Flexible meal times on Silhouette?

[SandyDix]

Hello all we are first time cruisers booked in Aquaclass on the Silhouette 25/8 to the Norwegian fjords. All inclusive generally means anytime dining but we note that breakfast appears to be just 07.30-9 and lunch 12-1.30. We are night owls and prefer to eat at Southern European times ; ( rather like the Spanish) with breakfast around 10-11 and lunch around 3-4. As we are dining in Blu there should be no problem with evening meal times. I would like to know how flexible breakfast and lunch times are. I understand that the Ocean view buffet is open 24/7 but we do not want this as our sole eating option during the day. Any advice gratefully received, many thanks in advance.

[helen haywood]

First, Blu is never open for lunch.  Secondly, the times for breakfast are not flexible.  If you wish to have breakfast later your options will be the buffet or room service.  

[cruisestitch]

Blu dinner is not set to your preferred late evening dining time, either.   I have seen very late dinner times offered on South American cruises but no others.

[Toftwood]

Southern European dining times will not be in evidence except maybe on some Latin America.  On Northern European sailing we often find people are looking for lunch by 12.00 because they will have had breakfast by 7.00.

[hcat]

Lunch around 3-4 p.m. may be a challenge as well.  That is  past the time for MDR  and buffet lunch...Perhaps the buffet has the afternoon snacks and pizza? There is the also the  outdoor burger cafe.  

[Tracyi]

I've attached a photo of the various 'restaurant' times from a sea day on our Solstice cruise in July, not sure the Silhouette would be the same but this may be of some help hopefully.

Tracy

[NeroliGirl]

Hi - here's the restaurant times for tomorrow on Silhouette, your cruise will run to the same timetable.

Like you we're night owls and prefer a late breakfast, so we tend to head up to the Oceanview Cafe around 10am for their 'Late Breakfast' - in reality you've still got plenty of choice, although they are starting to clear some of the stations ready for the lunch service. 

The SpaClub Cafe serves breakfast until 10am. 

Your other option as previously mentioned is to order room service. We've done this too and it's not at all bad.

There's not much going on between 3-4pm for your late lunch, you've basically got the pasta/pizza bar in the OVC, or the burgers/hot dogs/fries in the Mast grill (which are pretty good but not something you'd want to eat every day!). You could always opt for an early dinner in Blu (6pm) and pretend it's your late lunch! 😅

 

[NeroliGirl]

PS We've done the Norwegian Fjords cruise twice now, you're in for a real treat - the scenery is beautiful. 

[SandyDix]

Thanks for all your replies especially to Traceyi and neroligirl for posting those very useful meal timetables. Good to know we can have breakfast up to 11am - night owls rule ! 😆

[cruisestitch]

You should know that while the Oceanview Cafe Buffet is technically open 24 hours, there will not be food overnight -- just coffee and tea and other beverages from the dispensers.  The pizza and pasta and pastries and late night snacks and  will be over by 1:00 a.m.   

[PelicanLvr]

OP should know X is an early dinner dining crowd.  Restaurants are emptying out at 9:30pm.  Our usual reservation in the specialty restaurants is 8:30 pm and we usually close the place down.  

 

Have been in Madrid and restaurants OPENED at 9 pm.  That's late even for us New Yorkers!  Don't expect that on X.

 

You will NOT be able to eat dinner on "Spanish Dining Hours". 

 

As said above, lunch options at 3-4pm are few.  Watch for "afternoon tea" at 4pm in the buffet.  They put out tiny sandwiches.  We combine the meats of several on one bread for a late lunch snack sometimes.....but not much food around anywhere in the 3-4 pm time frame.

 

Dinner after 8:45pm in specialty restaurants is not recommended.  Never been in Blu, but would just say to check how late you can arrive.  Just because it's open until 9pm may not mean to come in then.  You may be rushed and end up alone in the restaurant.  Uncomfortable.

 

That's the way we've seen it both in North American and Europe on X.  

 

  

[Tipsy252]

On 8/8/2019 at 7:19 PM, SandyDix said:

Hello all we are first time cruisers booked in Aquaclass on the Silhouette 25/8 to the Norwegian fjords. All inclusive generally means anytime dining but we note that breakfast appears to be just 07.30-9 and lunch 12-1.30. We are night owls and prefer to eat at Southern European times ; ( rather like the Spanish) with breakfast around 10-11 and lunch around 3-4. As we are dining in Blu there should be no problem with evening meal times. I would like to know how flexible breakfast and lunch times are. I understand that the Ocean view buffet is open 24/7 but we do not want this as our sole eating option during the day. Any advice gratefully received, many thanks in advance.

Hi Sandy, We are also on this cruise and also 'night owls'! So I am sure we will see you somewhere around the ship. 😉 Have you joined the Roll Call for this cruise?

We usually take breakfast on the balcony of our cabin, but try to go to the MDR breakfast at least once or twice per cruise. Lunch for us is fine and either from the Spa Cafe or Sushi on 5. Alternately we have 'coffee and a cake' in Al Bacio or coffee and a snack in a cafe ashore. We usually have no problem with a late dinner in MDR at 20:30 and as this is a UK based cruise. there will likely be more 'late' diners than on cruises out of US.

Look forward to seeing you on board.