"LeeNY" wrote:
>
>Rosalie B. wrote:
>
>> The dentist didn't like the ship. He said there were only 2 dining rooms
>> and the menu was the same in them, and that you couldn't go to the buffet
>> in shorts - had to wear long pants and a shirt with a collar. He said the
>> food was all overcooked.
>
>Sounds like the dentist didn't do much research before sailing. Royal
>Caribbean still offers traditional dining - set dining times and
>tables, set menus for the traditional dining room(s). Perhaps his TA
>should have assessed the dentist's expectations and steered him to a
>cruiseline/ship that more closely suited his needs. If he was looking
>for more flexibility in his dining options, he might have been happier
>on NCL.
He didn't complain specifically about having set meal times. And I suspect
he took the only ship sailing out of Baltimore, because he thought that it
would be easier to get to. Not specifically for the destination, but for
the port of embarkation. He may also have taken it because it was a 5 day
cruise.
He probably did not think of investigating Norfolk or Philadelphia. Of
course Philadelphia is 100 miles farther north from Baltimore, and
Baltimore is at least 90 miles from us where we are, but Norfolk is
probably only a little farther south than Baltimore is north.
>
>As far as buffet restaurant dress codes, I think they request shirts
>and/or bathing suit cover-ups, and shoes, at least during the day. I've
>not noticed a specific dress code for evenings at the buffet, but,
>again, he did select a crulseline/ship that follows a specific dress
>code for each evening, at least in the formal dining room. They very
>well might ask for a collared shirt and long pants in the evening. A
>polo shirt and a pair of dockers hardly seems like a big deal...but I
>don't mind the dress-up aspect of a cruise.
>
>I hope you and your husband understand that the Maasdam (and HAL) leans
>more towards the traditional - set dining times, same table, same
>waitstaff, same tablemates each night. I don't know, off the top of my
>head, if the Maasdam has two traditional dining rooms or one, but if it
>has two, both dining rooms will have the same menu each night. Each
>night's menu will be different, though. You're not looking at the same
>menu every night. Of course you can always opt for the buffet or room
>service for your meals, but the traditional dining room(s), in my
>opinion, has better food.
Yes, I do know that HAL has traditional set dining times. I am a little
nervous myself about the same table companions each night.
Maasdam seems to have an upper and lower dining room, with an early and a
late seating, but they also appear to have the Pinnacle Grill (probably
extra price), the Lido buffet and the Terrace Grill which is near the pool
with the roof.
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