Turning down food at dinner?

[Gdes1]

Our last cruise was over 10 years ago, so maybe the portions have changed. Basically, we are not huge eaters. If I remember correctly, dinner was an appetizer, then soup/salad, then main/entree, then dessert. Or maybe app and soup/salad were all in one. And it was carefully timed...you could tell they had the galley ready to bring out only the apps, then so on and so forth. And I understand that's the only way they can feed thousands at once.

Anyway, sometimes we did have all four courses. Sometimes we would want to skip the app because that night's list wasn't our favorites and we were saving room for mains that were, etc. And the servers somehow took this to mean we didn't like the choices and would do things like bring out one of EVERY app to try and find something we liked. And then we just felt worse because many of them are wearing name tags from places known for having starving people and we couldn't finish all of that food (but would try).

So, questions:
1) Do they still serve that much food or are the portions such that 3-4 courses is manageable?
2) Has anyone found a polite and effective way to skip courses here and there?

Thanks!

 

[PrincessShmoo]

Our last cruise was over 10 years ago, so maybe the portions have changed. Basically, we are not huge eaters. If I remember correctly, dinner was an appetizer, then soup/salad, then main/entree, then dessert. Or maybe app and soup/salad were all in one. And it was carefully timed...you could tell they had the galley ready to bring out only the apps, then so on and so forth. And I understand that's the only way they can feed thousands at once.

Anyway, sometimes we did have all four courses. Sometimes we would want to skip the app because that night's list wasn't our favorites and we were saving room for mains that were, etc. And the servers somehow took this to mean we didn't like the choices and would do things like bring out one of EVERY app to try and find something we liked. And then we just felt worse because many of them are wearing name tags from places known for having starving people and we couldn't finish all of that food (but would try).

So, questions:
1) Do they still serve that much food or are the portions such that 3-4 courses is manageable?
2) Has anyone found a polite and effective way to skip courses here and there?

Thanks!

I just say "I only want an entree (or a couple of apps) tonight." And, if they bring out something not ordered to "just give it a try", I will usually say "no, thank you."

I've also ordered "Just one baked potato, please."

 

[cvjw]

We are also not big eaters. I think servers are used to people wanting a lot of food, and don’t know what to do with people who don’t. We have had servers bring us out extras, and I am happy to try anything brought out to me.

We have had our favorite server on the last 5 or 6 cruises. He knows to not take it personally, I just don’t eat that much.

 

[Travel60]

I only order what I want - often either a salad OR an appetizer, then an entree. Sometimes I order both an appetizer and a salad and say "no entree". Sometimes they ask me about timing but I've never noticed a timing problem.

 

[AquaDame]

For us there has indeed been a shift in attitude; our first couple cruises servers were more pushy with food, but that has decreased. Either they do it less generally or I have a mark in my file..

 

[LorrieAnn5]

We just spent 6 nights on Magic. Our servers were Michael & Lau. The only thing we got that we didn't order were two chicken tenders with my son's kids meal.
There were nights that my husband only ordered an entree and he was never pressured for apps (even when I ordered an app, soup, and salad!)
My husband only ordered dessert 2 of the 6 nights. We were never brought extra desserts.

 

[Ralph&Pam]

We find the appetizer and soup/salad choices to be a reasonable size. Even at that, one or both of us might order only an app or a soup/salad as a single starter, plus an entree. I find many of the desserts contain chocolate, which I avoid because of the caffeine and DW is gluten free, so dessert choices can be somewhat limited. Frequently its some variety of crème brûlée, which is not a favorite.

Our servers have usually figured out our dining habits, so the timing of courses works out okay. It can still take longer than it should, particularly if we have only one starter rather than two and also depending on how many tables/diners the serving team has and how efficiently they work. We notice that the appetizer course and the soup/salad course are usually brought from the kitchen together, and may be served in either order to get the hot food on the table while it’s still at serving temperature. If I order both a chilled appetizer and one of the soups, they may serve the soup first. Sometimes this just happens and sometimes the server will ask if that’s okay.

 

[LAS2AMS]

We've never been pressured into ordering anything on any cruise (any cruiseline) I've been on. Many times one of us has ordered, for example, a Caesar salad and asked for it to be served alongside the other mains. Servers are use to this. And many people on DCL, especially on longer cruises, skip over dessert as it still serves old school, highly caloric (but very tasty!) options that have more calories than the apps and main combined.

 

[kiford]

I rarely eat dessert; sometimes, I'll have a liqueur instead. Sometimes salad and appetizer and sometimes just one or the other, either because I'm not hungry or not much appeals to me. I usually find that our servers get that cadence after the first day or so. I might make a point that I'm not big on desserts and they get that pretty quickly. I've never had anyone try to push anything more on me - offer, yes, but not push. Mostly, they just want to be sure that you're happy with dinner and that they're not missing something.

 

[Clarkson U]

I have found telling the servers I am not that hungry today and I really want to save room for XYZ Entree or ABC dessert always does the trick.

We often have skipped some courses - like we just order a salad and then entree or a soup and salad and then skip to dessert etc. Depends on what we like on the menu. Hasn't been an issue and the portions are not as big as they were 10 years ago.

 

[DCLMP]

The portions aren't that big. The appetizers are normally just a couple of bites. You don't have to clean your plate I rarely do, but I like to try something from each course.
I'm not sure why you would feel pressured into anything.

 

[Cfabar1]

On a recent cruise our dining team definitely tried to guilt trip me into eating dessert. Most evenings I just said no thank you... I'm a picky dessert eater so many of the times nothing was appealing to me.

 

[auntlynne]

Honesty. And clear communication - politely.

Maybe you just look like you need to eat. Not me, so maybe that’s why I don’t get extra, unrequested food. ☺

We also request things like, “don’t wait to bring out the other person’s next course, as I am a slow eater.”

“Tonight I”m only having apps (or entree, whatever).” You can mix and match any combination of items. Always available are things like regular salad, Caesar salad, various fruits. Some people order more than one order of an app to serve as the entree. I sometimes order two different soups.

I have said “the food’s fine, I’m just full now.” Because I was.

 

[ttintagel]

You don't have to be a "huge eater" or a "big eater" to eat an entire meal. It's OK to say that you're a light eater or have a small appetite.

 

[Bad Pink Tink 2.0]

On my second cruise last year I decided to skip the soup each evening. Instead I had 2 appetizers. I told my server before ordering that I would be doing this and to bring both the appetizers at the same time. It worked out well for me and no issues any night. I was a solo cruiser on a private table.

 

[Flossbolna]

Honesty. And clear communication - politely.

This is what has worked best for us. We try to communicate our expectations clearly so they know what we want. Servers want that excellent rating and knowing what the guest wants helps them to actually do an excellent job.

I would not want multiple additional dishes that i didn’t order either, so the first time this happens I would just let them know that I appreciate their idea, but that I would prefer to get only what I ordered.

Anecdotally I would say however that servers are less likely to pressure you into more food than they did in the past. On my last cruises I seem to have seen fewer tables with multiple entrees than 10 years ago.

 

[ladyofthetramp]

I agree-in the past, servers had a tendency to offer you the whole menu. Not so much anymore. My husband orders each course. I pick and choose what I like or feel like eating. No issues. They keep bringing him courses and when they overlap, they bring mine. I find, if anything, they are more pushy about dessert. I wouldn't worry, order what you like. Politely let them know that is your preference if it seems to be an issue. I find being honest and upfront with your servers is best. That way they know they are giving you service that meets your needs.

 

[enzy65]

We order each course, my husband eats it all. I eat about half of each item because I don’t want to be so full. Server usually asks if the food is ok, I just explain I don’t want to over do it. They never ask again.

 

[Geomom]

They've never brought extra food to our table, other than maybe an extra dessert. We order what we want. DD24 doesn't eat that much and will say that, or say she's saving room for dessert. Be honest. And it's definitely not soup, salad, entree, dessert. I don't often get soup, but I will get a couple appetizers that sound interesting, including a salad, they're small for the most part.

 

[Donalddidwhat…?!]

We’ve been on 5 family cruises (4 Carnival, 1 DCL - 3 Carnival before lockdown, and DCL and Carnival after) since Dec. of ‘17.
At dinner on the first night of our first cruise, I saw there was no lobster (I love it, but rarely have it) on the menu, and asked our server if/when it might be. With a smile, he assured me it would be on the menu the next night.
He/they (we had the same team of 3 servers all 6 nights) already knew what I would be ordering that second night, and when our entrees came, he put 2 plates of the lobster (with 3 grilled shrimp on rice each) in front of me…!!!!!
That night (I had no clue, previously ) was when I realized I could request as much or as little food as I liked…!!!
So, along with all that, I ended up killing 2 Long Island Iced Teas, 2 fried oyster apps, and a slice of cherry cheesecake…!!!

Some things of note…
• That second night on our first cruise was the only time I/we ever had any food put in front of us that wasn’t requested.
• Most of the food (not all) on our post lockdown Carnival cruise was of noticeably lesser quality, although portion size seemed the same. The food on our previous Carnival cruises was of surprisingly good quality, and as good as DCL, in our opinion.
• I have no pre-lockdown DCL cruise to compare the food to, but we had no complaints, as it was all delicious, and the portions were good. But, oddly enough to me anyway, there was no lobster on the menu during that 5-day cruise.
• And, lastly, I don’t eat nearly like the above described in my daily life, otherwise I probably wouldn’t be here to post this…!!!!!