Can you order drinks in buffet dining areas?

[Linda2433]

Just wondering if you can order drinks in the buffet dining areas? Also if you bring wine can you have it in these dining areas. Do you get a table then do the buffet?

[billybob123]

There's waiters bustling in and out of the Horizon Court (buffet) at pretty much all times. You can order a drink at any time you'd like. As for bringing your own, I don't know....

[bluehorizonlover123]

I dont think you can bring your own wine and drink it in the buffet. At least I have never seen anyone do it, but that doesn't mean that you couldn't at least try it. It is easier just to go to the nearest bar, get your own drink and bring it into the buffet. The bar maids don't go in the buffet that often.

[Mississippian]

I dont think you can bring your own wine and drink it in the buffet. At least I have never seen anyone do it, but that doesn't mean that you couldn't at least try it. It is easier just to go to the nearest bar, get your own drink and bring it into the buffet. The bar maids don't go in the buffet that often.

On our 2003 Golden Med cruise, I found the quality of the buffet to be pretty horrid, and there was no service whatsoever. If you want a drink, go to the bar and get one. You will not be waited on. By the way, the overall cruise food was good, but the buffet was not so hot, and the bacon was beyond bad.

[Linda2433]

Dont' want to bring my own drinks into the buffet just want to know if you can order drinks their or you have to go to the bar yourself. Also they let you bring on bottles of wine is that just to take in the main dining rooms and they will charge a corkage fee? Not even sure if I would do that as don't usually drink wine but just wondering? Just want to be able to buy a drink to have with dinner. Sounds like the buffet is not that great?

[johnmik1]

Just wondering if you can order drinks in the buffet dining areas? Also if you bring wine can you have it in these dining areas. Do you get a table then do the buffet?

We brought wine to the buffet on Star in 2002 and had no problem.The steward asked if the wine was purchased on the ship and opened it and provided glasses.

[KAJOKG]

Yes, you can order drinks at the buffet and all around the ship.

 

On our 2003 Golden Med cruise, I found the quality of the buffet to be pretty horrid, and there was no service whatsoever. If you want a drink, go to the bar and get one. You will not be waited on. By the way, the overall cruise food was good, but the buffet was not so hot, and the bacon was beyond bad.

We sailed the Golden to the Med 2 years ago and it was perfect. However, I do agree on the bacon. Seems the bacon is much better on Caribbean cruises. And the quality of service at the buffet on all my other Princess cruises was quite good. Perhaps your experience was unusual and unfortunate for you.

[gatour]

On the Coral, there were usually bar servers about. Once or twice did have to get up and go to the bar to get a drink. There is a bar right in the dining area of the buffet, so if you do have to get your own drink, it isn't too bad.

[totallynewtocruising]

JohnM - Did the buffet waiter then waive the corkage fee because you bought the wine on the ship, is that why he asked? I ask because I've read that Princess allows us to bring wine and champagne on the ship and if it's served in the dining room they usually charge a corkage fee. Thx.

[bluehorizonlover123]

You will not be able to bring liquor onboard the ship easily. YOu will have to hide the bottles of wine in your big checked luggage, not your carry ons. They don't want people to bring liquor on board, they want you to buy their liquor while on board. If you order their wine during dinner and don't drink the entire bottle during dinner, they will save the rest of the bottle for you and have it in the dining room for you the next night to serve it to you then. But this is the wine you purchased from them. If you bring your own wine onboard (but sneaking it in your luggage) then you will have to drink this in your cabin.

 

 

The buffets aren't that bad. If you like salad, fresh fruit, cheese, etc there is always something to eat. The stew type dishes that they make is what looks disgusting but people are always eating them. Trust me you won't starve, there is always something to eat. If you don't like the buffet the main dining rooms are always open to for meals.

[Northender]

We did not have a problem bringing on wine. Brought 4 bottles for the two of us - nothing was said.:) We did only drink it in our room, however.

[Bob-A-Loo]

You can openly bring wine, champagne, water on board. You will sometimes be charged a $10 corkage fee for the wine, sometimes not. If you do not finish your bottle, they will bring it to your table the next night.

[Tarheelbelle]

I haven't had any problem bringing wine, soda, water or liquor on board Princess cruises in my carry-on. I always bring my own corkscrew as well and have the cabin steward or room service bring some wine and champagne and even martini glasses. I always tip them extra for this.

As to the original question, I have noticed that the barwaiters are much more in evidence in the buffet area on day one of the cruise, trying to sell the drink of the day and cash in on the early flush of excitement after embarking.

[totallynewtocruising]

Bluehorizonlover, I wonder if the policy has changed since you cruised last on Princess?

 

This is directly from the Princess.com website:

 

Alcohol purchased at any port of call, including the port of embarkation, may not be consumed onboard. It will be collected at the gangway for safekeeping and delivered to your stateroom on the last day of your cruise, prior to your disembarkation. You may bring wine or champagne onboard to celebrate special occasions. If consumed in the dining rooms or alternative restaurants, each bottle will be subject to a $10 corkage fee.

*******

They make a distinction between hard liquor vs. wine and champagne.

[merela]

Dont' want to bring my own drinks into the buffet just want to know if you can order drinks their or you have to go to the bar yourself. Also they let you bring on bottles of wine is that just to take in the main dining rooms and they will charge a corkage fee? Not even sure if I would do that as don't usually drink wine but just wondering? Just want to be able to buy a drink to have with dinner. Sounds like the buffet is not that great?

 

You can order any kind of drinks in the Horizon Court because there are many waiters/waitresses walking about ready to take your orders, even soda cards. But I always get a large soda on my way into the Horizon Court. There is a bar right outside as you enter from the pool area. This way, I use my soda to save a table for me while I go and get the food.

 

I'm not sure whether you can bring a bottle of wine into the Horizon Court with you. Never thought to do it, but it is probably a very good idea.

 

They do charge you a corkage fee of $10 if you bring a bottle into the dining room and ask them to uncork the wine for you, but I would assume they would do the same in the Horizon Court. But if you bring your own corkscrew and open the wine in your room, I wonder if they'll let you drink your wine in the Horizon Court without charging you a corkage fee?!

 

Better yet, just fill up 2 big glasses of wine before you get to Horizon Court and the waiters there will probably think you bought the wine at one of the bars outside and no one will hassle you.

 

I'm curious to what happens if someone brings up an unopened bottle of wine to Horizon Court (or even an opened bottle of wine), will they charge corkage?

 

If someone knows the answer, please respond! We had no problems bringing wines on board, but we had problem finishing them. The kiddies wanted to eat in Horizon Court more often than we had thought, so we didn't get to drink wines in the Horizon Court, so if in the future we can bring wines to Horizon Court without getting charged corkage, we will bring more wine on board!