Can you eat lunch on embarkation day in the dining room?

[Ethel5]

I agree - that is the beef tenderloin dish that I like.

 

Asctony - I am not one that counts my cruises and knows exactly how many I have been on. I can tell you that I am Elite and started cruising Princess in 1999 so I have been on my fair share of cruises. I can say on all but 2 or 3 of them I haven't eaten in the dining room on embarkation day.

 

Princess employees always direct people to the Horizon Court and the Patters rarely say the dining room is open. I just go down there and have been seated.

 

I have to agree with Coral-there is a dining room open on embarkation day. I have counted cruises and I have eaten in the dining rooms on the first day for lunch.

[asctony]

I agree - that is the beef tenderloin dish that I like.

 

Asctony - I am not one that counts my cruises and knows exactly how many I have been on. I can tell you that I am Elite and started cruising Princess in 1999 so I have been on my fair share of cruises. I can say on all but 2 or 3 of them I haven't eaten in the dining room on embarkation day.

 

Princess employees always direct people to the Horizon Court and the Patters rarely say the dining room is open. I just go down there and have been seated.

 

Not to continue on with this, but, we were on the Dawn and Sun this year and we were very displeased because the dining room was not open. We are going on the Crown, CB and Island this year, too. So, I will make it a point to smile when I go down the first day to the dining room. I will let you know my experiences.

 

Happy Cruising!

[sultan_sfo]

Not on every ship or cruise! Yes -- we LOOK. See also post from asctony. Instead of a smile try "Open Sesame"! /Sultan

 

I have to agree with Coral-there is a dining room open on embarkation day. I have counted cruises and I have eaten in the dining rooms on the first day for lunch.

[JotWorld]

"Open Sesame';) Might also work :eek:

[ronbaker36]

Have any recent cruisers found a dining room open for lunch on first day? We have booked our first cruise on Princess after several cruises on NCL.

[wannaBcruzin]

I don't mean to change the subject, thought this would be a good place to ask. I heard that the pools and everything is not opened until sailaway and after the muster drill. Is there any truth to this? Will be on the Crown. Do we have to wait for sailaway to enjoy the pool, casino, shops, exc.........?? I know we can eat just curious about the others.

[Coral]

I don't mean to change the subject, thought this would be a good place to ask. I heard that the pools and everything is not opened until sailaway and after the muster drill. Is there any truth to this? Will be on the Crown. Do we have to wait for sailaway to enjoy the pool, casino, shops, exc.........?? I know we can eat just curious about the others.

 

The pools are generally open all the time. They will be open when you embark. They may be cleaning one pool and that may be closed but others will be open.

 

Casinos and shops are only open when the ship sails. This is due to local laws.

[westwind6371]

Same situation on the Grand this last Jan. We were told that only Horizon Ct. open but not the dining room, but went to dining room and had a great lunch. Not many there and they closed at 1:00PM. We try to avoid the Horizon Ct. whenever possible, just do not care for cafeterias.

 

fair winds

Dave

PS. I am always smiling when onboard ship;-))

[wannaBcruzin]

Thank you Coral. :)

[Princess Chatterer]

Have any recent cruisers found a dining room open for lunch on first day? We have booked our first cruise on Princess after several cruises on NCL.

 

The Golden Princess had the dining room open for lunch on embarkation day in February. Standard menu.

 

You never know in advance whether the dining room will be open. It's not uncommon for the dining room to be open only for travel agents at that time. You should always check for yourself because the dining room lunch food is better and you don't have to face the typical long line at Horizon Court around 1 pm on embarkation day.

[crusdiva]

Most of the time - I have been able to eat in the dining room on the first day. You just need to go down and check to see if it is open. When it is - it is the best lunch menu of the week!

Theresa that's amazing!

On each and every of our 18 cruises we go to the dining room on embarkation day with the hope of having lunch and have NEVER been allowed to. I always assumed that it was open for any back to back cruisers and that we would be able to dine there, but it never happens.:(

We see people dining...just not us...there are usually local groups and TAs dining there at that time and we are told that it is reserved for groups.

I'll try again in a few weeks.;)

[from the desert]

Is there a correlation between the dining room being open for lunch and the fact that a ship is disembarking and embarking on the same day? For those of you who have eaten lunch in the dining room was it or wasn't it?

[Princess Chatterer]

Is there a correlation between the dining room being open for lunch and the fact that a ship is disembarking and embarking on the same day? For those of you who have eaten lunch in the dining room was it or wasn't it?

 

There is no correlation. I'd say on my past 12 Princess cruises the dining room was open on embarkation day maybe a third of the time.

[Dee]

After 23 cruises we have found the diningroom open for lunch for embarking passengers once. Several times it was open but only for Travel Agents who were touring the ship for the day. One time it was open for disembarking passengers who had very late flights. So, don't plan on eating lunch in the diningroom on embarcation day.

[fti]

Not to continue on with this, but, we were on the Dawn and Sun this year and we were very displeased because the dining room was not open. We are going on the Crown, CB and Island this year, too. So, I will make it a point to smile when I go down the first day to the dining room. I will let you know my experiences.

 

Happy Cruising!

 

Yes, be sure to smile :) :) :D :D . And don't count your cruises either. Coral doesn't (I wonder where her signature line comes from if she isn't counting :D ).

[palolake]

We always go to the dining room(s) to see if they have the table numbers up yet so that we can see what type of table we have. We have never seen them open and we are usually shooed out. If you are on a Sun class ship, eat in the pizzaria. We always do and it's much nicer than the buffet and we are usually the only people there.

[Colo Cruiser]

They absolutley won't advertise that the dining room is open on embarkation day but if you look hard enough you will find that for the most they are. They will even leave the large dining room doors partialy closed.

 

We have gone almost every cruise on Princess. :)

[RIGirl]

Are the ones who are not finding the dining rooms open only looking in one dining room? Maybe one of the anytime dining rooms would be open the traditional ones aren't? Just a thought - never tried it - but now I'm curious.

[Colo Cruiser]

I have also found as mentioned earlier in this thread that people who are on the cruise doinga back to back will almost always be invited to the dining room for lunch so they don't have to fight the incoming crowds.

 

They will have TA luncheons etc going on in there at the same time. :)

[cacruiserjen]

Just off the Dawn Princess and traveled with 18 people. 2 of them dined in the dining room for lunch on embarkation day at about 12:30. It said it was open on the paper they handed on boarding. They were told in person that it wasn't, but pointed out that the paper said it was and they were quickly seated by the Matre de (spelled wrong, I know!). A few other passengers had passed them on the way in and turned around and came back when they saw them get seated. They said they were turned away - but were not refused after our friends.

[bacm]

We've been on eight cruises and the dining room has never been open for lunch on any of them. We do always check out our dining table when we get on the ship, so we do walk into the dining room. There has never been anyone there eating. We're leaving on the CB next Sunday & I will be sure to check all the dining rooms out before 1:00 & report back.

[littlebo123]

While not scientific... the past few cruises I have been on .. a dining room was open for the 'back to back' cruisers. Supposedly ONLY!

 

Since B-B cruiser may not get off the ship in the port .. the cruise line opened up the dining room for their use.

 

It may vary based on the number of B-B cruisers onboard (like LAX-YVR to Alaska is not B-B possible) .. as well as staffing requirements.

 

Never hurts to EXPLORE! Forget about asking .. look for yourself!

 

Note for the Crown Princess people: The dinning rooms will be available for lunch on the 4/21/07 trip of the Crown Princess. This cruise is one of thoes B-B cruises.

 

see you in the lunch line, and don't crowd in line . . . .ken and sue

[ldoc31]

If it is only open for a group of TA's or B2B why do you even want to eat there. I would assume if they wanted you there they would advertise it as open.

[Princess Chatterer]

Are the ones who are not finding the dining rooms open only looking in one dining room? Maybe one of the anytime dining rooms would be open the traditional ones aren't? Just a thought - never tried it - but now I'm curious.

 

The dining room that will be open is the same one they normally use for breakfast and lunch. The Deck 6 Anytime dining room off of the Atrium comes to mind.

[RIGirl]

The dining room that will be open is the same one they normally use for breakfast and lunch. The Deck 6 Anytime dining room off of the Atrium comes to mind.

 

That makes sense. That would also explain why those who are looking to see where their table is (traditional diners) would find the dining room closed.

Is this the case only on Princess? What about other cruise lines?