Lunch on embarkation day

[acct1975]

We'll be sailing on Neiuw Amsterdam soon I see that the MDR is closed for lunch during embarkation. Does that mean only the buffet will be open? Are there other food choices?

 

I always found the buffet to be so crowded on embarkation and am looking for alternative.

 

Thanks in advance!

[Moriah]

On NA the only alternative to the Lido buffet would be the Dive In at the Lido pool area. The food there is great, and there usually isn't a long line if you get there before 1 PM (also you can order on the Navigator app)

[Seasick Sailor]

1 minute ago, acct1975 said:

We'll be sailing on Neiuw Amsterdam soon I see that the MDR is closed for lunch during embarkation. Does that mean only the buffet will be open? Are there other food choices?

 

I always found the buffet to be so crowded on embarkation and am looking for alternative.

 

Thanks in advance!

 

Check New York Deli and Dive In

[CruiserBruce]

16 minutes ago, Seasick Sailor said:

 

Check New York Deli and Dive In

N. Amsterdam doesn't have a Deli. It does have a New York Pizza.

[Moriah]

18 minutes ago, Seasick Sailor said:

 

Check New York Deli and Dive In

 

No Deli on Nieuw Amsterdam, sadly.  There is "New York Pizza" - but it never seems to be up to the Deli standards from the Pinnacle ship's venue. 

[Gail & Marty sailing away]

The dive in is your only other choice.

[canadarocks]

 Worst decision ever HAL. 

[seagarsmoker]

Room service is another choice. 

[AerynSun_JohnCrighton]

1 hour ago, seagarsmoker said:

Room service is another choice. 

Only if OP's room is ready when they board. We are almost always on board before the rooms are open. I agree with others a terrible move. I don't do buffet and definitely not on embarkation with that craziness. I'm on a pinnacle ship so understand there's a couple of choices (GDC and NY) 

[CruiserBruce]

8 minutes ago, AerynSun_JohnCrighton said:

Only if OP's room is ready when they board. We are almost always on board before the rooms are open. I agree with others a terrible move. I don't do buffet and definitely not on embarkation with that craziness. I'm on a pinnacle ship so understand there's a couple of choices (GDC and NY) 

That's only an issue if you need to eat the minute you set foot on board. The vast majority of people get on board after the rooms are ready.

[AerynSun_JohnCrighton]

1 minute ago, CruiserBruce said:

That's only an issue if you need to eat the minute you set foot on board. The vast majority of people get on board after the rooms are ready.

I like to get on as soon as I can so my vacation can get started. I know others do wait.

[atexsix]

On 6/24/2024 at 11:26 AM, Moriah said:

On NA the only alternative to the Lido buffet would be the Dive In at the Lido pool area. The food there is great, and there usually isn't a long line if you get there before 1 PM (also you can order on the Navigator app)

We always did Dive In, much less crowded.  One time MDR was open because of a collector cruise and ourselves and only one other couple were there, which felt strange.  

[Haljo1935]

Since the restart, we've found no matter which ship, MDR was almost empty during lunch on embarkation day. That is our food venue of choice on embarkation day and one of the few times DH will eat there, so I will really miss it. Especially on non-Pinnacle class ships that already have fewer options. Lido is a zoo on embarkation day.

[KAKcruiser]

The dining room was always fairly crowded on embarkation day.  I will miss it.

[terrydtx]

Closing the MDR for lunch on embarkation day was done to save on food costs and waste, according to HAL management. It made no sense as we never want to eat lunch in the Lido or any buffets on Embarkation. Long lines and finding tables can be next to impossible unless you board early. Dive-In can also have a long line and then finding a table nearby is another problem. When we board the Volendam in August we will be doing room service and enjoying our lunch from our Vista Suite balcony. We depart from Boston at 3:00pm which means passengers will have to be onboard earlier than normal, which will make the Lido even more crowded.

Edited Thursday at 02:02 PM by terrydtx

[terrydtx]

10 hours ago, KAKcruiser said:

The dining room was always fairly crowded on embarkation day.  I will miss it.

When we boarded the Kongingsdam last November, we were directed to the Lido for lunch by crew members greeting us. We knew better and after dropping off our carry-ons, we headed to the MDR for a nice quiet lunch. The MDR was not crowded as I am sure many boarding had no idea it was open. 

[atexsix]

54 minutes ago, terrydtx said:

When we boarded the Kongingsdam last November, we were directed to the Lido for lunch by crew members greeting us. We knew better and after dropping off our carry-ons, we headed to the MDR for a nice quiet lunch. The MDR was not crowded as I am sure many boarding had no idea it was open. 

I always check first thing, I would have to go there anyway to make sure table assignment wasn't too far of a walk for DD.  

 

 

[atexsix]

1 hour ago, terrydtx said:

Closing the MDR for lunch on embarkation day was done to save on food costs and waste, according to HAL management. It made no sense as we never want to eat lunch in the Lido or any buffets on Embarkation. Long lines and finding tables can be next to impossible unless you board early. Dive-In can also have a long line and then finding a table nearby is another problem. When we board the Volendam in August we will be doing room service and enjoying our lunch from our Vista Suite balcony. We depart from Boston at 3:00pm which means passengers will have to be onboard earlier than normal, which will make the Lido even more crowded.

I will say it always seems like the welcome/escort crew deliberately sends everybody up to the Lido and away from the direction of the MDR.  Also, the times we ate there the menu was very limited.  And the lack of people or music (switched off for embarkation announcements maybe?) made the whole experience like somebody's funeral, we were far happier when we switched to the Dive-In.

[david,Mississauga]

Does the Neptune Lounge have the usual lunch-time snacks available during embarkation hours?  The last time we boarded a HAL ship (Noordam in Vancouver) the MDR was open for Mariners.  I hadn't enquired about the Neptune Lounge so we went to the MDR.

[terrydtx]

1 hour ago, atexsix said:

I will say it always seems like the welcome/escort crew deliberately sends everybody up to the Lido and away from the direction of the MDR.  Also, the times we ate there the menu was very limited.  And the lack of people or music (switched off for embarkation announcements maybe?) made the whole experience like somebody's funeral, we were far happier when we switched to the Dive-In.

I guess to each his own, I was glad there was no music and far fewer people in the MDR for a quiet leisurely lunch.  We always found something to eat on the limited menu.  We prefer having a table without having to walk around the Lido among the throngs of passengers with a tray of food waiting for someone to leave a table.

[atexsix]

6 minutes ago, terrydtx said:

I guess to each his own, I was glad there was no music and far fewer people in the MDR for a quiet leisurely lunch.  We always found something to eat on the limited menu.  We prefer having a table without having to walk around the Lido among the throngs of passengers with a tray of food waiting for someone to leave a table.

And that was why we went there, because poor Dad was miserable in the lido, only undesirable aisle seats were available by the time we got there; he couldn't handle his own tray so I had to make multiple trips through the "throngs"; then we'd get butts and bags in our faces as people squeezed by; truly miserable and I felt so sorry for Dad even though he made the best of it.  

 

So the MDR was where we took most of our meals throughout the sailing, if not, then we usually would have to depend on room service.  As to embarkation day, he really didn't care anyway, I was the foodie among us, the Dive In table area wasn't overpacked at all.  I don't know if it was the heat or what, it always seemed balmy out there which I like because I'm cold blooded and usually freezing everywhere they have the AC cranked up.

[sunviking90]

Yes, the lunch in MDR on embarkation was always such a nice way to start a cruise. On the Koningsdam in January though, we did go the MDR on embarkation for lunch and the service was indifferent to say the least. I felt like we were a bother for the waitstaff. Very disappointing. We still enjoy the embarkation lunch on Princess which is special menu and the service has always been great and you felt “welcomed” onboard by the waitstaff. If HAL can’t pull that off, I guess it’s best they dropped it.

[Gail & Marty sailing away]

I which Holland would bring lunch in the dining room back, on embarkation day.

[KAKcruiser]

The excuses are ridiculous - saving on food costs and waste!  Really! We are on a cruise.

[Laminator]

I think this has more to do with HAL giving everyone a Noon check in time. There is no way the MDR could handle that onslaught of potential guests. Maybe they should bring the MDR lunch back for NS pax plus 4 and 5 star mariners. I don't have a dog in this hunt as I have never eaten a meal in the MDR.