What about the buffets

[MrsFloody]

On 4/7/2021 at 11:06 PM, dides said:

Princess UK have recently been promoting the Princess Cruises CruiseHealth video made last November. This includes the following about buffets:

 

Good spot!!!

[ChutChut]

59 minutes ago, caribill said:

 

As of late April, Royal Caribbean has had 125,000 passengers on cruises this spring in Europe and Asia with only 21 COVID-19 cases.

 

RCL said "That's a positivity rate of 0.01% and as we've emphasized all of this has been experience without having the availability of vaccines."

 

source: RCL stock analysts conference call on April 29.

 

 

 

Very enlightening.

[Redwing55]

4 hours ago, caribill said:

 

Same is going to be true with Covid-19. Safer on a cruise ship than in your hometown.

 

Still to be determined is safety after contact with port populations along the way.

I get that take, but there are 2 issues going on here:

Noro- personal hygiene helps a ton here, though not all.  And still in the grand scheme of things, it's not really a major issue with cruising.. though the media and fearful folks almost portend it's everywhere.

 

Covid... when it comes to buffets,  food is NOT a way that covid can be spread.  So AT WORST, if one keeps ones distance, a buffet is no larger a risk than anyplace else to pick up this virus.

 

And still, I'm in the camp that if a buffet concerns you, just eat elsewhere.  If it was the only venue, then I'd understand.  And maybe it's just the personality of the cruises that I've been on, but other than breakfast, the buffets were never crowded when we went.  Clearly, I'm a supporter of leaving them as they were.  In fact I loved the fact that Princess left some part of them open for most of the day.  Other lines did seem to have hours when it was closed (during the day.)

[rbtan]

6 hours ago, Ride-The-Waves said:

Empirical date and testing has shown this is exactly the opposite.  

Close quarters is the spreader factor!

[Ride-The-Waves]

On 5/3/2021 at 3:07 PM, caribill said:

 

As of late April, Royal Caribbean has had 125,000 passengers on cruises this spring in Europe and Asia with only 21 COVID-19 cases.

 

RCL said "That's a positivity rate of 0.01% and as we've emphasized all of this has been experience without having the availability of vaccines."

 

source: RCL stock analysts conference call on April 29.

 

 

 

That is called a "self-licking ice cream cone!"

[EllieinNJ]

A little  off topic but on May 7 our governor of nj is lifting the ban for buffet restaurants.

[Syracusefan44]

The CDC is requiring the cruise lines eliminate self serve options onboard all ships.

 

While many cruise lines have already confirmed their buffets are on hold for the time being, the CDC has made it official by now requiring them to eliminate any self-serve food or drink options, such as buffets, salad bars, and drink stations.

 

https://www.cruiseindustrynews.com/cruise-news/24942-cdc-will-eliminate-cruise-ship-buffet-require-organized-shore-excursions.html

Edited May 5, 2021 by Syracusefan44

[Hooley]

I think one of the problems with self-service buffets is the handling of the serving utensils.  Some of the buffet restaurants here are open, but they either provide diners with disposable gloves or the staff serves the food. 

[MishelleMcc]

This is interesting!  They've been brain storming - I can tell!! 🧐  https://cruisereport.com/cruise-industry-news/dine-myway?fbclid=IwAR2H234FLevgvN9iXXjQY7H54cVNUJjg_De2DSqQzjGMVCqr07JRG8FOIrs

[yoyosma]

6 minutes ago, MishelleMcc said:

This is interesting!  They've been brain storming - I can tell!! 🧐  https://cruisereport.com/cruise-industry-news/dine-myway?fbclid=IwAR2H234FLevgvN9iXXjQY7H54cVNUJjg_De2DSqQzjGMVCqr07JRG8FOIrs

I read that article earlier, very interesting.  I think I like it, if it works.  

[capriccio]

This article describing the latest CDC cruise ship regulations was posted on the MSC board today: CDC Will Eliminate Cruise Ship Buffet, Require Organized Shore Excursions (https://www.cruiseindustrynews.com/cruise-news/24942-cdc-will-eliminate-cruise-ship-buffet-require-organized-shore-excursions.html)

 

In respect to buffets, cruise lines:

• must eliminate any self-serve food or drink options, such as buffets, salad bars, and drink stations.
• recommended that they provide alternative meal services options, such as prepackaged grab-and-go meals, for consumption on open decks or in individual cabins to minimize risks associated with congregate indoor dining.

 

 

 

[Redwing55]

3 hours ago, Syracusefan44 said:

The CDC is requiring the cruise lines eliminate self serve options onboard all ships.

 

While many cruise lines have already confirmed their buffets are on hold for the time being, the CDC has made it official by now requiring them to eliminate any self-serve food or drink options, such as buffets, salad bars, and drink stations.

 

https://www.cruiseindustrynews.com/cruise-news/24942-cdc-will-eliminate-cruise-ship-buffet-require-organized-shore-excursions.html

I guess one can't fight city hall, but eliminating SS options is extreme IMO.  The CDC continues to attempt to impose things that they have no clue as to what it will or won't impact.  FWIW, some states are beginning to open up buffets.  

Unfortunately, the CDC doesn't answer to anyone.  But shouldn't they be required to justify ANY action or restriction they place on cruises (or any other area where they can?)  Arbitrary rules end up frustrating all those impacted and typically result in abuses.  Make then justifiable and they are more readily enforced AND more effective.  

 

Since covid is not spread through ingestion, how is banning self serve doing anything positive?  Frankly waiting in the hallway to get to the dining room has a likely as high exposure potential.  Heck, eating in the dining room could likely be the highest risk for exposure.  Oh and by the way, remember that almost all have been screened in some capacity and have been vaccinated.  And just think of all that exposure that many might have flying to a port.  SMH!

[rbtan]

6 hours ago, capriccio said:

This article describing the latest CDC cruise ship regulations was posted on the MSC board today: CDC Will Eliminate Cruise Ship Buffet, Require Organized Shore Excursions (https://www.cruiseindustrynews.com/cruise-news/24942-cdc-will-eliminate-cruise-ship-buffet-require-organized-shore-excursions.html)

 

In respect to buffets, cruise lines:

• must eliminate any self-serve food or drink options, such as buffets, salad bars, and drink stations.
• recommended that they provide alternative meal services options, such as prepackaged grab-and-go meals, for consumption on open decks or in individual cabins to minimize risks associated with congregate indoor dining.

 

 

 

This is what we've done in most of our commercial/corp. catering.  Grab & go or we serve the employees.

[Ride-The-Waves]

13 hours ago, MishelleMcc said:

This is interesting!  They've been brain storming - I can tell!! 🧐  https://cruisereport.com/cruise-industry-news/dine-myway?fbclid=IwAR2H234FLevgvN9iXXjQY7H54cVNUJjg_De2DSqQzjGMVCqr07JRG8FOIrs

Talk about marketing hype starting with "...Princess, the world’s leading international premium cruise line."  Wowwie!  They can't manage the dinner meal now.  Add this and it becomes a real cluster...