Breakfast and lunch in dining room

[LindaKE]

What is the difference in going to the dining room for breakfast and lunch and doing it from the buffet? Are there more selections? Food better? Also, if you have PC dining is eating breakfast and lunch in the dining room available to you?

[sue d. miller]

The difference is the menu items are cooked to order, the hours are shorter, and it is defenately available to you. Less crowded too!! The patters, the daily paper is delivered to you the night before. It will list the time that the dining room is open!!! :)

[RvrCrzr]

Food is served restaurant style by waiters. Food is cooked to order, and served in a more formal setting. You are also seated with other guests. I eat in the dining room as much as possible. I'm not big on buffet food. I can get that on land anytime. It's a treat to be served by the great cruise staff.

[BJS]

What is the difference in going to the dining room for breakfast and lunch and doing it from the buffet? Are there more selections? Food better? Also, if you have PC dining is eating breakfast and lunch in the dining room available to you?

First I must say we are not "big fans" of the buffet but will try to give an objective answer. We find the buffet food ranges from good to poor and the dining room good to excellant. We eat at the buffet for breakfast when early shore excursions do not allow us to go to the dining room. We look at the lunch menu, posted outside the dining room, and make our decision where to go for lunch based on what they are serving. Pizza and the grill on deck for hamburgers are nice alternatives. Dining room menus are different for lunch every day.

 

Going to the dining room for breakfast has a totally different atmosphere and you are served and can make special requests like how you want your eggs, bacon or omlets prepared. They come around with pastries, muffins, etc. There are generally two specials each morning in addition to "standard" breakfast items. We find the food much hotter and enjoy requesting to have it prepared the exact way we prefer. For lunch, in the dining room, the same about atmosphere and service. The desserts are much, much better. The menu will frequently include 4 or 5 entrees ranging from things like Cobb Salad, Ruben Sandwiches, Raviolli, and fish to beef dishes plus appetizer, soup, salad and dessert choices.

 

The buffet is much, much faster. Can be very crowded at times and difficult to find a table. You will not be served but at times there is a beverage server. Breakfast has the usual breakfast items both hot and cold plus fruits, juices, etc. For lunch there are several entrees, salads (do not seem to vary much throughout the cruise), meats, cheeses, fruits, breads, etc. etc. so more choices than the dining room.

 

Only at dinner with PC "anytime" and traditional dining is there a difference as to where people can select to eat if they choose to eat in the main dining rooms.

[Froufie]

I assume this means that all 3 dining rooms (on the Caribbean Princess) will be serving breakfasts and lunches each day? ...and that we can choose which one to dine at? (Or only PC dining rooms available?)

 

Also on day of embarkation I understand one of the dining rooms is serving lunch? How do we find out about this? e.g. time/where to go?

 

Thanks, :)

[coiran]

Eat all of your meals in the dining rooms if possible - one exception - you have to have at least one pizza, but then, you can do this for a midafternoon snack!!

[Coral]

There is only one dining room open for lunch and breakfast and everyone can go to that dining room.

 

I make it a point to eat as many meals in the dining room as possible. On my 14 day Alaska cruise - I didn't make it to the buffet once. With norovirus being somewhat common - I really don't want to touch a spoon that hundreds have touched before me.

 

Besides - in the dining room, food is cooked to order and someone waits on you. I am not constantly searching for where the butter is or running up to get another juice. The service is just so much better!

[cactusrose]

Coral,

 

I think you meant to say there is only one dinning room open for Breakfast and Lunch (instead of dinner). I also love to have breakfast and lunch in the dinning room. I hate buffets. For one thing I over eat or eat the wrong things when I go to the buffet. I feel more in control when I sit down and have to order from someone.

[Coral]

CactusRose - thank you! I did mean to say "breakfast and lunch" and was able to correct it.

[Hornet]

What about breakfast and lunch with PC on the Diamond? They have several PC dining rooms ~ do they just open certain ones each day for those meals?

[cruising with grace]

Froufie: We were on the CP on the June 26th sailing and had read that one of the dining rooms served a marvelous lunch on the day of embarkation. We went to all three dining rooms and were told no! I don't know if we were too late or what, but we couldn't find it and were told only the Horizon Court would be serving lunch. Perhaps someone who was lucky enough to find the open dining room will answer. Good luck!

[gaschatt]

On the Diamond, only Traditional Dining room open for Breakfast and Lunch (PC diners welcome). Didn't like the buffet especially since many people take on the Hyde side of their Jekyll-Hyde persona when getting food. Some get very stressed and are often rude. As far as the food goes. I thought the lunches were okay, but found that at breakfast the food was often cold (even when a new tray had just been put down), and not up to the quality in the dining room.

[LindaKE]

Thanks everyone! Not understanding how the dining room worked, we stuck to the buffet before but weren't impressed with the food. From now on it will be the dining room every time.

[cruznliz]

On embarkation day the Princess Patter that is in your cabin should show dining room hours (for that day only) and will include which dining room and/or PC dining room is open for lunch and what hours. We usually dump our carry-ons in the cabin, grab the patter and go to the dining room.

[bjboothman]

I've never understood the charm of buffets. Preferring quality over quantity, I'd take breakfast and lunch in the dining rooms every time. Sure, if you are looking for a big plate full of fresh fruit in a hurry, the buffet is fine. But why ever would I want to schlepp my food around on a try when I can have the excellent waitstaff bring me much more elegant, cooked to order, items. To each her own. The Dawn has a wonderful served pizza restaurant. That's my only exception to lunch in the dining room.

[bottomfeeder]

The one thing I like about the buffets at lunch is the salad options. I can make a giant salad with all sorts of different veggies and toppings on it--as opposed to the dining room where I get a salad someone else dreamed up!

 

Otherwise, I'd vote for the dining room if you have time!