Venue for Afternoon Tea

Where is afternoon tea served on the larger SS ships? It was of course traditionally held in Panorama. But on my most recent cruise it was held in La Terrazza, with the explanation given that USPHS regulations did not permit food to be served in Panorama.

It depends on the ship. Funny.

On the Whisper recently it was in the Panorama.

On the Whisper recently it was in the Panorama.

That's great news let's hope it is throughout the fleet.Afternoon tea was so appropriate in the Panorama with the pianist providing background music,just the opposite to the Terrazza experience with the awful electric organ music as background to a second class cafe experience.

On the Spirit it was in La Terressa in Nov/Dec and they had a cabinet where you went to get your cakes while sandwiches and scones were served to the table.

On the Spirit it was in La Terressa in Nov/Dec and they had a cabinet where you went to get your cakes while sandwiches and scones were served to the table.

From our Silver Cloud experience earlier this year as detailed below on my live/blog, the Afternoon Tea was also in La Terrazza. Worked well!! Below are a few of my visuals from that experience. Is this proof and evidence that we did not go hungry between meals?

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

From our Jan. 25-Feb. 20, 2015, Amazon River-Caribbean combo sailing over 26 days that started in Barbados, here is the link below to that live/blog. Lots of great visuals from this amazing Brazil river and these various Caribbean Islands (Dutch ABC's, St. Barts, Dominica, Grenada, etc.) that we experienced. Check it out at:

http://www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2157696

Now at 33,219 views for these postings.

Here are five visuals to give an example for the 4 pm daily offering on the Silver Cloud of “High Tea”. You can see the desserts (small in size, of course, to keep calories low), the small tea sandwiches, the cookies, etc. Needed "help" in order to make it until dinner time, right? There are about ten different types of teas available, all from this old-line company as shown in one of the visuals. Of course, part of the fun is having the hot tea poured in front of you. Service is great!!:

Where is afternoon tea served on the larger SS ships? It was of course traditionally held in Panorama. But on my most recent cruise it was held in La Terrazza, with the explanation given that USPHS regulations did not permit food to be served in Panorama.

That's interesting considering that on our recent (11/24-12/4) Spirit cruise they held the British Pub Lunch, along with the complete buffet, in the Panorama lounge.

You call that a High Tea display? That it is not. The china looks cheap as well. Tea dispensers?

And it's not High Tea which has a main course. It's afternoon tea, very different.

High Tea on Crystal is not a main course but served very elegantly and superbly presented. We had tea On the Shadow truly a joke even by British standards.

If there's no main course it's not high tea no matter what they call it.

If there's no main course it's not high tea no matter what they call it.

In the Chronicles, Silversea calls it Afternoon Tea, as did Observer in the thread title. I'm not clear where the mix up came from that it was being characterized as a High Tea.

The "high tea" vs "afternoon tea" often confuses. My understanding is the version with tea, scones, tea sandwiches, small cakes and/ or pastries is afternoon tea. Usually served around 4pm.

High tea derives from the working class and it constitutes a substantial meal consumed at table -- a regular size table, hence the high in high tea. Usually served when laborers returned home from the work day, between 5-7pm.

A cream tea is tea served with scones, clotted cream and red jam (strawberry or raspberry).

OctoberKat,

Exactly right. High Tea usually replaces an evening meal. Afternoon tea does not.

From our Silver Cloud experience earlier this year as detailed below on my live/blog, the Afternoon Tea was also in La Terrazza. Worked well!! Below are a few of my visuals from that experience. Is this proof and evidence that we did not go hungry between meals?

Wish ours had been served like this. I hate having to choose from a large display as would much rather individual bits of things to try as then don't have to decide. Also to me this feels more like afternoon tea whereas the cabinet or treats seems more like a coffee shop but that's just me. I also find they rush through whats in the cabinet so therefore end up not really knowing what things are whereas if you get a tray at least you can work it out easier.

We were on the Whisper in Nov and Afternoon Tea was served in the Panorama Lounge. We were first offered a choice of teas and then brought the triple decker with sandwiches, biscuits and dainty cakes. You could ask for any extras you wished and were also offered scones with cream and jam. All served by the excellent attentive staff. There was no going to a cabinet to make our own choices. Altogether a pleasurable experience though in all honesty one didn't need the food!!