Buffet meals

[d9704011]

3 minutes ago, gmjc2 said:

If you go through a line and the staff serves you it is a cafeteria by definition. Self serve is a buffet.

If they do away with the buffet it will be a real issue for us. We intensely dislike the MDR and almost always use the buffet.

It can be made safer by STRICT enforcement of hand washing at the entrances and allowing only a few people in the line at a time. Also less tables for the 6 foot rule. It will make meal time a slower affair but as most evenings the buffet room is half empty that should not be a problem. Lunch will be more difficult on sea days for sure.

 

You’re awfully sure of yourself on the definition.  I remember when I went to school/university the cafeteria was a place we went to pick up food and drink out of refrigerated cases, displays and dispensers then had the cost run up by a cashier.  Nobody served us much of anything.

[neverbeenhere]

I’m in the buffet will exist with servers crowd. Not only for Covid, but every other communicable disease that could be lessened on ships. Along with servers will come an increased daily gratuity (service charge or tip, if you prefer).
The buffet(even with servers) is an efficient way to feed numerous people quickly. 

[ontheweb]

7 hours ago, d9704011 said:

You really like debating this don’t you?  Recall the ‘Get rid of the buffet already...’ thread that began in February? You posted many a screed on there too on the essential need to retain the word buffet rather than cafeteria.

 

BTW, this is a Princess thread, not HAL so your experience on Maasdam doesn’t apply.

 

Yes, I plead guilty to being very active in that thread.

 

And as for my experience with HAL, it was what they called what you insist is a cafeteria. As a matter of fact what the passengers also called it. BTW, HAL is a cruise line owned by Carnival Corporation, just like Princess.

[ontheweb]

6 hours ago, MissP22 said:

I suspect that no matter what they decide to do I'll be throwing away much more food as the end result. When serving myself I take only as much as I want & need. If a server is dishing out the food I'm sure it'll be slower with people giving specific instructions as to which piece they want & how much sauce to put on it. It'll be much slower than ever before. 

It sounds like the DR will be a better choice in the end.

I hope they don't enforce any dress code. 😄

That's interesting. In the previous long thread about should they get rid of the buffet, many posted there would be less waste with servers instead of self service. I posted that my DW always ended with way more of each ingredient for her salad when they served her, and was told she was the exception. I see reading your post, she would not be the only one as this also applies to you.

[ontheweb]

1 hour ago, gmjc2 said:

If you go through a line and the staff serves you it is a cafeteria by definition. Self serve is a buffet.

If they do away with the buffet it will be a real issue for us. We intensely dislike the MDR and almost always use the buffet.

It can be made safer by STRICT enforcement of hand washing at the entrances and allowing only a few people in the line at a time. Also less tables for the 6 foot rule. It will make meal time a slower affair but as most evenings the buffet room is half empty that should not be a problem. Lunch will be more difficult on sea days for sure.

 

It was never defined as such on the HAL Maasdam. It was always referred to as the buffet.

 

By definition quote is a verb while the noun is quotation. Yet you will always see quote used as a noun and be accepted. Similarly, a self serve buffet switched to one that is no longer self service will still be called THE BUFFET.

 

A cafeteria is just a bad memory from high school, something to be avoided.

 

[skynight]

3 hours ago, neverbeenhere said:

I’m in the buffet will exist with servers crowd. Not only for Covid, but every other communicable disease that could be lessened on ships. Along with servers will come an increased daily gratuity (service charge or tip, if you prefer).
The buffet(even with servers) is an efficient way to feed numerous people quickly. 

Agree. Hour long waiter served meals aren't for everyone. A quick breakfast, lunch, snack or other meal is what many enjoy. Many also enjoy the option of food at anytime in the buffet. Buffets may change some but will not go away.

[brisalta]

6 minutes ago, skynight said:

Agree. Hour long waiter served meals aren't for everyone. A quick breakfast, lunch, snack or other meal is what many enjoy. Many also enjoy the option of food at anytime in the buffet. Buffets may change some but will not go away.

 

Where is the enjoyment in gulping down food? So bring out the food funnels if you want a quick meal.

What is it with people gulping down there food and not taking the time to enjoy a meal and the company with them at the table?

[Cruise4Twos]

You can enjoy a relaxing meal at the table at the buffet (staff or self-service). Time is saved in not having to wait for the meal to be served to you. 

Edited September 5, 2020 by Cruise4Twos
added a word

[cruzsnooze]

I don't understand the harping about hand washing as it related to covid-19. It is not a contact transmission it is air borne. That said, hand washing is always desirable for other germs but will not prevent covid. 

[d9704011]

6 minutes ago, cruzsnooze said:

I don't understand the harping about hand washing as it related to covid-19. It is not a contact transmission it is air borne. That said, hand washing is always desirable for other germs but will not prevent covid. 

COVID-19 is transmitted by liquid droplets when a person coughs, sneezes or spits. Touching surfaces contaminated with droplets containing COVID-19 and then touching your face particularly your eyes, nose or mouth can make you sick. That is why it is recommended to wash your hands often, especially when you are likely to get or spread germs.

[pris993]

I find all this discussion about the buffet amusing.  It is very easy, if you don't like the buffet don't go.  If you do, then go.

 

We do room service for breakfast, skip buffet or mdr, til dinner time, then either do buffet or Crown Grill.  If we could do Room Service for dinner we would,.  Maybe that will be an option in the future too.

 

Any rate, til we get some ships operating non of us will know what will be offered. 

[Thrak]

52 minutes ago, pris993 said:

 If we could do Room Service for dinner we would,.  Maybe that will be an option in the future too.

 

If you book a suite you can order from the MDR menu and have it delivered to your cabin.

[pris993]

2 hours ago, Thrak said:

 

If you book a suite you can order from the MDR menu and have it delivered to your cabin.

Yes, I am aware of the suite benefit, thanks.  On HAL, any cabin can order dinner from MDR within first 30 minutes of the MDR opening.  Maybe Princess may expand their service.   

[MissP22]

6 hours ago, pris993 said:

Yes, I am aware of the suite benefit, thanks.  On HAL, any cabin can order dinner from MDR within first 30 minutes of the MDR opening.  Maybe Princess may expand their service.   

They sure might......for a price. 🤑

[skynight]

12 hours ago, brisalta said:

 

Where is the enjoyment in gulping down food? So bring out the food funnels if you want a quick meal.

What is it with people gulping down there food and not taking the time to enjoy a meal and the company with them at the table?

Those at the pools or other activities may enjoy those activities and time spent there rather than an hour plus for lunch at a DR table. The buffet, grill, pizza and I.C. offer alternatives. For approximately the last ten years we have been booking b2b cruises lasting 30 to 40 days. We tire of dining every evening in the DR, and like to plan our evening meals around our entertainment and activity plans, not the other way around. Many evenings we option for a small quicker meal at the buffet, grill, pizza or International Cafe.   For breakfast we also enjoy a doughnut and coffee at the I.C. or carry out to the promenade or maybe a bowl of cereal or made to order omelette on the Horizon Terrace, rather than an hour long indoor DR breakfast. These are our preferences. No gulping going on, just a simple one course meal. Others have different preferences. That is why the cruise lines offer all the different options, not one size fits all. 

[gmjc2]

17 hours ago, d9704011 said:

You’re awfully sure of yourself on the definition.  I remember when I went to school/university the cafeteria was a place we went to pick up food and drink out of refrigerated cases, displays and dispensers then had the cost run up by a cashier.  Nobody served us much of anything.

A school situation is a little different. Although my daughter's schools all worked with servers -no vending/cooled cases!There are ( or where ) chain restaurants that were cafeteria style. They worked as I described.

But lets agree to disagree!

[gmjc2]

As for "gulping down food" that is not the reason we do not eat at the MDR. We like to choose our food and the quantity. We do not enjoy waiting around for sometimes hours while the other people at the table have multiple courses. We also do not like waiters hovering over us and then taking much too long to bring something we asked for.  

We also eat early and then usually go to the early evening show so need to be finished eating by about 6: 30 pm in order to get to the theater early enough to get the handicapped seats as there are so few of them and my husband has problems with steps. 

So do not pass judgement without realizing that not all folks are alike!!

[pris993]

3 hours ago, MissP22 said:

They sure might......for a price. 🤑

HAL does it for nothing other than a tip.  Regardless, did hear Princess may expand Crown Grill to Room Service, obviously that would be for a fee.  We have gotten the fish and chips from the Crown Grill delivered to our cabin.  Very happy to pay the fee plus tip vs eat at the Grill which is very noisy and over crowded. 

[pris993]

40 minutes ago, gmjc2 said:

As for "gulping down food" that is not the reason we do not eat at the MDR. We like to choose our food and the quantity. We do not enjoy waiting around for sometimes hours while the other people at the table have multiple courses. We also do not like waiters hovering over us and then taking much too long to bring something we asked for.  

We also eat early and then usually go to the early evening show so need to be finished eating by about 6: 30 pm in order to get to the theater early enough to get the handicapped seats as there are so few of them and my husband has problems with steps. 

So do not pass judgement without realizing that not all folks are alike!!

We find eating early at the buffet is very pleasant, quiet, plus have a view and sunset to watch.  Like you say doing so often finish early and free to enjoy the entertainment on board.   Actually happy not many like the buffet, less crowded for those of us who do. Happy cruising. 

[Geoffa30]

I hope they move to a food court type concept with menus something like Planks which is on the Caribbean Princess and I believe other ships. I know this is a night time speciality dining venue but believe moving to something similar with multiple food types would be a way of modernising the buffet and minimising the spread of disease whether it be Covid, Noro or anything else.

[Hlitner]

On 9/5/2020 at 3:08 AM, brisalta said:

 

May I ask where have you been searching for this information?

Sure.  We have done Internet searches using a couple of different search engines (duckduckgo is the least political and agenda driven) to no avail.  Yes, you can find lots of speculation but we have not seen any posts based on real studies.  In fact, we cannot even find evidence that anyone has done any serious research.   If you know of any good info please post it here so we can look.   We have read some pretty convincing speculation that sharing serving utensils is not a wise idea (this is definitely true when it comes to Norovirus) but there are a couple of good ways to avoid the serving utensil problem.  

 

Hank

[satxdiver]

We hope that Princess adopts the HAL buffet practice where the food is served as you move down the counter.  This is a lot more sanitary and could also stop some noro outbreaks.  This is the one main complaint about Princess and other cruise lines for letting pax serve themselves in the buffet everyone handling the serving spoons/tongs/etc and then there are the ones that like to serve themselves with their fingers.  

[highflyingrealtor]

On 9/4/2020 at 7:26 PM, Retirement2016 said:

It really doesn't matter to us, as long as we start cruising.  We will follow the rules.  Hopefully we will be cruising in June, 2021 as we have Norway/Iceland cruise booked.  We were fortunate to cruise to New Zealand in March, 2020 just before the shutdown.

After reading all the comments I say yours (above) wins the prize. We agree, whatever guidelines are in place we will gladly comply with in order to get us back on the water 2/28/2020. We came off the Regal on 3/9/2020 and that's when it all hit the fan. Hoping Europe continues with successful cruises and the US starts up with success in a few months.

[brisalta]

9 hours ago, pris993 said:

We find eating early at the buffet is very pleasant, quiet, plus have a view and sunset to watch.  Like you say doing so often finish early and free to enjoy the entertainment on board.   Actually happy not many like the buffet, less crowded for those of us who do. Happy cruising. 

 

If you are taking the time to view the sunset while eating you are not gulping down your food. You are having a relaxing meal which is actually the healthy way to eat.

It just seems a shame that too many people seem to want to shove food down as quickly as possible and not even bother to sit and relax and chew their food.

[brisalta]

8 hours ago, Hlitner said:

Sure.  We have done Internet searches using a couple of different search engines (duckduckgo is the least political and agenda driven) to no avail.  Yes, you can find lots of speculation but we have not seen any posts based on real studies.  In fact, we cannot even find evidence that anyone has done any serious research.   If you know of any good info please post it here so we can look.   We have read some pretty convincing speculation that sharing serving utensils is not a wise idea (this is definitely true when it comes to Norovirus) but there are a couple of good ways to avoid the serving utensil problem.  

 

Hank

 

So you have not bothered to search any of the science citation web sites.

I would not want to and have avoided using serving utensils that have been picked up by people picking their noses, licking their fingers, etc. In future that is even more problematic as that is an intermediary transfer mechanism for sars2-corona virus as the time between handling would be too short for the particles to denature.