Lunch on Embarkation Day

We are leaving on Freedom this Sunday and I would like to avoid the mayhem of the Windjammer on the first day. Is it possible to eat at Sorrentos or Cafe Promenade or does that not open until later in the day? Thanks so much!

 

 

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We avoid the mayhem by eating a LATE breakfast before boarding, then picking up a quick snack later in the afternoon....

We are leaving on Freedom this Sunday and I would like to avoid the mayhem of the Windjammer on the first day. Is it possible to eat at Sorrentos or Cafe Promenade or does that not open until later in the day? Thanks so much!

Yes, they should be open by 11:30am or noon.

They direct you to the windjammer for a reason.

That's were all the food is.

Never figured out why people have so much trouble there?

Just keep an eye out.

I can find a Windjammer table anytime time of the day(next to the window)(on the side without the direct sun).

Then again I can get two chairs by the pool pretty much anytime....

On ships with fewer options for embarkation lunch, we find eating "off schedule" works best, a late breakfast, then skip the buffet while everyone is boarding. Most people go to their cabin at 1 or 1:30, so have lunch at 1:30 or 2 and avoid the crowds. Then we skip dinner in the MDR the First night, which is also kind of crazy, and watch sail away, then have dinner in an alternate venue or even the WJ, which will be vey quiet :D

Cafe promenade should at least be open

I usually board early so I hit windjammer before the rabble arrives

 

 

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As dancingman66 stated board early and you will beat the rush. Firm believer in getting on the ship ASAP and letting the vacation begin.

 

However we always stay in the port city the night before, so it's just as well sitting and waiting at the port rather the hotel room.

On ships with fewer options for embarkation lunch, we find eating "off schedule" works best, a late breakfast, then skip the buffet while everyone is boarding. Most people go to their cabin at 1 or 1:30, so have lunch at 1:30 or 2 and avoid the crowds. Then we skip dinner in the MDR the First night, which is also kind of crazy, and watch sail away, then have dinner in an alternate venue or even the WJ, which will be vey quiet :D

 

Agree, waiting until the cabins are opened and people depart the windjammer is a good idea.

 

Can you elaborate on the need to skip dinner in the dining room on the first evening? What you mean by "crazy". We've cruised multiple times, and have never felt the need to skip the dining room on the first evening. There is a bit of a line entering the dining that evening as folks are led to their table. After that, it seems to be business as usual.

 

Thanks, m

We are leaving on Freedom this Sunday and I would like to avoid the mayhem of the Windjammer on the first day. Is it possible to eat at Sorrentos or Cafe Promenade or does that not open until later in the day? Thanks so much!

 

 

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Yes - they are open.

 

We learned this trick when the Freedom Class came online. Back then - we were literally by ourselves as everyone "jammed" the elevators to go to the WJ.

 

Now a days - the secret is out, we generally board early and get seats at either venue - enjoy a light lunch - company of friends we hadn't seen since the last cruise and wait for the cabins to open up.

 

Have a great cruise.

 

g

We are leaving on Freedom this Sunday and I would like to avoid the mayhem of the Windjammer on the first day. Is it possible to eat at Sorrentos or Cafe Promenade or does that not open until later in the day? Thanks so much!

 

 

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We did this last year and had no problems

Whisper.......Get there early and go straight in :D

We avoid the mayhem by eating a LATE breakfast before boarding, then picking up a quick snack later in the afternoon....

 

That's a good way to quickly get a Roast Beef sandwich at the Park Cafe on Allure/Oasis. Long lines from about 11:30 to 2pm, but you can walk right in around 3pm, a perfect hold over till late seating dinner.

We are leaving on Freedom this Sunday and I would like to avoid the mayhem of the Windjammer on the first day. Is it possible to eat at Sorrentos or Cafe Promenade or does that not open until later in the day? Thanks so much!

 

 

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I see you have been on Liberty back in 2008. IMO while it can still get crowded, the Freedom class WJ has the best seating capacity to passenger level of all the ships. My last time on Freedom, which was about the time you were on Liberty they opened up the seating in Chops and Portofino at lunch to make more room. I heard the let Diamond's and above go there now. Sorrento's is a good place to eat and people watch though as you see all the wide eyed people getting their first look.

Back to the question about what makes the first night in the MDR "crazy," well, first there will be longer lines. If you have assigned seating the waiters will have to escort you to your table (after the first night you will know where it is and can seat yourself.) If you have Anytime Dining the line will probably also be longer the first night.

 

Then dinner seems to take longer the first night as the waiters have to explain about the different menu options, ie the ones that change daily and the ones that are always available.

 

Also, if you are doing early or late assigned dining....sometimes it takes the wait staff a day or so to find out if you are the type of people who want to eat quickly and be out and about or if you are the type that enjoys slowing savoring your meal.

 

Nothing to say that the first night should be avoided....just a heads up that it may be a tad slower and seemingly disorganized than later in the cruise.

Agree, waiting until the cabins are opened and people depart the windjammer is a good idea.

 

Can you elaborate on the need to skip dinner in the dining room on the first evening? What you mean by "crazy". We've cruised multiple times, and have never felt the need to skip the dining room on the first evening. There is a bit of a line entering the dining that evening as folks are led to their table. After that, it seems to be business as usual.

 

Thanks, m

 

 

We usually get there early as well, and beat the crowd, but we are not arriving till late... so hopefully the rush will be gone. Worse case, we take our food out to the pool deck.

Back to the question about what makes the first night in the MDR "crazy," well, first there will be longer lines. If you have assigned seating the waiters will have to escort you to your table (after the first night you will know where it is and can seat yourself.) If you have Anytime Dining the line will probably also be longer the first night.

 

Then dinner seems to take longer the first night as the waiters have to explain about the different menu options, ie the ones that change daily and the ones that are always available.

 

Also, if you are doing early or late assigned dining....sometimes it takes the wait staff a day or so to find out if you are the type of people who want to eat quickly and be out and about or if you are the type that enjoys slowing savoring your meal.

 

Nothing to say that the first night should be avoided....just a heads up that it may be a tad slower and seemingly disorganized than later in the cruise.

Interesting. We always find our table not long after we board and then walk directly to the table on the first night.

Edited July 29, 2014 by clarea

Thanks for all the help everyone! Haven't cruised since 2008 on liberty and this is the first time I am traveling with my kids (5 and 2.5) so I am just trying to prepare accordingly! Thanks again :)

 

 

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Interesting. We always find our table not long after we board and then walk directly to the table on the first night.

 

Same here.

 

No wait, no line and no crazy dinner.

 

Enjoy

M

Interesting. We always find our table not long after we board and then walk directly to the table on the first night.

 

We do this as well. Never have a problem.

We are leaving on Freedom this Sunday and I would like to avoid the mayhem of the Windjammer on the first day. Is it possible to eat at Sorrentos or Cafe Promenade or does that not open until later in the day? Thanks so much!

 

 

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We usually get to the ship around 10:30, on-board by 11:00. We've never had any problems eating lunch in the Windjammer on embarkation day. :)

They direct you to the windjammer for a reason.

That's were all the food is.

Never figured out why people have so much trouble there?

Just keep an eye out.

I can find a Windjammer table anytime time of the day(next to the window)(on the side without the direct sun).

Your profile indicates that you have never been on Oasis class, but are going next year. If you can find an Oasis WJ window seat in the shade at 12:30 on embarkation day without waiting, I will tip my hat to you and never doubt you again. I will await your report when you return, because you will be standing in a line outside WJ for half an hour just to get in.

We walked right into Sorrentos last year on FOS as soon as we got on. Grabbed some pizza and sat down right by the window. There were only a couple tables occupied when we arrived. It was nice, WJ is a bit of a mess the first day.

Interesting. We always find our table not long after we board and then walk directly to the table on the first night.

We do the same thing.

Agree, waiting until the cabins are opened and people depart the windjammer is a good idea.

 

Can you elaborate on the need to skip dinner in the dining room on the first evening? What you mean by "crazy". We've cruised multiple times, and have never felt the need to skip the dining room on the first evening. There is a bit of a line entering the dining that evening as folks are led to their table. After that, it seems to be business as usual.

 

Thanks, m

Others have described it well, new cruisers "learning the drill" of getting into the MDR and getting themselves seated, introductions of both waitstaff and between passengers (waiters try not to be ride and interrupt conversations), more crowded generally since fewer folks go to any specialty venues in the first night than will on subsequent nights, waiters "learning" your preferences, water, drinks etc- on subsequent nights, they may even anticipate your needs!

 

I'm not saying it's a miserable experience, many find it quite exciting, all that buzz! But for us, with the menus being EXACTLY the same on every cruise, and being in MTD where we don't need to "meet" our table mates - we prefer to watch the sail away and relax till after dark!

 

Interesting. We always find our table not long after we board and then walk directly to the table on the first night.

But Bob, new cruisers who are not smart enough to join Cruise Critic, don't know that! ;) They turn up at the entrance and have to be seated! Heck, I didn't even know that my table was printed right on my seapass for the first few cruises (maybe it wasn't, those WERE the dark ages of cruising! ) The new folks are probably mystified about how you know to sail right in and where to sit down :p

Edited July 29, 2014 by Familygoboston

But Bob, new cruisers who are not smart enough to join Cruise Critic, don't know that! ;) They turn up at the entrance and have to be seated! Heck, I didn't even know that my table was printed right on my seapass for the first few cruises (maybe it wasn't, those WERE the dark ages of cruising! ) The new folks are probably mystified about how you know to sail right in and where to sit down :p

I looked for our MDR table out of curiosity, long before I knew there was a Cruise Critic. :)

I looked for our MDR table out of curiosity, long before I knew there was a Cruise Critic. :)

And interesting things can change between checking out the table at 2pm and showing up at 6pm.

 

I've had someone who decide they liked the location of the table we were assigned to better than the one they were at, so they switched the table number signs thinking that we wouldn't know better.:mad:

 

I also had the table size change from 8 to 10 - someone in an Owner's Suite demanded Early Dining, so they put on oval on top of a previously round table.

 

Thom