Lido Market Buffet vs MDR

[terrydtx]

16 minutes ago, Florida_gal_50 said:

Absolutely it is.  I dined in the mdr twice on my recent cruise.  I was in and out within an hour but the chaos in there is too much for me.  Expecting Blu out of club orange is going to be a letdown as pleasant as it is. 

We haven't been in Blu since pre covid and only have been in Celebirty suites with Luminae since, not expecting CO to be close to Luminae, but it is all HAL has that isn't the MDR.

[Florida_gal_50]

9 minutes ago, terrydtx said:

We haven't been in Blu since pre covid and only have been in Celebirty suites with Luminae since, not expecting CO to be close to Luminae, but it is all HAL has that isn't the MDR.

I'm pretty sure you'll like it.  I just think your expectations need to be realistic, and I feel yours are.

[terrydtx]

48 minutes ago, Florida_gal_50 said:

I'm pretty sure you'll like it.  I just think your expectations need to be realistic, and I feel yours are.

To be perfectly honest, we did a Celebrity Reflection cruise in a Sky Suite last August from Rome and we followed it with a HAL Oosterdam cruise from Venice in a Signature suite. The Luminae had a lot of misses and all of us in our group thought the overall food quality was better on the Oosterdam MDR than the Reflection Luminae. Service and ambience was far superior in Luminae than the Oosterdam MDR, however. We will be on the Celebrity Apex in late September from Amsterdam to Athens in a Sky Suite, followed 6 weeks later by our Koingsdam Coastal California cruise in CO, so we will be able to do an even better comparison.

[cruisemom42]

Choices may also be cruise-specific.

 

Most of my cruises are not necessarily in 'eat outside' weather. On my recent 28 day Westerdam cruise around Japan it was dark and cool at night, even when it wasn't windy and rainy (which was a lot of the time). Eating outside under the retractable roofed area of the deck holds no charm and is often stuffy.

 

Also, on the older ships Club Orange presents very little real advantage when it comes to dining. There is no separate dining room. Several times I was seated in the midst of the Club Orange dining area, which was just as crowded -- or not -- as all of the other areas of the MDR. 

 

Actually, I will say that crowding in the MDR on this cruise was kind of not an issue. Maybe it is more acute on the newer ships but I almost never saw lines at the entrance and did not feel service to be slow.

 

[Florida_gal_50]

12 minutes ago, cruisemom42 said:

Choices may also be cruise-specific.

 

Most of my cruises are not necessarily in 'eat outside' weather. On my recent 28 day Westerdam cruise around Japan it was dark and cool at night, even when it wasn't windy and rainy (which was a lot of the time). Eating outside under the retractable roofed area of the deck holds no charm and is often stuffy.

 

Also, on the older ships Club Orange presents very little real advantage when it comes to dining. There is no separate dining room. Several times I was seated in the midst of the Club Orange dining area, which was just as crowded -- or not -- as all of the other areas of the MDR. 

 

Actually, I will say that crowding in the MDR on this cruise was kind of not an issue. Maybe it is more acute on the newer ships but I almost never saw lines at the entrance and did not feel service to be slow.

 

I chose to eat alone of my cruise but are you saying there was an actual section of the dining room for Club Orange?  I always had heard you were just sprinkled in with other guests at the same table.

[YourWorldWithBill]

4 minutes ago, Florida_gal_50 said:

I chose to eat alone of my cruise but are you saying there was an actual section of the dining room for Club Orange?  I always had heard you were just sprinkled in with other guests at the same table.

We were at a separate table, but there were always more than one of us. It was hard to know if we were in an area of the MDR set aside for Club Orange. I wish I had asked! As you said, it just seemed as if they picked a table and that was ours.

[cruisemom42]

5 minutes ago, Florida_gal_50 said:

I chose to eat alone of my cruise but are you saying there was an actual section of the dining room for Club Orange?  I always had heard you were just sprinkled in with other guests at the same table.

 

Perhaps you're right. I just noticed on two separate evenings in the aft right-hand section there were at least a couple of tables with the special Club Orange menus. I assumed they had designated it as the CO area, especially since the waiter I had was one of the better trained and more personable ones.

[Florida_gal_50]

3 minutes ago, cruisemom42 said:

 

Perhaps you're right. I just noticed on two separate evenings in the aft right-hand section there were at least a couple of tables with the special Club Orange menus. I assumed they had designated it as the CO area, especially since the waiter I had was one of the better trained and more personable ones.

I think that is the way it started out was with a separate section so I wouldn't be super surprised to see it happen on some ships.

[ottahand7]

We were on the Volendam for 81 days in December through March and we picked the Lido for breakfast and lunch and MDR or specialty for dinners.  Our first day trying the MDR for breakfast it was cold coffee and  a 45 minute wait for breakfast.   Usually we would avoid the Lido at all costs but on the Grand Voyage it was mainly people who cruised a lot.   On the day they handed out 100 day medals they had to schedule 2 separate event because there was 400 some to be handed out.   It seems that the people in the Lido weren't trying to cram in everything they could fit in and it was a relaxed experience.    It was extremely rare that we had the crowds around the food serving areas except dessert specials and lobster lunch.   Only at the end of the cruise did we have trouble finding a table.   On other ships with HA and a different cruise experience group the Lido was bedlam and we avoided it like the plague.  

We probably would have dined there more in the evening but a major drawback in that if one enjoys wine with dinner and has a package it is near impossible to get wine delivered and opened at the table and we had to insist on glass glasses.  

Other than this cruise we rarely dine in the MDR or the Lido so my experience is probably more appropriate for super long cruises.   

[MogeyMan]

I'm an outlier. I LOVE the Lido. Something from each station that looks good suits me fine. 

[Nickelpenny]

I love the Lido BUT I enjoy 1.5-2 hour dinners too.  Maybe that is because I lived overseas for 10 years and longer dinners seem to be the norm.  BUT I have only been to the MDR twice - once was weird (seated at a 4-top on the second level by myself with me thinking they would seat others with me; my waiter didn't come to me for a good 20 minutes - he probably thought others were joining me!!) and the second time I sat with a wonderful group of people!!  I have promised myself on my next cruise to try the MDR more than once!!

[BermudaBound2014]

@Nickelpenny you do bring up one thing I miss about the traditional mdr experience and that’s meeting wonderful people.
 

We have made lifetime friends with people whom we shared a dining experience with. People we actually travel with and travel to see. 

[Nickelpenny]

4 minutes ago, BermudaBound2014 said:

@Nickelpenny you do bring up one thing I miss about the traditional mdr experience and that’s meeting wonderful people.
 

We have made lifetime friends with people whom we shared a dining experience with. People we actually travel with and travel to see. 

So true!!!

[fatpig]

Are there tables for 2 in the MDR? Travelling with my dad and we don't want to share a table with other passengers 

[Nickelpenny]

Just now, fatpig said:

Are there tables for 2 in the MDR? Travelling with my dad and we don't want to share a table with other passengers 

Yes.  

[lissie]

9 hours ago, Florida_gal_50 said:

On the koningsdam in club orange there was one dude in his jammies complete with slippers.  It’s too hard to change footwear.  Lots of people in jammies on that cruise.  Thankfully no one like that on my recent cruise.

Saw a couple do that on Cunard - they were using the provided  robes and slippers - but definitely pjs underneath LOL 

[dalesyang]

Good question,   also,   are their tables for 3 in the MDR?

[lissie]

9 hours ago, Florida_gal_50 said:

I don’t know why anyone chooses buffet over service, it boggles my mind. There is no way you’ll get me in there at breakfast.  There is getting to be too much self serve lately for my taste.  On my recent cruise I saw I lady pick up a plate and fondle it for a while then put it back in the pile.  How can anyone possibly not see that is wrong?  I immediately told the server who had trouble understanding my point but I made sure she removed the offending plate and the one under it.  I’m sure that’s the most tame thing that happens in there 🤮.

Because the MDR takes time. If I've just come off an all day excursion  I want food and I want it NOW - so that may not be the same time as my set dining - but even if it is I'm hungry I'll go to the Lido.  Generally we do MDR for dinner but not always. Rarely do MDR for breakfast as tend to eat a range of different things for breakfast which don't really fit in a menu. 

[Nickelpenny]

27 minutes ago, lissie said:

Because the MDR takes time. If I've just come off an all day excursion  I want food and I want it NOW - so that may not be the same time as my set dining - but even if it is I'm hungry I'll go to the Lido.  Generally we do MDR for dinner but not always. Rarely do MDR for breakfast as tend to eat a range of different things for breakfast which don't really fit in a menu. 

I don't like the MDR lunch menu and I don't eat breakfast - usually.  But I enjoy the fresh omelets in the Lido - cooked to order.  Plus the stir-fry for lunch - cooked to order.  IF I go to the MDR, it would be for dinner BUT you can get almost the same items in the Lido as a buffet.  🤷‍♀️

[Florida_gal_50]

49 minutes ago, lissie said:

Because the MDR takes time. If I've just come off an all day excursion  I want food and I want it NOW - so that may not be the same time as my set dining - but even if it is I'm hungry I'll go to the Lido.  Generally we do MDR for dinner but not always. Rarely do MDR for breakfast as tend to eat a range of different things for breakfast which don't really fit in a menu. 

Fair enough.  I did find the mdr really fast on my recent cruise.  I was in and out in an hour.  That said I won't share a table anymore so that speeds things un tremendously.  The first night is horrendous no matter what.

[oakridger]

2 hours ago, dalesyang said:

Good question,   also,   are their tables for 3 in the MDR?

 

Yes.  They would seat three people at a table for four and remove the fourth place setting and glasses.

 

~Nancy

[Ipeeinthepools]

On 4/28/2023 at 6:45 PM, sciencewonk said:

... I also think the food in the MDR is better because it's not sitting in a tray for too long.  ...

 

Are you sure?   Maybe you just don't see the trays with the food sitting for a while.  I seldom get "hot" food when dining in the MDR, I suspect that my dinner is sitting somewhere.  When I get the MDR food and the server says, "be careful the plates are hot", that really means my dinner has been sitting under the food warming lights for quite a while.  At least in the Lido, there isn't much time from when the food is served until the time I start to eat.

[Florida_gal_50]

18 minutes ago, Ipeeinthepools said:

 

Are you sure?   Maybe you just don't see the trays with the food sitting for a while.  I seldom get "hot" food when dining in the MDR, I suspect that my dinner is sitting somewhere.  When I get the MDR food and the server says, "be careful the plates are hot", that really means my dinner has been sitting under the food warming lights for quite a while.  At least in the Lido, there isn't much time from when the food is served until the time I start to eat.

I think you are lucky then although I know people will argue with that.  Fish, in particular, tastes so much better to me in the mdr.  It always tastes “soggy” in the lido.  When they have 50 pieces of fish sitting in a tray in the lido I’m willing to bet the mdr fish isn’t sitting in a pile like that.

[slidergirl]

On 4/28/2023 at 8:55 PM, BermudaBound2014 said:

Does the lido on HaL offer a fresh grilled protein in the evening? Fish, pork, beef?? 
 

If so, that’s typically my choice for dinner. I’ve been spoiled on other lines, although on my January Celebrity cruise all fresh proteins were part of a massive cut back in buffet offerings. 
 

Meal preferences are so subjective. I don’t  particularly enjoy long drawn out meals. Once in awhile it’s fine but not every night. I typically only order one or two courses so if sharing a table the meal can take much longer than I’m comfortable sitting. Even if it’s just DH and I, sometimes it’s hard to get in and out in  45 minutes with just one course.  It’s not that I want to rush through dinner, it’s just that I don’t eat several courses.  
 

In the evening, a fresh grilled protein and an Individualized salad is just perfect for me, so the lido is my preference most of the time. 

I’m on the Eurodam now.  I saw 3 kinds of fish at the Lido: soy glazed salmon, salmon with an apple glaze and Alaskan rockfish.  I added a piece of salmon w/ apple to the Asian salad that comes with pieces of seared tuna.  Salads are my thing,  too,  

[BermudaBound2014]

2 minutes ago, slidergirl said:

I’m on the Eurodam now.  I saw 3 kinds of fish at the Lido: soy glazed salmon, salmon with an apple glaze and Alaskan rockfish.  I added a piece of salmon w/ apple to the Asian salad that comes with pieces of seared tuna.  Salads are my thing,  too,  

 

Love it~ That sounds like a super yummy one course meal from the lido :). No muss. No fuss. 

 

Did you see anything besides fish for the fresh grill? How about other fresh made-to-order stations like pasta? Stir fry?