Is the dining room open for lunch on port days?

[Schplinky]

We're on Constellation in January and I'm wondering if the dining rooms remain open on port days for lunch. On RCL, they tended to close them, which was disappointing. I'd much rather eat in the dining room than the buffet any day.

[Texed]

Usually, depending on how many they anticipate staying on the ship. Sometimes, the restaurant is closed, and sometimes it is open. Not much help, but that's the way it is. :)

[Schplinky]

Usually, depending on how many they anticipate staying on the ship. Sometimes, the restaurant is closed, and sometimes it is open. Not much help, but that's the way it is. :)

 

That's ok. I'd rather honest confusion over confident misinformation any day.

[flashdog_1]

Summit's was open except one day when it was being cleaned in preparation for the midnight buffet (this has been so on both Summit cruises. They have to clean it sometime and this is the day they do it). The day when it is closed you have to go to the buffet or aqua spa or eat ashore. Celebrity Today will tell you the night before so you can make alternate plans.

[hajekfam]

We have found on our Celebrity cruises on different ships that the dining room closed for lunch one day during the cruise for cleaning.

[espmass]

When I was last on the Constellation the dining room was open every port day.

[CaribbeanBound]

Just to be clear...

On Celebrity ships, lunch is served EVERY day in port. True, the formal dining room is closed one day, but the buffet is open every day. So, yes, you can count on coming back to the ship for lunch every day if that is what you wish to do.

[Schplinky]

Yes, thank you. As I said in my OP, I really don't care for buffets.

[newmexicoNita]

It depends on the hours in port and yes, as someone said how many passengers they expect to either stay on board or return early. I think when we were on the Connie a couple of years ago the dining room was only opened for lunch 2 of the port days. NMNita

[CaribbeanBound]

Schplinky: I agree about the buffets. However, there is a great sandwitch bar in the after of the buffet that makes incredibly good sandwitches on an array of deliciusly fresh breads.

[CaribbeanBound]

Schplinky: I agree about the buffets. However, there is a great sandwitch bar in the aft of the buffet that makes incredibly good sandwitches on an array of deliciusly fresh breads.

[AFT_LOVER]

as we always have lunch onboard, playing to safe, and we have the dining room to eat in.

[mii]

Schplinky: I agree about the buffets. However, there is a great sandwitch bar in the after of the buffet that makes incredibly good sandwitches on an array of deliciusly fresh breads.

 

Caribbean I have to agree with you on the sandwich bar. We were on the Infinity just this last June and discovered the sandwich bar. If there is one good thing that Celebrity does is the sandwich bar. We ended up eating lunch on most of our trip there.

 

Marilyn

[Happy ks]

I have no other helpful information to add to this. I just wanted to add that one of our most memorable cruise meals was a late lunch in the dining room (Infinity), last year in Alaska, port day in Sitka. The dining room was so gorgeous with the backdrop of the town. Pity there were only a handful of us there to enjoy it.

 

I'm another who only eats at the buffet if I have no other choice, or don't care for the options.

[safein]

Schplinky,

 

On many of the port days, not only is the diniing room open, but it's open seating, one of the best things they've done. Don't know if you've sailed on any of the Connie's sister ships, but the buffet has a greater variety than the other ships. In addition to the regular buffet, there's lunch at the Aqua Spa, near the T-pool, hamburger grill at the pool, 2 pasta stations, and a sandwich area which also has some theme days. I understand your wanting to be served at the dining room, but these are some choices for you.

 

Anita

[IggleDoer]

In larger ports, they might open the ship to local travel agents. When they do, they serve them a nice meal in the dining room and close the ship for lunch to the less important paying passengers.

[Schplinky]

In larger ports, they might open the ship to local travel agents. When they do, they serve them a nice meal in the dining room and close the ship for lunch to the less important paying passengers.

 

Since most ships dining rooms have more private areas and levels, this seems a bt much. They don't need to choose one or the other.

 

That said, I've never seen non-cruisers onboard so I would have no idea.

[adegner]

Ok, I can tell you from experience that the dining room is open for lunch every day except once a week when they close it to clean. If the cruise is 7 days then it is closed once, but if the cruise is longer 10 or 12 or 14 days, you would most likely see it closed twice at the most. Also, on embarkation day the dining room is closed at lunch except to back-to-backers or special parties. We are dining room fanatics and we eat there whenever possible as we dislike the buffet experience also. Usually, they pick a day that is a popular port day. This is to ensure that the buffet isn't overwhelmed. In my memory, the dining room has NEVER been closed on a sea day.

 

One interesting side note. In "The Daily", they NEVER say the dining room will be closed "due to cleaning", but rather they say "to bring you an expanded buffet". As far as I have ever seen, the buffet is the same size as always. :)

[dsparku]

Just off the Constellation 10/17 cruise-San Marco is open for lunch from 12noon to 2pm each day except 1 when the closed for cleaning-it is open seating on the lower level only(Deck 4)Also when we docked at 12noon on St.Maarten the hours were 11:30am-1:30pm

[lisiamc]

One interesting side note. In "The Daily", they NEVER say the dining room will be closed "due to cleaning", but rather they say "to bring you an expanded buffet". As far as I have ever seen, the buffet is the same size as always. :)

 

I've noticed that too, and then I've wondered why the buffet still seems to look like normal that day. Maybe the part of the buffet that's "expanded" is the number of passengers partaking!

 

Lisa

[geoherb]

I did not notice the dining room was closed at all for lunch except on embarkation day. We ate lunch there every day except the days we were in St. Thomas and San Juan.