Declining Service in MDR?

[Pinkgurlshubby]

We've been on 3 cruises and our last was a 3 day on the Wonder and our servers were awkward. They tried but honestly looked out of place like they were not ready to be in on their own in the MDR. We were really not impressed our first night that we skipped the next night and they kept questioning us the next night when we returned to the point we couldn't wait for diner to be over so we could leave. We have a 4 day Dream coming up in July and already decided we most likely be skipping the MDR. The menu's don't change except for poolside pizza that is now just glorified big crackers with cheese and sauce anyways. We always hoped to get gold status but it's not going to happen this will be our last DCL cruise. They have gotten too expensive and priced themselves out of our wallet.

 

[Trera]

I wonder if they are training new cast members on the Fantasy more these days with all of these reports of average service?

 

[kiford]

We had really good servers in January on the Fantasy. One night the other two couples at our table both had dinner at Palo and our servers modified our table so that DH and I could sit at a 4-top table instead of the 8-top we normally had so that we wouldn't feel like we were sitting at a giant table all alone. I thought it was a really nice touch.

 

[Quellman]

We had really good servers in January on the Fantasy. One night the other two couples at our table both had dinner at Palo and our servers modified our table so that DH and I could sit at a 4-top table instead of the 8-top we normally had so that we wouldn't feel like we were sitting at a giant table all alone. I thought it was a really nice touch.

One of our favorite memories was the night when our dining mates unexplicably did not show up. So it was just my wife and I at a huge 8 top table. Granted we might have spent some time visiting some of the libation establishments that night for a pre dinner pick me up, but our server team really made a show of it and was super special for us. Difference between us and you is that at least you knew your mates weren't going to be there!

 

[MickeyD]

We just got back from the 2/8-2/15 Fantasy and this is the first time in 10 cruises that I felt awkward with our dining room team. They weren't bad, they just were rushed, or they made themselves rushed. We would sit there with dirty plates for quite a while and no drink refills. They did not interact with us on any kind of a personal level. It was really off-putting and we ended up not attending dinner on three of the nights because I did not feel like sitting there feeling uncomfortable. We did dine in Cabanas one night and other than the annoying lady behind us, had a marvelous meal with a great server!

 

[superret]

We were just on the 2/17 Wonder and noticed a lot of the observations written here. Servers felt very rushed. We hardly interacted with them. On one dinner, our appetizers arrived before our drinks. For announcements, server stood between us and the next table to talk to both of us to save time. The server also didn't try to interact with the kids with "magic" or riddles. We did notice other tables servers doing it, just not ours.

We always compare our servers with the servers on our first cruise in 2016 and no one has matched or beat them so far.

 

[TracyC.]

We just came back from Magic MDAS 2/15-2/20 and the serving team was one of the best we've had (6 cruises so far, so not as many as a lot of folks on here). They were caring, super-detailed, and spent time with the kids doing crayon puzzles (although we solved the first few very fast as they were repeats from previous years), so they actually went to learn puzzles from other serving teams to try and stump us, or other activities every night. And this was during main dining, not second seating. We've only had one team (on the Wonder last year) that was not fantastic, and that was because the server had a cold and was seasick (we were trying to sail around a hurricane). We chalked it up to the cold and hurricane, but was disappointed to see that he only really turned it on the final night when it came time for the survey speech.

 

[bakerworld]

Our first cruise we attended the first MDR rotation and skipped the rest because of the server. It took us a long time to try another cruise. Our next DCL MDR was a completely different experience. It wasn't until this last cruise that we had rushed service and we discounted it because that was totally our fault as we were constantly late for one reason or another.

 

[tnd]

We were on last week's Fantasy sailing and, as much as I hate to say it, we had probably the lowest level of MDR service we have had in 10 cruises. It was just simple things like drinks not getting refilled, cocktails not being delivered after ordered, never got bread one night until I asked about it after everything was ordered. It sounds so picky, I know, and I consider myself to be pretty low maintenance, but it just seemed that every night, something seemed to be missing. It's the first time I marked "very good" instead of "excellent" rating on the comment card.

We were on the same sailing and felt the same way. It was our third cruise over the President's Day week and definitely our lowest level of service.

 

[AquaDame]

Our servers are always a little detached with us - I assume because we have no children and request our own table so we may seem like we want alone time. I've been enjoying it less and less as we cruise because I also like different things on the menu and they've mostly stuck with their dishes for as long as we've been cruising (I'll never forget you, baked Alaska!).

This cruise was the first time we not only got the survey spiel from our server and head server AND host, but also had both servers stress over and over that if you comment on the food being poor that reflects badly on them as they could have gotten us something else. Trading an overcooked filet of salmon for overcooked pork isn't going to solve anything... I even had some very overdone seafood in Palo this time which was much more shocking. A couple of cruises ago I requested the curry they can bring out as I had heard how good it was, but honestly it was very generic - kind of like canned spaggheti o's of masala. Unless the servers can pull a Remy and bring out something on a whim thats different, delicious and has a better ratio of vegetables to protein its not going to help matters. But then, you also can't just NOT fill out the survey either as that also reflects poorly on them... I hate the survey. There I said it.

 

[2XPCV]

We've had the same experience, though our last team on the Magic was great. That being said, we were told by the servers that they had cut staff and reorganized some of the responsibilities of the Asst Servers so that it was much harder for them and much more rushed. They themselves were great, though, so no complaints, but we could very much see that there was definitely more running around by all.

 

[2bluesandapink]

We’ve been on the Wonder once and the Dream two times, we’ve NEVER been wowed by the serving staff. Our first duo was so terrible and awkward that we requested we not have them on the next cruise. They said they couldn’t guarantee it but would put a note in.
I’ve always been happy with the food though.

 

[ColoradoMom12]

Our NYE cruise (2019/20) on the Dream was our first so I have nothing to compare it to. I felt like there was a lot of running around and hurrying from both our server as well assistant server. I suppose other people might call it rushed. It worked for us. We’re fast eaters, we don’t eat a lot, and my daughter doesn’t like to sit through long meals. I did find all of the talk about the survey annoying, though. It was mentioned to me almost every night, not by my server (who mentioned it once on the last night) but by the head server who followed me out of the dining room one night (because we finished before he had stopped by our table) to remind me yet again about the survey, lol.

 

[Trera]

We have had serving teams that do magic tricks, origami and brain teasers for the kids. Sometimes they have some trivia that they might bring up. I think we had one server made a mouse or something similar by folding up a cloth napkin and then made it look like it was jumping out of his arms when he held it. These used to be the kinds of things that we looked forward to as well as chatting with the server here and there during the meal.

On our last 2 cruises, we haven't seen anything like described above. As others have said, they were mostly rushed with getting food and drinks for all of their tables.

 

[MK2thcleaner]

We were on the 2/8 fantasy and we felt the same about our service team. Maybe the worst we have had in 22 cruises

We were in the 2/8 Fantasy on our 5th DCL voyage and had the best service we've ever had. We prefer 2nd seating, not sure if that matters at all. Akshay and Bob were fantastic. I will say there were many empty tables in our area several nights, so maybe we were able to get more personal service. He gave us port advice, showed us magic tricks and mental games. We were thoroughly entertained and served quickly. I guess it just depends on your team.

 

[detroitdad]

My approach as well. The first time it comes up, I indicate that after (now) 19 cruises on DCL, we understand the system, and one measure of excellent service is not having to listen to the reminders about the survey that we will complete at the end of the cruise. Also, I will let them know if anything is not to our satisfaction, so they don’t have to ask again if everything is okay. This approach seems to be working for us.

We always try to address it before it even comes up by saying that we know how important the surveys are at the end of the cruise. Please know that if you take good care of us, we will take good care of you so no need to worry about the "excellent" speech. Has always worked well for us and the servers seem to breathe a sigh of relief and can be themselves around us.

 

[mouthdoc]

Just off the Wonder this a.m. in New Orleans. I, too, noticed the servers seemed to be... rushed? overworked? too much on their plates? (pun intended). Maybe, as a previous poster said, their duties have been changed. Maybe more tables to cover? I don't know. At any rate, our servers were excellent, both in the MDRs and Palo. One mentioned the survey on the last night as we were walking out. They were all very attentive and truly wanted us to be happy. The food in Palo was, as usual, exceptional. The food in the MDRs was, as usual, good to very good, with some excellent and some misses. Our ninth DCL cruise and our servers were some of the best we have had. We loved the Tiana's Place menu as well.

 

[isabellea]

Easy solution to the asking for good surveys. I tell them if they continue to ask they will get low marks

That is what I'm planning on doing. I hate pushy sale pitches and will often rate lower when I get them.

 

[spiders]

I got off the Wonder last month on a 7 night. I thought they did wonderfully (pun intended). I bought my kids the pirate night cups and then forgot to take them with us. The next morning, my wife was at Cabana's, and one our servers spotted her, walked up to her and told her that he gave the cups to guests services. We left him a little extra.

 

[lilsonicfan]

I strongly dislike the fact that commenting on the food somehow reflects on the servers, and I said as much in my survey (in an attached sheet) - I think it does a tremendous disservice to all involved.