Eurodam MDR Question

[ScottC4746]

We are set up for my choice dining simply because early is too early and late is too late.  It is only the two of us.  Because of our schedules, me being a full time student and DH having hours all over the place being in the airline industry, we just don't get to sit down for meals together very often.  One reason we are doing a cruise.  A couple of questions:

 

Dinner in the Main Dining Room: With my choice dining, what are the chances we can get a two top table and about what hours are the best for that?

 

Breakfast and Lunch in the Main Dining Room vs. Lido:  If we wanted up "upgraded" breakfast or lunch and decide on the main dining room, would we also be able to get a possible two top table?  And is breakfast and lunch really upgraded that much over the Lido.

 

Lido vs. MDR for dinner If nothing on the menu in the MDR jumps out at us (or we don't want to dress up), how is the Lido for dinner compared to Lido for breakfast and lunch.  

 

Note this is our first time on HAL.

[OlsSalt]

Don't overlook the complimentary room service too for alternate dining on the nights you don't want to dress up or wait for a table.  Pizza for dinner casual is another option as they also have salad and dessert at that late serving station -they are flat crust pizzas and you can load them with whatever you like. 

 

 You should have no problem getting a table for two in the main dining room - impacted hours tend to be early up through about 7:30. We always like the later fixed-dining hour around 8pm - much more serene. And no hassles about reservations or waiting. You don't have to go every night - but it is nice to know your table is waiting for you through out the entire cruise. Wait staff quicly gets to know you and your preferences too. 

 

MDR and Lido dinner menus are often the same - just a very different service delivery format. You can order off the MDR menu during dining hours for room service too. Hope there is travel budget money for at least one dinner, and possibly more, at the Eurodam Tamarind panAsian dining room - a real favorite to try and return to again. It is a very lovely setting with a fun and extensive menu to explore over several visits.

[ScottC4746]

We are in a category V a Deluxe Veranda Stateroom.  Not sure how conducive the balcony is for meals as it is our first time.  We have been in a OS on RCCL and it was very conducive to room service.

 

We have always had a problem with specialty restaurants and paying a surcharge, plus I have read mixed reviews about them

[grsnovi]

Tamarind on E'dam is great (as it is on the other ships as well). You should be able to make a reservation for a table for 2 by calling ahead. As for eating on the veranda... the furniture isn't a great setup for dining and the verandas aren't particularly roomy. We've eaten room service (in the room) several times for convenience sake but the rooms aren't large either and once they park the tray, there isn't a loot of room to move around and/or sort through arranging things. It works but only just...

Don't be afraid of trying Tamarind (or the Pinnacle Grill if you enjoy beef).

[OlsSalt]

We generally order the very excellent club sandwich or other sandwiches or chicken quesadillas for room service- easy to eat in the cabin.

 

Sit down, knife and fork dinners, no and dining on the verandah. Though many have hot breakfasts delivered every morning and those tend to need sit down, knife and fork settings. 

 

To us verandah dining only looks good in the marketing ads, though others here swear by them - to us it is either too windy or too cool or both to be enjoyable and the balconies are too small other than allowing for perching and eating unless you have a Neptune Suite which can allow proper sit down table use on their very large and protected balconies. But when the weather is right, again the sandwich type items are terrific  on the smaller verandahs for al fresco munching. 

 

Tamarind speciality dining gets consistently good reviews - mixed for Canaletto and Pinnacle - but Tamarind is  worth doing at least once on the Eurodam.

Edited January 20, 2019 by OlsSalt

[terrydtx]

2 hours ago, OlsSalt said:

Hope there is travel budget money for at least one dinner, and possibly more, at the Eurodam Tamarind panAsian dining room - a real favorite to try and return to again. It is a very lovely setting with a fun and extensive menu to explore over several visits.

IMHO, the Tamarind is the best specialty restaurant for HAL and the upcharge is not very much but really worth the cost for at least one night.  PG has been a big disappointment every time we have tried it. We prefer to have breakfast on our balcony when the weather permits, otherwise it is the MDR. I like to be waited on when I eat on a cruise so the MDR is our first choice.

 

You should have no trouble getting a 2 top table in the MDR for both breakfast and lunch which is first come first serve.  However the new hamburger venue Dive In has been rated by many on CC as the best burgers at sea. You will enjoy HAL.

Edited January 20, 2019 by terrydtx

[Krazy Kruizers]

Tamarind is a favorite specialty restaurant of ours.

 

Pinnacle has more than just beef offerings -- we also love eating there.

 

Main dining room isn't open every day for lunch.  But it is great for a quiet breakfast and easy to get a table for 2.

[catl331]

21 hours ago, ScottC4746 said:

We are in a category V a Deluxe Veranda Stateroom.  Not sure how conducive the balcony is for meals as it is our first time. 

If you mean deck 5 mid-ship (5053 to 5138) the verandah is just 4.5 feet deep and has just a small (about 12") round table and the footstool to put things on.  Okay IMO for breakfast or lunch, but too cramped for dinner.

Edited January 21, 2019 by catl331

[ScottC4746]

13 hours ago, catl331 said:

If you mean deck 5 mid-ship (5053 to 5138) the verandah is just 4.5 feet deep and has just a small (about 12") round table and the footstool to put things on.  Okay IMO for breakfast or lunch, but too cramped for dinner.

Deck 6 actually, but sure it cannot vary that much.

[catl331]

10 hours ago, ScottC4746 said:

Deck 6 actually, but sure it cannot vary that much.

The deck 6 V's have the same furniture, but 6 foot depth, so feel a bit less cramped.

Edited January 22, 2019 by catl331

[Mutumbojimbo]

We ate almost all our meals on the Eurodam by ourselves. We don't really flourish at shared tables. We ate with a CC roll call couple on embarkation lunch and at the Mariner's lunch everyone was at a shared table. Other than those times, the dining room staff accommodated all our requests for a private table and our favorite service teams. I don't think you'll have a problem.