From Mr Bayley - NO buffet

[Ocean Boy]

5 minutes ago, lenquixote66 said:

Why go on a cruise to not have total relaxation ? Perhaps if I was in my teens I would love a buffet but different strokes for different folks.

I don't know. I guess the same reason I climb the rock wall and ride the flowrider. Like you said different strokes. 

[lenquixote66]

2 minutes ago, Ocean Boy said:

I don't know. I guess the same reason I climb the rock wall and ride the flowrider. Like you said different strokes. 

I never used that phrase before but I felt this was a time to use it.I never Rock climbed.I or rode the flow rider.

My ship activities: Fitness Center,relaxing.

When I was younger and healthy I would play basketball.

[boscobeans]

On 5/14/2020 at 1:13 AM, ONECRUISER said:

No surprise. As said WJ will still be used, has to. Years ago Royal WJ had servers during day. Then for Dinner Waiter, Menu and evenTable Cloth's. Was only way eat while wearing Jeans or Shorts even swimwear was not allowed in WJ. I liked the Tea Time, had some the best sweets

Celebrity did that as well, back about 15  years or so???

[goldfish65]

I hope they keep the buffet, though it will be in the back of my mind now that other cruisers are watching me fill my plate and seeing whether I waste food.

[zekekelso]

1 hour ago, lenquixote66 said:

Why go on a cruise to not have total relaxation ? Perhaps if I was in my teens I would love a buffet but different strokes for different folks.

 

Speaking just for me, but here’s what I find relaxing: I want something; I go get it. Here’s what I don’t find relaxing: I want something; now where’s our server; finally he’s here and says he’s going to bring it; he leaves; when’s he coming back???

[Iamcruzin]

3 hours ago, Paulette3028 said:

And a 30% discount could not entice more people to join you.....says alot.  The specialty restaurant that we frequent is Izumi.  They never have special discounts for that....and there is never more than a few tables filled...NEVER even near 50% full, but we love it and it is a MUST on a ship that has it.

I was offered 25% but asked for 30%. Jamie's was dead all week on a 9 day cruise. Truth be told I enjoyed it more than Wonderland that was full and we paid full price. 

[lenquixote66]

33 minutes ago, zekekelso said:

 

Speaking just for me, but here’s what I find relaxing: I want something; I go get it. Here’s what I don’t find relaxing: I want something; now where’s our server; finally he’s here and says he’s going to bring it; he leaves; when’s he coming back???

 

33 minutes ago, zekekelso said:

 

Speaking just for me, but here’s what I find relaxing: I want something; I go get it. Here’s what I don’t find relaxing: I want something; now where’s our server; finally he’s here and says he’s going to bring it; he leaves; when’s he coming back???

I have yet to have bad service in a MDR on a cruise.

[SNJCruisers]

1 hour ago, lenquixote66 said:

Why go on a cruise to not have total relaxation ? Perhaps if I was in my teens I would love a buffet but different strokes for different folks.

Everybody has their own idea of total satisfaction.  For some it will be waited on and served in the MDR or a similar setting.  For others it will be to graze the buffet and pick and choose what they wish to eat at a quicker pace than a sit down option.   Neither option is wrong, it all comes down to a matter of preference, and the mass market cruise lines all operate this way.  Until Virgin starts up with their everything's included, no buffet option in the near future.

[legaljen1969]

On 5/13/2020 at 2:31 PM, CruisingNole said:

"It will be something more akin to a restaurant."

 

At least he acknowledges it is essentially a trough in its current form. 

No doubt with that much space to fill, they will find a way to put in more "specialty" dining or other ",pay to play" options.  What a great excuse. 

 

[CruisingNole]

Cruise ship buffet is the golden coral of the seas! Slop! Use this as an opportunity to get your money's worth and DO BETTER.

[ONECRUISER]

10 hours ago, Sea Dog said:

I have never had a 2 hour dinner in MDR. We are usually in and out in 45 minutes to an hour at tops and that's if take our time.

The old days on Royal you got 5 Course Meal and were lucky to get done within 2hrs. Though now, poor service at Large Table and people showing up 10-15 min late can take over 1 1/2+ hrs. But me in MD, always first in door table to myself and can be out in 25-30min inc Dessert. Food's always hot, take my time and always out before the Floor Show... Last couple yrs been doing more Dinner meals in WJ. Food has really improved in taste, selection and presentation. Even after Cruises resume with some restrictions as having servers WJ isnt going anywhere

Edited May 16, 2020 by ONECRUISER

[SNJCruisers]

1 hour ago, CruisingNole said:

Cruise ship buffet is the golden coral of the seas! Slop! Use this as an opportunity to get your money's worth and DO BETTER.

 

57 minutes ago, ONECRUISER said:

 Last couple yrs been doing more Dinner meals in WJ. Food has really improved in taste, selection and presentation. Even after Cruises resume with some restrictions as having servers WJ isnt going anywhere

The line in the sand has been drawn.

[deliver42]

It'll be interesting what they do to the buffet, but whatever it is won't be a deal breaker for me. Life goes on.

[zekekelso]

6 hours ago, lenquixote66 said:

 

I have yet to have bad service in a MDR on a cruise.

 

My point isn’t that the service in the MDR is bad. But even with excellent service, the waiter isn’t 100% dedicated to what I need at that exact moment. So if I want some more water or bread, I’m going to have to wait first for the waiter to be free to hear my request, then for them to be free to fill it. As opposed to a buffet whee I can just go get it. 

[Newleno]

3 hours ago, CruisingNole said:

Cruise ship buffet is the golden coral of the seas! Slop! Use this as an opportunity to get your money's worth and DO BETTER.

I beg your pardon, I never promised you a rose garden!

[Iamcruzin]

I don't know what changes they are going to make but it could turn out that I like it better and may actually eat there.  On my Anthem 9 day cruise we ate there at breakfast one time and that was enough for me. We used the MDR for breakfast every day after that even on disembarkation day. We ate lunch in Cafe 270 and dinner in the MDR.  

[Justmekaren918]

On 5/13/2020 at 5:13 PM, BND said:

I can see using it as a restaurant with wait staff in order to spread out people more.  Probably with a more varied menu than the MDR has.  I also think we'll know when they announce what the plans are.

 

I also wonder, why are people who are so sure the cruise lines are just money grubbing, cruisers at all?  I get tired of reading how they're only out for money, well, yeah, it's a business. If it's such a problem, don't cruise.

U checked the prices for next year they are 2/3+ more $$ for each cat. for next year! Starting $650 pp for int. He$$ to the No!

[silversurf1]

I use a wheelchair which my partner pushes. Using a wheelchair in a buffet is practically impossible. He has to take me round to find my food, then find a table that has been cleared; he then queues again to get his own food and by the time he gets back I have finished my food. Not a relaxing or companionable experience. Plus the fact some people push and shove and seem to have disgusting habits in the buffet, licking fingers etc.

I, for one, shalln’t miss them at all. Give me the civilised MDR every time.

[badvector]

Wow, this thread has really had a run.  Just skimming through, it is full of entitled, elitist and snobbish remarks.  Personally, I see a time and place for the WJ buffet and the MDR.  I've seen the same types of behavior being called out in the WJ happen in the MDR.  What I don't comprehend is the "I don't like it so it shouldn't exist" mentality.  First world problems eh?  

 

 

[Iamcruzin]

27 minutes ago, Justmekaren918 said:

U checked the prices for next year they are 2/3+ more $$ for each cat. for next year! Starting $650 pp for int. He$$ to the No!

How can you be surprised with what's going on with the cruise lines financially?  Personally I think the pricing is a stretch given the state of the world economy, the fear of cruising by those who don't live in Florida and don't belong to cruise critic and those who were on the fence about cruising to begin with. The only way to maintain these prices is to keep the supply low by either booking at a lower capacity or by not sailing the entire fleet. If they come back at full capacity by next year, I can see prices dropping.

[Ocean Boy]

9 hours ago, SNJCruisers said:

Everybody has their own idea of total satisfaction.  For some it will be waited on and served in the MDR or a similar setting.  For others it will be to graze the buffet and pick and choose what they wish to eat at a quicker pace than a sit down option.   Neither option is wrong, it all comes down to a matter of preference, and the mass market cruise lines all operate this way.  Until Virgin starts up with their everything's included, no buffet option in the near future.

You are exactly right. People cruise for different reasons. We are not all looking for the same experience. But some here can't seem to possibly comprehend that fact. That is one of the great points about RCI. Their ships are able to accommodate people who are looking for different experiences and that includes people within the same family.

 

I have no idea why some here feel the need to knock what others enjoy. If you don't like something just move on. Other than the muster drill no one is really forces to do anything that they don't want to do on a cruise ship.

 

[Ocean Boy]

6 hours ago, CruisingNole said:

Cruise ship buffet is the golden coral of the seas! Slop! Use this as an opportunity to get your money's worth and DO BETTER.

I always thought getting my money's worth with my disposable income was doing what I enjoy with it. Doing what you enjoy never really entered my mind. 

[livingonthebeach]

Looks like Golden Corral will reopen without the buffet.   Highly unlikely cruise ships will reopen the WJ as we knew it. Staff will probably serve like the cafeteria-style model GC plans to implement.

 

https://www.restaurantbusinessonline.com/financing/golden-corral-starts-reopening-without-buffet

 

"In the cafeteria-style model, stanchions are set up around the buffet areas and now-common floor markers tell customers where to stand as they line up for their food. Golden Corral staff then serve customers the food they request, eliminating the need for customers to touch utensils. 

In the family-style model, servers bring customers “an endless buffet” of selected items to their tables."

[leisuretraveler223]

Literally no one can be surprised by this.  But even so, all these detailed discussions are kind of an exercise in futility.  Until they have a substantive conversation about having to cut the number of passengers pretty much in half, then they aren't even trying to address the problem that will lead to their inevitable bankruptcy.

[BND]

1 hour ago, Justmekaren918 said:

U checked the prices for next year they are 2/3+ more $$ for each cat. for next year! Starting $650 pp for int. He$$ to the No!

Actually we booked 4 more cruises a couple of months ago and got great deals (all JS).  We booked them when we realized our May cruises were going to be cancelled.  Your choice to not book, but we already have.