Buffet Set Up

[kayred]

I have read a number of reviews with people who talk about how confusing the buffets are set up. I have not been on a cruise before so I don't have experience here. HOWEVER I do live in Las Vegas and well......Las Vegas does have it's share of buffets.

 

From what I have read about the buffets it sounds like the buffets on the ship are like they are now in Vegas. There is no casino on the strip (or even any major Casino anywhere in town) that still uses the single line buffet. It's not praticle and it makes for VERY long lines. Having food in stations makes it much easier to get the type of food you want, without waiting for the entire line.

 

Here in Vegas the food is seperated according to the temperature and then the type. For example if it is a cold item...butter, salad dressings, sour cream, even cold shrimp etc would probably be with the salads because they need to be kept cold. The bread may or may not be there. The bread is probably at a warm station (so the bread stays warm). The hot food stations here are set up according to the type of food. There would be an american station, a mexican station etc. I doubt the ship would have so many choices so I am not sure how they split the warm food up. The deserts would have their own station as would the carving station.

 

This setup is nice also because you don't have to hold so many plates. Grab one plate and get a nice salad at the salad station. Then when done you go back to the other station and just fill up your dinner plate. Then go and fill up your desert plate. No more balance 2 or 3 plates just so you don't have to wait in line again.

 

I am trying to give a basic idea of how the layout would be so that it would be easier for you to find what you want. It is true people walk in all different locations and at times it is hard to tell if you are in the front or the back of the line. But this is not a problem because the truth is there is no front or back of a line (exception...carving or specialty station).

 

I hope this helps some of you have a general idea of how the buffet may be set up. Personally I am not a big fan of the buffet, but they are VERY easy with my boys and at least here in town they are usually good for breakfast if there is an egg station.

[Toto2Kansas]

I think the main problem that ships have in their buffet areas is that there just isn't enough space for the buffets. It does become very clustered as lines are not really there but just a mass of people going in all directions. The foods are seperated like in Las Vegas style buffets, but there just doesn't seem to be enough room to get to each station as someone is always backpeddleing. :) Plus there are masses of people all there at the prime times.

[Cruisin' Chick]

I've been on the Sapphire so let me see if I can explain the Horizon Court. There are two sides, each with its own entrance. If selections are being changed (say from breakfast to lunch), one side is closed and a sign is posted at the entrance as such. You can still enter the other side. When you get to where the food is there is, there is a hand sanitizer. After you use it, you get a plate and silverwear (sometimes there's a waiter to hand that stuff to you) and then get in line for the entrees. People skip around to get to the section they want. Think of it as a rectangle. Two sides and the top have entrees (breakfast juices), soups, etc. The lower side will have the desserts, breads, fruits. The internal part has a salad bar.

 

You get your food and then exit out into the eating area. If you can't find an empty table, you can go to the other side of the Horizon and look. Rarely have we had a problem finding an empty table.

 

Hope this helps. If someone has a better explanation (I imagine someone does), please join in.

[Twaincruisers]

My first Princess cruise was on the Golden and I am not looking forward to the buffet on the Sea in Dec. All modern ships have some form of the island system; some still have fairly long lines plus islands. The problem with Princess is that they take several islands, cram them in a closet, and then put two lines into the closet going in opposite directions. Dumbest island system of any cruise line. There are constant collisions. Other cruise lines have a line near the center of their food court and islands all around the outside; they don't cram the islands into a closet. I have seen numerous comments here that this does not matter to other Princess cruisers, because they eat in the dining room...but a whole lot of people still try to cram themselves into those closets and the system doesn't work at peak times.

[MaryPoppinz]

From what I have read about the buffets it sounds like the buffets on the ship are like they are now in Vegas.

 

Exactly. Different scale, same set-up.

[susancruzs]

I just got off the Sea and really didn't think the set up was that bad. People tend to try and line up (like a long buffet line) and don't realize they don't have to stand in line. Yes, there could be more space but then there would not be enough tables.

 

I found that the first 2 days of each cruise were a little hectic but once people got the idea it settled down alot. Of course, I never go at 12 noon either or between 8 and 9 a.m.! :-)

 

Susie

[sherman931]

Being a "hunter-gatherer" I enjoy the challenge of the buffet.

[Stevesan]

The Las Vegas comparison is very appropriate. There are a number of separate islands. Initially it can be confusing, but it's easy to adapt. I certainly prefer the "island" concept to the single line buffet. Once you learn the layout, it's easy to become an efficient hunter/gatherer.

[DesrtDrmr]

The Las Vegas buffets have much larger "islands", and they are mostly in a row, except maybe the desserts, and/or the salads, which is not the case on the Princess ships I have been on. There is some confusion in Las Vegas, but not nearly as bad as on the Princess ships. There is enough room around the stations in Las Vegas, and on the Princess ships, it is crowded and chaotic at busy times during the day. In the Horizon Court, we get bumped, squeezed out of a line, have people jump in front of us, saying things like "well, I just need a little butter", so, therefore, one is not supposed to mind. The drinks are at a completely different place, and there are no trays, which makes it difficult to carry everything, stop and get a drink, and find a table. In Las Vegas, there is a server to take your drink orders and bring your drinks.

I love Princess, but the mechanics of Horizon Court are the thing I most dislike about the ships I've been on. The food is fine, the Horizon Court workers are very efficient and helpful, but oh, I do wish they'd fix that set up.

[houstoncruisers2001]

Sometimes with these different "stations" you end up cutting in front of someone by accident. It's hard to tell exactly where the lines are or if there is a line at all. I found out the hard way when this old coot started bad mouthing me because I ended up in front of him when I started off behind him. I didn't think there was a set pattern to these stations, but evidently he did. I wasn't very happy about the situation, but I figured my wife would divorce me if I caused a bigger scene, so I didn't. Anyway, the sight of a fourtysomething bopping a ninetysomething because the ninetysomething couldn't wait an extra 10 seconds to get to his prunes would have been hard to explain.

 

Been to Vegas, many, many times. Compared to their buffets, the Horizon Court is a madhouse. Also, I thought the RCCL Windjammer Cafe was set up better overall.

[Pam in CA]

I have to admit that I've never had a problem with the buffet "stations." Yes, there's sometimes a line but compared to the RCI Windjammers that I've been to, they're a dream. (Somehow, waiting 30+ minutes in a line in the Windjammer isn't my cup of tea and god forbid you want to go back for 2nds of anything. Anything is better than that!)

 

I adjust my schedule accordingly and try to get to the buffet after the mad rush and if I have to go between, say, Noon and 1PM, I go to the dining room where the food is better and it's much more relaxed.

[Cruisin' Chick]

It's a bit frustrating to be waiting in line behind people who are spending minutes deciding what to take...and then discover you don't care for any of the choices. Maybe there should be a sign placed so you can preselect your items. If you rather have the ones on the other side (where the soup, alternative items are, you should be able to join a separate line). Of course, the salad bar and the dessert bar have their own lines.

[Shifra]

I feel compelled to add my experiences to this discussion. I personally like the Princess buffet set-up over other cruiselines. It is designed for stations which make it easier to get what you want in a timely manner. If you go at busy dinner times you may find "mini" lines at various points. I think the problem some folks have could be resolved if Princess explained this better. Most cruisers are used to waiting and moving in lines past foods they have no desire to eat just to get to what they want.

 

Princess has solved this problem and some people don't realize it!!

[Pam in CA]

It's a bit frustrating to be waiting in line behind people who are spending minutes deciding what to take...and then discover you don't care for any of the choices. Maybe there should be a sign placed so you can preselect your items. If you rather have the ones on the other side (where the soup' date=' alternative items are, you should be able to join a separate line). Of course, the salad bar and the dessert bar have their own lines.[/quote']Hmmm... I've always seen a menu on a stand right as you enter the buffet for lunch so that you can see what's being served.

[caribbean2000]

Excuse me for being just a little cynical but I think if some of the people who get so upset in the Horizon Court would just reeelaaaxxxx.... take it easy, and realize that the kitchen WON'T run out of food, you WILL get what you want, and anyway, what's the big rush??? You're on vacation for goodness sake! There is very little danger that you will starve to death! Here's a hint if you want to avoid most of the crowded conditions - DON'T go to the Horizon Court between 8 and 9 a.m. or noon and 1 p.m. - eat earlier or later. Or order room service. Relax and enjoy!

[BrianandKaren]

Excuse me for being just a little cynical but I think if some of the people who get so upset in the Horizon Court would just reeelaaaxxxx.... take it easy, and realize that the kitchen WON'T run out of food, you WILL get what you want, and anyway, what's the big rush??? You're on vacation for goodness sake! There is very little danger that you will starve to death! Here's a hint if you want to avoid most of the crowded conditions - DON'T go to the Horizon Court between 8 and 9 a.m. or noon and 1 p.m. - eat earlier or later. Or order room service. Relax and enjoy!

 

Exactly!!! We ate at the buffet everynight on the Star and NEVER had a problem with lines or running out of foods. BUT then again we also did not go at "prime times" so we could avoid a line if it should happen to occur. You have to go against the ingrained idea of no butting and just go up to what you want and get it then "poof" no lines!

[catmand]

We never had a problem with Horizon Ct. on the Princess ships. As Caribbean 2000 wrote, don't go at peak time. For all those who think it is confusing etc. wait until you try it a couple of times and then go back to the "old standard".

On Celebrity ships, yes everything is nice and neat and all in a row, but when all you want is that little box of cereal and you get the "elbow" or the "evil eye" even after having to say, "excuse me but ..........." Or worse, the guy on your right is leaning so far over to his left because he is either, afraid you are going to get that piece of herring that he really wants, or he is going to kiss you and I think you may long for the "confusion" of the Islands.

Maybe it is just us but we longed for those Islands after those buffet lines.

[MaryPoppinz]

I think the problem some folks have could be resolved if Princess explained this better. Most cruisers are used to waiting and moving in lines past foods they have no desire to eat just to get to what they want.

 

That's a good idea. A simple sign that suggests moving directly to the stations you wish you to use, rather than forming one continuous line, would probably resolve the first-day problems. After that, usually everyone figures it out.

[Cruisin' Chick]

"Hmmm... I've always seen a menu on a stand right as you enter the buffet for lunch so that you can see what's being served."

 

I was talking more about a sign over the stations. That way, you're not standing in the wrong line. Like Mary said: " A simple sign that suggests moving directly to the stations you wish you to use, rather than forming one continuous line, would probably resolve the first-day problems. After that, usually everyone figures it out."

[Genessa]

We've never had a problem with Princess' buffet stations, but didn't realize why until I read the original post.

Not that we do Vegas often, but we do do Atlantic City more than a few times a year and always do the buffets there.

 

Stations are wonderful and make it easier to eat in courses or just eat one course without having to wait on a line. It is those who think there is a line, rather than many smaller stations that get frustrated and frustrate others.

 

As far as timing, we go when we want to eat, and the only time we ever run into a table shortage is when the ship docks early.