First Day Lunch Disappointment

[Bobed1927]

We're due to board the Star Princess in San Francisco in a few weeks. We recently received a notice from Princess telling us that they will be staggering boarding because of the limited accessibility of the San Francisco terminal. Boarding times have been established by deck and no one will be allowed to board before their assigned boarding time. Our assigned boarding time is 2:45 PM. We feel a bit shortchanged because we always look forward to lunch in the dining room the first day. I guess that we'll just head fir the IC for a snack.

[1 HappyCruiser]

Although they tell people to arrive later to even out the traffic flow, don't believe it. Get there early & enjoy the lunch.

[stoneharborlady]

If you fly in a day early, and have to vacate your hotel by 10 or 11, where else are you supposed to go for three or four hours? Thats a long time to stand outside the building.

[LARGIN]

I heard they were checking and telling people to check their luggage and to return at their allotted time, however this has not been confirmed.

[bdjam]

If you fly in a day early, and have to vacate your hotel by 10 or 11, where else are you supposed to go for three or four hours? Thats a long time to stand outside the building.

 

If, as Largin says, you can check in your luggage, instead of standing outside the building, I would walk to adjacent Pier 39 and spend time there - lots of shops and some pretty good restaurants. Should have time for lunch and to get back to the ship by 2:45.

[hughdm]

Yes. This would mar our long standing tradition of a burger and a fru-fru drink by the pool. Too close to dinner!

[Mapu]

If, as Largin says, you can check in your luggage, instead of standing outside the building, I would walk to adjacent Pier 39 and spend time there - lots of shops and some pretty good restaurants. Should have time for lunch and to get back to the ship by 2:45.

 

Or drop your luggage and walk down to the Ferry Building..... Taste some wine, cheese, chocolate, etc. and then go to the ship.

[Go-Bucks!]

When we got on the Emerald 2 weeks ago at noon, we were told that there was no lunch being served in any dining room and we would have to go to the buffet. I was really disappointed, but wasn't going to argue with the person. Are they only serving it on certain ships?? :confused:

[Princess Patches]

When we got on the Emerald 2 weeks ago at noon, we were told that there was no lunch being served in any dining room and we would have to go to the buffet. I was really disappointed, but wasn't going to argue with the person. Are they only serving it on certain ships?? :confused:

 

I do not know what happened on your sailing, but the ships are supposed to be offering lunch in the dining room on embarkation day. You might have been misinformed by a staff member. It is always best to go to the dining room and look for yourself.

 

To the OP- I understand your disappointment. Lunch in the main dining room on embarkation day is one of our favorite things too. There are mutliple reports that preferred boarders (elites, platinums, and suites) are still being allowed to board whenever they arrive and only regular boarders are being made to wait for their boarding time. There are some other reports that the staggered boarding is a guideline that is not being enforced for anyone. It might be worth it to get to the terminal at your usual time and see what happens.

[Go-Bucks!]

I do not know what happened on your sailing, but the ships are supposed to be offering lunch in the dining room on embarkation day. You might have been misinformed by a staff member. It is always best to go to the dining room and look for yourself.

 

We were going to just go to the dining room, but my friend's luggage arrived and so we just went to the buffet since she wanted to unpack.

 

There are mutliple reports that preferred boarders (elites, platinums, and suites) are still being allowed to board whenever they arrive and only regular boarders are being made to wait for their boarding time.

 

When we boarded the Emerald 2 weeks ago in FLL, it was not like this. They had the terminal waiting area roped off in two parts - one area for platinum, elite, and suites and the other area for everyone else. We are platinum and arrived at 10:15am, hoping to board asap. We were told to sit in rows according to when we arrived. There were about 20 people ahead of us. No one was allowed in until they made an announcement at noon that they were ready to let us board and would take the elites first. Then the platinum and suites were let in next, with general boarding after that. We ended up being one of the very first on the ship, but it wasn't until noon.

[highheel girl]

When we got on the Emerald 2 weeks ago at noon, we were told that there was no lunch being served in any dining room and we would have to go to the buffet. I was really disappointed, but wasn't going to argue with the person. Are they only serving it on certain ships?? :confused:

 

They tell everyone to go to the buffet.

We have always eaten in the DR when we boarded. :D

[caribill]

When we got on the Emerald 2 weeks ago at noon, we were told that there was no lunch being served in any dining room and we would have to go to the buffet. I was really disappointed, but wasn't going to argue with the person. Are they only serving it on certain ships?? :confused:

 

On the back of the new foldable map they give you at check-in it probably says:

 

"Is lunch being served onboard?

Shortly after we welcome you onboard, you're invited to relax and dine at the Horizon Court or in one of the ship's dining rooms. Check you Princess Patter for dining locations and times."

 

The Patter should list which dining room is open and the time lunch is available there.

[Putterdude]

On the back of the new foldable map they give you at check-in it probably says:

 

"Is lunch being served onboard?

Shortly after we welcome you onboard, you're invited to relax and dine at the Horizon Court or in one of the ship's dining rooms. Check you Princess Patter for dining locations and times."

 

The Patter should list which dining room is open and the time lunch is available there.

 

I do wish this were the case but often you have to go looking for the venue that is open.

[Cruisin' Chick]

I seem to remember a cruise or two ago, we were sent info to come after 1pm. Didn't pay attention to that. Two cruises ago, there was no line when we got there at 12:15 and we were immediately checked in. An hour later, our carryons were unpacked and we were ready to explore the ship. The last time we got there around the same time and there was a line so it took longer to get onboard. But we didn't have to wait til 1pm to get in line.

[Habs_Fan]

This staggered boarding seems to be something they are doing in SF (whether it's because of terminal size, something Princess is just trying or the port authority telling them, who knows).

 

I'm sailing in September out of SF and not looking forward to this either as I have to be out of the hotel by 11 and am on the Dolphin deck so I would have a 2:45 boarding time. I don't want to walk around with my carry on for 4 hours.

 

I can just see the sidewalks being crowded with people waiting to board. I'm really hoping this fails and they just go back to normal procedures.

[Nancyquilts]

We had the staggered boarding on Star Princess in San Francisco last week. The check-in people didn't even get organized until 1pm. Some people waited over 2 hours in line. This is the first year we've had problems with Princess in SF, and I hope they can find a way to make it the last. I can see no reason not to process people as they get there and get them a seat until the ship is ready for them.

I understand that when there are problems getting the ship ready, the boarding could be delayed, but don't leave people - who often can't walk well enough to get to Pier 39 - standing outside the terminal.

And I missed having the salmon for the embarkation lunch - it's the best on the whole cruise, imho.

[caribill]

I do wish this were the case but often you have to go looking for the venue that is open.

 

That was true until last fall when the Patter format was revised.

 

The new format lists all the restaurant hours every day on the back page. The first day lists the dining room embarkation lunch location and time.

[JimmyVWine]

That was true until last fall when the Patter format was revised.

 

The new format lists all the restaurant hours every day on the back page. The first day lists the dining room embarkation lunch location and time.

 

I'm looking at the March 3 Patters from the Crown posted by a member earlier this month. The back page does indeed list all the dining options, but none of the MDRs is listed as being open for lunch. The only lunch options are Horizon and Caribe. Yet the review posted yesterday for the March 10-17 sailing indicates that lunch was indeed served in one of the MDRs, but the poster had to be persistent in order to be let in. I don't know what the March 10 Patters listed for dining options, but I would be very surprised if it differed in the least from the March 3 version.

[lhall85917]

We just received notification for staggered boarding on Sea Princess in Sydney April 15. Our boarding time is 3:30 with everyone onboard by 5:00 :eek:. Like others, it is disappointing as we like to arrive early, check out the ship and enjoy a nice lunching the dining room.

[lv2cruiseanywhere]

When we got on the Emerald 2 weeks ago at noon, we were told that there was no lunch being served in any dining room and we would have to go to the buffet. I was really disappointed, but wasn't going to argue with the person. Are they only serving it on certain ships?? :confused:

 

On the Coral Princess in February 2012 we boarded early (as Elite) and were looking forward to eating in the DR. We were told it was only for B2B passengers and that we could eat in HC. Not what I had anticipated. It was my only lunch in Horizon Court as that's not my place to eat.

 

So it may not matter when you board the ship.

[bdjam]

Or drop your luggage and walk down to the Ferry Building..... Taste some wine, cheese, chocolate, etc. and then go to the ship.

 

That's a bit more of a hike - about a mile - but the food shops there are exquisite and there are plenty of things that could be purchased to bring back to the ship for the cruise.

[srpilo]

If, as Largin says, you can check in your luggage, instead of standing outside the building, I would walk to adjacent Pier 39 and spend time there - lots of shops and some pretty good restaurants. Should have time for lunch and to get back to the ship by 2:45.

 

Good advice

 

 

 

Srpilo

[Bobed1927]

I'm wondering if the fact that I'm disabled and will need a wheel chair will allow an earlier boarding than our scheduled time. Will our elite status help?

[RealDeal]

Was on the Crown a few weeks ago. Literally went to the dining room & were told that they were only serving a "very limited" menu for lunch. Not totally sure what that meant, but the guy did everything within his power to dissuade us from eating there, so we left.

[cflutist]

In the past, the "limited" menu included beef medallions in red wine sauce, and cappucino ice cream. Last couple of times we had lunch in the MD on embarkcation day, it was almost empty.