How I Avoid The Huge Buffet Queues On Embarkation Day

If you’ve ever boarded a cruise ship around lunchtime, you’ve probably seen the same thing happen.

Thousands of passengers walk onto the ship, head straight for the buffet, and immediately join the queue.

After dozens of cruises, this is one queue I prefer not to join.

It’s not because there’s anything wrong with the buffet…

It’s because the buffet is at its busiest on embarkation day, and I would rather go later on in the cruise when it is less crowded.

Why The Buffet Gets So Busy

On embarkation day, passengers board around lunchtime – or as early as their designated arrival time will allow.

That makes perfect sense. You have paid for your cruise, so you will want to get on as early as possible and start enjoying the facilities.

Cabins aren’t usually ready until the early afternoon, so you might have time to kill, and you will be carrying your hand luggage with you.

Many people have travelled all morning and are hungry and thirsty.

Going up to the buffet is the most obvious place to go.

Unfortunately, thousands of other people might all have exactly the same plan, leading to crowds and queues.

My Rule: Anywhere But The Buffet

As soon as I board, I look for alternatives on the online app, or in the paper daily schedule they often give you when you board.

I certainly don’t skip lunch altogether. I just find somewhere else with fewer people.

The buffet is often packed shoulder to shoulder, while other venues remain surprisingly quiet.

The Main Dining Room Is Usually My First Choice

If the main dining room is open, that’s often where I’ll head.

Instead of hunting around for a table in a crowded buffet, I can sit down, relax, and start my holiday properly.

I much prefer to sit down, choose my lunch from the menu, and have it brought to my table.

There will be a quieter, less chaotic atmosphere.

I can sit and unwind after the morning’s travelling, while waiting for my cabin to be ready.

I can tuck my bag under the table, or somewhere else out of the way, rather than carrying it about. (I don’t tend to carry a lot of hand luggage, but I know many other people do.)

It is like going out to lunch in a nice restaurant – but with no nasty bill to pay at the end. What’s not to like?

Other Places Many People Miss

Different cruise lines offer different options, but these might include:

• Poolside grills – think burgers, chips and hot dogs.
• Pizza counters – a couple of slices of pizza might be just what you need to set you up for the afternoon.
• Casual dining venues – some ships have multiple small eateries – check the app or daily schedule.
• Observation lounge cafés – on some ships, the Observation Lounge at the front offers small snacks -sandwiches, cakes, etc.
• There might also be smaller buffet areas hidden away from the main area.

Many passengers don’t even realise these places are open, so check as soon as you get onboard!

Sometimes I’ll Wait An Hour

One of the simplest tricks is doing nothing.

I will walk around the ship and explore the decks when I first board.

It is nice to have an overview of where everything is.

I’ll often take photos when the decks are relatively quiet – because everyone else is at the buffet!

By mid-afternoon, the biggest rush has often disappeared, and the buffet becomes much more pleasant.

Do check the opening times of the venues, though, you don’t want to be arriving just as they stop serving food!

Why Embarkation Day Is Different

The funny thing is that the buffet usually isn’t this busy for the rest of the cruise.

The crowds are created because everybody boards within a few hours of each other, and most people are hungry.

After that first afternoon, people spread out across the ship and meal times become much more staggered.

The One Exception

Sometimes the buffet genuinely is the best/only option.

If you’re in a hurry, if alternative venues aren’t open, or if you’re sailing on a ship with very limited choices, it may make perfect sense to go to the buffet.

The buffet isn’t bad – it’s just that most passengers never consider there might be another, better option.

My Favourite Embarkation Day Lunches

I remember when I took a lovely Princess cruise around the British Isles with my family, and we started the cruise with a sit-down lunch in the main dining room.

We had a couple of drinks to celebrate, since we had the Princess Plus package and wanted to get our money’s worth!

The dining room was very quiet, and we had a lovely table next to a window. The perfect start to a cruise!

Marella ships have countless little restaurants and eateries that are all included in the cruise fare.

I would much rather try one of these smaller venues than go to the buffet.

When I sailed to Norway, Svalbard and Iceland on Norwegian Star, I also chose the main dining room for lunch as soon as I got onboard.

The crew had told me that the main dining room and buffet was open and serving food – along with O’Sheehan’s.

O’Sheehan’s Neighbourhood Bar & Grill is a complimentary 24-hour Irish pub-style restaurant and sports bar found on many of the older Norwegian Cruise Line ships.

O’Sheehan’s is always a great place to grab a quick bite to eat, and I did eat there many times on the cruise.

Have a look at that amazing cruise on an older Norwegian ship here:

The Bottom Line…

The buffet itself isn’t the problem. Cruise ship buffets are usually large and clean, with a good selection of food to suit everyone.

The problem is that nearly everybody heads there at exactly the same time.

After 86 cruises, if the main dining room is open for lunch, I’ll usually go there.

If it isn’t, I’ll look for other food options. Eating in the buffet will be the last resort on the first day of my cruise.

I like my cruises to start off relaxing, I don’t want to waste my holiday standing in line!

Before You Go

Find out when the best time is to cruise in the article below:

The Best Time To Cruise Isn’t When Most People Think

Find out which items I think would be a total waste of space to pack here:

Don’t Waste Space Packing These 5 Cruise Items