lunch on embarkation

[FranciscoFamily]

This may be a silly question but I was just reading about how suite passengers have a lunch on embarkation day and it made me wonder....the rest of us, non suite not elite just regular cruisers....there is lunch provided for us as well, right?  Is it the buffet or are there other choices as well?

[Mynki]

Suite class - Luminae
Concierge Class and those on B2B cruises - MDR

Everyone else - Buffet, poolside grill or sushi on 5 (charge applicable). 

Captains club loyalty status does not apply. 

Edited October 31, 2019 by Mynki

[chemmo]

3 minutes ago, FranciscoFamily said:

This may be a silly question but I was just reading about how suite passengers have a lunch on embarkation day and it made me wonder....the rest of us, non suite not elite just regular cruisers....there is lunch provided for us as well, right?  Is it the buffet or are there other choices as well?

 

The buffet will be busy between 11am and just after 1pm when the rooms open. You will find a seat but it is hectic, especially as some guests will be new cruisers and not know the routines. You are definitely better during these times on boarding day getting a seat first and going in turn to get food rather than wandering around with a cooling lunch. If you want a buffet lunch then my recommendation is to either settle in a nice bar somewhere first and enjoy a relaxing drink and go to the buffet after 1pm or board towards 1pm and head straight for the buffet then. After 1pm the area becomes much more relaxed and pleasant...

 

As Mynki says there are alternatives. Sushi can be a nice relaxing venue to start your vacation. As it has an a la carte menu it can be good and not expensive if you only want a light lunch...

 

The poolside grill area can be great if you want to board and immediately enjoy the sun. Put your swimwear in your hand luggage, quickly change in the restroom and you are ready to enjoy! 

 

I seem to remember when we boarded Reflection that either the Lawn Grill or Porch were open (or both?) so another possibility if you are on Reflection or Silhouette...

 

Hope you have a fantastic cruise!

[Xport]

2 hours ago, Mynki said:

2 hours ago, Mynki said:

Suite class - Luminae
Concierge Class and those on B2B cruises - MDR

Everyone else - Buffet, poolside grill or sushi on 5 (charge applicable). 

Captains club loyalty status does not apply. 

 

 

While you are generally correct, Captain's Club Zenith members--regardless of stateroom category--are also eligible to have lunch in the MDR on embarkation day...

[Mynki]

1 hour ago, Xport said:

 

While you are generally correct, Captain's Club Zenith members--regardless of stateroom category--are also eligible to have lunch in the MDR on embarkation day...

 

Fair point. I calculated the other day that if we continue to accrue our average captain club points per annum it will be another 22 years before we make Zenith. As a result I've not paid too much attention to the finer points of Zenith membership. lol 

[Northern Aurora]

The Aqua Spa Cafe is another embarkation day option.  And certainly one of the finer points of Zenith  membership includes attending the Concierge Class/B2B MDR lunch.  

 

[39august]

On Equinox in Sept. Aqua Spa Cafe was CLOSED for lunch on embarkation day, both of our B2B cruises. 

[cangelmd]

Our buffet strategy, and also a great way to start the vacay, is to get to the buffet as early as we can, walk straight back all the way through to the outside back deck, get a shady seat, order our fav alcoholic libation, then take turns diving into the buffet madness for a light lunch. When the second person returns with lunch, we have the first cheers/toast. As Chemmo pointed out, the buffet gets clogged with befuddled newbies and those of us who don't quite remember the layout. Most new cruisers don't even realize there is an outside deck, so it doesn't get filled up until around 12, but people come and go, so seats are usually available.

[phoenix_dream]

Our buffet and embarkation strategy is the opposite.  We prefer to arrive to the pier later - maybe around noon.  We then hang out in a comfortable area until the cabins are ready.  Then we dump our stuff and head down to the buffet a little later when most other folks are heading to their cabins.  A much more relaxing approach for us, but to each their own.

[TeaBag]

With the new procedure of getting your room keys outside the door of your room and being able to offload your carry-ons, as soon as you board (way before the 1:30 rooms ready announcement), I feel this greatly alleviates the crowding in the buffet.  People don't have to stay at a table long after they have finished eating because they don't want to drag their carry-ons with them.  This frees up tables faster, I hear.

 

That being said, we usually eat at the Spa Cafe on embarkation day.  It was open Oct 6 when we boarded Summit.  I'm surprised about Equinox.

[FranciscoFamily]

13 hours ago, chemmo said:

 

Sushi can be a nice relaxing venue to start your vacation. As it has an a la carte menu it can be good and not expensive if you only want a light lunch...

 

The poolside grill area can be great if you want to board and immediately enjoy the sun.

 

 

We are on Eclipse.

There is a charge for sushi I guess?

 

No charge for poolside grill?

 

What are the hours on these places(not on embarkation day, just in general)

[FranciscoFamily]

7 hours ago, Northern Aurora said:

The Aqua Spa Cafe is another embarkation day option. 

 

Is this a free place or is there a fee?

I am saddened by all the food that is NOT included onboard.  I am used to Disney and there is free food everywhere!

[FranciscoFamily]

1 hour ago, TeaBag said:

With the new procedure of getting your room keys outside the door of your room and being able to offload your carry-ons, as soon as you board (way before the 1:30 rooms ready announcement), 

Is this available on the Eclipse?

[TeaBag]

57 minutes ago, FranciscoFamily said:

Is this a free place or is there a fee?

I am saddened by all the food that is NOT included onboard.  I am used to Disney and there is free food everywhere!

There is no fee for Spa Cafe or poolside grill.  The Spa cafe is by the solarium and serves small dishes, but you can have as many as you want.  I love their Caprice salad.  I think they have dropped the word Aqua from the title of this restaurant because people thought it was for Aqua class only.  It is for everyone and is so quiet on embarkation day that we love it.

As for the keys outside the room, I really don't know if this is on Eclipse yet but I don't see why it is not  a fleetwide policy.  It is fairly new.

[lulurobby]

If you have the drinks package and have to wait until the rooms are ready to go get your seapass card, how can you order your drinks when you board

[tartana]

1 hour ago, FranciscoFamily said:

Is this a free place or is there a fee?

I am saddened by all the food that is NOT included onboard.  I am used to Disney and there is free food everywhere!

There is all kinds of included food available - it's only for this first lunch that it gets hectic as the MDR isn't available to many that meal - and many people are just coming onboard and want to eat.  Most of us "regular" class passengers don't even really realize about the other extra food sources/restaurants IMO - they are "hidden" quite well. (I mean the ones that aren't included for some)  There are the specialty restaurants and Sushi on FIve with charges, but there are lots of choices in the main buffet and the main dining room that are included for everyone.  The Spa Cafe, grill on pool deck,  and bakery items at Cafe el Bacio are included as well.  I always head up to the pool deck and start our cruise relaxing in the sunshine with a cold beverage, and we have a burger up there - for that first lunch. 

Edited November 1, 2019 by tartana
added more info

[Mark_T]

57 minutes ago, lulurobby said:

If you have the drinks package and have to wait until the rooms are ready to go get your seapass card, how can you order your drinks when you board

 

Your drinks package is also shown on your Xpress pass, but in any event, you are not waiting until your cabin is ready, on the ships where the cards are at your door, you go there immediately, collect the card and drop off your hand lugguage then leave until you get the all clear to go back when things are completed.

[NantahalaCruiser]

Note that on the Equinox and other S-class ships the "poolside grill" for burgers, hotdogs and fries is the Mast Grill which is one deck up - overlooking the pool deck.

[chemmo]

3 hours ago, FranciscoFamily said:

We are on Eclipse.

There is a charge for sushi I guess?

 

No charge for poolside grill?

 

What are the hours on these places(not on embarkation day, just in general)

 

Eclipse is not being Revolutionised until 2021 so you cannot drop your hand luggage off as you board, you will have it with you until just after 1pm.

 

Sushi on 5 has a per item charge but also offers set price offers. Opening hours vary so check on your ‘Today’.

 

Poolside Grill is free, again check your ‘Today’ for opening times.

 

4 hours ago, FranciscoFamily said:

I am saddened by all the food that is NOT included onboard.  I am used to Disney and there is free food everywhere!

 

You will not go without good food on a Celebrity ship. For breakfast and lunch there is a very well stocked buffet (the Indian section is excellent), the MDR has wide menu choices, there is free room service until 11pm with its own menu or the option of ordering from the MDR during opening times plus the venues like the Aqua Spar Cafe and the Mast Grill.

 

See the speciality restaurants as ‘options’ just as spar treatments are or excursions. They are there if you want them but you don’t have to use them...Why not do a bit of research and see if you fancy trying at least one of them? Most cruisers see speciality restaurants as a nice option for the odd night...There are packages available and deals on board.

 

We have cruised on Eclipse on three occasions and thoroughly enjoyed, hope you do too.

 

[crash3x]

On 10/31/2019 at 5:13 AM, FranciscoFamily said:

This may be a silly question but I was just reading about how suite passengers have a lunch on embarkation day and it made me wonder....the rest of us, non suite not elite just regular cruisers....there is lunch provided for us as well, right?  Is it the buffet or are there other choices as well?

Balcony and below cabins go up to buffet , Concierge class have lunch in main dining room,  suite class have lunch in luminae...........If you think about it you can't have all passengers go to one location for lunch at one time.  Besides no one ever seems to show up when told, everyone is so excited to get going that they try to board as soon as possible

[hrhdhd]

On 10/31/2019 at 7:07 PM, FranciscoFamily said:

I am saddened by all the food that is NOT included onboard.  I am used to Disney and there is free food everywhere!

 

Except for the popcorn and snacks for movies! And Palo. And Remy.

 

You won't starve on Celebrity; there's more than enough included food.

Edited November 3, 2019 by hrhdhd

[39august]

Only on "revolutionized" ships can you go directly to your cabin and get your sea pass cards. We thought it helped to control the crowding in the buffet on boarding day in Sept. on Equinox. 

[cruzdude1]

On 10/31/2019 at 8:24 PM, chemmo said:

 

Eclipse is not being Revolutionised until 2021 so you cannot drop your hand luggage off as you board, you will have it with you until just after 1pm.

 

Sushi on 5 has a per item charge but also offers set price offers. Opening hours vary so check on your ‘Today’.

 

Poolside Grill is free, again check your ‘Today’ for opening times.

 

 

You will not go without good food on a Celebrity ship. For breakfast and lunch there is a very well stocked buffet (the Indian section is excellent), the MDR has wide menu choices, there is free room service until 11pm with its own menu or the option of ordering from the MDR during opening times plus the venues like the Aqua Spar Cafe and the Mast Grill.

 

See the speciality restaurants as ‘options’ just as spar treatments are or excursions. They are there if you want them but you don’t have to use them...Why not do a bit of research and see if you fancy trying at least one of them? Most cruisers see speciality restaurants as a nice option for the odd night...There are packages available and deals on board.

 

We have cruised on Eclipse on three occasions and thoroughly enjoyed, hope you do too.

 

We were in the Edge last year and the Indian food was a Great. 

[markf]

Does aqua class passengers have the ability to eat lunch at blu the first day?

[not-enough-cruising]

On 10/31/2019 at 6:07 PM, FranciscoFamily said:

Is this a free place or is there a fee?

I am saddened by all the food that is NOT included onboard.  I am used to Disney and there is free food everywhere!

You have paid a premium to Disney ahead of time in your cruise fare, so not really “free”