Making the best experiences from cruise buffets!!

[Dermotsgirl]

9 minutes ago, wowzz said:

No it's not. The constant movement of people in the buffet does not give a peaceful ambience.

Just a thought - in the evening the buffet is a lot quieter, because everyone else is in the MDR. I’ve found the buffet has a more peaceful ambiance in the evening as it doesn’t have the dull roar of 500 people talking all at once and the constant movement of the waiters running around trying to get everything served as quickly as they can 

[Gettingwarmer]

The buffets on the other ships get as much flack as the MDRs. You haven’t experienced a buffet on the other ships recently. They are not good. Nowhere as many choices as on Arvia. 

[Interestedcruisefan]

Just now, Gettingwarmer said:

The buffets on the other ships get as much flack as the MDRs. You haven’t experienced a buffet on the other ships recently. They are not good. Nowhere as many choices as on Arvia. 

Maybe that's why I'm surprising everyone with my positivity about the buffet then?

[Interestedcruisefan]

2 minutes ago, Dermotsgirl said:

Just a thought - in the evening the buffet is a lot quieter, because everyone else is in the MDR. I’ve found the buffet has a more peaceful ambiance in the evening as it doesn’t have the dull roar of 500 people talking all at once and the constant movement of the waiters running around trying to get everything served as quickly as they can 

100 per cent agree with that

 

Incredibly relaxed. Incredibly calm.

 

Much calmer than MDR for sure. Far less people. 

 

Plus you can dine outside. Which is lovely on warm weather cruises ?

 

 

Edited April 15, 2023 by Interestedcruisefan

[Gettingwarmer]

Just now, Interestedcruisefan said:

Maybe that's why I'm surprising everyone with my positivity about the buffet then?

Exactly 

[terrierjohn]

1 hour ago, Interestedcruisefan said:

Lots of nice tasty salads in the Quays in lots of little pots? Near the desserts?

 

Not sure in buffet never went looking for salad in there tbh?

 

Brittania staycation. Where we were only on 3 or 4 nights and did mainly speciality so can't compare tbh

 

So maybe that's a big advantage of the bigger ships then? Much more choice in buffet and quays? 

If your description of Arvia is accurate, then clearly its buffet is light years better than Iona's. The menus Dave posted do look attractive, however on Iona I struggled to see anything that looked as appealing as those menus.  We did have soup and a roll for a light lunch a couple of times, and probably would have done it more if the soups had been more appetising, they were definitely a lot better in the MDR.

I accept that for some the buffet is a preferred experience, but we enjoy a leisurely meal in the MDR, on a shared table with interesting companions, which is what we generally find.

[majortom10]

1 hour ago, CarlaMarie said:

P&O must be getting something wrong if the MDR is being perceived as offering "buffet level food".

 

I cannot recall seeing so many offerings and options you describe in the buffet. Maybe Arvia has a vastly different buffet compared to the rest of the fleet and her MDRs lack in comparison, however i'm not sure even P&O would describe it as speciality dining. 

I agree never use buffet for dinner never have and never will. Don't know if Arvia with it being a maiden season but our recent cruise on Iona the choice for lunch was nothing like ICF states on Iona and the downloaded info by davecttr is nothing like was available on Iona. On more than one occasion the choice was that poor or food that looked poor quality we walked out and went to The Quays where everything is freshly made. The one thing that puts me off is the fight to get a table and then wife has to get her meal while I wait and then I go when she returns and by the time I get back she has nearly finished. Also the pushing and shoving by people to grab as much as they can and to break the world record for amount on plate. Sorry not my idea of a relaxing lunch.

 

[Interestedcruisefan]

1 minute ago, terrierjohn said:

If your description of Arvia is accurate, then clearly its buffet is light years better than Iona's. The menus Dave posted do look attractive, however on Iona I struggled to see anything that looked as appealing as those menus.  We did have soup and a roll for a light lunch a couple of times, and probably would have done it more if the soups had been more appetising, they were definitely a lot better in the MDR.

I accept that for some the buffet is a preferred experience, but we enjoy a leisurely meal in the MDR, on a shared table with interesting companions, which is what we generally find.

I will be honest I've never looked at a buffet menu before. I just walk around the buffet and look at the food. I'm hoping Iona buffet choice to be same as Arvia?

[Dermotsgirl]

59 minutes ago, Interestedcruisefan said:

Do you dine alone or just as a couple in MDR?

 

Wouldn't work on a sharing table with other guests would it? Unless they all did the same?

 

 

One of the many reasons that we prefer not to share a table in the MDR  is that it avoids sitting with people who have several more courses than we eat. 

[majortom10]

1 hour ago, AndyMichelle said:

Things must have changed drastically as the buffet has always been hit and miss for us, mainly miss... 

We can all only talk about our experiences, but yours differ greatly from ours, but we haven't been on Arvia yet... 

Let's hope the whole fleet is up to this standard and that the infamous 'bun sniffers' are no longer prevailant... 

Andy 

Well for virtually the same ships Iona was nothing like has been described by ICF on Arvia in March.

[Interestedcruisefan]

2 minutes ago, majortom10 said:

I agree never use buffet for dinner never have and never will. Don't know if Arvia with it being a maiden season but our recent cruise on Iona the choice for lunch was nothing like ICF states on Iona and the downloaded info by davecttr is nothing like was available on Iona. On more than one occasion the choice was that poor or food that looked poor quality we walked out and went to The Quays where everything is freshly made. The one thing that puts me off is the fight to get a table and then wife has to get her meal while I wait and then I go when she returns and by the time I get back she has nearly finished. Also the pushing and shoving by people to grab as much as they can and to break the world record for amount on plate. Sorry not my idea of a relaxing lunch.

 

On Arvia quality of buffet for lunch and dinner was definitely as good as the Quays which we also really liked. Just more choices In the buffet. But fish  and chips appealed in the  Quays a lot.

 

Having said that fish and chips for mass catering doesn't compare to best fish and chips at home by some way. It's frozen fish and chips served as nicely and well as they can.

 

Just makes a change a few times on the cruise

[Megabear2]

4 minutes ago, Interestedcruisefan said:

100 per cent agree with that

 

Incredibly relaxed. Incredibly calm.

 

Much calmer than MDR for sure. Far less people. 

 

Plus you can dine outside. Which is lovely on warm weather cruises ?

 

 

You can dine outside at the rear of the restaurant on Britannia, I've enjoyed many a tea and cake out there.

[majortom10]

58 minutes ago, Interestedcruisefan said:

Try it once at least on Arvia or Iona

 

Compare to MDR choice and quality

 

See what you think. I think you will be surprised.

Nothing like on Iona what you describe on Arvia on our cruise in March. We will find out when we cruise on Arvia, if we go as thinking of cancelling, in September.

[Interestedcruisefan]

4 minutes ago, majortom10 said:

Well for virtually the same ships Iona was nothing like has been described by ICF on Arvia in March.

I wonder why that might be. Surely layout and kitchen size the same

 

Perhaps far less passengers on Iona so they couldnt justify the wider choices??

 

As not enough people dining there?

Edited April 15, 2023 by Interestedcruisefan

[Interestedcruisefan]

2 minutes ago, Megabear2 said:

You can dine outside at the rear of the restaurant on Britannia, I've enjoyed many a tea and cake out there.

For lunch and dinner as well Megabear?

[Megabear2]

2 minutes ago, Interestedcruisefan said:

For lunch and dinner as well Megabear?

Yes, I've eaten breakfast, lunch and dinner there.

[waddle]

I’ve only eaten my evening meal in the buffet on one occasion due to the other half feeling off colour and I didn’t fancy going to one of the MDR’s on my own

 

I agree it was very quiet but not for me, just functional. I was in and out in about 10 minutes and certainly not the usual evening dining experience I enjoy on a cruise - i.e getting dressed up and having waiter service more akin to a restaurant 

[Camberley]

Just off Iona and did speciality most eves (still superb for this foodie). Slipped in a few MDRs at lunch (perfectly adequate, "safe" fayre) and an eve.

 

Plus the odd fleeting buffet visit: some very nice dishes among the poor ones, but for us the issue there is more the unenjoyable atmosphere than the food with some people behaving like utter animals (eating habits, queue jumping....).  But those desserts are barely mediocre at best: mostly a joyless carb-fest.

 

But there is something on board for every palate and experience preferences. I guess it's finding what works for you and going for that to give the most positive experience.

[Megabear2]

7 minutes ago, Interestedcruisefan said:

Perhaps far less passengers on Iona so they couldnt justify the wider choices??

Have I missed something?  At least the last Canaries cruise on Iona was full. Not sure which one Majortom was on though but as far as I know Iona has been sailing pretty full until she started the Norway route.

[Dermotsgirl]

During the period 2016 to 2019, we did several longer cruises, and used the buffet several times for dinner in the evening. Over the period of a cruise lasting several weeks, we just didn’t want to spend each night in the MDR.

 

I suspect that people think that the buffet in the evening is like peak breakfast time or peak lunch time. It’s not, it’s much quieter, and I found it quite restful. Also, it was better for portion control -  we found we ate less in the buffet, which was no bad thing on a long cruise. The only queue we found was in the carvery section - after that you could wander round to your heart’s content. 
 

the MDR can be quite frenetic, but the buffet is rather relaxed in the evening. On our long cruises we’s split our time between the MDR and the buffet, interspersed with visits to Glasshouse, Beach House and Sindhu. It kept things varied, but the buffet could not be beaten for a relaxed meal.

 

 

 

 

[majortom10]

15 minutes ago, Interestedcruisefan said:

Maybe that's why I'm surprising everyone with my positivity about the buffet then?

You are not surprising me and you seem to have made your decision and whatever anyone else says you don't agree with. I don't know when you last sailed on Iona but the buffet at lunch in March was nothing like you describe on Arvia. Don't know whether you are just biassed and don't listen to other opinions as yours is always right or when you went to the buffet you were wearing your rose tinted glasses.

[AndyMichelle]

12 minutes ago, Interestedcruisefan said:

 

 

(Honestly the only reason I started this thread was in response to yet another complaint about MDR dining. This time about wait times?)

I love your positivity for what you have experienced, that's great. 

It's important we all enjoy our cruises our way. 

I think the problem is you are quoting one ship experience, but the title of the thread says 'cruise buffets', not Arvia buffet... 

Also, you mention another thread about MDR wait times, this was a completely different ship... 

I will do as you suggest and try it for myself on our next cruise, perhaps you can do the same and try the MDR. 

Please carry on being positive and doing your holiday your way. 

Andy 

 

[majortom10]

12 minutes ago, Interestedcruisefan said:

I wonder why that might be. Surely layout and kitchen size the same

 

Perhaps far less passengers on Iona so they couldnt justify the wider choices??

 

As not enough people dining there?

Sorry you are wrong again as she was sailing with over 5000+ cruiser's.

[majortom10]

4 minutes ago, Megabear2 said:

Have I missed something?  At least the last Canaries cruise on Iona was full. Not sure which one Majortom was on though but as far as I know Iona has been sailing pretty full until she started the Norway route.

We were on Spain/Portugal cruise 4th March for 14nts and was sailing full or very close to it.

[Interestedcruisefan]

6 minutes ago, Megabear2 said:

Have I missed something?  At least the last Canaries cruise on Iona was full. Not sure which one Majortom was on though but as far as I know Iona has been sailing pretty full until she started the Norway route.

I think I may have solved the mystery Megabear!!

 

2 less MDRs on Arvia

 

They've made a choice to make buffet a higher end buffet and more sought after dining experience as a result?

 

They need to attract more guests there  every night on Arvia? We know they need formal dining guests in there on formal nights? Albeit chefs table then? Because MDRs don't have enough room for everyone?

 

Similarly doesn't need to be so tempting on Iona?

 

Is that it?

 

More buffet less MDR on future ships. Needs way less staff to serve  it and way less time to serve people?

 

Think between us all we may have found some answers here?

 

It's a deliberate ploy to move more diners to buffet and quays and away from MDR on Arvia by improving buffet level significantly? 

 

 I do think that must be it if buffets on Iona are so poor in comparison for same number of passengers?

 

Edited April 15, 2023 by Interestedcruisefan