Are you going on a cruise? One of the best parts of cruising is the luxurious dining experience in the main dining room—fancy white tablecloths, bread baskets, attentive servers, and amazing food. However, many cruisers make common mistakes that can spoil their dining experience and, in turn, their cruise experience.
Cruise Main Dining Room Mistakes
1. Ordering a Complicated Cocktail for Dinner
One common mistake I’ve noticed people make when dining at the main restaurant is ordering complicated drinks or cocktails for dinner. I must admit, I’m guilty of this myself since I want to get my money’s worth out of the beverage package. However, time and again, I’ve realized that ordering a complicated drink takes an eternity and often doesn’t taste as good as when you order from the bar.
The reason for this is that your assistant server will either have to make the drink or go to a different location to get it, which can result in a subpar drink that takes too long to get to your table. So, my advice is to avoid ordering complicated cocktails and get them from the bar instead! This way, you’ll enjoy a well-made drink and without the long wait.
2. Not Knowing You Can Order as Much as You Can
Many first time cruisers don’t realize that they can order as much food as they want in the main dining room. Instead, they think they are limited to only a 3 course dinner. The truth is, the food is unlimited!
So, if you see 2 appetizers that you like, go ahead and order them both. You can also order multiple main courses.
What I usually do is order two appetizers and one main course and split another main course with my husband. Fortunately, the portions are not so big, so ordering more than three courses is manageable.
3. Not Coordinating Dishes as a Table
One common mistake many cruisers make is not coordinating their food order as a table. By that, I mean that it’s a good idea to discuss with everyone at the table how many appetizers and entrees they are planning to order.
For example, if everyone decides to order two appetizers and one entree, then everyone should do the same. If you are the only person at the table with one appetizer and one entree, you will end up waiting when everyone else is having that extra appetizer.
You want to make sure that everyone is in sync and has the same number of courses. Trust me, I’ve been there in my earlier days as a cruiser and wished I had ordered an extra course so that I didn’t have to sit there and watch other people eat.
4. Not Making Dinner Reservations
One of the most common mistakes cruisers make if they are on anytime dining is not making dinner reservations. If you don’t make dinner reservations, you’ll end up standing in line for a table. And during peak dinner hours, the wait can be painfully long. In general, expect to wait 20 to 30 minutes for a table, longer if you are a big group.
It’s best to make reservations for every day of your cruise as soon as you board the ship. I know that it can be difficult to commit to a specific dinner time, but you can estimate your dining time based on your daily activities. Trust me, this small effort will save you from the hassle of standing in line for a table!
5. Missing the Big Nights
It’s important to find out when the big nights are on your cruise, such as Captain’s Dinner and Farewell Dinner. These special evenings are when the main dining room serves the best food, with premium dishes like lobster and surf and turf, as well as fancier desserts like baked Alaska.
On these big nights, the servers might even do a line dance or march out with your baked Alaska dessert! It’s always a fun and entertaining evening!
Don’t miss out on these big nights, make sure you are dining at the main dining room and not at a specialty restaurant or the buffet. The main dining room is where you’ll want to be!
6. Not Having a Backup Plan
It’s always a good idea to have a few backup dishes, just in case you don’t find anything you like on the menu. On most cruises, the main dining room menu rotates daily based on a specific theme, but there are a few dishes that are offered every night.
I suggest testing out some of the dishes offered daily, so you know which ones you like. They can be your backup dishes in case you are not happy with any of the dishes on the rotating menu.
For example, if there’s nothing particularly appealing on the menu that day, my backup order is usually Shrimp Cocktail, French Onion Soup and New York strip steak!
7. Not Telling Your Server About Food Allergies
If you have food allergies, it’s important to tell your server on the first day of your cruise. They will make food that are safe for you to eat without any risk of cross-contamination. You will be able to place your order in advance so that the dish can be prepared exclusively for you.
For example, my son has a nut allergy, and we always receive the menu ahead of time. We go through the menu for the next day and place his order. This way, he gets his food specially prepared, and it’s safe for him to eat without cross contamination.
8. Not Selecting Traditional Dining if You’re a Big Group
If you’re a big group, you need to select traditional dining so that you will be assigned a set dinner time, a set table, and the same waiter. Otherwise, you will regret choosing anytime dining because, trust me, you are a big group- there will be a long wait to be seated!
9. Not Making Dinner Reservations if You’re a Big Group
Another common mistake that people make when cruising with a big group is they don’t make dinner reservations if they are on anytime dining. If you’re traveling with a large group, it’s really important to book dinner reservations ahead of time.
You can’t just show up and expect to get a table for your party. First of all, it’s harder to get a table for a big group, and you’ll end up waiting for a long time to be seated. You may even end up having to split your group up just so you can get seated sooner.
Imagine having to deal with this long wait every single evening! Save yourself from the hassle and make your main dining room dinner reservation for every day of the cruise.
10. Arriving Late for Dinner
One common mistake people make is arriving to dinner late. I admit that I’ve been guilty of this many times before, showing up late to my 6:00 pm dinner time. The issue with this is that you will feel rushed because they have another party coming in.
This can make it difficult to truly relax and enjoy your dinner. To avoid this, I suggest that if you’re running late, skip the main dining room and head to the buffet instead. This way, you can still enjoy your dinner without feeling pressured and rushed.
Cruise Essentials
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Cruise Lanyard
Bring cruise lanyards; to make your life easier so you are not constantly looking for your cruise card!
Towel Bands
Towel bands are great in keeping your beach towels in place! So, they are slipping off the pool lounge chairs!
Power Strip
Definitely bring a cruise-approved power strip so you have more outlets for charging your devices. Cruise cabins never have enough outlets! Please double-check with your cruise line, as some do not allow power strips and will only allow USB charger cubes.
Packing Cubes
Use packing cubes to make cruise packing easier. These cubes will help keep your clothes organized. Unpacking is easy because you just need to take the cubes out of your luggage and put them in the drawers and shelves—so easy! Assign a color for each person in your cabin so you don’t get your cubes mixed up.
Anti-Theft Cross Body Bag
This anti-theft crossbody bag is perfect for travel. It features a slash-resistant design and RFID-blocking technology for added security. It even comes with a side pocket to hold your water bottle.
Luggage Tags
For safety, make sure every luggage and bags are labeled with a luggage tag. I like these custom luggage tags that you can order and personalize with your information.
Passport Neck Wallet
Keep your passport and other travel documents safe in this passport neck wallet.
Magnetic Hooks
Bring magnetic hooks to organize your cabin and keep it clutter-free. These hooks are for hanging baseball caps, cruise lanyards, goggles, bathing suits and towels.
Detergent Travel Packets
These detergent travel packets are great for handwashing bathing suits in the sink.
Anti-Seasickness
This anti-seasickness medicine is a go-to to combat seasickness on a cruise. If you have kids, make sure you bring the chewable version. If you are looking for a natural solution, try these acupressure bands.
Hanging Toiletry Bag
Cruise cabin sinks are notoriously small. Get a hanging toiletry bag to make it easier!
Cruise Travel Planner Printable
Get our comprehensive cruise travel planners to stay organized before and during your cruise. It includes pre-cruise and post-cruise itineraries, a cruise port planner, sea days planner, packing lists, cruise budget tracker and more!
- Caribbean Cruise Travel Planner (30 pages)
- Alaska Cruise Travel Planner (28 pages)
- Mediterranean Cruise Travel Planner (30 pages)
- Mexico Cruise Travel Planner (30 pages)
- Baltic Cruise Travel Planner (29 pages)
- British Isle Cruise Travel Planner (29 pages)
- Bermuda Cruise Travel Planner (29 pages)
- Bahamas Cruise Travel Planner (30 pages)
Cruise Travel Insurance
It’s smart to always buy cruise travel insurance. Get a quote for CFAR (Cancel for Any Reason) if you are going on a cruise during hurricane season.
Wrinkle Releaser
Keep your clothes wrinkle-free and odor-free with these travel size Downy wrinkle releaser.
Shore Excursions
Cruise shore excursions are expensive, I suggest doing a quick price comparison with Viator to see if you can get the same tour for less.
Get Your Free Cruise Port Day Bag Packing List
Sign up once and you will get access to ALL exclusive content on this website. After unlocking the printable, just save the printable image and then print it. Use it as a checklist to pack your cruise port bag so you don’t forget anything! I hope you like it!
Check out these free cruise printables
12 Things You Should Never Do at a Cruise Buffet
10 Food I’ll Never Eat at a Cruise Buffet
14 Important Things to Do on Cruise Disembarkation (Free Checklist)