How early will lunch buffet be available on the Reflection for an Easter Med sailing?

[youngreflection]

Hi! I am planning to book a private tour for Ephesus but not sure re pick-up time. Our ship will dock at 11:00am and we plan to have lunch onboard before setting out. How early is lunch served at Oceanview Cafe? Do they close in between breakfast and lunch? And is the MDR open or not for lunch? In addition, if the sailing/departure time is 8:00pm, what time should we all be back on board? Thank you very much. This forum is really a wealth of information most esp. for 1st time cruisers like us :)

[cruisestitch]

Lunch buffet doesn't start until noon. The breakfast buffet is open until about 11:30, then there is a half-hour for changeover to lunch.

 

On port days, the MDR is closed for lunch.

 

You need to be back on board a half hour before sailing at the latest, but don't cut it that close.

[upwarduk]

Oceanview is open 24/7. You will be able to find something to eat, but whether it's breakfast / lunch items, I wouldn't know.

MDR is only open on sea days for lunch. It usually opens at noon ( or maybe its 12.30pm?) however, don't use the MDR if you are a rush!!

 

You will need to be on board 15 mins before sailing time. If you are late,the ship will not wait, unless you are on a ship's tour.

Edited February 6, 2014 by upwarduk

[WestLakeGirl]

Yes, the buffet is open 24/7 but there no food overnight, just coffee and other beverages. In any case, the OP is wanting lunch which will not be available there until noon. You might consider Bistro on 5, which serves panini and crepes in the morning. Otherwise, it's breakfast items from the buffet.

[TheWren]

Our ship will dock at 11:00am and we plan to have lunch onboard before setting out. How early is lunch served at Oceanview Cafe?

 

You could eat lunch at .....

• Oceanview Café 12 noon
  
• Aquaspa Café 12 noon
  
• Mast Grill from 11.30am
  

 

(On my Med cruise in October the Bistro on Five did not open until 2pm on every port day ! :mad: ).

[CathyCruises]

I wouldn't be surprised that with an 11AM docking time, which is very late, that the buffet/Bistro would start serving earlier than normal.

 

I have never known Bistro to be open anything other than 6AM to 2 AM.

[WestLakeGirl]

I'm sure that the buffet will be open, serving breakfast, that morning. The OP is looking for lunch and it would be very surprising to see lunch served in the morning hours

[CathyCruises]

Yes I understand perfectly. My point was that with a late port arrival, they MAY start serving lunch at an earlier than normal hour. In any event, there is always something to eat there during daytime hours, the selection may just be limited. Until the ships start doing their Med cruises this spring, we probably won't know what is going to be offered on a particular day.

[TheWren]

I have never known Bistro to be open anything other than 6AM to 2 AM.

 

Well, it goes to show that we don't always get the same product here in Europe. We were short-changed on that cruise, that's just one of a number of annoying little "changes/ cutbacks" which occurred then :

 

Bistro on Five opening hours were :

• on Sea Days - it was open 10am - 10pm;
  
• on Port Days - it was open 2pm - 10pm.
  

 

Not good enough ! :mad:

And that was for a 12 night Mediterranean cruise.