Lunch 1st day on board

[valeep]

Thanks for the info. I am thinking that we will be heading to Bistro on the first day on board the Reflection when we go in May.

 

What makes Bistro such a long dining experience?

[alenushka]

 

We have tried them all, but tend to prefer Bistro on Five only because it's a great place to relax, and the food is good.

 

We prefer Bistro on 5. The first day at Oceanview Cafe is a mad sea of people behaving as if the ship is going to run out of food.

 

:eek:

 

Agree with the above posts.

 

First time on X (Silhouette) we were not able to find a table to sit at for over 15 minutes at the Oceanview Cafe :eek:....people finished their lunch but kept sitting there waiting for their rooms to be ready- not a nice way to start a vacation. From now on, we have a tradition, embarkation day = lunch at Bistro on Five :)

Maybe we will meet you there, Madisonmom :)...we will be easy to recognize

Edited March 10, 2015 by alenushka

[tbmrt]

Eating out at the Mast Grill, with a pina colada or beer, in the sun is the best way to start the holiday, or drop in to the Oceanview and find a table, and enjoy the sun,sea before sailaway

Julie

 

Depending on the weather, we usually wander ship when we embark and then head to Mast Grill to eat, drink and hang out til the rooms are ready.

 

We figure we'll have plenty of time to eat at Oceanview during our cruise without the first day crowd.

[HokiePoq]

Mast grill is Aft, on the left, and the Mast Bar is on the right, best Burgers at sea, on 18 days and we will be there on the Eclipse

 

Is this just on S class or on M class, too? We've not found great burgers on either Millie or Infinity but we might be missing something....

I like the ones that are made to order off a grill, not out of a warmer.

Is this what you find at the Mast Grill?

[dodger1964]

Is this just on S class or on M class, too? We've not found great burgers on either Millie or Infinity but we might be missing something....

I like the ones that are made to order off a grill, not out of a warmer.

Is this what you find at the Mast Grill?

 

S class...I call them the "pool" grill...both classes are at/near the pool. On M class it is on same level as pool.

 

I would call the burgers "quasi fresh grilled"...they cook them right there, but usually they try to get ahead and have them sitting in the warmer...I think they are very tasty!!

 

And to earlier poster about aqua spa cafe...We had grilled salmon every day for lunch on our cruise on reflection in january.

[Wine-O]

 

And to earlier poster about aqua spa cafe...We had grilled salmon every day for lunch on our cruise on reflection in january.

 

They must have changed. Last time on Reflection they rotated between Thai ground beef in a lettuce wrap, grilled shrimp, and a salmon in some sorta sauce.

[miched]

In the buffet , ASC, lounge or any other venue if you can't find a table and there are two people at a table with places not being used just politely ask if you can join them. I have never refused anyone or been denied if they are available. We have met a lot of nice passengers that way and the friendship continued thru out the cruise.

 

If they are rude and don't want you sitting there just feel happy that you don't have to share or partake in their miserable life and company.

 

happy crusing 🌊🚢🇺🇸🌞

[CathyCruises]

We have always gone to the buffet and just wait there until the cabins are ready. There is no need for us to throw cash away for the first meal. The buffet food is normally pretty good and a festive way to start the cruise. Of course we try to arrive early and secure a table.

 

And I think this is why people bemoan the buffet on embarkation day. If everyone 'arrives early to secure a table' and then 'just waits there until the cabins are ready', how is anyone else supposed to find a place to eat their meal? I think it's fine to enjoy your food, but once you have finished eating, it seems only fair to let someone else have your table so they can eat too. There are plenty of places to wait for the cabins to open up, such as the Martini Bar, the Ensemble Lounge, Cellar Masters, around the pool (lovely chaises under the overhang), the library, the Passport Bar, Sunset Bar, etc.

[TeaBag]

They must have changed. Last time on Reflection they rotated between Thai ground beef in a lettuce wrap, grilled shrimp, and a salmon in some sorta sauce.

Wine-O, we were on the TA with you and I had the Miso salmon several times at Aqua Spa cafe. The "salmon in some sort of sauce" is called Arctic Char with a lemon dill sauce. I love it too. They are definitely not as big as the servings used to be, but you could always order 2! We haven't cruised since then, so maybe the Miso salmon is gone? We will know in May. I have never seen shrimp, guess I missed those days.

[bryanjaync]

We are sailing with elderly parents (83/86) so we usually head to the main dining room on other cruises. They first day buffet is overwhelming ! But since MDR not an option on X, on our coming Reflection cruise, I am leaning towards the Porch, and treating them with some of my OBC. ($28 for a lunch for four in a nice atmosphere, assuming good weather seems reasonable)

[bvocruise]

And I think this is why people bemoan the buffet on embarkation day. If everyone 'arrives early to secure a table' and then 'just waits there until the cabins are ready', how is anyone else supposed to find a place to eat their meal? I think it's fine to enjoy your food, but once you have finished eating, it seems only fair to let someone else have your table so they can eat too. There are plenty of places to wait for the cabins to open up, such as the Martini Bar, the Ensemble Lounge, Cellar Masters, around the pool (lovely chaises under the overhang), the library, the Passport Bar, Sunset Bar, etc.

 

We have never seen it where all of the tables are taken. We also would let people sit at extra spaces at our table. We only stay until about 1:00 or 1:15. We would get up and go somewhere else if the place was packed and people needed the table. I just have never experienced that on any of the cruises I've been on.

[cle-guy]

Does Eclipse have lunch in one of the specialty restaurants for suite guests? Wehave been on Summit for the past three years and they offer lunch in Normandie on the day of embarkation for suite guests.

 

Celebrity does not offer such a service fleet wide.

 

During the Summer Bermuda Season, Summit Suite guests did get embarkation lunch in one of the Specialties (and Aqua had lunch in BLU) but to my knowledge, this never went beyond the Summit out of Bayonne.

 

Once the Suite Dining Room opens early April, it WILL serve suite guests embarkation lunch, as well as Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner daily (not just sea days).

[dodger1964]

They must have changed. Last time on Reflection they rotated between Thai ground beef in a lettuce wrap, grilled shrimp, and a salmon in some sorta sauce.

 

I don't know about those other items, but I had grilled to order salmon 5 days on a 7 day cruise.

[Wine-O]

I don't know about those other items, but I had grilled to order salmon 5 days on a 7 day cruise.

 

It must change ship to ship/chef to chef. Not on Silhouette.

[cle-guy]

I don't know about those other items, but I had grilled to order salmon 5 days on a 7 day cruise.

 

There was grilled Salmon at Aqua Cafe available on request on Sille in November. Not sure if there was an "upcharge" or not for it.

[Duanerice1]

I don't know about those other items, but I had grilled to order salmon 5 days on a 7 day cruise.

 

Yep, Aqua Spa cafe on first day. Early in the cruise I have all the high hopes of eating right so like to start there. Some salmon and salad are a good start. As was the smoothies they made. Now I could have gone for some of those lettuce wraps mentioned above but they didn't have them in December.

 

Great place for lunch and the only drawback was there are not many tables. Although we didn't get there until around 12:30 but still found a table. I'm just not fond of all the noise an commotion in the buffet. Some of those people act they they never ate :)

 

enjoy

[dodger1964]

Just an FYI for those that haven't been there...you have to order the grilled salmon (and there are a couple of other choices) from the staff behind the counter. There is a little sign to the right of the case that holds the pre-made ready to eat food.

[CaribbeanBound]

Aqua Spa Café served grilled salmon on the first day and a couple other days (but not every day) on Constellation in January. No upcharge. Be sure to locate this café early in your cruise. Lots of good fresh food and most folks don't know about it or think its only for Aqua Spa guests.

[alenushka]

We have never seen it where all of the tables are taken. We also would let people sit at extra spaces at our table. We only stay until about 1:00 or 1:15. We would get up and go somewhere else if the place was packed and people needed the table. I just have never experienced that on any of the cruises I've been on.

 

Unfortunately, we did.. Once... We kept walking around and around... A lot of people finished eating but were still sitting with their carry ons... We even asked for assistance (to find us a table to share with someone) from X employers but they could not help much... We left and learned our lesson ... It was very unpleasant...

Edited March 10, 2015 by alenushka

[dodger1964]

Unfortunately, we did.. Once... We kept walking around and around... A lot of people finished eating but were still sitting with their carry ons... We even asked for assistance (to find us a table to share with someone) from X employers but they could not help much... We left and learned our lesson ... It was very unpleasant...

 

It seems people like to spread out...it happens all the time...airline lounge 2 people can easily take up 4 chairs...same for buffet area

 

does your back pack really need its own chair?