Embarkation day lunch question

[kristi391]

I thought I had read that the main dining room was open for limited hours for lunch on embarkation day for people who had previously cruised on HAL. Is this accurate? I will be cruising with my mother, who has sailed on HAL. I have not. Would I be able to dine with her if the dining room were a lunch option?

 

Just curious.

 

Thanks,

Kris

[sail7seas]

Yes, you will be allowed into Mariners Embarkation Day Lunch with your mother. Mariner indication is on our key cards. If your Mom shows her card, you both can have MDR lunch that day.

 

If you have sailed any of the Carnival Family of Ships, you would be considered a Mariner.... an HAL repeater. If that is the case, call Mariners Society and ask a Mariner's Number be assigned to you.

 

800-547-9139

 

Edited June 8, 2014 by sail7seas

[Krazy Kruizers]

There have been times when the main dining room has not been open due to TA's, etc. having lunch there.

There have also been times when there were so many Mariners on board that it was limited to 3, 4 and 5 star Mariners.

[Crew News]

I thought I had read that the main dining room was open for limited hours for lunch on embarkation day for people who had previously cruised on HAL. Is this accurate? I will be cruising with my mother, who has sailed on HAL. I have not. Would I be able to dine with her if the dining room were a lunch option?

 

Just curious.

 

Thanks,

Kris

 

The MDR Embarkation Lunch menu is fixed but the Lido serves a much larger selection. Here is the menu for the MDR:

 

http://www.rogerjett-photography.com/?page_id=908

[sail7seas]

I much prefer lunch in Lido on Embarkation Day. I love the energy and excitement especially from new cruisers. Most everyone is in a good mood. :)

 

[summersigh]

We enjoy the MDR embark lunch.... DH uses a cane and it's much easier to sit and be served than to navigate a 1st day Lido lunch.

[kristi391]

Thank you for all the replies! Loved seeing the menu! I wasn't aware that if I had been on any Carnival Corporation ships that counted. That's cool.

 

We know the MDR may not be an option and have no problem eating at the lido, we just like to know all options available to us. 😄

 

I have never sailed on such a small ship and can't wait to go! So excited!

 

Thanks again for the replies.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[cruz chic]

We enjoy the MDR embark lunch.... DH uses a cane and it's much easier to sit and be served than to navigate a 1st day Lido lunch.

 

I deal with the crowds everyday of my life and I hate it. I love going to the MDR for every lunch I can :).

[Lizzie68]

Looking forward to the day when I can have the embarkation lunch too, because I hate the crowds on boarding day. I see a menu posted above - is it always a fixed menu, and does it never change?

[cruz chic]

Looking forward to the day when I can have the embarkation lunch too' date=' because I hate the crowds on boarding day. I see a menu posted above - is it always a fixed menu, and does it never change?[/quote']

 

It seems like it's been the same menu for years. It may change once in a blue moon.

Edited June 8, 2014 by cruz chic

[rkacruiser]

For what it is worth, my recommendation, based on personal experience:

 

Either Appetizer; either soup; the Chicken (I have enjoyed 2x) and the Ruben (more than twice). For Dessert, a fruit tart whose name escapes me at this moment, is very good..

 

I agree with Sail7Seas, the energy one experiences by dining for that first lunch in the Lido is invigorating for one's up-coming cruise.

 

For me, however, the pleasant, calming atmosphere of a dining room lunch as I embark my cruise helps to cancel the potential pre-cruise hassles of arriving at the port and embarkation.

 

To each his own!

Edited June 9, 2014 by rkacruiser

[iflyrc5]

Normally the MDR is only open from noon - 1 or 1:30pm and our experience is that even with the limited menu the service can be rather slow so if you want to check out the ship this will cut down on you time.

[cruz chic]

For what it is worth, my recommendation, based on personal experience:

 

Either Appetizer; either soup; the Chicken (I have enjoyed 2x) and the Ruben (more than twice). For Dessert, a fruit tart whose name escapes me at this moment, is very good..

 

I agree with Sail7Seas, the energy one experiences by dining for that first lunch in the Lido is invigorating for one's up-coming cruise.

 

For me, however, the pleasant, calming atmosphere of a dining room lunch as I embark my cruise helps to cancel the potential pre-cruise hassles of arriving at the port and embarkation.

 

To each his own!

I've found the Reuben to be terrible every time I've tried it. Most times it's soggy. I attempted it again on the Westy and asked them if they would please make sure it was grilled. Again it was not good. I found myself wishing I'd ordered the salmon. It looked wonderful. The fruit tart is good.

[amoba]

Yes, you will be allowed into Mariners Embarkation Day Lunch with your mother. Mariner indication is on our key cards. If your Mom shows her card, you both can have MDR lunch that day.

 

If you have sailed any of the Carnival Family of Ships, you would be considered a Mariner.... an HAL repeater. If that is the case, call Mariners Society and ask a Mariner's Number be assigned to you.

 

800-547-9139

 

this is very interesting, having a Mariner number assigned due to taking a cruise in the Carnival family. how do they assign stars or number of days sailed? thanks!

[RuthC]

this is very interesting, having a Mariner number assigned due to taking a cruise in the Carnival family. how do they assign stars or number of days sailed? thanks!

If you have sailed another line in the Carnival Corporation, you are assigned one star with zero days credit.

Very easy accounting.

[kittercat85]

I'm glad you posted this! I was wondering pretty much the same thing. For us, I've been on two HAL cruises in the past and my husband has never been on a cruise in his life. I was wondering if only I was going to be getting lunch! haha So thanks for asking something similar and clearing up my own curiosity. Have a great trip! :)

[BJzink]

The MDR Embarkation Lunch menu is fixed but the Lido serves a much larger selection. Here is the menu for the MDR:

 

http://www.rogerjett-photography.com/?page_id=908

We sailed on the Veendam in March, 2014, and the Reuben sandwich had been removed, and another sandwich is now on it. Seems like I remember it is some sort of veggie on Cibatta bread. I had the angel hair, my husband had the burger. I always had the Reuben, liked it very much, but it would tend to get soggy when made ahead of time.

[HamOp]

I much prefer lunch in Lido on Embarkation Day. I love the energy and excitement especially from new cruisers. Most everyone is in a good mood. :)

 

 

I'm with you on this one Sail. The excitement of watching people on board a ship for the first time is, well, like kids at Christmas time. It's almost like yourself being on board for the first time. So much to see and so many questions and smiles. Seems everyone is in a party mood.

 

Plenty of time for the MDR, but for that first meal, I'll take the Lido.

[Typhoon1]

I much prefer lunch in Lido on Embarkation Day. I love the energy and excitement especially from new cruisers. Most everyone is in a good mood. :)

 

 

I'm with you on this Sail. The MDR is so limited, and sometimes not even open, we don't even make the attempt.

[cruz chic]

We sailed on the Veendam in March, 2014, and the Reuben sandwich had been removed, and another sandwich is now on it. Seems like I remember it is some sort of veggie on Cibatta bread. I had the angel hair, my husband had the burger. I always had the Reuben, liked it very much, but it would tend to get soggy when made ahead of time.

 

They still had it on the westy in Apr 2014 so maybe it's on it's way off the menu. I know what a good one tastes like and that is not it (for me).

[Gail & Marty sailing away]

I would say yes ...