MDR open for lunch the day you board?

[oaktreerb]

With the tiered boarding times it is best that the MDR is not open for lunch on boarding day.  Less incentive for people to try to board before their assigned boarding times.  There are plenty of places to get something to eat if you don’t like the Lido.  

[rkacruiser]

21 hours ago, zgscl said:

After checking our survey data, we have found that customers don't want to go to the MDR on embarkation day. When volumes return we will consider offering a $50 special embarkation package where you can get on at 11:30 and have a sit down lunch. 

 

20 hours ago, zgscl said:

No, but we will be launching a new promotion, "Have it All, And then Some" which will include towel animals, crackers and chocolates on your pillow every night. Available for $295 per person above the exiting Have it All rate based on a 7 night cruise. 

 

IF you really are an employee of HAL in the Seattle office and if you posted these two posts thinking that this Mariner would think that they are funny   you are seriously mistaken!  

[Florida_gal_50]

1 hour ago, rkacruiser said:

 

 

IF you really are an employee of HAL in the Seattle office and if you posted these two posts thinking that this Mariner would think that they are funny   you are seriously mistaken!  

They are funny.  I simply don't understand why people need to be critical to those that are spending their time and money to inform others.  It blows me away.  

[Trapper44]

1 hour ago, rkacruiser said:

 

 

IF you really are an employee of HAL in the Seattle office and if you posted these two posts thinking that this Mariner would think that they are funny   you are seriously mistaken!  

I think you need at least one order of Clothesline Bacon. I also found them funny!

[FlaMariner]

15 hours ago, shanni-shanni said:

I specifically asked if the MDR is open, not will lunch be available.

 

The lady actually left to ask someone else who knows.

 

Tom

 

That's good news then Tom....I hope this turns out to be correct but I am doubtful.

 

We always would start our cruise with a calm lunch in the MDR.....Missed it on our Rotterdam cruise last month.  

 

I look forward to an eyewitness report that yes, indeed, lunch after 1pm in the MDR is possible......We will be on the NA in mid December and I'm planning to head to the MDR first thing.....so we shall see.

 

[Florida_gal_50]

15 hours ago, sevenseasnomad said:

Tom, Thanks for your post and for a sliver of hope.  Like you, we love going to the MDR for embarkation day lunch.  When I noticed our 1 P.M. boarding time, I too called Seattle to inquire about the MDR being open.  The person I spoke with said he doubted the MDR would be open, but would not totally commit to it being closed. 

 

When I asked if he could check with a supervisor or if I could be directed to a department who might have the information, he said he was giving me the best current information.  Should the MDR be open, we'll be happily surprised, but we aren't holding our breaths.  I am unsure where we'll eat because I normally avoid the Lido anyway due to food allergies.  Maybe I should pack a lunch.  LOL. 

I despise the lido.  Luckily on this cruise it wasn’t jam packed like normal and the food was decent.  It was pretty much the same though and on the California leg one they seemed to have “secret” food the staff at other stations didn’t know about.  When we were in San Francisco they had clam chowder, they even announced it on the PA system.  When I asked they said that wasn’t being served.  I did eventually find it and it was very good. I don’t understand why people enjoy eating in a cafeteria when you could have a lovely lunch especially with food allergies. That makes it way worse.

[Florida_gal_50]

22 hours ago, trixiee said:

Would hope that the staff are repurposed to do deep cleaning. That seems to me to be more important than lunch in MDR?

I was on the ship between the two cruises.  I didn’t see any out of the ordinary cleaning unless it was being done behind closed doors.  I think Hal’s normal cleaning standards are pretty high.

[Sunflower & The Scientist]

This will be our second HAL cruise....does that qualify us to eat in the MDR after we embark? 

[FlaMariner]

31 minutes ago, Sunflower & The Scientist said:

This will be our second HAL cruise....does that qualify us to eat in the MDR after we embark? 

 

I've never seen them send anyone away...all are welcome.

[taxmantoo]

33 minutes ago, Sunflower & The Scientist said:

This will be our second HAL cruise....does that qualify us to eat in the MDR after we embark? 

The MDR is usually open to ALL passengers on embarkation day except the rare occasion where it is reserved for special groups like travel agents or others visiting onboard before the ship leaves.  In those occasions, HAL might limit access to a certain Mariner level and above (extremely rare).

Edited November 20, 2021 by taxmantoo

[DaveOKC]

3 hours ago, Sunflower & The Scientist said:

This will be our second HAL cruise....does that qualify us to eat in the MDR after we embark? 

Pre-Covid HAL opened the MDR on Embarkation day to everyone - it USED to be for Mariners only.  With the new boarding procedures I doubt they will by open anyway, byt we shall see!

[rkacruiser]

22 hours ago, Trapper44 said:

I think you need at least one order of Clothesline Bacon. I also found them funny!

 

You are welcome to consider them "funny".  I consider them weird and inappropriate for a fine dining experience.

 

22 hours ago, Florida_gal_50 said:

They are funny.  I simply don't understand why people need to be critical to those that are spending their time and money to inform others.  It blows me away.  

 

I appreciate the poster's informing us of this package.  I am NOT being critical of the poster.  I AM being critical of the package.  Having to pay for such a promotion with items that has been part of of the HAL cruise experience?  Ridiculous. 

[Langoustine]

I believe they were posted, not by a HAL employee, but as satire: what a mew press release from HAL MIGHT say....

[brainy blonde]

Having just returned from the Eurodam crossing, I was shocked at the blatant surcharges on the dining room menu.  We just rolled over to 5 star, so you know we have been cruising Hal for some time.  Very tacky to insult diners with what they could have.  Too cheap: penny wise, dollar foolish.

 

The thought of paying $50 per person to have the main dining room lunch on upon embarking is ludicrous.  On our crossing the dining room lunch menu never changed.  While we avoid the Lido, we succumbed to lido lunches just for variety.

 

The crossing was less than ideal.  DH is not sure he wants to cruise HAL again. 

 

 

 

 

 

[Florida_gal_50]

32 minutes ago, brainy blonde said:

Having just returned from the Eurodam crossing, I was shocked at the blatant surcharges on the dining room menu.  We just rolled over to 5 star, so you know we have been cruising Hal for some time.  Very tacky to insult diners with what they could have.  Too cheap: penny wise, dollar foolish.

 

The thought of paying $50 per person to have the main dining room lunch on upon embarking is ludicrous.  On our crossing the dining room lunch menu never changed.  While we avoid the Lido, we succumbed to lido lunches just for variety.

 

The crossing was less than ideal.  DH is not sure he wants to cruise HAL again. 

 

 

 

 

 

The mdr menu is a set one now and it’s not too appealing to me.

[KirkNC]

2 hours ago, brainy blonde said:

Having just returned from the Eurodam crossing, I was shocked at the blatant surcharges on the dining room menu.  We just rolled over to 5 star, so you know we have been cruising Hal for some time.  Very tacky to insult diners with what they could have.  Too cheap: penny wise, dollar foolish.

 

The thought of paying $50 per person to have the main dining room lunch on upon embarking is ludicrous.  On our crossing the dining room lunch menu never changed.  While we avoid the Lido, we succumbed to lido lunches just for variety.

 

The crossing was less than ideal.  DH is not sure he wants to cruise HAL again. 

 

 

 

 

 

Are you saying they want to charge $50 for the MDR lunch on embarkation day????

[brainy blonde]

Kirk:  See poster zgscl above.  

[OVgirl]

1 hour ago, KirkNC said:

Are you saying they want to charge $50 for the MDR lunch on embarkation day????

That was a joke.

[KirkNC]

6 hours ago, OVgirl said:

That was a joke.

Yea, I finally figured it out.  Thanks!

[Crew News]

According to my Navigator itinerary, the NIeuw Statendam has a Mariner Lunch from 12:00 - 1:00 PM on Embarkation Day next Sunday.  With Group 1 boarding at 1:00 PM, perhaps the B2B passengers will be there.  On Pinnacle-class ships, my lunch is either Dutch Cafe or NY Pizza & Deli.

 

I have seen non-Mariner's turned away from the MDR on Embarkation on some of my past cruises.

[Sharon in AZ]

We cruised in August on the Nieuw Amsterdam and in October on the Koningsdam. Both were open for lunch on embarkation day in the MDR but only until 1:00 pm. We were fortunate that we embarked both times at about 11:45 am so we could enjoy one of my favorite things to do on embarkation day. I’m sure those embarking later could not. 

[Florida_gal_50]

8 hours ago, Sharon in AZ said:

We cruised in August on the Nieuw Amsterdam and in October on the Koningsdam. Both were open for lunch on embarkation day in the MDR but only until 1:00 pm. We were fortunate that we embarked both times at about 11:45 am so we could enjoy one of my favorite things to do on embarkation day. I’m sure those embarking later could not. 

That’s good to hear.  It wasn’t open on the 14th or so I was told.  It wasn’t in the when and where and I called the front desk to verify.  I didn’t physically go and check but it would have been interesting to see.

[rkacruiser]

On 11/21/2021 at 6:44 PM, KirkNC said:

Yea, I finally figured it out.  Thanks!

 

As a joke, that was not a very funny one!  😠

[HollDoll]

I am boarding the Eurodam tomorrow.  Under tomorrow’s events on my Navigator app it lists at 12:00 noon…Mariners Society Lunch, Main Dining Room!  Great news!

[taxmantoo]

18 minutes ago, HollDoll said:

I am boarding the Eurodam tomorrow.  Under tomorrow’s events on my Navigator app it lists at 12:00 noon…Mariners Society Lunch, Main Dining Room!  Great news!

Fake News.  The Mariners Society Lunch is usually held on the last sea day of the cruise and invitations are delivered to your stateroom!  The only consistent thing about HAL lately is the inconsistency!