Lunch when you 1st. Get on the ship.

[TORQ]

Is it only the buffet? Or is there a sitdown restaurant available?

[meglet]

One of the main dining rooms is open. Which ship?

[schmoopie17]

Also the Local/O'Sheahan's...depending on the ship.

[UKstages]

and, again, depending on the ship... the american diner is open (assuming the ship has one.)

[BirdTravels]

The  MDR and 24/7 dining rooms will have sit down meals in addition to the buffet. 

[stellarose33]

getaway?

[SeekingKillerWhales!]

There is always (in my limited experience) a dining room open, although the crew may say there is not, and herd you towards the buffet.

 

But our arrival tradition is get on early and go relax with a nice lunch in the main dining room. We grab a nice cocktail or soda on our way in, and enjoy!

 

When you get on ask "Which is serving lunch - Savor, Taste, or the Manhattan Room?" 

 

 

[Rob_H]

3 hours ago, TORQ said:

Is it only the buffet? Or is there a sitdown restaurant available?

 

Usually there's one restaurant open (as well as O'sheehans/Local). On Jewel class ships for example it's normally the "nicer" MDR in the aft.  Typically you can enter from 12 to 1.30.  If you ask, you'll almost always get directed to just the buffet, so best to just go look.

 

Every rule has an exception, there was no MDR open on embarkation day on our two Jade cruises in the eastern Med in September 2023.  First time that happened to us.  Thankfully our Jewel cruises the following month were back to normal.

 

 

 

 

[Travelling2Some]

In our experience one of the MDRs has always been open for lunch at embarkation.  If you are automatically directed towards the buffet just smile, say you are exploring the ship and proceed to the MDR area.  It is always uncrowded since few seem to know about it.  Very nice start to the cruise.

[TORQ]

Thanks you two, the Mrs and I will be on point. 

[JennKach]

On 5/1/2024 at 8:12 PM, Rob_H said:

Every rule has an exception, there was no MDR open on embarkation day on our two Jade cruises in the eastern Med in September 2023.  First time that happened to us.  

 

 

 

 

Must be a Jade thing.  Our last two cruises on Jade (late 2023 & March 2024) did not have a main dining room open for lunch on embarkation day.  It's our start of cruise tradition to have a nice lunch in the main dining room.  We thought originally it was because the ship left port so late at 9pm, and there wouldn't be enough people onboard at lunch time to justify it, but the second cruise was a "normal" sail away at 5pm and they still didn't open.

[itsnotjustme]

We almost always go to a MDR after embarking.  We normally have small backpacks, and we can sit down and put them down without hauling them through the buffet.

 

Of course, if we are in a suite, we go to the specialty restaurant serving lunch.   

[Huntingdon1701]

On 5/3/2024 at 5:08 PM, JennKach said:

Must be a Jade thing.  Our last two cruises on Jade (late 2023 & March 2024) did not have a main dining room open for lunch on embarkation day. 

 

Likewise didn't find it open on the Jade, but Prima and Star both did. It's very odd - do the other Jewel class ships not offer it either?

 

It used to be available on the Jade pre-Covid.

[complawyer]

if you are booked into a haven or a suite, you're taken to cagney's for lunch

[Rob_H]

11 hours ago, Huntingdon1701 said:

Likewise didn't find it open on the Jade, but Prima and Star both did. It's very odd - do the other Jewel class ships not offer it either?

 

All the ships we've sailed on in 2022 and 2023 have had lunch available in an MDR on embarkation day, except the Jade.  Including other Jewel class ships, such as the Jewel, as well as the Sun, Star, Spirit, Bliss, Encore and Joy.   As you say, it was available on the Jade before 2020.

 

[v3cruiser]

We hit OSheehans. 

[JustAllie]

In my experience the MDR doesn't usually open until noon, so if you board early, you may want to hang out at O'Sheehan's/The Local or elsewhere for a bit and then head down to the MDR. In my experience it's usually the large aft MDR that's open for lunch. If they give you a Freestyle Daily upon check-in, you will see the dining options printed there. Or I guess they will be listed in the app version of the newsletter once you connect to the ship's WiFi and tell the app you're on the ship! 

 

My friends and I hate going to the Buffet on embarkation day because (a) it's a madhouse that day and (b) it's not well-suited to disabled guests. 

Edited May 5 by JustAllie

[TORQ]

Thanks everyone for your input. What we found on the ENCORE, was the (taste) restaurant, and the (savory) restaurant was open when we got on the ship. 

[stellarose33]

first time on NCL next summer.  looking for good vegetarian for lunch on embarkation day.