Dinner at the Lido buffet; who has gone?

[MisterFidgetpants]

Thank you to Roger Jett who posted in another thread the dailies of recent Caribbean sailings. I also got to looking at your comprehensive menu collection. Excellent resource.

 

I got to looking at the lido buffet options for dinner time and the selection sounds quite good actually. And, Misterfidgetpants has been known to want to be Misterfidgetshorts on vacation, or sometimes just enjoy a quieter meal at my own pace.

 

I used to be quite put off by others telling or directing others to the Lido buffet (all cruise lines) in a derogatory manner if they wouldn't dress up. But looking at the menu, it doesn't appear 2nd rate by any imagination.

 

Does anyone here dine at the lido for dinner on HAL? Experiences? Opinions?

[catl331]

We've tried it 3 or 4 times. It always felt to me more like we were eating a very late lunch rather than dinner. It's nice that you can always find a table for two, and there are no long waits between courses as in the MDR. The desserts aren't as good IMHO.

[sail7seas]

Perhaps the difference might be that in the MDR, it is more an atmosphere for dining.

 

Maybe in Lido it is an atmosphere for eating.

 

Not necessarily bad but I think that might be a consideration for some.

[Ineke]

The same choices as in the MDR are available, plus other choices. But it is a different atmosphere. Good choice if you don't want to dress up! Other option is to order room service, also a good option.

[kevingastreich]

Thank you to Roger Jett who posted in another thread the dailies of recent Caribbean sailings. I also got to looking at your comprehensive menu collection. Excellent resource.

 

I got to looking at the lido buffet options for dinner time and the selection sounds quite good actually. And, Misterfidgetpants has been known to want to be Misterfidgetshorts on vacation, or sometimes just enjoy a quieter meal at my own pace.

 

I used to be quite put off by others telling or directing others to the Lido buffet (all cruise lines) in a derogatory manner if they wouldn't dress up. But looking at the menu, it doesn't appear 2nd rate by any imagination.

 

Does anyone here dine at the lido for dinner on HAL? Experiences? Opinions?

 

It's actually a good experience in my opinion. It seems like you've got the place to yourself and you can definitely get out in time to catch a show.

[luv2travel06]

There may be an upscale entree or dessert that is not available in the lido but many of the same dishes.

 

We ate dinner in the buffet 8 out of 10 nights on our NCL Pearl cruise and it was one of our best cruises.

 

It can be more relaxing as it is more casual.

Edited December 13, 2015 by luv2travel06

[seagarsmoker]

For several reasons, we have had several dinners in the lido on our last 3 cruises.

We found it to be very nice. Food was good to very good. Actually if you count the pasta bar (which I had a few times), you have more entre options than dining room. Deserts were also very good. They have staff who come by tables for assistance if needed. We found service to be superior to the rushed dining room staff.

The second formal night we dine in our room as that is lobster night and it's not available in the lido.

[JimnKaren]

After several bad service issues on various HAL ships, we almost always eat our meals in the Lido. After a few times through the line, the staff working the line seem to know you and will greet you by name - especially on the longer cruises.

 

Yes, you can sit 2 at a table, or just for the fun of it, ask another table if you can join them. The conversation is similar to what you would expect in the MDR. I never wear shorts in the evening, but I have seen others who do. You will also find many of staff dining in the Lido in the evening.

 

In a hurry? You can be in and out in short order. Or, you can linger. Take just one course at a time as you would in the MDR. You don't have to take everything in one trip! You can even begin with that last course (dessert?) and go from there. You are on a cruise - what the heck!

 

Jim

[crystalspin]

On our Statendam cruise to Alaska (2009, when formal meant more formal than now), we didn't want to pack extra clothes and change for dinner (for one thing, we were following the cruise with two weeks self-driving in the 49th state). I, DH, and my mom ate every meal in the Lido.

 

Zoom ahead to recent times when we fly with only carry-on. With the three of us in 2014 on Zaandam around Cape Horn, and just DH and I earlier this year on a N.A. trans-Atlantic/Mediterranean: we ate in the ("smart casual" As You Wish) MDR all nights EXCEPT formal nights.

 

My husband does like getting served! while I prefer to see what I'm going to be eating and specify exactly how much of each dish I want. There was always something unique I liked in the Lido, compared to a noticeable number of times that I settled for the "Always" options in the MDR. Also when something was very good, I could get seconds without holding up the whole table!

[S.O.C.I.O.C.A.T.s]

We prefer the lido. The MDR usually takes up to 2 hours. If you are not with a group, you usually find yourself with others you do not know and making small talk for 2 hours is not my cup of tea. At the Lido you can have the servers place as much or as little as you wish on a plate . you can sample several entrees at once--small portions of each. And you can take as much or as little time as you wish--you are on your schedule and not that of the server.

[iancal]

It is fine on formal nights. We no longer do formal -we do carry on only and have no room for clothing that we only wear once or twice for a few hours.

 

Would like to see the closing hour moved ahead by an hour or so though.

Edited December 13, 2015 by iancal

[Crew News]

Thank you to Roger Jett who posted in another thread the dailies of recent Caribbean sailings. I also got to looking at your comprehensive menu collection. Excellent resource.

 

Does anyone here dine at the lido for dinner on HAL? Experiences? Opinions?

 

Thanks for the complement on my menu resource. My scanning started when somebody asked me what I ate for each meal and then, "What else was on the menu." Using my portable scanner to scan menus saves me taxing my memory.

 

I have eaten a number of evening meals in the Lido Restaurant as well as just filling a few plates and bringing them back to the stateroom for consumption.

 

With few exceptions, the same food served in the MDR is also served in the Lido Restaurant. The Lido offers choosing different sides other than what accompanies the MDR entrees. You can also see the appetizers, entrees, and desserts before selecting which one(s) in the Lido Restaurant. The Lido also has an extensive salad bar that is not available in the MDR.

 

Your food from the Lido Restaurant can be consumed at a table on the aft Lido deck in a nice sea breeze environment.

 

If you are in the shorts mode, you can also order anything from the MDR menu during the regular evening meal hours from Room Service and have it delivered to your stateroom. While placing your Room Service order, order several bags of popcorn for any late munchies.

[Lizzie68]

Thank you to Roger Jett who posted in another thread the dailies of recent Caribbean sailings. I also got to looking at your comprehensive menu collection. Excellent resource.

 

I got to looking at the lido buffet options for dinner time and the selection sounds quite good actually. And, Misterfidgetpants has been known to want to be Misterfidgetshorts on vacation, or sometimes just enjoy a quieter meal at my own pace.

 

I used to be quite put off by others telling or directing others to the Lido buffet (all cruise lines) in a derogatory manner if they wouldn't dress up. But looking at the menu, it doesn't appear 2nd rate by any imagination.

 

Does anyone here dine at the lido for dinner on HAL? Experiences? Opinions?

 

The people on this forum are very helpful and have amazing resources. As you are relatively new to it, may I also give you the hint to google HAL + cabins and you will find an abundance of information. In addition, there are others on this forum who have the menus, bar info, and Krazy Kruizers has always kept updated menus as well.

 

We have had the occasional dinner in the Lido, usually when we have gotten back late from an excursion and do not want to rush and change. We enjoy the casual atmosphere and the food is good. There are others on this forum who tend to prefer the Lido buffet over the MDR for most of their cruise, too. It's great that we have choices.

[OceanTraveller4ever]

Never did the Lido for dinner, but to me it`s like a lesser venue for an evening meal.

The MDR is a celebration of fun and engagement, while the Lido is just eating.

JMO

[HELENPSL]

We were just on the Eurodam over Thanksgiving and always eat in the MDR. One night we didn't feel like changing for dinner and decided to give the Lido a try. The food was excellent. As someone mentioned it was not crowded and we were able to eat at our leisure. It was a much better experience than I expected.

 

Helen

[Scrapnana]

I prefer to eat in the MDR (I like the atmosphere better for my evening meal) but I did try the Lido a couple of nights during my April cruise. The food quality was about the same but I did feel like I had fewer choices (due to the "Always Available" items on the MDR menu). Dining times were geared more to early diners (the Lido was open 5:30-8) and I prefer main (second) sitting.

[MissShelllly]

We've just finished a 50 day cruise on the Volendam, and we ate our dinner in the Lido on more than 40 nights. The food was very good. Part way during the cruise, they added more features such as a made to order pasta bar, more appetiser choices, larger salad selections, and new plates. We loved the changes they made.

 

Michelle.

[Cruisin Kay D]

Once on HAL we (2 couples) ate up in Lido & carried a pre-corked bottle of wine up there with us & staff brought us wine glasses -- noone asked for fee or said no you can't.

[superoma]

The longer the cruise, the more often we eat in the lido. While the food is good in the MDR I get tired of people waiting on me. (Crazy, I know). The food in the lido is just as good and we move at our own pace. We do open seating on long cruises (more than 7 days) and alternate between the two venues as the mood strikes. We add the tamarind to the mix when available and sometimes the pinnacle, not often.

 

 

 

 

 

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[Krazy Kruizers]

We have yet to have a dinner in the Lido.

But have often talked about doing it.

Do you have to carry all of your dishes back to the table like at lunch time?

[superoma]

We have yet to have a dinner in the Lido.

But have often talked about doing it.

Do you have to carry all of your dishes back to the table like at lunch time?

 

 

That has been our experience. We were able to order an entree and have it delivered on one cruise but that may have been princess.

 

 

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[Krazy Kruizers]

Thank you.

I thought that may be the case.

DH's Parkinson's has gotten worse and he can't carry a plate of food any more without spilling something. That is why he likes sandwiches at lunch time since we rarely eat them at home.

And I can't help him as I use a walker have problems of my own.

On our last couple of cruises, there were very few helpers at lunch time in the Lido.

[MisterFidgetpants]

also order anything from the MDR menu during the regular evening meal hours from Room Service and have it delivered to your stateroom.

 

Does this pertain to all room categories / mariner status level?

[momatibm]

Does this pertain to all room categories / mariner status level?

 

Any one can order MDR dinners for room service -- not limited to certain cabins/mariner levels.

[scamper]

Thank you.

I thought that may be the case.

DH's Parkinson's has gotten worse and he can't carry a plate of food any more without spilling something. That is why he likes sandwiches at lunch time since we rarely eat them at home.

And I can't help him as I use a walker have problems of my own.

On our last couple of cruises, there were very few helpers at lunch time in the Lido.

 

I have never had dinner in the lido. From the comments, I am going to give it a try next time. That being said, I have had several breakfasts and lunches there and I have always seen a culinary "officer" (re: brass) walking the lines. I would ask them to get someone to help you. If there isn't culinary brass available, I would flag down any passing officer. I know they will get someone to get someone to help you. They aren't going to say "no."

Edited December 13, 2015 by scamper