Specialty dining lunch on boarding day

[BND]

Anyone run into this lately?  We normally pre book a SR for lunch on boarding day to avoid the WJ.  We just did this on EN in April and have done it on every first day since before shutdown and restart.  We're on Jewel in Oct/Nov for a b2b 10 night each way NE/Canada cruise and neither leg has Chops available on boarding day.  We did it on Jewel this past Nov also so I know they usually do it.   We will see if it's even open when we board as we know we can do a walkup if it is (or if this is something new).  Just wondering if anyone else has seen this. 

[KiwiGal117]

I just checked my September Explorer cruise and Chops is available for lunch on embarkation day.  Maybe it's just Jewel?

[cruisegirl1]

Keep  a watch on the MDR embarkation day hours. 

MARINER is opening MDR for lunch on embarkation day.  So far I believe it is the only ship doing this, but maybe other ships will follow. We sailed  Mariner, several times in the past few months and main dining room was open for lunch. It is not  widely publicized, but it is the app. It also may be a function of the Hotel Director,/F&B manager  so if that changes, so could MDR lunch on embarkation day. 
 

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[ScubaCat3]

Chops is not showing as open for lunch the first day on my upcoming Wonder cruise. 

[BobNoxious]

On Oasis, what specialty restaurants are open for lunch on embarkation day?

 

[dcourt]

I just checked my cruise that is next month and only Giovanni's is open for lunch on boarding day on the Allure.

[molly361]

44 minutes ago, BobNoxious said:

On Oasis, what specialty restaurants are open for lunch on embarkation day?

 

You can check on the app

[PompeySailor]

1 hour ago, ScubaCat3 said:

Chops is not showing as open for lunch the first day on my upcoming Wonder cruise. 

We have these for wonder all showing as 11:30am on Day 1 (embarkation)

No Chops either 

 

Giovanni’s

Mason Jar

Solarium Bistro

Costal Kitchen

Playmakers 

 

No Chops  or Giovanni’s showing for current Jewel sailings either.

Must be unique to Jewel 

 

 

 

 

[jean87510]

Chops is available on my July Grandeur cruise on embarkation day.

[SilkySal]

Not sure how many ships do this but on our last cruise on the Serenade, Chops was closed due to serving all of the suite guests and the back-to-backers in the MDR. They are all served a very upscale lunch on embarkation day! I had been able to previously book Chops on-line but, when we arrived, we were told about the closing. Since it was obviously RCCL's error to even let us book the lunch, we were able to dine with the others that day and was even refunded our pre-booking fee, so they made it right for us!

[BND]

4 hours ago, SilkySal said:

Not sure how many ships do this but on our last cruise on the Serenade, Chops was closed due to serving all of the suite guests and the back-to-backers in the MDR. They are all served a very upscale lunch on embarkation day! I had been able to previously book Chops on-line but, when we arrived, we were told about the closing. Since it was obviously RCCL's error to even let us book the lunch, we were able to dine with the others that day and was even refunded our pre-booking fee, so they made it right for us!

We've done b2b lunches from Chops but it's never meant closing Chops.

[Gaile]

We will be sailing on Adventure of the Seas in a few weeks and I am not seeing any specialty dining (Chops or Giovanni's) as being available for lunch on embarkation day.  Our most recent cruises have all been Oasis class, so of course many other options, however wondering if anyone has insight to Adventure and if there is any specialty lunch option on this ship for embarkation day.

 

Edited June 2, 2023 by Gaile

[Tree_skier]

54 minutes ago, Gaile said:

We will be sailing on Adventure of the Seas in a few weeks and I am not seeing any specialty dining (Chops or Giovanni's) as being available for lunch on embarkation day.  Our most recent cruises have all been Oasis class, so of course many other options, however wondering if anyone has insight to Adventure and if there is any specialty lunch option on this ship for embarkation day.

 

Looking at the current sailing it appears that Chops was open for lunch on embarkation day.  If it is not available for reservation pre-cruise I'd just show up and see if they could seat you.  

[3yorkies]

I just got off Allure last Sunday.  I had prebooked and paid for lunch at Chops at noon on boarding day.   I showed up and it was closed, just doing reservations for future times.  Fortunately I always print off all my reservations and showed it to the maitre d'.   He gave me a reservation at 12:30 at Giovanni's and rebooked my Chops for day 3 lunch.   I thought I would be charged for Giovanni's but they gave it to me.   Both lunches were great!   Wonderful start to the cruise.  

[pcur]

I just checked the Cruise Planner online for my Adventure cruise this September, and both Chops and Giovanni's are open on embarkation day for lunch.

 

I find the Cruise Planner to be easier to work with.  Select the lunch option, and it shows you all the days lunch is available and what specialty restaurants are open.

[Crusin Cindy]

We encountered this on The Harmony in December.  Booked it, paid for it, and when we went to Chops the said the were not open on embarkation day.  Offered us to come the next day or money back.

[BND]

36 minutes ago, pcur said:

I just checked the Cruise Planner online for my Adventure cruise this September, and both Chops and Giovanni's are open on embarkation day for lunch.

 

I find the Cruise Planner to be easier to work with.  Select the lunch option, and it shows you all the days lunch is available and what specialty restaurants are open.

That's where I look.  I don't use the app except for onboard.

[cristaldubois]

1 hour ago, pcur said:

I just checked the Cruise Planner online for my Adventure cruise this September, and both Chops and Giovanni's are open on embarkation day for lunch.

 

I find the Cruise Planner to be easier to work with.  Select the lunch option, and it shows you all the days lunch is available and what specialty restaurants are open.

I am brand new to RC. I apologize for asking a likely obvious question.  But, is cruise planner online vs using the app? I have tried both. I keep thinking there must be a more efficient way to do this.  And your way sounds amazing! Thank you for your help!!

Edited June 3, 2023 by cristaldubois

[livingonthebeach]

I'll be on Navigator in November -- only Jamie's Italian is open for lunch on embarkation day -- no Chops. 

[pcur]

2 hours ago, cristaldubois said:

I am brand new to RC. I apologize for asking a likely obvious question.  But, is cruise planner online vs using the app? I have tried both. I keep thinking there must be a more efficient way to do this.  And your way sounds amazing! Thank you for your help!!

Yes, on their web site.  Log into your account on rccl.com.  I prefer the Cruise Planner on my computer, since the screen is bigger and makes it easier to navigate.  

 

As I said above, when you search for dining options, the specialty restaurants available for lunch are listed.  Click on "make a reservation" for a restaurant, then the passenger name, and all the days and times are available, including day 1.

 

If you get the Unlimited Dining Package, still make the reservation for embarkation day lunch, pay for it, and then when you go in have them reverse the charge back to your credit card.  It's the only way you can make advance reservations for lunch that day.  Otherwise, you walk in and either eat then, or make a reservation for later.  I prefer the advance reservation, and base the time on my assigned boarding time, then add an hour.  You can take your hand luggage with you, too.  They will keep it at the entrance podium for you.

[katiel53]

For the last several years we have only sailed on Oasis class ships.  Chops has not been open for lunch because the wait staff etc are used for the Key which is now served in the MDR.

 

The Key passengers get a Chops lunch on boarding day as part of the program.  We have gone to Giovanni's/Jamies, Playmakers and Sabor for lunches, depending upon what ship we were on.

[HBCcruiser]

Does anyone know which specialty restaurants are open for lunch on the Vision? The planner allows me to book any of them (Chops, Izumi and Giovani’s) however, when I look at the current sailing it looks like only Chops is open for sea day  lunches. That seems odd. Can anyone report on that? 
 

[Gaile]

Thanks.  I do check both the app and log in online.  Now, happy to report that Chops lunch reservations have now showed up for this 7/1 Adventure of the Seas sailing.  Also the main dining menus are back on the app too. They had disappeared a couple of week ago.  Can't wait to sail again soon!  😄

Edited June 5, 2023 by Gaile
Incomplete

[Florida Glamazon]

Hmmm, I am wondering about the availability of Playmakers on boarding day- and how hard it is to lug our carry-on rolling suitcase (several necessary items) into Playmakers? The Key used to be a good option but the price is soooo much higher than just the internet alone.

[SilkySal]

On 6/2/2023 at 5:44 PM, BND said:

We've done b2b lunches from Chops but it's never meant closing Chops.

When we went to Chops that day for our pre-purchased lunch, we were told that it was closed due to there being too many B2B'ers and Key guests to have the lunch in Chops, so it was held in a private area of the MDR. We were allowed to join them because we should not have been able to book Chops for lunch on that boarding day, and were also refunded our pre-paid price for the mistake and the runaround.