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As Far As Service Is Concerned, How Do You Rate Royal's Bar Service In The Various Restaurant Venues?


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While I'm always very very satisfied with the friendliness and professionalism of Royal's servers in the various Restaurant venues, I've found far too often, that it takes entirely too long for an adult beverage to be obtained and I don't blame the servers.  It seems that many, if not most, restaurants don't have their own bar, the servers have to go to a neighboring venue or behind the scenes bar to get adult beverages and if that venue is very busy, which they usually are during evening meal hours, the server has to wait and wait.  Now, don't get me wrong, I know that your mileage may very.  But, for example, in the Coastal Kitchen, on the Ovation a few weeks ago (this is just one example of one ship, there are others), the servers had to go to the Windjammer bar, I didn't even know there was such a thing, to get my Bloody Mary or Kraken Dark and Horne,,,,, oops, I mean Stormy.  The Chop's Grill seemed to take way too long as well, usually.  The drinks always show up with fresh ice or not watered down, so it's not the server taking his/her time.  I'm not complaining or pissed or demanding something happen to anyone of the crew, not at all.  I just think there could be a better way to quickly serve adult beverages.  Yes, when it comes to my adult beverage, I want it when I want it.  I don't drink much in-between cruises, so I get a little inpatient, not that the crew would know, I never show them any of my frustration, unless they really really deserve it and no one has yet.   

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1 hour ago, Ampurp85 said:

Can I ask why you change your screen name so often?

Just like to.  No real reason.  Not trying to hide anything.  You'll note that I put all my past screen name in my signature.  This is a form of entertainment for me while I await my next cruise or road trip.  Not much more to do.

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Agree that the servers really don’t get much credit for the work that they do related to getting drinks in the specialty restaurants.  

We were just on an Oasis class sailing and Izumi servers have to go to the casino to get drinks, most of the Central Park restaurants are served by the Trellis bar and that all seems like poor logistics.  Granted wine is usually from inside the restaurants, it is just spirits and mixed drinks.

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Agree on most of what has been said.  MDR is the worst of the bunch, by far.  I always grab a drink on my way in and then order one as soon as the option presents itself because I know it will be a while.  Royal definitely could do better in this department.  

 

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Seems I have just started paying attention, since my restart in August, but from what i have seen, almost every server makes there own drinks at the bar, unlike what they do at the bars where i live where they order up the drinks at the bar and the bar tender actually makes them.

Yes most restaurants have to travel to another bar but I have witnessed those servers that I've seen coming in from restaurants make the drinks themselves

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22 hours ago, Suite Snob said:

While I'm always very very satisfied with the friendliness and professionalism of Royal's servers in the various Restaurant venues, I've found far too often, that it takes entirely too long for an adult beverage to be obtained and I don't blame the servers.  It seems that many, if not most, restaurants don't have their own bar, the servers have to go to a neighboring venue or behind the scenes bar to get adult beverages and if that venue is very busy, which they usually are during evening meal hours, the server has to wait and wait.  Now, don't get me wrong, I know that your mileage may very.  But, for example, in the Coastal Kitchen, on the Ovation a few weeks ago (this is just one example of one ship, there are others), the servers had to go to the Windjammer bar, I didn't even know there was such a thing, to get my Bloody Mary or Kraken Dark and Horne,,,,, oops, I mean Stormy.  The Chop's Grill seemed to take way too long as well, usually.  The drinks always show up with fresh ice or not watered down, so it's not the server taking his/her time.  I'm not complaining or pissed or demanding something happen to anyone of the crew, not at all.  I just think there could be a better way to quickly serve adult beverages.  Yes, when it comes to my adult beverage, I want it when I want it.  I don't drink much in-between cruises, so I get a little inpatient, not that the crew would know, I never show them any of my frustration, unless they really really deserve it and no one has yet.   

I agree with you, there has to be a more efficient way for a server to access a bar for quicker table service. One would think the engineers who design these billion dollar ships could solve this issue if they actually considered it an issue. 

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11 hours ago, tonyfsu21 said:

I agree with you, there has to be a more efficient way for a server to access a bar for quicker table service. One would think the engineers who design these billion dollar ships could solve this issue if they actually considered it an issue. 

Maybe we can convince “Bar Rescue” to come in and do a show, heck they could do whole series with one episode on each ship.  LOL.

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So while I can relate to the time that it takes to get a drink in certain venues. I for one as a DPB person have always thought it is the right amount of time and perhaps they are told not to rush making drinks. If you haven't had a drink all day and you are waiting on your first drink at dinner I bet it feels like the full 15 minutes or so. But I think for the rest of the folk that have imbibed all day it is not as long. Not saying it is right but I have been at the bar midday, morning, and afternoon and there is 1 speed. I think it is to only serve so many drink in a certain amount of time. No one is wrong on this thread..

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@CruizIan thanks, personally no issues for me with the wait times, and I hope others realize that we are the ones on vacation so we have nothing but time to spare.  
 

My concern is efficient work flow for the staff.  I have seen the wait staff from Izumi crossing through the casino to order and then bring drinks back to the restaurant.  The crew work hard every single day of their contracts, so why not make the process more streamlined for them?  This is just one example, it robs the wait staff of time with the guests when they are already short staffed.  (Could a server cover one more table, generating another tip for them and one more happy guest who was able to get a specialty dining reservation.). They also have to weave in and out of all the traffic in the casino, so I am sure that occasionally drinks are spilled, causing waste and further delays.  
 

Not trying to be argumentative, just hope that folks realize that the cruise staff do their best.  Also, if it is a policy for wait staff to “pace” the flow of drinks, they can still do that without running to other parts of the ship to do their job with a little planning

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The wait staff/crew work for tips.  It doesn't provide them with any advantage or possibility of making more generous tips if the ship/company makes it hard for them to deliver drinks quickly, efficiently, and often.  While they are walking from one venue to another (in some locations that ain't a short walk), waiting on their turn to order a drink, waiting for the drink to be made, and then walking back to the original venue, they are possibly missing out on more generous tips from more patrons.  If a bar was located in each venue or at least behind the scenes of each venue, they could have served many more patrons and made more tips and not got reduced tips because it took too long.  

This is not a crew issue, it is a ship's design/engineering issue and corporate caring for their crew and customer issue.  

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