15 Cruise DINING ROOM MISTAKES To Avoid (We've Made Them ALL!)

The main dining room on a cruise is one of the highlights of many people's vacations. The elegant atmosphere, the exquisite food, and amazing service that are all included in your cruise fare rival dining out on land. However, if you treat it like a restaurant back home, you may inadvertently make some serious mistakes. So I'll go over 15 big cruise dining mistakes and what to do to avoid them.

These cruise dining room mistakes are great to know for first time cruisers and seasoned cruisers alike. We've made all these mistakes over our 15 years of cruising so we're here to help out rookie cruisers to know mistakes to avoid on a cruise ship.

👉 A lot more content coming. Subscribe for more cruising tips and helpful info!

🛳️ 🛳️ 🛳️
🛳️ 🛳️ 🛳️

[CruisingKat]

Do you have any other dining room tips to add to this list? Add them below! 😊

[AliceelSutton]

Thanks for the information. I like a table for one when I travel solo. I don’t like sitting for 2 hours eating. I feel it’s impolite to just get up and leave while others are still eating. I know I can say “excuse me” and leave. However, I don’t like that approach either. I don’t want to all 3 meals in windjammer. I did request a single table once on Royal and they accommodated me.

[willcooper]

The probability is very high, if you travel as a couple, that you'll be seated next to another couple in the MDR-at their tables inches away. And at least one of those couples is going to want to have the dinner experience of having conversation. Especially if both couples appear to be close in age to each other. The specialty restaurant is the best bet for a truly private meal.

[elnamayberry]

If the main dining room is busy, you don't want to follow the more formal dress code, or you want to make a specific show time, the buffet is always an option. Some of the theme nights are very good and you can get in and out quickly!

[melodymills]

Love your videos. I will often order two starters with my dinner (especially if I am skipping dessert).

[AndrewB..]

I think for us it'll just be easier to hit the buffet for food, but we'll have to try yhe dining room at least once! Great video as always Kat!

[thereissomecoolstuff]

Like and agree with most of your points. If you are a new cruiser I strongly recommend sitting with others. The other guests are very happy to share tips and recommendations to you. Has saved us time and money over the years. Also points out the best excursions.

[taj]

I wish I knew this before our recent cruise! While booking we chose a set dining time 7:30 PM, that was our first mistake. It was a really uncomfortable match of table mates. If we had chosen the anytime dining it would have been easily remedied by going either earlier or later to avoid that situation. We then only went to the main dining one additional time. Looking back I should of asked to change our reservation while on the ship.

[latebloomerabroad]

I'm cruising with my sisters and brother in-law next month, and it'll be the first time I eat at a table for 4. I've always wanted to be at big tables so that I could talk to people and maybe find people I want to hang out with.

[pw-szds]

I always miss the shows because I fail to schedule my dining accordingly. Luckily, I’m not a “have to see the show” kind of person. But still, I need to do better.

[jfminton]

Dining is a real issue for me. I don't like eating at 5 or 5:30 and 8 is too late. We end up doing flexible dining however reservations are no longer being taken for the free style dining.

[marilynnkadan]

I hearing few dys later. Oceania calls 'country clb casual ' i like wear dresses often & good slacks/nice top. The 7pm>7:30 can get up to 9pm show if you tell waiter at start. I sometimes at table ask/get dessert sent to room like 10:45 or so. I then dont have to call room service

[beautifulflorida]

Thank you very much for sharing! Great recommendations! Like 178

[fiestygurlizme]

I’m never up in time for breakfast in the MDR.

[harlanabraham]

Don't really like meeting new people. But, have met some really nice new people in the dining room. If they don't give me my desired dining time then there is always the buffet. Almost every night is Western Night for me. There is always the buffet. My wife always tried to be punctual. On most cruises I usually ask for them to make a Moussaka. Cunard makes it the worst. Celebrity the best. But, that was when Celebrity was Greek owned. I like breakfast on cruise ships. One thing I do is tuck my napkin in behind my shirt so that it covers my chest. My wife used to make fun of it until she had food dropping on her dress and making a mess. It saved many shirts of mine too.

[mrjason]

I like wearing my fake tuxedo shirt to formal dining

[uncaboat]

My wife and I don't even _own_ Black Tie Clothes anymore, and we're not gonna go buy them just to use them once or twice on the cruise, then hand them off to Good Will.

If they won't let us in with T shirt and Jeans, we'll just have to find some other place to eat. _Their loss!!_ Cruise ships generally have many eating options.