MDR vs Lido for breakfast ?

[Mary229]

We enjoy the leisurely pace of the MDR at breakfast.  We usually sit with other "strangers" and enjoy the conversation BUT only on sea days or late arrival days.  You got to have time to do breakfast right to truly enjoy the MDR breakfast.  I agree it does close early, something I have experienced on other lines.  It usually doesn't affect me unless I am traveling with my mother.

[Tennessee Titan]

Nothing like a FRESHLY prepared omelet in  the Lido.......

[Roz]

5 minutes ago, Tennessee Titan said:

Nothing like a FRESHLY prepared omelet in  the Lido.......

 

After you've stood in line for a half an hour, then go back to your table where the rest of your breakfast has been removed.....

[RMLincoln]

33 minutes ago, Roz said:

 

After you've stood in line for a half an hour, then go back to your table where the rest of your breakfast has been removed.....

Oh Roz, I'm sorry that happened to you!  If I had to wait 30 minutes for an omelet I'd find a different breakfast option also.  

I feel like service in the Lido has improved in recent years, especially with the individual stations, and with them serving food to us instead of the long, slow line of passengers helping themselves as in year gone by.  We usually don't have to wait more than a couple of minutes for a made-to-order omelet, and anything more than that would be unusual. They have 2 omelet stations, one on each side, with multiple omelets being made simultaneously at each station... but I can't speak for every ship so that is not a comprehensive view.  I thought it was a very good system. m--

[sandiego1]

People complain about the lines in the Lido. Personally, I've never had to wait more than 5 minutes to be served, and a few minutes longer if I custom order something (like an omelet). The wait times to get food in the MDR are much longer. 1st you have to wait to be seated, then wait for a steward to come by to collect your order, then wait for the food to be prepared, and finally wait for the steward to bring it to your table.

 

However, it is very nice to be waited on while seated at a table in the MDR.

 

It's good to have choices.

[awhcruiser]

We will set an alarm so as not to miss a MDR breakfast!

[KrissyCruises]

11 hours ago, cat shepard said:

My travel gang and I would laugh hysterically at one woman who came in her robe every morning. 

Wow. What are you in high school?? Maybe you and your ‘gang’ should worry about yourselves instead of mocking other guests 😑

[boboraji]

We're on HAL for the first time next month after sailing Princess.  We would always talk with our steward before we even sailed and requested coffee and juice every morning in our stateroom at a set time.  You could set your watch that exactly at 6:30am there would be a knock in the door and there he was!  Does this work on a HAL ship as well.  Also, when does the MDR close in the morning?

[billbunger]

28 minutes ago, KrissyCruises said:

Wow. What are you in high school?? Maybe you and your ‘gang’ should worry about yourselves instead of mocking other guests 😑

The last thing one wants to see at breakfast is someone in the lido in a bathrobe. Tacky, classless, no brains. Especially the ones with nothing on underneath the robe. The rules state that bathrobes are not suitable attire whilst eating in the Lido, unfortunately some of the ships do not seem to enforce that. You can’t eat wearing a bathrobe in the other food venues, why do people think it’s ok in the Lido? Questions, questions, questions boys and girls.

[Krazy Kruizers]

10 hours ago, boboraji said:

We're on HAL for the first time next month after sailing Princess.  We would always talk with our steward before we even sailed and requested coffee and juice every morning in our stateroom at a set time.  You could set your watch that exactly at 6:30am there would be a knock in the door and there he was!  Does this work on a HAL ship as well.  Also, when does the MDR close in the morning?

 

Sea days: 8 - 9:30.

 

Port days: 7:30 - 9.

[kazu]

11 hours ago, boboraji said:

We're on HAL for the first time next month after sailing Princess.  We would always talk with our steward before we even sailed and requested coffee and juice every morning in our stateroom at a set time.  You could set your watch that exactly at 6:30am there would be a knock in the door and there he was!  Does this work on a HAL ship as well.  

 

Room service is not done by the stewards on HAL.  

 

There is a breakfast room service card in your room.  Just fill it out for your coffee and juice and hang it outside on your door handle and it will all arrive 🙂 

[boboraji]

Thanks to you both for the info.

[Hobbsey]

21 hours ago, chanc said:

Thank you everyone for all your perspectives on this weighty matter. :). 

 

@CruiserBruce Agree, I wasn't looking for a right or wrong answer but trying to understand the pros and cons of both options.  And everyone's thoughts on this have given me a better picture. 

 

MDR definitely sounds like a "better" option for at sea days, for a more leisurely start to the day.  I hadn't considered the timing for port days, so that really helped especially if we want to get off the ship early, Lido would be the best. 

You just gave yourself the response I was about to post.  Are you psychic?

[Hobbsey]

11 hours ago, billbunger said:

The last thing one wants to see at breakfast is someone in the lido in a bathrobe. Tacky, classless, no brains. Especially the ones with nothing on underneath the robe. The rules state that bathrobes are not suitable attire whilst eating in the Lido, unfortunately some of the ships do not seem to enforce that. You can’t eat wearing a bathrobe in the other food venues, why do people think it’s ok in the Lido? Questions, questions, questions boys and girls.

Often its folks coming or going to the spa.  However, not sure whats tacky about it over those who show up in bathing suits and a flimsy cover-up.  Although I'm pretty certain those folks get a different kind of scrutiny by some.

Edited December 18, 2019 by Hobbsey
added

[Walfam]

On 12/17/2019 at 11:00 AM, Roz said:

Coffee and a raisin bun.  It doesn't get much better than that!

Ooooooh, those raisin buns.  #legendary   (LOL)

[Walfam]

We like the Lido for breakfast when we do not go to the Pinnacle Grill.    Lido is faster.  We've never tried the MDR for breakfast.

 

The only Lido self-serve items I can recall are the bread & pastry items. 
When there was a mild noro outbreak on our last cruise, even those were served by staff.

 

I like the Lido because, as already mentioned, you can see what the food looks like, done-ness of the bacon, and I can get poached eggs/eggs benedict made to order at the "British" foods breakfast station.  We watch them as they are being made.  There is a lovely pastry from that station, I don't know what they're called, but became a daily  item on my tray.   Along with the raisin bun.  😉

[Overhead Fred]

And you can get Congee (rice porridge) for breakfast in the Lido!

[CruiseRQA]

delete

Edited December 18, 2019 by CruiseRQA

[Roz]

49 minutes ago, Walfam said:

Ooooooh, those raisin buns.  #legendary   (LOL)

 

I was on b2b cruises on the Nieuw Amsterdam earlier this yr. (13 days) and was able to limit myself to 3 raisin buns.  It wasn't easy!

[Walfam]

4 hours ago, Roz said:

 

I was on b2b cruises on the Nieuw Amsterdam earlier this yr. (13 days) and was able to limit myself to 3 raisin buns.  It wasn't easy!

Three for the entire trip?  😳  I bow to your willpower! 

[Roz]

10 hours ago, Walfam said:

Three for the entire trip?  😳  I bow to your willpower! 

If I didn't exert some discipline I'd walk off the ship in the shape of a raisin bun.  😉

[aa7yy]

On 12/17/2019 at 6:04 PM, KrissyCruises said:

Wow. What are you in high school?? Maybe you and your ‘gang’ should worry about yourselves instead of mocking other guests 😑

I am with cat shepard. I probably wouldn't laugh but certainly shake my head. I think wandering around the Lido in your bathrobe for breakfast is in bad taste. Was that you ? Did you have curlers in your hair ?

[DeeniEncinitas]

We enjoy the lido when we do have breakfast. PG for breakfast is our fav.

Denise😊

[Tennessee Titan]

On 12/17/2019 at 12:35 PM, Roz said:

 

After you've stood in line for a half an hour, then go back to your table where the rest of your breakfast has been removed.....

Some people would ***** if they were hung with a new rope!

[Cruising-along]

2 hours ago, aa7yy said:

I am with cat shepard. I probably wouldn't laugh but certainly shake my head. I think wandering around the Lido in your bathrobe for breakfast is in bad taste. Was that you ? Did you have curlers in your hair ?

I agree.  Even worse, on our recent cruise there was a couple walking through the shops and all areas far from the Lido or spa in their robes. And the woman at the buffet in her robe and no shoes.....