Lunch on embarkation day

[new2cruise]

On other lines I have been on, you could avoid the crowds at the buffet on embarkation day by going to the main dining room for lunch.  Is this true of Celebrity?  We don't have any special status on X that would entitle us to anything more than what any other passenger would get.

[prmssk]

If you are in concierge class, there is usually an embarkation day lunch in the MDR.  (I think Zeniths and back to back cruisers can join this lunch.). Suites have access to Luminae for embarkation day lunch.  And I believe the newest premium pass might include access to the MDR for embarkation day lunch.

 

For everyone else, you are stuck with the buffet or the burger place.  The Sushi speciality restaurant is also usually open for a fee.  

[Sleepybluegiraffe]

Hello, short answer is no, unless you want to pay for a speciality restaurant. The buffet will be open and so should the mast grill on the pool deck I believe. We chose to go to the sushi restaurant on embarkation once which was a good decision as it was empty! 

[cruisestitch]

1 hour ago, new2cruise said:

On other lines I have been on, you could avoid the crowds at the buffet on embarkation day by going to the main dining room for lunch.  Is this true of Celebrity?  

Only for concierge class, staterooms, zeniths and sometimes back to back passengers. Otherwise, the main dining room is not open for lunch on embarkation day.

[doghog]

1 hour ago, new2cruise said:

On other lines I have been on, you could avoid the crowds at the buffet on embarkation day by going to the main dining room for lunch.  Is this true of Celebrity?  We don't have any special status on X that would entitle us to anything more than what any other passenger would get.

True for Celebrity and RC. Book a B2B cruise and you can have lunch in the MDR on your TAD. Or a Concierge Class cabin. Limited MDR menu. 

Edited June 5 by doghog

[Liao]

2 hours ago, new2cruise said:

On other lines I have been on, you could avoid the crowds at the buffet on embarkation day by going to the main dining room for lunch.  Is this true of Celebrity?  We don't have any special status on X that would entitle us to anything more than what any other passenger would get.

If the only option had outside of OVC was a pay 💰 option, I would easily do it to avoid the madness that is OVC on boarding day.

[jelayne]

It’s easy to avoid the crowded buffet, just go a 1-1:30  By then most have had lunch and are not sitting around waiting for the cabins to open. 

Since passengers can drop off the carry on items when they board there are not  backpacks or roll-aboard s occupying tables & chairs. 

[cruisestitch]

1 hour ago, doghog said:

True for Celebrity and RC. Book a B2B cruise and you can have lunch in the MDR on your TAD. Or a Concierge Class cabin. Limited MDR menu. 

Not necessarily.  While it is usually the case that back to back passengers are offered lunch in the main dining room on TAD, I was recently on a transatlantic where there were 400 back to back passengers, and we were told that the numbers would overwhelm the dining room at lunchbso instead they had a Cocktail hour one evening, which didn’t seem to any of us to be an equivalent, but that’s the way they did it 

[jelayne]

6 minutes ago, cruisestitch said:

Not necessarily.  While it is usually the case that back to back passengers are offered lunch in the main dining room on TAD, I was recently on a transatlantic where there were 400 back to back passengers, and we were told that the numbers would overwhelm the dining room at lunchbso instead they had a Cocktail hour one evening, which didn’t seem to any of us to be an equivalent, but that’s the way they did it 

We had the similar experience recently, except we didn’t get a cocktail hour😂

[bunny100]

Our cruise is not boarding until 12:30, will Luminae open for lunch.

[DaKahuna]

3 minutes ago, bunny100 said:

Our cruise is not boarding until 12:30, will Luminae open for lunch.

 

It should be.  Does not close until 1330 usually on embarkation day. 

 

Why is it boarding so late or was that the arrival time you received at check in?  

[bunny100]

Leaving from Boston I guess.  I could always get on at 10:30 but I guess Boston is different. 

[ch175]

If you have the drink package, you can just go to a bar and get 7 pina coladas. They are pretty filling.

[ICANTWAITTOCRUISE]

Luminae is open. Another reason to book a suite.,

[OrtonPark]

On our first cruise, we’d heard the grill was open for lunch and that sounded better to us so we headed in that direction. I don’t know if we got there early, or if they were setting up late, or something was going wrong, but when we asked if it was open a very exasperated chef responded “You hungry? Is restaurant RIGHT THERE!” and pointed us to the buffet. 🤣

 

The phrase “You hungry? Is restaurant RIGHT THERE!” has made many appearances in our marriage over the years. 🤣

 

I second the advice to just go a little later to avoid the crowds. 

[doghog]

5 hours ago, cruisestitch said:

Not necessarily.  While it is usually the case that back to back passengers are offered lunch in the main dining room on TAD, I was recently on a transatlantic where there were 400 back to back passengers, and we were told that the numbers would overwhelm the dining room at lunchbso instead they had a Cocktail hour one evening, which didn’t seem to any of us to be an equivalent, but that’s the way they did it 

Thanks. That's a bummer. The TAD lunches are nothing great, but still a nice gestor. At least the CC did something. 

[new2cruise]

Thanks for all who replied.  Will the main diningroom be open for lunch on at sea days for those of us who are in regular verandas and lower?  How about port days?

 

What about for breakfast?

[cruisestitch]

MDR breakfast every day

MDR lunch on sea days, not on port days

[horseymike]

As insane as it sounds , I always try to eat a little something before arriving at the port of embarkation, that way no hunger issues if the Buffet is a madhouse on that day.

If by chance it is somewhat civil , the option for a small lunch and or dessert 🍨 is still possible.

[cruisetonowhere10]

On 6/5/2024 at 1:05 PM, Sleepybluegiraffe said:

Hello, short answer is no, unless you want to pay for a speciality restaurant. The buffet will be open and so should the mast grill on the pool deck I believe. We chose to go to the sushi restaurant on embarkation once which was a good decision as it was empty! 

This is what we are doing.  We like sushi and a couple rolls won’t eat into our OBC too much. 🙂

[cruisetonowhere10]

On 6/5/2024 at 8:46 PM, OrtonPark said:

On our first cruise, we’d heard the grill was open for lunch and that sounded better to us so we headed in that direction. I don’t know if we got there early, or if they were setting up late, or something was going wrong, but when we asked if it was open a very exasperated chef responded “You hungry? Is restaurant RIGHT THERE!” and pointed us to the buffet. 🤣

 

The phrase “You hungry? Is restaurant RIGHT THERE!” has made many appearances in our marriage over the years. 🤣

 

I second the advice to just go a little later to avoid the crowds. 

That is too funny….

[ScottC4746]

On 6/5/2024 at 9:56 AM, new2cruise said:

On other lines I have been on, you could avoid the crowds at the buffet on embarkation day by going to the main dining room for lunch.  Is this true of Celebrity?  We don't have any special status on X that would entitle us to anything more than what any other passenger would get.

On Celebrity all dine in the main dining room except:

1. Concierge Class has a lunch in the main dining room

2. I believe Aqua Guests have access to Blu

3. Retreat has access to Lumnae

4. Zenith guests I believe get something, but not sure where, perhaps mixed with Concierge.

[Texed]

32 minutes ago, ScottC4746 said:

On Celebrity all dine in the main dining room except:

 

2. I believe Aqua Guests have access to Blu

 

 

Blu is not open for lunch.

[cruisestitch]

46 minutes ago, ScottC4746 said:

On Celebrity all dine in the main dining room except:

1. Concierge Class has a lunch in the main dining room

2. I believe Aqua Guests have access to Blu

3. Retreat has access to Lumnae

4. Zenith guests I believe get something, but not sure where, perhaps mixed with Concierge.

On embarkation day, the main dining room is not open for general passengers, only for concierge class and Zenith

[Difiroa676]

Is it ok to wear (decent) shorts and a T for the concierge lunch on embarkation day?

Dressing up for dinner (long trousers/shirt) makes sense to me.