Embarkation Day Lunch In A Served Restaurant?

[Caribbean Chris]

5 hours ago, LAFFNVEGAS said:

I am just hoping that embarkation lunch will still offer some of the same items it had in the past....such as my favorite Peanut Butter Pie 😃

And in the past, they seemed to always have my HAL favorite, the hot fudge sundae, on that lunch menu in the MDR. It became my tradition to start the cruise with one on embarkation day.

[luvteaching]

I found out my boarding time because I got an email from HAL saying it had changed and to go to boarding documents but they aren't available yet. My TA checked for me but I also emailed HAL and they responded a couple of days later with the group and time. 

Karen

[Crew News]

9 hours ago, DaveOKC said:

I wonder how they will handle 4/5 Stars and Neptunes on boarding times.

The last time HAL tried to enforce fixed boarding times, 4 & 5 star Mariners could board at any time.  It should be noted that HAL accepted early arrivals of all passengers who disregarded their assigned boarding time.

 

I think this will be the case again.  The HAL terminal will either have lots of passengers in line outside the terminal doors or have lots of people waiting for their proper boarding time in the terminal waiting area.  Time will tell as we return to a new normal for cruising.

[kazu]

5 hours ago, Crew News said:

 It should be noted that HAL accepted early arrivals of all passengers who disregarded their assigned boarding time.

 

I think this will be the case again.  The HAL terminal will either have lots of passengers in line outside the terminal doors or have lots of people waiting for their proper boarding time in the terminal waiting area.  Time will tell as we return to a new normal for cruising.

 

Respectfully, I disagree.  From what I have heard HAL will not allow entrance to the terminal for those who choose to disregard their assigned boarding time.

Keep in mind that HAL is trying to use covid protocols and make use of physical distancing, etc.  Assigned boarding time are going to be strictly adhered to - at least, for now.

[T8NCruise]

9 hours ago, Crew News said:

The last time HAL tried to enforce fixed boarding times, 4 & 5 star Mariners could board at any time.  It should be noted that HAL accepted early arrivals of all passengers who disregarded their assigned boarding time.

 

I think this will be the case again.  The HAL terminal will either have lots of passengers in line outside the terminal doors or have lots of people waiting for their proper boarding time in the terminal waiting area.  Time will tell as we return to a new normal for cruising.

Time will tell - but expecting to go back to the "old ways" in this time of post-Covid and with strict adherence to new rules and way of life everywhere, is not reasonable.  I am sure HAL will be much more responsible than that.  And there were some embarkation ports where people who disregarded their check-in times were not accepted early, anyway.

[Galley Slave]

We always bring our own luggage onboard due to their size.  Will we have to check them so that they can be sanitized?  Lots of unknowns for our cruise on 8/7 to Alaska.

[aliaschief]

46 minutes ago, Galley Slave said:

We always bring our own luggage onboard due to their size.  Will we have to check them so that they can be sanitized?  Lots of unknowns for our cruise on 8/7 to Alaska.

There will be changes but until they actually start cruising none of us will know what cruising will be like.

 

Though I don’t think they will be sanitizing our luggage. That would be a huge task IMO.

[wdw1972]

22 minutes ago, aliaschief said:

There will be changes but until they actually start cruising none of us will know what cruising will be like.

 

Though I don’t think they will be sanitizing our luggage. That would be a huge task IMO.

Not to mention a total waste of time.  I think the world knows by now that covid isn't spread via surface contact.  It's respiratory - breathed in.

 

Sue/WDW1972

[rkacruiser]

7 hours ago, aliaschief said:

Though I don’t think they will be sanitizing our luggage. That would be a huge task IMO

 

And totally unneeded.  

[aliaschief]

1 hour ago, rkacruiser said:

 

And totally unneeded.  

 

1 hour ago, rkacruiser said:

 

And totally unneeded.  

 

1 hour ago, rkacruiser said:

 

And totally unneeded.  

I concur!

[albingirl]

Anyway, back to the embarkation lunch.  Never interests us anymore.  Would if we liked the menu and if the service wasn't notoriously slow.  We never eat in the Lido for dinner when onboard, and always enjoy dinner in the main, but not on the day we board.  More interested in checking out the ship and getting a drink somewhere.

[Lindancer]

My boarding time for the Eurodam August 15 in Athens is 1:20.  I had to find that out from my PCC since my boarding documents won't be ready until July 13.  Apparently, they are in the process of upgrading their system (system-wide) and everything is in a flux.  I thought 1:20 boarding was a little early, considering the ship doesn't leave the port until 7 p.m., but when I suggested arriving later she said No Way!  Due to Covid, the boarding times are spaced out accordingly and carved in stone!

[Florida_gal_50]

1 hour ago, Lindancer said:

My boarding time for the Eurodam August 15 in Athens is 1:20.  I had to find that out from my PCC since my boarding documents won't be ready until July 13.  Apparently, they are in the process of upgrading their system (system-wide) and everything is in a flux.  I thought 1:20 boarding was a little early, considering the ship doesn't leave the port until 7 p.m., but when I suggested arriving later she said No Way!  Due to Covid, the boarding times are spaced out accordingly and carved in stone!

Upgrading the system.  That’s a good one.  They should be up to 1990 standards now 😛.  That’s a long time to wait for documents.  I hope you have a lovely cruise.

[Caribbean Chris]

On 7/1/2021 at 11:03 AM, T8NCruise said:

Time will tell - but expecting to go back to the "old ways" in this time of post-Covid and with strict adherence to new rules and way of life everywhere, is not reasonable.  I am sure HAL will be much more responsible than that.  And there were some embarkation ports where people who disregarded their check-in times were not accepted early, anyway.

It will be interesting to see if it’s strictly observed. The key words may be “some ports.”  I honestly haven’t thought to check my boarding time out of Florida ports in the past five or ten years. I always showed up at 11 to11:30 and was whisked through.

 

But that was then and this is now.  I agree that we all face a new world for cruise travel and I need to start reading everything more carefully. 

[rkacruiser]

11 hours ago, Caribbean Chris said:

I honestly haven’t thought to check my boarding time out of Florida ports in the past five or ten years. I always showed up at 11 to11:30 and was whisked through.

 

But that was then and this is now.  I agree that we all face a new world for cruise travel and I need to start reading everything more carefully.

 

That time frame is when I have arrived at the terminal in Port Everglades.  In the near future, these times may be more "strictly observed".  But, many of our countrymen are not well known for following directions if they choose not to do so.  And, a change in the "strickness" will change.  (That's what my crystal ball is telling me.)  

[kazu]

6 minutes ago, rkacruiser said:

And, a change in the "strickness" will change.  (That's what my crystal ball is telling me.)  

 

Your crystal ball is better than mine 😉. 

 

MIne is pretty dark right now 😂 

 

 

[rkacruiser]

17 minutes ago, kazu said:

Your crystal ball is better than mine 😉. 

 

MIne is pretty dark right now 😂 

 

Mine is usually "cloudy with a forecast of more cloudiness to come".  But, when it comes to whether Americans are going to "faithfully" follow directions:  my experience tells me:  "for awhile; but not forever" as related to some issues, such as observing when one ought to arrive at a cruise terminal for embarkation.  

[Hflors]

When we board in ft lauderdale we drive over the morning of the cruise, then go and have lunch at our favorite greek restaurant just north of the port.  We have a leisurely lunch and arrive at the ship about 2 pm.  No crowds at all.  One stop at the counter for our boarding passes and we walk on board.  Sometimes if we get to ft lauderdale early we will drop luggage at the ship before lunch.  One time when we dropped our luggage all of our luggage was waiting for us in the hall way when we boarded later that afternoon.

[igraf]

30 minutes ago, Hflors said:

When we board in ft lauderdale we drive over the morning of the cruise, then go and have lunch at our favorite greek restaurant just north of the port.  We have a leisurely lunch and arrive at the ship about 2 pm.  No crowds at all.  One stop at the counter for our boarding passes and we walk on board.  Sometimes if we get to ft lauderdale early we will drop luggage at the ship before lunch.  One time when we dropped our luggage all of our luggage was waiting for us in the hall way when we boarded later that afternoon.

 

Thank you for your consideration and common sense.  Others should follow your example.

 

For those of you scheming to get that first main dining room lunch, please keep in mind that the ship's crew is working very hard on embarkation day.  Operating the MDR on embarkation day is simply not a priority.

 

igraf

 

 

[Florida_gal_50]

43 minutes ago, igraf said:

 

Thank you for your consideration and common sense.  Others should follow your example.

 

For those of you scheming to get that first main dining room lunch, please keep in mind that the ship's crew is working very hard on embarkation day.  Operating the MDR on embarkation day is simply not a priority.

 

igraf

 

 

Scheming?  Not everyone drives to the port.   Generally I’ve found you need to be out of your hotel room by 11 or 12.   I do not enjoy eating in the lido at the best of times because of the crowds.  Being around a lot of people isn’t appealing to me.  If that works for you that is wonderful.  I see no reason for a harsh reaction to those that enjoy the dining room.

[CruiserBruce]

4 minutes ago, Florida_gal_50 said:

Scheming?  Not everyone drives to the port.   Generally I’ve found you need to be out of your hotel room by 11 or 12.   I do not enjoy eating in the lido at the best of times because of the crowds.  Being around a lot of people isn’t appealing to me.  If that works for you that is wonderful.  I see no reason for a harsh reaction to those that enjoy the dining room.

Or a harsh reaction to simply doing things differently that one's self.

[igraf]

1 hour ago, Florida_gal_50 said:

Scheming?  Not everyone drives to the port.   Generally I’ve found you need to be out of your hotel room by 11 or 12.   I do not enjoy eating in the lido at the best of times because of the crowds.  Being around a lot of people isn’t appealing to me.  If that works for you that is wonderful.  I see no reason for a harsh reaction to those that enjoy the dining room.

 

Uber and Lyft are your friends when in need of local transportation. 

 

The crew is sending out a plea for help when they discourage use of the MDR for the first lunch.   Specifically, the are working very hard to get your room ready (in an amazingly short amount of time) so you don't have to wait in the cruise terminal until 2-3pm. 

 

They are not trying to shortchange your vacation.  Give them a break.

 

igraf

 

 

 

[taxmantoo]

2 hours ago, igraf said:

 

Thank you for your consideration and common sense.  Others should follow your example.

 

For those of you scheming to get that first main dining room lunch, please keep in mind that the ship's crew is working very hard on embarkation day.  Operating the MDR on embarkation day is simply not a priority.

 

igraf

 

 

It can become one in a hurry in Fort Lauderdale when you can have over 700 returning passengers on a back to back as we have seen a few times.  Nobody has to scheme; the cruise line would not offer it if they did not want to.

[Florida_gal_50]

41 minutes ago, igraf said:

 

Uber and Lyft are your friends when in need of local transportation. 

 

The crew is sending out a plea for help when they discourage use of the MDR for the first lunch.   Specifically, the are working very hard to get your room ready (in an amazingly short amount of time) so you don't have to wait in the cruise terminal until 2-3pm. 

 

They are not trying to shortchange your vacation.  Give them a break.

 

igraf

 

 

 

So drive around aimlessly in an Uber or Lyft? Could you please provide the link where the are sending out a plea for  people not to go to the dining room?I’ve heard nothing on board like that.  No one has ever said to me do not go to the dining room. Unless something has changed in the last year the room stewards are not waiting on you in the mdr.  If you want to go to the lido please do.  I am paying plenty for my cruise and as long as the mdr is an option I will go there.  On the cruises I’ve been on the mdr is closed every port day so it’s not like it’s a choice every day.

Edited July 4, 2021 by Florida_gal_50

[Caribbean Chris]

I think any “scheming” is a necessary tool HAL (and many other cruise lines) use to deal with many more passengers on bigger ships - but with the same limited turnaround hours they had 40 years ago. 
 

Boarding everyone mid-afternoon, once commonplace, is physically impossible now. A steady stream needs to arrive at the pier, check in, vacate space in the pier waiting room and board the ship, starting in late morning.
 

Once onboard, people have to be fed. HAL (not scheming passengers) chooses which dining venues to staff & open, and hours are printed in the daily newsletter. Sometimes the main dining room is open with a limited menu for a specified time and then it closes. That absorbs some of the passengers and works for people who prefer sit-down venues versus buffets. I’ve never heard a crew member discourage its use.

 

(By the way, on our Celebrity cruises the past 10+ years there has been no free, sit-down table service option for lunch unless you are a suite passenger in Luminae. Non-suite passengers can go the the lido, or a couple of small cafeteria cafe venues, or pay $20 for a specialty restaurant - sometimes one is open.)
 

The HAL Lido tends to fill up fast and after people eat they seem to take root until an announcement that the rooms are ready. The Dive-in and Pizza venues are also open with outdoor tables. Of those choices, I prefer the MDR when it’s open.