3 days are available, Thanksgiving Day not being one of them. With over 5 months until the cruise I was surprised to see that 4 days were unavailable for reservations. My opinion is that MDR is included with the cruise, so I should be able to dine there all 7 nights if I want to. Please let me know your thoughts on this. Do you think they will open up some more reservation times ? Will I end up in that forever line of people waiting to get in the MDR on Thanksgiving evening ?? I would really hate to end up in the Jammer for Thanksgiving Dinner......
Calling your customers dumb...brilliant!
I thought Johnny rocket was an extra charge as well, unless you have the dining package? In the video you said it was complementary.
For breakfast it's complimentary
Is it possible to assure table for two with My Time Dining?
We were assigned traditional dining at 7:30 p.m. What happens if we can't make it at that time? Can we still have a meal in the main dining room earlier or later than that? I wanted my time dining, but the system indicated there were no options available for that at the time of purchase. I think I checked something to be put on a wait list, but I may be misremembering that. I am worried about getting food if we're outside of that 7:30 time frame. We're going to Alaska and the port times are later.
For traditional, it's just that time. So if you can't make it, you're out of luck for a meal in the main dining room.
You could eat dinner in port, book a specialty restaurant, or fall back on the Windjammer.
I've heard of people showing up to the my time dining line and seeing if they'll take them. YMMV.
Is each floor of the MDR for a different dining time? Example: middle floor is for my time dining only.
That's how it was on Ovation last month. Two rooms for regular dining on one floor and two for My Time on the next floor. But it isn't a large room open in the center like some ships are.
Johnny Rockets included?? We have never found that to be true before, but have not cruised in the past few years (COVID canceled our last booking). Has it changed or does it depend on ship? We embark on Anthem Friday.
For breakfast only.
@@lynneshapiro3248For breakfast only on Oasis class ships. Closed for breakfast on our recent Liberty & Radiance cruises.
Is Johnny Rockets only sometimes complimentary? We ate lunch there one day on Allure and it was an added $10 per person charge. We didn't mind it, especially since it's one of my husband's favorite places in the world, but it's a little confusing seeing it on this list.
Saw another video say that they have a complimentary breakfast menu in the morning but everything else you pay for.
correct @@cutie3638
Johnny rockets is not included. You have to pay when you go there!
Since when is Johnny Rockets included????? We have always had to pay extra for it. I'm confused???
When did Johnny Rockets become "included"? The ships I have sailed on that had JR, eating there was an expense.
I was thinking much the same! It USED to be included, now (I think) only the breakfast menu there is included. Matt may be able to clarify this though....
Yes I think it’s ONLY breakfast service .:
@@williamwarren9448 I was on the Mariner recently. JR did not have breakfast on that ship during our cruises. Can't say about the bigger ships.
@@jackmortimer329 I am thinking allure of the seas … your right I am not at all sure about different ships !
Is there access to food 24 hours a day? Is the buffet open 24 hours? What kinda of foods are served at 2 and 3 am?
Room service is available 24 hrs. Pizza is served late
I heard recently that they have put some restrictions on what you order in TMDR. Like if you want two apps instead of an entree you have to finish one before they bring the other. Can anyone confirm or dispute this? Also, my cruise for October says My time dining. When will I be able to change that? I did not have an option when I booked.
I was on mariner in June. They brought all items I ordered when it was time to eat them
Earlier this year we did a Panama Canal & Columbia cruise on Radiance and the MDR was very strict on having to finish your first choice entree before they brought out our “shared” by the table entree. This was when they had just introduced the new themed menus and did away with the always available entrees. I gave them a bad review on MDR dining experience and told them I felt like we were treated like the mean grade school lunch ladies who wouldn’t let us eat the cookie until we ate our vegetables. Haven’t cruised on Royal since then. Last two cruises were on Celebrity and Cunard.
@@BiggRude02 thank you for the info
@@MB-uy5kh thank you for the info. Really hoping it is not like that in October.
10 days until I board freedom of the seas
Just watch questions about dinning , Matt said Johnny Rockets was complementary . So why is there a $ on the app next to Johnny Rockets
I dislike sitting with strangers.
Might be a dumb question but are all non-alcoholic drinks free at the mdr?
Some. Soda and juice, no. Water, coffee, tea, yes
If you’re going to spend so much on a cruise, why not go to the specialty restaurants? The free ones look mediocre.
Do I have to tip the bionic bartender?
What’s the deal with Royal not running any Oasis Class ships out of Florida during Summer ‘24 other than Wonder of the Seas? Feels like price gouging.
I thought Johnny Rockets charged a fee?
No such thing as a dumb question. 😂
“Remember there are no stupid questions, just stupid people” - Mr Garrison, South Park 😂
I don't think Johnny Rockets is free
For breakfast on oasis class ships it’s free
this guy talks so fast i cannot understand half of what he is saying, for a information channel this is terriable
You can adjust the play-back speed and you can play the video multiple times to understand what he is saying. Many people have the same comment. When I miss something I just go back to that section and play it again.
Not fond of not being able to understand the last three words of your sentences. You speak TOO fast and are hard to understand!