Lido Market Buffet vs MDR

[terrydtx]

21 minutes ago, syesmar said:

So, are you saying after your husband tested positive, you both moved from your original cabin into a balcony cabin and stayed together. He isolated, but after testing you a single time, HAL allowed you to dine in the MDR and enjoy the rest of the ship without anything further? Did they give any guidance regarding the current CDC protocols for those who have been exposed (additional testing on Day 6, plus high quality masking while in public for 10 days)?

 

I’m glad he’s feeling better. All the Best!

On the Oosterdam last August, we were in a Signature suite and 5 days from the end of the cruise my wife tested positive and she got moved to a balcony cabin in the Covid ward of the ship, I was not allowed to be in that room with her unless I tested positive. I was tested the same day and negative but was not tested again. I stayed in our SS and had no restrictions on my use of the ship. I did wear a mask and dined in the Lido away from others or with room service in my cabin. My wife had a very mild case with hardly any symptoms but she had to spend 3 days in quarantine at a hotel in the Venice Maestre district until she tested negative. I got to stay in a room across from hers in the hotel and was free to do what I wanted and was never tested after the first time on the ship.

[syesmar]

@terrydtx Thank you for the information, it’s helpful to know the actual response from first-hand reports.

[Ipeeinthepools]

11 minutes ago, terrydtx said:

On the Oosterdam last August, we were in a Signature suite and 5 days from the end of the cruise my wife tested positive and she got moved to a balcony cabin in the Covid ward of the ship, I was not allowed to be in that room with her unless I tested positive. I was tested the same day and negative but was not tested again. I stayed in our SS and had no restrictions on my use of the ship. I did wear a mask and dined in the Lido away from others or with room service in my cabin. My wife had a very mild case with hardly any symptoms but she had to spend 3 days in quarantine at a hotel in the Venice Maestre district until she tested negative. I got to stay in a room across from hers in the hotel and was free to do what I wanted and was never tested after the first time on the ship.

 

The Covid situation is a lot different today than it was last August, but I do have a question.  Who monitored you and your wife after you left the ship?  Was anyone watching to see if you wife left the hotel or if you were staying with her?  Did you still need a negative Covid test last August to fly back into the US?

[Greysandy]

We eat in the specialty restaurants mostly on a 7 day cruise, but on longer ones spend more time in the MDR. I also like the quick and easy option of a big salad with some protein choices on it from the Lido. My husband prefers to be waited on. So we compromise.

 

I especially like the Carvery options in the Lido. Brisket or crispy pork belly have been amazing on recent cruises in the last 1 - 2 years.

[terrydtx]

26 minutes ago, Ipeeinthepools said:

 

The Covid situation is a lot different today than it was last August, but I do have a question.  Who monitored you and your wife after you left the ship?  Was anyone watching to see if you wife left the hotel or if you were staying with her?  Did you still need a negative Covid test last August to fly back into the US?

I did not stay in her room at the hotel, it was a hotel approved by the Italian Health Authority and she never tried to leave so I am not sure if they would have stopped her if she did. This was after, thankfully, that a negative test was required to fly home. By day three at the hotel she tested negative with the home tests I bought at a local drugstore and the hotel people said we were free to leave, never got any official papers from them, but we breezed through Italian passport check to fly home the next day.

 

I need to add our experience with HAL Flight Ease. We used them to book Business class seats from San Antonio to Italy. We got off the ship on Sunday and were originally supposed to fly home from Venice BC on Monday. Sunday I called FE to cancel our flights home, they were already aware or our plight and told me to call them back to rebook when she was cleared. When she tested negative Wednesday morning I called the FE emergency number they gave me and got an agent on the phone at 5:00am Seattle time and he got us booked on the same flights home Business class leaving on Thursday morning from Venice we originally had Monday. There was NO extra cost for the new flights. This is one of many reasons I continue to use HAL Flight Ease for booking our flights overseas for cruises. If we had booked directly with Delta, I doubt we would have been able to change flights and stay in BC.

[Native Floridian 26]

59 minutes ago, terrydtx said:

On the Oosterdam last August, we were in a Signature suite and 5 days from the end of the cruise my wife tested positive and she got moved to a balcony cabin in the Covid ward of the ship, I was not allowed to be in that room with her unless I tested positive. I was tested the same day and negative but was not tested again. I stayed in our SS and had no restrictions on my use of the ship. I did wear a mask and dined in the Lido away from others or with room service in my cabin. My wife had a very mild case with hardly any symptoms but she had to spend 3 days in quarantine at a hotel in the Venice Maestre district until she tested negative. I got to stay in a room across from hers in the hotel and was free to do what I wanted and was never tested after the first time on the ship.

Shows how things have changed over the months.

[syesmar]

On 5/2/2023 at 8:50 AM, BobbiSox said:

My two complaints:…2-there is always a question of where the line begins; there is nothing to designate that, a problem which could be so easily resolved with a little sign somewhere, LINE FORMS HERE.

Agree! It would be much easier if it was clear where each line began. It would also be nice to have a way make it clearer when a table is occupied or unoccupied (I bring my own notes).

[RuthC]

2 minutes ago, syesmar said:

It would also be nice to have a way make it clearer when a table is occupied or unoccupied

You just tilt your chair, and leave your napkin draped on the back of it. 

[lissie]

1 hour ago, RuthC said:

You just tilt your chair, and leave your napkin draped on the back of it. 

Really? I've not seen that - is in a HAL thing or an American thing?  I just leave my room card on the table normally 

[oakridger]

This works for me.  It usually gets a smile from the Lido waiters!  I use it at the bars too when I need to...............

 

~Nancy

 

Edited May 4, 2023 by oakridger

[syesmar]

11 hours ago, RuthC said:

You just tilt your chair, and leave your napkin draped on the back of it. 

I normally do this and it usually works, but I have had my table taken a few times even when doing this. One time the ladies who snatched our table even helped themselves to my cutlery I had set out on napkins at our place setting, as well as my ice water. 🤣I almost always take a “This Table is Occupied” note after that happened.

10 hours ago, oakridger said:

This works for me.  It usually gets a smile from the Lido waiters!  I use it at the bars too when I need to...............

 

~Nancy

 

I like the bright colors! I’ll have to try that next time!

Edited May 4, 2023 by syesmar

[RuthC]

18 hours ago, lissie said:

Really? I've not seen that - is in a HAL thing or an American thing?  I just leave my room card on the table normally 

This is something that HAL staff is (or at least was) trained to look for. I was advised to do this years ago by a HAL Lido steward when I was first traveling alone and asked how to save my seat. 
I do it to this day. 
Now, it won't prevent other passengers from taking over your seat, but it will stop the staff from clearing your place. 

Leaving something personal there can also work, but it needs to be something that will be noticed, but not mind if lost. I had a magazine taken once; it was tossed when I planned to return. Hadn't tipped the chair that time! 

[Florida_gal_50]

I’ve had no luck with the tip the chair or napkin method.  I got told by a steward not to tip the chair because it causes problems for the table behind it.  Tried the napkin and when I got back to the table someone had taken my table.  She claimed not to know what the napkin meant. In both cases there were several empty tables around.  I like the idea of having the signs.

Edited May 4, 2023 by Florida_gal_50

[YourWorldWithBill]

I printed some signs today!

[BermudaBound2014]

Warning- resurrected thread.  I made a note to follow up this thread when I got onboard.
 

I am very pleased to find that there are indeed fresh grill stations at the lido for dinner. Last night I had some of this freshly grilled mahi-mahi. They were also grilling that asparagus. Yummm. Not only healthy, but hot off the grill :). 

 

Just a few stations down they were grilling pork chops and steak. A nice option for those of us who enjoy a one or two course meal, but prefer their protein hot off the grill. 
 

 

Edited February 21 by BermudaBound2014

[oakridger]

@BermudaBound2014 those grilled fish fillets look great! So does the fresh grilled asparagus! I had not seen this on my previous cruises but will look to see if they have this on Zuiderdam in May.  I appreciate the update!

 

~Nancy

[GeezerCouple]

On 5/3/2023 at 11:06 PM, oakridger said:

This works for me.  It usually gets a smile from the Lido waiters!  I use it at the bars too when I need to...............

 

~Nancy

 

 

This is such a good idea!

 

A similar trick that this reminds me of:  I have an allergy to a food that could be confused with other items.  So now, we take a card (several, of course) that has photos and the word "Allergy" in English and in whatever language we expect to encounter.

Now, every time we show it, the person (waiter, chef, etc.) suddenly opens their eyes, smiles, nods, and clearly communicates they understand.  Usually, with that level person/staff/crew/etc., they know some English.

 

And yes those bright colors,,,, perfect!

Maybe next time, we won't have to take turns so often when a buffet is relatively crowded!

Thank you!

🙂 

GC

[BermudaBound2014]

2 hours ago, oakridger said:

@BermudaBound2014 those grilled fish fillets look great! So does the fresh grilled asparagus! I had not seen this on my previous cruises but will look to see if they have this on Zuiderdam in May.  I appreciate the update!

 

~Nancy

Last night was grilled mahi mahi and today they had grilled swordfish. I asked and the guy said some type of grilled fish will be offered every night. A bit down the line is whole grill area with lots of things sizzling away. Tonight they had pork chops, steak, and chicken on the grill.

I grabbed some photos for you- 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited February 21 by BermudaBound2014

[oakridger]

Excellent news about the grilled items.  I just hope they offer it on the smaller ships also.  🙂

 

 

~Nancy

[Naismith]

My issue with the MDR is that I never have enough veggies, unless I order multiple appetizers and perhaps not even then.  At the Lido, the Asian station has stir-fried veggies in addition to whatever entree they are featuring.  Or, I would grab a piece of that grilled fish, and then go over to the Italian station which had excellent veggies and 3 salads, including beets and asparagus and garbanzo beans, etc.  The Lido was much easier to keep the ratio of vegetables to protein that my body prefers.  

[oakridger]

18 minutes ago, Naismith said:

My issue with the MDR is that I never have enough veggies, unless I order multiple appetizers and perhaps not even then.

 

You can always order an extra dish of vegetables in the MDR.  That's what I do.  Just ask your waiter!

 

~Nancy