Embarkation Lunch for Mariners (Several threads merged)

[Rudolph38]

A couple of posts have mentioned that Mariners are invited to have lunch in the MDR instead of the Lido. How does that work? Do we just go to the main dining room when we get on the ship, or is there some sort of Mariner pass involved?

 

Rudy

[burlingtoncruiser]

usually you are invited to a lunch once you are on the ship - there is an invitation delivered to your stateroom stating time and place.

[sail7seas]

Rudolph.

You are correct there is now a Mariners Brunch in the Main Dining Room on embarkation day.

 

When we checked in for Westerdam in November, the person in the terminal who checked us in told us about it. (I had read here about this new feature of the Mariners Program.) When we crossed the gangway, they immediately directed us to Lido. I said, we're going to Lido because that is what we prefer but isn't there a Mariners Brunch in the Dining Room and they told us to go to Lido. IF we wanted to attend the brunch, we would just have gone to the Dining Room.

 

It is part of the new Mariners Program.

 

They still have the other Mariners Brunch we are accustomed to in addition. That is held later in the cruise. You will receive an invitation to that, as always.

[burlingtoncruiser]

thank you for posting - I was unaware of the brunch - I will look forward to it.

[Kiwi1]

One our cruise on the Volendam a few weeks ago we were given the invitations to the Mariners Brunch in the MDR whilst checking in at the terminal. The lunch was from 12 noon until 1.30pm and we made our way to the MDR immediately on boarding.

[G&G]

Once you get on the ship go directly to the MDR. The brunch is very good. We attended HAL's first Mariner Brunch on the Maasdam on 10/10/09. No one knew about it including the crew. Including us there were eight (8) passengers in the MDR to attend the 1st brunch. On our 12/5/09 Eurodam cruise the MDR was full for the brunch. I guess word got around.

[Krazy Kruizers]

Zuiderdam -- we went to the dining room after dropping off our carry-ons in the Neptune Lounge.

 

No one mentioned the embarkation lunch to us when we checked in at the terminal.

 

On our cruises it was from 11:30 - 1:30.

 

And it was very crowded.

[lakemurraykid]

Thank you for posting this. We will be on the Eurodam for the 3/20 sailing and this will be our 4th cruise with HAL. Based on our last cruise on the Oosterdam, I knew we would be escorted to the Neptune Lounge, but I would definitely prefer to have in the MDR.:)

[G&G]

Zuiderdam -- we went to the dining room after dropping off our carry-ons in the Neptune Lounge.

 

No one mentioned the embarkation lunch to us when we checked in at the terminal.

 

On our cruises it was from 11:30 - 1:30.

 

And it was very crowded.

Yes, that is a great perk for the "sweet" people, but absolutely useless info for the majority of the cruisers on the ship that ARE NOT SUITES!!!

[LADYLAYLA]

Yes, that is a great perk for the "sweet" people, but absolutely useless info for the majority of the cruisers on the ship that ARE NOT SUITES!!!

 

 

Ok -- drop your luggage off at the Lido pool area then or drag it with you if you like.

[planobob]

Folks, IMO, it looks like we are using confusing terminology -- the OP poster asked about the Mariners Embarkation LUNCH. Here is what is stated on the HAL website and is available to * Mariners and above:

 

"A special invitation to the Welcome Back Embarkation Lunch in the dining room (from 12:00pm to 1:30pm) as well as a complimentary Mariner Champagne Brunch."

 

Lunch and Brunch are not interchangeable in my opinion.

 

Bob

[sail7seas]

Folks, IMO, it looks like we are using confusing terminology -- the OP poster asked about the Mariners Embarkation LUNCH. Here is what is stated on the HAL website and is available to * Mariners and above:

 

"A special invitation to the Welcome Back Embarkation Lunch in the dining room (from 12:00pm to 1:30pm) as well as a complimentary Mariner Champagne Brunch."

 

Lunch and Brunch are not interchangeable in my opinion.

 

Bob

 

Seems HAL may have created some of that confusion because here is what is stated in the booklet they published describing the new Mariners Program. Many Mariners received that booklet in the mail and others on board the ships.

 

The applicable language says (under the listing of rewards for one star Mariners and repeated under each star level):

 

"A special invitation to the Welcome Back Embarkation Brunch in the dining room as well as a complimentary Mariner Champagne Brunch."

 

Their web site does not appear to match the paper booklet they printed..... which really is quite well done, by the way. IMO ;)

[Krazy Kruizers]

Yes, that is a great perk for the "sweet" people, but absolutely useless info for the majority of the cruisers on the ship that ARE NOT SUITES!!!

 

There is a special area on ALL ships in the Lido area where you can check in your carry-ons and then go to lunch either in the Lido or the dining room if you are a mariner!!!

This has been available for years!!!!!

[estebofarr]

I never knew that. Every day you learn something new.

So, is there an embarkation lunch for Mariners in the MDR on all ships, or not? I know about the brunch and usually ask if the DR is open but this is new to me also.

[planobob]

IMO, I would go with what is printed on the HAL website as being the "latest and greatest".

 

We all know how quickly printed documents can become out of date. The web is easer to update and change as needed; and, it does not incur the printing and distribution costs of paper.

 

Bob

[Krazy Kruizers]

I never knew that. Every day you learn something new.

So, is there an embarkation lunch for Mariners in the MDR on all ships, or not? I know about the brunch and usually ask if the DR is open but this is new to me also.

 

Yes -- there is suppose to be an Embarkation Lunch for ALL Mariner's on all ships.

Only a couple of times since this started in Sept 2009 have I heard that the dining room was closed because of the ship hosting TA's or other private groups.

[wander]

G&G,

We, and many others, just took our carry-ons to the MDR with us and clustered them in safe way (particularly for the stewards). Airlines took away our ability to carry too much stuff ourselves.

[slabeaume]

I'm a returning HAL cruiser, but my husband is not. Will he be able to go to the Mariner brunch and lunch with me?

[sail7seas]

....

[Copper10-8]

I'm a returning HAL cruiser, but my husband is not. Will he be able to go to the Mariner brunch and lunch with me?

 

Well, if you read the fine print and since he's not a Mariner, that would be a big negative. But since you are husband and wife and since you are elligable, I don't think anyone is going to put the Spanish Inquisition on your trail if you take hubby with ya. Make sure he compensates you appropriately for allowing him the honor of accompanying you to that brunch of all brunches!;)

[RuthC]

IMO, I would go with what is printed on the HAL website as being the "latest and greatest".

 

We all know how quickly printed documents can become out of date. The web is easer to update and change as needed; and, it does not incur the printing and distribution costs of paper.

I wouldn't be so sure about that. HAL has a history of updating their printed material, while leaving their website untouched. :rolleyes:

[boxer2]

We were on the New Years Maasdam cruise, which left 12/28. There was not an embarkation lunch in the MDR that day.

[brichar499]

I had read on the boards about a Mariner MDR lunch on embarkation but had forgotten about it. Fortunately, the agent at check-in mentioned it and we were first in line for the noon main dining room opening. It was a great start and sure beat the lines in the Lido.

[suse]

We're not suite people but I knew about it, so just wandered over there. Had a great lunch. We're mariners but nobody even asked that of us.:)

I doubt they'd throw you right out of there anyway, unless you are misbehaving! Who says that alot? Dr. John!

[lgoldst801]

If the lunch is in the MDR when you board what are you suppose to do with your carry ons?

Take them to the MDR?