Embarkation Day Main Dining Room open?

[cruisetravel8]

Hi,

 

Will be sailing on Harmony, and wondering if main dining room is open for lunch on embarkation day?

[gumshoe958]

Yes, but only if you buy The Key. Otherwise no.

[Scottdalfonso]

No, only for the Key package holders, otherwise you still have the Windjammer, Sorrentos, and the specialty restaurants, including Playmakers and Johnny rockets, and I think El Loco Fresh is open, as well. 

[S.A.M.J.R.]

3 hours ago, Scottdalfonso said:

No, only for the Key package holders, otherwise you still have the Windjammer, Sorrentos, and the specialty restaurants, including Playmakers and Johnny rockets, and I think El Loco Fresh is open, as well. 

Park Cafe? Or is that considered "specialty".

[GTO-Girl]

59 minutes ago, S.A.M.J.R. said:

Park Cafe? Or is that considered "specialty".

Park Cafe is not specialty.  We always seat there on embarkation day.

[Tree_skier]

We went to Solarium Bistro on Harmony on embarkation days.  We did a B2B in Dec and both embarkation days it was very uncrowded.  It was a much better experience than the Windjammer.

[Kellie in Texas]

21 minutes ago, Tree_skier said:

We went to Solarium Bistro on Harmony on embarkation days.  We did a B2B in Dec and both embarkation days it was very uncrowded.  It was a much better experience than the Windjammer.

That's what we did too on Harmony this past January. We ate there for breakfast several times too. Not the huge selection like the Windjammer, but plenty for us. 

[Tree_skier]

1 minute ago, Kellie in Texas said:

That's what we did too on Harmony this past January. We ate there for breakfast several times too. Not the huge selection like the Windjammer, but plenty for us. 

I don't think I was in the windjammer more than a couple times over the whole two weeks.

[Sonic2012]

9 hours ago, Tree_skier said:

We went to Solarium Bistro on Harmony on embarkation days.  We did a B2B in Dec and both embarkation days it was very uncrowded.  It was a much better experience than the Windjammer.

Can you tell me if there is a b2b lunch? I read about it somewhere, but maybe it’s something they no longer do. This is for Harmony. 

[Tree_skier]

Yes there was a b2b lunch in the MDR.  The menu looked like an exact copy of the The Key lunch we had on embarkation on Adventure a couple of months later.  It was very good.  I had good steak and it was nice and quiet and relaxing.  

Edited July 5 by Tree_skier

[firefly333]

24 minutes ago, Tree_skier said:

Yes there was a b2b lunch in the MDR.  The menu looked like an exact copy of the The Key lunch we had on embarkation on Adventure a couple of months later.  It was very good.  I had good steak and it was nice and quiet and relaxing.  

I did 3 weeks on harmony and we had short ribs, not steak. Though I love them even more I think. 

[DallasGuy75219]

14 hours ago, GTO-Girl said:

Park Cafe is not specialty.  We always seat there on embarkation day.

That's my trick to avoiding to the chaos of the WJ for embarkation lunch, especially on Oasis class.  Many people haven't found out about Park Cafe yet, and the WJ is zoo, between everyone trying to eat as soon as they board and people and their luggage hording tables after they finish eating until cabins are ready.

[GTO-Girl]

6 hours ago, DallasGuy75219 said:

That's my trick to avoiding to the chaos of the WJ for embarkation lunch, especially on Oasis class.  Many people haven't found out about Park Cafe yet, and the WJ is zoo, between everyone trying to eat as soon as they board and people and their luggage hording tables after they finish eating until cabins are ready.

This is exactly why we head to Park Cafe upon arrival too!!  Nice salads and sandwiches and no chaos!!!😎😎

[S.A.M.J.R.]

I don't know that I could agree "many people haven't found out about Park Cafe yet".  DW & I took our first cruise on Oasis in 2013.  This picture was taken about 30 minutes after boarding, and shows the line for Park Cafe...

[doghog]

We eat breakfast at the pre cruise hotel. We aren't hungry when we first board the ship.  Once onboard we grab a couple of drinks and go sit in the CL until the cabins are ready. 

[DallasGuy75219]

18 minutes ago, S.A.M.J.R. said:

I don't know that I could agree "many people haven't found out about Park Cafe yet".  DW & I took our first cruise on Oasis in 2013.  This picture was taken about 30 minutes after boarding, and shows the line for Park Cafe...

Well that picture is 11 years old, and I've never seen a line out the door like that at embarkation lunch on 5 Oasis class sailings between 2019 and 2024. YMMV.