Has anyone had the embarkation lunch in the MDR lately?

[sail7seas]

lorekauf, I don't really understand what a code red would have to do with not serving lunch in the MDR. It is not a serve yourself dinning venue, so I don't see the problem. I certainly would not take the word of some of the staff that there isn't one. I would do as others have said, go by the MDR to make sure there is or isn't one.

 

 

I don't know for sure but suspect a Code Red might cancel Embarkation Lunch as they need the stewards to help with cleaning on Embarkation day and for service in Lido. If Code Red, they need the stewards to serve things that normally would be self serve.

[jmps]

On the 3/28 sailing of the Westerdam they had the lunch in the MDR. The Indonesian food was wonderful. Both my wife and I and our 17 YO daughter really liked it. We really liked not having to deal with the crowded Lido. I highly recommend going.

[jtl513]

On the 3/28 sailing of the Westerdam they had the lunch in the MDR. The Indonesian food was wonderful.

But that's not always the case. On ours in Dec, the menu was nothing different than what you would see for any other MDR lunch. We looked at the menu, and went to the Lido instead.

[cruz chic]

I don't know for sure but suspect a Code Red might cancel Embarkation Lunch as they need the stewards to help with cleaning on Embarkation day and for service in Lido. If Code Red, they need the stewards to serve things that normally would be self serve.

Yes, that's exactly it. That was the reason the poster gave in our roll call. He is on another cruise on the Oosterdam right now. He said they needed all hands on deck in the Lido. I will check the dining room because I've been given incorrect info from a dining room "white coat" before.

 

Thanks to everyone that has replied.

[sharks48]

We had lunch in the dining room when we boarded the Noordam on March 25.

 

As we were being seated, a server came up behind us and said, "Welcome back!!" It was our head waiter from our November '08 Noordam cruise!! We were flabbergasted and so pleased to see Oka again! Considering the thousands of faces of passengers at his tables since then, we were amazed that he'd remember us. A great start to a fantastic cruise.

[cruz chic]

We had lunch in the dining room when we boarded the Noordam on March 25.

 

As we were being seated, a server came up behind us and said, "Welcome back!!" It was our head waiter from our November '08 Noordam cruise!! We were flabbergasted and so pleased to see Oka again! Considering the thousands of faces of passengers at his tables since then, we were amazed that he'd remember us. A great start to a fantastic cruise.

I'm amazed at the memory some of them have. One time I was walking down the hallway and a room steward stopped me and asked if I'd been on the Ryndam several years before and I had. I wonder why he remembered me. I think I behaved myself:D.

[SJSULIBRARIAN]

Don't know if MDR was open for Mariners Welcome Lunch on our March 26th Zaandam cruise but the Pinnacle Grill was closed for lunch the first three days as the women servers were working in the Lido because of the no self service preventative measure against the Noro.

 

Barbara

[Harry1954]

We thoroughly enjoyed our first Mariners' MDR lunch on embarking. The food was excellent as was the service and the MDR was very well loaded with pax. The only issue is that they do stop serving at some point .. I thought it was 1:30 .. but it may be later.

MDR does not have the rushing, insanity of Lido. While I have always looked forward to that first Lido lunch, I must say, that after traveling - especially if coming overseas, this is a bit refreshing.

harry

[luvn2cruzzz]

I'm leaving for my cruise next week and I'm wondering if there will be a lunch in the MDR. One poster on our roll call said that since ships seem to be doing the first 2 days of every cruise in code red that's the end of the embarkation lunch in the MDR. I try to avoid going to the Lido at all costs.

 

My son is presently on the Noordam and called me on Wednesday before he sailed. He said he had lunch in the MDR and it was quite nice. He is in a suite so I don't know if he was directed there or if he just made his way there.

[StanleyWho]

what if you are in the middle of a B2B? surely you should be able to use the MDR at lunch in the middle of your B2B.

[cruz chic]

Thx to all the posters that have posted lately. It gives me some hope that the MDR will be open. I'm on vacation and I love going to the main dining room. I don't find it exciting to look for some place to sit in the Lido. I'm not good with crowds either.

 

To the last poster that asked about lunch between a BTB. It's been my expereince that they have had the MDR open with a limited menu. I haven't done lots of B2B however. I think this 3 day code red situation is throwing a monkey wrench into everything however. I wonder if it is helping with the virus situation. I really wish people would just wash their hands more.

[Pete Jackson]

Wouldn't the likelihood of lunch in the MDR on embarkation day depend on how many B to B cruisers there are on board? If the next cruise has a different itinerary, then there may be many B to B cruisers. If the it's the same itinerary being repeated, then there will be very few.

 

Anyway, we normally plan to be on board around 3 PM to avoid lines, and enjoy the departure city as though it were a shore excursion day, so we just go to the Lido or pizza bar. The one time we tired to get on early, the lines were horrendous :eek: so we said, never again!

[tjcox9]

Just returned today from 34 day Volendam circumnavigation and can report what happened first day on that. We are four star and were handed invitations at embarkation to the luncheon.

 

We decided to go and found others trying to attend who were not four star and with no invitations who were turned away and NOT happy! This was also the first time on that ship for the three day anti-noro routine, so perhaps that is how they (this ship, at least) is dealing with it.

 

The lunch was well attended considering that it was for only four star, and the menu options as I recall (seems so long ago) were quite nice.

 

[Old As Dirt Mom]

Just returned today from 34 day Volendam circumnavigation and can report what happened first day on that. We are four star and were handed invitations at embarkation to the luncheon.

 

We decided to go and found others trying to attend who were not four star and with no invitations who were turned away and NOT happy! This was also the first time on that ship for the three day anti-noro routine, so perhaps that is how they (this ship, at least) is dealing with it.

 

The lunch was well attended considering that it was for only four star, and the menu options as I recall (seems so long ago) were quite nice.

 

 

Thanks, that's very interesting. HAL promotes the embarkation lunch in the main dining room as being available to all mariners, from 1 star to 4 star category, according to their website. Do you know why the invitation for the welcome embarkation lunch was only extended to the 4 star mariners on your cruise?

 

http://www.hollandamerica.com/marinerSociety/Main.action

[PathfinderEss]

I don't know for sure but suspect a Code Red might cancel Embarkation Lunch as they need the stewards to help with cleaning on Embarkation day and for service in Lido. If Code Red, they need the stewards to serve things that normally would be self serve.

You could be right Sails, I forgot about them needing extra people in the lido to serve the passengers.

[Salzburg]

what if you are in the middle of a B2B? surely you should be able to use the MDR at lunch in the middle of your B2B.

 

On our December Noordam cruise, the Daily Program listed the Mariner's Lunch from 12:30 to 1:30 in the Vista. The menu was a typical MDR lunch. We were seated at a table for ten; all of the others were B2B guests. Just as we were finishing our dessert, the announcement came the rooms were ready. Very pleasant start to our cruise. We had some 'fun' too - I had mislabeled our cabin numbers on the luggage tags - my husband tracked them down with the assistance of the excellent HAL crew. Salzburg :)

[NMLady]

Thanks, that's very interesting. HAL promotes the embarkation lunch in the main dining room as being available to all mariners, from 1 star to 4 star category, according to their website. Do you know why the invitation for the welcome embarkation lunch was only extended to the 4 star mariners on your cruise?

 

http://www.hollandamerica.com/marinerSociety/Main.action

 

That's what I was wondering too when the post-er said that others were trying to get in but were turned away since it was only for 4-star Mariners.

I'd thought the embarkation lunch was for ALL Mariners, from one star up.

[tjcox9]

Thanks, that's very interesting. HAL promotes the embarkation lunch in the main dining room as being available to all mariners, from 1 star to 4 star category, according to their website. Do you know why the invitation for the welcome embarkation lunch was only extended to the 4 star mariners on your cruise?

 

http://www.hollandamerica.com/marinerSociety/Main.action

 

No idea why. Didn't know, didn't ask and soon forgot about it until I saw this thread and just decided to add our somewhat recent (Mar 14) experience.