Dinner Buffet Photos at 7pm Monday 19th. February

[sandpiper35]

Good review Nikki.

 

Thank You.

[mom2tcdx2]

Honestly though I have to say the offerings look to me pretty much equal to what I have seen on NCL, Carnival, Royal, Princess. Some days I found more items I wanted to try than other days, but in all the selection doesn't seem all that terrible to me. Truly no different than sometimes the minimal offerings in the dining room (hey not all restaurant menu's can be extensive like the Cheesecake Factory). I find the MDR is sometimes hit or miss too - often many items I want to try and others not so much.

 

However I have no issue either with pizza, hotdogs, hamburgers, chicken, etc. Looked to me like they had chicken, pork and fish on the buffet, several pastas, items to make a salad.

[asctony]

Agree...but again...How many choices do you need?? Also, this video was taken 41/2 years ago. I would imagine (like all lines) some changes have occurred

Yes, it is an old video. However, we have been on Celebrity, Princess, RCI, NCl and MSC in the past 12 months. MSC needs to do something about their food. It is not anywhere near the other cruise lines.

 

Here is one from Princess

 

We just got off of the Divina. I walked around the entire buffet and saw calamari one day and popcorn shrimp another day at lunch in the KIDS area of the buffet. I could not find this is the other area of the buffet. Why wouldn't this be elsewhere, too?

[sandpiper35]

Yes, it is an old video. However, we have been on Celebrity, Princess, RCI, NCl and MSC in the past 12 months. MSC needs to do something about their food. It is not anywhere near the other cruise lines.

 

Here is one from Princess

 

We just got off of the Divina. I walked around the entire buffet and saw calamari one day and popcorn shrimp another day at lunch in the KIDS area of the buffet. I could not find this is the other area of the buffet. Why wouldn't this be elsewhere, too?

 

 

Wow! now that is a buffet!

 

Thanks for the post.

[asctony]

Wow! now that is a buffet!

 

Thanks for the post.

Seriously, I am not trying to flame MSC as we do cruise MSC at least 3 times a year. The only real shortcoming they have to us is their food. We do not go hungry, but when we compare it to the other lines, MSC needs to do something. It is not European food. We have been cruising MSC since 2006 and even now, their food is still last.

Do you ever see chicken wings, breast, fried chicken in the buffet? Do you see pork chops, minute steaks, grilled? Asian, Indian?

Like I said before, the sandwiches look fair, but when you open one it has a very thin slice of meat, a little lettuce, thin tomato. If we accept it, then they will continue to fool us. JMHO!!!!

[sandpiper35]

Seriously, I am not trying to flame MSC as we do cruise MSC at least 3 times a year. The only real shortcoming they have to us is their food. We do not go hungry, but when we compare it to the other lines, MSC needs to do something. It is not European food. We have been cruising MSC since 2006 and even now, their food is still last.

Do you ever see chicken wings, breast, fried chicken in the buffet? Do you see pork chops, minute steaks, grilled? Asian, Indian?

Like I said before, the sandwiches look fair, but when you open one it has a very thin slice of meat, a little lettuce, thin tomato. If we accept it, then they will continue to fool us. JMHO!!!!

 

We understand and agree with you. I know the food, when compared to others, may be an issue. Any one that asks me I tried to presented to them as accurately as possible. As far as I am concerned, I use the opportunity to eat less. Belief me I do not go hungry in cruises, if anything, I have more than my share. So when the MDR serves me a thin slice of prime rib. I cringe, because that should not be done to a nice cut of prime rib, but in the end I thank them for giving me an opportunity to eat less.

 

Cheers.

[asctony]

We understand and agree with you. I know the food, when compared to others, may be an issue. Any one that asks me I tried to presented to them as accurately as possible. As far as I am concerned, I use the opportunity to eat less. Belief me I do not go hungry in cruises, if anything, I have more than my share. So when the MDR serves me a thin slice of prime rib. I cringe, because that should not be done to a nice cut of prime rib, but in the end I thank them for giving me an opportunity to eat less.

 

Cheers.

Things like very thin prime rib do rub people the wrong way. We had people tell us that they would never cruise MSC because of the thin sliced meat. When you try to explain the waste of food, people just don't get it. Mabe, they should cut it thicker, but provide a smaller piece. You can't win them all. LOL

[sandpiper35]

Things like very thin prime rib do rub people the wrong way. We had people tell us that they would never cruise MSC because of the thin sliced meat. When you try to explain the waste of food, people just don't get it. Mabe, they should cut it thicker, but provide a smaller piece. You can't win them all. LOL

 

Absolutely!

 

Anyways this has been a great review by Nikki. She did a great job bringing it to us live and as it was being dished out. Gives us a lot of good info.

 

Thanks Nikki.

[mulan1123]

Thanks Nikki for the pictures!

 

To me the buffet looks good and lots if variety. If you can't find something at a buffet (anywhere), then you're just a picky eater. Every cruiseline is different and will offer different foods, services, etc.

 

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[travelberlin]

I am sorry but that is the most unappetizing display I have ever seen in a buffet. There are also considerably less choices which makes it difficult for someone who doesn't want the MDR to find something to satisfy them. I can't even tell what half of that stuff is.

 

 

Reminds me of a song by two London singers called Chas and Dave ... "There ain`t no pleasing you" ... ;p

I agree. I do not recall the buffet at dinner time being that bad on MSC. Well maybe because if I eat there I just go for the pizza and salad.

[jimbob22]

Excellent photos. I'd say it looks similar to, but a tad weaker than, the recent Carnivals I've done (Fantasy, Triumph). Those buffets, like this one, leaned toward heavy/starchy/fried types of foods. One thing I've noticed in videos of MSC's buffets: their kitchen staff is not very skilled at cutting up veggies so that they look more attractive, eg. cut the peppers into strips, not little square pieces, cut carrots into nice disks, not all random. They could really swap out a rice or mashed potatoes for steamed broccolli or similar. I think I saw one pan of cut up veggies that would qualify as decent 'roughage'. I'd like to see Indian or Asian, but I guess only the American lines do that.

 

I don't eat pig, so that's a bummer when the one carved meat is pork.

 

It's an 'ok' buffet, not extensive enough for us, but it should be ok for a person that frequently does buffet dinner on Carnival.

[riclop]

TOTALLY agree with lcpagejr!! :D I've cruised on Carnival, as well, and agree that nikki's awesome pictures show a buffet completely in line with Carnival's offerings (and, for that matter, Royal Caribbean's). Nikki is really generous with her time (and internet package, LOL) to share these with us. :D

They have more choices then Carnival.

[KruiseKween]

I’m just glad they have (what looks like) veggies that are actually prepared for dinner and not just raw veggies from the salad bar. Fibre is the name of the game lol

 

 

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[Clarea]

Thanks much for the photos!

[calgaryhhr]

Excellent photos. I'd say it looks similar to, but a tad weaker than, the recent Carnivals I've done (Fantasy, Triumph). Those buffets, like this one, leaned toward heavy/starchy/fried types of foods. One thing I've noticed in videos of MSC's buffets: their kitchen staff is not very skilled at cutting up veggies so that they look more attractive, eg. cut the peppers into strips, not little square pieces, cut carrots into nice disks, not all random. They could really swap out a rice or mashed potatoes for steamed broccolli or similar. I think I saw one pan of cut up veggies that would qualify as decent 'roughage'. I'd like to see Indian or Asian, but I guess only the American lines do that.

 

I don't eat pig, so that's a bummer when the one carved meat is pork.

 

It's an 'ok' buffet, not extensive enough for us, but it should be ok for a person that frequently does buffet dinner on Carnival.

 

One of the things that I really liked about the buffet on the Norwegian Escape was that they always had 5 or 6 dishes of Asian or Indian cuisine. It wasn't always very good or authentic or flavour but it was a nice option. I love curries and spicier foods. MSC actually had a good lamb curry in the buffet on the first night of our cruise but after that I never saw anything remotely as good or of Indian style.:*

[Keith1010]

Terrific photos.

Keith

[sidari]

What is odd is that MSC usually have Asian dishes available, what was missing was the area where they had around 6 dishes from other countries, on our Orchestra cruise to Dubai they had things like Hungarian strogonoff.

I am surprised that they have not copied the menu from Divina which also had various other dishes on the original T.A.

[spiritkat090909]

These look like pretty good choices to me. But, I typically think you get what you pay for and it appears that MSC is a decent value...not having experienced it YET.

 

Plan B: With those drink packages...just have a gelato and a couple of those scrumptious looking dessert martini Venchi drinks for supper and you won't care what's for supper. ;)

[mom2tcdx2]

These look like pretty good choices to me. But, I typically think you get what you pay for and it appears that MSC is a decent value...not having experienced it YET.

 

Plan B: With those drink packages...just have a gelato and a couple of those scrumptious looking dessert martini Venchi drinks for supper and you won't care what's for supper. ;)

 

 

I love Plan B

[LMaxwell]

Divina was much more impressive for the dinner buffet because there were items that mirrored the MDR menu. These pictures show more than hamburger, hot dogs, and pizza that some claim is all that there is, but this is very limited compared to RCI or NCL, or even the MSC Divina.

[EssG]

Amazing though how most of these people that state 'facts' suddenly disappear from posting when proven to be wrong.

 

Was thinking exactly the same Stuart ;)

[EssG]

I also want to add my Thanks Nikki ...great photos.....I always wonder what people who complain about this amount of variety as not "being enough" eat at home

[nikkiw60]

Thanks to everyone who appreciated the photos.

Just to say it was busy in there at the time we went up.

 

 

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[Formula280SS]

Thanks to everyone who appreciated the photos.

Just to say it was busy in there at the time we went up.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

Great and generous contribution of your time and sharing your cruise with us. (y):ship:

 

Very admirable.

 

Thank you.

 

Although you might have previously stated, did you take these pictures from your iPhone?

Also, did you compose these posts and upload the pictures on your iPhone (Tapatalk just text or pictures also?) or tablet.?

 

A comment on the seafood tower at the C-bar; we're gonna do that one. Looks great.

 

Then a comparative comment on the 'buffet issue (but limited in certain levels).

 

As stated previously, on MSC Divina we went there only to get the incredible slices of pizza (best at sea IOO). We did walk around the entire buffet area checking it out and it was always bustling with a lot of people with a lot of food. Looked like other current cruises of ours on different lines (the people) but the food did look different (some just hints of different ways they cooked) and it wasn't stacked up to the brim of numerous stainless steel bins. It looked the used serving containers that were smaller and refilled more often. We can say that the variety wasn't the same as what we later actually experienced on the NCL Escape in December or the Anthem of the Seas in January. However, we really can't comment on the quality of the food as, other than the pizza, we didn't eat there (we had the YC on Divina) as we did on the other recent ships mentioned. Will definitely take a closer look this time.

 

One item my wife noticed on recent Anthem of Seas 12N cruise in which we did go for breakfast at the buffet daily and some pickings for lunch, the MEAT CARVING (regardless of ham in the morning, roast beef or pork at lunch) on the AOS just weeks ago a large meat would be brought to the cutting board and immediately sliced completely! The server was inside the canopy of that area taking care of refills on all 4 sides, but he only came to the carving station to restack the meat and accompanying sauce. My wife said it looked DRY DRY DRY. It looked like the caving station was LIVE on Seaside, and FRESH CUTS were made for each passenger with a plate? The rest of the offerings, for us with a unique plant based diet w/certain meat and fish proteins, were very good at both B and L.

 

The month prior we were on the NCL Escape. We were not in the Haven that cruise, so we used the buffet like we did on the AOS for B and L. We found everything in the buffet on Escape excellent in all regards, with more than everything we eat (and temptations close by).

[nikkiw60]

Great and generous contribution of your time and sharing your cruise with us. (y):ship:

 

 

 

Very admirable.

 

 

 

Thank you.

 

 

 

Although you might have previously stated, did you take these pictures from your iPhone?

 

 

Also, did you compose these posts and upload the pictures on your iPhone (Tapatalk just text or pictures also?) or tablet.?

 

 

 

A comment on the seafood tower at the C-bar; we're gonna do that one. Looks great.

 

 

 

Then a comparative comment on the 'buffet issue (but limited in certain levels).

 

 

 

As stated previously, on MSC Divina we went there only to get the incredible slices of pizza (best at sea IOO). We did walk around the entire buffet area checking it out and it was always bustling with a lot of people with a lot of food. Looked like other current cruises of ours on different lines (the people) but the food did look different (some just hints of different ways they cooked) and it wasn't stacked up to the brim of numerous stainless steel bins. It looked the used serving containers that were smaller and refilled more often. We can say that the variety wasn't the same as what we later actually experienced on the NCL Escape in December or the Anthem of the Seas in January. However, we really can't comment on the quality of the food as, other than the pizza, we didn't eat there (we had the YC on Divina) as we did on the other recent ships mentioned. Will definitely take a closer look this time.

 

 

 

One item my wife noticed on recent Anthem of Seas 12N cruise in which we did go for breakfast at the buffet daily and some pickings for lunch, the MEAT CARVING (regardless of ham in the morning, roast beef or pork at lunch) on the AOS just weeks ago a large meat would be brought to the cutting board and immediately sliced completely! The server was inside the canopy of that area taking care of refills on all 4 sides, but he only came to the carving station to restack the meat and accompanying sauce. My wife said it looked DRY DRY DRY. It looked like the caving station was LIVE on Seaside, and FRESH CUTS were made for each passenger with a plate? The rest of the offerings, for us with a unique plant based diet w/certain meat and fish proteins, were very good at both B and L.

 

 

 

The month prior we were on the NCL Escape. We were not in the Haven that cruise, so we used the buffet like we did on the AOS for B and L. We found everything in the buffet on Escape excellent in all regards, with more than everything we eat (and temptations close by).

 

 

 

The meat was cut for each person also there has been a roast ham each morning again slices on request.

 

 

 

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