Question about Maasdam buffet

[maritimer]

Went on the Maasdam a few years back - prior to its refurb. There was a lot we liked about HAL, but one of the things we didn't like (and consequently haven't been on HAL since) was the long buffet line.

 

We recently found a great itinerary so are considering HAL again. Our issue with the buffet was that we often found ourselves waiting in line behind people who examined every single offering in the buffet when all we wanted was a bowl of cereal! There didn't seem to be a polite way to jump ahead in the line and bypass the slower folks. We prefer the way Celebrity and Princess do buffets because you can just go directly to the station serving the item you want. Can anyone tell me if they have changed the buffet set up?

 

Thanks

[Krazy Kruizers]

First -- HAL no longer has trays in the Lido.

Second -- HAL does now have various sections -- i.e. -- fried eggs and hot items -- another section for omelettes -- there is a continental area for cerals and pastries -- etc.

The same thing as lunch -- various sections -- one for hot food, one for salads, one for sandwiches, etc.

So no really long lines as was the case in the past.

[mamaofami]

Last time I was on Maasdam (June) the stewards guided you to the area where you wanted to go and the line was very short. Then someone came over and asked what you wanted to drink. Very civilized. I've only eaten lunch there and maybe breakfast once.

[sail7seas]

You are free to go directly to the one thing you want and obviously using manners and common sense, reach for your box of cereal without waiting in line. They have divided the long buffet line somewhat. You can now go directly to get a sandwich, to get breakfast eggs, salad bar is separated....... It moves more smoothly now but nothing can help if you go for lunch at 12:00 on a sea day. There are going to be a lot of people there. Go a little earlier or later than the mob and it will be faster/easier.

 

We sail Maasdam a great deal and have had very few occasions on recent cruises when Lido was a nuisance at lunch.

[SwissMyst]

On our first Maasdam trip we did not understand what Code Red was and had to wait forever while each person decided what they wanted and wait to have it handed to them -- even at the grill where this lady was taking an interminable time to select what was going into her taco, item by item.

 

Since this was our first cruise on Hal we didn't know any better and just avoided those buffet places. Then after the Code Red restrictions were passed, things moved along much faster as self-serve. But to answer you question as already explained by the prior posts ... things are now much more efficient...unless you run into a Code Red.

[maritimer]

Thanks for your quick responses - that is really good to hear!

[Krazy Kruizers]

You will find that for the first 48 hours on all HAL ships - the Lido will be in Code Orange -- you can not touch or get anything yourself - not even coffee, water, etc. There will be crew there to help you.

[sail7seas]

Code Orange and Code Red are NOT the same thing.

All the ships have Code Orange the first two (and rarely three) days. Code Red is much more restrictive.

 

Not everyone understands the differences.

 

[Krazy Kruizers]

Maybe a "sticky" should be made to explain this difference. :D

[SwissMyst]

Code Orange and Code Red are NOT the same thing.

All the ships have Code Orange the first two (and rarely three) days. Code Red is much more restrictive.

 

Not everyone understands the differences.

 

 

I think we were in Code Red because initial boarding was delayed for several hours because the whole ship had to go through a scrub down. This was also back in early 2009, before I think they required the automatic two day Code Orange.

 

There was a lot of negative noro-virus publicity also going on about all cruise ships at that time, so we felt an ounce of prevention was worth 3 days of a "cure". But c'mon lady don't agonize over your taco in the fast food line, okay?

 

Please do post the differences because this is good to know and know what to expect and not carelessly throw these terms around. (See above?)

[sail7seas]

Maasdm was not Code Red when you were aboard.

[GeriatricNurse]

You are free to go directly to the one thing you want and obviously using manners and common sense, reach for your box of cereal without waiting in line. They have divided the long buffet line somewhat. You can now go directly to get a sandwich, to get breakfast eggs, salad bar is separated....... It moves more smoothly now but nothing can help if you go for lunch at 12:00 on a sea day. There are going to be a lot of people there. Go a little earlier or later than the mob and it will be faster/easier.

 

We sail Maasdam a great deal and have had very few occasions on recent cruises when Lido was a nuisance at lunch.

 

From my experience in dining in the Lido, it is ALWAYS best, at lunch, to be waiting at the exact food station where you want to be, at 1130, when the Lido opens for lunch! ;)

[RuthC]

From my experience in dining in the Lido, it is ALWAYS best, at lunch, to be waiting at the exact food station where you want to be, at 1130, when the Lido opens for lunch! ;)

Always best? Even when you arrive for breakfast at 10:28? :rolleyes:

[innlady1]

On our first Maasdam trip we did not understand what Code Red was and had to wait forever while each person decided what they wanted and wait to have it handed to them -- even at the grill where this lady was taking an interminable time to select what was going into her taco, item by item.

 

Since this was our first cruise on Hal we didn't know any better and just avoided those buffet places. Then after the Code Red restrictions were passed, things moved along much faster as self-serve. But to answer you question as already explained by the prior posts ... things are now much more efficient...unless you run into a Code Red.

 

Speaking of Code Red, I wonder if it's been lifted yet from the cruise that ended yesterday? I checked the Roll Call for that cruise...and for the current cruise...but there aren't any folks on either that appear to be "active" Cruise Critic members...so we may not hear anything from anyone who was on her last week.

[sail7seas]

Maasdam is in Code Red.

 

[innlady1]

...I guess we'll pack extra Purell!

I always bring Wet Ones wipes too...read somewhere that the ingredients in those are the only ones that effectively combat the Norovirus.

[sail7seas]

Sheila,

Purell really doesn't work on Noro Virus. Wash your hands often is the very best you can do.

 

Wash your hands, don't put your hands to your face, use tissue to open restroom door when leaving, finger knuckle to push elevator button, wash hands if use hand rail......

what I don't like doing is handling dinner menu. If there is noro on a ship, I read the menu in advance, decide what I want and don't touch the menu in the dining room. Just my personal 'idiosyncrasy'. :)

 

Hopefully by the time you board, they will be able to lift the Code Red. I hope so.

 

[innlady1]

That's true, Judy...from all I've read regarding Purell. But I have read that Wet Ones are effective.

We do all those things...whether on a ship or on land. Even my grandchildren have been taught to do those things as well! Our daughter has gotten us in the habit of not wearing shoes in the house...I have a basket by our back door with three pair of slippers!

[SwissMyst]

...I guess we'll pack extra Purell!

I always bring Wet Ones wipes too...read somewhere that the ingredients in those are the only ones that effectively combat the Norovirus.

 

I recommend the book "ACHOO" to help sort out what works against virus and what works against bacteria and how to know the difference when trying any sort of self-protection defenses. Sheer physical removal with careful hand washing removes the bulk of both.

 

Overuse of chemicals can foster proliferation of chemical resistant strains. The now standard use of "Purell" may well result in more problems on ships; not fewer.

 

The Center for Disease Control also has good tips about these topics as well as surface decontamination standards.

[SwissMyst]

Maasdm was not Code Red when you were aboard.

 

Okay, please tell me/us the difference. We were new to this at that time and it is easy to bandy about what one hears and not what one knows.

[innlady1]

I recommend the book "ACHOO" to help sort out what works against virus and what works against bacteria and how to know the difference when trying any sort of self-protection defenses. Sheer physical removal with careful hand washing removes the bulk of both.

 

Overuse of chemicals can foster proliferation of chemical resistant strains. The now standard use of "Purell" may well result in more problems on ships; not fewer.

 

The Center for Disease Control also has good tips about these topics as well as surface decontamination standards.

 

I'm not going to argue that, SwissMyst! One of our daughters can be somewhat obsessive about it...and she just had the flu that went into pneumonia. Two of her three kids had a minor case of the flu, one of whom now has an ear infection. Her kids would never even think of using the bathroom without washing their hands...never touch a door knob in any public facility without first grabbing a tissue or paper towel, etc. But they use Purell as well.

As Captain Scott kept announcing when one of our Noordam cruises went into Code Red, wash your hands for as long as it takes to sing 'Happy Birthday'.

[SwissMyst]

...I guess we'll pack extra Purell!

I always bring Wet Ones wipes too...read somewhere that the ingredients in those are the only ones that effectively combat the Norovirus.

 

WetOnes also contain minor amounts benzethonium chloride which is a commonly used surface disinfectant for "cold sterilization" in medical and dental offices but must be in contact for an extended period of time to actually be a bactericide. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Benzethonium_chloride

 

Using benzethonium chloride containing "wipes" without extended surface contact accomplishes nothing more than washing hands does to remove some of the "bulk" of contaminants, and probably does not work as well as the through hand washing that actually removes the contaminants and flushes them away rather than just smearing them around.

 

False protection is worse than no protection.

[Krazy Kruizers]

Okay, please tell me/us the difference. We were new to this at that time and it is easy to bandy about what one hears and not what one knows.

 

 

Code Orange is when only the Lido is not self serve for the first 48 hours of each cruise. You can not touch anything -- not coffee, tea, water. As you go through the lines -- you can reach in to take a spoon and help yourself to anything. You can't even pick up a cereal box. Can't make your own salad. The crew will be there to fill your plate and make your salad and pour your drinks. HAL started this in the spring of 2009 to help prevent Noro Virus. It has helped a lot.

Code RED -- this means that Noro Virus is on the ship. Again you can not touch anything in the Lido. In the dining room you will not have a bread basket or butter or salt and pepper on the tables. The wait staff place rolls and butter on your plate. Some ships the wait staff will pour your salt and pepper -- most ships now give you the little packets. Many times we didn't even have flowers on the tables. The pools and hot tubs are closed. The library is closed. One time until they got pladtic gloves the casino was closed for a couple of days. Many of the activities are cancelled. Thermo pools closed. Spa was closed. And one a couple of our cruises the beauty salon was closed.

[gdnr68]

Maasdam is in Code Red.

 

 

I thought I read that somewhere but I can't find the post or any updated info.

 

tia!

[SwissMyst]

I'm not going to argue that, SwissMyst! One of our daughters can be somewhat obsessive about it...and she just had the flu that went into pneumonia. Two of her three kids had a minor case of the flu, one of whom now has an ear infection. Her kids would never even think of using the bathroom without washing their hands...never touch a door knob in any public facility without first grabbing a tissue or paper towel, etc. But they use Purell as well.

As Captain Scott kept announcing when one of our Noordam cruises went into Code Red, wash your hands for as long as it takes to sing 'Happy Birthday'.

 

The book ACHOO gives tips on how to prevent further complications that can lead to bacterial infections after a nasty viral attack - even how to blow one's nose to avoid pushing mucous into the sinuses. Lots of facts, studies and on-going research reports. Lays out what works, what does not and what to avoid to at least let one feel a little better while they are getting better. And best of all to try and prevent exactly the types of complications you saw happening.

 

There are research facilities where patients sign up to be given colds and be observed in this scientific setting, so this is more than a collection of old-wives tales about this very common affliction. Some people even use these places for their "vacations" as well as a place to earn some extra cash for being a volunteer for observation (and misery). Mainly in England.

 

Quite a fascinating read and even an apology for colds ultimately, because when one has a cold it does pump up the immune system that may well prevent one from getting even worse things that are floating around at the same time. (Again, some intriguing science behind this conclusion.)

 

Kids are the worst carriers - so it does give one pause to not have that last minute visit with the grand-kids before leaving on a cruise. And that "flu season" is really when kids go back to school and pick up and carry the bugs every which way. I thought it had to do with the weather, but they learned the timing has far more to do with the start of school.