Embarkation Day Lunch

[Fouremco]

27 minutes ago, drakes2 said:

The Moroccan braised short ribs are excellent; meat just falls off the bone.  Its a nice way to have a relaxing lunch while waiting for the cabins to become available.  

Yes, my DW loves the ribs too!

[Jazzbo]

20 hours ago, Fouremco said:

I still miss Bistro on Five as our embarkation lunch spot. 

Me, too. 

[TeaBag]

Like others, we like the Spa cafe on embarkation day also as it is usually very quiet.

[Pinboy]

We also enjoy the Spa Cafe most days for lunch instead of the " slug fest on 14 ". 

 

 

[mahdnc]

1 hour ago, TeaBag said:

Like others, we like the Spa cafe on embarkation day also as it is usually very quiet.

 

I don't know if this was a one-off, but I was asked to see if the Aqua Spa Cafe was open for lunch when we boarded Solstice on Dec 23, 2019 (Sydney) and it was closed.

Edited January 28, 2021 by mahdnc

[TeaBag]

4 hours ago, mahdnc said:

 

I don't know if this was a one-off, but I was asked to see if the Aqua Spa Cafe was open for lunch when we boarded Solstice on Dec 23, 2019 (Sydney) and it was closed.

What time did you go there?  It closes at 2:30.  Maybe no one came and they closed early?  We ate there on the Eclipse last March.

[boxkite]

I second the drink package lunch, plenty to choose from!

[mahdnc]

1 hour ago, TeaBag said:

What time did you go there?  It closes at 2:30.  Maybe no one came and they closed early?  We ate there on the Eclipse last March.

 

My photo of the closed Aqua Spa cafe is time stamped 2:46 pm, so I guess that was why.

[dani negreanu]

I've found the Concierge embarkation day lunch limited in hours and options...

 

We try to get to the pier right before 1PM, when after checking in, almost immediately the cabins are ready, we can leave our carry ons there, and the buffet is suddenly quite empty 😉

[NantahalaCruiser]

22 hours ago, TeaBag said:

What time did you go there?  It closes at 2:30.  Maybe no one came and they closed early?  We ate there on the Eclipse last March.

If memory serves, it also does not open until noon.

[Suzi66]

On 1/29/2021 at 7:30 AM, mahdnc said:

 

I don't know if this was a one-off, but I was asked to see if the Aqua Spa Cafe was open for lunch when we boarded Solstice on Dec 23, 2019 (Sydney) and it was closed.

It was closed for us on the cruise straight after and we went there around midday.

[Suzi66]

The only time we have done a B2B cruise none of us got the invitation to have lunch in the MDR.  It may have had something to do with the fact that there was almost 400 B2B passengers for that one.  It was the first time that the Solstice had done a cruise from Auckland NZ to Fiji, Samoa and Tonga.  The previous leg was the last sailing from Fremantle (Perth, Australia) to Auckland) so both were very popular.

[Cruise a holic]

On 1/27/2021 at 5:25 PM, Laurab23 said:

I loved Bistro on Five.

 

Laura

We miss Bistro on Five.  We aren't fans of sushi.  We had a ritual of boarding, going to bistro on five for lunch until our cabin/suite was ready.  We sail in a suite but really preferred lunch at bistro on five to luminae.   We now go to luminae as we aren't buffet people.  Now, I assume buffets will not be self service, which makes them better.  Hate seeing people use their fingers to grab food, or eat while on line with their fingers then grab a serving  fork.  Gross.

Edited January 30, 2021 by Cruise a holic

[drakes2]

2 minutes ago, Cruise a holic said:

Hate seeing people use their fingers to grab food, or eat while on line with their fingers then grab a serving  fork.  Gross.

Thats one of many reasons I won't do buffet.  Also seen people put food on their plates then scrape some back in the bins, wasting it on the sides  

[davekathy]

2 hours ago, drakes2 said:

Thats one of many reasons I won't do buffet.  Also seen people put food on their plates then scrape some back in the bins, wasting it on the sides  

Hopefully those days are over, post Covid. No more self service for those that like to eat in the buffet. 

[39august]

On  my last 2 cruises in 2019  and 2020, the Aqua Cafe was NOT open boarding day on either the Equinox or the Reflection. Very disappointing. 

[Tipsy252]

On 1/27/2021 at 9:52 PM, Fouremco said:

I still miss Bistro on Five as our embarkation lunch spot. 

Me too, was a great start to the cruise and so quiet as very few people seemed to know about it. The menu in MDR on embarkation day maybe limited, but is a great alternative to the buffet - provided your boarding time allows for attendance! We missed it once as our boarding was not until 13:30 and service closed at 13:00!

[Fouremco]

4 minutes ago, Tipsy252 said:

Me too, was a great start to the cruise and so quiet as very few people seemed to know about it. The menu in MDR on embarkation day maybe limited, but is a great alternative to the buffet - provided your boarding time allows for attendance! We missed it once as our boarding was not until 13:30 and service closed at 13:00!

We have always viewed these boarding times as "suggested" and have had no difficulty arriving sooner and making it to the Concierge lunch when booking that class of cabin. Given the choice between that and the Bistro on Five, though, I'd much prefer the latter if it was ever to return.

[cameragirl81]

I can’t wait until things are normal again, you guys are making me hungry😜.  We moved our Sept 2021 cruise until Oct 2022, its seems so far away.

[davekathy]

1 hour ago, Fouremco said:

We have always viewed these boarding times as "suggested" and have had no difficulty arriving sooner and making it to the Concierge lunch when booking that class of cabin. Given the choice between that and the Bistro on Five, though, I'd much prefer the latter if it was ever to return.

Shh...

[wrk2cruise]

On resumption of cruising I expect the boarding times will be enforced and be spread out over many hours.   That was the justification of the priority boarding loyalty perks being removed.

[hcat]

On 1/27/2021 at 4:52 PM, Fouremco said:

I still miss Bistro on Five as our embarkation lunch spot. 

We had lunch there  almost everyday..miss it.

The  Cafe Bistro  on EDGE was  excellent for lunch.a bit more costly but well worth it,

[upwarduk]

On 1/29/2021 at 11:25 AM, dani negreanu said:

We try to get to the pier right before 1PM,

Who knows what Health checks will be in place when cruising re starts and whether you will be able to board in time for an embarkation lunch.

I have read that there will be stricter embarkation times given, to cut down on crowds, to adhere to social distancing.

[ipeeinthepool]

8 hours ago, wrk2cruise said:

On resumption of cruising I expect the boarding times will be enforced and be spread out over many hours.   That was the justification of the priority boarding loyalty perks being removed.

 

I guess I wasn't paying attention and I missed the elimination of priority boarding.  Perhaps it makes some sense.  Since they have started to institute the system where you pick up your boarding pass in your stateroom, why do you really need to check in at a counter and then move to a waiting area?  You have already supplied all of the information electronically.  As soon as you clear all of the health checks, just walk on the boat.

[drakes2]

4 hours ago, upwarduk said:

I have read that there will be stricter embarkation times given, to cut down on crowds, to adhere to social distancing.

I also read the same article. Very likely they will do away with embarkation lunch in order to implement staggered boarding. Many other things will be different including wearing face masks except while eating, drinking or swimming.  Will be quite the cruise experience.