From Mr Bayley - NO buffet

[LESLIEKURZ]

54 minutes ago, traveltilidrop said:

They could still go ahead with the buffet, just have the staff hand you your selections on a plate. Leave the entire seating area open, but space out the tables to be used, taking into consideration the need for social distancing. If they set up fewer stations, with fewer selections offered- perhaps choosing a theme each day such as Italian, American, or Asian- then they would have enough staff to serve everyone. 

 

During a past cruise I was on, during fears of Norovirus, a salad buffet was served in the MDR with the staff making the salad for you. There are other options as well, both casual and speciality restaurants, which provide extra dining choices which not everyone utilizes but may be worth considering depending upon how crowded the various facilities become. 

 

I definitely believe that the buffet option needs to redesigned, not only due to the current outbreak, but just from observing guests' past behavior such as the passengers who touch bread, for example, with their bare hands, only to put it the bread back on the tray after deciding they didn't want it. More than once I had to alert the staff after taking the item out and setting it aside so that no one unknowingly chose that item for themselves. 

 

I hope that Royal can keep the buffet concept going while at the same time keeping the food served free from contamination. 

This exactly.  What is the problem with staff serving you?  Make the buffet one long line with marks on the floor so people stay distant.  Have staff hand you your plates and utensils, monitor the lines, enforce rules.  Move the tables farther apart.  Supply condiment packets.  It can work, it will just have to be different.  Honestly, not too mad if the traditional buffet goes away forever.  Self serve with all the touching or food and cross contamination has always been gross to me.  JMHO.  

[ALWAYS CRUZIN]

Just returned from our local Golden Corral to see how they are doin it. Each buffet section is roped off so no cutting in. You first MUST use the hand sanitizer when entering to get your food. There is a monitor at each buffet entrance. Every 6ft is marked off with a circle indicating 6ft and to please keep your distance. When you finish getting your food there is another hand sanitizer which is your choice to use. There are many all over the restaurant. No masks required.

[logan25]

4 minutes ago, ALWAYS CRUZIN said:

Just returned from our local Golden Corral to see how they are doin it. Each buffet section is roped off so no cutting in. You first MUST use the hand sanitizer when entering to get your food. There is a monitor at each buffet entrance. Every 6ft is marked off with a circle indicating 6ft and to please keep your distance. When you finish getting your food there is another hand sanitizer which is your choice to use. There are many all over the restaurant. No masks required.

I have eaten at GC but not recently.  How long did it take you to collect all your food?  Did the current protocol discourage you from returning for seconds?

[Newleno]

6 hours ago, ALWAYS CRUZIN said:

 Look at NY. 66% that stayed in got the virtus. Why? because there immune systems got hit hard. 

 

It is because they were not actually on lockdown, someone in their household cheated (perhaps they had to "cheat" to earn a living)  True after all is said and done our immune system will be weaker for those that actually did  lockdown.

[ATC cruiser]

1 hour ago, ALWAYS CRUZIN said:

Just returned from our local Golden Corral to see how they are doin it. Each buffet section is roped off so no cutting in. You first MUST use the hand sanitizer when entering to get your food. There is a monitor at each buffet entrance. Every 6ft is marked off with a circle indicating 6ft and to please keep your distance. When you finish getting your food there is another hand sanitizer which is your choice to use. There are many all over the restaurant. No masks required.

I wonder how that would work trying to put a few thousand people thru that line in a 2 to 3 hour window.

[LeeRB]

23 hours ago, livingonthebeach said:

 

Not sure what to tell you. Most advice on here has been to wait until RCI cancels or to postpone with the flexible rebooking terms. 

 

21 hours ago, SNJCruisers said:

Do a lift and shift to the same time parameters next year either 4 weeks prior or after your date. You could also upgrade your ship and save money in the process. Needs to be done by August 1.

The purpose of my post was just to identify that there were more than 3-5 night cruises still scheduled for later this year.

 

As for cancelling my Empress cruise, thanks for the suggestions, but I don’t think any of these options will work for me for multiple reasons, primarily because I do not want to get to port only to be denied boarding at the pier or waiting until RCI cancels the cruise, after the FPD, I and find myself stuck, either way, with a FCC that I may not be able to use. I am in that 70+ group and have some of those ‘chronic preexisting conditions’ and was affected by an additional requirement in addition to the restrictions the CLIA put on everyone sailing through their affiliated cruise lines. Even though I have read that they had dropped the requirement and restrictions after all the major lines stopped sailing; I still have concerns about the cruise lines being completely up and running by mid-November even if at half capacity. While the FPD is not until August, I think I would feel better right now with the money being back in my bank account than sitting in RCI’s bank account. Actually I have had a bad feeling about the cruise ever since I booked it. Especially when I saw my C&A discount was $666.00. 

 

Rick

D+

[Jasukkie]

I cruised on Brilliance at the end of February when Covid cases were just being diagnosed in Florida. I purposefully ate at the Windjammer to minimize prolonged exposure to other people in the dining room. I went at less busy times and made a bee line out the back to the spacious and empty outside dining area. I stand by that being safer than the tightly packed dining room. Buffets get a bad rap but there are ways to minimize risk. 

[ONECRUISER]

1 hour ago, Jasukkie said:

I cruised on Brilliance at the end of February when Covid cases were just being diagnosed in Florida. I purposefully ate at the Windjammer to minimize prolonged exposure to other people in the dining room. I went at less busy times and made a bee line out the back to the spacious and empty outside dining area. I stand by that being safer than the tightly packed dining room. Buffets get a bad rap but there are ways to minimize risk. 

Agree, Many areas Main Dining Tables on top each other. Then I'm always first in WJ, leaving as most coming in and half time take meals to my Cabin. Never really touch anything like chairs, tables, doors, and never use Elevator or Railings. This before CV... As said before WJ still be open, will have servers, separation of tables(isnt bad normally) and limit peak Capacity...

[LeeRB]

I was on the Rhapsody OTS out of Tampa, February 29 - March 7 this year about a week before the ships quit sailing. We didn’t have any issues with the virus. But that ship would have been a perfect target for the virus; it was crawling with Pinnacles. I was drinking with 2 or 3 at the casino bar each night and only one was there every night. I ate breakfast in the buffet every morning and did chops once for lunch and once for dinner and MDR twice for diner, three days I did lunch ashore (Key West, Grand Cayman & Cozumel) the rest of the lunches and dinners were in the buffet. The only complaints I had and also heard others mention about the buffet was the breakfast never changed from one day to the next. I think the scrambled eggs did alternate between plain scrambled and scrambled with mushrooms every other day. and some days they didn’t have the roast tomatoes. The bacon in the buffet was very good, I didn’t care for the chicken links (too dry) but the pork links were good. I did hear several complaints about the food in the MDR.

[LeeRB]

On 5/13/2020 at 7:41 PM, mpaff said:

Royal Caribbean says it intends to resume sailings on June 12, 2020, although it has warned more cancelled cruises are possible due to continued disruptions to travel and port operations in various regions.

https://www.*****.com/royal-caribbean-cancellations

I doubt if it will be in June, the NO SAIL order from the CDC applies to all ship carrying 250 people on board including both passengers and crew prohibits sailings in US waters until sometime in late July 25 and can be extended beyond that date by the CDC if the COVID-19 pandemic is still an emergency.

 

https://www.cruisecritic.com/news/5265/

[Kbonner]

2 hours ago, LeeRB said:

I was on the Rhapsody OTS out of Tampa, February 29 - March 7 this year about a week before the ships quit sailing. We didn’t have any issues with the virus. But that ship would have been a perfect target for the virus; it was crawling with Pinnacles. 

 

You sure the Pinnacles did not spread the virus? 

[LeeRB]

6 hours ago, Kbonner said:

You sure the Pinnacles did not spread the virus? 

I don’t think so; most of them I have met are really nice people. I have only met a couple top level people that Granny would have said ‘they were above their raising’ and that was years ago, on Carnival not RCI. As far as I know we only had two people on the ship that got sick and as soon as we pulled into Key West (morning of day 2) they went to CVS, picked up some Bonine and were fine the rest of the cruise. Someone forgot to pack the seasick meds. It was a little on the rough side for the first day or two for a February/March cruise.

[lighthousegourmet]

Eliminating the chaotic buffet service is a major improvement and ought to be made permanent for all cruise lines. 

[periduncan]

Well then, I’m out for Royal Caribbean. 

[Diver2014]

41 minutes ago, lighthousegourmet said:

Eliminating the chaotic buffet service is a major improvement and ought to be made permanent for all cruise lines. 

 

sez you.  I'm glad you're not in charge.

[MrSnarkyPants]

I'm okay with this. I like the Windjammer, but it's going to take a long time before I'm ready to go back to a buffet on land or at sea.

 

Our next cruise is scheduled for new year's going into 2022, so maybe by then things will be in a better place. But there's no way to tell right now.

[poolboyclay]

They could do cafeteria style, or buffet servers.

I eat 80-90 percent of my meals in the buffet. I don't like to do sit down meals where I need a reserved time.

It really makes no sense. What will they do with the burger and hot dog joints? Bars?

 

Really not well thought out... If they choose to get rid all together I will start sailing another line...

 

[WAMarathoner]

On 5/14/2020 at 2:25 PM, DrivesLikeMario said:

Princess has been talking behind the scenes about what to do with their buffets too.  The Sr. VP mentioned to-go boxes may be the new norm.  I wouldn't be surprised if everything was plated up and you picked the plate you wanted.  It'd mean a lot more plates to wash but it'd be safer than self-service. 

I like the Disney way of ordering what you want on your phone and picking it up when ready.

To-go boxes?  Horrible idea.  Can you imagine the massive amount of spills on the way to the cabin?  Plus, if you're not in a balcony, who wants to eat in a closed room?  We are mostly Princess cruisers, but would ditch them in a minute if we were forced to eat in our rooms.

[TNcruising02]

20 hours ago, Jasukkie said:

I cruised on Brilliance at the end of February when Covid cases were just being diagnosed in Florida. I purposefully ate at the Windjammer to minimize prolonged exposure to other people in the dining room. I went at less busy times and made a bee line out the back to the spacious and empty outside dining area. I stand by that being safer than the tightly packed dining room. Buffets get a bad rap but there are ways to minimize risk. 

I went on Harmony of the Seas in March. They made everyone wash their hands in the sinks before entering.  I also washed my hands at the sink in the buffet area after I put the food on my plate.  I have always washed my hands or used sanitizer after handling buffet utensils and have never gotten sick on a cruise ship.  If people would just take the time to do that, eating at a buffet would not increase their risk of catching a virus. 

People who use their phones during their meal are recontaminating their hands.  The only way to protect yourself is to wash your hands and be responsible for your own health. Clean your phone often.

Still, I would definitely prefer servers at the buffets. 

Edited May 20, 2020 by TNcruising02

[Yorkvillain]

Well then, I’m out for Royal Caribbean. 

Ok, please report back if you change your mind.

[WAMarathoner]

On 5/18/2020 at 7:06 PM, SNJCruisers said:

Do a lift and shift to the same time parameters next year either 4 weeks prior or after your date. You could also upgrade your ship and save money in the process. Needs to be done by August 1.

Can  you explain this for me?  We're booked on a September cruise out of Cape Liberty (across from Manhattan).  Not really worried so  much about the cruise, but more about being in NYC.

 

Can we do this with a non-refundable fare?

[Ocean Boy]

1 hour ago, lighthousegourmet said:

Eliminating the chaotic buffet service is a major improvement and ought to be made permanent for all cruise lines. 

If you just stay out of the Windjammer you will notice the same imorovement. And, just for good extra meassure, you can pretend that it has been shut down.

[time4u2go]

19 minutes ago, WAMarathoner said:

To-go boxes?  Horrible idea.  Can you imagine the massive amount of spills on the way to the cabin?  Plus, if you're not in a balcony, who wants to eat in a closed room?  We are mostly Princess cruisers, but would ditch them in a minute if we were forced to eat in our rooms.

Maybe the intent is to pick up the plate/box and just take it to a table, not back to your room.

[Ocean Boy]

It makes far more sense to me to have staff place food on your plate. That way you chose what you want. Pre-plated, or boxed, food has to be much more limiting as far as options go.

[Ourusualbeach]

10 minutes ago, WAMarathoner said:

Can  you explain this for me?  We're booked on a September cruise out of Cape Liberty (across from Manhattan).  Not really worried so  much about the cruise, but more about being in NYC.

 

Can we do this with a non-refundable fare?

It does not matter the fare type.  You can move your sailing to another sailing of the same length, itinerary type and cabin category 1 year plus / minus 4 weeks into the future and your price and promotions are protected.