embarkment day can I get lunch

[dis2cruise]

in one of the main dining rooms instead of the buffet area is this still an option??

[Aruba]

I don't believe the main dining rooms are open for lunch on embarkation day. We've always tried to go to Horizon Court shortly after we board because it does tend to get crowded that first day...not to mention difficult to walk, what with all the carry-on bags people still have with them.

[billet]

Yes you can. You may have difficulty finding which one is open but they do serve lunch on embarkation day for a limited time, normally about 12 - 1:30. On Princess your cabin is normally ready prior to anyone being allowed to embark so carry on bags should not be an issue. Dump them in your cabin before you go to eat.

[kywildcatfanone]

We were on the Crown a couple of weeks ago and ate one of the MDR's for lunch on embarkation day. They had a regular menu with 3-4 entrees and desserts. I believe they were open from noon-1:30pm for lunch. This was out of Port Everglades.

 

Mike

[xeroxme]

MDR on Embarkation is for B2B cruisers. I tried last summer on Diamond Princess and was told we had to eat buffet. Princess also states that you are to eat buffet first day. I would prefer MDR. If someone has a secret please pass it on.

[heisnuts]

We were just on the Coral Princess. The anytime dining room was open from 12:00 to 1:30 for lunch on embarkation day. There was a sign out front of the the dining room giving the hours and the staff was warm and welcoming of guests.

[Toto2Kansas]

MDR on Embarkation is for B2B cruisers. I tried last summer on Diamond Princess and was told we had to eat buffet. Princess also states that you are to eat buffet first day. I would prefer MDR. If someone has a secret please pass it on.

 

I tried to find the annoucement but can't locate it as it was quite some time ago. But Princess actually had it in print that when you embark the ship, you can dine in regular dining room for lunch (only one is open that afternoon). Many ships discourage this practice though and try to tell you that you must go to the buffet, which is not true.

[cruisin36]

WE ate in the MDR on the Ruby on our first leg of a B2B recently. The doors were open and we were greeted by Generoso the Maitr De himself. It varies from ship to ship but bone of the dining rooms is supposeed to be open for anyone. It is a published Princess policy.

[sultan_sfo]

But don't count on it and don't let it upset you on the first day if DR is not open. Besides Horizon Court Buffet, there is Pizza, Grill Station, and International Cafe. We like to wander around the ship rather than go for the leisurely (read slow) DR lunch!

 

Link:

 

http://www.princess.com/learn/faq_answer/onboard/dining_nightlife.jsp

1st Day Dining

 

Shortly after we welcome you onboard your spectacular Princess ship, you're invited to relax and dine at the Horizon Court or in one of the ship’s multiple dining rooms.

At the forefront of 24-hour dining, the Horizon Court offers a round-the-clock venue for buffet meals or snacks. In addition, the restaurant operates a late-night bistro with a set menu and sit-down service from 10 pm to 4 am. A primary feature of Princess ships, the top-of-the-ship restaurant features floor-to-ceiling windows with stunning sea views as a backdrop.

Or join us in one of our main dining rooms for lunch served up by a staff -- from chefs to waiters -- dedicated to making your dining experience something special.

[dudeoutthere]

MDR on Embarkation is for B2B cruisers. I tried last summer on Diamond Princess and was told we had to eat buffet. Princess also states that you are to eat buffet first day. I would prefer MDR. If someone has a secret please pass it on.

 

Embark lunch IS NOT only for B2B cruisers BUT many Princess employees will flat out lie to you and tell you that, sometimes they will even try to say that NO dining room is open for embark lunch but do not believe them....It is a corporate policy to serve a dining room lunch on embark day. The problem is finding which dining room has it when everyone you speak to lies and says you must go to the buffet......many people here have suggested carrying around a copy of the anouncement Toto refered to but that is a crock....you shouldn't need to carry corporate policies around to train Princess employee's....actually they don't need training, they all know you can eat in the dining room but to make their jobs easier they try to fool you into believing you must go to the buffet.....

[Putterdude]

The will do every thing that they can to dissuade you from having lunch in one of the MDRs. However, one is always open and the answer is on the Princess website under "FAQ: Cruise Answer Place, 1st Day Dining". A poster earlier this year recommend that we print and take it aboard ship...which I did.... no problem we had a sit down lunch in the MDR.

 

"Shortly after we welcome you onboard your spectacular Princess ship, you're invited to relax and dine at the Horizon Court or in one of the ship’s multiple dining rooms.

 

At the forefront of 24-hour dining, the Horizon Court offers a round-the-clock venue for buffet meals or snacks. In addition, the restaurant operates a late-night bistro with a set menu and sit-down service from 10 pm to 4 am. A primary feature of Princess ships, the top-of-the-ship restaurant features floor-to-ceiling windows with stunning sea views as a backdrop.

 

Or join us in one of our main dining rooms for lunch served up by a staff -- from chefs to waiters -- dedicated to making your dining experience something special.

 

Together, Princess' unique combination of gracious dining staff, fine continental cuisine and new friends make every meal onboard a memorable occasion."

 

link

[Strawberry]

I agree - that "gracious dining staff" is sometimes NOT very gracious at all to those of us showing up to have lunch in the Dining Room on embarkation day. I just don't understand why Princess sends us these e-mails just before we cruise and then when we get on the ship the dining room staff acts like this. It is not like this is a new program or something. We shouldn't have to pull out a piece of paper to prove we are not telling a lie.

[Putterdude]

I don't understand a lot of things that Princess does and just put it down as a disconect between department,,,I mean heck it even happens aboard ships between departments.

[cruisin36]

I'm not sure what is being said, but when the Chief Maitr De himself welcomes you into an open door dining room upon embarkation day, wher are the lies???? I was surprised that there were not more people there. I guess most pax want to go to the HC to fill their plates to overflowing and then leave half of it on the plate when they leave. Like the ship is going to run out of food!!!!

[sultan_sfo]

Is this not a very harsh assessment? Would like to know the basis of your conclusions.

 

 

The problem is finding which dining room has it when everyone you speak to lies and says you must go to the buffet......many people here have suggested carrying around a copy of the anouncement Toto refered to but that is a crock....you shouldn't need to carry corporate policies around to train Princess employee's....actually they don't need training, they all know you can eat in the dining room but to make their jobs easier they try to fool you into believing you must go to the buffet.....

[caribill]

Is this not a very harsh assessment? Would like to know the basis of your conclusions.

 

SInce Princess announed you can eat lunch in the dining room that day, I have been on one ship where it was in the Patter and there was no problem.

 

I was on another and they only let me in after I showed them the Princess press release. They had told me it was only for B2B.

 

On several others they also told me it was no open for lunch even though I could see people eating there.

 

Above was at the dining room door. Ask anyone away from the dining room (from check-in staff to Purser's desk to any staff person) and the answer is always Horizon Court.

[sultan_sfo]

To Caribill:

Are you also labeling the crew as liars? Yes or No?

 

Without the reference to the original post from dudeoutthere and quoting me, your answer is not relevant to my objection.

[caribill]

To Caribill:

Are you also labeling the crew as liars? Yes or No?

 

Without the reference to the original post from dudeoutthere and quoting me, your answer is not relevant to my objection.

 

 

The ones at the door of the open restaurant are either terribly mis-informed about HQ policy or are not wishing to comply with it.

 

The ones not associated with the restaurant probably just do not know it is supposed to be available the normal lunch hour.

[dudeoutthere]

To Caribill:

Are you also labeling the crew as liars? Yes or No?

 

Without the reference to the original post from dudeoutthere and quoting me, your answer is not relevant to my objection.

 

If he isn't then I am.....sorry if me telling it like it is upsets you Princess Cheerleaders but when a dining room is open for lunch and a waiter standing at the door of the dining room tells you it is not then HE IS LIEING.....And to another poster who questioned a disconnect between Corporate and the ship...there isn't...its flat out deception being played out by staff who know that the more people who eat in the buffet the easier their life will be in the dining room......One poster here posted about a year ago that a head waiter even told him when asked that "yes all staff know the dining room is open but its hard to get them to comply" HUH????? a one way ticket back to where ever they come from will get them to comply....And to the poster who assumes that because the buffet is busy he thinks people must prefer that.....well no, its because most people aren't that knowledgeable about policies onboard and when they ask they are only told one option (the buffet) so thats where they go.....Its really pathetic that Princess allows this to continue to happen on MOST of their ships.....

[dudeoutthere]

Almost forgot to enlighten the Sultan Of Princess Cheerleaders.....my conclusion results from 2 waiters guarding the door of the embark dining room lunch and both telling me the lunch wasn't even being served and when I opened the door and asked them who were the people in there eating they LIED AGAIN and told me it was for B2B crusers only and it was only after I raised hell with Asst Head waiter allowed us in to what we ALL KNOW is an embark lunch for ALL pax embarkng that day....AGAIN....it is a shame that Princess can't or won't ensure thier employees carry out their own policies without the customers having to ask and usually having to DEMAND that they do....

[hydrodriver831]

We ate lunch in the MDR on the Golden last August and it was great. Very quite and peaceful compared to the Horizon Court. The crew member at the door of the DR tried to direct us to the buffet and we just said we would like to enjoy the Dining Room instead. She then showed us to a table and we enjoyed a very nice lunch.

[hydrodriver831]

We ate lunch in the MDR on the Golden last August and it was great. Very quite and peaceful compared to the Horizon Court. The crew member at the door of the DR tried to direct us to the buffet and we just said we would like to enjoy the Dining Room instead. She then showed us to a table and we enjoyed a very nice lunch.

 

Oops. I forgot to mention this was on embarkation day.:o

[billet]

Embark lunch IS NOT only for B2B cruisers BUT many Princess employees will flat out lie to you and tell you that, sometimes they will even try to say that NO dining room is open for embark lunch but do not believe them....It is a corporate policy to serve a dining room lunch on embark day. The problem is finding which dining room has it when everyone you speak to lies and says you must go to the buffet......many people here have suggested carrying around a copy of the anouncement Toto refered to but that is a crock....you shouldn't need to carry corporate policies around to train Princess employee's....actually they don't need training, they all know you can eat in the dining room but to make their jobs easier they try to fool you into believing you must go to the buffet.....

 

I have never carried around the announcement, and if I have got onboard early enough I have just asked which dining room is lunch being served and the staff have always told me. Once they sent me to the wrong dining room and when I got there someone dashed up and apologized for sending us to the wrong room.

I suppose the staff's attitude probably and deservedly reflects the attitude of the enquirer. My observations are from 5 cruises in the past 18 months where courteous enquiries from passengers result in courteous answers.

[pablo222]

MDR on Embarkation is for B2B cruisers. I tried last summer on Diamond Princess and was told we had to eat buffet. Princess also states that you are to eat buffet first day. I would prefer MDR. If someone has a secret please pass it on.

 

It has to be open now, for ships which have the "Bon Voyage" program.

[Strawberry]

The staff members "guarding" the dining room doors on various ships on embarkation day have NOT been discourteous to me at all. I have spoken politely to them and they have replied politely to me. The problem is they have politely told me that the dining room is open for visitors, or back to back passengers or whatever and that the Horizon Court is where they are serving lunch to the embarking passengers.

I would never even have thought to go to a dining room for lunch until I started getting press releases and other communications from Princess telling me that a dining room would be open for lunch.

Obviously, someone is not telling me the truth here. Either the dining room is open for lunch and embarking passengers are graciously welcomed or Princess should just stop sending these communications to me.