Recent Experiences in Buffet on Discovery

[californiagirl]

As a Diamond orphan yesterday I booked Discovery for the September 4 cruise.  It looks like this cruise is pretty full.  Anyone who has been on Discovery recently how was the buffet?  Were all sections open?  What about the dining room, was seating smooth or were there long lines?  I appreciate any recent accounts. 

[Sunwanabe]

We were on Discovery mid July for Alaska run. Pretty full ship, all sections open. We went few times, mainly for brunch. Timed it for about 10:30 or so when they started bringing out lunch items. Crowded, but not overwhelming for getting food or finding a table. Overall we found the food quite good with an array of good options.      

[sports pirate]

Got off the ship Aug. 7. Buffet was completely open, great food options and theme nights. Enjoyed eating dinner in the Ketchikan dining room almost every night. They even had a vegan menu (fairly new) that my daughter with food allergies was able to order off of and were quite tasty.

[californiagirl]

Thank you for your replies!

[MissP22]

Was the buffet self service or were they still serving every person individually?

[sports pirate]

Self service on the buffet

[azbirdmom]

Will add to the comments about the buffet being decent, completely open, the resumption of theme nights (noted in the Patter daily) AND the resumption of grilled veggies / taco and nacho fixins' in the bistro part of the buffet at lunchtime.  We skipped the MDR most nights and had dinners at the buffet.

[MissP22]

1 hour ago, sports pirate said:

Self service on the buffet

 

28 minutes ago, azbirdmom said:

Will add to the comments about the buffet being decent, completely open, the resumption of theme nights (noted in the Patter daily) AND the resumption of grilled veggies / taco and nacho fixins' in the bistro part of the buffet at lunchtime.  We skipped the MDR most nights and had dinners at the buffet.

Thank you. It sounds like a return back to normalcy. 

[mrstmaxx]

Thank you so much for stating the grilled veggies and tacos are back!!!  I missed the veggies and my husband missed his tacos 😀  Can't wait to get back on Discovery for our New Year's Cruise

[Ptroxx]

19 hours ago, sports pirate said:

Got off the ship Aug. 7. Buffet was completely open, great food options and theme nights. Enjoyed eating dinner in the Ketchikan dining room almost every night. They even had a vegan menu (fairly new) that my daughter with food allergies was able to order off of and were quite tasty.

Theme night?    What are those?   
 

 

[awsdrew]

18 minutes ago, Ptroxx said:

Theme night?    What are those?   
 

 

e.g. German night, Mexican night, Seafood extravaganza... 

[Ptroxx]

4 minutes ago, awsdrew said:

e.g. German night, Mexican night, Seafood extravaganza... 

ah ok.    Was thinking theme night events.  
 

I ate in the buffet on Italian night because Juneau DR was closed in Juneau.

  Was on same cruise  last week

Edited August 11, 2022 by Ptroxx

[Rick&Jeannie]

40 minutes ago, Ptroxx said:

.....Juneau DR was closed in Juneau.

 

That seems a bit ironic!

[Ptroxx]

Just now, Rick&Jeannie said:

That seems a bit ironic!

Lol yup.    Because we had a late departure in Juneau they close it.  And the staff works the buffet.    

[4x4bob]

The buffet is large. On the first night, do not be surprised that after walking around and around and back and forth making your selections, you have a problem finding the table that you left part of party sitting as you went first. 

Also, keep any eye out for the desert section.

Bob

[harryfat1]

We just got off the Majestic Princess on the 8/6 to 8/13 Alaska sailing.  We were only at 60% capacity.  Saw the Discovery Princess at Juneau on 8/10 and I could tell the number of people getting off the ship that sailing is considerably more crowded than ours.

 

For us, buffet was mixture of self service and staff assisted.  For any drinks at the buffet, the staff takes your orders and bring to you as they won't allow you go go back to the drinks section.

 

They also have someone manning the distribution of napkins and utensils.  Any hot food items are served by staff with the serving dispensers facing them so you can't touch it.  Just bring your plate and point and they will give you the food.

 

The small "grab and go" items like smoothies or desserts are self served.

 

No guests are allowed at the self serve drinks at the buffet.  They will serve whatever drinks you want from the section.

 

 

Food items that requires guests touching serving utensil that other guests might also touch are handled by staff only

 

 

Note the serving utensil are pointing toward staff so they will serve you 

 

 

Some fruits are served by them as well as they don't even show any self serving utensils

 

 

Same for donuts.  Can't touch that...

 

 

Here are self served items:

 

 

All dessert items are self served

 

 

As we were only 60% capacity, they only open some of the serving area. The seating area away from the serving stations are mostly empty as people don't want to walk far with plates of food.

 

 

 

[californiagirl]

It is interesting that two ships from the same cruise line, sailing the same region have such different covid protocols!  The crew on the ships must be given more autonomy toward protocols then one would think.  
 

A year ago I would have been appalled that passengers were serving themselves in the buffet but I’m ready to move back to normalcy.  Even before covid I used hand sanitizer in the buffet before and after serving myself,  before even touching my glass once at the table.

[4x4bob]

Yes to using hand sanitizer after sitting down.  However, I wait until I pull up my chair and handle the salt/pepper shakers if I want to use them.  Then splash on the sanitizer.

Bob