Breakfast buffet vs sit down breakfast

[MississippiMom]

I’m all about being served my meals as much as possible when on vacation.  I cook and clean at home and for years served the kids their food.  This mom has earned her break.  I avoid buffets on land and on the sea as much as possible.  I’m not opposed to breakfast from Blue Iguana Cantina (on Carnival), if that’s all I’ve got time for, though.

[dlphn501]

3 hours ago, Winky7650 said:

I prefer small portions of a variety of items.

There is much less food waste if I am able to serve myself 

This!  Pick and choose the items you want!

I'm not much of a bfast person, so I like to grab a few different things.

[FastShip24]

6 hours ago, weezal said:

 

i was thinking more about seaday brunch, service takes forever

We had 4900 passengers on board. Total time, 30 minutes

[Hlitner]

Since this is a generic post ( not

one particular line or ship) we will answer from the point of view of one who has cruised on more than 60 ships of 16 cruise lines.  For us, it depends on the ship/line.  Some do a great job in the MDR and others are much better in the MDR.  If the Lido makes eggs to order, I prefer that because they will be hot.  On Princess I prefer a light breakfast at the International Cafe where they have great pastries/donuts, coffee drinks made to order, and decent egg sandwiches made to order.  On Seabourn, the  Colonade (lido) has some of the breakfasts at sea.

 
Hank

[Honolulu Blue]

13 hours ago, Are.we.there.yet? said:

For me, it's because the dining room closes before we get up!  🙂

I sometimes have the opposite problem... I'm usually up and out of the cabin by 8 AM and MDR brunches sometimes don't start until 8:30 (Carnival) or 9 (Royal).

 

Then again, I haven't had a breakfast or brunch in the MDR in any of my 200+ days at sea.  Maybe I'll try it sometime.  Or maybe not.

[sparks1093]

14 hours ago, staceyglow said:

 

That has not typically been my experience, especially if you order the Express Breakfast, which you can get pretty quickly.

 

If you want to make your MDR breakfast efficient, don't make any special orders - and that includes the omelets.  Order something they can just grab from the galley and bring up.

So, something that is pre-made sitting in a pan waiting to be taken? Sounds like a buffet. 🤣 (Sorry, couldn't resist, I know what you are saying.) On a sea day we are likely to partake of the sea day brunch (not sure why this thread was moved from the Carnival board) but on port days I'm likely to eat at the buffet when I first get up and then take a plate up to DW to enjoy in bed or on the balcony as she chooses. If timing for an excursion is an issue then we'll order room service.

[crooooze]

Definitely more options in the buffet and you get to see the food before you take it. But we prefer the peace, quiet, and relaxation of waking-up early and sitting in a comfy MDR booth while being served. Usually out well in time for the day’s first activity.

Edited March 29, 2023 by crooooze

[Wayfairers]

Prefer a sit down breakfast as a more relaxing start to the day.   I am glad it isn’t rushed.   If we have an early excursion we will get room service or, more and more rarely, the buffet.  

[Top_of_the_Cube]

My wife prefers the MDR for breakfast every day.  While occasionally service is slow and service has to be "encouraged", on the whole we are in and out in a reasonable time.  We aren't eating in a rush to get to activities, as the meal (to her) is part of the whole experience and we have enough of the fast food life at home.

 

For me, I prefer my wife.

[lenquixote66]

21 hours ago, FastShip24 said:

After eating in the restaurant, why would you choose the buffet for breakfast?

I only eat breakfast in the MDR on cruises or at home

[FastShip24]

5 hours ago, crooooze said:

Definitely more options in the buffet and you get to see the food before you take it. But we prefer the peace, quiet, and relaxation of waking-up early and sitting in a comfy MDR booth while being served. Usually out well in time for the day’s first activity.

Just off the Panorama. The buffet was the same everyday.  The menu in the mdr was better quality food

[57redbird]

Hubby is an early riser, I'm not so he orders room service for himself & coffee for me.  When I'm up & awake, I head up to the Lido for what I want...works out well.

[K32682]

Sit-down breakfasts only on sea days otherwise buffets. They are fast and I want to be among the first off the boat. 

[Aquahound]

On 3/28/2023 at 12:49 PM, FastShip24 said:

After eating in the restaurant, why would you choose the buffet for breakfast?

 

I don't.  I choose eating breakfast on my balcony.  😉

 

[FastShip24]

40 minutes ago, Aquahound said:

 

I don't.  I choose eating breakfast on my balcony.  😉

 

Not on topic but ok

[Aquahound]

11 minutes ago, FastShip24 said:

Not on topic but ok

 

Breakfast not on topic?  Well, alrighty then.  

[whogo]

Holland America does a good job with breakfast in both the dining room and the Lido buffet. I enjoy a calm, solo breakfast in the MDR, reading an ebook, happy to have someone wait on me. They were awful slow to bring coffee on my last cruise, previous cruises had messed up breakfast orders. I don't have to watch the buffet people grab things without using the tongs or lick their fingers as they use the sticky serving spoons..

 

 

[FastShip24]

1 hour ago, Aquahound said:

 

Breakfast not on topic?  Well, alrighty then.  

It was buffet vs mdr

[DarrenM]

Maybe this is a british thing, but breakfast needs to be as greasy spoon as possible.

 

So going for Quality, for a fry up, especially after a heavy night of alcohol abuse, isnt really whats needed.

 

Now the Buffet isnt up to greasy spoon standards but its closer than the specialist dining.

 

Ah, to be back i the greasy spoon cafe in Rose Street Edinburgh.

[DarrenM]

something like this

 

 

[9tee2Sea]

I eat to much when going in the MDR for breakfast.  All I need is scrambled eggs and coffee ( no toast, no potatoes, no sweets).  Why bother going into the MDR for what will amount to 10 min of food.  I can also get made to order omelettes in the buffett.

Edited March 30, 2023 by 9tee2Sea

[ldubs]

On 3/28/2023 at 2:15 PM, DarrenM said:

because I can grab as much bacon and eggs as I want. And I can chill and not be waiter served.

 

I have no idea why so many people seem to dislike the Buffet.

 

Its convenient and the food is not bad at all.

 

 

 

I don't either.  Our most recent cruise had extensive choices in the breakfast buffet.  To be fair I didn't eat breakfast in the MDR, mainly because the menu was nothing special. 

 

On another cruise earlier this year, the MDR brunch has some especially good offerings that trumped what was available in the buffet.   

 

Seems it really depends on the ship or cruise line.    

[Mum2Mercury]

Each venue has its pros and cons: 

 

Breakfast in the MDR is a more leisurely experience and some people really enjoy "being waited upon".  If you want to eat pancakes, waffles or French toast the food is better, as those dishes don't sit well under heat lamps.  If you want Eggs Benedict, it's your only choice.  On the other hand, if you want a bacon-and-eggs type breakfast, the food isn't quite as good.  The breakfast burrito is not recommended; the wrap is thick and tough.  Sometimes you have to wait to be seated (never long) in the MDR, and sometimes they ask you to sit with other people, which is something we don't particularly enjoy, especially first thing in the morning.  

 

Breakfast in the Windjammer provides a greater variety of choices, and it allows you to take as much (or as little) as you choose; for example, you can take all the pineapple you want while avoiding the honeydew melon that you wouldn't eat anyway.  It gives you a chance to taste different things; for example, my daughter and I now love Miso soup for a light breakfast, but we never would've ordered it in the MDR.  You can have eggs (or omelets) cooked to order, and they're hotter than eggs that've waited a bit then traveled to your table.  If you want a couple small things (like a bit of salmon on a bagel and a mini-avocado toast, to be washed down with a small smoothie), it's easier to do that in the Windjammer.  If you decide you want "a little more", it's quicker to go pick up a doughnut from the food line than to get a waiter's attention.  You'll always find a table in the Windjammer, but the window tables go fast.  If you're a couple, it's easy enough to stick together, but if you're part of a group, you may need to have someone sit down to "claim a spot" while the others get their food.

 

 

Edited March 31, 2023 by Mum2Mercury

[Zach1213]

On 3/28/2023 at 2:49 PM, FastShip24 said:

After eating in the restaurant, why would you choose the buffet for breakfast?

On most cruise lines, the food is so mediocre that it's basically just fuel to us. It's not, but it's not usually all that good. So why waste time at a restaurant when we can just fuel up and do something more fun, even if that something is just the two of us sitting together on the balcony. 

[Tapi]

On 3/28/2023 at 3:49 PM, FastShip24 said:

After eating in the restaurant, why would you choose the buffet for breakfast?

Different mood depending on the day.

 

- Sometimes, I don’t care to be waited on. 
- Sometimes, I get up super early and it’s nice to go to the buffet when the place is still deserted. Grab a few items, find an outdoor table, and watch the sunrise. 
- Sometimes, I like to grab a little bit of everything and create my own breakfast rather than having to choose from a menu.