Since the pandemic, the buffet in the evening is not as good as it was in the past. We did a 15 day cruise to Hawaii over Christmas and New Years. Eat at buffet for lunch and dinner because my dh has dementia. We have enjoyed the buffet on cruises before the pandemic, like you say, if we go early since daylight can enjoy sea views. On the December cruise, even on the holidays, selection in the buffet at night was very disappointing. We were on the Royal Princess. Staff in the buffet were very responsive to special requests. My DH only eats fish and chips primarily, one night fish out was very dry looking and I knew would be too hard for him to eat. Asked the staff at the buffet if they would prefer some fresh ones and gladly did. If my dh did not have dementia I would try buffet and Crown Grill, MDR is not what it use to be either, that is another reason we stopped doing the MDR in the first place. Happy cruising.