Making the best experiences from cruise buffets!!

[Interestedcruisefan]

11 minutes ago, kruzseeka said:

You certainly make it sound very appealing.  Will check it out on our next trip as in general we don't do main meals in the Buffet.  My only hope is that fellow passengers are as mindful of hygiene as we try to be (for our sake as well as others').

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.

[Selbourne]

5 minutes ago, Interestedcruisefan said:

What kind of mains do you like to choose in MDR Megabear?

 

That you wouldn't expect to find in Arvia buffets?

We try to use the MDRs on formal nights, particularly if it’s the Marco Pierre White or Chaines des Rottiseurs menus. Do they they have things like cheese soufflé, beef Wellington and lobster Thermidor in the buffet on Arvia? Also, have the desserts improved? Never a P&O strength from our experience. The buffets seem to have dozens of different looking small patisserie items that look nice but are all tasteless. The hot deserts can be better, but I find the churned up trays in the buffet to be somewhat off putting in comparison to a nicely plated desert served to the table in the MDR. 

[david63]

3 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?

Sometimes a couple, sometimes a table for eight.

 

I did not say that I did that every night - just that I have done it. Almost always have starter and soup and desert and cheese.

[Interestedcruisefan]

1 minute ago, Selbourne said:

We try to use the MDRs on formal nights, particularly if it’s the Marco Pierre White or Chaines des Rottiseurs menus. Do they they have things like cheese soufflé, beef Wellington and lobster Thermidor in the buffet on Arvia? Also, have the desserts improved? Never a P&O strength from our experience. The buffets seem to have dozens of different looking small patisserie items that look nice but are all tasteless. The hot deserts can be better, but I find the churned up trays in the buffet to be somewhat off putting in comparison to a nicely plated desert served to the table in the MDR. 

That makes sense. None of the special stuff in the buffet like that. But that's once a week? 

 

You choose the right times for MDR for sure. 

[AndyMichelle]

10 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?

Nonsense... We always share by choice and want everyone of our dining companions to enjoy their meal their way. If they want 6 courses and we don't, so be it... 

We also choose late sitting, so nobody has to rush away. This adds to the social element, which we love. 

We have never had any issues regarding this on numerous cruises. 

Andy 

Edited April 15, 2023 by AndyMichelle

[wowzz]

I'm with Selbourne. 

I want to be waited on, have a relaxed, civilized meal, hopefully with pleasant company.

The idea of walking up and down, tray in hand every meal time is my idea of hell.

I don't cruise to eat in a canteen.

[Selbourne]

2 minutes ago, Interestedcruisefan said:

That makes sense. None of the special stuff in the buffet like that. But that's once a week? 

 

You choose the right times for MDR for sure. 

Formal nights used to be around twice a week, but that was before all the cutbacks. I might be wrong, but I believe that there is only one a week on Iona.

[Interestedcruisefan]

8 minutes ago, Gettingwarmer said:

You say you spend little time eating as you are on your way to some other entertainment. We enjoy a leisurely meal as it is part of our cruise experience as is enjoying time on our balcony whereas you want inside cabins. Totally different ideas of what we want on a cruise. The Cruise is the main part of holiday seeing the water etc not the entertainment. We would always visit the MDR over the buffet. The lack of proper seated restaurants puts us off Arvia. 

We do like special meals as well. But not every night. We mix it up

 

On Arvia in 14 nights we did the following dinners 

 

Epicurean x 2 - near the start and again near the end - better than buffet

Limelight x 1  - better than buffet

Olive Grove x 1 (food no better than buffet but nice ambience)

Mizhuana x 1 - better than buffet

Beach House x 1 cooked my own steak more fun than buffet

Glass House x 1 least favourite meal. Not as good on previous P and O by some distance tbh

Oistins Fish Fry one night off the ship in Barbados - bucket list night out!

 

So I guess the other 6 nights were buffet  or Quays?

 

I think a couple of nights we also had buffet or Quays snacks at 9.30 ish after the theatre having  already dined early somewhere just because we were being greedy!

 

Lol

 

[Interestedcruisefan]

Ps I started the thread due to reading the complaints re Azura MDR and time it took to be served

 

If I'm going to sit in a restaurant for 2 hrs myself then I personally would like a higher quality meal than MDR for that time

 

And In general I think more people criticise MDR on here now than praise it

 

So I've posted why we don't care for MDR personally

 

As always on cruises it's good to have options and use personal choice of course

 

Sorry if I'm too pushy or excitable. I'm at bit OCD for sure!!

[Interestedcruisefan]

9 minutes ago, Selbourne said:

Formal nights used to be around twice a week, but that was before all the cutbacks. I might be wrong, but I believe that there is only one a week on Iona.

Same on Arvia

[Interestedcruisefan]

10 minutes ago, wowzz said:

I'm with Selbourne. 

I want to be waited on, have a relaxed, civilized meal, hopefully with pleasant company.

The idea of walking up and down, tray in hand every meal time is my idea of hell.

I don't cruise to eat in a canteen.

Yes I get that

 

But that's ambience and service you describe 

 

Other than formal nights my point is I think the food is very similar but just less choice in MDR

 

But I understand why you want to be served every night

 

 

[CarlaMarie]

51 minutes ago, Interestedcruisefan said:

I think you are disrespecting buffet level food on Arvia. I suggest they are  getting buffet food very right rather than getting anything very  wrong. Why not make the buffet as nice as possible if they can?

 

 

And maybe at the same time you are expecting too much from MDR mass dining food? 

 

I believe they are much closer together than you think other than way more choice in the buffet?

 

Take a look at the buffet menu above - many of the descriptions would be found very very similar on MDR menus ?

 

What can you get in MDR you can't get in a buffet? Maybe the odd thing on Celebration nights?

 

 

You did suggest the MDR is buffet level food, in which case I said that they must be getting something wrong in the MDR if that is your perception. I am not being disrespectful. There should be a difference in offerings between a buffet and a set 3 course evening meal which is served to you in a formal dining room. Which in my experience there is and are not comparable. 

 

I do not attend the MDR expecting a buffet style selection, instead I expect a refined selection of choices. Likewise I wouldn't go to the buffet expecting for example dressed grilled asparagus with duck egg. So no I do not expect too much from anything. 

 

Furthermore, all dining on a cruise ship is for the masses. 

 

It is fine to use the buffet and we all have that choice. But it is not speciality dining and is not the same as the MDR. I am also certain that P&O would hope that their passengers do not feel the MDR food and buffet are the same (nor would their chefs) and appreciate that the MDR experience is about more than just the food.

 

Edited April 15, 2023 by CarlaMarie

[Megabear2]

23 minutes ago, Interestedcruisefan said:

What kind of mains do you like to choose in MDR Megabear?

 

That you wouldn't expect to find in Arvia buffets?

Fish dishes including shellfish, pasta dishes (not lasagne type but different ones), risotto, chicken but not fried, breadcrumbed or on the bone.  My favourite special is venison.

 

As an aside others might be interested in these MDR menus for Britannia 2014 which I came across recently.  Makes a good historical comparison.

br_m_dinner.pdf main_rest_menu_1-14n.pdf

[Interestedcruisefan]

3 minutes ago, CarlaMarie said:

 

You did suggest the MDR is buffet level food, in which case I said that they must be getting something wrong in the MDR if that is your perception. I am not being disrespectful. There should be a difference in offerings between a buffet and a set 3 course evening meal which is served to you in a formal dining room. Which in my experience there is and are not comparable. 

 

I do not attend the MDR expecting a buffet style selection, instead I expect a refined selection of choices. Likewise I wouldn't go to the buffet expecting for example dressed grilled asparagus with duck egg. So no I do not expect too much from anything. 

 

Furthermore, all dining on a cruise ship is for the masses. 

 

It is fine to use the buffet and we all have that choice. But it is not speciality dining and is not the same as the MDR. I am also certain that P&O would hope that their passengers do not feel the MDR food and buffet are the same (nor would their chefs) and appreciate that the MDR experience is about more than just the food.

 

All good points

 

What it should be and the reality might be different though Carla?

 

I think buffet on Arvia and Iona are better than you might expect

 

I think we only have to read posts on here weekly to see that MDR not as high as people expect

 

 

 

 

[CarlaMarie]

If you though haven't tried the MDR for some time, then a comparison cannot be formed and the reality isn't known by yourself. 

[Interestedcruisefan]

7 minutes ago, CarlaMarie said:

 

You did suggest the MDR is buffet level food, in which case I said that they must be getting something wrong in the MDR if that is your perception. I am not being disrespectful. There should be a difference in offerings between a buffet and a set 3 course evening meal which is served to you in a formal dining room. Which in my experience there is and are not comparable. 

 

I do not attend the MDR expecting a buffet style selection, instead I expect a refined selection of choices. Likewise I wouldn't go to the buffet expecting for example dressed grilled asparagus with duck egg. So no I do not expect too much from anything. 

 

Furthermore, all dining on a cruise ship is for the masses. 

 

It is fine to use the buffet and we all have that choice. But it is not speciality dining and is not the same as the MDR. I am also certain that P&O would hope that their passengers do not feel the MDR food and buffet are the same (nor would their chefs) and appreciate that the MDR experience is about more than just the food.

 

If you are a good chef it's possible to make great tasty food to be served  in a buffet as well as in MDR

 

Why wouldnt they make it as nice as they can?

 

People are choosing soup in MDRs and roasts?

 

Why should they make soups and roasts less well in the buffet? They would have to deliberately make them worse somehow?

 

The hot desserts in the buffet. I Imagine similar as one of the  choices in MDR each night?

 

 

[Interestedcruisefan]

4 minutes ago, CarlaMarie said:

If you though haven't tried the MDR for some time, then a comparison cannot be formed and the reality isn't known by yourself. 

 But I have dined MDR so many times in the  past to know MDR levels Carla?

 

Hence why I prefer speciality and buffet

 

Is anyone on here suggesting MDR has actually improved in recent years?

 

I do look at the menus occasionally - I know I can dine better elsewhere in speciality for sure

 

And I don't feel I miss out when I dine buffet or Quays?

 

And I rarely read people praising MDRs on here to be honest?

 

They can't actually make them too good or nobody would pay for speciality would they?

Edited April 15, 2023 by Interestedcruisefan

[Megabear2]

2 minutes ago, Interestedcruisefan said:

All good points

 

What it should be and the reality might be different though Carla?

 

I think buffet on Arvia and Iona are better than you might expect

 

I think we only have to read posts on here weekly to see that MDR not as high as people expect

 

 

 

 

ICF you are in danger of becoming Yorkypete in reverse!!! He hates everything, you love everything.  He tries to convince us all we're all some sort of drunks who are constantly in bars while you are determined we all stuff our faces in the buffet consuming copious amounts of food before washing them down with even more calories in calorie laden cocktails!!

 

Neither of you seem to want to consider we actually quite like doing it our way.  Still it's a good way to turn into a keyboard warrior defending our right to be ourselves I suppose!

[Cathygh]

I think we all have our own reasons for choosing where we eat, and the good thing about cruises is that the choice is wide and varied.

We prefer the MDR as we like to relax and be waited upon. That might change when I retire. I have never tried the buffet in the evening on P&O as I find the daytime search for a table. finding food, avoiding dropping the tray, avoiding otherpeople with trays very stressful. However we did try the buffet one night on Princess and discovered they had dimmed the lighting, and it seemed like a more relaxed environment. 

My other reason for choosug the MDR is that I get to eat food I don't eat at home, so the likes of the Keel and Cow and Olive Grove don't interest me. I like a fine dining experience and can't afford to do that much these days, so anything that resembles pub or takeaway food is not what I want to eat on holiday.. I'm a traditional white table cloth kind of girl, so the mdr suits me fine.

[wowzz]

16 minutes ago, Interestedcruisefan said:

But that's ambience and service you describe 

 

5 minutes ago, Interestedcruisefan said:

 

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

[CarlaMarie]

2 minutes ago, Interestedcruisefan said:

 But I have dined MDR so many times in the  past to know MDR levels Carla?

 

Hence why I prefer speciality and buffet

 

Is anyone on here suggesting MDR has actually improved in recent years?

 

I do look at the menus occasionally - I know I can dine better elsewhere in speciality for sure

 

And I don't feel I miss out when I dine buffet or Quays?

 

And I rarely read people praising MDRs on here to be honest?

 

They can't actually make them too good or nobody would pay for speciality would they?

 

But you said you did not dine in the MDR on Arvia, instead chose the buffet and speciality. So you cannot be comparing her buffet to the MDR which you did not experience, because for all we know that could have vastly improved on her also.  That's what I am trying to say. 

[TigerB]

54 minutes ago, Selbourne said:

Your enthusiasm is infectious (even more so than our kids were at Christmas when they were young) and the crusade that you seem be on to constantly tell everyone why they should cruise in exactly the way that you do is very amusing 😉 

 

For balance, here’s an alternative view. I hate the buffet and will only use it as a last resort when I’m feeling peckish and just want to grab something. If it’s cold food, I will often take it back to our cabin to eat. Why?

 

Like many people (not just those of us who are full time carers), I am up and down like the proverbial blue ar**d fly at home, doing jobs around the house and garden, including preparing meals. When I dine on holiday, I want to be shown to a nice table in a decent restaurant and just sit and relax, chatting to my wife, whilst someone else does all the running around. The buffet is the complete opposite of that. 
 

Although I am British I detest queues and avoid them at all costs. I get fed up shuffling along in a food queue whilst people examine every potato to decide which they want. Some folk think you are queue jumping if you skip half of it and just go directly to the tray that you want.
 

Sadly, some of my fellow guests have very poor hygiene standards when it comes to food handling. As a male of a certain age, I tend not to pass up the opportunity of a loo visit when en-route to a meal! I have lost count of the number of people who don’t wash their hands in the loo and then proceed directly into the buffet, again skipping any hand sanitisation regime. These people are then handling serving tongs etc. Others, when serving themselves, will spill some on their fingers, lick it off and then pick up the next set of tongs. To me, that is the equivalent of spitting on the tongs 🤮 I don’t believe that it is purely coincidental that we almost never use the buffet and in all our cruises have never succumbed to Norovirus. 
 

We prefer the ambiance, layout and seating arrangement of restaurants, rather than the cafeteria style layout and ambiance of the buffet, the seating arrangement of which means that you are often up close and personal to others. The buffet is a hustle and bustle place with people constantly coming and going and walking up and down to get food etc. Not conducive to a relaxing dining experience IMHO. 
 

If the priority is just to get something to eat and then quickly move on, then the buffet is ideal. However, that’s not how we cruise. Unlike you, we don’t rate a lot of the cruise ship style ‘entertainment’. It’s not a reason that we cruise and we avoid most of it. On the other hand, dining is a highlight and something that we take our time over and enjoy. We dine out a few times a week at home. We tend to use nice pubs and restaurants, not cafeterias. When on holiday we want as good as we enjoy at home, or better. We don’t get that from the buffet. 
 

I’m glad that you enjoy an entirely different type of cruise experience to us, because it would be a real problem if we all wanted to do exactly the same things at the same times. That’s why cruise ships cater to all tastes. However, I’m afraid that your persistent efforts to tell me and others why we should all do as you do are futile in my case 😉 

 

Selbourne, if I had the time to post properly I would have written more or less what you have, for all the same reasons. 👍

[Interestedcruisefan]

1 minute ago, Megabear2 said:

ICF you are in danger of becoming Yorkypete in reverse!!! He hates everything, you love everything.  He tries to convince us all we're all some sort of drunks who are constantly in bars while you are determined we all stuff our faces in the buffet consuming copious amounts of food before washing them down with even more calories in calorie laden cocktails!!

 

Neither of you seem to want to consider we actually quite like doing it our way.  Still it's a good way to turn into a keyboard warrior defending our right to be ourselves I suppose!

To be fair to me I'm saying MDRs aren't that great

 

And also to be fair to me although people are defending them against buffet generally there's more complaints about MDR on here than most things

 

And the best defence of MDRs so far is you get table service and might have pleasant company. Nothing really to do with quality of food

 

I do accept quality rises on formal nights though

 

And most who've used the buffet on Arvia and Iona have agreed the quality is better than other ships

 

Nobody who uses the buffet on Arvia or Iona complains about how long it takes to get served

 

So I think in amongst my loving everything approach Ive got a valid point somewhere?

 

If you can read through all my over positivity of course??

 

There's some truth in what I'm saying

 

Lol

 

 

[Interestedcruisefan]

5 minutes ago, wowzz said:

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

No im saying the advantage of MDR is the ambience but not so much the food

[Interestedcruisefan]

9 minutes ago, CarlaMarie said:

 

But you said you did not dine in the MDR on Arvia, instead chose the buffet and speciality. So you cannot be comparing her buffet to the MDR which you did not experience, because for all we know that could have vastly improved on her also.  That's what I am trying to say. 

But I read pretty much every post on here and I respect others on here?

 

And I can't remember reading anybody saying MDRs have improved on P and O

 

In all honesty there's rarely a comment on here praising MDR. It's nearly always a complaint and saying standards have dropped? 

 

Have I missed all the positive posts about MDR nowadays somewhere?

 

Be honest guys? 

 

Don't tell me I've got to be the one to try it and then tell everyone how good it is after all the complaints on here from others?

 

Imagine that ?

 

Lol

 

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

Edited April 15, 2023 by Interestedcruisefan