Will the buffet disappear with new changes ?

[Rancher Dave]

I'd expect there to be a lot more crew cleaning and serving food in the buffet. As already mentioned it may help cut down on noro outbreaks as well.

[rimmit]

4 hours ago, Ocean Boy said:

My observation is that the Windjammer is becoming more and more popular. Years ago when we started eating dinner in there it was very quiet and peaceful. Now many evenings it is almost as busy as lunch time.

In the early 90s if you went to the windjammer for dinner there would be maybe 10 people there.  Albeit the ships were smaller,  but the MDR was the main event  every night.  The MDR food was spectacular and the service was amazing.  There were no specialty restaurants either.   Things have changed a lot over the years.

[steveru621]

Wouldn't be cheaper to give everyone their own tongs and serving spoon?

[suesnake2002]

How about plastic glove. You must wear while serving yourself. 

[Coopdog08]

It’s bigger problem than how to serve food....social distancing will not allow buffets to work due to how many people need to be served in a 1-3 hr period. Rather it be 8-11am or 11a-2p or 530p-830p the ships don’t have the current room to accommodate people at 6’ or even 3’. The social distancing aspect is going to hurt cruises more than anything until it is eliminated. The cruise lines have so much to figure out that it’s going to be near impossible to see any cruises happening this year. 
 

btw...has anyone notice that Dominican Republic is nearing 5k cases and rising daily. I would imagine it’s only going to get worse due to the limited health care provided.

[livingonthebeach]

3 hours ago, maria1122 said:

I think it is an excellent idea for staff to serve the food at the buffet tables.  I have seen too many adults and children eating off their plates with their fingers and then go to another station and use the utensils.  
 

 

Yes -- and worse, people sneezing into their palms and then picking up serving spoons.  I've seen people grab stuff with their bare hands such as bread, strawberries and other items and put them back.  Not to mention kids with slobbery fingers poking into different foods.  People constantly touching tongs, serving spoons, trays and countertops coupled with bad hygiene make buffets one big cesspool for bacteria.  The recent Noro outbreaks are confirmation.  I doubt buffets will come back anytime soon either at sea or on land. 

Edited April 19, 2020 by livingonthebeach

[Hoopster95]

5 hours ago, goldfish65 said:

I am a newbie but maybe they can insist you wash your hands before proceeding to the buffet.

 

Interesting to note that no one at all yet has remotely even thought about how COVID19 is even transmitted on this thread.... airborne droplets. So let's say I'm asymptomatic, I wash my hands, and I'm right in front of you at the buffet... I turn to you to say hello and my microscpoic saliva falls two feet and onto your plate of food. Then what?

[MAHA]

2 hours ago, cruise wizard said:

Maybe the Jammer will just have boxed lunches - choice of selection A, B, C or D - comes with a salad, sandwich, cookie and with plastic utensils and a napkin. Head out on deck for your picnic lunch - maybe snag a spot in Central Park............and no ants!!!

Many of us don't eat things like cheese, eggs, meat or salad dressing in salad.  Many don't eat mayo, mustard, cheese, ketchup, etc. on sandwiches.  We prefer the buffet as I can fix a nice veggie salad and then go back for some sort of entree.  We have been on ships with a small amount of noro and staff served you from all the buffet stations.  I think that would solve the problem.   

[CynicDC]

I'm a veteran of many cruises and I love the Windjammer buffet!   Here's the simple answer to our germ concerns there:  Just wear a latex glove when using the serving utensils, and remove it when you get to the table. Don't re-use!

[MAHA]

4 minutes ago, CynicDC said:

I'm a veteran of many cruises and I love the Windjammer buffet!   Here's the simple answer to our germ concerns there:  Just wear a latex glove when using the serving utensils, and remove it when you get to the table. Don't re-use!

Some people are allergic to latex even from a distance, so I would suggest a non latex glove.

 

[ThirstyCruiser]

29 minutes ago, Hoopster95 said:

 

Interesting to note that no one at all yet has remotely even thought about how COVID19 is even transmitted on this thread.... airborne droplets. So let's say I'm asymptomatic, I wash my hands, and I'm right in front of you at the buffet... I turn to you to say hello and my microscpoic saliva falls two feet and onto your plate of food. Then what?

Then everyone gets a 14 day extension to their vacation. No charge.

 

[livingonthebeach]

 

6 minutes ago, CynicDC said:

I'm a veteran of many cruises and I love the Windjammer buffet!   Here's the simple answer to our germ concerns there:  Just wear a latex glove when using the serving utensils, and remove it when you get to the table. Don't re-use!

 

And what happens when one sneezes into their latex gloves and then picks up the serving utensils with the latex gloves?

[Hoopster95]

15 minutes ago, MAHA said:

 We have been on ships with a small amount of noro and staff served you from all the buffet stations.  I think that would solve the problem.   

 

So the staff serves you from behind the counter, you lean over all the food and say loudly, "I would like one of those please". Your microscopic saliva goes all over the trays of food the next 100 cruisers get to enjoy. You are asymptomatic but you don't know it. What happens next?

 

12 minutes ago, CynicDC said:

Here's the simple answer to our germ concerns there:  Just wear a latex glove when using the serving utensils, and remove it when you get to the table. Don't re-use!

 

So you serve yourself some scalloped potatoes and as you turn, you almost bump into someone else. Both of you are wearing latex gloves. You both politely smile and say excuse me. Your microscopic droplets travel 1-2 feet and fall onto each others plates. One, or both, of you are asymptomatic. What next?

Edited April 19, 2020 by Hoopster95

[CynicDC]

1 minute ago, livingonthebeach said:

 

 

And what happens when one sneezes into their latex gloves and then picks up the serving utensils with the latex gloves?

Then the next person in line is protected by his/her glove.

[squale2]

Love the Windjammer - Less people - Love it even more

[Hoopster95]

1 minute ago, CynicDC said:

Then the next person in line is protected by his/her glove.

 

Is this before or after they rub their eyes or scratch their nose?

[CynicDC]

7 minutes ago, livingonthebeach said:

 

 

And what happens when one sneezes into their latex gloves and then picks up the serving utensils with the latex gloves?

Then, the passenger who picks up the utensil is protected by his/her own gloves. No self-service alllowed without them, so they'd have to be issued at the entrance.

 

[NYcruzzer]

3 minutes ago, CynicDC said:

Then the next person in line is protected by his/her glove.

Only if he/she is also wearing a mask as  Corvid-19 is predominately spread by sneezing, coughing, and breathing..

[CynicDC]

6 minutes ago, Hoopster95 said:

 

So the staff serves you from behind the counter, you lean over all the food and say loudly, "I would like one of those please". Your microscopic saliva goes all over the trays of food the next 100 cruisers get to enjoy. You are asymptomatic but you don't know it. What happens next?

 

 

So you serve yourself some scalloped potatoes and as you turn, you almost bump into someone else. Both of you are wearing latex gloves. You both politely smile and say excuse me. Your microscopic droplets travel 1-2 feet and fall onto each others plates. One, or both, of you are asymptomatic. What next?

Bumping into someone could happen anywhere on the ship. I thought the question was about the survival of the buffet. No?

[Ocean Boy]

44 minutes ago, Hoopster95 said:

 

Interesting to note that no one at all yet has remotely even thought about how COVID19 is even transmitted on this thread.... airborne droplets. So let's say I'm asymptomatic, I wash my hands, and I'm right in front of you at the buffet... I turn to you to say hello and my microscpoic saliva falls two feet and onto your plate of food. Then what?

Then don't talk to me.😉☺

[mpk]

6 hours ago, goldfish65 said:

I am a newbie but maybe they can insist you wash your hands before proceeding to the buffet.

 

It's only good until some people lick their fingers.  Plus there are other problems of people reusing dirty plates, and refilling water bottles directly from the fountain.  Even though it clearly says Do Not, as well as international symbolic signs.

 

I've only seen this kind of stuff a few times, but that is a few times too often.

[Ocean Boy]

2 hours ago, cruise wizard said:

Maybe the Jammer will just have boxed lunches - choice of selection A, B, C or D - comes with a salad, sandwich, cookie and with plastic utensils and a napkin. Head out on deck for your picnic lunch - maybe snag a spot in Central Park............and no ants!!!

Sounds terrible.

[livingonthebeach]

7 minutes ago, CynicDC said:

Then the next person in line is protected by his/her glove.

 

Which then contaminates everything touched by those gloves including tables and chairs which will be touched when gloves are taken off. 

[Ocean Boy]

3 hours ago, IrieBajan54 said:

'

I have seen people who have food hanging over the lip of their plate, use an index to swipe in back in. Then lick their finger. Plus some start sampling what is on their plate as they move through a line or from station to station. So the initial washing when entering the buffet is negated.

No idea why people have to lick their damn fingers or, for that matter, have to start eating before they sit down at their table. How hungry can they be?

[Ocean Boy]

1 hour ago, lenquixote66 said:

I would love to see Buffets disappear but it will never happen.My first cruise was on a Cunard ship and there was only a dining room .It was great.

Why would you like to see it disappear? You are not forced to use it.