Windjammer Cafe / Is self service gone forever?

[davekathy]

40 minutes ago, BSocial said:

Economics will come in to play.  How many more staff would be required to man all the food stations?   

That's RC s job to figure out how many severs they will need to run the WJ.  RC may also have to put a food server in the DL during the C&A HH at the small buffet or do what Celebrity does during the CC HH and have servers walking around with trays of snacks who in return serves you your selection(s). On, and on it goes...

Edited April 14, 2020 by davekathy

[zebra36]

1 hour ago, little britain said:

  Do you really need 10 rashers of bacon?

Yes!

[SSBrickNJ]

It's been said that plates with preset portions might be displayed for the cruise guests to grab.

Maybe.

Yet if there is a plate with eggs that I can grab....I don't just want eggs.

Do I come back for a plate of just pancakes?

Do I come back for a plate of just bacon?

That's a lot of plates on my table!

There's no easy answer to this situation.

I still say that the best would be if I can hold my empty plate and then ask for eggs, pancakes and bacon to be placed on my plate by the RCI staff members. You....you might want sausage....or hash browns....etc....everybody is gonna be different.

Staff members serving guests is the best!

Edited April 14, 2020 by SSBrickNJ

[JAMESCC]

We don't go the buffet much anymore anyway, breakfast mostly but this will make it even less. I don't really want to have to go an ask someone to serve me, plus this will SLOW things down to a crawl and probably make the buffet even more crowded which is what I hate about the buffet the most. I mean this would be more safe, sanitary but will also mean we go there even less. 

[SSBrickNJ]

2 minutes ago, JAMESCC said:

We don't go the buffet much anymore anyway, breakfast mostly but this will make it even less. I don't really want to have to go an ask someone to serve me, plus this will SLOW things down to a crawl and probably make the buffet even more crowded which is what I hate about the buffet the most. I mean this would be more safe, sanitary but will also mean we go there even less. 

For sure others will feel like you. Therefore that will make breakfast in the Main Dining Rooms more crowded.....and possibly make breakfast in the Windjammer LESS crowded.

Hypothetically speaking 😉

[BND]

34 minutes ago, zebra36 said:

Yes!

So, you'll just have to go back for more 🙂

 

[LMaxwell]

10 minutes ago, SSBrickNJ said:

It's been said that plates with preset portions might be displayed for the cruise guests to grab.

Maybe.

Yet if there is a plate with eggs that I can grab....I don't just want eggs.

Do I come back for a plate of just pancakes?

Do I come back for a plate of just bacon?

That's a lot of plates on my table!

There's no easy answer to this situation.

 

 

Perhaps some items are pre-plated to "grab and go" and other items can be served by roaming staff; similar actually to the MDR way of doing breakfast.  Something are on a buffet, some are on a limited menu to order from.  

 

I think we will see a lot more beverage service in the buffets and removal of self-service beverage machines.  

[JAMESCC]

8 minutes ago, SSBrickNJ said:

For sure others will feel like you. Therefore that will make breakfast in the Main Dining Rooms more crowded.....and possibly make breakfast in the Windjammer LESS crowded.

Hypothetically speaking 😉

🤣 After I posted that I thought the same thing. The MDR breakfast is not the greatest either. Its just OK, and not plentiful like the buffet. I am simple guy, I just want a plate full of scrambled eggs, with usually hash browns and plenty of ketchup. I have lost 75 pounds and eggs are healthy and full of protein so that is what I eat at the buffet on a cruise. 

Oh ya know what I started "Intermittent fasting" 2 months ago. I don't eat past 8PM and i don't eat till 11AM the earliest. I'll just continue that on cruises and not even worry about breakfast. Problem solved. 😂 🤣

Edited April 14, 2020 by JAMESCC

[bouhunter]

2 hours ago, wolfcathorse said:

besides having someone put my selection on my plate, and besides eliminating shared condiments, they're going to have to reduce the number of people eating in WJ. Either by only letting in a certain number at a time, or extending WJ hours. I would prefer longer dining times, they can drop the afternoon snack time

No point in that unless they're going to limit the number of people in theaters, elevators, promenade, gym, diamond lounges...….the list is endless.  Not going to happen.  

[bouhunter]

16 minutes ago, SSBrickNJ said:

It's been said that plates with preset portions might be displayed for the cruise guests to grab.

Maybe.

Yet if there is a plate with eggs that I can grab....I don't just want eggs.

Do I come back for a plate of just pancakes?

Do I come back for a plate of just bacon?

That's a lot of plates on my table!

There's no easy answer to this situation.

I still say that the best would be if I can hold my empty plate and then ask for eggs, pancakes and bacon to be placed on my plate by the RCI staff members. You....you might want sausage....or hash browns....etc....everybody is gonna be different.

Staff members serving guests is the best!

It's just not that complicated.  We were on HAL a couple months ago and servers were putting food on your plate.  It didn't take that many employees and the lines were no longer than in Windjammer.

Edited April 14, 2020 by bouhunter

[SSBrickNJ]

2 minutes ago, bouhunter said:

No point in that unless they're going to limit the number of people in theaters, elevators, promenade, gym, diamond lounges...….the list is endless.  Not going to happen.  

Correct. If the powers that be deem cruising to be safe.....then you can sit next to someone in the theater and you can enter the Windjammer if there is a seat.

[bouhunter]

17 minutes ago, JAMESCC said:

We don't go the buffet much anymore anyway, breakfast mostly but this will make it even less. I don't really want to have to go an ask someone to serve me, plus this will SLOW things down to a crawl and probably make the buffet even more crowded which is what I hate about the buffet the most. I mean this would be more safe, sanitary but will also mean we go there even less. 

Not true.  We were on HAL a couple months ago with servers at every station.  Lines and wait times were no longer than Windjammer, often shorter.  It can be done, and easily.

[JAMESCC]

2 minutes ago, bouhunter said:

It's just not that complicated.  We were on HAL a couple months ago and servers were putting food on your plate.  It didn't take that many employees and the lines were no longer than in Windjammer.

Huh, really, so you have experienced this already. Overall what is your impressions of servers in the buffet? Just as smooth as self serve?

[bouhunter]

1 minute ago, JAMESCC said:

Huh, really, so you have experienced this already. Overall what is your impressions of servers in the buffet? Just as smooth as self serve?

Yes we were pleasantly surprised and impressed.  Smooth, quick and efficient at every meal.  They had great ice cream with waffle cones, and even that line averaged only 2-4 people😋  

[Newleno]

I have been on cruises in which the buffet items were given by servers,  a little annoying but not a big deal, (like when you ask for mashed potatoes and they give you a spit full, you have to say a little more, no a little more).   The server situation also happens when the noro strikes as well so I dont see to much of an adjustment, it will take longer etc

[Saab4444]

Without Windjammer buffets they will not be able to feed all the people on the big crowded ships unless they stop the all-you-can-eat approach of cruising. Small ships with fewer people will manage such s change but not the mega ships.

[Newleno]

2 hours ago, little britain said:

If it stops the food wastage then it is good with me.  Do you really need 10 rashers of bacon?

Is this a serious question or a joke?  You can never get enough bacon 24/7, 365.

[JAMESCC]

4 minutes ago, bouhunter said:

Yes we were pleasantly surprised and impressed.  Smooth, quick and efficient at every meal.  They had great ice cream with waffle cones, and even that line averaged only 2-4 people😋  

Well if it works, is safer and sanitary I am all for it. Unfortunately there are too many unclean people in the buffet and ruin it for the rest. I see stuff in the buffet I am still trying to forget so I am for this if it works fine.

[LMaxwell]

An increase in hours with continuous operation would help alleviate some issues with crowding and waits also.  Other cruise lines have figured out how to shut down/change over half the buffet at one time without fully closing so there is overlap between meals but people still have access.  

[pcur]

4 hours ago, SSBrickNJ said:

Whenever cruising is allowed to resume, do you think The Windjammer Cafe will be run as per usual?

.............or do you think that crew members will be positioned all over the place....asking you what you would like....then they'll serve it onto your plate for you?

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BTW....If this topic has already been covered, kindly let me know.

 

We much prefer HAL's buffet style.  They have small cooking stations, and serve the food selections.  You choose and modify it to your preferences.  Self-serve is appetizers and desserts, plus sushi.

 

It's too bad that the HAL ships had so much trouble with COVID 19, because their buffet food handling is much more sanitary.

[zekekelso]

3 hours ago, little britain said:

Do you really need 10 rashers of bacon?

 

Yes. Yes I do 🙂

 

Anyway, I have no idea if it does any good to have servers at the buffet, but I know the industry is going to be doing everything it can to convince people things are different/better. So at least at first, we'll see no self-service. 

[zekekelso]

37 minutes ago, bouhunter said:

Not true.  We were on HAL a couple months ago with servers at every station.  Lines and wait times were no longer than Windjammer, often shorter.  It can be done, and easily.

 

That's probably because you ate after 5:30, when the early-bird-special crowd was done eating 🙂

[Esprit]

The day the windjammer buffet goes is the day I’ll consider sailing with Royal Caribbean again.

[ReneeFLL]

30 minutes ago, Esprit said:

The day the windjammer buffet goes is the day I’ll consider sailing with Royal Caribbean again.

Why would the buffet make any difference since there are plenty of other places to eat. 

[Esprit]

25 minutes ago, ReneeFLL said:

Why would the buffet make any difference since there are plenty of other places to eat. 

Because after my Allure cruise last October I decided we would never sail with RC again. Losing Windjammer would ever so slightly move me from “never”