Lido Dinners?

[422Melissa]

We are flying into Seattle 4 days prior to our AK cruise, and I'm having a hard time figuring out how we'll pack enough clothes for 1.5 weeks if we also pack dinner clothing. We might just skip the MDR for this cruise since my young-adult daughters aren't nuts about dressing up for dinner anyway.

 

Can someone give me an idea of what is served on the Lido dinner buffet? Are the MDR soups/appetizers/desserts served? We usually love the MDR appetizers, and we don't like the Lido desserts at lunch. Are the Lido main dish choices similar to the MDR dinners? :confused:

[hftmrock]

We are flying into Seattle 4 days prior to our AK cruise, and I'm having a hard time figuring out how we'll pack enough clothes for 1.5 weeks if we also pack dinner clothing. We might just skip the MDR for this cruise since my young-adult daughters aren't nuts about dressing up for dinner anyway.

 

Can someone give me an idea of what is served on the Lido dinner buffet? Are the MDR soups/appetizers/desserts served? We usually love the MDR appetizers, and we don't like the Lido desserts at lunch. Are the Lido main dish choices similar to the MDR dinners? :confused:

 

what is your opinion on what is needed to wear for the MDR?

 

Main Dining Room(s)

Following is the dress code in the Main Dining Room(s) for both men and women and pertains to children as well:

 

Cruise Casual Dress Code

 

Men: sport slacks, khakis, Jeans (no cut-offs), dress shorts (long) and collared polo shirts

Women: summer dresses, casual skirts, pants, capris, dress shorts, Jeans (no cut-offs) blouses and tops

Not permitted: Cut-off Jeans, men’s sleeveless shirts, tee-shirts, gym or basketball shorts, baseball hats, flip-flops and bathing suit attire

[Ready 2 Go]

It's been my experience the Lido buffet generally serves some variation of the nights MDR meal as a buffet.

 

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[422Melissa]

what is your opinion on what is needed to wear for the MDR?

 

Main Dining Room(s)

Following is the dress code in the Main Dining Room(s) for both men and women and pertains to children as well:

 

Cruise Casual Dress Code

 

Men: sport slacks, khakis, Jeans (no cut-offs), dress shorts (long) and collared polo shirts

Women: summer dresses, casual skirts, pants, capris, dress shorts, Jeans (no cut-offs) blouses and tops

Not permitted: Cut-off Jeans, men’s sleeveless shirts, tee-shirts, gym or basketball shorts, baseball hats, flip-flops and bathing suit attire

 

We'll probably just pack casual shorts (for Seattle days) and jeans with layered tops for our AK trip. We usually wear dresses, dress slacks, or capris to dinner.

[erinm03]

On my cruise last month I noticed that one night the lido was serving the same cornflake encrusted chicken that was on the MDR menu for the night. I don't know if they serve everything though, that's just something I noticed while walking through to the bar. :D

 

Although I will say, I'm sure you'd be fine wearing your "day clothes" to the MDR at night. I also enjoy wearing sundresses/dresses to dinner, but besides formal night, most people around us were just wearing whatever. They weren't wearing swimsuits by any means, but we did see tshirts and shorts regularly.

[DenaInWyo]

YMMV, but I always consider the Lido buffet a last resort. The food isn't bad exactly but it's always better somewhere else.

 

Jeans would be just fine on all but elegant nights and you will see plenty of them so you won't be standing out at all. You could probably get away with them on elegant night but that's beyond my personal comfort level so I don't know.

 

Could you maybe do the MDR for all but those two nights and then do the buffet or some of the alternate dining options for those two nights?

[loxley]

We are flying into Seattle 4 days prior to our AK cruise, and I'm having a hard time figuring out how we'll pack enough clothes for 1.5 weeks if we also pack dinner clothing. We might just skip the MDR for this cruise since my young-adult daughters aren't nuts about dressing up for dinner anyway.

 

Can someone give me an idea of what is served on the Lido dinner buffet? Are the MDR soups/appetizers/desserts served? We usually love the MDR appetizers, and we don't like the Lido desserts at lunch. Are the Lido main dish choices similar to the MDR dinners? :confused:

 

 

Just put some decent clothes on and you can do the mdr.

 

The hotel will probably have a laundry, if not, there are several on the ship.

[Quilcruisers]

We eat in the mdr every night and will wear sundresses , capris with dressy tops, tank tops and sandals. We do dress up for formal night in semi formal wear but the rest of the week we wear what we would wear if going out to dinner in a restaurant. Sundresses and things like this are very easy to pack for your girls, I would not eat at the lido for dinner, take advantage of the mdr. We don't wear shorts there but the men wear a polo shirt and slacks. My son who is 12 will wear long shorts and a nice polo shirt unless he has dinner at the kids club.

[Quilcruisers]

We also pack a lightweight scarf because if you wear sleeveless or strapless, it is usually freezing in the dining rooms. When not wearing the scarf, it ties easily into the handle of a small purse with a cross body strap.

[mzloolue]

I take a pair of black slacks and different tops.

Then change after dinner.

 

It works and is simple.

[path145]

We saw a guy sitting near us on Elegant night wearing sweatpants so I think you should be fine. There were several others not really dressed up but the guy in the sweatpants stood out to me.

 

If you're really concerned about packing enough clothes, the ships have a laundry room. We used one on our Hawaii cruise on the Miracle this January. It was $3 per load for wash or dry. Our cruise was 15 days. We packed a little over a week's worth and did a load of laundry about halfway through.

[SadieN]

Hotels and the ship have laundries.

Pack for 5 days and repeat. Alaska is usually a colder cruise. Even if it's in the 80s you shouldn't sweat like the Caribbean. Clothes can be worn again, use Febreeze if worried about any smell.

 

 

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[summersigh]

I take a pair of black slacks and different tops.

Then change after dinner.

 

It works and is simple.

 

I do the same thing -black slacks and different tops. It also reduces the need to bring any dress shoes other than a pair of black strappy sandals I wear every night - including the casual nights when we wear jeans.

 

I've also been known to wear a top I wore to dinner during the day later in the cruise to cut down on my packables.

 

DH wears the same set of kaki pants for both "cruise elegant" nights with a short sleeved button down collar shirt and a pair of nice loafers. Other nights he wears jeans with polo shirts and the same loafers.

 

As casual as Carnival's dress code is I wouldn't miss the MDR for dinners because of clothes.

 

Carnival is not particularly dressy - which is one reason many like it. Dress for "cruise elegant" nights has become more casual as airlines started charging for extra luggage.

Edited April 17, 2016 by summersigh

[Gypsywych]

Alaska cruises aren't as dressy in the evenings because it's a port heavy cruise and because it's colder as the sun starts to set. Our group brought mix and match stuff and left the bring at home. I think we even wore jeans 2 nights. Don't worry about it, no one else will.

[Ms Jo UK]

We are flying into Seattle 4 days prior to our AK cruise, and I'm having a hard time figuring out how we'll pack enough clothes for 1.5 weeks if we also pack dinner clothing. We might just skip the MDR for this cruise since my young-adult daughters aren't nuts about dressing up for dinner anyway.

 

Can someone give me an idea of what is served on the Lido dinner buffet? Are the MDR soups/appetizers/desserts served? We usually love the MDR appetizers, and we don't like the Lido desserts at lunch. Are the Lido main dish choices similar to the MDR dinners? :confused:

 

I have to ask as I am confused are you all taking one case each if so then I dont understand the problem.

 

We never travel for less than 14 days but often 21 and we do take dinner clothing (can by nice top with trousers or sundress). Shirt and pants for my partner and we even take formal night clothing (a suite for hm and cocktail dresses for me, for 2 formal nights so dress shirts and ties for him). We each take a 28" suitcase and we are usually at least 4lb under weight.

 

So as I said I am confused.

[422Melissa]

Thanks for the ideas, everyone.

 

On my 7-day cruise in March, I packed shorts outfits for daytime, two swimsuits, a cover-up, 2 sets of workout clothes, one dress, 6 dinner tops, one pair of slacks, one skirt, one pair of jeans, and one pair of capris. My suitcase was 3 lb. overweight by the time I crammed in shoes, hairdryer, toiletries, backpack, etc.

[SadieN]

Last Alaskan cruise I brought a black skirt and several different tops for the MDR. Same shoes. Very easy.

 

 

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[Schoifmom]

Thanks for the ideas, everyone.

 

On my 7-day cruise in March, I packed shorts outfits for daytime, two swimsuits, a cover-up, 2 sets of workout clothes, one dress, 6 dinner tops, one pair of slacks, one skirt, one pair of jeans, and one pair of capris. My suitcase was 3 lb. overweight by the time I crammed in shoes, hairdryer, toiletries, backpack, etc.

 

Not to be picky, but why did you pack a backpack? Pack stuff IN the backpack and use it as a carry-on.

 

Seriously, you should be fine. Just remember to use "double-duty" clothes and wash as needed.

[cortneyward]

Here's an option I don't think anyone mentioned. Just pack one pair of dress pants (if you're uncomfortable with jeans, or for elegant night), and 2 tops. You can always reuse (you're not in them that long). You'd get several nights out of that. If you choose anytime dining you can take a look at the choices on lido before making the decision. Seems like s win/win

[cortneyward]

Not to be picky, but why did you pack a backpack? Pack stuff IN the backpack and use it as a carry-on.

 

Seriously, you should be fine. Just remember to use "double-duty" clothes and wash as needed.

 

I always carry a backpack or other type bag to bring back all the extras I purchase while on the cruise

[mufc99]

Is the Lido buffet the only dining where you help yourself?

[uprivermama]

We're obviously in the minority here, but we never eat in the MDR. I hate the whole process. Especially on port-intensive itineraries, I want to get my food and get out, not sit through a drawn out meal. For me and my crew, we'd rather each grab what we want, when we want it, and then sit at a table together and talk about the day while we eat. And of course, we can all then leave when we're done without having to sit around waiting for anyone to finish serving all the courses. Is the food in the lido outstanding? No, but neither is the food in the MDR. This is our preference, and of course, others have different preferences. But the world certainly will not stop spinning if you don't eat in the MDR. I know it for a fact!

[cruizergal70]

We're obviously in the minority here, but we never eat in the MDR. I hate the whole process. Especially on port-intensive itineraries, I want to get my food and get out, not sit through a drawn out meal. For me and my crew, we'd rather each grab what we want, when we want it, and then sit at a table together and talk about the day while we eat. And of course, we can all then leave when we're done without having to sit around waiting for anyone to finish serving all the courses. Is the food in the lido outstanding? No, but neither is the food in the MDR. This is our preference, and of course, others have different preferences. But the world certainly will not stop spinning if you don't eat in the MDR. I know it for a fact!

 

I agree. I plan on skipping the MDR for dinner. It's not worth the hassle to me. I just need food. I'm not looking for a faux dining experience.

[freedomcruiser891]

We are on lido 3/4 days on our previous cruise because grandmother didn't like spending that much time sitting/waiting for food.

Depending on what ship you're on if there's a guys they close at 6 or Mongolian. Also ate at deli and pizza everyday and never got tired of it. And then the buffet also changed daily which was nice. There was also something good even though some people complain about it all being terrible. I personally prefer to eat in the MDR but still adequate food for the buffet!

[RWolver672]

As far as comparing the difference between what is served, the main dishes are similar but the deserts in the Lido lack in flavor. They look nice but we've found that most of them are tasteless.