Embarkation lunch for haven guests (American diner)?

[minn55441]

With the recent change of the American diner to a complimentary restaurant, has this changed the embarkation lunch for haven guests? During past cruises we have had the choice of the haven restaurant and a select specialty restaurant for embarkation lunch, depending on the ship.  For those guests recently off of a sailing, has this change of the status of the American diner resulted in a change of the embarkation lunch options?

 

We are sailing on the Breakaway in February.

 

[cruiseny4life]

I know you didn't ask this, so I'll go pound sand if you'd like. Just know the menu has changed dramatically too. We always went to American Diner for embarkation, but with the current, included in the fare, menu, we won't be anymore. Haven Restaurant it will be - which kind of makes us sad to lose an embarkation day tradition. Here's a copy of the (not nearly so good) menu:

 

https://www.ncl.com/sites/default/files/American-Diner-A_Mobile-Menu_010224.pdf

 

My guess is, American Diner will be open for lunch on embarkation day, so you'll be able to go there. It just won't be a Haven perk. Now, if you do go, and it's only for Haven passengers on embarkation day (with the old menu), please let us know. *not holding my breath, but I have to be hopeful*

[minn55441]

Yes, we have seen the new menu.  We have already decided that we will not be eating at the American diner with the new menu options.  My hope is that a new specialty restaurant will be added as an option for haven guests.

[Laszlo]

24 minutes ago, minn55441 said:

With the recent change of the American diner to a complimentary restaurant, has this changed the embarkation lunch for haven guests? During past cruises we have had the choice of the haven restaurant and a select specialty restaurant for embarkation lunch, depending on the ship.  For those guests recently off of a sailing, has this change of the status of the American diner resulted in a change of the embarkation lunch options?

 

We are sailing on the Breakaway in February.

 

I don't think eating there is much of a "Perk" we had the option on the Getaway, friends ate there and we had lunch in the Haven restaurant. Ours was much better, everyone is different so American diner might be better for some

[Laszlo]

1 minute ago, minn55441 said:

Yes, we have seen the new menu.  We have already decided that we will not be eating at the American diner with the new menu options.  My hope is that a new specialty restaurant will be added as an option for haven guests.

Don't hold your breath. I think that is only an option for Haven and Suite guest on the Jewel Class ships since they don't have a Haven restaurant 

[graphicguy]

7 minutes ago, Laszlo said:

I don't think eating there is much of a "Perk" we had the option on the Getaway, friends ate there and we had lunch in the Haven restaurant. Ours was much better, everyone is different so American diner might be better for some

I know for a while the Haven Restaurant Host was pushing people to go to American Diner for embarkation lunch.  I did it once.  Not bad...not great.  But, would have rather had lunch in the Haven Restaurant.

[Laszlo]

2 minutes ago, graphicguy said:

I know for a while the Haven Restaurant Host was pushing people to go to American Diner for embarkation lunch.  I did it once.  Not bad...not great.  But, would have rather had lunch in the Haven Restaurant.

Yea, they were doing the same on our cruise. The Getaway restaurant doesn't have the capacity. We just got in when they basically had to tell a lot of people they were going to have to wait 45-60 minutes to get in. Their were a number of really angry people. If you plan to get lunch in the Haven restaurant I would try to board early... when they first start taking up Haven guest

[UKstages]

its' a nice idea... offering a specialty restaurant for lunch to haven guests and it solves overcrowding issues in the haven restaurant... but where would they send people? they'd have to open up a specialty restaurant specifically for this. american diner was open for lunch and underutilized, so that made sense.

[bluesea777]

It's that a lot of people have been taking advantage of the Upgrade biddings that the Haven is now almost always full each sailing, so that was why they extended the American Diner to the Haven passengers on Embarkation days lunch when the American Diner was a paid dining venue that other guests (non-Haven) hardly used.

 

Now that American Diner is a free option it will be used more by the non-Haven guests, and it would be interesting to see what alternative will be offered to the Haven guests.

 

 

[UKstages]

well, again, i don't know that there will be any other choice offered to haven guests. the haven gets crowded on embarkation day. the american diner had virtually no customers. somebody had the bright idea to siphon off some haven guests to the diner and promote it as a perk. many actually tried it.. at least once. on subsequent cruises for those guests, not as many, as the american diner fare didn't appeal to some as much as the haven restaurant menu. for a lot of people, it was a one time embarkation day thing.

 

this opportunity, this scenario of having an underutilized restaurant, no longer exists.

 

as for why the haven restaurant is overflowing on embarkation day... i don't think it has anything to do with upgrades. it has to do with many guests arriving all at the same time and wanting to eat. on any other day, the guest load is more equally distributed throughout the complete opening hours and sending guests to another venue is generally unnecessary.

[Two Wheels Only]

7 minutes ago, UKstages said:

this opportunity, this scenario of having an underutilized restaurant, no longer exists.

 

as for why the haven restaurant is overflowing on embarkation day... i don't think it has anything to do with upgrades. it has to do with many guests arriving all at the same time and wanting to eat. on any other day, the guest load is more equally distributed throughout the complete opening hours and sending guests to another venue is generally unnecessary.

 

I agree. 

 

I've seen Food Republic, Margaritaville, and American Diner used as an "overflow" restaurant on embarkation day for lunch for Haven guests over the years. Those restaurants were generally empty at the time. 

 

Now, it's just another restaurant that will probably be overwhelmed, too.

[njhorseman]

2 hours ago, Laszlo said:

Don't hold your breath. I think that is only an option for Haven and Suite guest on the Jewel Class ships since they don't have a Haven restaurant 

It's not an option or overflow venue on embarkation day for Jewel Class ships and you don't order from the specialty restaurant's menu. The specialty restaurant (Cagney's or Moderrno) is the only dining area for Suite/ Haven breakfast and lunch on those ships, on any day of the cruise, not just embarkation day.

[RocketMan275]

1 hour ago, UKstages said:

as for why the haven restaurant is overflowing on embarkation day... i don't think it has anything to do with upgrades. it has to do with many guests arriving all at the same time and wanting to eat. on any other day, the guest load is more equally distributed throughout the complete opening hours and sending guests to another venue is generally unnecessary.

Also, many other days besides day one, there are those who've gone ashore to shop or do excursions.

[graphicguy]

I know they used to have servers come around with mini hamburgers, wraps and other lunchy-snacky things upon getting to the Haven while the concierge explained his function, as well as the butler.  

 

I haven't seen that since the restart.  That would probably take a partial load away from the Haven Restaurant.  But, these days, I also board a little past noon to miss the initial rush.  I've never had an issue with getting a seat in the Haven Restaurant since I've been doing that.

 

Failing all that, I wouldn't have any issues having lunch in the MDR.  That's never really crowded on embarkation day.  Have always had good lunch there, too.

[IAcruising]

1 hour ago, graphicguy said:

Failing all that, I wouldn't have any issues having lunch in the MDR.  That's never really crowded on embarkation day.  Have always had good lunch there, too.

 

French Dip and a Manhattan in the MDR is my tradition. Never been busy, and never disappointed.

 

I will adding a Blue Moon on my next cruise in April.

 

[Always Cruising]

On a New Year's Eve cruise December 2018 (Escape), we were offered La Cucina as a first day lunch option for Haven guests. 

[cruiseny4life]

7 hours ago, Always Cruising said:

On a New Year's Eve cruise December 2018 (Escape), we were offered La Cucina as a first day lunch option for Haven guests. 

Interesting! I know it was a few years ago, but am curious what menu they served. Was it the Haven lunch menu? 

[Always Cruising]

2 hours ago, cruiseny4life said:

Interesting! I know it was a few years ago, but am curious what menu they served. Was it the Haven lunch menu? 

It was all La Cucina stuff - I remember calamari (my fave!), pizza on a high stand and lots of other choices.  Probably close to (or maybe the same) as the dinner menu for La Cucina

[Candy Apple 12]

10 hours ago, Always Cruising said:

On a New Year's Eve cruise December 2018 (Escape), we were offered La Cucina as a first day lunch option for Haven guests. 

I’m going on the Escape soon. La Cucina sounds great for lunch. How did you learn of this option?

[Always Cruising]

Just now, Candy Apple 12 said:

I’m going on the Escape soon. La Cucina sounds great for lunch. How did you learn of this option?

It was offered to Haven guests on my cruise in 2018 - equivalent to American Diner previously offered to alleviate crowding

in the Haven dining room the first day (lunch only)

[Candy Apple 12]

1 minute ago, Always Cruising said:

It was offered to Haven guests on my cruise in 2018 - equivalent to American Diner previously offered to alleviate crowding

in the Haven dining room the first day (lunch only)

Did the concierge mention it to you? I’ve been in the Haven three times and no one onboard ever mentioned that the American Diner was free. I learned that here on Cruise Critic and did partake of it on our most recent cruise. 

[Laszlo]

17 hours ago, graphicguy said:

I know they used to have servers come around with mini hamburgers, wraps and other lunchy-snacky things upon getting to the Haven while the concierge explained his function, as well as the butler.  

 

I haven't seen that since the restart.  That would probably take a partial load away from the Haven Restaurant.  But, these days, I also board a little past noon to miss the initial rush.  I've never had an issue with getting a seat in the Haven Restaurant since I've been doing that.

 

Failing all that, I wouldn't have any issues having lunch in the MDR.  That's never really crowded on embarkation day.  Have always had good lunch there, too.

Yup, we had that on the Getaway in January 2023. They brought around mini burgers and other finger foods before lunch

[Always Cruising]

1 minute ago, Candy Apple 12 said:

Did the concierge mention it to you? I’ve been in the Haven three times and no one onboard ever mentioned that the American Diner was free. I learned that here on Cruise Critic and did partake of it on our most recent cruise. 

Yes - they were hoping a lot of people would take advantage of the offer, because it was a super full ship (New Years Eve, school vacation, etc).  Most cabins had max number of people (ie 6 to a 2 bedroom).  Haven lunch would have been crazy busy. 

[cruiseny4life]

20 minutes ago, Always Cruising said:

It was all La Cucina stuff - I remember calamari (my fave!), pizza on a high stand and lots of other choices.  Probably close to (or maybe the same) as the dinner menu for La Cucina

Oh, thank you so much! I'm hoping this is the way NCL will handle Haven lunches moving forward. 

[Candy Apple 12]

8 minutes ago, Always Cruising said:

Yes - they were hoping a lot of people would take advantage of the offer, because it was a super full ship (New Years Eve, school vacation, etc).  Most cabins had max number of people (ie 6 to a 2 bedroom).  Haven lunch would have been crazy busy. 

Thanks! I hope they offer La Cucina for my cruise which I think is sold out because it’s no longer showing on NCL’s website.