Welcome Back Embarkation Lunch/Champagne Brunch

[Schnauzer mum]

It is very strange isn't it? One of the benefits of being a mariner and then it doesn't exist. Boarding at the OPT. Would be a horrible start to have to go to White Bay. I believe the ship berths there the day before, but moves around during the night.

[erewhon]

It is very strange isn't it? One of the benefits of being a mariner and then it doesn't exist. Boarding at the OPT. Would be a horrible start to have to go to White Bay. I believe the ship berths there the day before, but moves around during the night.

 

We have boarded both at White Bay and at the OPT, we found the White Bay experience more pleasant than at the OPT.

Last year at the OPT there was no check in until 1130am, by then there was a large queue, standing outdoors.

The year before at White Bay we arrived at 1030, filled in the necessary forms and checked in, seating was available inside the terminal building.

Sailing under the harbour bridge is a great experience.

Edited May 27, 2016 by erewhon

[NW SOUTHERNBELLE]

CruiserBruce: OP (me) only has a few over 800 posts - sure that is closer to 1000 than it is to 0, but still not to 1000 yet. Before I post a new thread I usually do a search first. You caught me one of the few times I didn't do a search. Should I have done that? Yes, but no need for you to be mean about it. This is a small world.... I may just be sitting at your table on your next cruise so you may as well be nice.

 

 

Nice statement. We are all here to learn, share our knowledge and advice from our experiences, and to enjoy each other's love of cruising from newbies to the most experienced. Seems like Cruise Critic has become "Cruise Critical" for some people....[emoji41][emoji924]

[john2003]

We also didnt have an embarkation lunch in Fort Lauderdale. Replaced by a glass of bubbly in the Crows Nest in the afternoon

[tuckersgirl]

There is no longer an MDR embarkation lunch for Mariners. It is open to all passengers.

 

Not true.

 

We just went on our first HAL cruise . . . left May 22 (2016) from Seattle (RT) and tried to do the Embarkation Lunch in the MDR of the Amsterdam. We were turned away by the maitre 'd who said (in a quite uppity tone) that lunch was only open to 3, 4 and 5 star Mariners.To say that this started our cruise badly would be an understatement (talk about a welcoming attitude) and it only went downhill from there.

 

We often do this lunch on our Princess Cruises and it is open to anyone with at least 1 past cruise on any CCL ship (which is what I read on these boards about HAL prior to the cruise).

[jtl513]

Not true.

Just like HAL - consistently inconsistent! :( On most ships the MDR is open to all on embarkation day. Was the room crowded? Maybe there were just too many Mariners for them to handle?

[sherryf]

We often do this lunch on our Princess Cruises and it is open to anyone with at least 1 past cruise on any CCL ship (which is what I read on these boards about HAL prior to the cruise).

 

Not true. On Princess it is open to anyone. You don't even need one prior cruise.

[KroozNut]

Your room card/key will state your Mariner status.

 

The "Welcome" lunch is served on the boarding day, in the MDR, for Mariners only. The "Repeaters" lunch is on sea day, in the MDR, and is usually buffet. This has been discussed thoroughly on the boards.

 

You realize these luncheons are two different events, held on two different days?

 

Please pardon my confusion, but aren't 'Repeaters' and Mariners one and the same by definition? We will be embarking on our second HAL cruise later this year, which makes us a 'repeater', but we're also 'one-star Mariners' as well. What exactly is the difference between the two, and what is the difference between the two events described above?:confused:

[3rdGenCunarder]

Please pardon my confusion, but aren't 'Repeaters' and Mariners one and the same by definition? We will be embarking on our second HAL cruise later this year, which makes us a 'repeater', but we're also 'one-star Mariners' as well. What exactly is the difference between the two, and what is the difference between the two events described above?:confused:

 

The post you are quoting is very old, and things have changed. It used to be that the embarkation lunch was open only to Mariners. That's anyone who has sailed on HAL before OR on a sister cruise line (Princess, Cunard, etc). Now the embarkation lunch is open to anyone, IF the lunch is being offered. (Sometimes the MDR is closed for a special event.)

 

The "repeaters" lunch/brunch is offered later in the cruise. It is open to Mariners who have sailed on HAL before, but not passengers whose Mariner status is due only to cruises on other lines. Thus, they're "repeat customers" for HAL. You should receive an invitation to this.

[summersigh]

Just like HAL - consistently inconsistent! :( On most ships the MDR is open to all on embarkation day. Was the room crowded? Maybe there were just too many Mariners for them to handle?

Maybe so ... for example ... on our recent Zuiderdam cruise they said there were 1,400 star mariners on a ship that carries 1,964 max. For the luncheon where you get the tiles they had to have sittings on 2 consecutive days to accommodate everyone.

[KroozNut]

The post you are quoting is very old, and things have changed. It used to be that the embarkation lunch was open only to Mariners. That's anyone who has sailed on HAL before OR on a sister cruise line (Princess, Cunard, etc). Now the embarkation lunch is open to anyone, IF the lunch is being offered. (Sometimes the MDR is closed for a special event.)

 

The "repeaters" lunch/brunch is offered later in the cruise. It is open to Mariners who have sailed on HAL before, but not passengers whose Mariner status is due only to cruises on other lines. Thus, they're "repeat customers" for HAL. You should receive an invitation to this.

 

Thank you for clearing this up for me! :)

[NMLady]

Oops, quoted an old post. Thought this thread was recent. Not.