Get rid of the buffets already!...

[gerryuk]

Since the airlines charge for bags in the hold at a certain weight, one thing that i and others do, is not take suits, dinner jackets and all, on my flight to the cruise ports. I, like many others are happy lounging it in a t shirt and shorts in the buffet.

If the buffets are closed down and we have to go to the MDR, will there be a "wear what you want policy" or will everybody be expected to dress up?

[c-boy]

15 hours ago, Lois R said:

Hi, but you made the comment that if you are "dining room affeciando", then you should not eat in the buffet.........you

really mean that? So the buffet should only allow certain people?  I enjoy both depending on what is being served. 

So to tell someone where to eat? I thought that would be in jest...........

ya unfortunately he really means it. An emotional by product of living in a gated community and nimby syndrome. 

[lenquixote66]

5 hours ago, ontheweb said:

The point is that this never would have been a problem at the buffet.

 

And I do not think the policy of not serving the soup/salad course until all appetizers were served was determined by the diner who was ordering every appetizer on the menu.

What if you and your wife were seated at the buffet and a couple sat down on the two empty seats next to you. You engaged in conversation with them and realized that one of them grew up in the same town as you.You both began to eat your food and the man ,let us call him Mannes brought 4 appetizers to the table.Would you wait for him to finish so that you could continue the conversation ?

[iancal]

Getting rid of the buffets on a cruise ship will not solve the covid challenge. There are many more challenges on the ship that are just as concerning. 

 

Why is that we always seem to look for a quick fix for a complex issue?

[clo]

5 hours ago, pacruise804 said:

Those I've seen on ships are the same as those I've seen on land.  If by fat you mean morbidly obese and confined to a scooter then I agree they probably aren't trying to climb.  If you mean an able bodied but heavy set there is no reason they can't climb.  I also agree with you that it requires a great deal of upper body strength and is not as easy as it looks 😉 

 

Our SIL has had a podcast, major sponsor Patagonia so it's the real deal, about climbing and other things outdoors. His best friend is in great shape but is just not the right shape for climbing. His wife/our daughter is a great climber, not in the league with her husband but very good.

 

[Lovincruisin1321]

On 2/14/2020 at 7:18 PM, TNcruising02 said:

I eat at the buffet at least once a day on every cruise.  After 15 cruises, I've never gotten sick.  I wash my hands after handling the utensils or use hand sanitizer and think that's the key.  Anyway, the buffet food is hit or miss.  As far as dinner buffets, I think Royal does it well with a great variety.  I always fill half of my plate with a salad when I eat at the buffet for lunch or dinner.  There is definitely more food waste at buffets.

I do really like the new buffet setup on the Panorama and wish they would do that in all of Carnival's ships.  It's set up in stations and so much easier to get something without waiting in long lines.  I think it would be disappointing if the cruise lines did away with buffets, although a food court sounds appealing.

Though you are doing your job washing hands before and after, have you given it some thought that as soon as you touch that handle of the serving utensil, you have just transferred germs unto your hands?   Yes, you have not gotten sick, but perhaps you were a carrier of a cold or flu and gotten someone else sick?   Were you talking during the line?  Sorry to inform you but buffets are the worst (and elevators/handrails) to transferring sickness.   Perhaps the best scenario if buffets are a must is to have staff (masked and gloved) serve food that is behind a Plexiglas window. 

[davekathy]

26 minutes ago, iancal said:

Getting rid of the buffets on a cruise ship will not solve the covid challenge. There are many more challenges on the ship that are just as concerning. 

 

Why is that we always seem to look for a quick fix for a complex issue?

Agree. I believe (at least for awhile) buffets will be different. No self serve. You walk to the different buffet islands and point out to a server your selection(s). The server then will plate your selection(s). You are free to go back as many times as you want. Same concept in RCs MDR on sea days when they have the Tutti Salad bar option. 

[ontheweb]

1 hour ago, lenquixote66 said:

What if you and your wife were seated at the buffet and a couple sat down on the two empty seats next to you. You engaged in conversation with them and realized that one of them grew up in the same town as you.You both began to eat your food and the man ,let us call him Mannes brought 4 appetizers to the table.Would you wait for him to finish so that you could continue the conversation ?

I'm sorry, Lenny, that makes no sense to me.

[TNcruising02]

26 minutes ago, Lovincruisin1321 said:

Though you are doing your job washing hands before and after, have you given it some thought that as soon as you touch that handle of the serving utensil, you have just transferred germs unto your hands?   Yes, you have not gotten sick, but perhaps you were a carrier of a cold or flu and gotten someone else sick?   Were you talking during the line?  Sorry to inform you but buffets are the worst (and elevators/handrails) to transferring sickness.   Perhaps the best scenario if buffets are a must is to have staff (masked and gloved) serve food that is behind a Plexiglas window. 

On my last cruise, I washed my hands in the sink inside the buffet area using the soap and water AFTER I handled the utensils for the buffet items but before I used my wrapped personal utensils.

 

I would still prefer that crew members serve the food so I wouldn't have to wash my hands twice before eating.  Plus,  I would prefer random people not have access to tubs of food.  Plexiglass is really a must.

[davekathy]

8 minutes ago, TNcruising02 said:

On my last cruise, I washed my hands in the sink inside the buffet area using the soap and water AFTER I handled the utensils for the buffet items but before I used my wrapped personal utensils.

 

I would still prefer that crew members serve the food so I wouldn't have to wash my hands twice before eating.  Plus,  I would prefer random people not have access to tubs of food.  Plexiglass is really a must.

I believe this will be happening (long over due) when cruising first resumes. Cafeteria style. 

Edited June 24, 2020 by davekathy

[lenquixote66]

1 hour ago, Lovincruisin1321 said:

Though you are doing your job washing hands before and after, have you given it some thought that as soon as you touch that handle of the serving utensil, you have just transferred germs unto your hands?   Yes, you have not gotten sick, but perhaps you were a carrier of a cold or flu and gotten someone else sick?   Were you talking during the line?  Sorry to inform you but buffets are the worst (and elevators/handrails) to transferring sickness.   Perhaps the best scenario if buffets are a must is to have staff (masked and gloved) serve food that is behind a Plexiglas window. 

Excellent post .

[sverigecruiser]

1 hour ago, davekathy said:

I believe this will be happening (long over due) when cruising first resumes. Cafeteria style. 

 

I agree with that. We will just skip the buffet and eat all our meals in the Yacht Club restaurant or any of the specialty restaurants, no problem.

[RonOhio]

8 hours ago, sverigecruiser said:

 

I wasn't quoting you when I wrote that. An experienced NCL cruiser have no reason to call someone a liar if they say that it was difficult to find someone who wanted to share a table when asking at the restaurant since that is a well known fact.

 

The restaurant is on the cruiseship so I don't understand what you mean. You may not find someone to share a table with when you arrive at the restaurant, on the cruiseship, but maybe if you ask someone earlier.

We just tell the hostess that we’d like to share our table, there are generally others who want to meet people on a cruise. We don’t do NCL, tried it once, had long waits to be seated at MDR.

[Ride-The-Waves]

8 hours ago, pacruise804 said:

I'm glad you have found a place you enjoy for all your meals.  We enjoy variety so we will occasionally enjoy a MDR breakfast/brunch but more often prefer al fresco dining for breakfast and will get plates from the buffet and sit on the open decks.  MDR is often not open for lunch, so do you want most cruisers to fast for that meal rather than enjoy the buffet offerings that they paid for with their cruise fare?

On land I sometimes enjoy cooking at home, other times picnics, and occasionally a nicer dinner out.  Why should I limit myself on a ship when they offer the different choices?

Choices are why most of us cruise.  Advocating for the removal of buffets is essentially demeaning those of us who believe buffets offer a better and safer dining experience.  Yes - dining vice eating. Have experienced too many formal 7 course "meals" is my lifetime, too many official functions, and too many formal "cocktail" parties.  That is not dining.  Today much prefer a quiet meal in a nice atmosphere.  That is usually not available on cruise ships, especially not in MDRs and not even in many "specialty" restaurants.  Have encountered many good people and had great conversations during evening buffets.  Social engagement is not limited to a loud, noisy, overcrowded MDR offering limited selections and served cool/cold.  Being served does not make one a social butterfly or connoisseur by any stretch of the imagination.  

 

In addition, I have been just about knocked over by people going to or leaving an MDR enroute to/from an evening show.  Very disturbing behavior.

Edited June 24, 2020 by Ride-The-Waves

[clo]

1 hour ago, sverigecruiser said:

We will just skip the buffet

Good heavens, after all these posts do you still not understand that a "buffet" and a "cafeteria" are not the same thing? And if you can have everything served to you that you would want t serve yourself, what IS the problem?

[ldubs]

15 minutes ago, Ride-The-Waves said:

Choices are why most of us cruise.  Advocating for the removal of buffets is essentially demeaning those of us who believe buffets offer a better and safer dining experience.  Yes - dining vice eating. Have experienced too many formal 7 course "meals" is my lifetime, too many official functions, and too many formal "cocktail" parties.  That is not dining.  Today much prefer a quiet meal in a nice atmosphere.  That is usually not available on cruise ships, especially not in MDRs and not even in many "specialty" restaurants.  Have encountered many good people and had great conversations during evening buffets.  Social engagement is not limited to a loud, noisy, overcrowded MDR offering limited selections and served cool/cold.  Being served does not make one a social butterfly or connoisseur by any stretch of the imagination.  

 

In addition, I have been just about knocked over by people going to or leaving an MDR enroute to/from an evening show.  Very disturbing behavior.

 

Understood, but if it is a "they serve" buffet instead of a "self serve" buffet, then you would really still have what you want.  To me it is just simple as that.   

 

We also frequently eat in the buffet and enjoy a quiet relaxing leisurely time there.  So I think I can relate to your preference.   

 

[clo]

21 minutes ago, Ride-The-Waves said:

 Advocating for the removal of buffets is essentially demeaning those of us who believe buffets offer a better and safer dining experience.

The "removal" will be accompanied by the same food but it is put on your plate as you stand right in front of it rather than you're serving yourself. I can't imagine a single cruise line not doing what I just described. 'Course if the EU and assorted countries and continents ban anyone from the US from entering, you won't have to worry about which venue suits you.

[Ride-The-Waves]

11 minutes ago, clo said:

The "removal" will be accompanied by the same food but it is put on your plate as you stand right in front of it rather than you're serving yourself. I can't imagine a single cruise line not doing what I just described. 'Course if the EU and assorted countries and continents ban anyone from the US from entering, you won't have to worry about which venue suits you.

May not "have to worry" in any case.  Cruise lines are researching this issue and proposing options.  With the expected reduction in numbers of passengers per cruise and the need for social distancing and even masks many of these dining venues will need to be changed/updated.  

[clo]

2 minutes ago, Ride-The-Waves said:

May not "have to worry" in any case.

So tell, what's your issue if you get the same food either way? And if you're just averse to any change, please say so. My late MIL was like that.

[ldubs]

10 minutes ago, clo said:

Good heavens, after all these posts do you still not understand that a "buffet" and a "cafeteria" are not the same thing? And if you can have everything served to you that you would want t serve yourself, what IS the problem?

 

I'm not sure you fully understand that you just said buffets and cafeteria are not the same.  

 

[clo]

1 minute ago, ldubs said:

 

I'm not sure you fully understand that you just said buffets and cafeteria are not the same.  

 

They are not the same thing. A buffet is where you serve yourself. A cafeteria is where someone serves you and then hands you your plate. At least that's how I define it and I thought this thread had decided that also. If not, then please define them for me. TIA,

[ldubs]

17 minutes ago, clo said:

They are not the same thing. A buffet is where you serve yourself. A cafeteria is where someone serves you and then hands you your plate. At least that's how I define it and I thought this thread had decided that also. If not, then please define them for me. TIA,

 

I know the definitions.  I thought you were trying to make the case they were the same because you would be able to get the same food regardless.  That, right after you said they are not the same.   I found it confusing but my mistake.  So now I just don't understand why you express amazement or shock whatever it was you were trying for because someone prefers a speciality restaurant over a cafeteria.  

Edited June 24, 2020 by ldubs

[clo]

1 minute ago, ldubs said:

 

I know the definitions.  I thought you were trying to make the case they were the same because you would be able to get the same food regardless.  That, right after you said they are not the same.   I found it confusing but my mistake.  So now I just don't understand why you express amazement or shock whatever it was you were trying for because someone prefers a speciality restaurant over a cafeteria.  

LOL. This has gone so far beyond "whipping a dead horse." It seems that some only want a venue (not going to use the "b" or "c" word) where they get to use utensils or their fingers and put the food on their plate rather than someone else doing it for them. If they can't have it their way then they'll go to a specialty. You and I are perfect; can't speak for the others lol 🙂

[ontheweb]

1 hour ago, clo said:

Good heavens, after all these posts do you still not understand that a "buffet" and a "cafeteria" are not the same thing? And if you can have everything served to you that you would want t serve yourself, what IS the problem?

I don't care; I'm still going to call it a buffet as opposed to the dining rooms.😘😘

[getting older slowly]

2 hours ago, clo said:

Good heavens, after all these posts do you still not understand that a "buffet" and a "cafeteria" are not the same thing?

 

1 hour ago, clo said:

 This has gone so far beyond "whipping a dead horse."

 

So Ladies and Gentlemen... can we call time..... orders for last drinks please