TwoMisfits

Next Up - Key Review:). Biggest questions are always... What did I pay for it? $32.99/person/day (+tax) for 5 across 2 inside guarantee cabins Would I pay it again at that price for the same size ship and circumstances (a sell out ship on Symphony)? Yes. Spouse agrees. He never wants to live without it, b/c he wants the internet every time, and he wants the safe meals for me. What perk was most valuable? The internet for 5 with each getting their own log in. My spouse had an Apple phone and laptop (and wanted to check in on work). My kids had Kindle Fires and/or Android phones (one has a boyfriend, the other 2 need downtime). I also had a phone. With each person having their own log in, dad had to juggle between his 2 devices and the kids knew they always could get on the internet anytime they wanted for any reason. With a brother in Florida and another visiting me there, we could make plans last minute (which we did) and figure things out for the day, almost on the fly (with the ship being early and then not early, that mattered a lot). My daughter could Discord her boyfriend (yes, it was good enough to support video calls at most times). My boys watched Youtube videos and who knows what else. I wound down each night for 30 minutes on my phone seeing if I missed any news and if anything was happening on my ship I didn't know about. Yes, I know I could have saved a little money getting 1 internet with X users, but this way, no one was logged out by anyone else. It was peace of mind, especially since logging on the 1st day was rough - I admit I was down at the Voom booth and let the gentleman log me on b/c I couldn't figure it out. I don't do tech, so I'm happy someone on board does. What perks were also valuable? 1. 1st lunch and last breakfast - priceless with allergies. As mentioned before, I'd have paid for lunch no matter what, and I'd have probably done cereal lugging all my carry ons to a table on the last day. The calm and quiet of both the opening and closing meal, and the focus on me and my allergies (b/c it was a small group to focus on) was worth it. 2. Ice show seating (we did both shows) - Water show seating would have also been valuable, but it was actually booked solid when we walked in b/c of the best seats were saved for Autism of the Seas. This was a blessing in disguise b/c we still got decent seats and b/c one poor gentleman was a squawker, so being farther away from A of the Seas while waiting was just nicer. But at the ice show, unlike the rest of the shows, there are few seats with great views, and normally the center section (which is the one section with all good seats) was filled solid when we'd walk in (so you have to be at least 30 minutes ahead, which teen boys don't love doing). But, even as a party of 5, we got seats with no pillars (only the 1st 3-4 rows on either side avoid the dreaded pillars coming into play) 15 minutes before both shows...and they were perfect seats. 3. Flowrider time - I didn't know if my kids would like or hate it. It turns out they did it...and then didn't want to do it again. But they didn't wait to find that out at all...and actually could have kept riding b/c there were 3 riders at the Key time, and 2 were my kids. A 9am flowrider time worked for us b/c we were early risers (and relatively early day enders, save the spouse who would get his nightcap), so we were always ready for activities then. We were also gonna do the 9am Zip Line ride b/c I wasn't sure they'd like it, but it turned out to rain then, so we were 1st in line (practically) after the rain at 10am...and one of my teens chickened out...so I'm glad we didn't wait again. Now I know the activities all my kids want on a ship, and that was valuable to me. 4. Arrival and departure at will, although this was less valuable that I thought, but still priceless in the moment. Apparently, when we arrived at 9:50am, the previous ship hadn't fully left and it took an hour to get into parking. And yet, folks like the Autism of the Seas and others were already boarding. So, we didn't board 1st...but we were sent right through, with no waiting in any of the lines. My kid couldn't wait at that point, so it was worth it. It also helped us get Day 3 Laser Tag tickets (vs the "dreaded" Coco Cay Day 5 ones) and we eventually got Ice Skating, too (another activity where 1 kid bailed - see a trend - they weren't actually the same kid each time). So, being on 1st-ish helped. And the departure was calm and quiet, although we were not escorted off, but did have to wait in the Aft line when we entered it. But prior to line entry, the morning was calm, the breakfast was easy, and we had our own public bathrooms (b/c no one was allowed in Deck 4 aft but Key), so it was worth it. And bag pick up was easy. What didn't matter much. 1. The other activity times - we got an ice skating slot, so didn't need the open time. We hit rock climbing when it was empty (same day as the rain) and the abyss was during our dinner and again, only 2 kids did that activity. But, I'm happy we had a shot at all the activities. If I could have also gotten water slide time, that would have been great...but the last day was cold and early mornings were always empty there, so my kid did ride those at will anyway. Although more laser tag time - RCCL, I'd pay more for that. That activity was AWESOME! PLEASE add a reserved hour to Key for that. I admit that we got in 2 games on Coco Cay day b/c everyone reserves and no one shows, and if you ask, you receive...but I'd really rather have those games guaranteed! 2. The leaving of the carryons - I didn't overpack, so I didn't really need to leave them - it was nice, but not uber-necessary. 3. The main theater seats - there are so many good ones in the main theater - as long as you show up before non-reserved seats are in, you'll be fine. I'd have rather had trivia or family karaoke seats - those suckers were priceless this week! So, in answer to Key, it is most valuable if you need internet, you need calmness or little waiting, or safe meals for 1st/last day...and if you love the ice shows. If you don't need this, you can probably pass. And on a huge sold out ship, it obviously pays off more than on a tiny, not full ship. I found this expense was absolutely worth it. In fact, I was 100% on everything I paid for. That said, above the cabins and the prepaid tips (100% worth it), I only paid for Key, the Hooked lunch, and my spouse's nightcaps (he ended up having our wine 4 times and drinks on board 3 times). I'd pay for all of this stuff again, which is the mark of choosing the right extras for your family when they need them. Before the spouse was a boss and the kids were teens, we never bought internet and didn't on any previous cruise. But, now we're that family with boyfriends at home, spouses with work, and teens with internet desires. And that's okay. (Before, we used to buy more alcohol and got packages, so now the money's just moved)...

So, Day 7 and our last day onboard. Today, b/c we were doing the casual lunch tour, I wanted to make sure I had a decent breakfast (b/c I was sitting out from eating til our last location), so back to the Windjammer buffet we went. Today, I decided I finally wanted to try the bacon, so I got a chef to give me bacon from the grill (vs the guest tong served area) and then I went back to my favorite salmon bagel chef to make me another half bagel open sandwich. And I topped it all off with another PB and honey banana and a 2nd piece of fruit and coffee. I tried the bacon and the 1st bite was salty. I gave it to my spouse and teen girl and both said "mom, this isn't salty, you just need to eat more salt". And they were probably right b/c after the 1st bite or 2, it didn't taste that salty anymore and just tasted like good bacon. It was a great last full day breakfast. I think I could eat smoked salmon bagels with PB and honey bananas ever day if I could afford it...but this is why you cruise! So, then lunch came around and we started the tour. First up, b/c my kid couldn't wait for 11:30am was Cafe Promenade - it was here that I knew tonight's hummus was a goner b/c my teen girl got the hummus snack pack for the 1st time and she said she could literally taste the dairy in the hummus...oh well. And then it was over to Sorrento's for pizza, and then the Dog House for dogs. Taking a vote, the 3 boys said the pizza beat the dogs, while my daughter said the dogs beat the pizza. So, there you have it. Then we all headed to Park Cafe so I could get my lunch and they could get desserts and flavored water. Since I was not here close to open (as I had the past few times), the chef actually stopped and went to the back for my bread b/c he wanted to make sure it was uncontaminated. And the Kummelwheck, chips, and fruit again were the perfect meal for the day. Finally, we had our last night of dining. As expected, I got the vegan salad as my app. To be fair, it was probably the best of the 3 dining room salads I had. Now, I had mentioned the night before that I LOVED chimchurri, and said if I could have the sauce, I didn't care if the chef made me something close b/c it's just fat, acid, salt, and tons of fresh herbs. And in one of my happiest moments, I did get a version of the Grilled Mediterranean Steak, apparently with a homemade chimmi (which had some kick, and not just herbiness) with my 1st roasted potatoes (no garlic, though - these were obviously separately done) and sauteed veg on a dining room plate. It was a GREAT plate of food. I used that chimmi on everything - so good. And then dessert. Topping off the week, I was 0 for 6 on the vegan dessert possibilities (Key Takeaway - if you have Tree Nut allergies, just skip the Vegan items unless they are literally a sorbet or green salad. Every app and dessert pretty much were a fail for me), and was delivered another round of cherry sorbet with my tea. No fresh berries this time - I think they were about gone since we hadn't been to port in 2+ days and we were leaving the next morning. While at dinner, I did order my Key breakfast for the next morning. I could have ordered the filet, but we had a long drive, so I got my dining room salmon sandwich with a fruit plate. When my spouse declared the Key breakfast filet plate the best thing he ate all cruise the next morning, I had a touch of FOMO, but then again, I loved my food and it was prepared and ready for me (I actually got my food before my family at the Key breakfast, so it was nice to know in the chaos, that someone did premake mine so there would be no mistakes at the end). And that wraps up the allergy dining of my review. Best meals were obviously my Solarium Bistro and Hooked lunch meals...although my 1st Key filet mignon was spectacular and as my son said, all my beef and fishes in the dining room were on point. I got no duds on quality (my lack of appetite on day 6 evening was not the fault of the food - the spouse and son loved it)... It is interesting to never QUITE know what you're going to eat each night. If that bothers you, always pick the safest dish 1st, b/c you're likely to get it. When I knew I wanted light for an app, I'd pick the vegan dish 1st and then a salad or shrimp cocktail 2nd b/c any which way, that course would be light. I figured my main course, being beef and fish heavy, was always gonna be enough for light 1st and 3rd courses...and it was. My best suggestion for complex food allergy sufferers (aka, you have more than 1 allergy) would be to have a solid plan (or just skip and board late) day 1 lunch - make it paid - that money will be totally worth it...and do the same for the last morning breakfast. Both meals are when insanity are at its highest and when mistakes are most likely to be made or food is least likely to be available to you. Also, go to the dining room for night 1 dinner - do NOT use this meal for a pay location or the Windjammer/Solarium unless you are not going to eat in the Dining Room at all. The head waiter will get all of your info, set up all of your info with the head chef later that night, and your normal waiter will get all of your preferences that make further dining easier. It's not gonna be your favorite meal, but it's likely your most important one for a great cruise. But, bring your patience and your ideas that day, b/c it will pay off all week. Okay, future posts will cover the Key and other stuff on ship, but I figured a full allergy week (especially one that didn't use much paid dining) would help a lot of folks here...

So, now we're back to the Dining Room for dinner...one thing I should mention that I set up on Day 1 with the waiter that also probably helped make sure all my family's food was amazing this week. I told him that if it was ever the case that my food was ready earlier or later than the rest of the normal food, he could bring it out when it was done - aka, he shouldn't hold the others' food or hold mine if the timing didn't work. Tonight, this came into play. When we got there, the waiter let us know the kitchen was behind. Here, I'm thinking, no worries, I could wait another hour before eating and I have 3 courses to come...and I'm really hoping that the Royal Night melon and avocado salad will work for me b/c I can't imagine eating more shrimp at this point. My spouse and kids (except my older teen boy who can eat like a growing teen boy) either only ordered an app or an entree, and not both. So, now the kitchen's behind and we've given the waiter a task on how to deliver food. And he did a great job delivering apps and entrees together so everyone ate a 1st course (and my son and I eventually got delivered #2 after #1). And I see that b/c someone has a sense of humor, not only did the vegan salad not work, but apparently someone thought I wasn't eating enough and delivered TWO servings of the shrimp cocktail as an app. I looked at the plate, tried 1 bite of shrimp and asked the bottomless pit teen and the spouse if they wanted them - and handed 1 bowl each away. 45 seconds later, the teen had finished and declared them great and the spouse kept his til he finished the shrimp on the jalfrezi and then mopped up the last sauce with the shrimp. So, it worked out great...but if I could have had a preorder do-over, if I knew the vegan salad wasn't gonna work, I'd have probably asked for a kid fruit cup. That was what I wanted - simple carb sugar. So, after I handed away my food, I did get my main course. And in a surprise, I WAS able to have the lobster tail here as well. I was not wasting this one, although I admit, I split the tail in half and gave half to the spouse who loved it. And on the plate, I had the rice and steamed carrots. Now, I admit I doctored the rice (and carrots) with my salt, olive oil, and lemons. But dang if that didn't hit the spot. That's what I wanted. After a day of tons of protein, I just needed a carb. I was hitting a wall at dinner and had told the kids I might be in for the night, but after rice, carrots, dessert, and tea, I was ready to go the night. And speaking of dessert, here is where the hang up happened. So, kids and spouse get dessert...and I don't. Which is fine, b/c I always let the kids leave to go back to the room to surf/internet while I had to stay behind to order the next day's food anyway. So, it didn't matter that I didn't have dessert yet, b/c I wasn't going anywhere anyway. But my teens were very happy to still get in and out on time. Once I did get dessert (about 20 minutes after the kids, and 15 minutes after they left - my spouse hung out with me with coffee), I got my 1st repeat sorbet with berries of the trip - cherry. I did love the cherry sorbet, and it was the best sorbet without berries, partly b/c Talenti (which as mentioned, this was so reminiscent of) makes raspberry and lemon, but not cherry...so I can't get cherry unless I make it. I assume that the hold up was that tonight's sorbet was probably NOT supposed to be cherry (but might have been another mango related one), so someone had to go find the right one. But no matter. It was great, and I was set for the night. And I put in my last day's order right after, seeing if hummus was even possible, but knowing deep down, I'd probably be getting the vegan salad (so I planned my next day early dining accordingly)... PS - I know it seems like I didn't eat anything much at dinner, and I really didn't...but you don't understand how big lunch was. I will say, I did finish both sorbet scoops and all the berries (and again, could not have the menu vegan dessert), and at 10pm, I had a fridge brownie and some fruit (still so, so good!)...so I did eat. Just no more protein b/c like there's a limit to just how much you can do (at least for me!)... Day 7 up next - aka, the day the kids decided they needed to tour the casual lunch places to see what was best...

So, on to Day 6...and the coming Hooked Feast. So, I wanted to be hungry, so the kids wanted breakfast buffet, so I was happy to agree (we did Solarium). I got another peanut butter honey with banana and had about a 1/2 bowl of cereal with my oatmilk and coffee. Perfect. And then we popped over to Hooked for lunch. So, the chef popped over and let me know the oysters wouldn't work, but how about mussels? I said sure, b/c saying yes seemed like a great plan when a chef has a great idea for what he wants to cook. And I actually really like mussels and make them myself, but I always buy the frozen deshelled plain ones from HMart and make pasta dishes, not straight mussels only dishes. So, as like the Dining Hall, I sit sans menu while the family ordered. My daughter knew I was getting a lot, so she only got cooked oysters for her app (she loved them - spoiler note) and skipped a side for her lobster roll, figuring she'd help me finish whatever got brought. And then it started. Another 3 pieces of toast and a shrimp salad (a TINY bit smaller than the night before) arrived with more balsamic and olive oil. I saved the toast while diving into the salad, with my son and I finishing all the shrimp (they were HUGE) and ALMOST all the salad. And then the mussels arrived. An ENTIRE BUCKET of garlicky white winey mussels with a tiny kick and a delicious pot liquor. It was so good that my youngest, who does not eat mussels, helped me eat the bread I had as I dipped it in and gave him some. These were amazing. At home fresh mussel purchase and prep is a pain, and I can't ever get these in restaurants anymore, so I hadn't had something like this is AWHILE (thanks adult-onset allergies). My 3 other family members ALL loved them as much as me, and took turns diving in to grab more mussels - I think we must have had at least 30 total in that bucket - maybe more b/c they just seemed to keep being in there. But we persevered and finished the whole bucket and 2.5 pieces of the bread (1 for me, 1 for my kid, and the other 3 had a taste of the pot, too). If my Hooked lunch was only this, I was good. I was already satiated - maybe not "full" but good. And my Black Friday money (which was $14.99/person) was SO well spent. But I wasn't done. When entrees arrived, apparently the chef decided the salmon filet was insufficient, so I also got a lobster tail for a SURF and SURF. Again, fish done to order and so good. Olive oil and a squirt of lemon (came with the plate) was the perfect accompaniment for the lobster and the salmon was as good as yesterday. I shared about 1/2 of each with the table b/c now I was full. Like stupid full. And yet, I didn't refuse dessert b/c the fridge could always use another brownie. Except this time, I got THREE brownies and another full plate for fruit (not sure how lunch needs more dessert than dinner, but then again, the Hooked desserts were served huge vs anywhere else, so maybe it was about visual equality). My husband and I literally laughed. I actually said I hope the dining room doesn't actually find the vegan dessert tonight b/c I think I have enough baked goods for the week, so sorbet and berries (and my fridge jello) were all I was gonna want. Again, I asked if I could take it out and was told no problem, and when these were eventually eaten (with my youngest finishing the last on the last night), they were still amazing. Booking this lunch was the best pre-board thing I ever did. The same chef hooked me up for 2 of the best fish meals I've had with allergies. Hooked is AMAZING on Symphony. And as an aside, I know folks have posted bad lobster mac and cheeses and other dishes from other boats. OMG, my 2 sons ordered that side - my spouse and daughter helped them finish b/c it was a calorie bomb of creaminess and lobster. So, if there was a problem with that dish somewhere, it's not at Hooked on Symphony. I should say, when I get to their paid eating (2 Key meals and this lunch), all of my family loved this meal - best $100 I spent on board, bar none. But I don't know how folks do Unlimited Dining b/c when dinner time comes on Day 6, I didn't want any food but a simple carb/sugar pick me up...and I had more fish coming b/c I ordered before either of these 2 meals, and I'm an idiot...but teen sons and spouse to the rescue in the next post!

Taking a slight break before I return to my allergy dining, I wanted to highlight what my normal eating family of 3 teens (my oldest couldn't join us) and spouse thought were the best items in the regular dining room dinner menu...some choices actually surprised me, and looking at their eventual thoughts, it seems Mexican night is as much a star as the formal nights...especially for dessert...note - we skipped Italian night b/c a night dedicated to tossing parm cheese around seemed like the perfect night for the Solarium (and was) and b/c I make a lot of Italian here in real life, and am pretty good at it, even without dairy (which the kids add later to the end of many of my dishes)... Best Free Dining Room Dinner Dishes Spouse (likes spicy food, and mentioned the Indian could be a little spicier to our waiter after night 4)... Best App - Roasted Poblano Pepper Soup (Mexican night) Best Entree - Spicy Shrimp Jalfrezi (Royal Night) Best Dessert - Tres Leches Cake (Mexican Night) Teen Girl (oldest on the cruise - ate a lot of vegan and veg forward dishes for all 3 courses) Best App - All of them - she said she liked them all almost equally Best Entree - Lobster Tail (Royal Night) Best Dessert - Caramel Flan (Mexican Night) - she LOVED this - said it was like a campfire and a flan mixed - she tried a lot of the custard-like desserts and this was the star Teen Boy (the older) Best App - Escargot (Welcome Aboard, French, and Royal Night - yes, once he tried it, he kept getting it b/c he loved it - save your bread basket to sop up the goodness) Best Entree - Lobster Tail (Royal Night) Best Dessert - Tres Leches Cake (Mexican Night) - 2 votes for this did shock me, but practically licked plates should have been a clue Almost Teen Boy (the younger) Best App - Tie for the Asian Style Pork Bao Tacos (Caribbean Night - yes, he loved mine and his) and the Crispy Buttermilk Calamari (his 1st time having calamari - then, he kept getting it - French Night) Best Entree - All the steaks - he tried 3 chicken dishes and 4 beef/steaks - he said the beefs were all superior and equally good Best Dessert - Baked Alaska (Royal Night) - he originally said the brownies b/c they lasted about 3 seconds on his plate, but then he remembered this one and said it was actually better So, if you need ideas for the dining room, here they are. I want to thank the board for giving me a few ideas for things my family should steer clear of - skipping those items (like the Tofu Tacos and the Vegetable Greek Moussaka, when my kid was getting some of the vegan stuff) meant we had ZERO dish fails in the dining room. Everyone at least liked everything, and as you can see above, some things were loved...we tried not to waste food (my teen girl is big on that), so we stuck to ordering one item per course (except night 6 where some folks were so stuffed from Hooked lunch, they only ordered 2 courses total), and that really probably also aided in speedy great service and perfect temp and appearance served food. One thing I will note - there are dishes planned for huge appetites and ones that seem planned for daintier ones. If you are getting the vegan dishes, expect daintier portions. If you are getting the bone-in meat dishes, expect Fred Flinstone-sized ones.

So, before dinner in the Solarium, I had popped by Hooked to see when I could talk to the chef about my lunch the next day, and was told to show up between 4:45-5pm. So, I did...and when I chatted with the chef, he asked what I liked and offered some options and I said they all sounded great. I asked if it was possible for broiled oysters (raw would have definitely been possible, but raw with oysters is not raw like sushi grade sushi, so I was leery), but if not, I understood and he said he'd see tomorrow. And then he promised me a brownie for dessert - and said it would be great. So, with that all set, I walk down 1 floor and join my family at Solarium waiting. And I knock a few minutes before open, and they let me in, and I ask if I need to speak to the chef b/c of my allergies. I got told to wait a moment and the chef would meet me at my family's table to walk me through the buffet and let me know what I could eat. So, they seat my family, and I wait while they go to town. After a few minutes, who do I see but the same Hooked chef, who seems pleased to see me. Good sign #1. He walks me around and shows me what I can have (ALL Greek stuff is out - ALL of it - it doesn't matter if it's hummus, baba ghanouj, etc, it's all bad - I see Day 7's planned app probably not working out, but now I know)...but I CAN have the proscuitto and Italian meats, and the fruit plate sans mango, and a salad, and apparently I can have both fish dishes and the marinated veg. And he tells me he has a bread (which he brings me the bag for) that is dairy, nut, and gluten free, so he'll get me that. So, then he finishes and this is when I'm told the chefs consider the whole buffet as contaminated (even though I'm like the 15th person there) and he's gonna personally make me all my food tonight. And I didn't pay for this dinner. And I'm thinking, well, I did swim and run around a ton today, so I can eat a little heavier. And I haven't asked for a lot all cruise, so okay. Let's go! Now, if you go to this buffet, you see everything's plated on tiny plates, so when I said yes to a lot of this stuff, it was with the assumption I'd be getting tiny plates. Well, you know what they say about assuming. I knew I was in trouble when the salad came out with 10 large cocktail shrimp on it in a regular sized bowl with balsamic vinegar and olive oil cups, and then the Italian meats came out on a dinner plate and 3 pieces of toasted bread came along. And this was the app. I shared the meats around the table, and dang did prosciutto hit the spot. And I ate about 6 shrimp before letting my son shrimp lover tackle the rest (and I had some salad, but I admit, some did get wasted, as did some bread). Then, I got the entree - 2 snapper filets and a salmon filet with an entire plate of grilled veg - peppers, squashes, and asparagus on a large dinner plate. Now, this is when I was so happy. The waiter delivered me the chef's food, but then he paused and picked it back up and asked for my allergies (and I told him). Then, he said he wanted to check with the chef that it was right. I know why he paused. Apparently, one of my fish was specially made, not like the buffet (it was a lemon pepper prep), so the waiter didn't recognize it and wanted to confirm. After a minute, he did and I had my plate back, which was wonderful. KEY Takeaway - ALWAYS let the wait staff check the food if they aren't sure. If they become sure, then you are sure. I shared about 1/2 the fish with my table and finished the rest. Then, it was dessert time, and I was brought an entire dinner plate of fresh cut fruit (all the melons and pineapple) and 2 brownies with strawberries on top. I was done at this point, but having all of the sweets available at will, well, I asked the waiter if I could walk it all out and he said sure, so I handed my spouse the fruit plates and I took the brownie plate, and we headed out. I had my 1st brownie for 10pm snack that night, and it was amazing. And it hit the spot of finally finding a safe baked item with chocolate chips. My teen daughter tried it and also loved it, and wanted one, but I said if I had some left at the end, maybe. And now I knew - breakfast tomorrow had to be small, b/c I couldn't pull back my Hooked preorder (nor did I really want to, b/c why not having amazing fresh fish in abundance), and it was gonna be a banquet. Before this dinner, I had also stopped by the dining room (before Hooked) and made by Night 6 preorder. This was the only one I might have adjusted if I knew how full I'd still be by dinner...but it's okay when you have teen boys...

Day 5 was the day we wanted an early start to the beach, so I could some back for a late lunch if food on the island was a fail. So, to another buffet we went. This time, we hit Solarium's breakfast buffet. It's smaller, but quieter and way less hectic. Since I knew I had another buffet coming that night, I wanted light...but I had decided that I was also in the mood for a fruit dip. So, I'm a sucker for peanut butter and honey with banana. But, I had learned after the 1st few days that you don't take buffet stuff unless you KNOW it's okay, and so I walked up to the toast line chef and asked if the little peanut butter bowls had any other nuts but peanuts. And he proceeded to pull out the peanut butter jar and let me read the ingredients. And low and behold, for once, the item was exactly what I would have expected - peanut butter had peanuts, and no other nuts. And then he offered to get me a mini bowl from the jar (which I would now get a few times in both breakfast buffets). I grabbed the newly served PB, poured some honey on top, grabbed a now "perfect ripeness" for me banana (my kids liked the day 3-4 bananas more b/c they like them a touch green - I like them yellow and a few brown spots don't bother me, so day 5 on was the banana perfection for me) and diced it myself and dipped. So yummy. I had that with another bowl of raisin bran and coffee and a whole nectarine, and was now set for island swimming. KEY TAKEAWAY - If you're on a buffet, always ask about simple condiments without brand name labels (the ketchup and mayo has the supplier, the PB does not - so ask about the PB) - and if they offer a fresh serving from the containers, take it. Once on the island (got there around 9am), we spent a large amount of time at sports beach (if you have teens, do the walk - all the fun sports games are there). Around 11:15am, kids were ready to eat. We looked at the Snack Shack and saw a huge line and I remembered I was supposed to find a grill, so we started a hike back to the pool (b/c we wanted to have pool time after lunch). We got to the grill a few minutes before official open, but it was serving. Perfect. As I found all week with allergies, being early is a lot easier than being really late if you're talking allergies the 1st time. I took a walk around and realized that the most likely item that I wanted and I could eat was the burger. I hadn't had one all week, and there's something about a burger topped with veg and condiments on the beach. So, I asked the polo shirt folks, and they pointed out the chef dressed in a button down and said he'd come talk to me. KEY TAKEAWAY - the better and more officially dressed the person, the more likely they are the ones who will help with allergies. He came out and we discussed what I could have, and he said he could grill me a safe burger in the back, and then I could grab the veg toppings from the bar (since it was early and one side had no cheese, it wasn't "ruined" yet for me) - tongs tend to get swapped on same sides, but not often across the glass, especially before a place is officially open. So, in about 5 minutes, I had an excellent just grilled burger with lettuce, tomato, onion, pickles, ketchup and mayo from the toppings bar. I added a pear just b/c you can never have enough fruit. That burger was seriously good. Maybe it's b/c I hadn't had a burger in awhile, but beach and burger (and about 2 glasses of ice water b/c 2 hours of activity on a warm beach is a LOT) hit the spot... We stayed around til about 1pm, and then headed back on board. I needed hot water for an afternoon green tea I drink (that I brought on board), so I finally swung into a lunch buffet at Solarium to get it, and the jello I had searched for all week at the little shops to no avail was found - orange with blackberries on top in individual serve cups (perfect - no tongs, so no contamination). It was a little loose, but I took one since I didn't want it now anyway, so to the fridge it went, while I had my tea. 2 yummy meals down, and an insane amount of food to come from the Solarium dinner buffet next.

So, tonight's dinner was Caribbean...and I am a sucker for plantains. So, I was really hoping to be able to have the chicken dish. I also requested 2 crazy apps - the pork bao tacos and the coconut shrimp (vs my normal 2nd app being shrimp cocktail or a green salad) b/c I wanted to see what the dining room could do, now that it was getting settled in, and I just wanted something different by day 4. So, for the app, I give them props - apparently, the coconut shrimp are a brought on item and were a no go. And the bao steamed buns, which normally never have dairy where I'm from, also had dairy. So, did I get a salad? No. In one of the more unique moments of my cruise so far, the dining room made a fusion dish and served the pork tacos in a hard taco shell...and dang if it didn't work. My son, who got the authentic version, actually liked mine a touch more. I'm not sure if the shell was the only change, but it was the most noticeable, but they were good, and you could tell dining chefs were now settling in and starting to show off. Now, did I get the roasted carribean chicken - nope. Apparently, that dish also can't drop the dairy, so I got the NY Strip (yes, you see a trend - I tended to have my backup be beef or fish b/c in real life, those are pricy, so I'm never gonna be disappointed being brought something I normally won't buy my family to make b/c it is budget-busting for 6). Now, it came with steamed broccoli and carrots, not sauteed veg, and the baked potato and no sauce...but honestly, it was cooked so well (TIP - ALWAYS go medium rare over medium well - medium rare turned out so well all week) and salted and peppered correctly, it was good off the plate. Now, the veg needed some olive oil and lemon (b/c I don't steam veg in real life - I roast it, grill it, or saute it or I eat it raw if I'm going plain), but I had that, so it was another great dinner. And in a continuing "what dessert", the vegan dessert (the dining room brownie) was again a fail, so it was "what sorbet will it be" and tonight, it was an amazing lemon with my berries, where you could still see tiny pieces of the lemon peel. Lemon is actually my favorite sorbet with tea and strawberries/blueberries (had this at a high tea in Vegas as the "dessert"), so I was very happy. At the end of dinner, I let the head waiter know my kids wanted to try Solarium Bistro for dinner and he called over to see if it was gonna be possible or work well (b/c I was flexible - I had already decided I could do a Johnny Rockets and sit with them and then grab food at the DR if needed) - he came back and let me know it probably would - I'm not sure what he said, but dang, my next 2 days might charitably be called "glutton" or "queen" dining, so I guess I was a nice guest for them - not too demanding? I also asked him how to eat on the island, and he let me know to show up early to one of the grills, and they'd take care of me. And he let me know if either lunch or dinner failed, he'd have a meal waiting for me in the dining room...and I could stop in or call with my day 6 order that day (and he gave me his card). So, we'll see how day 5 goes with no preorder at all (and a trip to the Solarium buffet breakfast, too)... PS - My spouse got that chicken dish...and wow. I was almost glad I didn't have it, b/c the chicken serving was ENORMOUS! Now, I was a little sad about the plantains, so I admit when grocery shopping yesterday, I bought myself plantains. Not sure if I'm gonna saute them or bake them wrapped in bacon this week, but I'm gonna meet my plantain desire:). PPS - By this point, I think I had had whole fruits of banana, pear, nectarine, and apple from the buffets and fruit cups of pineapple and watermelon (from Park Cafe) and dining room berry cups of strawberries, blueberries, and even blackberries. There were whole oranges (I skipped - too much work) and grapes (my kid found - I never saw them) and cantaloupe and honeydew cups (which I eventually had both). I hadn't yet found plain jello, but that's coming once I stopped in the lunch buffets. Needless to say, if you have allergies and like fresh fruit, you can swim in it, even skipping all the precut buffet fruit (which, since mango is precut in Windjammer, well, folks pass tongs around and no sense having a reaction when I could just grab something else - I found out the chefs pretty much consider all "served out/set out with tongs" buffet food as contaminated when I got to Solarium the next night, even if you're 1st at the buffet - this explains being sent to the back chef in Windjammer to make my salmon bagels from non served food). Overall, being on Symphony is like being at a grocery store produce section and just picking it up off the display - there was and is that much variety. And it makes needing a smoothie or paid juice really not THAT desirable. I had no beverage package and literally had a zero bill for myself at the end (the spouse had a little bill, but his was all alcohol:)...and I emphasize little. We even brought one of 2 bottles of wine home (they were planned both for my spouse) b/c after eating so much all day and having great coffee, you don't really want to drink much, even if you are healthy and active like my spouse, and you really don't drink anything at all when you have allergies (and chronic leukemia like me - it's actually that last one that matters most - I don't drink in daily life anymore, so I don't drink on vacations/cruises, either. RCCL probably did hate that part about me, but I did pay for Key, so I'm sure they still made money on my party)...

So, Day 4 - the day my kids wanted to start trying ALL the free items...and my 1st (and possibly only) allergy fail. 1st up was breakfast. The night before, my spouse and I agreed we'd take them to Johnny Rockets. I wasn't sure this would work with my allergies, so if all else failed, I'd drink coffee and grab cereal and whole fruit from the Windjammer. So, I grabbed my oatmilk (Key Tip - while your kids are grabbing a snack at 9pm, grab yourself an extra water cup to take back to your room - that way, you have a clean cup every morning for your oatmilk that you can leave in whatever dining room you eat at), and we arrived at 1st open, which turned out to be a great thing b/c I think there are only 2 booths for parties of 5 - anymore than 5 and you are eating at 2 tables or having the restaurant tables re-arranged. Also, you see that they have one grill and pretty much are plating and serving as they go (this will matter soon). Not wanting to be too adventurous, I asked if they could make me a version of a BLT with my coffee - easy, straightforward, no biggie. The waiter came back and let me know that all bread in the place has dairy, so they couldn't make me any sandwiches, but maybe they could do bacon and/or eggs. Okay, I decided on just the bacon b/c well, eggs are uber-cheap and I make great eggs for myself, so I didn't really want subpar, and contamination of dairy is more likely with eggs b/c everyone is always putting cheese in them or cooking them in butter, etc. And my kids and spouse all went nuts with their orders. I sat and enjoyed my coffee and then got my bacon delivered. 2 slices, but when I looked at them, I noticed either bits of cheese or egg on them. Aka, stuff that wasn't bacon. Making sure I wasn't nuts, I asked my oldest daughter and spouse to confirm and got a yes. It actually didn't matter what the bits were - just seeing them told me this wasn't prepared separately or carefully, and thus I wasn't eating it. Which was fine with my oldest son b/c he got sausage with his pancakes and also wanted bacon, so now he had mom's...and he liked it. Did I mention it to the waiter? No. It was clear how the restaurant was run, and being packed, there was no desire or real ability to be careful for allergy sufferers b/c other orderers would suffer. So, I chalked this one up to the same as Cafe Promenade/Sorrento's/Dog House - a place which can't handle my allergies (or complex ones - it seems gluten and nuts would be okay at JR's, but dairy or any combo with dairy isn't). Kids were disappointed I couldn't eat, but I pointed out, I could go up a few flights and grab food in 2 minutes after we ate - and I did. CORRECTION (I checked the photos)- today is the day I decided to ask the Windjammer chefs if there was a way I could have a safe salmon bagel (since I was solo). And they sent me back to the avocado toast/salmon bagel station all the way in the back. And the gentleman there had plain bagels, salmon, capers, herbs, and onion that he happily made me an allergy safe 1/2 bagel with salmon. And I found the container mayo and got a tiny bowl and grabbed an apple and had a great breakfast. And had a new quick allergy safe option in the buffet that was awesome. And I'd repeat this again:). The JR experience made no one regret that we weren't paying for a dinner there - a burger without bread that might also be allergy contaminated - who wants to pay for that? And to be honest, while the kids and spouse liked their food, they liked the Dining Room and Windjammer better (and the Solarium better when we get there) - this was least favorite breakfast for everyone. So, Key Takeaway for allergies - ALWAYS check your food before eating. This was the only time when I checked that it mattered, but it's good policy if you see something strange to ask and/or not eat it. . And 2nd takeaway - ALWAYS have a back up plan. Both for restaurant ordering, and for when you can't eat anything where you are. It will happen once - normally in daily life, when I go to restaurants, I have safe places now that we repeat over and over...but when we're trying somewhere new, I always make sure they have a green salad or something similar, so if all else fails or the vibe of allergies at the restaurant is "never again" for me, I can still eat something with the kids that day...and then just plan never to go back. And 3rd - don't worry about eating at Johnny Rocket's, especially at the free breakfast. You can and will do better just about everywhere. Lunch was El Loco Fresh for the kids and spouse and I got my Park Cafe regular and joined them there (carried my food and it was still great 7 floors higher). El Loco Fresh would have been another fail for me, except they did have fruit cups. But lunch is not made of fruit cups (but snacks can be)...Kids and spouse LOVED this and got 2nds, but I'll hopefully get their thoughts later for all the food... Dinner in the next post...

So, Day 3, the kids wanted to start trying the buffets. So, we headed to Windjammer for the 1st breakfast try. Since I was seeing family on land later, I didn't want to take any chances (and this was not the day I started asking for stuff...yet). So, I went with my normal home breakfast - a bowl of raisin bran with my brought oat milk and coffee (and 1/2 a banana - it wasn't quite the perfect ripeness for me to want more than half yet). The cereals are all in containers that can't be contaminated, and the bananas are served whole fruit, so it's an easy choice to be safe on a breakfast buffet. Nothing fancy (although my kids and spouse did fancy and hearty) on this day, but it made me feel good. And it was gettable in less than 5 minutes - sometimes, you just want fast allergy-safe food. The dining room can't really give you that, but there are options around, even without asking that can. Lunch was identical to yesterday at the Park Cafe and just as great. Now, they expected me, so it was faster to change gloves and get everything together. I swapped the fruit cup, got another 2 bags of chips (one for now, one for later) and then happily headed into port for the day. Dinner was Mexican night. Moving on from the green salad for now, I started with a shrimp cocktail, and then had a really awesome version of the Carne Asada for my main (the rice for this course has dairy, so they subbed in a baked potato). I'm a sucker for beef with any herby sauce and this beef both was again cooked perfectly and served hot. The beans and veg were also spot-on...and I was craving a hearty carb, so salt and olive oil on the potato fit the bill. Tonight's dessert was the 1st night both fresh berries (strawberries and blueberries) and sorbet came (the head waiter made this happen) - cherry sorbet. My kids started betting on which sorbet I would get, b/c I'd always ask if the vegan dessert or vegan ice cream of the night worked...and I always got sorbet. So, anyone taking note - if you have tree nut or mango allergies and want the vegan dining room dessert on a sold out ship with tons of special needs passengers - ummmm, well, let's say the sorbet is amazing - it's Talenti quality - nicely sour and super creamy. So, if you get disappointed, it won't be for long. And tea with sorbet (since I was always getting my pot) is a great end to hearty beef and seafood. I did attempt to pre-order a chicken option for night 4 - see if I actually manage any poultry this cruise next... Today's takeaway - there are fast and safe options on the buffet for allergies - and this will get expanded on the next 2 breakfasts at Solarium and a return to Windjammer...once I asked some questions! And I should add - I know I mentioned my late night snacks of chips, fruit, or my coming sweet. Post dining, around 9-9:30pm, my boys loved stopping at Cafe Promenade for an end of day treat. Sometimes, they got sweets. Sometimes they got sandwiches. Sometimes, they got both...and then hot chocolate. We also stopped at Park Cafe or Promenade (and once the Dog House) between 2-3pm for the pre-dinner treat for them on many day (or I shouldn't say "we" but "they" - they have aged out of the kid room, so they could roam without us). It was really nice to have the small treats around, and they loved so many of them. So don't worry if you eat light at some point. I was worried about no late night food available for them, but it is more around than you think with CP and Sorrento's.

Day 2 Main Takeaway - pre-orders work! So, on Day 1, I actually pre-ordered my Day 2 breakfast and dinner with the head waiter. I figured I'd go searching for an allergy safe lunch and check out the other possible venues. I'm a sucker for smoked salmon, but as you'll notice, the breakfast menu lists cream cheese, and that's a no go for me. But the head waiter said he'd make sure I could have any salmon bagel I wanted, so I pre-ordered a smoked salmon bagel with lettuce, tomato, and onion with a side of mayo. Again, I don't eat huge breakfasts, so this was all I ordered. And low and behold, I showed up with the family the next morning, mentioned my room number and pre-order (room number was now very important b/c the head chef was made aware overnight of my allergies and so everything was tracked by my room number from now on, although explaining to the front folks was still very valuable), and while my family ordered from menus, I never touched a menu. And when their food arrived, so did mine. And yes, I do love smoked salmon, especially when I'm not paying. It was great - the veg was fresh (and not wilted or like it was sitting hours), the salmon was abundant without being overwhelming, and the bagel was perfect. Breakfast was a win. At lunch, I decided to check the quick service, so being on the 5th floor, I avoided Sorrento's (obvious reasons) and headed to Cafe Promenade. And I asked if they had anything I could eat - and that was a no. Even the hummus with veg had dairy (yes, hummus has dairy on Symphony - see, with an allergy, don't assume, example #1). But they told me to check out the Park Cafe. So up to floor 8 I went. Park Cafe was a revelation. The Royal Kummelwheck sandwich can be made for my allergies relatively easily - the bread was one of the only breads on board with no nuts or dairy (yes, even the sourdough in buffets and the dining room has dairy - example #2 of don't assume - yes, I asked on night 1 in dining), the horseradish and surprisingly, the jus were both safe (the jus is just cooked down - no butter added to get that delishness), and the beef was beef. So, they swapped their gloves and made me a sandwich. And I lived on that sandwich for multiple lunches. It was SO good! And even better - Park Cafe had single serve Lay's plain chips bags. It was a hallelujah moment b/c I wanted just one salty snack on board, and I found it. They had 2 flavors a day - plain and a dairy one. But I only needed plain. Anytime I asked, they gave me 2 bags (although a few times, I took just one). Then, I'd grab a cup of fruit and have my normal sized daily lunch. Main takeaway - Park Cafe is the place to be for dairy/nut allergies. Pretty much no other quick service can tackle them (Sorrento's and Cafe Promenade have nothing - and I didn't bother checking the Dog House - when you probably can't have the bread or onions, is there anything sadder on a ship than a single plain dog?). But you don't need anything else b/c Park Cafe was soooooo good. Dinner #2 was in the dining room, and it was definitely a huge step up from the day before. While I again started with a green salad (it's French night - have you seen the possible options when the vegan soup apparently has tree nut?), I was able to have a version of the roasted beef tenderloin with a baked potato (see the use for olive oil and salt) and the asparagus. And it was a perfect cook on the beef and served hot, which EVERYTHING was this week. Hot food was hot, cold food was cold, and nothing really got delayed (except for a few minutes at the start of one night). The kitchen on a sold out ship with tons of special needs groups was on point. Did I say some folks needed an 11? I LOVED the main course - only thing I would change is grilling or roasting the asparagus vs steaming, but it's a quibble. And for dessert, I got raspberry sorbet with my tea. It was yummy, and a perfect ending. Since we had early dining, I may have had my 2nd bag of chips from Park Cafe as a bedtime snack. I alternated chips, fruit, and my coming Solarium/Hooked dessert on future nights. Finding the chips on day 2 just made everything easy b/c when you drink a ton of water and tea, sometimes you just want salt...and now I had it for free. Since the kids wanted to try the breakfast buffets on our port days, I now only ordered dinner for the next nights...stay tuned to see how buffets went.

Review of Food Allergy Dining. Main takeaway - you will not go hungry on Symphony and you will feel great (my spouse was so thrilled that I had no moment of allergy reaction anywhere...and everything was verified, checked, and perfect). I have dairy, tree nut, and mango allergies, down to the contamination level, so I knew I'd be kind of limited for dining. I was most concerned about being safe 1st, healthy 2nd, and full 3rd:). And I wanted to eat kind of like I do in life - simple small breakfast, regular lunch, and a splurgy dinner with a small dessert...and tea and water all day after morning coffee. Mission accomplished. Prior to boarding, I got approval to bring on 2 32oz oat milk containers b/c I can't drink almond milk and I detest soy milk. And I can't drink coffee black, nor go without one of my main sources of vitamin D and calcium for awhile. It was a breeze through security once I mentioned I had the approval letter and then RCCL got me a medical fridge to store my open milk (it was the perfect size for one). Once boarding, I can confirm the most chaotic eating for allergies is day one. It's insane for everyone. They don't know who filed forms who need allergies for contamination level vs not, who forgot to file forms, who has other dining needs (we had Autism of the Seas on board, so I imagine Main Dining was slammed with special requests ALL week), and the chaos of the 1st day. So I was happy to have a paid lunch booked (with Key). That lunch exceeded my 1st night dinner b/c they were pretty much willing to do anything to make sure I got food. Someone found me my only vegan ice cream of the week - a dark chocolate (that was tree nut free), someone made me a fruit plate to go with my filet mignon so I'd have a side (and that filet - WOW on the cook), someone found me my only ever dining room bread, and well, shrimp cocktail is great. So, it was a big lunch. At 1st dinner, it was rough for eating b/c it happened to be the night with mango sorbet and b/c there is no pre-ordering, so everyone is trying to figure things out on the fly. Night one does establish how well the rest of the week will go and will get you in touch with the head waiter, so while it will be a tough rough, GO and set things up. I was my waiter's 1st complex allergy, and he was amazing with it. We set up a plan to have lemons and olive oil on the table for me every night no matter what my preorder was. With lemon, olive oil, salt, and pepper (aka sour, salt, spice, and fat), you can flavor practically anything and if one plan fell through, well, a salad worked and could be dressed by me. I also found out they did not have a dedicated allergy fryer for my allergies (at least for this week - again, with the group, who knows what might be regular), so no fries for the week...or any fried item. That made ordering ahead easier. And the head waiter let me know some items come to the ship as-is, either in form (like some of the fish cakes) or in marinades, so some things were adaptable and some weren't, so we'd always pick 2 items for each category and he'd bring me what worked each night (whether it worked b/c of the allergy, or sometimes I think the kitchen timing). I totally understood him wanting 2 options, so he'd never disappoint me with no food for a course. He also let me know to stop ahead the night before for the paid lunch I had (and when I had my Solarium dinner, he called the night before the make sure it would work for me - I'm pretty sure that's part of the reason I was so well taken care of for those 2 meals - there was a lot of notice I was coming). On the 1st night, b/c of no pre-order, I had a green salad, a pan roasted fish filet (I didn't want the potato, although they offered), and a bowl of strawberries and blueberries with a pot of vanilla chai tea (I asked for sorbet, but as mentioned, it had mango, and they couldn't prep to do more on no notice). This was fine b/c I ate a big lunch (the day I had the Hooked lunch, I ate even less at dinner, even though I had my preorder - that was the one night I wish I could have told them to hold a course:). More to follow with days 2-7 in the next post...food will keep expanding (and I'll find out certain things, which normally don't have dairy, do have dairy on RCCL, so KEY TAKEAWAY - never assume, always ask)...

Just off Symphony. I don't know about the main dining vegan brownie, b/c every main dining vegan dessert either had tree nuts or was contaminated by tree nuts, BUT the Hooked dining room (which apparently also services the Solarium Buffet - that was a surprise) made me a vegan brownie that was tree nut free. And that dessert was spectacular. It was chewy, fudgy, soft, and had dark chocolate chips throughout. He gave me 2 when I dined in Solarium Buffet the night before my Hooked lunch...and then 3 at my Hooked lunch (yes, I walked all 5 out to my room b/c did I mention how much the chef served me at those 2 meals - I think he thought he was feeding my family of 5). Needless to say, I was very happy Main Dining never got around to replacing my evening sorbet and berries desserts b/c I did not let a brownie go to waste (although I may have let my youngest inhale my last one - they were too good to waste). And I can confirm - food was spectacular on the Symphony last week - even for folks with complex allergies like me (and for all the normal folks like the rest of my family)...more will be in my review... PS - The made-to-order mussels at the Hooked lunch - I have never had better mussels. It was not the exact menu item, but one for my allergies, and I can confirm that the chef in that area can cook at the finest dining establishments anywhere. And yes, I shared that one for the whole table b/c I got a whole pot before I was also getting salmon and lobster tail (and the brownies...and the shrimp salad and the bread - it was unbelievable how much I got served there - it made my family happy b/c they thought I had been eating light til then...and then I had those 2 meals back to back)...

Wow! Wow! I've been on Royal 4 times, all pre-Covid. None of those cruises was as good as last week's cruise. I know I've read a lot about cutbacks and about food and about declining service and amenities. None of that was apparent on Symphony. My spouse told me he changed his mind from taking a cruise somewhere within the next decade to now one in the next 2 years. Would it be Symphony again? Probably not, b/c now my kids want to see all the shows on all the Oasis ships. But if it was, that crew is spot on, and the cruisers out of Bayonne were some of the nicest and most supportive I've ever seen on a cruise. Now, I was an early to bed and early to rise sort, so I wasn't swinging chandeliers at midnight. But dang! I didn't know how much I missed cruising til I went on one. To this thread, I will also give a complex allergy food review and a Key review. But for now, I gotta make dinner, start laundry, unpack, and figure out if I can give 11s on the survey. -K PS - My kid took pics but I didn't...so I'll be wordy vs showy in the following posts...

Thank you for the info - that's an awesome return. Gonna keep my res for my cruise next week.

Does the solarium serve entrees at dinner or is it all buffet?

Right - I was paying for embarkation lunch either way (b/c WJ would be a disaster for allergies on the 1st lunch - way too much of a crush of people to handle any special needs), but now my exact location, needs, and time are known. It's probably the safest way to eat the 1st meal. But we'll see. I'm hoping for a dessert b/c the menu doesn't have one I can eat - if I get one, I'll be thrilled. If not, my teen boys will happily eat 2.

I'll let you know in about 10 days. I will say, my call to confirm my special needs went really well today - not sure if it's b/c I did buy the Key or if it's always that nice and helpful (b/c it's my 1st cruise with allergies as they are adult onset). I am most interested to see how embarkation lunch goes with the Key and multiple known food allergies.

RCCL doesn't charge you $200/person/day to visit the buffet, nor do you tip on a $200/person per day concept. You tip, what $6/day, to waitstaff in the mandatory tips (with the other $10-$12 to stateroom and then general staff)? So, per meal, if you eat breakfast, lunch, and dinner, you're leaving an equivalent $2/tip per person on the table for all the service you received at your meals. That's about the tip you'd leave at a land-based Golden Corral for a meal, not a served sit down meal, so they've pretty much put tips at the lowest tipping rate restaurant type for US restaurants.

The generic pool of all the folks continuously filling the buffet line, cleaning the buffet line, clearing the tables, cleaning the tables, cleaning and refilling the soda machine, cleaning up spills, etc, etc. This is why you leave tips on your account. Every one of their restaurant server staff takes shifts making sure the buffet is a pleasant, clean, and healthy experience for you.

You see the same evening servers rotate in and out of the buffet for lunch and breakfast. You can deny what it is, but by reducing tips b/c you don't think the buffet is tipped (don't go to Disney World with a group of 6 and go to a buffet - you'll be wildly shocked and dismayed), you are breaking US norms on a US-based cruise. This may explain why many non-US folks have had tips mandatory over the years, since workers take contracts based on the country's expected customs.

Buffet service is absolutely a tipped position in the US. All buffet restaurant meals should be tipped at US restaurants. So, if you cruise in the US, the expectation is ALL meals are tipped meals - breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

Tips are for all meals, whether you eat them in the buffet, sit down, or pay restaurants. So, even if you were to have dinner in the buffet all 7 nights, someone will be serving you on the buffet line and cleaning up after you from your table for dinner (as well as for lunch and breakfast). So, I'm not sure why you'd worry about reducing tipping. Just consider it a "done" part of cruise fare, and then ask for the service you need on board vs sitting back and then worrying you won't get it.

Having eaten a lot of restaurant and friend made allergy-safe food, I'm sure it's to make sure you actually like 1 of each course (b/c some can be bad - let's be honest) and have an option if you're not in the mood for what you ordered. I'd be thrilled if waitstaff had 2 apps and entrees planned for me next month (I'm not sure they'll manage 1 dessert if sorbet isn't on board)...

Question since I have a Hooked lunch - could your wife have preordered a fish appetizer vs a salad? Or was salad the only option they offered? I expect no dessert (so 2nd paid place with no sorbet or even option for a complex allergy that includes dairy), but I'll be bummed if all the apps are also no bueno except a salad...