Lunch in dining room?

[sandiego1]

I've never eaten breakfast or lunch in the main dining room. I always seem to go to the buffet in the Lido.

 

Thinking of trying the dining room for a sit down lunch on our next cruise and I have a few questions:

 

- what are the hours the dining room is open?

- does the menu change each day or it set for the entire cruise?

- are they willing to do "custom" orders (i.e. very dry scrambled eggs or a specific type of omlette)?

- what is the suggested attire? I really thought hard about asking this question due to all the flaming posts regarding dress code. I'd like to know what HAL's policy is (if there is one), not what other's perceive is appropriate, nor what I can "get away w/". For the Lido, I just throw a cover-up or shorts over my swimsuit. I don't know if HAL allows shorts/T shirts/tank tops/sneakers/etc. at these meals. I searched the HAL website and could only find their dress code for the evening meals.

[zaandam_2]

for breakfasts, the menu stays pretty much the same and hours vary. for lunch, the menu and hours vary. generally the dining room is not open for lunch on port days. dress is casual. shorts and t-shirts are allowed at breakfast and lunch.

 

the eggs benedict are delicious.

[sail7seas]

Shorts are okay for breakfast or lunch in dining room.

Breakfast and lunch are open seating. You don't necessarily sit at the same table you do at dinner. Usually only the upper level is open.

 

Sometimes on port days the dining room is closed lunchtime.

 

Sea days it is almost always open. The dining room is open every morning for breakfast, including the last morning before we have to disembark.

 

 

 

 

[jtl513]

Breakfast and lunch are open seating.

 

I'm not sure how you define open seating, but it's not "anywhere you like" for breakfast. We were brought to a table-for-6 where another couple was already seated, but had not yet ordered. In a few minutes a 3rd couple was seated, and our orders taken.

[sail7seas]

That's what I mean. It isn't assigned to the same table each time you come. You get placed where they have empty seats and are trying to fill a table. There are two sorts of seating....open or assigned.

 

It's a nice way to meet new people, if you wish.

[Ferry Watcher]

We were on the Westerdam in September (Alaska cruise) and dined in the Vista restaurant for every breakfast and sea day lunches. On port days we ate in town, although, we did returned to the ship while in port in Juneau to drop off our purchases and have lunch at the Vista restaurant. We did the salmon BBQ out by the Lido pool when we were in Ketchikan, but we never ate a single meal in the Lido Buffet. It was too crowded, and I didn't like the idea of wandering around looking for a seat.

 

The lunches were 3-4 courses and the menu varied each day. The average sitting time was about 1 hour. The lunches were great and had unusual items like chilled strawberry soup. Quite a few folks we sat with ordered hamburgers, which were listed on the menu every day. They looked good, but we never ordered it (why order something that is readily available at home?!).

 

Dress was whatever you were wearing. I did want to try the Pinnicle Restaurant for lunch, but either it wasn't open, or we missed the day it was open for lunch.

 

Our dinner table assignment was towards the enterance of the restaurant, and not near any windows. We were lucky and had great dinner tablemates. At breakfast we were nearly always seated at a window table, often times at at table looking out at the wake of the ship. At lunch, sometimes we were seated at a window table, other times we were just close to a window. Everyone who we shared a table with were very nice and very pleasant.

 

I would recommend your ship's main restaurant!

[duck tune]

DH and I have eaten breakfast and lunch in the dining room of all of the HAL ships we've been on at least one or two times each cruise. As others have said you are taken to tables with open seats, much like what happens when afternoon tea is served in the dining room. Sometimes we have been asked if we wanted a table for 2 but most times we are simply taken to a large table. It is a nice way to meet people you would not otherwise meet. The menu varies more with lunch although on occassion there is a different menu with breakfast - maybe one or two items change. The menus are always posted outside of the dining room but I can't recall if it is the upper or lower level that posts the menus - maybe both?? So, you can always take a look and see if it appeals to you or not for any given day. Yes, they do fix the eggs the way you like and I've heard people ask for crisp bacon or not so well done bacon!

 

According to my most recent daily program the dining room is open for breakfast from 8 - 10 a.m. (not as long on days of disembarkation) and open for lunch from 12 - 1:30 p.m. Only one level of the dining room is open so check the daily program to find out what deck to go to for meals. The Pinnacle is open 12 - 1:30 p.m. on selected days but a cover charge does apply there.

[mafig]

Can you request a table for two for breakfast and/or lunch?

[elmorejj]

We have always done so and have always been accomodated. Just ask the Maitre D` as you go in.........jean:cool:

[zaandam_2]

Can you request a table for two for breakfast and/or lunch?

 

i always get a table for 1 at breakfast. i'm not socialable in the morning. after the 2nd request for one, i didn't even have to ask.

[duck tune]

Yep, you can ask for a table for two.

[Krazy Kruizers]

When the Pinnacle or the King's Room wasn't open for breakfast for suite passengers, we ate in the main dining room several times and always requested a table for 2. There have been times when we had lunch in the dining room - again asked for a tbale for 2. We have yet to be denied.

[Krazy Kruizers]

I think something is missing here when we all talk about open seating at breakfast and lunch. What we all are forgetting to say is that you do not sit at the table for breakfast and lunch that you have been assigned to for dinner.

 

There have been times when only the lower level was open for breakfast and lunch and the upper level closed.

 

Really depends on the ship.

 

We have noticed that on most ships they will ask for your cabin number as they keep a record of whom is dining there.

[Krazy Kruizers]

As others have said -- HAL knows that people will be going out on tours and don't have time to dress for breakfast and then run back to their cabins to change clothes for tours.

 

But swimsuits with a cover-up --- that won't be allowed.

[serendipity1499]

We travel with another couple & eat breakfast in the dining room all the time..When we go into the DR we always ask the MATRE d' to seat us at a table for four only..I'm usually not in the in the mood to socialize with others in the morning either...Have never had a problem with our request..

 

You can ask for a table for 2 or 4 for lunch too, although lately we've been eating our lunch in the Lido..We enjoy the separate bars (especially the pasta bar) & the different items offered in the Lido...

 

Happy cruising all..:) Betty

[sandiego1]

Thanks for all the replies. I will definitely give the dining room a shot. And, I'll wear something more than a cover-up over my bathing suit :)

 

I look forward to meeting new people and would be delighted to join others for lunch. I'm not a morning person so I may have to grumble over my bkfast staring at my hubbie. No one else should have to deal w/ me at that hour :p It's not a pretty sight. But he's been dealing w/ it for close to 21 yrs and he's not much of a morning person either. So we usually just kiss each other "good morning" and stare into our cereal bowls until we fully wake up.

[LHC]

As I travel with my adult daughter, she frequently sleeps in, and I the RN, Mother of 3 and early riser, like to get up, dress and eat in the dining room.

It is a treat for me to be waited on, sit quietly and sip coffee, reading a good book, having my prayer time while looking at the ocean and morning sunlight.

Heaven on earth, then to have someone wait on me and not have to lift a finger and then move on into my day. It is glorious.

Linda

[hugger]

as for breakfast and lunch in the dining room?

Do you dress more on the day that they have high tea?

[zaandam_2]

i have noticed some people dress a little more for the high tea, but certainly not everyone. lots of shorts there too. i'm speaking about the 'royal dutch high tea' served in the dining room.

[MBeamTX]

Lunch in the dining room is nice. You can always peruse the posted menu to decide if there's something you like. And, as others noted, it's an opportunity to meet some new people.

 

For us, breakfast is another matter entirely: it's room service, all the way. I think that room service breakfast is one of the best parts of a cruise, especially for non-morning persons like us. :)

 

Happy cruising,

Susan

[LHC]

DD enjoyed High Tea so much on our last cruise. She met some wonderful people, enjoyed the experience and raved about the tidbits of food.

I plan on joining her on our upcoming cruise.

Linda