buffet on Ruby princess, question

[Ilovepj]

Hi all,

 

What is the name of the buffet on Ruby Princess, is it called International Café? and what deck is that on, if you know.

 

 

Thanks,

[skynight]

Hi all,

 

What is the name of the buffet on Ruby Princess, is it called International Café? and what deck is that on, if you know.

Thanks,

 

Horizon Ct./Cafe Caribe are the buffet areas connected together on deck 15, Lido deck. The International Cafe is on deck five. Refer to the deck plans on the Princess website. See attached recent dining guide from Princess which shows all the dining option and costs, if any.

[skynight]

Here is the attachment

Dining Guide - Princess 1213.pdf

[Pam in CA]

What is the name of the buffet on Ruby Princess, is it called International Café? and what deck is that on, if you know.

The International Cafe is not a buffet. It's a small cafe on deck 5 in the Atrium and open 24/7. Delicious goodies. Pastries, muffins, donuts, breakfast sandwich in the morning; salads, sandwiches, and pastries the rest of the time. The Chicken Waldorf salad is to die for. :)

 

The buffet is the Horizon Court on Lido, deck 15 at the aft elevators. The Cafe Caribe is a smaller buffet further aft. It has a smaller buffet at breakfast, sometimes a few specialty items at lunch and open for dinner. Even if you get food from the Horizon Court, you can sit in the Cafe Caribe area. I've found that it's often easier to find a table there plus if it's nice out, there are tables outside. There are also tables outside the Horizon Court around the pool.

[Jasperdo]

Here are a few photos to show the difference between the International Cafe and the Horizon Court Buffet. Pam explained it perfectly above, so I won't repeat. These photos are from the Golden Princess, but will give you a general idea of the differences. The first photo is the International Cafe, the second photo is the Horizon Court Buffet:

 

Golden Princess by Jasperdo, on Flickr

 

Golden Princess - Alaska by Jasperdo, on Flickr

Edited February 13, 2014 by Jasperdo

[Ilovepj]

thanks all, I was looking on the princess website for pictures, and could not find any of the buffet so I was just guessing where it was.

 

The pictures were really nice, got the idea now.

 

Thanks

[Jasperdo]

I noticed in your signature that you've cruised with Royal Caribbean. Think of the International Cafe being the Cafe Promenade and the Horizon Court Buffet being the Windjammer Buffet.

[Cruisin' Chick]

More differences:

 

International Cafe, open 24/7, is not enclosed. It has the display cases as Jasperdo's photo shows, with a specialty coffee/tea/hot drinks counter to one side. The specialty drinks and gelato (if your ship serves that -- some like the Golden,Grand, etc., don't have gelato) will have a charge; everything else not. You go up to the counter and tell the server what you want, and they place it on a small plate (or in a bowl, if you're getting soup), and then you take your item(s) away.

 

There will be some little tables in the Piazza, but usually I have to take my food elsewhere (you can take to your cabin, any lounge, outside, etc.). But you'll have to use the elevator or stairs unless you're sticking to the Plaza deck.

 

I love the chocolate chip cookies.

 

The Horizon Court is the buffet (on some ships, part of it switches to the Cafe Caribe). It usually opens early in the morning for breakfast, switches to lunch at some part, mid-afternoon food, then dinner. Usually closes around 11pm or midnight.

 

On the Golden (can't remember about the other ships I've been on, and definitely can't answer about the other ships), there are actually four sections of the Horizon Court. There's two entrances from the Lido elevator area, and each of the two sides have a serving area and two dining areas, so if you can't find an available table (and don't worry about asking strangers if you and your party can join them as it's a cruising tradition to share tables -- but some people will say yes and some no), go through the door and often there's free tables as many people don't know about the other rooms.

 

Between early morning and late at night, the HC doesn't close (which I understand isn't true about the Windjammer), but one side may close to switch to the next shift (from breakfast to lunch, etc), then open, and the other side switches the items. During the course of the cruise, one side may close "for a private party" per the sign, but that's for the kids' dinner. The other side will be open.

 

There should be silverware setups at each table. When you sit down, a beverage server will come by and ask if you'll want something to drink. They'll get you coffee, tea, water, lemonade. Or you can buy a drink from them.

[Ilovepj]

I noticed in your signature that you've cruised with Royal Caribbean. Think of the International Cafe being the Cafe Promenade and the Horizon Court Buffet being the Windjammer Buffet.

 

Ok that helps, café promenade was where we got coffee every morning.

[caribill]

Ok that helps, café promenade was where we got coffee every morning.

 

Café Promenade has no-cost self-pour coffee. On Princess, that is available in the buffet area, not at the International Cafe.

 

The bar by the IC does have specialty coffees for sale as well as fresh brewed coffee for sale. If you purchase a Princess coffee card, then the fresh-brewed will be free there and the card will have 15 punches for specialty coffees.

Edited February 14, 2014 by caribill