Dinner at ledo deck on formal nights

[Gail & Marty sailing away]

Hi what is dinner like on lido deck on formal nights?

[Krazy Kruizers]

Dinner in the Lido on formal nights is just the same as other nights -- buffet. Most of the items that are served in the dining room will be available in the Lido. One exception might be the Lobster on the last formal night -- some ships will offer it in the Lido -- others won't. The menu for the Lido is posted outside of it.

[jtl513]

Dinner in the Lido on formal nights is just the same as other nights -- buffet.

It's probably a bit busier than casual nights because of people ducking dressing up. :) (Just a guess ... we've never done it.)

[TraelorMex]

pretty much the same as the MDR...except you dont have to wait 2-3 hours to wade through the meal....and you don't have to sit with other people if you don't want....and best of all, you dont have to play dress up :)

[GmaPajama]

I almost hate to admit that we blew off the dress code and ate in the Lido one formal night on our last cruise. We dressed nicer than smart casual, but didn't go as far as the tux and gown.

 

It was a lovely dinner. Very few people eating there - no time at all in line - stewards available to help carry dishes, bring coffee, and to meet any other needs you might have. I was surprised the Dining Room Manager came by to ask our Cabin Number ... but he was very pleasant and I suppose they just need to keep track of where people eat.

 

We SO enjoyed that dinner, I suspect we'll do it on one of the formal nights again.

[Krazy Kruizers]

It's probably a bit busier than casual nights because of people ducking dressing up. :) (Just a guess ... we've never done it.)

 

We have never had any dinners in the Lido -- yet.

But one formal night I did make it a point to walk through there -- and it was packed -- about 7:30.

[kazu]

We have never had any dinners in the Lido -- yet.

 

But one formal night I did make it a point to walk through there -- and it was packed -- about 7:30.

 

One night Dh said he was tired of the rules, so I took him to the Lido. He looked and was impressed. there were zip people there

 

We opted for the MDR because we like to get dressed. Dh just needed to know there was an alternative.

 

All the food looked good. I'd go early is the only thing. we were there around 6:30. The MDR is full most formal nights for fixed dining but who knows about the others?

 

Have a great cruise and a great time and don't forget about room service - if you order at dining hours (lst half hour I believe) you can order anything on the menu:)

[BumperII]

I think that the Lido is the best kept secret aboard ship! On our last two cruises, we used the Lido for dinner about half the time. We did not use it to avoid dressing; we did at least jacket and tie on formal nights plus Pinacle Grill and LeCerc.

The service in the Lido is great. We ususally have the run of the place, and there are plenty of DW's favorite stewards around to wait on us hand and foot. I think we actually get more attention from the stewards in the Lido than in the MDR, particularly on the Westerdam. There is a reason for it, when HAL enlarged the ships to the Vista class, they did not enlarge the dining spaces accordingly. The Westerdam doesn't have much room for the stewards to move around like the R and S class ships.

[Lesinindy]

We had our first ever Lido dinner in all the cruises we have been on this last December. The food seemed to be the same and we avoided dressing up like we had done in the past. I have to admit I still like the MDR better, but the food was good and I got to have all the soup I wanted (I really like HAL soups). Still there is something to appreciate about the MDR, it just feels more like a cruise to me.

[KirkNC]

We have used it to avoid formal night before and I assure you will will on our upcoming cruise which has 5 formal nights. I can do 2-3 formal nights but 5 is just too many.

 

Kirk

[gummi]

lido expert here. i've only eaten dinner in the MDR one time in 7 cruises.

 

it is ALWAYS busier in the lido on formal nights. for someone like me it is less enjoyable on such occasions.

[Faith77]

Loved going to dinner between 7-7:30 without waiting forever at the 'anytime dining' stand in front of the dining room.

Two cruises ago I did late night dining in the MDR. Just decided I wanted to try something new this time around--6-630pm is too early for dinner and 8-8:30pm feels too late.

I'll probably continue to do the lido in the evening on future cruises.

Faith

[Boytjie]

pretty much the same as the MDR...except you dont have to wait 2-3 hours to wade through the meal....and you don't have to sit with other people if you don't want....and best of all, you dont have to play dress up :)

 

I don't 'play' dress up, I dress up. ;)

 

And one of the nice things on a cruise is to have a leisurely dinner. ;)

 

With anytime dining I usually end up eating with people I like (usually they are my friends). ;)

 

Isn't it nice that there are options?

[Richie2pies]

I eat most meals in the Lido. The food is pretty much the same as the MDR and I don't have to get dressed up and face the "fashion police." I don't feel the need to be served or have my butt kissed. I don't need to eat with others if I don't want to, or wait in line for a table. Lobster does not impress me, especially what they serve on a ship. I can take what I want without an explanation of why I want two or none. I can eat in the Lido in far less time and leave and do other things even if it is only sitting on my balcony or relaxing somewhere else. The Lido is the greatest. (IMHO)

[JamesEM]

We ate most of our meals in the Lido when we were on the Noordam last week. Also, you can order a meal off the MDR Menu and have it delivered to your room.

[Gail & Marty sailing away]

I'll try it on my next cruise

[Liv4cruzin]

I ate in the Lido throughout my entire Veendam SA/Antarctic cruise last month. I was surprised to see the number of people who did this regularly. The ONLY beef I have with the current system is shutting down the buffet at 8 pm. I don't like to eat before 7:30. I would get my appetizers, take it back to the table, get my soup & entree; back to the table. Finally get dessert & beverage. Only then would I sit down & start eating; & it was somewhat embarrasing to sit surrounded by plates full of food.

[Assateague Island Princes]

We discovered that we love the Lido and the MDR? Not so much - just our personal preference. Perhaps its our itinerary - always Alaska, which is very busy and port intensive. We're very active in port, doing lots of hiking or adverturesome excursions, and often up at the crack of dawn. Hence, when we came back on board after a long day in port, the last thing we felt like was getting all dressed up for the MDR. We're more into showering, changing into comfy casual clothes and eating in the Lido at our own pace, then walking the Promenade or retiring to the aft deck of the Amsterdam, enjoying those long, Alaska days of scenery and whales. Didn't even set foot in the MDR on our last Alaska cruise on May 31st in 2010 - no interest. I'll be back on the Amsterdam's 14 day Alaskan itinerary this coming Aug. 5th, and have no intention of taking even one single smart casual outfit because we'll be eating in the Lido, Canaletto, or room service the entire cruise. That's just us, but I think you will find the Lido's relaxed atmosphere and great food a real plus - enjoy!

[HAL4ME]

I think for sure we will try the Lido many times on the Zaandam for dinner rather than doing the Dog and Ponny show every night in the MDR!:eek:;):eek: