Lunch in The MDR on embarkation day

[cruisendave]

In the past we have enjoyed eating lunch the first day we board in the MDR. It beats the crowded buffet, and gives us a chance to regroup. We are on the Jewel this Saturday, can anyone who has recently sailed the Jewel let us know if you have done this. I know it has been only one MDR that is open for lunch on day one.

[SailawayKC]

The Pearl in April had the Summer Palace open.

[Got Tequila?]

In the past we have enjoyed eating lunch the first day we board in the MDR. It beats the crowded buffet, and gives us a chance to regroup. We are on the Jewel this Saturday, can anyone who has recently sailed the Jewel let us know if you have done this. I know it has been only one MDR that is open for lunch on day one.

 

Tsars Palace on the JEWEL was open for embarkation lunch in December, January and March when we last cruised.

[emcelh]

Usually they give you a copy of the Freestyle Daily at the pier before you board. The hours for the MDR room will be listed. They may tell you when you get on board that only the buffet is open and that may be true depending on the time. On our last Jewel cruise we had to wait about 20 minutes for Tsars Palace to open. It's worth it though, no fun fighting the crowds at the buffet.

[bangzoom6877]

Sounds great! We're on the Jewel this Saturday too, and planning to eat lunch in the MDR. I have to speak to the restaurant manager anyway when we board, because of DS6's shellfish allergy (even though we submitted a form to NCL a couple of months ago, this is procedure for food allergies). We will just stay there are have lunch without fighting the crowds at the buffet! ;)

[cdec77]

Tsar's was the only MDR open for lunch on embarkation day a few weeks ago.. It was excellent since it was empty. I didn't want to deal with the crowds at the Garden Cafe.

[fergusonvt]

Usually they give you a copy of the Freestyle Daily at the pier before you board. The hours for the MDR room will be listed. They may tell you when you get on board that only the buffet is open and that may be true depending on the time. On our last Jewel cruise we had to wait about 20 minutes for Tsars Palace to open. It's worth it though, no fun fighting the crowds at the buffet.

 

Exactly, on the Sun in Jan. the MDR that was open didn't open until noon. Since we were on the boat by 11:30am we just waited for it to open.

[cruisendave]

Thanks to all for the quick replies, I new this was the place to ask. Counting down the hours...

[Hikini]

We haven't been on the Jewel - yet (that's next year) but in our experience on 4 NCL ships, it's always been the aft MDR that is open for embarkation day lunch. Sometimes it opens at 12:00 and sometimes 12:30. So, you may be directed to the buffet if you are there before it opens. Sometimes they (the staff guarding the MDR doors) will not clue you in to the fact that the MDR will be opening soon and make it sound like the buffet is your only option.

 

Just come back when the MDR is open and you'll have the place nearly to yourselves. At least for awhile.

[njhorseman]

You really have to check the Freestyle Daily for which dining room is open and during what hours. We have been on cruises where the smaller MDR was open because the larger one was reserved for a private function (example: a very large travel agent luncheon), and where both MDRS were open because the weather was so bad that the Great Outdoors was closed, cutting down on the available buffet seating.

[Cruisin Pat]

Yes we ate in the Tzars dining room on embarkation day not crowded, great relaxing lunch

[Tiki Roost]

So glad to hear that most likely the Tsar's Palace will be open on the Norwegian Jewel when we board her on Sunday, March 26. The person who first posted this says she is boarding on Saturday? I don't think the ship will be there at San Pedro that day. Gosh, I hope I don't have it wrong, I'd have to do a bit of switching around!

[casofilia]

Unless you are in a suite when you will be taken to the special lunch room the MDR is the place to go on the Embarkation Day if you want peace and quiet and want to find an easy seat. Also if you don't want to trip over carry on luggage.

[spanishguy1970]

We always have lunch in the MDR on embarkation day, is always quiet and kind of empty, i guess people prefer the Buffet:cool:

[poona1]

Usually on embarkation day, the buffet, osheehans (blue lagoon?) and the aft dining room are open for lunch....better to avoid the rush at buffet for a nice sit down lunch in aft dining room even before you go to your cabin.

[1025cruise]

Just to point out, this thread is 6 years old. There might have been changes since then.

[All-ready2cruise]

Yup, I noticed that age of this thread too and think most others did too. It's nice that most of the info is still relevant and we're so looking forward to having lunch in the aft MDR on the Jade. Always so nice and quiet and you end up meeting such nice pax too.

The only thing I would say is that it sometimes doesn't open until about 12:15 and so you may have a few minutes to wait. It could be that the waiter/waitress doesn't show up until then... who knows, not worried about it for sure.