Eating dinner in the Buffet

We were wondering what people think about eating dinner at the buffet on the Eclipse? We used the dining room on our last Celebrity cruise. We would like to hear what people think.

Karen and Jamie:)

We were wondering what people think about eating dinner at the buffet on the Eclipse? We used the dining room on our last Celebrity cruise. We would like to hear what people think.

 

 

Karen and Jamie:)

We cruised on the Eclipse last summer and some days we had dinner at the buffet. In the middle of the cruise they started to offer grilled steaks, cooked to order by a chef. It was a great offer for those long days that we didn't want to go to the MDR. I don't think that I will like to eat there every night, though. :):)

There will be pizza and pasta, an entree and some sides, salads, desserts. Usually some grilled items made to order (chicken , salmon, steak). Not elegant but you won't starve. Popular with teenagers who are ducking out of eating with their parents, people who have just come on from excursions and don't want to change clothes. Try it for yourselves one night and you can make up your mind if it suits you.

We did both on our Mediterranean cruise last year. We had chosen early sitting for the MDR and sometimes this seemed just too much of a rush. So we ate in the evening a few times in the Oceanview which suited my other half as he is a meatball and pasta fan! For my upcoming cruise I have booked select dining and am now worried a little that he will opt out of the more formal experience altogether as a pasta diet near suits him....he is not a "foodie". Whilst I can be flexible I wouldn't wish to eat in the buffet all the time.

I enjoyed the MDR and we were seated on a table of 8 and we got on really well with our dinner companions as they were lovely people. Celebrity had arranged an excellent mix of ages and I think our German dinner companions were quite at ease with the 2 British couples and my American OH and myself - English.

They have excellent curries in the evening at the buffet too. We ate them a couple of times when we needed a "spice fix"!

We have eaten dinner at the Oceanview buffet. This was not planned in advance as we like dining in the MDR. But because the tuxedo rental co sent an incorrect size formal shoe & my DH only had casual brown walking shoes we ended up at the buffet for the 3 formal nights . It was a pleasant surprise & we enjoyed the grilled to order steak, chicken, etc .

It is one of many very good options on every Celebrity Ship. Where on other Lines it is a second rate option. Ask the right person and they will bring you the MDR menu to make your choice from!

As incredible as this may sound, it is a true story.

Last year we sailed on Celebrity (Equinox), and there was a family of 4 that ate the buffet - - or at the pool grill - - every morning, noon and night (so they said!).

They actually bragged to others that they were planning on having the daily dining room gratuity removed from their bill at the end of the cruise because they never set foot in the MDR!

They missed a lot of wonderful meals for a few extra bucks.

We have eaten dinner at the Oceanview buffet. This was not planned in advance as we like dining in the MDR. But because the tuxedo rental co sent an incorrect size formal shoe & my DH only had casual brown walking shoes we ended up at the buffet for the 3 formal nights . It was a pleasant surprise & we enjoyed the grilled to order steak, chicken, etc .

I am happy you enjoyed the buffet, but really - what shoes one wears with a tux is not an issue. There was no need to avoid the MRD because of brown shoes and a black suit/tux. I just spent 14 days on board the Eclipse and can honestly say I NEVER noticed the shoes anyone was wearing.

enjoy whatever dining option you select

M

We never go to the MDR. If we don't eat in the buffet, we eat at Bistro on Five or Qsine. I have stopped packing formal clothes entirely. It really depends on the what you want out of your cruise. I have found the buffet to be excellent on Celebrity.

We did a Summit B2B last January and had a few meals in the buffet. It was almost empty, very quiet (especially compared to the MDR on the second formal night), and quite relaxing. I think we wound up there the first time because the MDR menus repeated each week nothing excited us enough for a repeat. And it was really nice sitting up higher and watching the sea and ships go by through those huge windows.

j

As incredible as this may sound, it is a true story.

-----------They actually bragged to others that they were planning on having the daily dining room gratuity removed from their bill at the end of the cruise because they never set foot in the MDR!

They missed a lot of wonderful meals for a few extra bucks.

I think the gratuity has to be removed at the BEGINNING of the cruise, as it is taken from your account, daily.

Celebrity started doing this, as many diners used to miss going into the MDR on the last night, so they avoided paying their 'tips.'

I actually prefer to pay our gratuities before we sail, which we have to do anyway, as we have Select Dining.

On our recent Summit Canada/New England voyage we ate at the buffet frequently. The first night, especially, we wanted to be outside during sail-awy. Then the second night we ate in the MDR Select. It was so noisy and cramped, a table really for 6 we had 8. We decided not to eat in the MDR, and eat in the buffet or specialty venues, which worked out fine for us. The steak/chicken/pork to order and pasta bar sufficed, and we had a nice quiet dinner with a table near the windows. A bonus was that on our cruise we had elite drink coupons and could use them for a glass of wine with dinner.

We did eat at Blu twice for dinner, and that experience was not what we had on the Equinox (we had a suite). In the future we will consider the buffet as a major dining choice.

We rarely go to the MDR on the newer Celebrity ships, feel the MDR is too crowded and noisy. So instead, we do a late lunch from items we pick up at the buffet, great selection, take back to our cabin, enjoy lunch on our balcony if weather permits. We skip dinner, since we eat a late lunch, if we get hungry later we have a snack or dessert at the buffet.

Works out well for us. Early evening, we dress and go out and enjoy the entertainment that is available.

On our recent Summit Canada/New England voyage we ate at the buffet frequently. The first night, especially, we wanted to be outside during sail-awy. Then the second night we ate in the MDR Select. It was so noisy and cramped, a table really for 6 we had 8. We decided not to eat in the MDR, and eat in the buffet or specialty venues, which worked out fine for us. The steak/chicken/pork to order and pasta bar sufficed, and we had a nice quiet dinner with a table near the windows. A bonus was that on our cruise we had elite drink coupons and could use them for a glass of wine with dinner.

We did eat at Blu twice for dinner, and that experience was not what we had on the Equinox (we had a suite). In the future we will consider the buffet as a major dining choice.

Reading your comments, we basically came to the same conclusion regarding the MDR and BLU. We booked Aqua class on the Eclipse a year ago, it was okay not outstanding. We booked the Silhouette for a Mediterranean cruise in October 2014, we booked a 1B cabin, figure the money we saved on the cabin (all balcony cabins are the same), we could use for a speciality restrauant if we want. Most likely we will be more than happy with the buffet.

Thanks for the tip on the elite drink coupons, good idea.

This post really intrigues us . We are leaving in march on the Silhouette and are considering for the first time to possibly give up the md for 3-4 nights in the specialty restaurants with maybe 2 nights in the buffet and maybe 1-2 on our balcony.

While I like the MDR, we usually alternate between the MDR and buffet, eating half our meals at each. We don't usually bring formal clothes anymore -- so when Blu is not an option, we usually go to the buffet on formal nights. This upcoming one, we actually booked a specialty dining package -- so may go to the MDR a couple nights, 3 nights at the specialty restaurant and the rest either room service or the buffet.

I love the stir fry station in the buffet. Was a bit too salty last time but the cook got it down towards the end of the cruise.

Does the Equinox still have the pasta bar and stir fry station in the buffet at dinner?

Just an interesting story. On our recent 14 night cruise on the eclpise we saw a young family on night 11 whom we had seen previously on a beach earlier in the cruise. We asked them how they were enjoying themselves, and the said much better now as the had just found out they could eat in the MDR. They thought that since they had select dining and not a set seating time it meant they were to eat in the buffet. I felt bad for them, but the kids didn't seem to mind the constant diet of pizza.

We have started eating less dinners in the MDR. Usually make every other cruise casual and take no formal clothes. On every cruise split evening dining between MDR, buffet, and specialty restaurants. There are just several days we do not feel like getting changed for dinner. This is suppose to be a vacation and my goal is to RELAX.

Does the Equinox still have the pasta bar and stir fry station in the buffet at dinner?

Just got off on Friday, and yes it does! We loved Equinox.

Just got off on Friday, and yes it does! We loved Equinox.

thank you...can't wait

On our first cruise last year on Equinox, we ate in the buffet on the formal dining evenings. My husband doesn't like dressing up in black tie and as he wears a suit to work every day doesn't want to dress in one on holiday! Plus flying to get to the boat means we have to pack fairly light anyway. The buffet was fully open and fairly quiet. We enjoyed the food there and took our plates out to the open end. You can get drinks at the bar in the buffet. We enjoyed eating in the MDR - it's just the dressing up thing!

I was interested to see what one poster mentioned about the family who hadn't known they could eat in the MDR. As inexperienced cruisers I'd say it can be hard to know what to do etc - we'd have been pretty lost without cruisecritic!

Deleted...wrong thread

This post really intrigues us . We are leaving in march on the Silhouette and are considering for the first time to possibly give up the md for 3-4 nights in the specialty restaurants with maybe 2 nights in the buffet and maybe 1-2 on our balcony.

Some nights we want a full meal, and others we only want a light snack.

We greatly enjoy having dinner from the main dining room menu on our balcony, but would not want to do that every night for an entire cruise.

On our first couple of cruises we looked forward to dinners in the main dining room.

But once the novelty wore off, on following cruises after several nights in the main dining room we would realize that we were tired of it and ready for something different.

We would not want to have dinner in the same restaurant night after night on land either.

The ship's staff members often eat dinner at the buffet, and we have had interesting conversations with some of the officers and entertainers we met up there.