From Mr Bayley - NO buffet

[ReneeFLL]

On 5/21/2020 at 5:47 PM, DaniDanielle said:

Nobody really knows and they should stop guessing.

👍👍👍

[LXA350]

14 minutes ago, SNJCruisers said:

It qualifies as delicious quality grub in some people's eyes.  Some people have a lower quality bar than others.   If GC is quality food, then Chipotle must be gourmet.  😮

 

One option worse than the other. Then maybe a meal at a Michelin Star Restauant such as TGI Fridays 😄 

[ALWAYS CRUZIN]

1 hour ago, LXA350 said:

Looking at some Tripadvisor pictures of this Golden Corral chain, Windjammer ilooks a bit better 🤮

The windjammer does have more buffet tables with more selections for a variety of nationalities. That makes sense because of the varietal of nationalities on the ship. Golden Corral is mostly American food. Sea food, slow roasted beef, fried and baked chicken, steaks, burgers, pizza, mashed potatoes, pasta, salads and a like, deserts and ice cream. No real choices for bread and no real butter. So I do agree the Windjammer is better in that respect.

[periduncan]

I don’t understand why we have to keep insulting other people’s tastes in food.   

 

Whether you prefer Le Bernardin, Appleby’s, or a roach coach...it’s whatever makes you happy.   If you are looking for Michelin-style food, I wouldn’t look on a middle-class cruise ship, and especially not at the buffet. 
 

If the ship buffet is not good enough, go to the premium restaurant.   If RC is failing now at meeting your blue blood tastes, try Cunard. 

Edited June 7, 2020 by periduncan

[SNJCruisers]

5 hours ago, periduncan said:

I don’t understand why we have to keep insulting other people’s tastes in food.  

If you read all 19 pages of this thread then you would know it started out as a debate regarding whether the buffets should remain or not and those who were against buffets and were more of the pro MDR contingent had their say.  Along the way there have been various offshoots discussing the pros and cons of land based buffets around the country.

Buffets as we knew before will not be the same post Covid-19. And at least this is not a thread about people complaining about refunds and FCC's.

[ALWAYS CRUZIN]

11 hours ago, SNJCruisers said:

If you read all 19 pages of this thread then you would know it started out as a debate regarding whether the buffets should remain or not and those who were against buffets and were more of the pro MDR contingent had their say.  Along the way there have been various offshoots discussing the pros and cons of land based buffets around the country.

Buffets as we knew before will not be the same post Covid-19. And at least this is not a thread about people complaining about refunds and FCC's.

Excellent!

[SNJCruisers]

2 hours ago, ALWAYS CRUZIN said:

Excellent!

Thanks!

[CRUISEFAN0001]

On 6/7/2020 at 11:36 PM, SNJCruisers said:

If you read all 19 pages of this thread then you would know it started out as a debate regarding whether the buffets should remain or not and those who were against buffets and were more of the pro MDR contingent had their say.  Along the way there have been various offshoots discussing the pros and cons of land based buffets around the country.

Yup.

 

They'll be back...just "re-imagined" with some modifications. The sky has not fallen.

[ALWAYS CRUZIN]

On 6/7/2020 at 4:04 PM, LXA350 said:

 

Windjammer is that much better or Golden Corral is that much worse? I just looked at a few pictures and felt sick already 😄

Guess you can just go to the MDR and eat what you cannot see till you get it.I do not know what pictures you looked at but NOT ALL buffets on the ships or Golden Corral are the same. Everyone is different. The buffet on ships are not created equal. As for Golden Corral some are company owned and others private owners. All are different. The ones owned by private individuals are far better run and so is the food. As for that matter, not all KFC are equal either. The one near us is terrible. One owned by an individual further away is excellent.

[LeeRB]

Who runs the kitchen can drastically impact the food in a restaurant.

 

Back in May 2015 I took my son with me on a 4 night on the Majesty. The food in the buffet was not all that great; bones in the curry every day at lunch and most of the other items I tried were bland. The MDR wasn’t much better the food there was fully to over cooked and mostly tasteless. We did breakfast in the buffet every morning. It was ok, it had some flavor and everything was properly cooked.

 

I sailed on the Majesty again on a 4 night in October 2016, expecting marginal food but to my surprise the lunch in the buffet on embarkation day, the other days I ate lunch onboard and the night I ate there were fully cooked with no bones in the curry and everything else I had was delicious. The MDR and breakfast buffet food had also improved. The meals I had there were properly cooked and tasty. While the menu was basically the same on both cruises; the only thing different, I know of, was the Head Chef.    

[Milwaukee Eight]

On 6/6/2020 at 3:01 PM, Ocean Boy said:

If you wash your hands why the need to put on gloves? You aren't about to go into surgery.

This ^

[CRUISEFAN0001]

14 hours ago, LeeRB said:

Who runs the kitchen can drastically impact the food in a restaurant.

 

Back in May 2015 I took my son with me on a 4 night on the Majesty. The food in the buffet was not all that great; bones in the curry every day at lunch and most of the other items I tried were bland. The MDR wasn’t much better the food there was fully to over cooked and mostly tasteless. We did breakfast in the buffet every morning. It was ok, it had some flavor and everything was properly cooked.

 

I sailed on the Majesty again on a 4 night in October 2016, expecting marginal food but to my surprise the lunch in the buffet on embarkation day, the other days I ate lunch onboard and the night I ate there were fully cooked with no bones in the curry and everything else I had was delicious. The MDR and breakfast buffet food had also improved. The meals I had there were properly cooked and tasty. While the menu was basically the same on both cruises; the only thing different, I know of, was the Head Chef.    

Well said, and also our experience...although we've had 11 out of 12 great dining experiences on our cruises and only 1 so-so, and even that one was just in Windjammer.

[gatour]

On 6/10/2020 at 7:51 AM, CRUISEFAN0001 said:

Yup.

 

They'll be back...just "re-imagined" with some modifications. The sky has not fallen.

There are at least three Golden Corrals in my local area.   A couple weeks ago in the local newspaper there was article about them.  One is reopening as "traditional", i.e. get up and serve yourself.  The second one is opening as "cafeteria" style, i.e. someone will be putting the food on your plate.  The third which the article was vague about, I pass by quite regularly, is still closed.   All three are in different markets demographically wise.

 

I hope Windjammer returns in some shape or form.  I like to mix and match my cuisines.  One day I may want a greek salad, an Indian curry, along with some type of the mexican dish.  The next day I may want a simple lettuce salad, along with some type of Italian entree.  I like the variety that is available at the Windjammer.

 

[ALWAYS CRUZIN]

5 minutes ago, gatour said:

There are at least three Golden Corrals in my local area.   A couple weeks ago in the local newspaper there was article about them.  One is reopening as "traditional", i.e. get up and serve yourself.  The second one is opening as "cafeteria" style, i.e. someone will be putting the food on your plate.  The third which the article was vague about, I pass by quite regularly, is still closed.   All three are in different markets demographically wise.

 

I hope Windjammer returns in some shape or form.  I like to mix and match my cuisines.  One day I may want a greek salad, an Indian curry, along with some type of the mexican dish.  The next day I may want a simple lettuce salad, along with some type of Italian entree.  I like the variety that is available at the Windjammer.

 

Totally agree. We have a third Corral but it has been closed for over a year now. On US-1 did not do well in that location. The one near us is excellent. I agree with a buffet. You may not want the same thing every day. We have not went the a MDR in years. Specialty restaurants, yes. But I do not like waiting an hour to eat my main course and you have no idea what you will see on your plate when it arrives. In the buffet. You can pick and choose and try different things you may never have ever ordered. Try that in the MDR you can kiss several hours good by. Every time we see something new that we never tried, we do sample it. Many time we have found new food that we DO LIKE. I remember chicken legs that looked like they would burn anything they touch. Super red in color. The head chief said they are not hot. Try one. We did. It was not hot and Delicious.

[Pstreet12]

On 5/13/2020 at 7:15 PM, Iamcruzin said:

You can take that statement all the way to the bankruptcy.... I mean bank.

I think you've called that one.  They can't sail:  they have no place to sail to.  They have no money.  How can they not be looking at bankruptcy?

[Pstreet12]

On 5/14/2020 at 3:35 PM, Diver2014 said:

That’s a really rude statement. There are a lot more choices than those over priced specialty restaurants. 

Why do you say that's a rude statement?  The Windjammer isn't a person; it can't be offended.  If you're offended on behalf of the people who load plates to the point where food actually falls off as they walk, there's no reason to be offended on their behalf:  all they have to do is change the huge portions they get to normal amounts of food; the choice is theirs.  Serving in a more "restaurant-like way" does not eliminate choices; it probably does make it more embarrassing to order portions that are huge.  If having huge meals is the only reason for cruising, it's possible to stay home and go to "all you can eat buffets," and achieve much the same food options.

[SNJCruisers]

7 minutes ago, Pstreet12 said:

I think you've called that one.  They can't sail:  they have no place to sail to.  They have no money.  How can they not be looking at bankruptcy?

It's been reported that Royal Carribean, Carnival Corporation and Norwegian all have enough money to function into early 2021 without sailing at all this year. As soon as the CDC gives them approval the next step is to find out what ports including of course private islands would be available as options.  It'll be a stepping stone process and there will be a contingent that will want to cruise ASAP as well as those who will wait for a vaccine and the ultra conservative that will wait years.

You can wave the bankruptcy flag and hope to say I told you so if it indeed happens, but IMHO, don't hold your breath.

[ALWAYS CRUZIN]

10 hours ago, SNJCruisers said:

It's been reported that Royal Carribean, Carnival Corporation and Norwegian all have enough money to function into early 2021 without sailing at all this year. As soon as the CDC gives them approval the next step is to find out what ports including of course private islands would be available as options.  It'll be a stepping stone process and there will be a contingent that will want to cruise ASAP as well as those who will wait for a vaccine and the ultra conservative that will wait years.

You can wave the bankruptcy flag and hope to say I told you so if it indeed happens, but IMHO, don't hold your breath.

You are correct. I agree.

[SNJCruisers]

2 hours ago, ALWAYS CRUZIN said:

You are correct. I agree.

Thank you for agreeing to two different posts of mine over the past week and more importantly, thank you very much for your service back in the 70's.  Compared to the reception that your predecessors received from WWII and the Korean Conflict, you and your brothers received short shrift from far too many Americans.  Because of what you did we are able to have these discussions on CC since we have the freedom to choose how we wish to vacation because of the sacrifices that you made many years ago.

[MISTER 67]

On 5/13/2020 at 7:43 PM, zonacruiser25 said:

Just drove by the Golden Coral buffet in my area and is has sign out that it is opening on May 25.  Might have to finally try it just to see how they manage the buffet

The Golden Corral in our area has done away with the buffet for the time being.

[ALWAYS CRUZIN]

1 hour ago, MISTER 67 said:

The Golden Corral in our area has done away with the buffet for the time being.

So I guess they are closed? All they do is a buffet.

[ALWAYS CRUZIN]

2 hours ago, SNJCruisers said:

Thank you for agreeing to two different posts of mine over the past week and more importantly, thank you very much for your service back in the 70's.  Compared to the reception that your predecessors received from WWII and the Korean Conflict, you and your brothers received short shrift from far too many Americans.  Because of what you did we are able to have these discussions on CC since we have the freedom to choose how we wish to vacation because of the sacrifices that you made many years ago.

Thank you. I joined in 64. Loved NAVY life. My wife did not.

[MISTER 67]

14 minutes ago, ALWAYS CRUZIN said:

So I guess they are closed? All they do is a buffet.

No, they're open but like a regular restaurant.

[MISTER 67]

We've been on 62 cruises but never had a Noro breakout, what happens with the buffets if there is a breakout? And how about the rest of the ship?

Edited June 13, 2020 by MISTER 67

[Ocean Boy]

58 minutes ago, ALWAYS CRUZIN said:

Thank you. I joined in 64. Loved NAVY life. My wife did not.

My father worked for the navy. Summers, when I was a kid, I'd go with him while he worked on the ships and just spend the day hanging out. I love the ships and being on them. They always had that unique smell of the bunker oil that they burned. When I was in college and friends would come home with me my big thing was to take them over to the sub base and get them a tour.

 

Later on a friend of mine became a corpsman on the Iowa. I got to spend a whole day with him crawling all over that ship. He showed be where in one of the torrets guy from as far back as WWII had signed there names in there.

 

I could talk about the ships for hours. Much more exciting than talking about buffets.