Star embarkation dining room

[dbeckett]

One of the last times I sailed from Vancouver I was given the usual there is no dining room open for lunch on embarkation day go to Horizon Court or International Café.

 

As we are sailing on the Star next Saturday can anyone say which dining room has been used so I don't have to ask and/or go to each dining room.

 

Thanks

[JF - retired RRT]

If your habit is to go to your cabin to drop off your carry-ons, etc. before you eat, just grab the Patter while your there. The back page has all the open food places listed. If there's no Patter, just go to deck 6 mid-ship, if that one isn't open walk down the stairs to deck 5. Easy Peasy :D

[partybarbie]

The last time I was on the Star, the patter didn't show which restaurant was open on Embarkation day. After being told by more than one staffer, that the restaurant was closed, I did find it in time to eat. It was the one on Deck 6, mid-ship. The hours are 12:00 pm to 1:30 pm.

[shredie]

No one has ever confirmed it, but I'm sure staff is told to send people to the buffet and discourage them from going to the MDR. Some will outright lie, saying the MDR is not open. I never ask. I just go to the midship dining room and walk in. It's usually deck 6. They are always happy to see me (and anyone else, for that matter) and serve me with their usual cheerfulness. No one has ever asked me why I didn't go to the buffet. ;):D

[azbirdmom]

On the August 6th sailing of the Star from Whittier, embarkation day lunch was in the Portofino dining room from 12:30 to 2. It was in the Patter on the last page (I still have it and checked). We didn't get there in time to enjoy it since we were on the train from Denali but friends who boarded the ship early sent us a lovely picture of the Grand Marnier soufflé that they enjoyed at lunch in the MDR. Timing might be different since you are boarding in Vancouver but you should be able to go to the MDR for lunch assuming you board in time to do it.

[Colo Cruiser]

On the August 6th sailing of the Star from Whittier, embarkation day lunch was in the Portofino dining room from 12:30 to 2. It was in the Patter on the last page (I still have it and checked). We didn't get there in time to enjoy it since we were on the train from Denali but friends who boarded the ship early sent us a lovely picture of the Grand Marnier soufflé that they enjoyed at lunch in the MDR. Timing might be different since you are boarding in Vancouver but you should be able to go to the MDR for lunch assuming you board in time to do it.

 

 

Thats great that they extended it a tad for later arrivals.

Probably 2pm because they are in Whittier and a later departure.

I have not seen or heard anybody report the hours extended like that in other ports for lunch unless there was an embarkation snafu.

[caribill]

No one has ever confirmed it, but I'm sure staff is told to send people to the buffet and discourage them from going to the MDR. Some will outright lie, saying the MDR is not open. I never ask. I just go to the midship dining room and walk in. It's usually deck 6. They are always happy to see me (and anyone else, for that matter) and serve me with their usual cheerfulness. No one has ever asked me why I didn't go to the buffet. ;):D

 

Or it could be that they really do not know that the MDR is open for lunch.

 

On one cruise in the past year I was speaking with the Cruise Director and mentioned our embarkation day lunch in the dining room. He said he had not known that the dining room was open for lunch on embarkation days.

 

Remember, the CD has years of experience on Princess ships.

[shredie]

Or it could be that they really do not know that the MDR is open for lunch.

 

On one cruise in the past year I was speaking with the Cruise Director and mentioned our embarkation day lunch in the dining room. He said he had not known that the dining room was open for lunch on embarkation days.

 

Remember, the CD has years of experience on Princess ships.

 

I guess that CD didn't read the Patter he's responsible for. :D

[Lucky TGO]

No one has ever confirmed it, but I'm sure staff is told to send people to the buffet and discourage them from going to the MDR. Some will outright lie, saying the MDR is not open. I never ask. I just go to the midship dining room and walk in. It's usually deck 6. They are always happy to see me (and anyone else, for that matter) and serve me with their usual cheerfulness. No one has ever asked me why I didn't go to the buffet. ;):D

 

You are very smart to do that the buffet is like a mad house that day. I never go there for lunch. On the Royal I go to Alfredo's.

Tony

[peety3]

Step 1: Know where all of the MDRs are. Frequently, deck 6 aft, and decks 5&6 mid.

Step 2: While enjoying the line while doing the climb up to board the ship, scope out which MDR appears to have people in it. Those who get there first probably got window seats, so you'll see bodies in one and not the other two.

Step 3: Ask the staff a specific question: "Which MDR is open for lunch today?" If you ask the question, they must answer it (if you only ask about lunch in general, they're programmed to say Horizon Court, but if you ask about MDR, they will tell you, caution you that it's a limited menu, and encourage you to go to HC anyway).

Step 4: Check the Patter in your room.

Step 5: If all else fails, assume that it's one of the mid-ship MDRs, and just go check them. To be safe, be sure to ask the staff at the door, "Is this the MDR that's serving lunch?" so that they're more "squeezed" to say yes.

Step 6: Don't assume that the MDR used last week will be the same as the MDR used this week. Princess likes consistency, but they also enjoy having options and may switch it around for the sake of repairs, etc.

[Mackenzie1]

The last time I was on the Star, the patter didn't show which restaurant was open on Embarkation day. After being told by more than one staffer, that the restaurant was closed, I did find it in time to eat. It was the one on Deck 6, mid-ship. The hours are 12:00 pm to 1:30 pm.

 

Same here--On the Star in February, embarkation MDR lunch was in the mid-ship dining room on deck six. I've read in various posts on CC that the mid-ship restaurant on deck 6 is usually where embarkation lunch is held. It was described as open in our Patter on embarkation day, too.

[ar1950]

Or it could be that they really do not know that the MDR is open for lunch.

 

On one cruise in the past year I was speaking with the Cruise Director and mentioned our embarkation day lunch in the dining room. He said he had not known that the dining room was open for lunch on embarkation days.

 

Remember, the CD has years of experience on Princess ships.

 

The word "Bogus" comes to mind.

[easyboy]

If your habit is to go to your cabin to drop off your carry-ons, etc. before you eat, just grab the Patter while your there. The back page has all the open food places listed. If there's no Patter, just go to deck 6 mid-ship, if that one isn't open walk down the stairs to deck 5. Easy Peasy :D

Like we do.