Lunch embarkation - UDP

[PashaPoo]

We have the UDP on our upcoming 2-27 Radiance cruise.  We know the package includes dinner at night and lunch on sea days. 

 

But does anyone know if the UDP includes Chops lunch on embarkation day?  And if it does, how do we make reservations for Day 1 lunch? 

[PhoenixCruiser]

You can't make the reservation until onboard. Sometimes it's Chops, sometimes the Italian restaurant. 

[matj2000]

Just go to the windjammer like everyone else...

[CruiseMomTX]

1 hour ago, PhoenixCruiser said:

You can't make the reservation until onboard. Sometimes it's Chops, sometimes the Italian restaurant. 

Thank you!

[Rogueperson]

17 hours ago, PashaPoo said:

We have the UDP on our upcoming 2-27 Radiance cruise.  We know the package includes dinner at night and lunch on sea days. 

 

But does anyone know if the UDP includes Chops lunch on embarkation day?  And if it does, how do we make reservations for Day 1 lunch? 

 

You really don't make reservations for day 1 lunch.  However, since you have the UDP, you should go to Chops or Giovanni's to make your reservations anyways.  Then after you're done, you have lunch there and its included.  I did that with my Adventure cruise back in September.  Its best if you have an idea of your eating schedule before you get there so they can just plug it in.  Otherwise, it can drag out easily.

[SherriZ366]

On 2/11/2023 at 10:39 AM, Rogueperson said:

 

You really don't make reservations for day 1 lunch.  However, since you have the UDP, you should go to Chops or Giovanni's to make your reservations anyways.  Then after you're done, you have lunch there and its included.  I did that with my Adventure cruise back in September.  Its best if you have an idea of your eating schedule before you get there so they can just plug it in.  Otherwise, it can drag out easily.

We will be boarding Independence early as we're Pinnacles.  We will go up to Deck 11 and go to Chops or Giovanni's to make our reservations.  Do you think it will be easy to get a table for lunch after we're done?  

[Rogueperson]

1 hour ago, SherriZ366 said:

We will be boarding Independence early as we're Pinnacles.  We will go up to Deck 11 and go to Chops or Giovanni's to make our reservations.  Do you think it will be easy to get a table for lunch after we're done?  

i had no problem.  It was slow at noon.

[SherriZ366]

4 minutes ago, Rogueperson said:

i had no problem.  It was slow at noon.

Thanks  -- looking at Compasses for IN's 4 night, it looks like Chops is open for lunch so we get lunch there and wait for the rooms to open up.  

[PashaPoo]

On 2/10/2023 at 9:29 PM, matj2000 said:

Just go to the windjammer like everyone else...

Not everyone else goes to the WJ.  I walk with a walker and Chops is easier to navigate with a carryon and a walker.  Additionally, I do not have Covid, but do have four co-morbidities and wish to avoid embarkation day crowd.  So, I will do as Rogueperson suggests and go to Chops for lunch, make my ressies under the UDP for the 10 days and wait until my cabin is ready.

[PashaPoo]

On 2/11/2023 at 9:39 AM, Rogueperson said:

 

You really don't make reservations for day 1 lunch.  However, since you have the UDP, you should go to Chops or Giovanni's to make your reservations anyways.  Then after you're done, you have lunch there and its included.  I did that with my Adventure cruise back in September.  Its best if you have an idea of your eating schedule before you get there so they can just plug it in.  Otherwise, it can drag out easily.

Thanks.  I did email the Concierge on Radiance to make ressies.  She said the UDP is only for at sea  lunch.  So, will take your advice and show up at Chops.  We did list out our lunch and dinner times for all 10 days.  I asked her to make the ressies or if she was busy I would make them at Chops on embark and then have lunch.  I prefer Giovanni's, but it looks like they are not open yet for lunch on embark.  Again - thanks.  

[matj2000]

7 hours ago, PashaPoo said:

Not everyone else goes to the WJ.  I walk with a walker and Chops is easier to navigate with a carryon and a walker.  Additionally, I do not have Covid, but do have four co-morbidities and wish to avoid embarkation day crowd.  So, I will do as Rogueperson suggests and go to Chops for lunch, make my ressies under the UDP for the 10 days and wait until my cabin is ready.

sounds like you have a blast.

 

Welcome to cruise critics...

[SherriZ366]

On 2/12/2023 at 6:03 PM, PashaPoo said:

Not everyone else goes to the WJ.  I walk with a walker and Chops is easier to navigate with a carryon and a walker.  Additionally, I do not have Covid, but do have four co-morbidities and wish to avoid embarkation day crowd.  So, I will do as Rogueperson suggests and go to Chops for lunch, make my ressies under the UDP for the 10 days and wait until my cabin is ready.

Chops is a better experience -- kill 2 birds with one stone:  1 --Make UDP reservations for the cruise and have a nice lunch in Chops while waiting for our rooms to open up.  

[VernRDH]

If I book Chops lunch in the cruise planner for the first day, can they just refund me the money since I have UDP?

[BND]

On 2/10/2023 at 10:29 PM, matj2000 said:

Just go to the windjammer like everyone else...

Everyone?  We always book and pay for a specialty on boarding day to avoid the crazy crowds in the WJ.  We reserve 1230 and by the time we're done with lunch and a nice glass of wine, rooms are open.

Edited February 14, 2023 by BND

[mil76]

On the cruises I have done lately they didn't do Chops lunch on day 1 for UDP, so we had to go to Giovanni's/Jamie's.  The Key gets Chops for lunch the first day, and they do it in the MDR.  Last cruise my wife was making our UDP dining reservations in Chops during Day 1 lunchtime (only the desk was open, not the restaurant) and there was a steady flow of Key customers coming into Chops expecting lunch, only to be told to go the the MDR.  If Chops does do lunch for non-Keys I'd hate to be the person having to tell all those "VIPs" to go to the MDR for their "Chops lunch" while they are serving other customers in Chops.

 

We have never had a problem getting seated immediately in Giovanni's/Jamie's for Day 1 lunch, so I don't think there is a need to go through the hassle of making separate reservations and then trying to get a refund.

[matj2000]

1 hour ago, BND said:

Everyone?  We always book and pay for a specialty on boarding day to avoid the crazy crowds in the WJ.  We reserve 1230 and by the time we're done with lunch and a nice glass of wine, rooms are open.

 

I don't recall any crazy crowds in the windjammer.

[sandc4e]

On 2/14/2023 at 6:45 PM, VernRDH said:

If I book Chops lunch in the cruise planner for the first day, can they just refund me the money since I have UDP?

you give them your information and they note you have udp.

 

[Tree_skier]

On 2/12/2023 at 11:21 AM, SherriZ366 said:

We will be boarding Independence early as we're Pinnacles.  We will go up to Deck 11 and go to Chops or Giovanni's to make our reservations.  Do you think it will be easy to get a table for lunch after we're done?  

I do this all the time now.  I've never seen it busy at lunch.  I just walk in and the seat me.

[Tree_skier]

On 2/14/2023 at 3:45 PM, VernRDH said:

If I book Chops lunch in the cruise planner for the first day, can they just refund me the money since I have UDP?

You don't need to book it.  It's not busy. Just show up and they will seat you.

[SherriZ366]

17 hours ago, Tree_skier said:

I do this all the time now.  I've never seen it busy at lunch.  I just walk in and the seat me.

Thanks.  

[CruisingWalter]

On 2/10/2023 at 4:47 PM, PashaPoo said:

We have the UDP on our upcoming 2-27 Radiance cruise.  We know the package includes dinner at night and lunch on sea days. 

 

But does anyone know if the UDP includes Chops lunch on embarkation day?  And if it does, how do we make reservations for Day 1 lunch? 

 

Just know if you do get it, it may not actually be Chops Grille. It's could be the Chops menu in the MDR and if it is, I can tell you it's not worth it. We did that in December with The Key package on Symphony where our embarkation "Chops Lunch" was served in the MDR.  We also ate in Chops a few nights later. What we ate in the MDR was nowhere close to what was served in Chops, nor was it worth it. 

 

I would probably go to Park Cafe for the lunch or the Windjammer. Just my two cents. 🙂