AYW Dining vs Lido dinner Entree's

[Mrs007]

This may have been answered before, but I couldn't find it. The HAL website says there are "made to order" dinner entree's in the Lido. Are these the same or similar to the entree choices offered in the dining room?

 

Since we seem to be assigned to AYW, is there something that would draw us to the dining room instead of the Lido and the "made to order" entrees it offers?

[peaches from georgia]

You need to check the Lido dinner menu posted everyday by the elevators. The entrees in the Lido are what they are having in the dining room, but not all the dr entrees will be served in the Lido. EX: last formal night there will not be lobster in the Lido, or at least that was our experience and it has been posted by many others also. So you need to compare DR and Lido menus before deciding where you may choose to eat dinner.

[kakalina]

With the new AYWD we have found the choices in the Lido to be just about the same as the main DR. They did offer surf and turf in the Lido on the last formal night. The entrees were almost exactly the same.

The difference is in the appetizers, soups and dessert offered. The Lido has just two hot soups and the usual choice of desserts for dinner, HAL chocolate cake, creme caramel, pudding, cheesecake and usually one other thing that varies from night to night.

We do always check both menus out of habit but were surprised to find at least for the entrees this trip it wasn't necessary except for finding out the desserts to order to the room later.

[RuthC]

Since we seem to be assigned to AYW, is there something that would draw us to the dining room instead of the Lido and the "made to order" entrees it offers?

Atmosphere. The main dining room is more formal.

That will draw some, and repel others.

[grsnovi]

Well, in the DR you will be waited on - in the Lido, you'll serve yourself. I think "made to order" is over selling what they do in the Lido. As I recall what you are making to order are the side dishes you want with your entree or what sort of an entree depending on where you elect to select your meal on the Lido.

[mamaofami]

Personally, I've only had dinner once in the Lido and I can't see repeating it. One of the pleasures of cruising for us is the atmosphere of the diningroom. If I really wanted a relaxed evening, I would have dinner on my veranda.

[hammybee]

The menus in the Fixed Seating and AYWD dining rooms are the same.

The LIDO will be close but not the same.

 

Menus are posted for both which should help you decide where to dine on a given evening.

 

We enjoy our sometimes dinners in the Lido and have never failed to get a nice picture window.

[gooselace]

With the new AYWD we have found the choices in the Lido to be just about the same as the main DR. They did offer surf and turf in the Lido on the last formal night. The entrees were almost exactly the same.

The difference is in the appetizers, soups and dessert offered. The Lido has just two hot soups and the usual choice of desserts for dinner, HAL chocolate cake, creme caramel, pudding, cheesecake and usually one other thing that varies from night to night.

We do always check both menus out of habit but were surprised to find at least for the entrees this trip it wasn't necessary except for finding out the desserts to order to the room later.

 

About those desserts - has anyone noticed whether any of the "no sugar added" desserts or ice creams are offered in the Lido or on the room service menu?

[Micmac]

I have seen some in the lido - both desserts and ice cream. Unfortunately, I only have ordered the cheese plate from room service so can't be of any help on that part.

 

The SF all taste scrumptious - I just try not to think of how many sugar alcohols are in there!

 

Michelle

[KAYEF]

Maybe "made to order" means one thing to you and another to the poster.

You go through the line and select your appetizer(s), salad, soup, etc. and then, they have the entrees on plates for you to SEE what they are. Those are not served to people, they're a sample, just as at the made to order sandwich area at lunch.

One thing I like about Lido is if I see something on another dish, I am able to "mix and match"...............like if I want the halibut but there's beans with it and spinach with the beef, I can ask for halibut with the spinach. I imagine I could do that in the DR but it causes lots more waiting for the waiters in the DR.

You tell the person what entree you want and they write it down and give you a number on a little silver stand and it's delivered to you in a bit.

This was a new step since Sept. 2007.

After you've eaten what you want, you go to the dessert area and take one of each................;) .

They have tablecloths and candles on the tables and offer wine by the glass. It's a nice alternative.

We just got off a couple of weeks ago and the window of time for dinner in Lido is pretty small; I believe it was about one and one-half hours.

If you've been in port and don't want to "dress up" or you missed your dining time.......try the Lido.

Of course, there's always the excellent Room Service on HAL.

Enjoy!:)

[GeriatricNurse]

Maybe "made to order" means one thing to you and another to the poster.

You go through the line and select your appetizer(s), salad, soup, etc. and then, they have the entrees on plates for you to SEE what they are. Those are not served to people, they're a sample, just as at the made to order sandwich area at lunch.

One thing I like about Lido is if I see something on another dish, I am able to "mix and match"...............like if I want the halibut but there's beans with it and spinach with the beef, I can ask for halibut with the spinach. I imagine I could do that in the DR but it causes lots more waiting for the waiters in the DR.

You tell the person what entree you want and they write it down and give you a number on a little silver stand and it's delivered to you in a bit.

This was a new step since Sept. 2007.

After you've eaten what you want, you go to the dessert area and take one of each................;) .

They have tablecloths and candles on the tables and offer wine by the glass. It's a nice alternative.

We just got off a couple of weeks ago and the window of time for dinner in Lido is pretty small; I believe it was about one and one-half hours.

If you've been in port and don't want to "dress up" or you missed your dining time.......try the Lido.

Of course, there's always the excellent Room Service on HAL.

Enjoy!:)

Hi:

 

Actually, this was done earlier as we experienced this form of dining in the Lido on the Amsterdam in April, 2007, during our Trans Panama Canal Cruise! It was extremely well done & was just as enjoyable, or even more so, as dining in the main restaurant!

 

Ward

[mamaofami]

You can mix and match your choices in the main dining room too, if you want.

[Mrs007]

Maybe "made to order" means one thing to you and another to the poster.

You go through the line and select your appetizer(s), salad, soup, etc. and then, they have the entrees on plates for you to SEE what they are. Those are not served to people, they're a sample, just as at the made to order sandwich area at lunch.

One thing I like about Lido is if I see something on another dish, I am able to "mix and match"...............like if I want the halibut but there's beans with it and spinach with the beef, I can ask for halibut with the spinach. I imagine I could do that in the DR but it causes lots more waiting for the waiters in the DR.

You tell the person what entree you want and they write it down and give you a number on a little silver stand and it's delivered to you in a bit.

This was a new step since Sept. 2007.

After you've eaten what you want, you go to the dessert area and take one of each................;) .

They have tablecloths and candles on the tables and offer wine by the glass. It's a nice alternative.

We just got off a couple of weeks ago and the window of time for dinner in Lido is pretty small; I believe it was about one and one-half hours.

If you've been in port and don't want to "dress up" or you missed your dining time.......try the Lido.

Of course, there's always the excellent Room Service on HAL.

Enjoy!:)

 

Thanks so much for the excellent explaination Kayef. It is not that I/we don't want to dress up, and since we have been assigned AYW, it would be hard to "miss" our dining time. It is just the last time we had AYW (on a different cruise line) they gave us a beeper, there were very few places to sit while you waited, and we ended up standing in the entryway for 45 minutes:mad: . I just thought if the Lido was very similar to the dining room, that since we have AYW, we could go there if we had to experience another 45 minute wait for a table.

 

I appreciate everyones input - thanks!

Linda

[hammybee]

Thanks so much for the excellent explaination Kayef. It is not that I/we don't want to dress up, and since we have been assigned AYW, it would be hard to "miss" our dining time. It is just the last time we had AYW (on a different cruise line) they gave us a beeper, there were very few places to sit while you waited, and we ended up standing in the entryway for 45 minutes:mad: . I just thought if the Lido was very similar to the dining room, that since we have AYW, we could go there if we had to experience another 45 minute wait for a table.

 

I appreciate everyones input - thanks!

Linda

 

In case you are still reding this, I wanted to clarify that when a ship has AYWD, the LIDO hours expand. I think the hours were in the range of 5-9, on the Noordam, in May.

 

I also wanted to say that there have been no signs of beepers or the need for them, yet as it relates to AYWD.

 

Of course there is always a risk of a wait if the majority of diners present for dinner at the same time, which seems to have been the issue on Princess,at least in the past.

 

I am also aware that, unlike Princess, HAL does not allow anyone to reserve a table in the AYWD dining room during prime time. I think this is fabulous as it prevents those in the knows from hogging the best times.

 

If you think of it and are so inclined, please come back and share your experiences with us.

[terrydtx]

Thanks so much for the excellent explaination Kayef. It is not that I/we don't want to dress up, and since we have been assigned AYW, it would be hard to "miss" our dining time. It is just the last time we had AYW (on a different cruise line) they gave us a beeper, there were very few places to sit while you waited, and we ended up standing in the entryway for 45 minutes:mad: . I just thought if the Lido was very similar to the dining room, that since we have AYW, we could go there if we had to experience another 45 minute wait for a table.

 

I appreciate everyones input - thanks!

Linda

 

AYWD is relatively new to HAL and we will be experiencing it for the first time on the Volendam this month. From the limited postings so far to this board of passengers actually experiencing AYWD, I do not recall anybody stating that the wait was longer than 10 minutes, even in the most popular 6:30-7:30 dining window. Your long wait experience must have been on other lines with much larger ships. You also have the ability to make daily reservations for specific table and times in AYWD between from 5 and 5:30 and 7:30 to 9:00, so hopefully your AYWD experience on HAL will much better than what you experienced in the past.;)

[RuthC]

You can mix and match your choices in the main dining room too, if you want.

Sure can, Carol. I'm the self-declared champion of it. :D And the stewards take it all in ease. :)

[RuthC]

Sorry for the double entry. This board sure is baa-d this morning.