How many people prefer the Main Dining Room (MDR) over the buffet when boarding?

[jagsfan]

DH loves Horizon Court, the variety of choices and doesn't have to wait to be served. I'd rather anywhere else, but he eats dinner in the MDR for me, so I'll eat from the buffet on sailing day for him.

 

 

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[GUT2407]

Just curious as to whether people head straight to the buffet or prefer the quite of the main dinning room? My choice is the main dinning room. I'll have many time to visit the buffet.

 

Tom:confused:

 

 

MDR if it's open.

[timtrek]

Just curious as to whether people head straight to the buffet or prefer the quite of the main dinning room? My choice is the main dinning room. I'll have many time to visit the buffet.

 

Tom:confused:

 

 

I always try to get on board in time to enjoy the embarkation lunch in the MDR. It is a very relaxing way to start the cruise.

[Idratherbeatsea]

Prefer the MDR for embarkation and breakfast and lunch

[Tyskie]

MDR, always! Along with a nice glass of wine- very relaxing [emoji41]

 

I'm on vacation, I like to be treated like a "Princess" lol [emoji16]

 

 

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[timtrek]

I heard no more MDR for lunch at embarkation except for Club Class & full Suite passengers

 

 

That was just a nasty rumor several months ago. No truth to it. And the boards did light up!:D

[Pam in CA]

I've gone to the dining room on embarkation day for lunch only to discover that the menu was very limited. No salad, no soup, etc. Walked out and went to the buffet.

 

On ships with an Alfredo's, I like to go there for lunch on embarkation day.

[jeromep]

Only the MDR. Never the buffet. From a virology standpoint, if somebody is sick, especially after flying in on the pressurized disease tube, they visit the buffet and are now spreading their bug around on all the handles of the serving utensils in the buffet. It takes a couple of days for all that contact to rub off on the rest of the pax and incubate. Now you have a bunch of sick passengers and all the Purell in the world wouldn't have prevented that from happening.

 

You have a reduced chance of getting a disease by having food served to you by a limited number of individuals who presumably have good hygiene and are not in direct contact with passengers. Therefore no buffet for me, ever.

 

If I can't get to the MDR in time on embarkation day, I move to the IC, which isn't all that disappointing really.

[JF - retired RRT]

I go to the MDR whenever possible.

The warm/hot food in the buffet is always COLD by the time I'm able to sit down to eat. Never had a cold meal in the MDR, unless it was supposed to be cold.

[anthonyy7]

By the time we board we've already had lunch so we have a light snack and coffee in the IC

[wishfulone]

Alfredo's if there is one, followed by the International Cafe if there is one and we're early enough to get a seat. MDR if it has the salmon. As others have said the embarkation menu is limited on some ships. But we'll settle for a burger by the pool if we're late boarding and the weather is wonderful.

[toescat]

This may sound crazy but I prefer the buffet so I can hog the olives. Sad I know but sometimes they run out of olives before the cruise is over. Now with my olive fetish out of the way, my other reason for the Buffett is I am too excited to sit for very long. I need to eat and move about the ship until we leave. I am like a kid in a candy store. I fell in love with cruising in 1984 and the love has not faded. Once we set sail I do calm down and I am one who loves TD.

Edited March 5, 2017 by toescat
spelling error

[easyboy]

We prefer the HC on embarkation.

[paradise4ever]

Luv the main dining room for all meals. Luv to get waited on. Luv that the food is hot. Luv the attention the waiters give you and the suggestions. Luv that it is not crowded like the buffet. Luv the fresh brewed coffee. LUV IT:cool:;p:D

[Pmorton3360]

I rarely go to the buffet . Usually enjoy main dining room most breakfasts. Love IC. Especially on first day. A question. Do they still have the omelet and waffle station by the pool in the morning? Enjoyed these on Ruby for early days.

 

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[dls1277]

We have been on the Ruby and Caribbean Princess in the last few months and went to MDR on embarkation day on both ships. It may be a limited menu, but there was an appetizer, soup, salad, pasta, a couple of entree choices and at least two desserts offered. Plus the wonderful bread basket with butter (1 pat per person on the dish, but they happily served more on request:D).

[IECalCruiser]

I've gone to the dining room on embarkation day for lunch only to discover that the menu was very limited. No salad, no soup, etc. Walked out and went to the buffet.

 

On ships with an Alfredo's, I like to go there for lunch on embarkation day.

Pam, I am assuming that was on a short (<7 day) cruise or at least that is when we have seen the non standard menu.

 

 

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[Ronnieslady]

I've gone to the dining room on embarkation day for lunch only to discover that the menu was very limited. No salad, no soup, etc. Walked out and went to the buffet.

 

On ships with an Alfredo's, I like to go there for lunch on embarkation day.

 

 

 

That very same thing happened to us. We had invited a friend to the Bon Voyage lunch. It was the beginning of a 3 day cruise. We were doing a back to back & the friend had given us a ride to the port.

We were so embarrassed [emoji30] @ such a limited menu and after we had bragged about how great the food was [emoji12]. It was not !!! What a bust!!!! We will never make that mistake again. I was told it was because they change the menu for short cruises. I told Princess customer service "why even offer a Bon Voyage if the menu was to be as such" & that was the impression of what Princess offers their cruisers . They were the ones that should've been embarrassed [emoji30] I think this was on the Ruby

 

 

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Edited March 5, 2017 by Ronnieslady

[cflutist]

We have been on the Ruby and Caribbean Princess in the last few months and went to MDR on embarkation day on both ships. It may be a limited menu, but there was an appetizer, soup, salad, pasta, a couple of entree choices and at least two desserts offered. Plus the wonderful bread basket with butter (1 pat per person on the dish, but they happily served more on request:D).

I wonder if it varies by ship? The Star and the Grand have the bay shrimp appetizer, dill salmon, beef medallions, orange souffle and espresso ice cream in the MDR on embarkation day. That is one of my favorite lunches. They also have BVE on these ships.

[OzKiwiJJ]

Definately the MDR for embarkation lunch.

 

One cruise we went on was offered as two different cruises, one with Melbourne embarkation and one with Sydney embarkation. Much to my annoyance the MDR wasn't open for those embarking in Sydney. The buffet was an absolute zoo.

[FluffStuff]

This may sound crazy but I prefer the buffet so I can hog the olives. Sad I know but sometimes they run out of olives before the cruise is over. Now with my olive fetish out of the way, my other reason for the Buffett is I am too excited to sit for very long. I need to eat and move about the ship until we leave. I am like a kid in a candy store. I fell in love with cruising in 1984 and the love has not faded. Once we set sail I do calm down and I am one who loves TD.

 

 

I couldn't agree more about sitting still for too long! Too much excitement :)

 

 

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[EndersFoul]

:DWe usually board a little later plus the DH wants to head straight for the pizza! So head to the deck and watch the chaos before heading to muster.

[sunsetbeachgal]

I don't like doing two long sit down meals in a row, lunch and dinner, so we do something quicker for lunch. When we are on the Regal or Royal our embarkation lunch is at Alfredos.

 

 

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[Griller]

MDR is civilized, though the waiters are not usually happy to be made to work instead of having a day ashore, while the buffet is a zoo with many new passengers milling about in a random manner.

So my vote is MDR if I am allowed to go there.

[PrincessLuver]

Luv the main dining room for all meals. Luv to get waited on. Luv that the food is hot. Luv the attention the waiters give you and the suggestions. Luv that it is not crowded like the buffet. Luv the fresh brewed coffee. LUV IT:cool:;p:D

 

We rarely if ever go to the buffet and try to eat most meals in the MDR if possible....I agree with all you said plus I tend to not overeat in the MDR, we like meeting people and there always seems to be plenty of tables available......:)