DJ95 Posted January 16, 2014 #1 Share Posted January 16, 2014 I know the answer is on this board somewhere, but I must be searching incorrectly. Is lunch or snacks available on the island and at what price or is it necessary to return to the ship? I saw mention of a restaurant, but no further info. Thanks for a answering another repeat question. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare cbr663 Posted January 16, 2014 #2 Share Posted January 16, 2014 Yes, lunch is available. HAL does a BBQ - hamburgers, hotdogs, chicken, beef ribs and lots of salads, fruit and deserts. Beverages are provided also, and you can purchase soda and liquors. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jtl513 Posted January 16, 2014 #3 Share Posted January 16, 2014 The barbeque is free, but drinks that are not free on the ship are also not free on the island. You may return to the ship for lunch if you prefer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daisyloo Posted January 16, 2014 #4 Share Posted January 16, 2014 (edited) The cruiseline does a BBQ lunch on HMC. No fee. Casual, eat in your bathing suit on picnic tables. Drinks like ice tea or fruit punch type drink are free. Ice water too. Edited January 16, 2014 by Daisyloo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boze9999 Posted January 16, 2014 #5 Share Posted January 16, 2014 They do sell drinks at the Pirate Ship - which you can take with you to the lunch patios ( a short walk). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sail7seas Posted January 16, 2014 #6 Share Posted January 16, 2014 There are a number of bars where you can get all sorts of drinks including soda/soft drinks but there is a charge for them. The barbeque lunch includes ribs, chicken, hot dogs, burgers, salads, fresh fruit, potato chips, cookies, brownies.......... They start serving around 11:15 orf 11:30 and it is buffet style for salads and go to the grills to get which hot foods you want served to you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
travelsuz Posted January 16, 2014 #7 Share Posted January 16, 2014 One of my very favorite beaches! The lunch is great and easy. Have fun relaxing on this beautiful island! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OCruisers Posted January 16, 2014 #8 Share Posted January 16, 2014 Normally, I hate those BBQ lunches on private islands ... but actually thought the one on HMC was very decent. :) LuLu ~~~~ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Krazy Kruizers Posted January 16, 2014 #9 Share Posted January 16, 2014 There is no "restaurant" on HMC. We haven't eaten on the island in years -- really don't care for HAL's BBQ. We go over for a while, have a drink, and return to the ship for lunch. When there are 2 ships scheduled for the island, we don't bother going ashore. If you have any kind of a Beverage Card -- it can not be used on the island. They do not have the registers where the cards can be scanned. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bshow Posted January 16, 2014 #10 Share Posted January 16, 2014 Calling it a barbecue just ain't right. Folks from the south can tell you what barbecue is. :) Anyway, the lunch is good. They have grilled fish available as well, which is what I go for. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sail7seas Posted January 16, 2014 #11 Share Posted January 16, 2014 (edited) Calling it a barbecue just ain't right. Folks from the south can tell you what barbecue is. :) Anyway, the lunch is good. They have grilled fish available as well, which is what I go for. We from New England think that is what a barbeque is. :D DH and I enjoy our lunch at HMC. Ribs are a treat I never allow myself anywhere except at HMC. Yes, we've had Southern barbeque and it's yummy. We had this conversation in another thread this week.... the different terms we use from various regions of the country. It all started when I called the sprinkles put on ice cream 'jimmies' as that is the word we use in Boston. Edited January 16, 2014 by sail7seas Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fouremco Posted January 16, 2014 #12 Share Posted January 16, 2014 One of the better beach BBQ lunches, with a good variety of tasty food. Picnic shelters too, so you can sit at your table in the shade while enjoying you meal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thebes Posted January 16, 2014 #13 Share Posted January 16, 2014 When would be the best time to line up for lunch without hassling in long lines esp if 2 ships in port ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Windsailer Posted January 16, 2014 #14 Share Posted January 16, 2014 I typically head over there around 11:15. No crowds then. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sail7seas Posted January 16, 2014 #15 Share Posted January 16, 2014 When would be the best time to line up for lunch without hassling in long lines esp if 2 ships in port ? Go late after the mob has eaten. Enjoy one of the bars, stay on your lounger, take a walk and eat when the lines have thinned out. You're on vacation...... if you have to wait in line a few minutes, it's not like you have to rush off to an 'appointment'. :D Relax. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
catl331 Posted January 16, 2014 #16 Share Posted January 16, 2014 First time we ate there BBQ was excellent; especially the cookies! Next time, the meat was cold, chicken still needed more cooking and we left. Last cruise stopping there, we got off, took pic of ship, walked around and ate in Lido which was quite empty! In the future: Lido! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jayisgerman Posted January 16, 2014 #17 Share Posted January 16, 2014 We were on HMC in early December and we enjoyed the lunch. I had a cheeseburger, which was actually quite good and a bit of chicken. Some coleslaw, too. DH had fish and something else I do not recall. We took a couple sodas with us from our cabana, but you can also either purchase them there or drink provided beverages that are gratis. I thought it was well done for being an island lunch set up. Lines moved pretty fast, but once we sat down the crowds got very large and it may have taken longer to get food. We enjoyed it - hope you do, too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RJ2002 Posted January 16, 2014 #18 Share Posted January 16, 2014 We have our first visit to HMC coming up in April. Was not sure what to expect for lunch, but now this thread has me looking forward to it! :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Typhoon1 Posted January 16, 2014 #19 Share Posted January 16, 2014 The food is brought from the ship. Having been to a few other private islands, HMC lunch is among the better. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Krazy Kruizers Posted January 16, 2014 #20 Share Posted January 16, 2014 Calling it a barbecue just ain't right. Folks from the south can tell you what barbecue is. :) Anyway, the lunch is good. They have grilled fish available as well, which is what I go for. We live in the north -- and there many BBQ cook-offs -- which are excellent. And we have fairs, etc. where many vendors vie for the best ribs. I know what you mean. HAL's doesn't even close to ours either!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edmusic Posted January 17, 2014 #21 Share Posted January 17, 2014 Here's a photo of the BBQ/Salad buffet in the covered pavilion on HMC: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Krazy Kruizers Posted January 17, 2014 #22 Share Posted January 17, 2014 First time we ate there BBQ was excellent; especially the cookies! Next time, the meat was cold, chicken still needed more cooking and we left. Last cruise stopping there, we got off, took pic of ship, walked around and ate in Lido which was quite empty! In the future: Lido! HAL ships pre-cook their food before it is taken to the island. Thus the cooks are up early and are suppose to have everything pretty much cooked before it goes to the island -- but as we have found -- it doesn't happen. And many times the island cooks and helpers do not get the grills really hot before putting the food onto the grills -- this means that food cools (in spite of the heater containers they use for transport) and never really gets reheated and/or finished cooked on the island. Better food on the ship. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PatsyAnne Posted January 17, 2014 #23 Share Posted January 17, 2014 I wasn't thrilled with the food, but it was fine and worse things can happen to me than not eating too much. The location was beautiful. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sail7seas Posted January 17, 2014 #24 Share Posted January 17, 2014 HAL ships pre-cook their food before it is taken to the island. Thus the cooks are up early and are suppose to have everything pretty much cooked before it goes to the island -- but as we have found -- it doesn't happen. And many times the island cooks and helpers do not get the grills really hot before putting the food onto the grills -- this means that food cools (in spite of the heater containers they use for transport) and never really gets reheated and/or finished cooked on the island. Better food on the ship. I always feel so bad when I read how many things are disappointing to you on your HAL cruises. It's a shame they come up short for you in so many areas. I often marvel when there are two ships in HMC at the same time, that one ship often provides the food for all and the other ship provides bar department. On more than one visit, we know one ship provided all food and drink on the island. The other ship pays a per person charge to the budget of the provisioning ship. That's a whole lot of food to lug ashore on the "Clipper". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Gail & Marty sailing away Posted January 17, 2014 #25 Share Posted January 17, 2014 We just did it and it was very nice .. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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