Embarkation Lunch Inquiries

[MJC]

We have often been told there is no dining room lunch and to go to the buffet, but there has always been one on all our cruises. It is one of our cruise traditions to have MDR lunch on vacation day.

[peagreenid]

46 minutes ago, tonit964 said:

I've been on many Princess cruises and sorry to say but they were lying to you.

 

Before I learned to check the Patter or walk to one of the dining rooms, I asked about lunch in the dining room ( learned it here on CC) and they told me no, go to the buffet. I knew they were wrong so I went to one of the dining rooms and sure enough they were open 12:00-1:30 and a nice, sit down lunch to start the cruise in a relaxed way. Now I just always find the dining room for lunch.

 

ETA: They may have not had it in the DR during the restart so I can't comment on that.

Exact lie was told to us several times....  We walked right by them one time and right into the dining room.   I don't understand it.

 

[caribill]

13 hours ago, Astro Flyer said:

We know that Alfredo’s was named after former head executive chef Alfredo Marzi…who is Gigi? 

 

Maybe now that he is "former" there is no reason to name restaurants after him.

[caribill]

8 hours ago, memoak said:

Since only one dining room is open for embarkation lunch it can get filled up early 

 

Not usually, as very few people know it is open on embarkation day.

[caribill]

2 hours ago, peagreenid said:

Exact lie was told to us several times....  We walked right by them one time and right into the dining room.   I don't understand it.

 

 

They may not have been telling a lie. They may just not know that the dining room is open.

 

The staff doing the directing are not usually from the dining staff and may not know what goes on in that department.

 

I was on one cruise and mentioned to the experienced Cruise Director that I had lunch in the dining room on embarkation day. He was very surprised as he had no idea it was open on those days. And he was in charge of the Patter which lists it as being open on embarkation day.

[MissP22]

14 hours ago, JF - retired RRT said:

That's always the answer, if you ask. So, don't ask. Just go to deck 6 & check (IIRC it's usually 6). If that's not it, walk down a flight to 5.

That's only because the crew member was newly assigned to that position and not yet familiar with their hours yet.

[geoherb]

16 hours ago, jeno said:

I am almost positive there will be no beef tenderloin at lunch. We went days in a row with no sign of beef on the dinner menu. Out of 15 days there were maybe 4 times they there was prime rib or steak.  Absolutely nothing like that at lunch.  Really, really sad how their menus have gone downhill. 

 

Here's a photo of the beef tenderloin at the embarkation day lunch on the Caribbean Princess in December. The dining room that day was open from 11:30 until 1:30. 

 

[JF - retired RRT]

9 hours ago, peagreenid said:

Exact lie was told to us several times....  We walked right by them one time and right into the dining room.   I don't understand it.

 

LOL: I read one post before the pause who said he asked a crew person standing just a few feet from an entrance to the MDR..."is a dining room open for lunch?". Answer: NO

As people were walking into said dining room for lunch. 🤣

Maybe, that was you??

Edited March 22, 2022 by JF - retired RRT

[MissP22]

2 hours ago, JF - retired RRT said:

LOL: I read one post before the pause who said he asked a crew person standing just a few feet from an entrance to the MDR..."is a dining room open for lunch?". Answer: NO

As people were walking into said dining room for lunch. 🤣

Maybe, that was you??

We got the same crew member on the Enchanted a few days ago.

[phoebe2m]

Concerning fewer meat selections. The meat company that Princess used in Los Angeles closed during Covid. 

[Billish]

3 hours ago, geoherb said:

The dining room that day was open from 11:30 until 1:30. 

11:30 does seem extremely early for lunch,  especially as so few passengers will have boarded by then.

Surely 12 to 2 would make more sense ? 

[GonzoWCS]

4 hours ago, geoherb said:

 

Here's a photo of the beef tenderloin at the embarkation day lunch on the Caribbean Princess in December. The dining room that day was open from 11:30 until 1:30. 

 

Yum Yum!

[ghgeckos]

My favorite part of the embarkation lunch is dessert.

[brisalta]

18 hours ago, t&atravel said:

They will always direct you to the buffet, but one dining room has always been open.  Here is what the FAQ say.

 

https://www.princess.com/learn/faq/onboard/dining-and-nightlife/

 

 

 

Please explain to me why on multiple occasions when boarding the Grand Princess I have been told that the MDR is open and given a slip of paper that had directions to it?

[brisalta]

5 hours ago, Billish said:

11:30 does seem extremely early for lunch,  especially as so few passengers will have boarded by then.

Surely 12 to 2 would make more sense ? 

 

2 o'clock seems very late for lunch. Early borders go straight to the MDR with their carry on luggage. It is quite a site all the bags crowded near tables early on.

[wowzz]

1 hour ago, brisalta said:

 

2 o'clock seems very late for lunch. Early borders go straight to the MDR with their carry on luggage. It is quite a site all the bags crowded near tables early on.

Actually, I would say it is a much more reasonable time than 11.30, when barely anyone will have boarded.  

[Sea Hag]

20 hours ago, Genessa said:

I've been on many Princess cruises.  I ask.  This was the first time I was ever told that there was no MDR open.  I have no reason to believe that they were lying to me.   

I have no idea whether or not they were lying to you, but we've been told there wasn't a MDR open when there actually was. Maybe they were lying to us, or maybe it was an honest mistake. 

[Sea Hag]

6 hours ago, Billish said:

11:30 does seem extremely early for lunch,  especially as so few passengers will have boarded by then.

Surely 12 to 2 would make more sense ? 

The earlier time may be an attempt to accommodate people coming in off flights from other time zones. Who can tell?

[jeno]

10 hours ago, geoherb said:

 

Here's a photo of the beef tenderloin at the embarkation day lunch on the Caribbean Princess in December. The dining room that day was open from 11:30 until 1:30. 

 

We never saw a nice piece of beef like that in 15 days. 

[brisalta]

32 minutes ago, wowzz said:

Actually, I would say it is a much more reasonable time than 11.30, when barely anyone will have boarded.  

 

Lots of people have boarded by 11:30 and the main dining room gets full rapidly as the staterooms are not ready.

[wowzz]

8 minutes ago, brisalta said:

 

Lots of people have boarded by 11:30 and the main dining room gets full rapidly as the staterooms are not ready.

OK, but on our last cruise, the earliest boarding time was 11:30, so absolutely no one was aboard when the MDR opened.

[tonit964]

44 minutes ago, Sea Hag said:

I have no idea whether or not they were lying to you, but we've been told there wasn't a MDR open when there actually was. Maybe they were lying to us, or maybe it was an honest mistake. 

With so many people posting about this for years now, it's not an honest mistake. They are probably being told to direct people to the buffet.

[Sea Hag]

6 minutes ago, tonit964 said:

With so many people posting about this for years now, it's not an honest mistake. They are probably being told to direct people to the buffet.

Oh, I actually think so too. I was being charitable. 😂

[justafem]

It's a tradition for us to start our first meal in the MDR.  It feels so cruisey.  And we know we're actually aboard.  

 

Several staff have confided, they are to direct pax to the buffet, but if pushed, they are to tell pax there is a MDR open.  Maybe (being charitable too), the crew stopped listening after BUFFET was mentioned over and over?  Or maybe the staff I know was being charitable by not stating they are told to tell pax that only the buffet is open.  

 

Mad dash for the buffet!  

[johnmik1]

On 3/21/2022 at 7:15 AM, capriccio said:

On the more recent Royal Class ships (Enchanted Princess and Sky Princess), Alfredo's has been renamed to Gigi's with the same menu as Alfredo's.

It is Alfredo’s on Sky not Gigi’s.