No lines in Buffet, trays not needed

[JLSPOOL]

Probably not as many as the waiters in the dining room every night.:eek:

 

 

MDR food arrives at work stations on trays and all dishes have covers.

[Ma Bell]

Then they pick up the dishes individually and carry them to the table. They clear the dishes after each course so they are touching those nasty used dishes, and silverware and then bringing your next course. I've never seen them wash their hands between courses, have you?

[JLSPOOL]

Probably not as many as the waiters in the dining room every night.:eek:

 

 

No disrespect but have you been on a Celebrity s-class ship?

Or in the MDR?

[JLSPOOL]

Then they pick up the dishes individually and carry them to the table. They clear the dishes after each course so they are touching those nasty used dishes, and silverware and then bringing your next course. I've never seen them wash their hands between courses, have you?

 

 

Why would I follow them to the washroom?

Why would you be licking your plate?

We use the knife and fork for our food.

[Despegue]

My opinion may be in the minority but I am glad there are no trays. I don't want the buffet to look like a school cafeteria! I've also never been greatly inconvenienced by the lack of a tray. Everything I want to eat can fit on one plate. One hand for plate and utensils; one hand for drink cup. It works out just fine.

 

I comletely agree!

trays are for Prisons and school cafetarias, a buffet never has trays in hotels, and I do not want to,see them onboard. also, I do not think they are needed.

On both M and S class ships, the buffet consists of stations where one takes what one needs, and goes to another station to,pick up an item one want to eat toghether. No waiting in line, passing things you are not interested in. When you want your next course, go and grab it. like I said, just like in a hotel. The problem is that many passengers act like a herd of sheep and just stand there waiting annd forming a line. This is NOT how a buffet works, it created backups, is counterproductive. the worst is when then these passengers start to complain when you are getting an item squeezing through their "line".

Obviously, wheen there is live cooking,one should wait his/her turn to,order, that is a given. But still in this case.. No trays needed in my opinion.

 

Sorry to disagree, But this is my view, and the view of many non Anglosaxon passengers, and shared by the Ceo of Celebrity it seems:D

[seasearider]

Tacky for some may be a useful tool for others.

 

Most food courts, cafeterias, and restaurants use trays. The tray is removed when no longer needed.

 

Princess uses a very large plate that holds small drinks (milk or fruit juice), and foods. Flatware, napkins, glasses, cups are at the table.

IMHO the Princess Buffet is not as nice as those on S-Class ships.

 

HAL uses trays. IMHO, HAL buffet moves as slow as the slowest passengers.

 

Last time I took RCCL they had food stations similar to Celebrity and trays for collection of meal items.

 

I have not cruised NCL in a long time, never cruised Carnival, Costa did have trays at buffet area.

 

-Marisa

 

Royal Caribbean does not have trays.

[richsea]

Never mind.

[eetonaee]

I comletely agree!

trays are for Prisons and school cafetarias, a buffet never has trays in hotels, and I do not want to,see them onboard. also, I do not think they are needed.

On both M and S class ships, the buffet consists of stations where one takes what one needs, and goes to another station to,pick up an item one want to eat toghether. No waiting in line, passing things you are not interested in. When you want your next course, go and grab it. like I said, just like in a hotel. The problem is that many passengers act like a herd of sheep and just stand there waiting annd forming a line. This is NOT how a buffet works, it created backups, is counterproductive. the worst is when then these passengers start to complain when you are getting an item squeezing through their "line".

Obviously, wheen there is live cooking,one should wait his/her turn to,order, that is a given. But still in this case.. No trays needed in my opinion.

 

Sorry to disagree, But this is my view, and the view of many non Anglosaxon passengers, and shared by the Ceo of Celebrity it seems:D

 

I was about to write a similar post to this. Especially the part about standing in line other than at the omelette and toast stations.

 

If you want a muffin take one. Don't stand in line behind people getting scrambled eggs.

[hcat]

Below is the response from Mr Bayley to those wanting the return of buffet trays..Waiting in line was not the true issue. I think he does not know how much food and bev. is spilled on the floor all around the buffet & drink areas--very dangerous and gross. Also increases the need for multiple trips & there are lots of folks walking aimlessley with hot coffee in hand!!!, Having plates on sanitized trays was cleaner than having them on tables cleaned with rags.. Hope this is one topic to be re-visited in the future.

 

 

Response on the Bayley Thread:

Hi,

When we launched Celebrity Solstice, we introduced a new concept in the buffet area, based on guest feedback. The majority of our guests had asked that we eliminate trays and also find a way to improve traffic flow through the buffet area. We achieved both with the “marketplace concept” in that area. We have multiple stations, each offering various types of cuisine – from salads to carved meats to sushi to made-to-order pastas and sandwiches to homemade ice cream – and we’ve found that this concept has virtually eliminated any need for our guests to wait in line, which has met with very positive response.

__________________

[hcat]

so sorry I missed this ongoing thread when I posted on this topic (I hate duplicates!)

 

so if I can find my thread--which is now missing for some reason, I will re-copy & post it here...

[PinotBlanc]

I want a tray. I'll bring my own.

I don't choose to make multiple trips.

It's a crowded cafeteria.

[hcat]

Here's my missing post!

"Below is the response from Mr Bayley to those wanting the return of buffet trays..Waiting in line was not the true issue. I think he does not know how much food and bev. is spilled on the floor all around the buffet & drink areas--very dangerous and gross. Also increases the need for multiple trips & there are lots of folks walking aimlessley with hot coffee in hand!!!, Having plates on sanitized trays was cleaner than having them on tables cleaned with rags.. Hope this is one topic to be re-visited in the future."

 

 

Response on the Bayley Thread:

Hi,

When we launched Celebrity Solstice, we introduced a new concept in the buffet area, based on guest feedback. The majority of our guests had asked that we eliminate trays and also find a way to improve traffic flow through the buffet area. We achieved both with the “marketplace concept” in that area. We have multiple stations, each offering various types of cuisine – from salads to carved meats to sushi to made-to-order pastas and sandwiches to homemade ice cream – and we’ve found that this concept has virtually eliminated any need for our guests to wait in line, which has met with very positive response. __________________

[Fblack]

Frankly I agree with him. I do not like trays. I prefer getting my food at food serving stations in several trips. On older ships with long buffet lines you basically needed a tray to handle all the various small plates you got as you moved in a line getting all the food at once for a whole meal. So you ate your salad and appetizer and your main plate of hot food got cold. Trays also remind me of those old fashioned "all you can eat buffets" on land that my parents took me to when I was a kid many years ago. The absence of trays makes me feel like I am more at a restaurant than an all you can eat buffet. While there certainly is occasional food spilled on the floor, in all my numerous cruises the staff has been quick to clean up any spills on the floor.

[Despegue]

Do any of these tray huggers ever go to Hotels?! You would never see trays at a hotel buffet, so no need to have them onboard. They are tacky. if you really want one, bring your own.

[Waihekean]

As one that thought I might like to have a tray, I found that I did not miss one on my recent cruise on the Equinox. If wanted to take several items, just took one of the large plates and might make another trip if wanted desert.

[ghstudio]

reading his answer, I now think that the find they get higher ratings on their buffet area on the solstice....and they may be jumping to the conclusion that therefore, everything they did was great. Having sailed on multiple solstice class ships, I like the layout of the buffet, I find the food to be good with lots of options..I'd rate it high overall. I still have a problem though with the lack of trays especially if I'm alone. I don't want to hop up and down and I'm not sure my seat will be there when I get back....I don't carry a shirt or bag to put on the seat. I'd like to at least get everything but my dessert in place before starting to eat. For reasonable, not gourmand breakfast that might mean waiting for the poached eggs, then get some bacon and potatoes, some orange juice a cup of coffee and a sweet roll. How do I assemble all that at my seat before I eat? For lunch, maybe some soup, some appetizer plate of salad/meats, then a main plate of mexican food and iced tea. Same question...how do I get that to my seat to eat it...and have it hot? If I go with my DW, one of us stays at the table to make sure we have seats while the other gets food...the result is that even though we go to the buffet together, we don't eat together.

 

I guess we're doing it wrong.....but it sure would help to either have a couple more arms or a tray that would hold a plate and an iced tea and soup, etc.

 

I desperately want Mr Bayley to eat breakfast and lunch in the buffet ALONE on his cruise...and then I'd like to see his response to this question. Might be the same, but I'd bet he'd have a different way of stating it is what it is.....

[tserface]

I always wonder what to do with the tray once I get to the table. In the past on RCCL and Celebrity someone might come by and get it form you, but more often we just burdened some other table with it since we didn't want it under our dishes (I'm not sure why, but that just seemed wrong). I don't miss the trays that much. I used them when they were available, but not having them hasn't kept me from finding enough to eat. We were recently on a Princess ship where the buffet was a long line. It was awful and we remarked every day how we missed the station approached used by Celebrity and newer RCCL ships.

 

I also go back in courses and that works for several reasons:

 

1. I don't know what else I want to eat until I finish eating what I already have.
   
2. I like my food hot or cold (whatever it's supposed to be) rather than room temperature so I like to leave it at the station until I'm ready to eat it.
   
3. It gives me/us a reason to get up for a minute to go and get the food. I may want a different drink as well. For example, I like coffee with dessert, but ice tea or water with lunch.
   

 

Bottom line: not a big deal for me whether we have trays or not, but it is less cluttered without trays and the new station approach is much better.

 

Tom

 

Frankly I agree with him. I do not like trays. I prefer getting my food at food serving stations in several trips. On older ships with long buffet lines you basically needed a tray to handle all the various small plates you got as you moved in a line getting all the food at once for a whole meal. So you ate your salad and appetizer and your main plate of hot food got cold. Trays also remind me of those old fashioned "all you can eat buffets" on land that my parents took me to when I was a kid many years ago. The absence of trays makes me feel like I am more at a restaurant than an all you can eat buffet. While there certainly is occasional food spilled on the floor, in all my numerous cruises the staff has been quick to clean up any spills on the floor.

[Phxazzcruisers]

Sorry, but I agree with above posters. I really DO NOT like the trays and think the lew layout is perfect. I think it is repulsive when I see people in line at buffets with trays piling on WAY MORE food than they could possible consume and then leave it all uneaten at theor tables.

[Despegue]

Sorry, but I agree with above posters. I really DO NOT like the trays and think the lew layout is perfect. I think it is repulsive when I see people in line at buffets with trays piling on WAY MORE food than they could possible consume and then leave it all uneaten at theor tables.

 

Hear Hear!!

I am happy that not all Cruisecritics are TRAYHUGGERS...:D

[Christine Frances]

Frankly I agree with him. I do not like trays. I prefer getting my food at food serving stations in several trips. On older ships with long buffet lines you basically needed a tray to handle all the various small plates you got as you moved in a line getting all the food at once for a whole meal. So you ate your salad and appetizer and your main plate of hot food got cold. Trays also remind me of those old fashioned "all you can eat buffets" on land that my parents took me to when I was a kid many years ago. The absence of trays makes me feel like I am more at a restaurant than an all you can eat buffet. While there certainly is occasional food spilled on the floor, in all my numerous cruises the staff has been quick to clean up any spills on the floor.

 

Totally agree as well. I can just get my salad and take my time eating it before going back for a hot course. If I got it all at once, the "hot" course would be cold by the time I finished my salad. I don't get a dessert until I have finished the main meal and then decide if I want one. Nothing as wasteful as sitting looking at a dessert and not having room to eat it. My eyes are always bigger than my stomach:D We really like the S Class station set up as opposed to the M Class "tray shuffle" lineup. I have also noticed that the waiters were very quick to assist people carry their plates if necessary.

[tserface]

I agree with you of course, but have you ever wondered what someone would look like if their eyes really were bigger than their stomach? :rolleyes:

 

Tom

 

Totally agree as well. I can just get my salad and take my time eating it before going back for a hot course. If I got it all at once, the "hot" course would be cold by the time I finished my salad. I don't get a dessert until I have finished the main meal and then decide if I want one. Nothing as wasteful as sitting looking at a dessert and not having room to eat it. My eyes are always bigger than my stomach:D We really like the S Class station set up as opposed to the M Class "tray shuffle" lineup. I have also noticed that the waiters were very quick to assist people carry their plates if necessary.

[Kevnzworld]

The problem for me is that you have to keep getting up. I finish my salad, and have to get up for hot food . I don't like to combine Indian, with American..even if it's just a little of each, now I've gotten up 3 times.

On my last cruise, I left my salad to go get hot food, the lines were long and When I came back my salad was gone and someone else was eating at my table !

I've resorted to now eating at the bar ( solstice ), and asking the bartender to watch my seat.

[Ma Bell]

No disrespect but have you been on a Celebrity s-class ship?

Or in the MDR?

 

Just kidding...I can't believe you are taking what I said seriously. Yes, I've been on an S-Class ship.....more than a few times.

[neverbeenhere]

I don't use or like the trays. I ask the people near to save my seat, if necessary.

[Ma Bell]

I don't use or like the trays. I ask the people near to save my seat, if necessary.

 

So would I. Makes sense to me.