Lunch and dinner in the main restaurants

[bassbandit]

Hi,

Just back from a cruise on the Preziosa, my 4th with an MSC ship.

The meals have been reduced from 7 courses down to 3 and very small portions at that, one main course of lasagne was about a 2.5" square in the centre of the plate and that was it !! Also there is now buffet self service in the main dining rooms at breakfast and lunch times combined with the expected waiter service. This is causing absolute chaos and after all there is a large buffet self service restaurant on deck 14 for those that wish to dine that way, please keep the main dining rooms waiter only service.

Can anyone tell me if the above just applies to this ship or is it a fleet wide change of policy ?

Many thanks for your interest.

[Beamafar]

I, for one, love the buffet set-up in the MDR. I've experienced it on Sinfonia, Fantasia and Magnifica since it was introduced. I've never experienced chaos, absolute or not.

 

As to the menus being reduced from 7 courses (appetisers, salads, soups, Italian, main, dessert & cheese) to 3 courses, really all that's happened is that the soups and salads are now incorporated into the starters (though with only 1 of each, whereas there used to be a choice of 2) and the Italian (pasta and risotto dishes) are now included in the mains course.

[Greselda2251]

Hello Bea....

 

Thank you so much for your reply. We will be on the new Seaside on 2/17/18 eastern caribbean and are very excited, and love your experiences on MSC:D

[Beamafar]

Hello Bea....

 

Thank you so much for your reply. We will be on the new Seaside on 2/17/18 eastern caribbean and are very excited, and love your experiences on MSC:D

 

That's really very nice of you to say - much appreciated! :) Hope you have a wonderful cruise on Seaside - it looks amazing.

[1fifthavenue]

I second you there Bea, I think the buffet set up at breakfast and lunch helps take some of the pressure off - easier to choose our own pastries / cereals or bread etc. It also means there are a couple more options than what is on the menu, we often have a look at both

[Beamafar]

I second you there Bea, I think the buffet set up at breakfast and lunch helps take some of the pressure off - easier to choose our own pastries / cereals or bread etc. It also means there are a couple more options than what is on the menu, we often have a look at both

 

When we were on Magnifica 4 weeks ago, they had sweet & sour pork on the buffet twice. As I've already posted elsewhere, MSC is the ONLY place I eat S&S. On one of those days, they also had a beef stew which I also had a helping of, it was so good! Being able to see it makes it easier to decide if it appeals (I'm a fussy eater!).

 

DH nearly always eats from the menu and I nearly always end up at the buffet - it's the best of both for us. Plus, it's much easier to get drinks orders at the table than in the MDR, not to mention being seated at a nicely dressed table.

[hdowney]

I noticed they'd condensed the menus (from looking at people's pics!). And yea Bea I noticed the main difference since they put soups into starters was there wasn't as many, but other than that all the courses are there, and if you want a soup, app, italian, main, cheese and dessert go ahead and order all of them. You are on vacation after all!!!

[1fifthavenue]

I noticed they'd condensed the menus (from looking at people's pics!). And yea Bea I noticed the main difference since they put soups into starters was there wasn't as many, but other than that all the courses are there, and if you want a soup, app, italian, main, cheese and dessert go ahead and order all of them. You are on vacation after all!!!

 

This is exactly what we do :cool: We were on a B2B when the menu changed for the second leg - we were surprised but it wasn't an issue to still create the menu we would usually like

[Preziosa]

I Think it s a goog idea with buffet in MD at lunch. The choises are Very good when you Can nix with buffet and a la carte

[Grandma of 4]

If you are in the YC can you still go to the buffet in the MDR for lunch or is there also a buffet in the YC dining room?

[jkrislc]

If you are in the YC can you still go to the buffet in the MDR for lunch or is there also a buffet in the YC dining room?

 

Yes!

[Beamafar]

If you are in the YC can you still go to the buffet in the MDR for lunch or is there also a buffet in the YC dining room?

 

You can certainly have lunch in the MDR, though if you're in YC why would you want to - food is better in YC!

 

There is no buffet area in the YC restaurant - there's a small one in the Top Sail Lounge for breakfast and then snacks throughout the day and another small one at the bar in the One Pool for breakfast and lunch.

[Beamafar]

....... it's much easier to get drinks orders at the table than in the MDR, not to mention being seated at a nicely dressed table.

 

That should read "It's easier to get drinks orders at the table in the MDR than in the buffet".

[GOLDENBONNY]

Hi,

Just back from a cruise on the Preziosa, my 4th with an MSC ship.

The meals have been reduced from 7 courses down to 3 and very small portions at that, one main course of lasagne was about a 2.5" square in the centre of the plate and that was it !! Also there is now buffet self service in the main dining rooms at breakfast and lunch times combined with the expected waiter service. This is causing absolute chaos and after all there is a large buffet self service restaurant on deck 14 for those that wish to dine that way, please keep the main dining rooms waiter only service.

Can anyone tell me if the above just applies to this ship or is it a fleet wide change of policy ?

Many thanks for your interest.

We had it on Musica and I absolutely love it. No chaos and very convenient . what do you mean by 3 course? There is soups,salad, pastas ,main course and desert and you can order as many as you want.

[GOLDENBONNY]

I, for one, love the buffet set-up in the MDR. I've experienced it on Sinfonia, Fantasia and Magnifica since it was introduced. I've never experienced chaos, absolute or not.

 

As to the menus being reduced from 7 courses (appetisers, salads, soups, Italian, main, dessert & cheese) to 3 courses, really all that's happened is that the soups and salads are now incorporated into the starters (though with only 1 of each, whereas there used to be a choice of 2) and the Italian (pasta and risotto dishes) are now included in the mains course.

I believe some people call chaos all things they not used to:rolleyes:

[spidybabe]

We didn't have that on our sailing on the Divina. No buffet in the MDR at breakfast or lunch. Food was good all over the ship, and the pizza was absolutely the best ever.

Safe sailing

[CGTNORMANDIE]

If you are in the YC can you still go to the buffet in the MDR for lunch or is there also a buffet in the YC dining room?

 

Yes...you can go to the Buffet if you are in the YC. It is a separate area and not in the MDR. The YC dining room is separate from the MDR and does not have a buffet. I hope this makes sense...lol.

[Beamafar]

Yes...you can go to the Buffet if you are in the YC. It is a separate area and not in the MDR.

 

The question was "If you are in the YC can you still go to the buffet in the MDR for lunch", CGTN. Apparently this set-up doesn't exist on Divina but it's on most other MSC ships.

 

However, I accept that it needed pointing out that there is a dedicated buffet separate to the MDR set-up.

 

I have to say that when we're in YC, we would never consider eating outside of the enclave. Perhaps that's because we sail more often in steerage, so when we are in YC we make the most of it!

[hdowney]

The question was "If you are in the YC can you still go to the buffet in the MDR for lunch", CGTN. Apparently this set-up doesn't exist on Divina but it's on most other MSC ships.

 

However, I accept that it needed pointing out that there is a dedicated buffet separate to the MDR set-up.

 

I have to say that when we're in YC, we would never consider eating outside of the enclave. Perhaps that's because we sail more often in steerage, so when we are in YC we make the most of it!

 

Having read the menus from the YC on your last YC cruise review, and now reading the menus on your current cruise review where you are in 'steerage'!, whilst they are not bad, I can pretty safely say that apart from specialty, and perhaps the odd snack from the coffee bar, I will eat YC most all the time!!!

[canny_cruiser]

I've read this thread with interest as I had no idea MSC had reduced the number of courses at dinner in their MDR since my Poesia cruise in March. I did used to enjoy the pasta course. They had already introduced the lunchtime buffet but it was also possible to order from a menu and be served at table.

 

I am trying out YC for the first time next week so hopefully won't be affected too much by the change.

[Beamafar]

I've read this thread with interest as I had no idea MSC had reduced the number of courses at dinner in their MDR since my Poesia cruise in March. I did used to enjoy the pasta course. They had already introduced the lunchtime buffet but it was also possible to order from a menu and be served at table.

 

I am trying out YC for the first time next week so hopefully won't be affected too much by the change.

 

You can still enjoy the "pasta course" - just choose the pasta dish that's now incorporated in the "main course" section.

[canny_cruiser]

You can still enjoy the "pasta course" - just choose the pasta dish that's now incorporated in the "main course" section.

Thank you, Bea, you are a wealth of information!

 

Looking at your sig, I see you have done several YC cruises so I'd like to ask you a question which is a bit off-topic for this thread.

 

Male attire for Gala nights in YC?

 

I've done many Grand Voyages and always take a tux. Although, ship-wide, I find tux in the minority, I'd have felt out of place at my dinner table without it as we Brits seem to favour it.

 

In YC, I believe I may have a table to myself so there will be no peer pressure to conform. However, I don't want to look out of place in the YC restaurant by wearing a blazer & chinos on the Gala nights if most are in tux.

 

Can you advise, given your experience, on what I should wear?

[Beamafar]

We haven't done any GVs in YC - only sailings in the Med where the demographic is different. I would say that more men wore either suits or jackets & pants than dinner suits. It's very noticeable how few tuxes are worn now.

 

We're going on Splendida's GV in YC next March and DH is taking his tux with him. We're also shopping for a nice sports jacket for him to bring for other evenings as I'm tired of seeing him in the same navy blazer he's been wearing for the last few cruises!

 

I find, generally speaking, that people are more inclined to dress up for gala nights (now known on MSC as "Elegance" night) on the repos. Perhaps it's to do with a more laid-back, relaxing atmosphere onboard and more days at sea so everyone has time to make the effort. If, however, you're happy enough to just wear a blazer and chinos, you won't be out of place. YC is much more relaxed and sedate than steerage. Whatever you choose to do, be comfortable and enjoy - you're on your holliers!

[canny_cruiser]

Many thanks, Bea.

 

Yes, the shorter Med cruises are different. I saw only 2 males in tux - a father and his very young son- - on my West Med in 2015. I only toook a blazer and was still the best dressed at my table! I keep in touch with some of my table buddies who were from US. He's already offered to send me his best Arsenal shirt for the Gala night in YC! LOL.

[1fifthavenue]

We have our first YC GV planned in for April, and I think we shall take our usual lounge suits rather than dinner suits. We just have a feeling that the dinner suit is a very British thing - our lounge suits are more 'fashionable' and better quality than the dinner suits, which only get an outing for the hunt ball and other such occasions.

 

On previous grand voyage the tuxedo was in the minority.